My New Lenovo SL-410

Driver page (impossible to find on Levono site, had to Google, notebook not even listed!)

2842k3ulr15xkw s/n

$420 w/ship/tax from the Lenovo Outlet. ThinkPad SL410 2842-K3U

First caveat, do not use the Lenovo update. It will download the Windows updates and painfully install them one package at a time. Each time you must "agree" to the EULA and each time it reboots. Once was enough for me.

Included is a lot of Lenovo centric software that appears useless and needs to be turned off and or uninstalled. I normally dump the wifi controls and let windows handle things. Lenovo s is so cool I will keep it for awhile at least.

It seems sluggish yet even after some tweaking. Maybe memory increase from 2gb to 4gb will help.

The touch pad is a little strange. If you miss tapping the center it doesn't register well. I have no clue how to use the other nav buttons.

The screen is crisp and colorful and very bright.

Keypad is responsive with nothing too strange in the layout.

Speakers are better than average but nothing fantastic.

Very quiet and runs cool, under 40C on a warm summer day surfing.

More to come.

My Future Notebook ATM

Reserved for something.

USB 3 and Your New Notebook

For what it's worth:
USB 3 is finally going main stream but gradually and grudgingly. High end notebooks, external hard drives are popping up more frequently with USB3. Desktops can be altered with an add-on card so we are back to crawling behind our computers to plug in flash drives (when USB 3 flash drives become cheap enough to consider). I guess we can always use an extension cable and duct tape it to the case. I doubt those ports on the front of your case will be useful because USB3 uses 8 wires opposed to USB2's 4 wires.

Notebooks are another matter. Adding to notebooks will not be possible for all practical purposes. If you can hold off on a notebook purchase until it includes USB3, I would hold off. If you are simply buying a $500 surf-the-net version, it really doesn't matter all that much. But a power user is going to want USB3. Yes, power users already know this so this is more for power user wannabees.

Here is an explanation of USB3. Bottom line ... it's fast.

Edit: I guess we could use a PC Express Card like this. My underwhelming experience in the USB2 from USB1 period is the lack of current but maybe PC Express is hotter. It takes juice to run an external HD. Flash drives are no problemo. It would give my lonely PC Card slot something to do.

Welcome to HP PartSurfer « Be your own BOSS @ WordPress

Welcome to HP PartSurfer

By nicolask

HP PartSurfer provides fast, easy access to service parts information for a wide range of HP and Compaq products. With PartSurfer you can:

• Search for part information by product number, serial number, model name, or part number
• Identify all HP products that use/reference a specific part number
• Filter your search results by part keyword or category
• Display product exploded view diagrams and part photographs
• Generate on-screen and printable reports

See also, HP Printer Parts Superstore

Welcome to HP PartSurfer « Be your own BOSS @ WordPress

Comments:

I like HP’s service and the information they create about their products. I also found their live chat people helpful. This PartSurfer looks useful. Laptops are unpleasant to fix and parts can be difficult to identify. We often end up with a Dell because of price but HP is "friendlier" and information is more easily accessed IMHO.

Buying A Laptop Today

What I want in a laptop as of today's post:

I prefer to avoid netbooks unless I really want a small traveler and then 10 inch minimum. For $200 more why not buy a real notebook? I get it, you want small and mobile. Then buy a netbook, but it will be under powered and no DVD. Warning one.

If it is simply going to sit on a desk and not on your lap or not move around, then buy a desktop. You will get more for your money and they are immeasurably easier to fix. Warning two.

Budget:

For everyday common mortal use I target $500 +\- .

Screen:

I like wide screen. (I like glossy) (eg. 1366x768 widescreen LCD for 15 inch) 14 inch is nice but I have never used one. 15 is most common and therefore often cheaper.

CPU:

Dual core is a must. Core 2 Duo is first choice, then any old Intel dual core (commonly referred to as Pentium Dual Core), then AMD last. Speed of CPU should be as close to 2GHz+ as you can get for the money.

RAM:

Must be 2GB minimum up to 3GB if OS is 32 bit and 4GB+ if OS is 64. This stuff is cheap now so you can add if the laptop is cheap enough. Yes, 1GB will work but if you are using Vista or Win7 then more is better up to 4GB. Even 512MB will work but not happily. (I will not talk dual channel)

Hard Drive:

Like RAM hard drives are relatively cheap but get as large as possible included for the $500. 250-320GB should be easy to find.

Webcam:

1.3 pixel is commonly included. No cam is no deal breaker but video chat is cool. Get it if you can.

Graphics:

Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X4500HD or better should be OK for today. Laptop video can be difficult to determine. Crazy nomenclature will keep you wondering if it is good or not. The Intel mentioned above is used a lot now and works fine. These are not extreme gaming machines.

Media Card Reader:

Also not a deal breaker but get the SD reader if you can. You can not add it later. You will need to buy a separate USB SD reader. One advantage if you end up buying an external reader is for $12 you will have muli-card capability in case SD in not what your camera uses. No big deal but the little SD slot on the notebook is nice.

Wifi:

Sure it is a must and G speed will be there. If it has N fine but for now few N routers are used and often you connect at G speed anyway because the router will not work with your N card at more than G speed. Bottom line, G is fine but N may be nice in the future when the drivers improve. If you own an N router then you will want an N card because of your supreme geekiness.

Mine:

My personal laptop is a 17 inch Gateway with 1920 screen and Gforce 9800 graphics, 4GB RAM and 2.4GHz CPU. I like 17 for the dual hard drive capability if nothing else. This will cost twice what the suggested laptop costs and most people will find it too bulky for happiness. The notebook suggested is more than most people need.

Before I buy a laptop like mine, I make sure there is a community of users that love their system and know all about it. I track the forum for awhile and learn about the flowers and warts. Then when I am sure a sufficient number of users love their machine and they are smart enough to help me love mine, I consider buying one of my own. That way I have users who can answer my question if I have trouble. There is no company support that can compete with a strong user base of technoheads. And let’s face it, often there is just NO Company Support period.

I cringe when someone asks “what laptop should I buy” because there is no immediate answer outside of what I stated above. Then the hunt begins. Today Dell may have the suggested configuration for under $500. (Seeing that they just posted a 45% drop in profit.) Next week that same machine could be selling for $700. Notebook prices are all over the map all the time. Maybe HP has one or Gateway or Asus or Acer. It takes digging and searching to find a deal.

Here is a sales circular link. It will tell you what is going on by state with prices. Then hit DealDump to check out the deal trackers. If you find something you can’t live without, Google search that item in the shopping filter to be sure no one is selling for less and good luck. Online pricing is not always the best. Sometimes Best Buy is selling a Dell for prices Dell itself will never touch. Sometimes Newegg will have the best price. Just know that if you buy from Newegg and something goes awry, you will not be sending it back to Newegg. Mr Egg treats notebooks differently than other products and you must go to the manufacturer. I love Newegg but for notebooks, if I can get the best deal at Best Buy I am happiest.

One nice thing about Best Buy is their 30 day return with no questions policy. If you hate, hate, hate the thing or it craps out you can return to Best Buy and pick up another. There is nothing worse than having your notebook for one week and then say a warranty good bye for who knows how long. Or worse yet maybe you despise some part and have to live with it. And many things can happen in those first 30 days. That is the way of electronics.

So now, we still do not know which notebook to buy, and we still do not know where to buy it. See why I hate the question.

Links:

Intel Processor Finder
Best Deal (I may have updated.)