Hi everyone,
I can get a non Thinkpad
Lenovo for 23,000 rupees. The dealer didn’t tell me which model it was but it's dual core, 3rd generation, 2GB RAM, 320GB HDD, 15inch screen, battery that lasts 3hrs.
PLUS a lifetime FREE subscription to Eset smart security six antivirus for as long as I'm in this particular state in India. If I move to another state or move to the US, as I hope to do in a couple of years, I will have to pay something.
I don’t need a large HDD, so that's fine. I need the laptop only for word processing and the internet. No gaming or programming or photoshop, so I don’t need high configurations like i5 and i7, which are prohibitively expensive in India.
OR I can get a second-hand Lenovo Thinkpad that is nearly 2 years old for about the same price. These are the specs according to the ad:
Lenovo ThinkPad L420 Laptop / Intel Core i3 / 14.1" Display / 2GB RAM / 320GB HD
Processor Speed:2.10 GHz
Model:ThinkPad L420RAM:2 GB
Operating System:Windows Home 7
HDD:320 GBScreen
Size:14.1"
Colour:Black
Processor:Intel Core i3 (3rd Generation) i3-2310M
Warranty:No Warranty
Bought this laptop in Jan 2012. In perfect working condition. 14.1 TFT, DVD dual layer writeable, wi-fi, great touchpad, and all others in a perfect working condition. Excellent battery -- lasts for 7 hours with movie playing / gaming.
****
That was the ad. The advertiser told me that though he installed Windows he has always worked in Linux and therefore has not had any virus problem. Naturally we worry that any old laptop will have viruses.
He did offer to format and reinstall everything. He also said he can offer me a licensed copy of win 8 and Word for free.
I'm wondering which of the above I should buy. Can you please help me decide by answering my questions:
1. I'm a writer; I write on the computer all day long. I need something that will work well if used 12 to 14 hours a day. Would the new laptop give much better service than the 2 year old one even if the older one is a thinkpad?
2. does a thinkpad on average last more years than any ordinary laptop, or any other lenovo laptop? I can't afford to buy a new machine every couple of years. I want something that will last at least 5 to 7 years. My old desktop lasted 9 years, and I used it all day long.
If the thinkpad lasts longer than other laptops, then it might have as many years in it left as a new laptop, even if it has lost two years of its life already.
3. the advertiser says the battery lasts for 7 hours. Someone told me that after a couple of years, all batteries last half as long as they used to. Does this mean the used thinkpad's battery is now not likely to last 7 hours as the advertiser claims?
But even if it lasts 4 or 5 hours, that would still be better than the mere 3 hours the new laptop will run on battery.
If I buy a new battery for the thinkpad, will it last 7 hours or do all laptops lose the ability to run long on batteries over the years?
4. will a new dual core, 3rd generation processor be faster or slower than a two year old i3 3rd generation processor?
5. The advertiser said the reason the price was high was that Lenovo thinkpad was unbreakable. You could throw it out of a moving car and it would survive. Now I have no intention of throwing it out of a moving car, but accidents happen and it would be nice to know nothing would happen to it if I accidentally dropped it while carrying it from place to place.
So is it true the thinkpad will survive falls while ordinary lenovos won't?
I'm sorry this post is so long. Thanks so much to anyone who can answer even some of my questions.
I can get a non Thinkpad
Lenovo for 23,000 rupees. The dealer didn’t tell me which model it was but it's dual core, 3rd generation, 2GB RAM, 320GB HDD, 15inch screen, battery that lasts 3hrs.
PLUS a lifetime FREE subscription to Eset smart security six antivirus for as long as I'm in this particular state in India. If I move to another state or move to the US, as I hope to do in a couple of years, I will have to pay something.
I don’t need a large HDD, so that's fine. I need the laptop only for word processing and the internet. No gaming or programming or photoshop, so I don’t need high configurations like i5 and i7, which are prohibitively expensive in India.
OR I can get a second-hand Lenovo Thinkpad that is nearly 2 years old for about the same price. These are the specs according to the ad:
Lenovo ThinkPad L420 Laptop / Intel Core i3 / 14.1" Display / 2GB RAM / 320GB HD
Processor Speed:2.10 GHz
Model:ThinkPad L420RAM:2 GB
Operating System:Windows Home 7
HDD:320 GBScreen
Size:14.1"
Colour:Black
Processor:Intel Core i3 (3rd Generation) i3-2310M
Warranty:No Warranty
Bought this laptop in Jan 2012. In perfect working condition. 14.1 TFT, DVD dual layer writeable, wi-fi, great touchpad, and all others in a perfect working condition. Excellent battery -- lasts for 7 hours with movie playing / gaming.
****
That was the ad. The advertiser told me that though he installed Windows he has always worked in Linux and therefore has not had any virus problem. Naturally we worry that any old laptop will have viruses.
He did offer to format and reinstall everything. He also said he can offer me a licensed copy of win 8 and Word for free.
I'm wondering which of the above I should buy. Can you please help me decide by answering my questions:
1. I'm a writer; I write on the computer all day long. I need something that will work well if used 12 to 14 hours a day. Would the new laptop give much better service than the 2 year old one even if the older one is a thinkpad?
2. does a thinkpad on average last more years than any ordinary laptop, or any other lenovo laptop? I can't afford to buy a new machine every couple of years. I want something that will last at least 5 to 7 years. My old desktop lasted 9 years, and I used it all day long.
If the thinkpad lasts longer than other laptops, then it might have as many years in it left as a new laptop, even if it has lost two years of its life already.
3. the advertiser says the battery lasts for 7 hours. Someone told me that after a couple of years, all batteries last half as long as they used to. Does this mean the used thinkpad's battery is now not likely to last 7 hours as the advertiser claims?
But even if it lasts 4 or 5 hours, that would still be better than the mere 3 hours the new laptop will run on battery.
If I buy a new battery for the thinkpad, will it last 7 hours or do all laptops lose the ability to run long on batteries over the years?
4. will a new dual core, 3rd generation processor be faster or slower than a two year old i3 3rd generation processor?
5. The advertiser said the reason the price was high was that Lenovo thinkpad was unbreakable. You could throw it out of a moving car and it would survive. Now I have no intention of throwing it out of a moving car, but accidents happen and it would be nice to know nothing would happen to it if I accidentally dropped it while carrying it from place to place.
So is it true the thinkpad will survive falls while ordinary lenovos won't?
I'm sorry this post is so long. Thanks so much to anyone who can answer even some of my questions.
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