Lenovo ThinkPad T400 Review

The Lenovo ThinkPad T400 is a 14” screen laptop commonly seen being toted around by business people, but if you’re looking for a quality laptop to last you four years of school then the semi-rugged T400 could fit your needs as well. The price isn’t as high as many people assume, often starting at just over $800 after you apply frequently available 10% – 20% off coupon codes. For a portable business class laptop that’s really quite a good price, especially for all that you get as you’ll find in this review.

This Thinkpad T400 with a 14.1 inch display belongs to the current model range of the T-series just like the bigger T500 models with a 15.4 inch widescreen display. Together they become heir to the previous T61 models. In opposition, the Txxp models, thus the more efficient mobile workstations are relieved from the W-series, which encloses the recently tested W700 (17 inch) besides the ThinkPad W500 (15.4 inch).

The T400 models are offered in numerous different configurations. These differ not only in view of the performance-bearing components (CPU, GPU, hard disk and main storage capacity), but also in consideration of display technology and available features. Our colleagues from Notebookreview had another model with a High-Nit LED display, a bigger RAM capacity and faster hard disk (link to their test report) in the test. It's not surprising that this model cut off better in regards to display brightness and performance. Besides this, there are also models with an independent ATI Mobility Radeon 3470 available.

Lenovo ThinkPad T400 battery had an Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 (2.80GHz, Penryn), 2GB of DDR2 memory, 160GB SATA hard drive, Intel GMA 4-Series graphics (and ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3470), and a 1440 x 900 display. Physically, to no surprise, the T400 looks mostly the same as earlier IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad notebooks with only a few subtle differences. One nice feature about the newer ThinkPad notebooks is the LED backlit panel. The selection of ports on the ThinkPad T400 is roughly the same as the previous-generation ThinkPad T60/T61 notebooks, but the USB ports have been moved around.

Lenovo has been a business mainstay for many years due to a design that rarely makes big changes — rather only tiny improvements to a proven success. It also builds laptops that have the structural integrity of a tank, making it a favourite among sysadmins since it's likely to last longer than any other laptop out in the field short of say, a Panasonic Toughbook.

Specifications for the ThinkPad T400 as reviewed:

• Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 (2.26GHz / 3MB L2 Cache)
• Screen: 14.1″ WXGA+ (higher resolution than the regular WXGA screen)
• Hard Drive: 160 GB 5400RPM
• OS: Purchased with Windows Vista Ultimate, Windows 7 installed for test purposes
• Optical Drive: 8X DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive
• Graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator M4500
• Memory: 3.0GB DDR2 SDRAM
• Wireless: Intel 5100 802.11 a/b/g/n card, Bluetooth
• Battery: 9-cell extended life battery
• Slots: ExpressCard 54mm and digital Media Card Reader (SD/MMC)
• Ports: Firewire, Wireless On/Off switch, Headphone/Mic, Kensington lock slot, AC Power, VGA out, Modem port, LAN Ethernet port, 3 USB ports, Expresscard/54, SD-Card Reader,

The T400 continues this trend, with the same familiar keyboard, red trackpoint and touchpad navigation (each with its own mouse buttons, although the trackpoint gets a middle mouse button whereas the touchpad is limited to left and right), magnesium alloy roll cage to protect against drops, and a spill resistant keyboard. It's also got ThinkLight Illumination — a white LED mounted at the top of the 14.1-inch, 1280x800 screen which points down to light up the keyboard in dark situations. It's not as good as a backlit keyboard and can be a little distracting, but it's better than nothing at all.

Upgrade and expansion is a step harder than most notebooks, but still very simple. To gain access to all user-replaceable parts, you simply remove five screws and carefully remove the palmrest and keybard. Here you gain access to an open WWAN slot, another for Turbo Memory or UWB, two DDR3 memory slots, and your wireless card. At this stage you can also see the processor and heatsink, but a few additional items must be removed before you can lift those items out. Although this setup does seem like Lenovo ThinkPad T400 battery replacement is trying lock the user away from upgrading parts, they fully allow anyone to handle upgrading or adding components to their notebook without voiding the warranty. Processor swaps or messing with other advanced components might not be as kosher though. The hard drive is the only item accessible from the outside of the case (besides the battery) and is easily removed with a single screw.

The ThinkPad T400 battery comes standard with all the ports a mobile professional needs, with one exception. On the right side are the optical drive and a single USB port. On the left is an ExpressCard/54 slot, an Ethernet port, a modem jack, and two more USB ports. The front lip houses a FireWire port, along with microphone and headphone jacks, while the back has a Kensington lock. The system even comes with a fingerprint reader for added security.

A memory card reader, an absolute necessity these days, was conspicuously absent from our review unit, but is available as a $10 option when configuring the T400 on Lenovo.com. DisplayPort or HDMI ports would have been welcome, but they're not vital.

Lenovo ThinkPad X200 Review

Although the ThinkPad X300 gets all of the attention for cramming so many features into a sleek 13.3-inch notebook, not everyone has more than $2,500 to drop on a laptop. As the successor to the ThinkPad X61, the equally portable and more affordable ThinkPad X200 (starting at $1,199; our particular Centrino Pro configuration will be available August 5 for closer to two grand) skips the X300’s optical drive and makes a solid state drive optional while offering a slightly smaller 12.1-inch widescreen.

This is a very light and small laptop at 1.6kg and 295 x 228 x 33.3mm. As with any convertible Tablet PC you can swivel the screen round and lay it flat, facing outermost. It is held in place by a solid clasp which also functions to keep the laptop closed during transportation.

The touch sensitive screen responds to both finger-touches and the stylus that lives in a purpose built housing.

More important, it boasts better performance and battery life than the pricier X300, thanks to Intel’s new Centrino 2 platform. And as with every ThinkPad, you get a durable design, stellar keyboard, and the security features that define a first-rate business ultraportable.

The old dell inspiron 1525 battery was the last notebook in Lenovo’s line-up still clinging to the old 4:3 screen ratio, and it went dead for good reason. The new 12.1-inch widescreen not only lends extra on-screen workspace, it also produces a longer form factor with all sorts of side benefits. Most significantly, it allows the keyboard to grow to the same size as the one of Lenovo’s full-size T-series laptops, doing away with the stubby backspace key and all the other frustrations of the X61’s shrunken board. For folks who do a lot of sitting with their laptops, the longer form also lends itself to a much comfortable base (no longer will grown men have to sit with knees knocked together to keep a laptop situated.) And although the thicker bezel around the widescreen doesn’t look quite as clean as the minimalist X61 bezel, it does leave room for an integrated webcam, which the old machine could never fit.

Equipped with the new Centrino 2 processor, Lenovo's ThinkPad X200 looks a mild-mannered ultraportable, and yet it can leap tall workloads in a single bound. Its battery life is phenomenal, and the keyboard is huge. In short, this is a much better notebook than the ThinkPad X61, which it replaces, and a surefire winner for on-the-run execs.

Because it bears a lower model number, you might imagine that this a less-powerful version of the ThinkPad X300, but the X200 actually has a more recent processor. The X300 has a 13.3-inch display, however, while the X200 has a 12.1-inch screen. Ah, but what you'll see when you fire this baby up!

Lenovo ThinkPad X200 Specifications
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 2.40 GHz with 3MB L2 cache, 1066MHz FSB (Centrino 2)
Chipset: Intel GM45/ICH9-ME
Memory: 2 GB DDR2 667 MHz
Hard Drive: 160GB Seagate SATA 7200 RPM
Screen: 12.1″ widescreen 1280×800 LCD, 200 nits
Optical Drive: None
GPU: Intel X4500 Integrated Graphics
Network/Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi Link 5300 (802.11 a/b/g/n) Ethernet Card, Verizon WWAN and Bluetooth
Slots: 3 USB 2.0 ports, ExpressCard 54mm, SD card reader, VGA out, Ethernet, headphone and microphone.
Battery: 4 cell / 6 cell / 9 cell ThinkPad X200 battery
Dimensions: 11.6 inches x 8.3 inches x 1.2 inches
Weight: 1.4 KG
Operating System: Windows Vista Business Edition
Optional Additions: Web-cam, Fingerprint reader, 56Kbps modem, 5-in-1 card reader

At just under 3 pounds with its lightest battery installed, the Lenovo ThinkPad X200 battery weighs a few ounces less than the ThinkPad X61, despite offering the same 12.1-inch wide screen and a bigger keyboard. The bright little screen has an easy-to-read 1280-by-800-pixel resolution, making it quite comfortable for work on the go. And the built-in Webcam keeps you in visual touch with your colleagues.

The ThinkPad has other features a business pro would crave. Unlike other ultraportables, which make you suffer with an undersized keyboard, the X200's keyboard is full-sized, with the famous feel and responsiveness long a hallmark of ThinkPad portables. Lenovo also provides dedicated volume and mute buttons (no more fumbling with a Fn-key combo) as well as the handy ThinkLight, a white LED above the screen that gives off just enough light to illuminate the keyboard in a dark room.

The 12.1-inch, 1,200 by 800-resolution screen is bright and exceedingly sharp. Compared to its X61 predecessor's 1,024 by 768-pixel panel, the widescreen aspect ratio keeps the height of the panel fairly squat, which makes the X200 ideal for use on an airline tray table. Wholesale laptop batteries you can equip the X200 with an 80GB, 160GB, or 320GB hard drive; a 200GB, 7,200-rpm drive with Full Disk Encryption; or a 64GB solid-state drive (SSD) that uses indestructible flash memory instead of spinning platters. If you've ever had a traditional hard drive die on you, the allure of an SSD is obvious.

Lets get things in perspective right away, the X200 isn't quite in the same league as the X300. The X200 is not as stylishly thin or technologically advanced as the X300 and its missing a few of the X300's novel features like an ultra compact optical drive. However the X200 still has plenty going for it, not the least of which is twice the processing power and half the price, compared to the X300. With a compact 12.1" chassis, full-power Core 2 Duo processor and ThinkPad durability at a starting price of $1,434, the Lenovo ThinkPad X200 battery replacement could just be an X300 for the rest of us.

The X200 is a solid tablet with the same signature ThinkPad design. If you don't like the plain black design your out of luck. It has new features like the bi-directional hinge that used to only be available on Fujitsu tablets, improved battery life and better wireless radio. I had no problems connecting to the Internet once I changed a few settings around. Some users may get confused by this, but it was easy.

The display was clear and crisp, would have liked the touchscreen to compare it to the X61, but no luck with that. The processor was peppy and had no problems running benchmarks. The array of features are good, but some users will definitely need the dock for more and may complain about that. The X200 should have heads turning and users thinking about making a new purchase.

Toshiba Satellite Pro L300 Laptop Review

Toshiba's Satellite Pro range is aimed at corporate users and is known for its no-nonsense design and resilient build quality. While the Satellite Pro L300 won't win any awards for style, it is nevertheless a powerful, usable and highly portable business laptop.

As with all but the HP in this group, the chassis weighs 2.6kg. Its 206-minute battery life betters both the Advent and HP, however, so you can easily keep working on the daily commute and also on longer journeys whenever necessary.

The staid design suits a mass corporate rollout, but lacks individual charm. The bulky chassis is incredibly resilient, so is sure to withstand the rigours of long-term use. Only the screen flexes slightly under pressure, but this is generally an intended feature to prevent against cracking.



Pros:
Good design
Full-size keyboard
Crisp, clear screen
Easy-to-access ports
Webcam & microphone

Cons:
Somewhat heavy
No Bluetooth

Specifications:
Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 2.1GHz processor
2GB RAM DDR2
Intel X3100 Integrated Graphics
160GB (5400 rpm) hard drive
Windows XP Professional
15.4″ WXGA 1280×800 screen
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG (802.11a/b/g)
10/100 Ethernet LAN
Modem
VGA-15 pin
DVD-SuperMulti drive (+/-R double layer) supporting up to 11 formats
ExpressCard Slot
SDCard Slot
3x USB 2.0
Stereo headphone and mono microphone jack
Integrated Webcam
Lithium Ion battery
Weight: 5.7lbs
Retail Price: $899

You will find the Toshiba Satellite Pro L300 battery boasts an impressive 160 GB Hard Drive (Serial ATA-300) and comes fully loaded with the latest must have Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Operating System.

The Toshiba Satellite Pro L300-1AI may be compact, but it sports a 1280 x 800 15.4″ TruBrite wide screen. With a High-gloss finish you will no longer have to suffer blurry graphics and in addition to using your laptop for work purposes you will also be able to watch films and view photos with crystal clarity. You will find the Toshiba Satellite Pro has an Intel GMA 4500MHD graphics card on board, meaning you can enjoy playing games on your laptop too. Offering up its latest graphics card, the Intel GMA 4500MHD, provides you with high quality, high definition video and audio.

The Satellite Pro L300 battery is a business savvy notebook. It doesn't have a glossy finish or any special features to make it stand out. What you see is what you get: a minimalistic, yet very functional notebook at a good price. The L300 comes with a good variety of ports, has a nice screen and a great keyboard. It is a little heavy and big to be a traveling companion in my opinion, but many business users like to watch movies or presentations while traveling and the 15.4" screen does it justice. Performance wise it gets the job done as well, I wouldn't expect to be gaming on the L300 much though.

These scores were never going to impress — 3DMark06 pulled in a dismal 270 (around a tenth of a moderate gaming score), PCMark05 a passable but lacklustre 2430. The battery life situation was a bit better, with all power saving features turned off and screen brightness set to maximum, playback of a DVD lasted one hour, 24 minutes and 48 seconds" still a bit of a disappointment considering the low-spec hardware, but definitely within acceptable limits.

This may all sound like a bit of a downer, but to be honest, the L300 is just perfect for what it is — a simple budget 15.4-inch laptop. It will no doubt be the perfect upgrade to those who are feeling a bit cash-strapped or just need to get through uni.

Dell Studio XPS 16 Laptop Review

The Dell Studio XPS 16 is designed for those who want power, cutting-edge features, and style. If you're someone who likes to make a statement with your notebook, the metal and leather looks of the Studio XPS 16 will help you in that area too. Sleek design combined with a 1080p display and powerful components come together to make for an awesome notebook. But is the Dell Studio XPS 16 battery compelling enough to make shoppers spend some extra cash during tough economic times? Let's take a closer look and find out.




The Studio XPS 16 hits a sweet spot in between a mainstream gaming notebook and a full-on desktop replacement. It's large enough to get a Full HD display, a powerful, discreet GPU and full-size keyboard, yet small enough to be sufficiently portable and still rather attractive. In the pages to come we'll be taking a look at how this rig handles the day-to-day rigors as well as gaming duties. Join us as we break things down from top to bottom, won't you?

Our review unit of the Dell Studio XPS 16 features the following configuration:

• Windows Vista Home Premium (SP1) 64-bit
• Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 2.4GHz Processor
• 1067 MHz FSB, 3 MB L2 Cache
• 4GB of 800 MHz Memory (2 x 2GB DDR3)
• ATI Mobility Radeon 4670 (1GB)
• 16.0 Inch Glossy Full HD RGBLED Display (1920x1080)
• VGA, HDMI, DisplayPort Output
• Seagate Momentus Momentus 7200.4 500GB Hard Drive; 7200RPM
• 4x Blu-ray Disc Combo Drive; (DVD/CD +/- RW +BD Read)
• Intel Wireless 5100 Card (Wi-Fi)
• Integrated 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth 2.0
• Integrated Stereo Speakers
• 2.0 MP Camera
• 8-in-1 Multimedia Card Reader
• ExpressCard 54 Slot
• 2 x USB 2.0 Ports; 1 x Mini 1394 (FireWire); 1 x USB 2.0 compliant / eSATA port with PowerShare; 2 headphone jacks; 1 audio input
• 0.95" - 1.34" (H) / 15.15" (W) / 10.02" (D)
• 6.5 Pounds - Weight
• 6-Cell 56Wh Battery
• Retail (Before Discounts) Price As Tested: $1758.00 currently (starting price $1099)
  

If you've been looking for a laptop with a good LCD, you can probably stop reading this review right now. Yes, the display on the Dell Studio XPS 1640 battery is that good. Of course, we need to clarify that we are talking about the upgraded LCD and not the default 720p option. The upsell is a 1080p LCD with RGB LED backlighting, which tacks on a hefty $250 to the price. Is it worth the money? That depends on how much you use your laptop for graphics work, watching movies, etc. Keep in mind that you can find plenty of desktop LCDs that are larger and offer similar quality for not much more than $250. However, you can't really use that sort of display while you're on the road.

The Studio XPS 16’s slick aesthetic begins with its eye-catching glossy Obsidian Black lid (emblazoned with Dell’s logo), set off by an anodized aluminum strip that stretches the width of the top and connects to a pair of thick, sturdy hinges (which bear the XPS logo). A panel of black, genuine leather at the base of the lid reinforces the idea that this is a classy, high-end machine. Dell even pays attention to the bottom of the notebook: portions of it are covered with miniature X’s pulled from the XPS logo.

In addition, there aren’t individual panels for the RAM and hard drive compartments; when you remove the bottom you get full access to the innards, which can be quite handy for those who like to tinker with their machines. Our only gripes with the Dell Studio XPS M1640 Series battery design are that the glossy portion of the system’s top picks up fingerprints and smudges very easily, and that you can see the screws that bind the hinges to the display.

Speaking of backlighting, the other key standard feature on all Studio XPS machines is the backlit keyboard. As on the 1340, though, the non-isolated nature of the keyboard means a certain level of bleed when viewed from an angle. Our opinion of the keyboard hasn't improved much, either. Its basic layout is fine, more or less perfect in fact, but keys are uneven and lack a little feedback. It's not quite bad enough to make this machine one to avoid, but it does take a little getting used to.