[ltp] T series vs. U-series price question

[James Knott]

Jesse Sheidlower wrote:
> I'm in the market for a new Thinkpad, with relatively straightforward
> requirements: 13" or 14" screen, as thin and light as possible, fast
> enough to run relatively nondemanding tasks in a Windows VM on
> VirtualBox, and with a TrackPoint.
>
> I figured the T series (probably the T430S) would be the way to go--I
> still have a T60 that I use for basic tasks, and it's a great
> machine--but I'm a little struck by the feature difference between these
> models and the Ultrabook series. For about the same price, the U series
> machines seem to have a faster processor, better graphics, twice the
> memory, and a dual SSD/HD setup (with a larger HD than on the T series
> machines, albeit at 5400 instead of 7200), and are thinner and lighter
> and have better battery life. I don't need and thus don't want an
> optical drive. If it weren't for the lack of TrackPoint, it would be a
> no-brainer, but this is pretty cricial for me.
>
> Is there something I'm missing here, or is there some new line coming
> out soon that will bring some of the thin-and-light goodness to the T
> series machines? I'd be tempted by the X230 (I currently use an X201 as
> my main travel machine, and I love it), but I sort of need more screen
> real estate than 12.5".
>
> Thanks. I'd be running Debian, if it matters.
>
> Jesse Sheidlower

Last October, I bought an E520 and it works quite well.  I run openSUSE 
12.1 on it.  The E series is much cheaper than T.