Need Help Finding the Right Laptop!

[Amoroso]

Well my old VIAO has retired into the sunset and I need a new lappy for architecture grad school. Plus I recieved my $600 check to stimulate the economy so here I go! I am going to be doing a lot of CAD/Photoshop/3D rendering. No gaming at all. Just serious CAD and rendering stuff.

Im not looking to spend more that $1,100

Does this laptop look good? Its a IBM Lenevo

Processor
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7500 (2.2GHz 800MHz 4MBL2)

Operating System
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium

Screen
15.4 WSXGA+ TFT

Memory
1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory

Hard Drive
80GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm

Optical Storage
CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo 24X/24X/24X/8X Max, Ultrabay Slim

Wireless
ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe, Integrated Wireless WAN: Verizon Sierra CDMA2000

Warranty
1 Year Standard Depot Warranty

Battery
6 cell Li-Ion Battery

Features
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader

Bluetooth
No

Video Card
NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M (128MB)


Price: Now $824.19

 

[Automata]

Is that the T61 by any chance? If so, I have one on order

 

[Hazaro]

http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=283940&t=820215

 

[Amoroso]

Opps... sorry forgot, yes its a T61.

 

[Krome]

Is that the T61 by any chance? If so, I have one on order

Same Here! I got the 14" @ 1440x900 though...

 

[Amoroso]

looks like I might bite the bullet on this, its a brand new unit... i cant find a refurb with all the things i need so for a $200 bucks might as well get a brand new one.

ThinkPad T61 15 Widescreen - 1 Yr Depot Warranty
6/9/2008**

$1,168.52

Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T8100 (2.1GHz 800MHz 3MBL2)1
Genuine Windows Vista Business x64
15.4 WSXGA+ TFT
NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M (128MB)
4 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)8
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
160GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm4
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim5
ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe US/EMEA/LA/ANZ10
Integrated Bluetooth PAN
6 cell Li-Ion Battery60
6459: Express - 1 Yr Depot Warranty7

what you guys think?

 

[Automata]

I'm thinking about my Lenovo, I really want it

ANYWAY, I think you have picked a good laptop with options that will last you for awhile. I would suggest upping the warranty if you can afford.

 

[Amoroso]

backing off... 1299.00 after taxes... alittle to rich for my blood at the moment. feel like i can get a better deal somewhere else.

 

[Automata]

Better than a Lenovo? From what I hear, they are extremely good quality...

 

[Amoroso]

No I agree with you. ThinkPads are great laptops quality wise. I just want a better deal on it. I know Im hot right now for a laptop and I dont know if thats a great time to buy a laptop. I rather wait for a better deal or when prices drop a little. Im in not rush for a laptop for a few months for college in Fall. That price is after a -$600 off so I know its a good price... but its a little to much for me right now.

 

[Automata]

No I agree with you. ThinkPads are great laptops quality wise. I just want a better deal on it. I know Im hot right now for a laptop and I dont know if thats a great time to buy a laptop. I rather wait for a better deal or when prices drop a little. Im in not rush for a laptop for a few months for college in Fall. That price is after a -$600 off so I know its a good price... but its a little to much for me right now.

Ok, I get what you meant now

Lenovo has recently been shoveling out deal/discounts, so keep your eyes on their site for updates

I was lucky, I got the corporate discount on mine.

 

[Amoroso]

Yea that deal was with the corporate discount at

www.lenovo.com/cpp

was that you too?

 

[Automata]

No, I had a special login page that brought me to an alternate Lenovo site.

 

[Amoroso]

care to share?

you can send me a PM

 

[Automata]

care to share?

you can send me a PM

I can't share it, I get the discount through where I work. It requires to login to our corporate site which redirects to the special Lenovo site.

 

[Amoroso]

ok gotcha, thanks though

 

[Krome]

I got mine through the outlet. $697/shipped, if it EVER ships......

 

[Krome]

I got mine through the outlet. $697/shipped, if it EVER ships......

It shipped! Did you ever end up getting anything?

*I was peeping the Lenovo Outlet earlier, and saw quiet a few nice ThinkPads.

 

[EchoTheDolphin]

Can't beat Lenovo in terms of laptop quality. Although if you were going to stick with that original build, I'd highly recommend 2gb+ ram for Vista.

 

[BigBadBaz]

Any update on this? Thideras, I'm sure you got your laptop by now, what do you think?

I'm pretty much in the same boat as Amoroso (even the Vaio part ), only that I may be willing to spend a little more.

I'm thinking of going with:

CPU: T9300 (2.5GHz, 6MBL2)
OS: Vista Business 64
Screen: 15.4"; no idea wxga+ or wsxga+ (significant difference?)
VGA: NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M (128MB)
RAM: 1GB; then get 4GB of DDR2-800 elsewhere
HDD: 160GB 7200RPM
EDIT: Warranty: 3 yr. depot upgrade with 3 yr. ThinkPad protection

Along with some other goodies this comes out to about $1600.
EDIT: -$250 (http://forums.slickdeals.net/showthread.php?sduid=0&t=894889) = $1350

Is there anything better for CAD?

I was also wondering if Quadros are better then GeForces for things like CAD.

Also, how would this do with gaming? I'm not sure that I'm going to do any on this laptop, but out of curiosity?