IBM Raises The Bar With Latest ThinkPad Unit

One of the reasons the T42 is so unusual is the extensive configuration options available. Solution providers can choose from a range of processors—from entry-level Intel Centrino-branded processors to the latest and greatest in mobile processor technology. The T42 also offers numerous hard-drive capacities and optical drive options. These extensive options make the ThinkPad T42 an excellent choice for any business, regardless of size or budget constraints, since the units can be customized to accommodate any company's needs.

Solution providers also have a choice of displays, from a 14.1-inch XGA display with a resolution of 1,024 x 768 to a 15-inch- plus display that offers 1,400 x 1,050 (UXGA) resolution. These options greatly affect the notebook's price, which starts at around $1,200 for a low-end configuration and can surpass $4,000 for a loaded, top-of-the-line machine.

CRN Test Center engineers chose a middle-of-the-road T42 for review and the test unit retailed for around $2,500. That $2,500 buys a ThinkPad T42 equipped with a 1.8GHz Centrino Pentium-M processor, integrated 802.11a/b/g wireless connectivity, integrated Bluetooth technology, a 15-inch UXGA display, integrated fingerprint scanner, 60-Gbyte hard disk, a Gigabit Ethernet port, two USB 2.0 ports, a 56K dial-up modem, 512 Mbytes of RAM and a DVD/CD-RW optical drive. The test unit also included an expansion bus port, inputs for an external display, microphone and headphones as well as an infrared port, a parallel port and an S-video input.

For the price, the test unit is a very well-equipped machine suitable for any business power user. The T42 series does lack a FireWire port in all models regardless of price, but integrators can install a FireWire card into one of the T42's available PC Card slots.

IBM's attention to detail is evident in the configuration of the notebook. CRN Test Center engineers could tell that the company understands how much the little details matter. For instance, users will appreciate a built-in LED keyboard light, a blessing for travelers on a cross-country red-eye flight. Volume and mute controls are located directly above the keyboard, making noise control a simple, easy-to-access function. The T42 also integrates a track pointer and touch pad so users aren't tied to a single pointing device. Other elements such as metal hinges, a magnesium lid and shock-mounted hard drive add to the overall quality and durability of the unit.

IBM's active protection system can further enhance reliability by detecting impending physical shocks to the system and parking the hard-drive heads before any damage occurs. This technology increases the odds that a hard drive—and the data it carries—will survive if the unit is dropped. Security is enhanced by an integrated fingerprint scanner that offers biometric access control of the system. Logins can be fingerprint-based and files can be secured and encrypted, allowing access based on a user's fingerprint.

The T42 incorporates self-healing capabilities centered around a blue "Access IBM" button. The button launches diagnostic and repair utilities and allows users to restore data or even an entire system configuration from a local hard-drive partition backup, as well as gain access to a variety of other recovery features. The Access IBM capability is wizard-driven and can even help a newbie out of a sticky situation without having to call the help desk.

Battery life is extensive, especially when the system is set to maximum power-saving mode. In this mode, the unit provides more than four hours of usable battery life. However, when power settings are changed to provide maximum system performance, battery life drops to a mediocre two hours.

Enterprise IT departments supporting hundreds of these notebooks will benefit from the T42's three-year warranty, long life cycle and the common features across the T series lineup. Since components such as docking stations, memory modules, optical drives and hard drives are interchangeable among all different models in the T series, businesses can carry a reduced inventory of repair or replacement parts, resulting in increased cost savings.

IBM's PartnerWorld program offers integrators demonstration units, sales and technical training, pre- and post-sales support, competitive tools and co-marketing funds. IBM did not disclose average margin information.

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