The ThinkPad: Newer Is Not Necessarily Better
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I should preface these comments that I am ThinkPad fan. I have one of the latest ThinkPads when the laptops were made by IBM. The laptop is used daily, travels with me and has been wonderful. Therefore, it was with a positive bias that I volunteered to help ready nine, brand new ThinkPads (Series X) for distribution and use this coming week.
This involved being part of what looked like an assembly line process where each machine was unboxed, identified, tested, loaded with security software and so forth. It meant that I had a fair amount of time with each machine, as it moved through the process.
What I found was that there is a significant difference in quality. This was noticeable between machines - and between these new machines and my old ThinkPad. One would expect that these machines would be very similar to each other. They are shipped from the same distribution centre, as part of one purchase order. The assumption (perhaps incorrect assumption) is that they might be from a similar production lot. If they are manufactured at the same facility, then it is inexplicable why there is such a difference between keyboards. Many of them did not have the solid feel of the reputed ThinkPad keyboard. There was just a wide range of feel and responsiveness in this order of laptops.
There is a significant difference when comparing my old IBM ThinkPad to the new Lenovo ThinkPads. The old IBM ThinkPad has a more solid feel and better individual key return. This does make a difference for speed typing. The old IBM ThinkPad is better by far.
Of course, the new Lenovo ThinkPads are lighter and more streamlined in design. They look gorgeous. However, it is at the sacrifice of the substantial feel of the old ThinkPads. These new models seem flimsy by comparison. For example, the screen on the old model takes some effort to move. It is secured by excellent hardware and stays put - in any position. The new models lack this feeling of security.
As a caveat, this is only a small sample. Nevertheless, when my old ThinkPad has given its last day of service, a new ThinkPad might not be my automatic next choice. I might look to see what is available from other manufacturers or what old IBM models are available on eBay.
Catherine
6 Comments
swordofdestiny
August 10th, 2008
at 6:53pm
That’s kind of sad.. I almost cried when the processor gave out in my T45. Great machine, I shouldn’t have slept next to it… kept knocking it off the bed, power got messed up, would sometimes randomly shut off if I moved the cord wrong. Enough of those shutdowns and well I’m sure the processor is fried, and maybe the motherboard. It was my first laptop and it did well. I was thinking about getting another Thinkpad, but if the Lenovo models are that way… I may do what you plan on doing. What’s the last model before Lenovo took over?
swordofdestiny
August 10th, 2008
at 7:02pm
One more thing, maybe we should make a petition to have them make the chassis like the models before lenovo took over.
forsythe
August 10th, 2008
at 7:05pm
SoD,
Thanks for your comment - I was wondering too about which model was manufactured under the IBM brand. It seems that the T4x series was near the end. Perhaps some ThinkPad experts can update us what what happened during the IBM - Lenovo transition.
Catherine
Gavin
August 10th, 2008
at 7:27pm
This was a very interesting read. I always wondered how the thinkpad series would be affected when IBM sold it. I am a big fan of the current thinkpads and have converted a number of friends as well. They are simple and solid machines which I really like. I hope they don’t modify it too much from its original form.
Aryeh Goretsky
August 12th, 2008
at 12:45am
Hello,
I have gone through a progression of ThinkPads over the past few years, starting with a 755CE → 770X → T23 → T43p to my current T61p and although I have used notebooks from Dell and Sager and Toshiba, I have always gone back to the ThinkPad because of the keyboard as well well as the build quality, availability of spare parts and so forth. I did notice a different between the 770X and the T23, keyboard-wise. The T23’s seemed less “solid,” for lack of a better term. However, the T23 was ligher than the 770X and it may simply be the weight which I was noticing. I found the T43p and T61p keyboards to feel more “springy” when I started using them, but I am wondering if that might be due to the fact that they felt different when new as opposed to after being used for for several months.
If you noticed a substantial difference in the X-series ThinkPads you were staging, you might want to remove the keyboard from the “best” and the “worst” unit and see if they have different part or FRU numbers or a different manufacturer. Perhaps Lenovo would be willing to send you replacement keyboards, especially if you could tell them the problem was with a specific manufacturer or that you wanted a specific manufacturer’s part as a replacement.
Regards,
Aryeh Goretsky
The ThinkPad: Newer Is Not Necessarily Better (Part 2) ~ DogReader
August 12th, 2008
at 11:32am
[...] the past weekend, I was part of a group that helped prepare nine new ThinkPads for use. These laptops were straight from the box - shiny, new and gorgeous. All the machines were put to [...]