I need one. Sorry, not a fan of widescreen. I'm aware of the Lenovo T61 in 14" and I'm strongly considering it, though I would have preferred 15". I've checked Dell, HP/Compaq, Gateway, Toshiba, Acer, Panasonic. Unless I've missed them, every single model I saw was widescreen. In case you need any further info on my needs:
Primary use - program development, network design (mostly Visio), documentation (Word), web activities. Lots of time spent in closets & telco CO's sometimes having to hold the laptop in one hand or on a knee while connected to console ports of routers & switches. I'd like discrete graphics, 2-3 Gb RAM, Core 2 Duo 7xxx (preferred, not essential).
My newest laptop lost its screen (still works with external monitor), but was 3 years old, anyway. Temporarily using my previous lappy, a 5 year old Dell 8100 and it's too big & heavy.
I've already reconciled myself to the fact that I'll have to do without a serial port, which I use every day (but there are USB-serial adapters). Please help me find alternatives so that I won't have to give up 4:3.
LIH Prem
Dec 3, 07, 12:41 pm
I don't think a 15" 4:3 exists. The t61 is 14.1" which is an ideal size for 4:3 and has everything you want including discrete graphics and you can configure it with an SXGA+ panel.
You're right. I went to Panasonic's "Home" area and could find no screen specs on the W5 and Y5, but the pictures certainly looked widescreen. The "Business" section shows better information, also the Y7 model.
Still, the Panasonics use ultra-mobile, low power processors - great for mobility & battery life, not what I need in terms of power. Also, half again as much as the Thinkpad. I know it pays for the "tough" in Toughbook, but I haven't cratered a laptop with spills or drops in a dozen years of using them (knock on wood), so I'll pass.
Fujitsu E8310 looks interesting. Anybody out there have any experience with these? Build quality, keyboard feel, screen characteristics? Pricing is about $400-$500 more than similarly equipped Thinkpad T61 14" with T7500, 2 Gb RAM, 100 Gb 7200 RPM, DVD-RW, Nvidia Quadro NVS video, 4 yr warranty with accidental damage coverage (about $1700 with current special).
aidanc
Dec 3, 07, 2:00 pm
I need one. ...
I've already reconciled myself to the fact that I'll have to do without a serial port, which I use every day (but there are USB-serial adapters). Please help me find alternatives so that I won't have to give up 4:3.
Hmmm.... Serial Ports. A real hard thing to find on almost any PC these days.
I have a D610 and it has a serial port (which I use and an internal smart card reader which I use alot). The D630 is widescreen.
nkedel
Dec 3, 07, 3:39 pm
I don't think a 15" 4:3 exists. The t61 is 14.1" which is an ideal size for 4:3 and has everything you want including discrete graphics and you can configure it with an SXGA+ panel.
I'm not sure if you can still get them, but Dell's D520 was still hanging around some of the corporate channels pretty recently, and had a 15" non-wide option (default was 14.1 non-wide with a thicker bezel.) Pretty chunky and disappointing machine otherwise.
osamede
Dec 3, 07, 3:42 pm
You're right. I went to Panasonic's "Home" area and could find no screen specs on the W5 and Y5, but the pictures certainly looked widescreen. The "Business" section shows better information, also the Y7 model.
Still, the Panasonics use ultra-mobile, low power processors - great for mobility & battery life, not what I need in terms of power. .
I have owned the W5 and now currently use the Y5. Neither are widescreen. The Y5 is a 14" 1400 x 1050 screen (SXGA+, I think it is called), while the smaller unit, the W5, is a lower resloution 12" screen. The Y7 is a weird one, being slower than the Y7 and actually drawing more power, which means it has much shorter battery life - I wouldnt touch that one as long as you can find a Y5.
The Y5 is a fantastic unit, to have that capability at only 3.3 lbs and still built like a rock. You can tell this was properly crafted, rather than churned out by beancounters just looking to turn a quick buck and move on to the next model in a week. I will be using this thing until they pry it from my cold dead hands.
As for "power" if you dont edit video on your laptop, I think you would struggle to find real issues with horsepower on the Y5. Dont get fooled by the stats. As a business consultant and writer, this thing is the equal - suprerior actually - of any laptop I have had occasion to use in my 15 years of work. I really have no idea why company IT depts would insist on issuing lesser items, that are heavier, flimsier and probably no cheaper by the time you factor in usable lifespan and durability.
lmz00
Dec 4, 07, 1:59 am
They make displays in 4:3? I always thought they were 5:4, with widescreens being 16:10. :confused:
nkedel
Dec 4, 07, 2:41 am
They make displays in 4:3? I always thought they were 5:4, with widescreens being 16:10. :confused:
Traditionally, US TV screens and movie screens were 4:3 (before movies went widescreen.) Computer monitors and flatscreens followed suit, and up until 1280x1024 became popular around oh, 2000 or so, all the standard resolutions were 4:3 (even 1600x1200!)
Most of the 5:4 *resolution* 1280x1024 screens were still 4:3 in their actual dimensions initially (they just had slightly rectangular pixels) although that 4:3 is already often an approximation; my impression is that given the number of machines with XGA (1024x768) and "SXGA" (1280x1024) panels as options on the same machine that that was still true before everything went widescreen.
Widescreens which are actual 16:9 rather than 16:10 are less common, but not at all unknown.
There are also a few "not quite either" widescreens, like the 800x480 you'll see occasionally (16:9.6 - on a few high end PDAs and the Eee)
deubster
Dec 4, 07, 7:05 am
OK, I've ended my quest. Thanks to all who replied.
I couldn't justify the added expense of the Panasonic Toughbooks, no matter how good they are. The Dell 530 prices out at as much as the Lenovo Touchpad, while the Fujitsu will wind up costing $400-$500 more for what I want. So the 14" T61 non-widescreen with discrete graphics is it. Placed my order.
Part of the problem with Dell (other than the fact that it's not nearly as good a machine) is that options you add seems to cost a bundle. You can start with a $599 machine that winds up at $1300 after a few processor/memory/HD/battery/warranty upgrades. Lenovo, in contrast, is extremely reasonable - $22.50 to bump Vista Home Premium to Vista Business or XP Pro, $22.50 from XGA to SXGA+, $60 for a 2 step bump from T7250 to T7500 processor, $60 from 1 Gb to 2 Gb RAM, $60 from 80 Gb 5400 RPM HD to 100 Gb 7200 RPM, and only $284.50 from 1-yr Depot service (mail in) to 4-yr with complete drop & spill coverage. With all these upgrades, plus 9-cell battery, mine came to about $1630, applied a coupon code to get it for about $1550 shipped free.
Very excited, should have in about a week - 10 days. Thanks all.
DenverBrian
Dec 4, 07, 9:06 am
OK, I've ended my quest. Thanks to all who replied.
I couldn't justify the added expense of the Panasonic Toughbooks, no matter how good they are. The Dell 530 prices out at as much as the Lenovo Touchpad, while the Fujitsu will wind up costing $400-$500 more for what I want. So the 14" T61 non-widescreen with discrete graphics is it. Placed my order.
Part of the problem with Dell (other than the fact that it's not nearly as good a machine) is that options you add seems to cost a bundle. You can start with a $599 machine that winds up at $1300 after a few processor/memory/HD/battery/warranty upgrades. Lenovo, in contrast, is extremely reasonable - $22.50 to bump Vista Home Premium to Vista Business or XP Pro, $22.50 from XGA to SXGA+, $60 for a 2 step bump from T7250 to T7500 processor, $60 from 1 Gb to 2 Gb RAM, $60 from 80 Gb 5400 RPM HD to 100 Gb 7200 RPM, and only $284.50 from 1-yr Depot service (mail in) to 4-yr with complete drop & spill coverage. With all these upgrades, plus 9-cell battery, mine came to about $1630, applied a coupon code to get it for about $1550 shipped free.
Very excited, should have in about a week - 10 days. Thanks all.
I think you made a wise choice, though I'm worried Lenovo is reducing the quality of ThinkPads and that in a year or two they may no longer be the notebook of choice. I think you did good to get in when you did.
Keep in mind that this may be your last 4:3 notebook. There just isn't any incentive for manufacturers to keep making the screens when the entire LCD panel world is moving to 16:9 or 16:10 because of HDTV.