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2009-08-12

Welcome Thinkpad SL400

I could not afford the T-series nor the X-series. I settled for the small business line of Lenovo, the SL-series These have just about the same features but at half (or less) the price. What are the trade-offs?

  • The SL-series are heavier and bulkier. Instead of using lightweight metal parts, thick plastic parts are used.
  • Lower end video card.
  • No roll cage in SL-series. The T- and X-series have a metal roll cage around the LCD and body to protect the unit from abuse. You can feel the difference in the LCD; the SL-400 flexes more.
  • The SL-400 has a high gloss finish on the lid and the screen. Ugh. I really don't like this.
There are probably others that I have missed. These are the ones that I have noticed.

On the plus side, I got this one without any OS installed. Which means I don't have to pay for software that I don't use (i.e. Windows). I installed Fedora 11 (64-bit) and so far so good. I'll reserve another post for the Fedora 11 experience.