The good:Now available with both pointing stick and touchpad; great keyboard; solid support; extra security features.
The bad: No-frills design.
The bottom line:The thin-and-light IBM ThinkPad T series offers an innovative design, top-notch performance, and tons of features.
Review:
When it comes to designing laptops for the mobile workforce, IBM leads while other vendors follow. The company's thin-and-light notebooks, the versatile ThinkPad T series, share a sturdy, well-designed case with titanium composite covers and come in so many configurations that you can find one that's right for just about any use. The line begins with the T23, which uses older Pentium III-M processors, and ends with the top-of-the-line T30, which uses P4-Ms. All models have a 14.1-inch display and feature one multipurpose drive bay. A separate UltraPort connector on top of the display lets you add ... Expand full review
When it comes to designing laptops for the mobile workforce, IBM leads while other vendors follow. The company's thin-and-light notebooks, the versatile ThinkPad T series, share a sturdy, well-designed case with titanium composite covers and come in so many configurations that you can find one that's right for just about any use. The line begins with the T23, which uses older Pentium III-M processors, and ends with the top-of-the-line T30, which uses P4-Ms. All models have a 14.1-inch display and feature one multipurpose drive bay. A separate UltraPort connector on top of the display lets you add a camera and other peripherals. Although its ValueWatch rating is merely average, we feel that the ThinkPad T series is an excellent investment.
The T30's slim profile.
The ThinkPad T23 and T30 look virtually identical. They share the classic, matte-black, titanium-and-plastic composite case measuring 12 inches wide by 9.8 inches deep. The T30 is 1.6 inches thick and weighs 5.7 pounds with a combo CD-RW/DVD drive, in addition to another 0.8 pounds for an AC power supply. The T23 is slightly thinner and weighs a little less. Both have a distinctive, beveled front edge that snuggles into IBM's optional docking station, as well as a lip around the lid that seals the system tight when closed. The T30 models are distinguished by thick, exposed metal hinges that give the system's design a little flair.