Like an exotic sports car
Written: Apr 19 '01
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Pros: Lightweight, sturdy, well built, innovative features
Cons: Expensive!
The Bottom Line: In my opinion, IBM's product support is top-notch!
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| gandhim3's Full Review: Lenovo ThinkPad T20 (264746U) PC Notebook |
I bought this laptop about 6 months ago. I was looking for something lightweight, so that I would not break my shoulder while carrying it around, but with enough features built-in so that I do not have to attach all peripherals externally just to use it.
I picked the T20 because it has numerous innovative features that I did not see in the competition. There is the ThinkLight, to use while in low light conditions. The portofino port, on top of the LCD, to attach devices like video cameras, bluetooth modules, wireless modules, etc. These are features exclusive to IBM notebooks. The T20 also has a hot swappable "UltraBay 2000" device bay where you can insert any one of the following: DVD, CD-ROM, CD-R/RW, floppy, zip drive, another hard drive, and even an extra battery! This was a major factor in my purchasing the T20 - expandability for future needs.
I think the best part of the T20 is the LCD screen. Bright, crisp, clear and sharp. It also renders deep, rich colors. I have looked at other notebooks from other manufacturers - they just do not compare.
The reason you pay more for ThinkPads (besides for all the features above) is the legendary IBM customer service. A specific example: I purchased a Xircom manufactured, IBM branded, ethernet card for internet access (my T20 only came with a built-in modem, although IBM does sell some with internal modem/ethernet combo cards). After a month of use, the card stopped working when it was attached to the dock. It worked fine when attached directly to the T20, but not via the dock. The solution provided was to re-install everything - format the disk and use the recovery CD. I did that and everything was smooth sailing for another month or so, and the problem cropped up again. I was not happy with the prospect of reformatting my hard drive every two months just so I could access the Internet. IBM turned around and sent me a ~$200 mini-pci combo card complimentary. And I got to keep the original PCMCIA card.
Another example. A few months after purchasing a docking station for the T20, I found out that the USB ports on the dock were not working properly. Since it was not something that could be repaired, IBM over-nighted a brand new dock. I returned the defective one, no questions asked, no hassels. That is what I call standing behind your product and supporting it.
IBM also has a user technical support forum where owners can ask tech questions about their computers. The forums are actively manned by IBM support, who usually go out of their way to help.
I mainly use the T20 for my graduate classes (thus the requirement of internet access - most of the team projects are discussed and exchanged via email). However, the computer is fast and powerful enough to play all my favorite games. It may not play the latest Quake 3, but it is more than enough for my needs.
The expandability is also very nice, especially if you get the docking station - at the same time you do not sacrifice the portability.
Some have complained that the computer comes with a very sparse manual. I would differ somewhat on that assertion. There is a very comprehensive manual - just press the proprietary "Access ThinkPad" button and up it pops. It has everything, from detailed specs and information, all the way to animated demonstrations for upgrading memory, hard drive, using the hot-swappable bay, etc. IBM also has what is called "IBM Update Connector" that gives you all the latest available hardware updates, along with instructions on how to update if they cannot be applied automatically. Very similar to the "Windows Update" function from Microsoft.
Regardless of who you buy your computer from, the thing to look for is the level of customer service provided after the purchase. A computer is essentially a commodity product, and the differentiating factor is after sales service. Yes IBM is a little expensive - but you are paying extra for the excellent customer support, I guess. I cannot speak for other box makers, but for me IBM is the way to go.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 3500
Operating System: Windows
Processor: Intel Pentium III
Processor speed: 701-800
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
gandhim3
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Reviews written: 4
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