Lenovo ThinkPad SL510 Review

[vēer]

LOL
Well, to be honest, id prefer G530 over this one

[Teraforce]

16:9? On a Thinkpad??

Just what on earth was lenovo thinking???! (pun intended).

*faints*

[QualitySeeker]

Come on, when using small icons in the Windows 7 taskbar and keeping IE8's default panels you'll still have ~620px in height to browse the internet.

Awesome!

[Johnny T]

I like my 1200 vertical pixels in my 15.4'' screen just fine. ^^

I'm not sure if unibody is the best term for describing the T series? I thought that the T series have rubberized plastic over a magnesium alloy support frame? I'm pretty sure that unibody refers to construction where the exterior is also the support (if you're wondering, I prefer the former over the latter).

Thats what I was thinking too. The T400s has a somewhat unibody design but thats about it.

[mtoMA2AZ]

Kevin - I have questions, and would like some opinions...

- the SL510 keyboard looks smaller than on the T60 - or is that because the SL510 is wider? (i.e., has much wider edges)?
How would you compare the processor? My current T60 has the T7200 2G processor. Is this one appreciably better?

- I was just looking at the T500s but they are VERY pricey - how would you compare the SL510 to the T500? especially considering I am used to the T60?

I do a lot of photo-correcting for websites, and tend to have several programs open at once, plus a bunch of tabs in Firefox. No gaming, but do like CD/mp3 ripping/burning from vinyl & cassettes.

I also looked at the Dell Latitude & Toshiba Tecra, both also pricey - I am hopelessly addicted to trackpoints. I've loved my previous 2 Thinkpads (true-IBMs), especially the keyboards, but this T60 hasn't been quite as good otherwise. My way-back Toshies w/trackpoints were 'meh'.

My BIG concern is what I've been hearing about Lenovo support vs the old IBM support - I've read it's gone SERIOUSLY downhill - and just from my limited experience the last year I guess it's true. Very sad.
Disappointingly, it appears that DELL support has ALSO gone downhill, and Tosh never has been great.

My T60 is hopelessly bogged down, in part due to what is now a ridiculously small 100 G hard drive - well it SEEMED big at the time, but just in the last 3 years every software I use seems to have gotten incredibly bloated.
I never had problems with Vista, but I think cause it was a clean factory install.

I also considered just upgrading this T60 with the 320G 7200 HD + more memory (from 2G to 4G) but since I'd be re-installing I'd also want to buy Win7, so by that time I just don't know if it's cost, not to mention TIME, effective on this 3 year old laptop.

Anybody wish to give an opinion? Upgrade, or buy? and if so, to what?

[mtoMA2AZ]

Well, I wound up buying the SL510 - and unfortunately, I HATE IT!

The big problem is the wide edges around the keyboard - I have already developed what is most likely carpal tunnel - my right hand tingles and aches terribly - even when I wake up in the morning, and especially the pinky finger/outer edge of my hand up past my wrist. Actually, I think it's not only the wider edges on the SL510, but also that it is thicker than my previous, T60 Thinkpad (therefore the edge of the laptop presses harder against my wrist area, hope you can picture what I mean).

Unfortunately, it appears that Lenovo/Thinkpad is ONLY making widescreen laptops, except for one small netbook model.

I don't know if the T 510 is any better. I *think* it's a little thinner, but it appears to be just as wide.

But it looks like there is no one here anyway, since no one replied to my previous post...

[Judicator]

They say that for proper typing, your hands should be "floating" over the keyboard, and thus your wrists should not be in contact with the edge of the keyboard, or even the palmrests. I think that's also a big part of why a lot of notebook stands emphasize placing the keyboard of a notebook at a slant, so that you can type properly, with no contact.

Unfortunately, the entire industry is moving to widescreen. In fact, the previous widescreen, 16:10, is even disappearing in favor of the wider and shorter 16:9. At this point, getting a new 4:3 format notebook is essentially impossible.