My new laptop is here! It’s an IBM ThinkPad T40, also known as the Mercedes of notebooks. I’m busy playing with it right now, but here are some quick snapshots.
First impressions:
Build Quality: Outstanding. Best built notebook I’ve ever used. Nice, solid construction, and thin and light to boot!
Speed: Fast. As fast as I was used to with my 600m. Intel’s Penium M (Banias) processor with 1MB cache is quite fast for such a battery-friendly CPU.
Noise: What noise? I can’t even tell it’s on! I was fortunate enough to get a machine that doesn’t make the dreaded T40 battery “whine”. The hard drive is a 4200 RPM Fujitsu, which, while not the fastest, is quieter and uses less power than the IBM/Hitachi 40GNX in the 600m.
OS: Came with Windows XP Professional, not Home, like the 600m. The installation is the cleanest I’ve ever seen for an OEM install — no bloatware — so I won’t need to install a clean copy of XP. (Although I might do so, just to write a guide, if I ever feel the need.)
Network: Same Centrino-packaged Intel Pro/Wireless 2100 as the 600m with no Linux support 
The wired NIC is an Intel Pro/1000 GigaBit NIC, which won’t be of any use on my 100Mbit network, but is there for bragging rights.
Battery Life: Later…
3 Comments
Hi Oliver! Does this mean you are dismissing your Inspiron 600m? Is this one much better than it? I ask because I am about to buy a 600m, so I wonder what made you change your notebook computer.
Thanks,
DAVID
Yes, I sold my 600m.
I liked the 600m, but I love my T40! It’s about the same speed, but it’s build quality is oh so sturdy. It’s also thinner, lighter, and has a 3 year warranty.
Hey Oliver,
You state that the computer is so silent that you cant even hear the its running. Does that include the fan noise?