[ltp] My next ThinkPad

Sun, 9 Jul 2006 20:19:56 -0400

<tt>linux-thinkpad-admin@linux-thinkpad.org wrote on 07/07/2006
11:13:25 AM: 
 
&gt; I'm a recent convert to ThinkPads (from Sony PictureBooks), 
&gt; and have a T20 and T23, both of which I am very happy with. 
&gt; (Actually my wife uses the T23.) 
&gt; 
&gt; I'm thinking of getting a third ThinkPad, 
&gt; and am wondering what people would recommend. 
&gt; I've very fond of the &quot;touchpoint&quot; 
&gt; and not so keen on &quot;touchpads&quot;. 
&gt; 
&gt; I'm planning on looking at eBay, 
&gt; and wondered what the natural progression is, 
&gt; after T20 and T23? 
&gt; I should say that both of these are perfectly adequate for my needs, 
&gt; so it would make sense to get another T23 - 
&gt; but I thought I might splash out on a newer (not new) model. 
&gt; 
&gt; Any advice or suggestions gratefully received. 
&gt; 
</tt>
 <tt>If you look at eBay right now, the T40 models are
really low in price. &nbsp;They have the ThinkLight, the Titanium composite
cover, very light and thin without being flimsy, most have the WiFi antenna
along the sides of the LCD. &nbsp;The T41 introduces the motion sensor
and the so-called Hard Drive Airbag, which immediately freezes and parks
the active HD while radical motion is sensed -- requires a driver, dunno
if this works well under Linux yet. &nbsp;</tt>
 
 <tt>Another option is the A30 or A31 models, virtually
identical mechanically but differing in the system board, processor and
memory. &nbsp;The A30 and A31 have a 16MB ATI Radeon Mobility graphics
processor, the A30P and A31P have a better 32MB version of the ATI. &nbsp;Though
bigger and heavier (around 7.2 pounds) the A31P has USB 1.1, Firewire,
Video In and Video Out, similar processor and memory requirements to the
T30 (original Pentium 4 Mobile chips). &nbsp;The A30/A31 use the same UltraBay
2000 devices (Optical, 2nd drive trays in two slots) as your T20 and T23,
as does the T30, but the T40 shaves these down to the UltraBay Slim versions.</tt>
 
 <tt>I rebuild and sell all three series on eBay. &nbsp;I
own six ThinkPads for my personal use and my family's use. &nbsp;They are
all T41 or T42, except the one bench test A30. &nbsp;If you are mobile,
go for the T40 series, a T41 or T42. &nbsp;If you are relatively fixed
in position, look strongly at the A30 series, 15&quot; SXGA+ or UXGA models.
&nbsp;Three spindles, same port replicator as your T20 and T23, and very
flexible features and options, and extremely reliable. &nbsp;</tt>
 
 <tt>Best of all, the standard Linux Distros seem to install
virtually complete on both A30 and T40 series now.</tt>
 
 <tt>Bill </tt>