This might be a long shot but...

[asyed]

Maybe someone who has ordered from Lenovo before could help me out on this one:


I am currently looking at buying the i7 version of this laptop:

http://shop.lenovo.com/ca/en/laptops/ideapad/u-series/u410/#customize

I will not be customizing it and am wondering if anyone here has an idea of how long would it take for it to ship to Toronto? I need the laptop by September ( I will need it for college and wont be able to wait even a week extra). I just want a rough idea before I go ahead and buy it since ive heard that it takes 1 month in some cases but am seeing it taking a few weeks in others. ( If it wont arrive by september ill probably have to resort to an older version that is for sale at canada computers but is $20 more than the awesome discounted price I am getting from lenovo )




Thanks, asyed

[SomeGuy]

1) Get a real thinkpad...they're ugly but they're tough. Ideapad's are for school girls.
2) My x230 took about 3 weeks to come in, custom configuration mind you.
3) Tweaking the config helps...skip the i7 and spend your money on a proper SSD (add it after, lenovo add on prices are horrible).

[silverstarmazda]

^+1 thinkpads are awsome. freaking easy to modify too if you ever need anything more

[SomeGuy]

Yup...my x230 I ordered with just 4gb's ram and the cheapest drive possible. Added an extra stick to make it 8gb's of ram and got a samsung 840 pro SSD. It's speedy.

At work we also use thinkpads, I've had the T42, T61p, W500, W510, and am currently on a loaded W530. They are excellent machines.

[asyed]

I didnt really consider a thinkpad until now....


but then I looked at the prices. I am going to be using this laptop for mainly 3D rendering. Ideally I am looking at atleast an i5 , 8 GB ram , and a solid graphics card ( nothing integrated)

from Lenovo it would cost me about $1,120 which is far beyond my budget ($600-800). I also wont have the time to send the computer in to a third party to install the CPU later on since I would probably recieve it just in time for college and from previous experiences it could take 3-7 days for Canada Computers to do it ( because of their waiting list). I feel I would be getting a better deal from an ideapad. Only downside to the ideapad for me is it isnt as well built as a thinkpad ( which might be a huge factor considering I will need this to last a long time). I wish I could get the thinkpad but for now I can only afford the ideapad.

[SomeGuy]

Buy once, cry once.

CPU's on many of them aren't in sockets that can be replaced. Usually memory/drive is all that's replaceable easily.

[XTOTHEL]

The difference between those two i5 and i7 aren't much (both dual core, low

the 710m isn't much either. I feel like you can find something Haswell based, with Intel HD 5000, you'll be better off.

Also if you're going to render, better get a desktop for that, you'll get better bang for your buck that way. Otherwise, you won't get satisfactory rendering times on a laptop unless you spend around double your budget.

Also if you tell us what you're going to study or how intensive your 3d renderings will be, people on the forum might be able to suggest some better alternatives.

[Stathakos]

Im using a thinkpad and I LOVE IT. T520 model range is amazing, runs on i5 and i7

[asyed]

The difference between those two i5 and i7 aren't much (both dual core, low

the 710m isn't much either. I feel like you can find something Haswell based, with Intel HD 5000, you'll be better off.

Also if you're going to render, better get a desktop for that, you'll get better bang for your buck that way. Otherwise, you won't get satisfactory rendering times on a laptop unless you spend around double your budget.

Also if you tell us what you're going to study or how intensive your 3d renderings will be, people on the forum might be able to suggest some better alternatives.



Im going to be rendering products for my Industrial Design program. While I know a desktop is better, I need something for the CAD class ill be taking this year as it is a requirement to bring your own laptop to the class ( they dont have good computers on campus). There are other cheaper laptops out there but the ideapad that I found seems to be a good deal (over $300 in savings) for an i7 powered laptop. As for complexity of the 3d models ill be making, they probably wont be that detailed... and if it takes long to render ill just turn the settings down a bit just to show the prof ( if he wants to see) and then do a full res render overnight for the final presentation. Also as much as people say that the intel graphics cards have improved alot.... I still dont feel its on par with the Nvidia graphics cards.



also @ SomeGuy, I know how to replace the RAM/HDD but for the CPU.. I feel a bit uneasy about installing it due to the delicate pins of the cpu ( last time I did this a few years back in high school as part of a computer engineering class assignment... I end up making the CPU malfunction :S ) .

[XTOTHEL]

I feel like you should spend the extra $70 and get the lowest version of this instead:

http://shop.lenovo.com/ca/en/laptops/ideapad/y-series/y410p/

Here are the comparisons with the one you posted:

CPU: http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Core-i7-4700MQ-vs-Intel-Core-i7-3537U
GPU: http://gpuboss.com/gpus/GeForce-GT-750M-vs-GeForce-710M

The lowest Y410P should be a better buy.

The downside is probably battery life and 1 pound heavier.

Also replacing the HDD and RAM at a later date, when you feel the need will prolong the life of the laptop. If you feel uneasy doing it, SomeGuy does install days :chuckle

[SomeGuy]

LoL the irony is when it comes to computers I'm even better than with cars...I've been building computers since I was a young kid, even at 10-12 years old I was doing it. That said, cpu upgrades on most laptops these days are not possible. A lot don't have sockets, they're just hard soldered to the board.

[XTOTHEL]

LoL the irony is when it comes to computers I'm even better than with cars...I've been building computers since I was a young kid, even at 10-12 years old I was doing it. That said, cpu upgrades on most laptops these days are not possible. A lot don't have sockets, they're just hard soldered to the board.

The other thing is that upgrading CPU after means spending premium price with minimal gain. Better performance to dollar ratio would be SSD, RAM. SSD can be transferred to a new laptop later on. Possibly RAM.

[S.F.W.]

You can access the Lenovo EPP site, and usually save 5-10% vs the retail site. Do a google search for access info. If you can't find it, pm me.

[asyed]

You can access the Lenovo EPP site, and usually save 5-10% vs the retail site. Do a google search for access info. If you can't find it, pm me.

Ive looked it up, currently there arent any good employee only promotions on that are better than the current "Employee pricing" promotion ( open to everyone). Sale ends today

I have 2 options

1) buy the Ideapad Y series today while the sale is still on
2) risk waiting an extra day in hopes a better sale pops up tommorow



Also does anyone know if lenovo offers expedited shipping?

[zzz3]

Bought my t400 using this thread:
http://f.redflagdeals.com/showthread.php?t=777107&page=458&mobile_type=no

It's still ongoing I think.

[SilentJay]

I'll add my voice to the peanut gallery and state that you're better off, in the long run, with a Thinkpad. That said, nobody knows your money and circumstances like yourself. My work is a Lenovo shop, so we go through a lot of non custom-to-order equipment from them. Unfortunately, it seems they aren't consistent with meeting shipping ETAs. They can be on time (never early), or be a month or so late because of production issues. Just my two cents.

[asyed]

Another question for the computer people here:

Would there be a big difference if I go for an i5 instead of the i7 ( as it is cheaper)

also another option for me is this:

http://www.canadacomputers.com/product_info.php?cPath=710_577_1044&item_id=054812

(Its got an i7 but with lower Ghz)

[asyed]

Update on the current situation: Talked to parents... decided it is worth it to go over budget if it means I can get something that will be better for my studies ( because if I just wanted the cheapest possible laptop... Id go for something cheap from walmart and wait 2 days per render :chuckle ). Looked into the thinkpads and found out that the best option for me ( also recommended by alot of people on other forums by people who do similar 3d work) is the Lenovo W-530. This is mainly due to the fact that the Quadro Graphics cards are highly supported by Solidworks ( the program Ill be using).

I have configured it to my needs ( Yes I may be paying a bit more for some of the upgrades... but Ive decided its best to get everything from the manufacturer so everything will be under one warranty)


The system is as Follows:
ThinkPad W530 - 1 Year Depot Warranty
Processor: Intel Core i7-3630QM Processor (6M Cache, up to 3.40 GHz)
Operating System: Windows 7 Home Premium (64 bit)
Operating System Language: Windows 7 Home Premium 64 - English
Display Type: 15.6" HD+ (1600 x 900) LED Backlit AntiGlare Display, Mobile Broadband Ready
System Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro K1000M Graphics with 2GB DDR3 Memory
Total Memory: 16 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 (4 DIMM)
Keyboard: Keyboard Backlit - US English
Pointing Device: UltraNav with Fingerprint Reader
Camera: 720p HD Camera with Microphone
Hard Drive: 500GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Micro Hard Drive (mSATA): 16GB mSATA Solid State Cache Drive
Optical Device: DVD Recordable
System Expansion Slots: Express Card Slot & 4-in-1 Card Reader
Battery:9 Cell Li-Ion TWL 70++
Power Cord:170W Slim AC Adapter - US (2pin)
Bluetooth:Bluetooth 4.0 with Antenna
Integrated WiFi Wireless LAN Adapters: Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 AGN
Integrated Mobile Broadband: Mobile Broadband upgradable
Language Pack: Publication - US English

Accessories and options:
4YR Depot + Accidental Damage Protection
ThinkPad 15W Case Sleeve


all this for the very lovely price of.....



$1717.38 !!!! ( thats $439.83 in Savings!!!)


ok so Ive been gone a bit over budget a little but decided this would last me longer... thus getting rid of the need to upgrade hardware more frequently. It will also be better suited for me when I enter 3rd year in which I will be rendering Cars and such which will be of higher quality ( which means more power needed to have a practical rendering time)

I plan on placing the order tonight... Thoughts/feedback is welcome as to if I should change something...



oh and thanks everyone for the input so far.

[SomeGuy]

Go with as little ram as possible, add it after from canada computers or similar...it's way way cheaper that way.

Also the 1920x1080 screen is beautiful and worth every penny. It gives you a TON more workspace then the 1600x900 screens.


Otherwise good choice, I use a loaded W530 for software development at work and it's a great laptop.

[XTOTHEL]

I would suggest saving the $1000 and get the Y410P and get SSD and an extra 27" IPS monitor for your room.

CPU on the Y410P is faster than the W530: http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Core-i7-4700MQ-vs-Intel-Core-i7-3630QM

Graphics:

I understand the Quadro and GeForce lines are targeted at difference audiences. But the fact is a lot of professionals and enthusiasts are using the GeForce line for their work. On top of that, you're a student, I don't think schools really expect you to come prepared with something like that.

I think the 750M on the Y410p would out perform K1000M on pretty much all everyday life situations you encounter. I can't vouch for AutoCad, but I think you'll be more than fine with the 750M.

Sure, the 7200RPM is faster than the 5400RPM on the Y410. But you can upgrade to solid state from the 5400RPM and see night and day difference.

[asyed]

well...uh.... I read this thread a little too late..... already submitted the order and everything. Oh well, I still think its worth it since it will last me for a long time. Even after I graduate. :)

[SomeGuy]

I would suggest saving the $1000 and get the Y410P and get SSD and an extra 27" IPS monitor for your room.

CPU on the Y410P is faster than the W530: http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Core-i7-4700MQ-vs-Intel-Core-i7-3630QM

Graphics:

I understand the Quadro and GeForce lines are targeted at difference audiences. But the fact is a lot of professionals and enthusiasts are using the GeForce line for their work. On top of that, you're a student, I don't think schools really expect you to come prepared with something like that.

I think the 750M on the Y410p would out perform K1000M on pretty much all everyday life situations you encounter. I can't vouch for AutoCad, but I think you'll be more than fine with the 750M.

Sure, the 7200RPM is faster than the 5400RPM on the Y410. But you can upgrade to solid state from the 5400RPM and see night and day difference.

You're missing a lot of the benefits of having a thinkpad though. Up front is the display...it is far superior with a higher resolution. They are also WAY more durable, capable of withstanding being banged around a lot more or water dumped through them or similar. You also don't get a fingerprint scanner or the thinkpad nub for navigation. The W530 is a professional laptop that will last forever (until it's too slow) whereas the ideapad's are consumer laptops that will be ok for a few years and that's it.

[SomeGuy]

I would suggest saving the $1000 and get the Y410P and get SSD and an extra 27" IPS monitor for your room.

CPU on the Y410P is faster than the W530: http://cpuboss.com/cpus/Intel-Core-i7-4700MQ-vs-Intel-Core-i7-3630QM

Graphics:

I understand the Quadro and GeForce lines are targeted at difference audiences. But the fact is a lot of professionals and enthusiasts are using the GeForce line for their work. On top of that, you're a student, I don't think schools really expect you to come prepared with something like that.

I think the 750M on the Y410p would out perform K1000M on pretty much all everyday life situations you encounter. I can't vouch for AutoCad, but I think you'll be more than fine with the 750M.

Sure, the 7200RPM is faster than the 5400RPM on the Y410. But you can upgrade to solid state from the 5400RPM and see night and day difference.

You're missing a lot of the benefits of having a thinkpad though. Up front is the display...it is far superior with a higher resolution. They are also WAY more durable, capable of withstanding being banged around a lot more or water dumped through them or similar. You also don't get a fingerprint scanner or the thinkpad nub for navigation. The W530 is a professional laptop that will last forever (until it's too slow) whereas the ideapad's are consumer laptops that will be ok for a few years and that's it.

[asyed]

You're missing a lot of the benefits of having a thinkpad though. Up front is the display...it is far superior with a higher resolution. They are also WAY more durable, capable of withstanding being banged around a lot more or water dumped through them or similar. You also don't get a fingerprint scanner or the thinkpad nub for navigation. The W530 is a professional laptop that will last forever (until it's too slow) whereas the ideapad's are consumer laptops that will be ok for a few years and that's it.

This was one of the reasons I went with the Thinkpad.

basically its consumer grade laptop + a bit extra reliability or peformance that may be able to run all the programs I need but not to the fullest vs a rugged dependable "military grade tested" laptop designed for 3d rendering and has a card that is officially supported by Solidworks.

[XTOTHEL]

You're missing a lot of the benefits of having a thinkpad though. Up front is the display...it is far superior with a higher resolution. They are also WAY more durable, capable of withstanding being banged around a lot more or water dumped through them or similar. You also don't get a fingerprint scanner or the thinkpad nub for navigation. The W530 is a professional laptop that will last forever (until it's too slow) whereas the ideapad's are consumer laptops that will be ok for a few years and that's it.

But I think performance would be most important for him. He didn't mention if he went with the display upgrade or not. But I don't disagree with you on the build quality.

IMO the finger print sensor is a little gimmicky. As for the nub, I'm pretty sure he would want to use a mouse instead for his CAD drawings :P.

Even in a work environment, the laptops are replaced every 2-3 years, expecting a laptop to last a long long time is not really realistic. The K1000M on the W530 is a little underpowered for everyday life use, sure he won't have problems doing school work, but will he only use that computer for school work?

I think the laptop he chose is not right for him. Would he really want to keep the laptop forever? I know he says that now(I've said the same with previous laptops I've owned, and my current one too), but something better will always come along and he'll be tempted to upgrade. The extra $1000 he will save from the Y410P will probably buy him a harder better faster stronger (heh heh) laptop when the Y410P becomes obsolete. The longer he hangs on that $1000 the more it will be worth 3-4 years from now. Versus 3-4 years later, after he graduates and find a job, he won't need his W530 laptop anymore since his workplace will probably provide the tools needed. He might also don't need to be mobile anymore and decide to build a PC with better $ to performance ratio.

[SomeGuy]

Even the default display on the W530 is 1600x900 instead of 1366x768.

Fingerprint thing is great if you always lock your computer. The nub is way better than the trackpad if a mouse/tablet isn't hooked up.

Work environment the first round laptops go for 2-3 years...but for test systems and random other use, we still have 5-7 year old laptops kicking around.

You might not be able to quantify the benefits of a proper thinkpad if you just look at cpu/memory/drive/video...it's the overall package that make them worth every penny. It's like saying a Ford Mustang GT500 is better than a Porsche 911 simply because it has more horsepower.

Keep in mind I have a W530 at work and personally own an X230, I'm quite familiar with these systems. I've used dozens of other laptops over the past years and not one of them can hold a candle to a thinkpad.

[XTOTHEL]

The upgrade for the 1600x900 screen is $60, even then, the machine is still half the price of the W530.

Fingerprint reading shouldn't be a factor in deciding. I have a nub on my laptop as well for work, but I never use it because most of the time it is docked. Other times trackpad will do just fine for going through emails, webpages, etc, if I'm going through code with it undocked, I will bring the mouse with me. Again, shouldn't be a deciding factor.

I've had ThinkPads at work as well. I do agree they're very nicely built and takes a lot of beating. I just think for the OP's purpose, school laptop for studying, the difference between build quality of the two isn't a big factor, and all the "nice to haves" aren't necessary, specially meaning saving $800+ dollars.

Also I'm not sure if the warranty service for Lenovo is the same across the board, because a friend recently had her G series laptop break and had to pay to ship it in and wait 2-3 weeks for repair. I don't have any personal experiences with ThinkPad warranty on a consumer level. My current laptop is a Macbook Pro and one of the reasons was that I could just go into the AppleStore and get my problems fixed without the extra wait times.

Out of all the laptops I've owned/used, I would argue Macbook Pros are better :P, but that's just a personal opinion/preference.

[asyed]

But I think performance would be most important for him. He didn't mention if he went with the display upgrade or not. But I don't disagree with you on the build quality.

IMO the finger print sensor is a little gimmicky. As for the nub, I'm pretty sure he would want to use a mouse instead for his CAD drawings :P.

Even in a work environment, the laptops are replaced every 2-3 years, expecting a laptop to last a long long time is not really realistic. The K1000M on the W530 is a little underpowered for everyday life use, sure he won't have problems doing school work, but will he only use that computer for school work?

I think the laptop he chose is not right for him. Would he really want to keep the laptop forever? I know he says that now(I've said the same with previous laptops I've owned, and my current one too), but something better will always come along and he'll be tempted to upgrade. The extra $1000 he will save from the Y410P will probably buy him a harder better faster stronger (heh heh) laptop when the Y410P becomes obsolete. The longer he hangs on that $1000 the more it will be worth 3-4 years from now. Versus 3-4 years later, after he graduates and find a job, he won't need his W530 laptop anymore since his workplace will probably provide the tools needed. He might also don't need to be mobile anymore and decide to build a PC with better $ to performance ratio.

I feel the graphics peformance will be enough for me. The Quadro K1000m isnt a bad card. I believe it outpeforms the cards used in the "mid range" gaming laptops that lenovo makes like the u410. I wouldnt say its underpowered. Is it as good as having 2x top of the line Nvidia cards in SLI on a desktop...no... but for a laptop It should do just nicely. I have done the research on other forums and they say the k1000m is pretty ideal for Solidworks ( its on their list of supported cards). As for reliability. Keep in mind that for the most part I wont be using the latest and greatest software all the time. Im assuming ill be using an older version of Solidworks as they could have changed the UI or commands in the newer ones making it harder for instructors to teach us how to use it. While you say that I could save the $1000 buy getting the y410p, I have looked that up and people have said not to go for it as it has a small screen resolution. Thinkpad is also generally built to last longer. I should probably update this thread in 4 years to tell you guys if its still kicking or not :P. as for getting a laptop for any work i may be doing. I plan on still using the Lenovo as a backup.


Also I probably wont be using it for un education related instances like gaming much.... maybe the occasional game.... but will use my current gaming rig ( might upgrade it later on :P) for gaming and leave this one as a "work" laptop. Keep in mind that while most students dont really need a really good laptop for their education. Many who choose an engineering or design position prefer to get something powerful to save time on rendering. ( Its not fun running behind schedule because the rendering is taking long :P ) I needed something that could provide me with as much power as i can get from a consumer grade type laptop that anyone can buy. While it seems that $1770 seems like alot... Its still alot cheaper than the macbooks that I bet half my class is gonna get because of the retina display ( which is good....but I dont feel like its worth the extra 1 grand).


hope this clears everything up :)

Lenovos warranty is pretty good ( especially if you pay for the extended one) from what i hear. Their website seems to make some weird claims though like they would send someone to YOU to fix your computer.... erm.... not sure how that would work/ if thats for business only. There is also "accidental damage protection" which covers the costs of repairs from spills/falls/cracks etc.


Also I actually could have gone all out for the upgrades but had to set a limit on the pricing and didnt want to go into the 2k range. I kept the standard display which should be just as fine as the display on any other laptop. and the resolution seems pretty good to me as well. also didnt go for the k2000m since the differences dont look like they are worth the $250 price difference.

only things ive added:
1) micro SSD 16gb cache drive ( for faster peformance) - $40
2) 16 GB ram ( as opposed to the standard 8 GB which is enough... but based on the benchmarks... 16 gb will work better) - $140
3) Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 AGN ( only $20 ... small price to pay for better wifi since oncampus wifi isnt that great at times... and my home wifi isnt that good either) - $20
4) carrying pouch/case thingy - just for that little extra protection when transporting

[goodcase]

I dont know if you've purchased a computer yet. But this site might be worth white looking at. They purchase off lease computers and sell them at excellent prices: http://www.bauersystems.com/pcnotebook.html

Price List (http://www.bauersystems.com/price-list.html)

[asyed]

Already bought it but thanks for the link...could be useful if I know anyone else looking for a reliable laptop for cheap :)