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Law School Laptop - R series

post #1 of 12
4/24/05 at 10:06pm
Thread Starter 
Hello

I just made a similar post to this in the General forum and someone there suggested I take it over to this forum to get some IBM specific advice.

Basically I need a laptop that I can take to law school. My number 1 primary concern is price and reliability. This thing can't crap out on me in the next 3 years when I'll be using it for hours everyday and lugging it around with my books and such. Furthermore I'd like it to last longer then 3 years as well.

People in the general forum seemed to think that a Dell 700m would fit my price tag of about 1000$ max (and less if possible). But when I said I would need it to last for 5+ years some felt that Dell would not be such a great way to go.

So now my question is: is the R series a better alternative? Can I get an R series with 512 ram and a DVD/CDR combo drive for less then 1000$? I looked a bit on the IBM website and for the most part the cheapest laptops I could find had fixed options when it came to the optical drive and were only offering CDR drives.

This laptop will effectively be my note taking machine. Its not going to be doing any gaming, just connect to the internet and maybe some light photoshop and powerpoint work.

Is the IBM website the best place to get a thinkpad or are there resellers that are cheaper? Any advice here would be greatly appreciated, but of course my main question is whether a R series thinkpad can hold up well over 5 years of pretty heavy use.
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post #2 of 12
4/25/05 at 5:44pm
Ok you can get the laptop you want for under 1000 only 2 ways. The way I got mine...
Brand new, used once by a person you trust for 800 dollars (I got my R50 this way)...or (people are going to say this is stupid), but EBAY is a great way to go. I have shopped them out for abou 950 dollars on Ebay, and I was seriously thinking of doing that, because it was sealed and new. So just think about that before you buy straight from IBM.
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post #3 of 12
4/25/05 at 10:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Klade
For instance I rather have a 8lb notebook thats built like a tank and will last 5 years+ with no problems then a 4 lb notebook that might break the first time it gets a good bump from a 9lb law book.
You really should get a T-series. I suggest you look for a NEW T-40 or T-41 (with minimal features to meet your budget).

And be happy--it won't weight 8 lbs.
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post #4 of 12
4/26/05 at 3:19pm
Thread Starter 
Ok so I seem to be having some real problems navagating the IBM website. I can't find the T40 for sale on their website outside of the re-certified area. And even there I'm looking at prices above 1000$. Could you point me in the direction of the T40 or the T41 thats in my price range?

The R50 seems to provide everything I want at less then 1000$ and wieghs in at somewhere between 6 - 7lbs depending on features. I would certainly not be adverse to getting a T40 I just can't seem to find them.
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post #5 of 12
4/26/05 at 4:15pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Klade
Ok so I seem to be having some real problems navagating the IBM website. I can't find the T40 for sale on their website outside of the re-certified area. And even there I'm looking at prices above 1000$. Could you point me in the direction of the T40 or the T41 thats in my price range?

The R50 seems to provide everything I want at less then 1000$ and wieghs in at somewhere between 6 - 7lbs depending on features. I would certainly not be adverse to getting a T40 I just can't seem to find them.
Honestly I have an R50, and I would not trade it for ANY laptop you offered me unless you can find one with like 1 GB of Memory, and 120 GB Hard Drive that weighs the same, and has the same IBM programs, and casing...
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post #6 of 12
4/26/05 at 4:16pm
The R50 is a GREAT laptop! And for the value, you cant beat it.
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post #7 of 12
4/26/05 at 9:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Klade
I can't find the T40 for sale on their website outside of the re-certified area.
Sorry, I meant you should look for resellers with new T-40s or T-41s. But in truth, the site I usually check out doesn't have any.
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post #8 of 12
4/27/05 at 12:18am
i agree to the previous posters...get a T series laptop with minimal specs and you won't regret it.
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post #9 of 12
4/27/05 at 12:55am
T-series is MUCh better than the R-series, IMO. The T-series won't break on you...they're already friggin tanks, and only weaigh 5 lbs.
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post #10 of 12
4/27/05 at 3:09am
Quote:
T-series is MUCh better than the R-series, IMO. The T-series won't break on you...they're already friggin tanks, and only weaigh 5 lbs.
i certainly agree... i swear by this unit. i myself owned a T21, T23, and a T30. very solid and stability is excellent.
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post #11 of 12
5/11/05 at 3:25am
A lot of people I know use T-series for law school (including myself). I can't say they're flawless, since I handle my laptop very gingerly and still had a system board failure 4 days before my first final. But IBM service is fast and second to none, and they got me back up and running with time to spare.

Whatever you end up getting (R or T is great, T obviously better for lugging around with big civ pro and contracts books), make sure you get the 3-year warranty and accidental protection plan (called the Thinkpad Protection Plan). Laptops are fragile. They get carried around a lot. They WILL break at inopportune times, even IBMs, which really are tanks compared to the Dells.
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post #12 of 12
5/18/05 at 2:28am
Patrick!? Where did you get that signature and what is it!!?? That is freaky!
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