Is this a good laptop

[User1001]

Gaming will probably be HL2 at the most intensive.
Thinkpad T42p

Product Description IBM ThinkPad T42p 2373 - Pentium M 745 1.8 GHz - 14.1" TFT
Dimensions (WxDxH) 3 12.2 in x 10 in x 1.2 in
Weight 2 5.3 lbs
Localization English / United States
System Type Notebook
Built-in Devices Stereo speakers, wireless LAN antenna, ThinkLight, Bluetooth antenna
Processor 1 Intel Pentium M 745 1.8 GHz
Cache Memory 2 MB - L2 cache
RAM 512 MB (installed) / 2 GB (max) - DDR SDRAM - PC2700 - 333 MHz
Hard Drive 60 GB - 7200 rpm
Optical Storage CD-RW / DVD-ROM combo - plug-in module
Display 14.1" TFT active matrix SXGA+ (1400 x 1050) - 24-bit (16.7 million colors)
Graphics Controller ATI MOBILITY FIRE GL T2 - 128 MB
Audio Output Sound card
Telecom 4 Fax / modem - CDC - 56 Kbps
Networking Network adapter - Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11g
Wireless NIC Atheros AR5001X+ WLAN
Input Device Keyboard, TrackPoint, UltraNav
Power AC 110/230 V ( 50/60 Hz )
Battery Lithium ion
Run Time (Up To) 6.4 hour(s)
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Manufacturer Warranty 3 years warranty

 

[fbrdphreak]

Great laptop, just depends how much you're paying for it

 

[User1001]

$2111

 

[User1001]

bump

 

[fbrdphreak]

$2111 is a great deal, EPP I assume?
Drop another 512MB stick in there for $50 and you'll have a ridiculously fast machine.
For basic gaming, you will want to use the Omega or Mobility Modded ATI drivers, as the IBM drivers are written for stability, not performance. The modded drivers made a HUGE diff in gaming on my T42 64MB 9600.

Do it!!

 

[User1001]

EPP price of course. So the vid card is good enough because I probably won't be getting a desktop.
Edit: I could get a similar laptop with similiar price with mobility X300 instead.

 

[fbrdphreak]

Ech NO, X300<FireGL T2

IMO, there's no point to go to the Sonoma platform (X300=PCI-E graphics=T43), esp when you have such a sweet deal on a T42p.

 

[User1001]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak
Ech NO, X300<FireGL T2

IMO, there's no point to go to the Sonoma platform (X300=PCI-E graphics=T43), esp when you have such a sweet deal on a T42p.

Is the 128 mb T2 that much better than the 64 mb 9600?

 

[unfalliblekrutch]

isn't the fire GL a workstation card? For gaming, I think going with the X300 should be better.

 

[IEC]

The Fire GL is in several models, and I think in this case it is a far superior one to the X300. This one wins hands down.

 

[trikster2]

So Lenovno is continuing EPP pricing for IBM friends and family?

Cool. As my wife could care less about lackluster last years graphics I still might have a thinkpad in my future.

$2111 seems a lot for last years laptop with Radeon 9600 based graphics.....

Unless you run cad graphics requiring ISV certified drivers, your wasting your money.

Save nearly $1000 and go with the FVU ($1200 or so last time I checked EPP prices), (savings drops to $800 if you want the same 3 lenovno year waranty).

Also, you are in the wrong forum to get any actual information on thinkpads, go to the www.thinkpads.com forum. Users there report no real gaming difference betwee the 9600 in the T42 and the 9600 based fire gl in the T42P. For some GL based games you might get a slight peformance increase for but nothing worth $1000, for some games you might get a decrease.

The X300 is on a par with the 9600 in the T42/T42P. Again some tests report it slower, some quicker. If you want the fastest thinkpad graphics (which are still not fast) go with the X600 based T43P. The 14" models are actually shipping.

 

[Cheesetogo]

You can get a dell xps gen 2 for slighlty less than that. Although if weight and size is important to you, seems like a good price.

 

[juancferrer]

The FireGL is gonna have pretty much the exact same performance as the 9600, but the extra 64mb RAM in the FireGLwill help it to run games at higher quality settings.