I hate the audio in/out in the front. I love the middle red dot mouse. I think very labtop should have it. You can actually customize it to match your touch.
Thank you for the really helpful review. I was wondering if you know of any companies that do have good tech support? I need a business laptop and was looking at the new Lenovo 410 but I hate terrible support -- that's kind of a dealbreaker for me.
@writing523 At the moment, good tech support is kind of dragons and unicorns, they probably existed in the past, but now they're just stories. I hear Toshiba has good support, but I have not personally used their tech support. For a ridiculous premium of roughly $150-500 Dell has "North American based" Support, not worth it. HP is pure hell. Sony, hit and miss. American Express has good warranties on purchases made with their signature cards, but that's not exactly support. Best Buy is ok...
i just got one of these computers second hand. thanks for the informative review. My question is do you have the slot for 3G sim cards and was the built-in to your laptop? My T400 has this little sim card slot underneath the battery tray but I cant detect an actual WiMax or broadband card.
@ctrlaltdlt01 to my knowledge the T400 does not have a slot for 3G or Wi Max mobile broadband cards, but it can be installed when ordering. the T401 and T402 probably do not have a slot and are also installable cards as well.
@leadorg At the time of purchase, my P8600 is 2.26 ghz (verified by the Lenovo and Windows hardware system info). There are different serial models of CPUs that vary in their speed ratings.
Again at the time of purchase the optional CCFL came with a thicker display casing, as stated by Lenovo, than the LED, and less material means smaller width and weight. Lenovo could very well have come out with new casings for their CCFLs that match the LED
How well would this machine work for creating digital artwork, using programs like Photoshop and Corel Painter. What kind of specs would you recommend for such usage?
@yudsan Most current generation laptops can handle Photoshop and since Corel Painter is not as stressful on the system as Photoshop, it should be covered. I recommend the minimum. a 2Ghz Dual Core Processor (i5 or i7 if you can afford it, it will save you money by not having to buy another computer later) 2 gb of DDR3 ram that has the same frequency as the motherboard and cpu. and a good GPU aka Video Card I'd say about 1 gb for that but 512 is ok. 2gb for the same reason as the processor
@yudsan I recently just installed the Adobe Master Collection CS5 on my T400. Sadly the graphics card and low memory couldn't handle After Effects CS5, Premier Pro CS5, and Encore CS5 (those three need at least 4 GB of Ram and a high end graphics card aka GPU and a 64-bit Operating System). With 2GB ram and a 2.26 Ghz CPU Adobe is not sluggish, but it's not exactly a breeze. Photoshop is exhausting to use with this set up. Gimp works much better. and Corel Painter, I'm not sure.
T400s (and Thinkpads for that matter) are not meant to have good graphics. What I was referring to is that for a Business-oriented laptop, the display was good, the GPU options are not meant for gaming, but for programs like AutoCAD and Photoshop. Macbooks are better for consumers that like a jack of all trades with an emphasis on wireless networking and entertainment. Apple GPUs aren't that good either, but better than Thinkpad
Nice, You rock! One of the best reviews! I'm thinking to buy T400, just waiting for the 15%-20% off deal. Do I really need to purchase extended warranty? Do they break a lot? How is your thinkpad behaving now, after 6-7 month of use?
@infarkt11 sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner. After 11 months of use my Thinkpad is quite reliable. I've dropped it a few times (twice on accident once on purpose) and nothing's malfunctioning. It is a slow system setup however and I regret not shelling out more money for at least a ram increase to 4GB, or waiting for the core i5/i7's to come to the market. Extended Warranty isn't really worth it as long as you keep your laptop safe.
hey your videos was cool but i want to increase my base score to play all kinds of 3D cool games but my base score is 3.3 and the other ones are higher i need hel =(
Hey, I'd be happy to help you out, but for me to do that I would need to know what kind of set up you have as a base score doesn't tell me anything. Without knowing much about your setup, I would immediately suggest a faster processor, faster and more ram, and the most important, a more powerful video card.
Hola, I like your review, you are a great guy, I live in the tropical jungle of Costa Rica and use my t400 as a biologyst in my daily work. i have had my thinkpad for almost one year and im very happy with it so far, the only problem im having this days is that it is taking to much time to stat up when I turn it one and when I put it in stand by, some times it takes for ever to start up specialty when I leave it like that for one hour or more, any suggestion for this nature lover?
hey typically start up slow downs happen because there is a lot of programs you computer has been commanded to start up. I suggest using a program called "CCleaner" go to the "Tools" tab and then the "Startup" tab and uncheck all programs that you won't be using until you actually need it, that should speed things up. Also use the "Cleaner" tab (analyze, then run cleaner) to free up your system memory. Hope this helps
hey I just ordered one, its shipping now. I ordered the one with this intel crap card. I spent about the same as you but I have the WSXA+ or whatever the 1400x900 LED with Camera, bluetooth pan, and 6 cell battery. (I saw ur battery im kinda disappointed it looks ugly sticking out)
.also How do I get all my thinkpad drivers and stuff back when I reformat if I choose to put my ultimate win 7 ?
by the way the "nub" is a much better device, why the hell would u want to rub on that annoying pad
When Win 7 comes it comes with a booklet that tells you where to get the drivers back, a warning the "access connections" tool does not work with Win 7, your wifi will be fine, you will just need to rely on the 3rd party software that came with your laptop.
as to navi choices, to each his own, it's my opinion that the trackpad is superior, but if you like the trackpoint, that's cool
Great review man! I can't wait to get my T400 w/ Win7 Ultimate 64bit OS! I would be curious to find out how Vista runs on your T400 and as for tech support...don't bother calling them, you can find most of the answers online. Thanks again!
You have obviously never owned a ThinkPad before. Lenovo's previous gen, the T61 was a great notebook. However, the upgrades that were made to the T400 are some of the features that you criticized. The track pad is larger than previous versions which is a welcome upgrade. The trackpoint that you criticized is lauded by business professionals for it's functionality. Please get used to this superior machine and then review again.
I like your taste in computers. I have a similar Thinkpad T400, except with a CCFL backlight, 3GB DDR3, and a 6-cell. Good stuff all around - It's taken quite a few hits.
For those interested I posted my computer's window's experience scores in the description of the video. Though i will tell you to use those numbers with a grain of salt, as they don't seem to be a comprehensive evaluation.
I hear mixed opinions. It allegedly "learns" which files you consistently access and then decides to permanently store them in the "turbo memory". I don't think it's worth it, the computer is fast enough already and the people who have bought them frequently comment how they notice no difference after a year of use.
Turbo Memory is put to full use once you update to Win 7. Or at least that's what I've read. It increases your boot time and reduce battery usage because your most used files are kept next to the processor instead of having to run the Hard Drive.
My T400 is getting delivered today and BOY AM I EXCITED. My specifications are what you would call an "overload". T9600 2.8GHZ, 4 gig ram, 320 GIG 7200 rpm HD, ATI 3470. Not including tax, the notebook cost me ~$1300 This is the first notebook I have ever owned. And I bought this primarily for college and as a desktop replacement. I use a Vidock 2 which is an external graphic card/ docking station that lets me have more powerful graphics. I spend a lot of time on Photoshop and Music Engine SW
Thanks and you're welcome. By the way, I was wondering how does it feel while carrying the notebook with the 9-cell in your backpack? Does the bulge of the battery cause the notebooks or whatever you may have in there to not align well? My notebook hasn't been delivered yet. All I got was the screen filter in a separate shipping *disappointment* But it just occur to me how big the 9-cell is and now I am paranoid. XD I mistook a 6-cell for it.
14.1" LED Display 1280 x 800 (aka 720p HD, can't go up to 1080p)
ATI Mobility Radeon 3470 with 256MB) (mediocre, can't be used for gaming) I wouldn't even bother trying to play games on this machine, its aimed at business users only.
You did get what I would call a Workhorse. For most consumers 2.8ghz of Processing power is unseen, 2.4 is the highest most consumers notice when "upgrading their CPU" due to the relatively low demands of consumer software like Office and Firefox. Now if Adobe Suites, CAD, Engineering/Business programs are used it's noticeably faster, 4GB again most software is aimed at 32-bit std. Consumer sided items, so 4 GB is relatively unnoticeable (relatively) I would have to argue with it being a dream
I would say it's a future proof computer, that with very good care would last you a good decade if not more, while keeping up with technological advances adequately. So my suggestion is if you can find at least 3 things that would need that much a power, a cheaper set up would be advised in this economy. Remember that all companies practice planned obsolescence, that make systems break down in planned intervals to force new purchases and thus thrift trumps over compensation
I agree with you on the "future proof" remark, which is why I configured my laptop with the best possible hardware available early this year (April 2009), in hopes to not have to buy another laptop for at least 5 years or more. I typically buy a new one, every 5 years. And yes, IU tend to pamper all of my laptops. I keep them dust free, and I don't eat near them, and I always have clean hands with using them. And I never download anything, that could possibly damage them.
Another thing I really like about this system, the T400, is how incredibally cool it runs. Considering how much power is under the hood, I would assume it would get hot rather quickly, however, this is not the case at all with this machine. A suggestion I would like to make, although it's not really that necessary, is to purchase a SwissGear laptop air-cooler that fits under the laptop. I use the 17" inch for extra coverage, although it's not necessary, since my laptop is only 14 inches.
Thanks for the kind words. Laptops have recently become my hobby and passion. For me, only the best will do, in terms of quality and performance. For business use and traveling, I felt the Lenovo T400 would be the perfect companion. I really didn't need all the power that this configuration will produce, but I thought...what the heck :P
Vista is literally bloatware, it has so many drivers, excess garbage data programming, that it takes up masses of system resources so it slows down most computers, XP is older so it seems more efficient, but put in context it can be argued it's almost as bad a hog as vista. 7 is vista on a diet.
My thinkpoint is also precise, I just don't like it. Just like I don't like Blackberry trackballs (I like the optical trackpad on the Curve 8520)
Hey, thank you for your reviews. Keep it up. It helped me decide which laptop to buy.
P.S.
Where did you purchase the tan Jansport backpack(from your other t400 review)? The only Jansport ones I've found don't have the leather skin at the bottom of the backpack.
actually the exact opposite, when you charge charge a nearly dead battery, if you keep your battery in while the ac adapter is plugged but the battery is already at full charge you're just running more current (unnecessarily through the cathodes). I'm not saying never charge it's just the way batteries are invented that they naturally deteriorate over time. So full discharge before having it plugged to a wall alright? :)
question, do you know why the battery life decreases? i have a 9-cell for my T400, and overtime the maximum life has gone from approximately 8 hours max to approximately 5 hours max
it's the same idea of a heart attack or a clogged pipe but in reverse. plaque/cholesterol, or hair and debris clog up the pipes and constrict movement. Essentially in a battery as you use it, charge it, use it charge it etc... it eats away at the chemical cathode (+ - spots) and it breaks the electrical circuit making it weaker and weaker until the circuit breaks completely and you get a dead battery. Hope that helped and thank you for watching
Nice review. I am considering a thinkpad for the simple reason I hate all the flashy colorful consumer laptops on the market. I'm curious though what the five numerical scores vista assigned to your machine not just the base score. Have any problems appeared in the last few weeks?
I take the Windows experience numbers with a grain of salt only because it's a non-standardized measurement of "performance" i've seen my friend with a perfect score but his computer sucks. no problems have occurred.
smart card is not normally used by modern consumers. It's a credit card sized chip that's used in business applications (hence the price it's antiquated and it's a niche market thing)
for SD cards you're going to want the Media Card Slot
PC Card/Express Card...PC Card slot is the old version to which Express card is soon to completely replace it. Express card allows expansions to the motherboard without opening the computer.
One question about LED backlight, when I configured t400 from lenovo website, there is a item "14.1 WXGA TFT w/LED BL", Is this the LED backlight , which you recommended ? and this is the same price with 14.1" WXGA TFT (the basic one).
It really depends on your preference. The T400 and the T500 can be configured exactly the same, it just depends on how much screen real estate you want. 14.1" Diagonally, or 15.4" diagonally (400 and 500 respectively). Also the price will be shifted a tiny bit but google "lenovo thinkpad coupon" and even price is negligible in your consideration. So it's up to you. Hope this helped and thanks for watching.
Did you consider buying any other model besides the T400? I'm buying a laptop these days and T400 is one of the candidates. I'm also considering T500, R500 (you can't buy R400 in Serbia, have no idea why), HP 6930p and 8530p. What would you suggest?
I'm not gonna say you're right I'm wrong because nobody can be right, that's why I stated it is a personal preference. My friend has an X61 and he loves the trackpoint, doesn't mean that we fight because of it.
Thanks John for the great info. I'm in the market and am looking at the R400 ...a similar model. You mention that the track pad is small. Can you tell me the dimensions? Thanks
it is bigger than the T60, R60, Z60, Z61, T61 or R61. It is not small compared to the previous thinkpad offerings. Then again alot of people whom do alot of touch typing tend to use the trackpoint more than the trackpads..... it is all part of Thinkpad.
I have a Logitech VX Revolution Precision Mouse its the best mouse I have ever worked with. Although theres a Microsoft Mouse thats pretty nice, the clickers I love because there so quiet. The Microsoft Arc Mouse" It would be even nicer with the alloy metal wheel thats in the VX Revolution and MX Revolution etc.
Yeah, no. 3 things, I'm korean not chinese, my laptop was a gift from my parents, and everyone has to buy their lenovo from china, that's how they operate.
the battery wobble is a flaw in the lenovo design, it's not just you and there is no marketable fix unfortunately
the space is part of the design
the lip on the display is intentional. It's a clamshell rather than just notebook profile laptop. a notebook profile closes the lid to the computer with a slight gap. a clam shell has one part (typically the lid) to create a "seal" to prevent excess dust and debris from entering
I had ordered a T61 from the outlet new, and the LCD Top Cover was warped. But I believe the T60 and T61 are made out of magnesium. As to where the T400 is ABS plastic. I do know they have reinforced the T400 compared to the first release of the T400's. not T400s" They put a plate so the keyboard would have better support and not flex as much. However, I believe anyone without a plate could probably modify the system with a plate or another keyboard. :-)
I personally really enjoy using the trackpoint, I find it a lot more convenient than the touchpad, but I guess it takes a little getting used to. The option of having both the trackpoint and touchpad is good though.
i'd rather have them do like dell and give you the option of saving money and space by asking if you want one of the other or both. I don't think lenovo would increase the size of the touchpad though if they did, that's one place where Dell got it right
Nooooooo, don't turn off the trackpoint, lol. You can do it in BIOS, but it's seriously much better than the tiny trackpad. You can adjust mouse sensitivity (duh) to make it less jumpy. I actually turned the trackpad off through BIOS because the trackpoint is better (once I got used to it).
To crapadarappa: what's the keyboard like? I've heard horror stories about the quality of ThinkPad keyboards after the switch from IBM to Lenovo. Is it mushy, or nice and firm and "clicky" like on IBMs?
zerospec is mostly right, they fixed the flex issue by adding sheets of metal under the weakspots but it's not the same as x series keyboards or the T61. The space bar definitely makes the most noise.
sounds ridiculous, but a 9-cell is a tank. 6 hours maybe if you have full brightness, wifi, blasting some movie at full volume, while opening up a bunch of apps. that would drag it down to 6 hours, but lenovo prevents you from misusing it in powersave mode
Wonderful review. I'm planning on buying the T400,a huge upgrade from my old dell 1501, but I have a couple questions. The place I'm buying it from offers 2ghz ddr3 ram and I want to upgrade it to 4. You said it's a new type of ram so if I want to buy another 2gig stick of ram, should I be looking for a specific kind? Also about portability. Does it fit nicely in a normal school-sized backpack? Does the 9cell jutting out from the back get in the way at all or do you remove it? Thanks!
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kumakhozanz 2 weeks ago
I hate the audio in/out in the front. I love the middle red dot mouse. I think very labtop should have it. You can actually customize it to match your touch.
bladelee36 1 year ago
Hi,
Thank you for the really helpful review. I was wondering if you know of any companies that do have good tech support? I need a business laptop and was looking at the new Lenovo 410 but I hate terrible support -- that's kind of a dealbreaker for me.
writing523 1 year ago
@writing523 At the moment, good tech support is kind of dragons and unicorns, they probably existed in the past, but now they're just stories. I hear Toshiba has good support, but I have not personally used their tech support. For a ridiculous premium of roughly $150-500 Dell has "North American based" Support, not worth it. HP is pure hell. Sony, hit and miss. American Express has good warranties on purchases made with their signature cards, but that's not exactly support. Best Buy is ok...
crapadarappa 1 year ago
i just got one of these computers second hand. thanks for the informative review. My question is do you have the slot for 3G sim cards and was the built-in to your laptop? My T400 has this little sim card slot underneath the battery tray but I cant detect an actual WiMax or broadband card.
ctrlaltdlt01 1 year ago
@ctrlaltdlt01 to my knowledge the T400 does not have a slot for 3G or Wi Max mobile broadband cards, but it can be installed when ordering. the T401 and T402 probably do not have a slot and are also installable cards as well.
crapadarappa 1 year ago
in china about RMB 11,000
zmxaiwy 1 year ago
P8600 is 2.4 ghz not 2.2 ghz (which is the P8400).
LED backlight LCD is not lighter or thinner, but it has over 100,000 hours of life expectancy compared to the 20,000 or so hours of the CCFL.
You can change the trackpoint sensitivity.
leadorg 1 year ago
@leadorg At the time of purchase, my P8600 is 2.26 ghz (verified by the Lenovo and Windows hardware system info). There are different serial models of CPUs that vary in their speed ratings.
Again at the time of purchase the optional CCFL came with a thicker display casing, as stated by Lenovo, than the LED, and less material means smaller width and weight. Lenovo could very well have come out with new casings for their CCFLs that match the LED
I hate the feel of the trackpoint not sensitivity
crapadarappa 1 year ago
Hi crapadarappa, I have a question.
How well would this machine work for creating digital artwork, using programs like Photoshop and Corel Painter. What kind of specs would you recommend for such usage?
Thanks!
yudsan 1 year ago
@yudsan Most current generation laptops can handle Photoshop and since Corel Painter is not as stressful on the system as Photoshop, it should be covered. I recommend the minimum. a 2Ghz Dual Core Processor (i5 or i7 if you can afford it, it will save you money by not having to buy another computer later) 2 gb of DDR3 ram that has the same frequency as the motherboard and cpu. and a good GPU aka Video Card I'd say about 1 gb for that but 512 is ok. 2gb for the same reason as the processor
crapadarappa 1 year ago
@yudsan I recently just installed the Adobe Master Collection CS5 on my T400. Sadly the graphics card and low memory couldn't handle After Effects CS5, Premier Pro CS5, and Encore CS5 (those three need at least 4 GB of Ram and a high end graphics card aka GPU and a 64-bit Operating System). With 2GB ram and a 2.26 Ghz CPU Adobe is not sluggish, but it's not exactly a breeze. Photoshop is exhausting to use with this set up. Gimp works much better. and Corel Painter, I'm not sure.
crapadarappa 1 year ago
T400s (and Thinkpads for that matter) are not meant to have good graphics. What I was referring to is that for a Business-oriented laptop, the display was good, the GPU options are not meant for gaming, but for programs like AutoCAD and Photoshop. Macbooks are better for consumers that like a jack of all trades with an emphasis on wireless networking and entertainment. Apple GPUs aren't that good either, but better than Thinkpad
crapadarappa 1 year ago
the quality of the thinkpad has gone to shit, China fucks up everything!! When will they start making pc's in America!!
buckwheat40 2 years ago
Actually most laptops made to be distributed in America are only assembled in China, the parts themselves come from Mexico, Singapore, and the USA
crapadarappa 1 year ago
Hey man, thanks for the video, how long did it take them to ship after you ordered?
inaugurate 2 years ago
a couple weeks
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Nice, You rock! One of the best reviews! I'm thinking to buy T400, just waiting for the 15%-20% off deal. Do I really need to purchase extended warranty? Do they break a lot? How is your thinkpad behaving now, after 6-7 month of use?
infarkt11 2 years ago
@infarkt11 sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner. After 11 months of use my Thinkpad is quite reliable. I've dropped it a few times (twice on accident once on purpose) and nothing's malfunctioning. It is a slow system setup however and I regret not shelling out more money for at least a ram increase to 4GB, or waiting for the core i5/i7's to come to the market. Extended Warranty isn't really worth it as long as you keep your laptop safe.
crapadarappa 1 year ago
hey your videos was cool but i want to increase my base score to play all kinds of 3D cool games but my base score is 3.3 and the other ones are higher i need hel =(
markez0820 2 years ago
Hey, I'd be happy to help you out, but for me to do that I would need to know what kind of set up you have as a base score doesn't tell me anything. Without knowing much about your setup, I would immediately suggest a faster processor, faster and more ram, and the most important, a more powerful video card.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Hola, I like your review, you are a great guy, I live in the tropical jungle of Costa Rica and use my t400 as a biologyst in my daily work. i have had my thinkpad for almost one year and im very happy with it so far, the only problem im having this days is that it is taking to much time to stat up when I turn it one and when I put it in stand by, some times it takes for ever to start up specialty when I leave it like that for one hour or more, any suggestion for this nature lover?
duriko11 2 years ago
hey typically start up slow downs happen because there is a lot of programs you computer has been commanded to start up. I suggest using a program called "CCleaner" go to the "Tools" tab and then the "Startup" tab and uncheck all programs that you won't be using until you actually need it, that should speed things up. Also use the "Cleaner" tab (analyze, then run cleaner) to free up your system memory. Hope this helps
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Thank you brother I will let you know how it works after I doi the cleaning, from the jungle.
duriko11 2 years ago
@crapadarappa Do you read post first, before allowing users to post?
clintburford 2 years ago
hey I just ordered one, its shipping now. I ordered the one with this intel crap card. I spent about the same as you but I have the WSXA+ or whatever the 1400x900 LED with Camera, bluetooth pan, and 6 cell battery. (I saw ur battery im kinda disappointed it looks ugly sticking out)
.also How do I get all my thinkpad drivers and stuff back when I reformat if I choose to put my ultimate win 7 ?
by the way the "nub" is a much better device, why the hell would u want to rub on that annoying pad
squarecnix 2 years ago
When Win 7 comes it comes with a booklet that tells you where to get the drivers back, a warning the "access connections" tool does not work with Win 7, your wifi will be fine, you will just need to rely on the 3rd party software that came with your laptop.
as to navi choices, to each his own, it's my opinion that the trackpad is superior, but if you like the trackpoint, that's cool
crapadarappa 2 years ago
what do you mean the access connections? sorry im not understanding.
squarecnix 2 years ago
Comment removed
doctorwho888 2 years ago
Where and how do you put the CD in the think pad. Please show on video.
How do you get the camera to work?
Where is the light? I have a x200 tablet. Jevetta
jevettamd 2 years ago
The x200 doesn't have a CD drive.
mongomondomongo 2 years ago
Great review man! I can't wait to get my T400 w/ Win7 Ultimate 64bit OS! I would be curious to find out how Vista runs on your T400 and as for tech support...don't bother calling them, you can find most of the answers online. Thanks again!
medeiom 2 years ago
John,
Just like to say good review, I'm just waiting for my T400 to be delivered.
Must say I will be looking forward to your review of Microsoft 7
Hassle68 2 years ago
LMAO !!! Based on CHina or India !!!
Kjilif 2 years ago 2
I like your review, especially attention to cons.
I would like for you to better handle lighting in that room.
Face light and record, don't keep the light on your back even if more comfortable.
hraqhraq 2 years ago
it's a sad day, I just notice 1 dead pixel on my two day old t400
JasonWylde 2 years ago
You have obviously never owned a ThinkPad before. Lenovo's previous gen, the T61 was a great notebook. However, the upgrades that were made to the T400 are some of the features that you criticized. The track pad is larger than previous versions which is a welcome upgrade. The trackpoint that you criticized is lauded by business professionals for it's functionality. Please get used to this superior machine and then review again.
derekavl 2 years ago 6
I like your taste in computers. I have a similar Thinkpad T400, except with a CCFL backlight, 3GB DDR3, and a 6-cell. Good stuff all around - It's taken quite a few hits.
zomgthesoftness 2 years ago
For those interested I posted my computer's window's experience scores in the description of the video. Though i will tell you to use those numbers with a grain of salt, as they don't seem to be a comprehensive evaluation.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
what are your feelings on the turbo memory option? Is it a significant boost in speed, or is it not really worth it?
lebronjamesistheshit 2 years ago
I hear mixed opinions. It allegedly "learns" which files you consistently access and then decides to permanently store them in the "turbo memory". I don't think it's worth it, the computer is fast enough already and the people who have bought them frequently comment how they notice no difference after a year of use.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Turbo Memory is put to full use once you update to Win 7. Or at least that's what I've read. It increases your boot time and reduce battery usage because your most used files are kept next to the processor instead of having to run the Hard Drive.
JasonWylde 2 years ago
My T400 is getting delivered today and BOY AM I EXCITED. My specifications are what you would call an "overload". T9600 2.8GHZ, 4 gig ram, 320 GIG 7200 rpm HD, ATI 3470. Not including tax, the notebook cost me ~$1300 This is the first notebook I have ever owned. And I bought this primarily for college and as a desktop replacement. I use a Vidock 2 which is an external graphic card/ docking station that lets me have more powerful graphics. I spend a lot of time on Photoshop and Music Engine SW
JasonWylde 2 years ago
Congratulations, I hope you enjoy your first notebook, and what a sick notebook it is. It should serve you a good minimum of 5 years
Thanks for watching
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Thanks and you're welcome. By the way, I was wondering how does it feel while carrying the notebook with the 9-cell in your backpack? Does the bulge of the battery cause the notebooks or whatever you may have in there to not align well? My notebook hasn't been delivered yet. All I got was the screen filter in a separate shipping *disappointment* But it just occur to me how big the 9-cell is and now I am paranoid. XD I mistook a 6-cell for it.
JasonWylde 2 years ago
For business or traveling, this is an executives dream laptop. My specs are as follows: Thinkpad T400 - $1750 (approximately)
Intel core 2 Duo T9600 2.80 Ghz 6mb L2 cache processor, 1066mhz FSB
4 GB DDR3 Ram 1067mhz FSB
160 GB 7200 rpm HDD
CD-RW/DVD
14.1" LED Display 1280 x 800 (aka 720p HD, can't go up to 1080p)
ATI Mobility Radeon 3470 with 256MB) (mediocre, can't be used for gaming) I wouldn't even bother trying to play games on this machine, its aimed at business users only.
globaloiltrader 2 years ago
You did get what I would call a Workhorse. For most consumers 2.8ghz of Processing power is unseen, 2.4 is the highest most consumers notice when "upgrading their CPU" due to the relatively low demands of consumer software like Office and Firefox. Now if Adobe Suites, CAD, Engineering/Business programs are used it's noticeably faster, 4GB again most software is aimed at 32-bit std. Consumer sided items, so 4 GB is relatively unnoticeable (relatively) I would have to argue with it being a dream
crapadarappa 2 years ago
I would say it's a future proof computer, that with very good care would last you a good decade if not more, while keeping up with technological advances adequately. So my suggestion is if you can find at least 3 things that would need that much a power, a cheaper set up would be advised in this economy. Remember that all companies practice planned obsolescence, that make systems break down in planned intervals to force new purchases and thus thrift trumps over compensation
crapadarappa 2 years ago
I agree with you on the "future proof" remark, which is why I configured my laptop with the best possible hardware available early this year (April 2009), in hopes to not have to buy another laptop for at least 5 years or more. I typically buy a new one, every 5 years. And yes, IU tend to pamper all of my laptops. I keep them dust free, and I don't eat near them, and I always have clean hands with using them. And I never download anything, that could possibly damage them.
globaloiltrader 2 years ago
Another thing I really like about this system, the T400, is how incredibally cool it runs. Considering how much power is under the hood, I would assume it would get hot rather quickly, however, this is not the case at all with this machine. A suggestion I would like to make, although it's not really that necessary, is to purchase a SwissGear laptop air-cooler that fits under the laptop. I use the 17" inch for extra coverage, although it's not necessary, since my laptop is only 14 inches.
globaloiltrader 2 years ago
Thanks for the kind words. Laptops have recently become my hobby and passion. For me, only the best will do, in terms of quality and performance. For business use and traveling, I felt the Lenovo T400 would be the perfect companion. I really didn't need all the power that this configuration will produce, but I thought...what the heck :P
globaloiltrader 2 years ago
The T400 actually runs flawlessly with Windows Xp. I had to downgrade because Vista kept lagging, even though Lenovo upgraded all their hardware.
Ohhh, maybe you should get your "Thinkpoint" checked out, because mine works with high precision.
nickmackay21 2 years ago
Vista is literally bloatware, it has so many drivers, excess garbage data programming, that it takes up masses of system resources so it slows down most computers, XP is older so it seems more efficient, but put in context it can be argued it's almost as bad a hog as vista. 7 is vista on a diet.
My thinkpoint is also precise, I just don't like it. Just like I don't like Blackberry trackballs (I like the optical trackpad on the Curve 8520)
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Hey, thank you for your reviews. Keep it up. It helped me decide which laptop to buy.
P.S.
Where did you purchase the tan Jansport backpack(from your other t400 review)? The only Jansport ones I've found don't have the leather skin at the bottom of the backpack.
randmvids 2 years ago
Thanks for watching, and I'm glad I could help you decide from all the choices out there.
I bought that backpack 2 years ago from Staples, it is pretty sweet.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
so you're saying i should never have my laptop unplugged in order to maximize battery life?
lowqualityvideos 2 years ago
actually the exact opposite, when you charge charge a nearly dead battery, if you keep your battery in while the ac adapter is plugged but the battery is already at full charge you're just running more current (unnecessarily through the cathodes). I'm not saying never charge it's just the way batteries are invented that they naturally deteriorate over time. So full discharge before having it plugged to a wall alright? :)
crapadarappa 2 years ago
question, do you know why the battery life decreases? i have a 9-cell for my T400, and overtime the maximum life has gone from approximately 8 hours max to approximately 5 hours max
lowqualityvideos 2 years ago
it's the same idea of a heart attack or a clogged pipe but in reverse. plaque/cholesterol, or hair and debris clog up the pipes and constrict movement. Essentially in a battery as you use it, charge it, use it charge it etc... it eats away at the chemical cathode (+ - spots) and it breaks the electrical circuit making it weaker and weaker until the circuit breaks completely and you get a dead battery. Hope that helped and thank you for watching
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Comment removed
lowqualityvideos 2 years ago
Nice review. I am considering a thinkpad for the simple reason I hate all the flashy colorful consumer laptops on the market. I'm curious though what the five numerical scores vista assigned to your machine not just the base score. Have any problems appeared in the last few weeks?
RC190 2 years ago
I take the Windows experience numbers with a grain of salt only because it's a non-standardized measurement of "performance" i've seen my friend with a perfect score but his computer sucks. no problems have occurred.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Also for the expansion slot, do you know the difference between "Smart Card Slots" and "Media Card Slots". which one can read SD card.
216919 2 years ago
smart card is not normally used by modern consumers. It's a credit card sized chip that's used in business applications (hence the price it's antiquated and it's a niche market thing)
for SD cards you're going to want the Media Card Slot
PC Card/Express Card...PC Card slot is the old version to which Express card is soon to completely replace it. Express card allows expansions to the motherboard without opening the computer.
Hope this helped, thanks for watching
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Great review, I want to get the same one.
One question about LED backlight, when I configured t400 from lenovo website, there is a item "14.1 WXGA TFT w/LED BL", Is this the LED backlight , which you recommended ? and this is the same price with 14.1" WXGA TFT (the basic one).
Thanks
216919 2 years ago
I am about on the verge of buying T400...I am getting the following config:
Lenovo Thinkpad T400 - Intel C2d P8400/ 2 gb ddr2 ram/ 250 gb sata/ hdd/ Dvd-Rw/ 14.1 " wxga screen/ Bluetooth/camera /fingerprint/Dos/ 3 years/ CCI principal warrenty only hardware parts
Should I buy this or a T500? Thanks!
guynext2006ya 2 years ago
It really depends on your preference. The T400 and the T500 can be configured exactly the same, it just depends on how much screen real estate you want. 14.1" Diagonally, or 15.4" diagonally (400 and 500 respectively). Also the price will be shifted a tiny bit but google "lenovo thinkpad coupon" and even price is negligible in your consideration. So it's up to you. Hope this helped and thanks for watching.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Did you consider buying any other model besides the T400? I'm buying a laptop these days and T400 is one of the candidates. I'm also considering T500, R500 (you can't buy R400 in Serbia, have no idea why), HP 6930p and 8530p. What would you suggest?
Topuzzz 2 years ago
you suck, the trackpoint is easy to use; it has awesome precision as well.
Wujin88 2 years ago
I'm not gonna say you're right I'm wrong because nobody can be right, that's why I stated it is a personal preference. My friend has an X61 and he loves the trackpoint, doesn't mean that we fight because of it.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Thanks John for the great info. I'm in the market and am looking at the R400 ...a similar model. You mention that the track pad is small. Can you tell me the dimensions? Thanks
pltram 2 years ago
2.75in X 1.5in. (is on the same level as the palm rest)
roughly 3 US quarters across and 1.5 quarters tall
A trackpad I consider a comfortable size, on my Dell E1505 is 3in X 1.8in (is recessed)
crapadarappa 2 years ago
it is bigger than the T60, R60, Z60, Z61, T61 or R61. It is not small compared to the previous thinkpad offerings. Then again alot of people whom do alot of touch typing tend to use the trackpoint more than the trackpads..... it is all part of Thinkpad.
wjli2 2 years ago
You don't know how to use a thinkpointer?
ARom101 2 years ago
I know how to use it, I just don't prefer it when I could have a touchpad.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
I have a Logitech VX Revolution Precision Mouse its the best mouse I have ever worked with. Although theres a Microsoft Mouse thats pretty nice, the clickers I love because there so quiet. The Microsoft Arc Mouse" It would be even nicer with the alloy metal wheel thats in the VX Revolution and MX Revolution etc.
clintburford 2 years ago
Nice m8:)
xDtibbi3xD 2 years ago
lemme guess yer bought str8 from yer cousin in shang hai?
lonepantherAK 2 years ago
Yeah, no. 3 things, I'm korean not chinese, my laptop was a gift from my parents, and everyone has to buy their lenovo from china, that's how they operate.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
im just fucking wicha....
lonepantherAK 2 years ago
I bought my T400, but I have 2 concerns:
Does the battery wobble a bit in yours?
Is there a space in between the lid a body, along with the lid hanging over the body?
IntellDevice 2 years ago
the battery wobble is a flaw in the lenovo design, it's not just you and there is no marketable fix unfortunately
the space is part of the design
the lip on the display is intentional. It's a clamshell rather than just notebook profile laptop. a notebook profile closes the lid to the computer with a slight gap. a clam shell has one part (typically the lid) to create a "seal" to prevent excess dust and debris from entering
thanks for watching
crapadarappa 2 years ago
How much of a space is there on yours? I have at least a 1mm space on mine.
IntellDevice 2 years ago
roughly the same, don't worry, it's not a defective product you own, it's all the design.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
I had ordered a T61 from the outlet new, and the LCD Top Cover was warped. But I believe the T60 and T61 are made out of magnesium. As to where the T400 is ABS plastic. I do know they have reinforced the T400 compared to the first release of the T400's. not T400s" They put a plate so the keyboard would have better support and not flex as much. However, I believe anyone without a plate could probably modify the system with a plate or another keyboard. :-)
clintburford 2 years ago
Great review, thumbs up for the "I'm not going to show you Vista" part! :)
Topuzzz 2 years ago 3
haha thanks
crapadarappa 2 years ago
awesome review.. very helpful!
wutang36sod 2 years ago 3
thanks for watching my video, I'm glad I helped
crapadarappa 2 years ago
I personally really enjoy using the trackpoint, I find it a lot more convenient than the touchpad, but I guess it takes a little getting used to. The option of having both the trackpoint and touchpad is good though.
glender901 2 years ago
i'd rather have them do like dell and give you the option of saving money and space by asking if you want one of the other or both. I don't think lenovo would increase the size of the touchpad though if they did, that's one place where Dell got it right
crapadarappa 2 years ago
when i customize it i don't see an integrated webcam option right now. it usually has it right?
nothinleader 2 years ago
how are you buying it? it is an additional option unless the "base" configuration of the model says its included for the price tier
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Comment removed
nothinleader 2 years ago
im buying it from the US site, you? i notice that the canada site has a camera though. maybe they ran out of stock in US?
nothinleader 2 years ago 2
Is there a built in mic?
xienxien2001 2 years ago
if you get the integrated webcam. Otherwise it is mic-less
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Can you turn off the trackpoint thing?
oranj456 2 years ago
Nooooooo, don't turn off the trackpoint, lol. You can do it in BIOS, but it's seriously much better than the tiny trackpad. You can adjust mouse sensitivity (duh) to make it less jumpy. I actually turned the trackpad off through BIOS because the trackpoint is better (once I got used to it).
To crapadarappa: what's the keyboard like? I've heard horror stories about the quality of ThinkPad keyboards after the switch from IBM to Lenovo. Is it mushy, or nice and firm and "clicky" like on IBMs?
MarshunMartin 2 years ago
the new T400 eliminates the flex issues =]
similar to the T61
zerospec2 2 years ago
zerospec is mostly right, they fixed the flex issue by adding sheets of metal under the weakspots but it's not the same as x series keyboards or the T61. The space bar definitely makes the most noise.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
you can, I just use a mouse because I hate the trackpoint, and the trackpad is ridiculously small
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Are you sure it gets 8:30 hours of battery life? Quoted in your description. I've heard it gets 6 hours. Sounds ridiculous for unplugged time.
IntellDevice 2 years ago
Are you using the 6-cell or 9-cell?
~6 hours for the 6 cell sounds about right
zerospec2 2 years ago
sounds ridiculous, but a 9-cell is a tank. 6 hours maybe if you have full brightness, wifi, blasting some movie at full volume, while opening up a bunch of apps. that would drag it down to 6 hours, but lenovo prevents you from misusing it in powersave mode
crapadarappa 2 years ago
thanks for your valuable information. does it support windows server 2008 OS. or do you have recommendation.
raagi2000 2 years ago
people at best buy cant even tell me that.... lol
12astile 2 years ago
Best Buy is hit and miss when in comes to quality information :P
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Thank you so much for the review! I am also buying one!
IntellDevice 2 years ago
Thanks for watching, and I'm glad I could help out.
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Ah one more question, what is the difference between 2gb 1066 mhz ddr3 ram and 1067? is it just a typo lol? Thanks. Great review again.
splittingknee 2 years ago
1067 is most likely a typo, it should be 1066 mhz, as for the back pack issue I'll put up a video showing the laptop going into a bag for you
crapadarappa 2 years ago
Wonderful review. I'm planning on buying the T400,a huge upgrade from my old dell 1501, but I have a couple questions. The place I'm buying it from offers 2ghz ddr3 ram and I want to upgrade it to 4. You said it's a new type of ram so if I want to buy another 2gig stick of ram, should I be looking for a specific kind? Also about portability. Does it fit nicely in a normal school-sized backpack? Does the 9cell jutting out from the back get in the way at all or do you remove it? Thanks!
splittingknee 2 years ago
While you get a Lenovo T400. Get one with Mobile WiMAX. I use a T400 with Intel's WiMAX-WiFi module, its blazing fast.
WiMAX360Blogger 2 years ago