Anybody have any experience w/ the Lenovo Ideapad line of laptops

[luciusad2004]

As the title says, I'm looking for any input on the Lenovo Ideapad line of laptops. I was browsing around circuit city looking for a SATA cable (which they didn't seem to have), when i came across a Lenovo Ideapad. I'm not sure what the model number was but from the few minutes i had w/ it it seemed like a pretty solid machine. Had a core 2 duo @ 2GHz, 4 GB of ram, 320GB HDD, and a decent size screen (not big, but def not tiny). After seeing these stats and feeling, what felt like a well built machine (compared to other cheap laptops i usually get my hands on), i was a little afraid to look at the price. To my surprise it was under 800 dollars though the tag said it was either OpenBox or the Display model. I checked their website and they seem to have Ideapads listed w/ similar stats in a similar price range and newegg also has them listed in this price range. Anyway i was wondering if anybody has an experience w/ them because it's a pretty enticing deal and from everything i've ever heard Lenovo is supposed to be a pretty reputable brand.

any input?

Thanks

[ContraptionMaker]

Don't know if this will help, but I use an IBM Thinkpad, which became the Lenovo line. Let me tell you this is one of the strongest laptops I have ever owned. That is one of the reasons they are so popular as business machines. I have dropped it a couple of times and no damage at all. There is even a program that detects falls and jars that automatically parks the HD heads as soon as it detected. My desktop PC took a crap on me a few months ago and I have been using the laptop eversince. I use an external keyboard, mouse, 250g USB HD and running dual screen with the laptop monitor and a 22" LCD. This is an older model, 1.7GHz Intel Pentium, 760 MB of RAM and a 40g HD. It has some neet features like gigibit network card and wireless G, TV out and DVD/CD burner. I leave this thing on 24/7 and not one BSD since I started using it for my main computer. My only complaint is it is a little slow sometimes but I think that has to do with the processor and some of the programs I ask it to run. I tend to run several programs at once. At this moment I have Thunderbird, an Open Office spread sheet, Firefox 3 with 6 tabs open and a dl in the back ground all ruuning at once. I'm running XP Pro SP3 and Avast anti-virus. I am in the process of builing a new desktop because I am Flight Sim enthuiest and this just won't run FSX. Over all it is a great machine though and believe the Lenovo are the same quality and would highly recomend one.
Hope this helps.

[luciusad2004]

Don't know if this will help, but I use an IBM Thinkpad, which became the Lenovo line. Let me tell you this is one of the strongest laptops I have ever owned. That is one of the reasons they are so popular as business machines. I have dropped it a couple of times and no damage at all. There is even a program that detects falls and jars that automatically parks the HD heads as soon as it detected. My desktop PC took a crap on me a few months ago and I have been using the laptop eversince. I use an external keyboard, mouse, 250g USB HD and running dual screen with the laptop monitor and a 22" LCD. This is an older model, 1.7GHz Intel Pentium, 760 MB of RAM and a 40g HD. It has some neet features like gigibit network card and wireless G, TV out and DVD/CD burner. I leave this thing on 24/7 and not one BSD since I started using it for my main computer. My only complaint is it is a little slow sometimes but I think that has to do with the processor and some of the programs I ask it to run. I tend to run several programs at once. At this moment I have Thunderbird, an Open Office spread sheet, Firefox 3 with 6 tabs open and a dl in the back ground all ruuning at once. I'm running XP Pro SP3 and Avast anti-virus. I am in the process of builing a new desktop because I am Flight Sim enthuiest and this just won't run FSX. Over all it is a great machine though and believe the Lenovo are the same quality and would highly recomend one.
Hope this helps.

Cool thanks for the reply. That was the general impression i always got from the Lenovo brand. How accessible is your laptop in terms of upgrading it? Is the hard drive and or ram easily accessible?

[simon275]

Lenovos are one of the more upgradable laptops upgrading the harddrive is normally a snap undo a screew unplug the hdd slide it out put in a new one. Just undo all the screws pop it apart and throw some more ram in.

I have a Lenovo X60 Thinkpad and it has taken a bit of a beating but it is running fine. Lenovo also has pretty good customer service to if you ever need it.

When it comes time to buy another laptop I am going to get another Thinkpad they are great much better then the ****ty overpriced Sony Vaios I have used and the annoying dells.

[ContraptionMaker]

Cool thanks for the reply. That was the general impression i always got from the Lenovo brand. How accessible is your laptop in terms of upgrading it? Is the hard drive and or ram easily accessible?

No problem, glad to help.

Lenovos are one of the more upgradable laptops upgrading the harddrive is normally a snap undo a screew unplug the hdd slide it out put in a new one. Just undo all the screws pop it apart and throw some more ram in.

Simon is right...very easy to upgrade ram and HD. Mine originally came with 256mb ram...simply added 512 stick to bring up to current. Never upgraded the HD cause I never intended to use this as my primary computer but it is as simple as removing one screw from the cover on the back and slipping in a new one.
I'm sure you won't be sorry if you buy one.

[luciusad2004]

Cool I'll go back to circuit city maybe tomorrow and check and see if it's still there. If i decide to buy it i might have to weight another two weeks just to make sure i have enough money to purchase it and still have a little bit left over to live on untill i get payed again.

If the one from circuit city isn't there anymore I was looking at this one online.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16834146506

I know its not a powerhouse but it would be fine for basic computing and internet related tasks right? Is this machine going to be crippled by vista? It only has integrated graphics. I was thinking about running Linux on it, but I'm not sure yet, I would like to have a windows computer available to me.

Thanks guys.

[chaksq]

I have had no issues with Vista on my laptop, which does not have great graphics. If you seem to have a problem setup a dual boot like I have on mine. I personally feel really powerful laptops are a waste of money as you can still build a significantly more powerful desktop for less, a laptop is intended for on the go work or lounging around on a couch browsing the internet.

[luciusad2004]

I have had no issues with Vista on my laptop, which does not have great graphics. If you seem to have a problem setup a dual boot like I have on mine. I personally feel really powerful laptops are a waste of money as you can still build a significantly more powerful desktop for less, a laptop is intended for on the go work or lounging around on a couch browsing the internet.

Thats always been my theory, its why i was a little confused when my buddy dropped 1600 on a laptop for "gaming." He could have squeezed more performance out of a desktop for less and it would have been upgradable overtime as it slowly (or quickly) becomes outdated. Not so w/ the laptop. The only instance i could understand needing a high power laptop would be like, on the go professions, or people who use them as desktop replacements.

I don't need anything fancy like that though. As long as i can run the current version of windows ill be happy.

[luciusad2004]

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