Lenovo Computers

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>Ok so i need a laptop. I have already made up my mind (for the most part) that i want to stay with PC because i like Windows and i am use to it, and Macs are overprices for what they can do in my opinion. I was looking at toshibas and dells at best buy but then came here and say you guys talking about these Lenovos. These look pretty cheap for what they can do, but i am skeptical. I see a few of these on the consumer reports list, but none are really high. </p>

<p>I am going into business in college, and i use my laptop a lot, but i imagine i want need a super powerfull one, i just do the basic things. Not sure exactly was in store for me at business school so want something nice, but i have a limited amount of money. </p>

<p>First i would like maybe a little more info on these if possible and how they compare to some of these dells and toshibas. Next which model would you recommend, looking at some of these prices I would like to spend a max of $800 unless i am getting something much better. Third is there any where to buy these instead of over the internet? I like to usually talk to some people and be able to return it directly back instead of having to ship it back. </p>

<p>Also is lenovo's customer support good along with there repair.. as in it doesn't take a month for your computer to get repaired.</p>

<p>Any help is appreciated, thanks.</p>

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<p>
[QUOTE=Dukefan]

i would like maybe a little more info on these if possible and how they compare to some of these dells and toshibas

[/quote]

There are two main lines of Lenovo laptops. The ThinkPads are the business line, while the IdeaPads are the consumer line. The ThinkPads are slightly more expensive, but IMO worth it for the quality. In my experience, Dells and Toshibas can’t match the quality of a ThinkPad.</p>

<p>
[QUOTE=Dukefan]

which model would you recommend, looking at some of these prices I would like to spend a max of $800 unless i am getting something much better

[/quote]

You can get an [R</a> series ThinkPad](<a href=“Lenovo Official US Site | Laptops, PCs, Tablets & Servers | Lenovo US”>Lenovo Official US Site | Laptops, PCs, Tablets & Servers | Lenovo US) starting at $650, while the [T</a> series ThinkPads](<a href=“Lenovo Official US Site | Laptops, PCs, Tablets & Servers | Lenovo US”>Lenovo Official US Site | Laptops, PCs, Tablets & Servers | Lenovo US) start at $750. The R400/T400 are 14.1", while the R500/T500 are 15.4". The main difference between the R and T series is that the T series laptops weigh less and are more compact. If you don’t care about weight, just get an R500, as it’s the cheapest.</p>

<p>You should be fine with the baseline model, but you might want to upgrade to the higher resolution screen. Also, if you find that it’s running sluggishly after getting it, you can buy 1 (~$15) or 2 (~$28) GB RAM from [Newegg[/url</a>] (that page only lists DDR3 RAM; if you buy it from somewhere else, make sure it’s DDR3, and not DDR2 or DDR). Don’t get it with the laptop, as PC makers overcharge for upgrades. It only took me about 10 minutes to install the RAM; you just have to follow Lenovo’s instructions and remove 4 screws.</p>

<p>
[QUOTE=Dukefan]

is there any where to buy these instead of over the internet

[/quote]
Not that I know of.</p>

<p>
[QUOTE=Dukefan]

I like to usually talk to some people and be able to return it directly back instead of having to ship it back.

[/quote]
Lenovo is pretty good about returns. When I had a problem, they sent me a box the next day to ship it back in. Besides, the info you’ll get in a store from some part-time teenage worker is not as reliable as what you can find online. If you have any detailed questions, the [url=<a href=“TechnologyGuide - TechTarget”>http://forum.notebookreview.com/]NotebookReview</a> Forums](<a href=“Computer parts, laptops, electronics, and more - Newegg United States”>Computer parts, laptops, electronics, and more - Newegg United States) are the place to go.</p>

<p>
[QUOTE=Dukefan]

Also is lenovo’s customer support good along with there repair… as in it doesn’t take a month for your computer to get repaired.

[/quote]
Yes, I got mine back in a week or so.</p>

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<p>I recommend looking here: [Lenovo</a> Outlet](<a href=“http://stores.channeladvisor.com/LenovoOutlet/Notebook/]Lenovo”>http://stores.channeladvisor.com/LenovoOutlet/Notebook/) you can find a thinkpad at a great price. also google Lenovo coupons and you can find coupons that can cut a significant amount of the price off.</p>

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<p>Thanks very much for that, very helpful.</p>

<p>I was checking out some of the ideapads vs the thinkpads and found out the idea pads offer more memory and more hard drive for around the same price. What exactly are the main difference from the thinkpads and idea pads and what makes the thinkpads better?</p>

<p>Also i was looking at the toshiba satellite A305</p>

<p>It has 3gb of memory
A 320gb hard drive
Core 2 duo t6400 processor<br>
Good battery life and good ratings</p>

<p>The thinkpad R series for $650 has</p>

<p>1gb of memeory
160gb hard drive
Core 2 Duo Processor P8600</p>

<p>So im not saying it is better, just wondering what makes Lenovo better, is it just built better and much better quality? Or what?</p>

<p>Maybe i should shoot for a bit higher model than the low model of the R series? Also i here Lenovo gives some great discount sometimes, i could purchase a card at my school that says you could save up to 29% on Lenovo things, does this include all the computers or just certain things? (I will contact the college, because obviously i don’t expect you to know that, although if you do some discount/better places to buy it would be appriciated)</p>

<p>Sorry for all the questions, i am just a little skeptical since this is not a huge company and there computers are not as well known as Dell and some of the others sold in the big stores.</p>

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<p>The thinkpads are the business line and the ideapads are the consumer line.</p>

<p>Thinkpads are legendary for their durability. The ideapad line is fairly new so I’m not sure how it holds up over time, I would pay a little extra for the thinkpad quality, but as long as you treat your computer well I’m sure the ideapad will hold up fine too.</p>

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<p>I was looking at consumer reports and it had a couple ideapads on the list, i only saw a few Lenovos on the list overall, 2 were ideapads and the other was a value g series? </p>

<p>Usually consumer reports does good job, should i trust them? Or just pay the extra $100 or whatever to make sure with the Thinkpad. To be honest $100 isn’t much when looking for a computer i will want to keep for a while.</p>

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<p>Personally I would spend the extra money to get the thinkpad. Also if you upgrade the RAM yourself you can save a bit of money that way.</p>

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<p>I have had a Thinkpad T43 for the last 4 years. I had not had any problem until I dropped it and the hard disk stopped working recently. Overall I liked it.</p>

<p>But now a problem I am facing is: Is it worth fixing it? After all, it is a 4-year-old machine. (We have since moved to a Macbook.)</p>

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<p>
[QUOTE=mcat2]

Is it worth fixing it?

[/quote]
Why not? The fix is just getting a new hard drive.</p>

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<p>you can pick up a new hard drive for ~$50</p>

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<p>How about the preloaded Windows XP software (and Thinkpad-specific drivers)? Where to get them? I did not have a backup. If I request Lenovo to send me a CD containing the original system software, how much will they charge me now? I did order this laptop directly from their web-site 4 years ago; hopefully they still have my record.</p>

<p>I vaguely remember that if I requested the software CD right after I bought that PC, Lenovo would send it to me (and charge me very little).</p>

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<p>You should be able to get the drivers from their site, if not, then they should send them to you. Not sure what their policy is on backup OS, and I’m not sure if you can get XP anymore, other than preinstalled on new systems. </p>

<p>Depending on your computer’s specs, you might want to get a new computer and the Windows7 upgrade (which you can preorder now and get for halfprice). Personally, my family replaces computers about every 4 years, though my dad has a pretty hardy Thinkpad.</p>

13

<p>
[QUOTE=mcat2]

If I request Lenovo to send me a CD containing the original system software, how much will they charge me now?

[/quote]
No idea, but it shouldn’t be more than ~$20.</p>

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<p>Just an FYI, if you sign up for a student advantage card: [Student</a> Advantage Discount Card - Save money during college](<a href=“http://www.studentadvantage.com/discountcard/]Student”>http://www.studentadvantage.com/discountcard/), </p>

<p>You can get lenovos for like ~35% less than retail direct from the manufacturer.<br>
It only costs $20 dollars, so its definitly worth it if you don’t want the hassel of buying through someone else for about the same price. Plus it gives you some deals on other useful services as well.</p>

<p>If you do end up getting one, it would be very appreciated if you signed up through me via the following url: <a href=“http://widgets.tellapal.com/click.action?id=86D4A4A9-BD2A-59CB-3454-A79766C37FB4[/url]”>http://widgets.tellapal.com/click.action?id=86D4A4A9-BD2A-59CB-3454-A79766C37FB4&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;