New laptop

[BonnieShels]

So with my impending retirement it's time to start working out ways to spend my money.

First thing was the Google Nexus 5 which is done and done. The second thing is a new laptop.

I've had a horn for ThinkPads since forever and I'm seriously thinking of getting one given their reputation etc.

It's gonna be a toss-up between the T- or L- series. Looking to spend in and around a grand on it. Any thoughts or tips on this or anything else?

I'm looking at you Adam!

[dahamsta]

Don't use a lappie much tbh, but I do actually have a Lenovo X300 for almost exactly five years. I've only had one major problem with it, I bought a (OEM) slimline charger maybe a year after I got it, and it basically fried itself and the PSU on a trip to Dublin. They repaired it under warranty, and although they didn't put the keyboard back quite right, it's been grand ever since. Batteries don't last as long as they used to of course, but that's par for the course.

Performance wise it's always been fine for my needs, but my needs are rarely strenuous. However I do buy high-end with an eye to longevity, so I specced it with an SSD when they were kinda new to market, and I filled it to capacity with RAM. (I don't do that any more, these days I buy as little as possible and upgrade myself as and when it's needed, it works out a lot cheaper. Ditto disks.) Even has a GSM radio, although I've only used it a few times.

It doesn't get knocked about a lot, but the chassis in Thinkpads are renowned for being able to take a lot, which is partly why I went for it. There isn't a scratch on it though, genuinely, the rubbery coating just fends everything off bar fingerprints, and I'd prefer fingerprints to dents and scratches.

Would I buy again? I'm actually waiting for the Thinkpad Yoga to come to market. So it'll be replaced with an even smaller screen - albeit with a digitizer, stylus and folding screen - early in the new year. I reckon that's testament enough. :)

(My desktop computer is 2 years older again, bought it in October 2006. It started to annoy me a few months back so I swapped in an SSD and it flew, however as apps eat more and more RAM it started erroring out on me recently. So I did some research and found that despite Dell's official specs, it'll take another 4GB of RAM. I reckon that'll see me through until next October, which seems to be New Computer Month for me. Xmas presents for self!)

[BonnieShels]

Just read the review of the X300. Jeepers. Great machine. Plus yoour real-world statements seal it.

There's just something incredibly attractive about a Thinkpad on a pure aesthetic level but with the amount of travelling I'm planning on doing over the next year I think I will HAVE to invest in one. No real option.

My Vista desk machine gave up the ghost in April. And I just disn't have the cash or patience to get it sorted, ie. upgrade to Win 8. I got it built by Komplett in 2007 and it was a peach of a machine and only for the Vista mess up it would be still going strong.

Whilst I agree with buying low and self-building after I have to say the cheapness of RAM with Lenovo plus the option of the 9 cell battery is a winner.

I'm gonna spec a T- and an L- series later for you to offer your eye over if that's okay?

[dahamsta]

Sure, but to be clear, I'm a software guy, not a hardware guy. :)

[BonnieShels]

I actually gave up on speccing the L-. So I specced a T- andthe website crashed again on my piece of crap laptop at home. Worked at about €1245.40 all in.

So here's where I went:
http://shop.lenovo.com/ie/en/laptops/thinkpad/t-series/t530/

Here's what I picked:
Processor:Intel Core i5-3230M Processor (3MB Cache, up to 3.20GHz)
Operating System:Windows 8 64
Operating System Language:Windows 8 64 MUI EMEA WE (EN FR DE IT NL)
Display Type:15.6" HD (1366 x 768) LED Backlit AntiGlare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
System Graphics:NVIDIA NVS 5400M Graphics with Optimus Technology, 1GB DDR3 Memory
Total Memory:8 GB DDR3 - 1600MHz (2 DIMM)
Keyboard:Keyboard (Backlit) UK English
Pointing Device:UltraNav with Fingerprint Reader
Camera:720p HD Camera with Microphone
Hard Drive:500GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Optical Device: DVD Recordable 8x Max, Dual Layer, Ultrabay Enhanced w/ SW Royalty for Windows 8
System Expansion Slots:Express Card Slot & 4-in-1 Card Reader
Battery:9 Cell Li-Ion TWL 70++
Power Cord:90W AC Adapter - UK
Bluetooth:Bluetooth 4.0 with Antenna
Integrated WiFi Wireless LAN Adapters:Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 AGN
Integrated Mobile Broadband:Mobile Broadband upgradable
Microsoft Productivity Software Preload:None
Adobe Lightroom:0 items selected


I'm in two minds about the graphics card versus screen resolution.I can't afford both. Discuss...

[nigel-harps1954]

I'm in two minds about the graphics card versus screen resolution.I can't afford both. Discuss...


Graphics card...all day.

[dahamsta]

If you're not doing gaming or graphic design, and money is an issue, an onboard graphic card should be fine. The only change I'd make, if it was possible, would be to swap out the HDD with an SSD.

[BonnieShels]

If you're not doing gaming or graphic design, and money is an issue, an onboard graphic card should be fine. The only change I'd make, if it was possible, would be to swap out the HDD with an SSD.

The onboard graphics card would probably do but again as I say that I'm in the process offuture proofing myself somewhat. This is gonna be my main pc for the next 5 years or so.

I would do too prefer an SSD but the issue is the cost again. It's cheaper to get one later on and add it in myself. I'll mull that over til I actually click on purchase.

[Mr A]

An alternative to future proofing is to make do with a relatively cheap machine now and replace it in a couple of years. You may find the effort to future proof is more than the cost to simply replace in a couple of years- and reduces the risk that you spend a lot and then have it lost, stolen or eaten by a passing mountain lion.

[BonnieShels]

An alternative to future proofing is to make do with a relatively cheap machine now and replace it in a couple of years. You may find the effort to future proof is more than the cost to simply replace in a couple of years- and reduces the risk that you spend a lot and then have it lost, stolen or eaten by a passing mountain lion.

A good idea. But as I said I'll be travelling around North America a fair bit next year the thoughts of a grubby machine that may not last the journey fills me with dread and I don't know what the cash situation is gonna be like at that stage. Plus Lenovo are good for after care too.

[Mr A]

For what it's worth, I had a Lenovo that died just out of warranty. I have a Dell laptop that I have found excellent and previously had a Dell desktop that served well for over a decade (with quite a few upgrades along the way I'd admit).

[BonnieShels]

For what it's worth, I had a Lenovo that died just out of warranty. I have a Dell laptop that I have found excellent and previously had a Dell desktop that served well for over a decade (with quite a few upgrades along the way I'd admit).

17 new heads and 13 new handles eh?

[dahamsta]

An alternative to future proofing is to make do with a relatively cheap machine now and replace it in a couple of years. You may find the effort to future proof is more than the cost to simply replace in a couple of years- and reduces the risk that you spend a lot and then have it lost, stolen or eaten by a passing mountain lion.

Sure that's what house insurance is for. :)

[BonnieShels]

So all bloody night I've been weighing up the SSD. Damn you.

Are they soooooooo much better?

[dahamsta]

Makes for a lot better boot times, and launches of things like Firefox and Photoshop. I guess after that it doesn't make a huge amount of difference, perhaps opening and saving large files. I'll never run without one again, but I've a very particular profile, I store 99% of my stuff on a server on the LAN.

[BonnieShels]

It's funny, I have all my stuff on my Vista desktop but there's very little I actually wanna keep bar music and movies etc. But there's no reason they can't be kept on an external drive. :)

Plus given that I want this machine to last me for a while Maybe I will plump for it.

[BonnieShels]

Putting in the 128GB SSD and leaving all the specs the same as above comes in at 1390.54

What ya reckon? I think we have a winner!

[BonnieShels]

So after all that and then a trip around Currys showed well and truly showed I'm getting the T530.

Then... I discover last night that the replacement T540 is out soon...

I guess I'm waiting again.

[dahamsta]

There's always an upgrade on the horizon... :)

[BonnieShels]

Lenovo are dicking around with the T540 upgrade.

However spec wise I may actually plump for this:

http://www.komplett.ie/komplett/product/zkb-02pc/20210165/msi-gaming-series-gp60-2od-037nl/details.aspx#tabpanel

Decent proce. Decent components and a Hybrid drive. good stuff! :)

Adam, your thoughts?

[dahamsta]

TBH, I only buy Dell and Lenovo kit, with the possible addition of HP servers. Dell hardware has served me very well over the years, despite their crap support, and the Lenovo laptop has been solid as a rock. I don't use anything else, so I'm not really qualified to comment.

[BonnieShels]

FINALLY the laptop arrived.\Very impressed so far. And yes the Hybrid drive is the shiz.

[dahamsta]

I'm busy waiting on a decent wedge of money to buy a ThinkPad Yoga, and watching all the bassas on Laptop Review get theirs and love them. Bassas.

[Acornvilla]

I spent the last few months agonizing over what laptop to get. Honestly I'd much prefer to invest in a PC but it just doesn't suit my lifestyle at the minute.. In the end I went for a Lenovo Z510 as it was only €679 at the time which I feel is pretty decent given the specs it's come with.




Intel® Core™ i5-4200M processor
8Gb DDR3 RAM
1Tb hard drive
Dedicated 1Gb NVidia® GT740M graphics


Only have it a few days but quite pleased so far, build looks solid and the keyboard/display are grand, I love matte screens.. It's also wonderful to be able to run a few programs (photoshop/illustrator with the usual skype/chrome carry on) at once without the laptop having a brain hemorrhage. My last laptop was on life support so anything would look wonderful compared to that thing..

It also runs a ps2 emulator very smoothly which is pleasing!