IBM ThinkPad T43 Notebook Pentium M 1.6GHz 0.5GB 40GB 14.1" (reconditioned)

[magreen]

Pretty cheap cost of entry into wireless laptop + wireless router.
WinXP Pro, wireless G, 1024x768.

Very sturdy laptop, well-reviewed, used in lots of companies (my old company sported these for its employees).

Pentium M @1.6GHz is approx. like an Athlon 64 2800+ or a P4 at 2.8GHz, as far as I can tell from benchies. Plenty for regular office stuff -- 1.5x to 2x the speed of a 1.6GHz Atom.

http://www.buy.com/retail/prod...adid=17653&dcaid=17653

Grab the $16 FS 2x1GB laptop memory in this thread and you're good to go.

Tip: Right alt key can be mapped to Windows key using utility here. Thanks sydlexic.

Edit (1/23/09):
The deal is still alive. I bought this and am ecstatic with it. But the $40 MIR on the $40 d-link wireless router may be YMMV. In the tiny fine print on the rebate sheet, it says two things: 1) can't be combined with any other offer, and 2) not valid with refurbished or used equipment.

Now, I did combine this with the $30 off buy.com visa card new signup offer, and it shows on my receipt. And this t43 is refurbished. But buy.com showed this offer on the page of the t43 laptop (I know, that doesn't prove all that much), and the language is a bit vague on the refurbished thing -- it doesn't say whether it's the laptop or the router which can't be refurbished. Maybe they mean you don't get the MIR on the refurbished d-link routers? Well, I sent it in, so let's hope for the best.

 

[mugs]

Oooooh, the screen is only XGA.

 

[magreen]

Originally posted by: mugs
Oooooh, the screen is only XGA.

added to OP

 

[sgrinavi]

You might want to add After $100 rebate in there.

 

[magreen]

Originally posted by: sgrinavi
You might want to add After $100 rebate in there.

I don't see any $100 rebate. There's a PayPal instant $10 rebate, but it's instant so I didn't bother to mention it.

 

[highpoint]

The $400 ACER
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...ht_key=y&keyword1=acer


"Linky

Acer Aspire AS4730-4857 NoteBook
Intel Pentium dual-core T3200(2.00GHz)
14.1" Wide XGA 2GB Memory DDR2 667
160GB HDD 5400rpm
DVD Super Multi
Intel GMA 4500MHD"


May be a better deal. If you got the 30% off Bill Me Later email for the first $250 would make the ACER $325 plus shipping.

I used Bill Me Later once a few months ago and got the email. If you use it look for a $10+ at some online stores.

Still the IBM looks like to be a good deal for a low end laptop if you do not have the 30% off. The older IBM may last longer than the ACER I do not have any history with ACER. For me with computers it seams like they fail before I want to replace them and last longer if I want to replace them.

 

[sgrinavi]

Originally posted by: magreen

Originally posted by: sgrinavi
You might want to add After $100 rebate in there.

I don't see any $100 rebate. There's a PayPal instant $10 rebate, but it's instant so I didn't bother to mention it.

Right on Sorry!

 

[lloydxd]

Great Laptop! I sold my x61 for it and its the perfect laptop for people that are blind as a bat. It's not too heavy with a 9-cell and has both a trackpad and the red-dot mouse w/ CD drive. Only complaint is that keyboard does get oily (like almost all thinkpads and Macbooks) and only 2 USB ports.

If you upgrade the memory and hard disk, I'm sure it'll last for a long time.

 

[THRILLHOv]

one quick note (we have a ton of these at work, and they are great machines) but they don't have a windows key.
a minor annoyance, but for me, who uses keyboard shortcuts, its kinda a deal breaker

 

[revcp]

Great laptop. I have the 15", my wife has the 14. I prefer the latter: a bit lighter, same keyboard (love thinkpad keyboards), etc. Easy to upgrade, bombproof, very well supported by software upgrades. Ours are 3yrs+ and going strong.

 

[sydlexic]

IBM/Lenovo has a Keyboard Customizer Utility for Windows 2000, XP here
that allows you to map the right ALT key as a Windows key, among other things...

sydlexic

 

[magreen]

Originally posted by: sydlexic
IBM/Lenovo has a Keyboard Customizer Utility for Windows 2000, XP here
that allows you to map the right ALT key as a Windows key, among other things...

sydlexic

Hey, that's a great tip. I'm going to update the OP with this info.

sydlexic, you just used your 11th post in 7 years in my thread. I'm honored.

 

[FDF12389]

Great price

 

[will792]

Keep in mind that refurbished ThinkPads are rather beaten up and battery is not new. When I bought mine I thought that keyboard and battery would be new but had an unpleasant surprise when received the unit. It is possible to buy new keyboard and battery (OEM) on eBay for relatively low price ($50 for keyboard and $40 for battery) but it increases the price of the laptop to the point where it does not make economic sense to get a refurbished model.

Also T43 has the noisiest fan of all ThinkPads that runs almost 50% of the time. My model has ATI graphics chip and possibly it creates extra heat that triggers the fan.

 

[magreen]

Ok, I just bit on this thing -- got it with the $39.99 d-link router with the $39.99 MIR. Plus I signed up for a new buy.com visa card, so I got $30 off my order.

Grand total: $326.98 including tax and shipping (free budget shipping) - $39.99 MIR
= $286.99

I can't wait for it to get here!

 

[BabaBooey]

Do you guys ever check our FS / FT ?

Search for T43 there for interesting surprise....

 

[magreen]

In case anyone is curious, I'm ecstatic with my t43 Thinkpad. It's really fast for office work -- I slipped in 2x1gb of memory and the thing is faster and more responsive at office tasks than my dual core vista home premium home computer (w/ 4gb). I guess that's an xp vs vista thing. It's just really snappy and nice to use.

And build quality, the thing just really feels like quality, you know, like driving a Mercedes instead of a Chrysler -- you don't feel like the turn signal is going to break off in your hand. I haven't used a $379 Acer laptop, but I can only guess at what that feels like to open and close and lug around with you every day. This Thinkpad was built strong and built well, and it's a pleasure to use.

2 thumbs up! :thumbsup:

The only thing I'm worried about is the $40 MIR from d-link on the $40 wireless router I bought with it. In the tiny fine print on the rebate sheet, it says two things: 1) can't be combined with any other offer, and 2) not valid with refurbished or used equipment.

Now, I did combine this with the $30 off buy.com visa card new signup offer, and it shows on my receipt. And this t43 is refurbished. But buy.com showed this offer on the page of the t43 laptop (I know, that doesn't prove all that much), and the language is a bit vague on the refurbished thing -- it doesn't say whether it's the laptop or the router which can't be refurbished. Maybe they mean you don't get the MIR on the refurbished d-link routers? Well, I sent it in, so let's hope for the best.

 

[kgokal]

Originally posted by: bababooey
Do you guys ever check our FS / FT ?

Search for T43 there for interesting surprise....

Yeah, so theres a bunch of parts/lappys for sale.
Probably a popular model? or your saying bad build quality?

 

[ayabe]

I had a t43 for two years at work, never had any issues.

That being said, I like my T61 a lot more, for obvious reasons

 

[Karaktu]

Originally posted by: kgokal

Originally posted by: bababooey
Do you guys ever check our FS / FT ?

Search for T43 there for interesting surprise....

Yeah, so theres a bunch of parts/lappys for sale.
Probably a popular model? or your saying bad build quality?

I think he was saying that there were better deals to be had in FS/FT than what are being offered retail/refurbished, but they have all been sold now AFAIK.