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Targa Visionary XP
by Storeyfaces
Upon purchasing this laptop about a week ago i found myself returning it to the shop already because of a fault in the computer which prevented me from switching it on, returning it to the store i was told by the store supervisor that the battery had malfunctioned (basically it had overheated and became useless). There and then i was ... given a new battery for my new laptop and had it checked there and then in the store. I was told it was a one off situation and was not likely to happen again but i would definitely recommend purchasing an extension on the 6 month warranty for the battery as it seems quite sensible to do so, just as i have.
Other than that everything else seemed to be quite promising about the laptop. Quite small so easy to cart about in day to day life, boasts a 30GB memory so lots of space ! 1.6GHZ proccessor so very quick and recommended for someone who plays RPGs as the graphics are also awesome, the screen is a bit small but thats what you get with a notebook, a nice slim design which is quite asthetically pleasing. The battery is the only mishap ive had with the laptop but its enough to make you more aware, making the laptop not so Visionary indeed.
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Lenovo Thinkpad T42 2373
by Ayesha-`
This is a review from Ciao that has been vastly improved since first written and is hopefully now DooYoo worthy. I just like to have all my reviews on both sites.
This has been my handy and beloved companion and lasted me throughout my 4 University years. I used it mostly for accessing the Internet and using Office ... applications. I kept a lot of photos on this computer. I also downloaded about 2000 songs and used it as a music player and a few times as a DVD player for my rented movies.
Appearance, Aesthetics, Durability
It is fairly lightweight and just small enough to fit in an ordinary sized rucksack, so perfect for commuters or anyone doing work on the go. I took it with me on a few holidays so it came in useful. Of course it is not quite as light or small as a netbook, and would be bulky if carried with its bag but then it is also much more comfortable to use. It is also quite durable; I have dropped it and knocked it a few times (being clumsy as I am) yet it has survived well with no screen problems unlike heavier computers. One of the downfalls is that it gets dirty very easily and despite being black, the dust and grease marks show up blatantly. I does require regular cleaning although normally you can get away with just wiping it over with a dry cloth.
Battery Power
The battery power is pretty good and lasts a fair amount of time, around 4 hours for the first few years I had it but this drops with time as with any battery. It is also reasonably quick at charging and you can alter power settings to use less power while charging or on the go depending on your needs. However, the charger gets quite hot when it is on, and this has been annoying in summer, plus can be a waste of energy and harmful if the battery gets overheated.
Memory and Speed
The computer was fairly fast for its time, with a fair amount of memory at 512 MB, although this sounds like nothing today. The hard drive was 40GB, which for its time was very impressive and more than enough for me. There's all the guidance you need if you are not an IT expert, in the IBM help area. Admittedly I had a lot stored on my computer, with music files and games taking up a lot of space, which I guess eventually must have had a negative impact on its performance. Also the Windows operating system is constantly updating and this was probably also having a negative impact. As with any Windows computer, you may find that there are a few programmes running that you do not use, and stopping these from coming on automatically might help improve speed, but for me I never really felt the need to do so.
Mouse Pad and Keyboard
The mouse pad is a bit annoying as it sometimes stops working; at first I had to reset it a few times but now its usually a matter of waiting for it to cool. Anyway there is a red rubber mouse button on the keyboard so this should not be a problem, although for me I simply could not get used to having to use a button in the middle of the keypad. Whilst it took me some time getting used to the keypad, because I am used to desktop PCs with large keyboards, it is very comfortable and the keys are the right size and reasonably spaced.
Accessories
My computer came with a laptop bag, which has several pockets for charger, CD ROMs and extra devices. It is quite thick and a little heavy, but keeps everything very safe and secure when travelling so is good to have. I'm not sure whether this is generally supplied with the computer or whether it has to be bought separately as mine was a second-hand buy.
Keeping Cool
One problem I found with this computer, especially whilst the charger was plugged in was getting much too hot. There is a fan on the side of the computer to help push out the hot air, and this tends to be used a lot more with the charger or if you have the computer on an insulating surface that stops heat from escaping easily (not recommended for any computer). The fan is very noisy and probably also slows the computer down further so it is better to avoid using it where possible. It is also using a tiny bit of your power.
Screen
The screen is good quality and you can see graphics well from most angles and lighter conditions. As often you find sharing a computer to watch films or show photographs can be difficult if one person is looking from such an angle that the picture colours etc do not show properly, this problem was not as bad as older computers. Graphic detail and colour are good. All I would say is that possibly by now there are better versions, but if you are looking for just a decent computer, this is worth a look.
Audio
The speakers on this laptop are really fantastic and I have not had better ones since. I would never bother connecting up external speakers so this saves a lot of money and space. For me loud music gives me a headache after about an hour so during my childish years at University suffice it to say I had a lot of headaches but very good quality listening to disract me from my Law reading and while getting ready to go out.
Other Features
The laptop also features a fingerprint reader, something thats probably found on most new laptops and is very useful, reassuring you of security and relieving you the effort of having to remember and write in passwords without storing them on the computer. If the computer is stolen, it is no use to the thief and your details remain safe.
Conclusion: Value For Money?
I got my computer second-hand and therefore relatively cheap so for me it was excellent value, but since computers are constantly upgrading, I would suggest shopping around before deciding to buy. This particular model is now rather dated and I think being a Windows computer with all the needed updates it would probably be far to slow for most users. It will probably best serve someone just requiring the more basic functions like Word Processing, or possibly storing and playing music and simple games.
Update:
Well my laptop is officially dying now. The battery wore out. When charged, it now lasts an average of 10 minutes so cannot really be used without being plugged into the wall. A battery can probably be replaced easily. Well, also the Internet browser no longer works, I have tried Firefox and IE but with no joy and nobody I have asked can figure out why. The computer has gone very slow despite the fact I have reduced the amount of disk space used etc. There may be a virus but I haven't been able to solve the problems with AV software, so it seems the computer is basically packing in.
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