<p>Since I have done an insane amount of research on which computer to buy, I’ll share my findings.</p>
<p>decided to go with a 14 inch laptop to combine power/portability. 13 inch seemed too small when I looked at them, 15 inch are fairly big.
some of the top models I considered:
dell e6400: didnt like the form factor as much as the lenovo, also much more expensive for the same specs.
xps m1530 - graphics card has been updated in over a year, didnt want to buy old tech. also 15"
studio xps 13 - heat management issues, graphics card not as good as the t400, also 13"
macbook pro- not worth the extra cash, especially if I have to learn a new OS. seems like a waste to just install vista. same specs on pc available for about 700-900 cheaper</p>
<p>here’s what I got
go to Lenovo.com—> select your language----> solutions for government and education-------> Higher education -------> students select your school and hit go (no school email required) ------> notebooks ------> thinkpad notebooks-----> thinkpads ------> t-series ------> t-400-----> Elite ThinkPad T400 with discrete graphics -------> customize</p>
<p>
wont need it, its a thinkpad
chose this processor over the 2.8 ghz t9600 because it is only slightly slower, but uses much less power. check out the comparison here: [Notebookcheck:</a> Comparison of Intel Centrino 2 CPUs](<a href=“Notebookcheck - Page not Found!”>Comparison of Intel Centrino 2 CPUs - NotebookCheck.net Reviews)
64 bit so i the os can use 4 gigs of ram (32 bit limits you to 3 gigs), compatability not an issue because I wont be gaming on it
1440 x 900 resolution and a webcam. doesnt have the led backlight which uses less power, but I would have had to get a lower res screen (1280x800) to get an led backlight.
adequate dedicate graphics for a laptop, not trying to run the latest games
see here for graphics rankings: [Notebookcheck:</a> Mobile Graphics Cards - Benchmark List](<a href=“Notebookcheck - Page not Found!”>Mobile Graphics Cards - Benchmark List - NotebookCheck.net Tech)
4 gigs is good, 2 dimms are cheap
goota love the red dot pointing device on thinkpads
fast drive (7200 rpm) with enough space
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read most camera cards, use express cards
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pair with a bluetooth laser mouse so I dont have to use a usb port for an external mouse
work with pretty much any wireless network, from past experience intel makes the best wireless cards/ software by far<br>
the difference in size between the 6 cell and the 9 cell is small so I went with the 9 cell. Pic: <a href=“http://farm4.static.■■■■■■■■■■/3232/2774790879_83011a1d6a.jpg[/url]”>http://farm4.static.■■■■■■■■■■/3232/2774790879_83011a1d6a.jpg</a>
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at the current time the price is $1,302.98, which I thought was an awesome deal considering the specs of the laptop and that its a thinkpad.
other thoughts: thinkpads, particularly this model, ahev amazing reviews and are extremely durable. this model was recently updated to be even more sturdy.</p>
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