This seems to be a yearly event: RedFlagDeals points out that ThinkPads are on special (many 45% off). Given their popularity on this list and their known compatibility with Linux, I hope it's okay to post this: https://www.redflagdeals.com/deal/computers-electronics/lenovo-up-to-50-of-s... The cheapest model (ThinkPad X395) has an AMD chip (yay! About time with Intel's endless stream of security botches) and soldered-in memory (boo). Oh - and is currently ~$1000. -- Giles https://www.gilesorr.com/ gilesorr@gmail.com
On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 07:38:35AM -0500, Giles Orr via talk wrote:
This seems to be a yearly event: RedFlagDeals points out that ThinkPads are on special (many 45% off). Given their popularity on this list and their known compatibility with Linux, I hope it's okay to post this:
https://www.redflagdeals.com/deal/computers-electronics/lenovo-up-to-50-of-s...
The cheapest model (ThinkPad X395) has an AMD chip (yay! About time with Intel's endless stream of security botches) and soldered-in memory (boo). Oh - and is currently ~$1000.
I picked up a T590 for someone at about 50% off a few weeks ago. It sure is a lot thinner and lighter than my W530 and perhaps a tiny bit faster. No more swappable battery, no optical drive, but screen and battery life is a lot better and it has a number pad and a much better quality screen. -- Len Sorensen
| From: Lennart Sorensen via talk <talk@gtalug.org> | On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 07:38:35AM -0500, Giles Orr via talk wrote: | > This seems to be a yearly event: RedFlagDeals points out that | > ThinkPads are on special (many 45% off). Given their popularity on | > this list and their known compatibility with Linux, I hope it's okay | > to post this: | > | > https://www.redflagdeals.com/deal/computers-electronics/lenovo-up-to-50-of-s... There are other tricks to try when ordering from Lenovo. - rakuten.ca currently gives you 9% rebate on all Lenovo purchases. You join up with rakuten.ca and then visit lenovo through a rakuten link. Through some cookie magic, you qualify for a rebate. Usually this does not affect other discounts. - Sometimes the EPP program has better deals. RFD threads sometimes explain how to get EPP discount. - Lenovo has a business website that sometimes gets you better prices. Lenovo for Small Business or Lenovo Pro. Seems easy to qualify for. I registered late last year but I don't remember the process. | I picked up a T590 for someone at about 50% off a few weeks ago. I feel that it is easy to get 50% off if you have modest patience. Even so, it feels too expensive. | It sure | is a lot thinner and lighter than my W530 and perhaps a tiny bit faster. | No more swappable battery, no optical drive, but screen and battery life | is a lot better and it has a number pad and a much better quality screen. The T590 is probably harder to repair and upgrade, but I don't know that for sure. I was not happy with my T530's FullHD screen. It really let down the otherwise very good notebook. The T540's processors were better than the T53's0. After that, improvement was more gradual. I still haven't mastered the Nvidia / Intel division of labour. I'm glad my T530 had no Nvidia GPU. I still have a struggle ahead with my XPS 15. Without a proprietary driver, the Nvidia GPU burns power even when not used. When nouveau (the open source driver) looks at my GPU, it locks up the system (a kernel parameter can prevent it looking and locking).
On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 07:38:35AM -0500, Giles Orr via talk wrote:
This seems to be a yearly event: RedFlagDeals points out that ThinkPads are on special (many 45% off). Given their popularity on this list and their known compatibility with Linux, I hope it's okay to post this:
https://www.redflagdeals.com/deal/computers-electronics/lenovo-up-to-50-of-s...
The cheapest model (ThinkPad X395) has an AMD chip (yay! About time with Intel's endless stream of security botches) and soldered-in memory (boo). Oh - and is currently ~$1000.
I don't understand why they have T490 intel and T495 AMD, but only T590 intel and no T595 AMD models. -- Len Sorensen
On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 07:38:35AM -0500, Giles Orr via talk wrote:
This seems to be a yearly event: RedFlagDeals points out that ThinkPads are on special (many 45% off). Given their popularity on this list and their known compatibility with Linux, I hope it's okay to post this:
https://www.redflagdeals.com/deal/computers-electronics/lenovo-up-to-50-of-s...
The cheapest model (ThinkPad X395) has an AMD chip (yay! About time with Intel's endless stream of security botches) and soldered-in memory (boo). Oh - and is currently ~$1000. I don't understand why they have T490 intel and T495 AMD, but only T590 intel and no T595 AMD models. Lennart, Amd has no CPUs that are powerful enough in terms of performance and power in RYZEN to compete with i7s currently for laptops. It will be fixed in
On 1/22/20 12:11 PM, Lennart Sorensen via talk wrote: the 4000 series to my knowledge and is the last area for AMD to become truly competitive again outside of AVX-512 support in the data center. Maybe that explains it better as Asus as started switching over their end high laptops to Ryzen with the 4000 series at CES this year, Nick
On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 12:23:43PM -0500, Nicholas Krause wrote:
Amd has no CPUs that are powerful enough in terms of performance and power in RYZEN to compete with i7s currently for laptops. It will be fixed in the 4000 series to my knowledge and is the last area for AMD to become truly competitive again outside of AVX-512 support in the data center.
Maybe that explains it better as Asus as started switching over their end high laptops to Ryzen with the 4000 series at CES this year,
The T49x and T59x are identical in almost all specs except screen size. There is no good reason not to offer a 15.6" version of the T495. Most T590 are i5 not i7 as far as I can tell unless you order the higher spec machine explicitly. -- Len Sorensen
On 1/22/20 2:27 PM, Lennart Sorensen wrote:
On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 12:23:43PM -0500, Nicholas Krause wrote:
Amd has no CPUs that are powerful enough in terms of performance and power in RYZEN to compete with i7s currently for laptops. It will be fixed in the 4000 series to my knowledge and is the last area for AMD to become truly competitive again outside of AVX-512 support in the data center.
Maybe that explains it better as Asus as started switching over their end high laptops to Ryzen with the 4000 series at CES this year, The T49x and T59x are identical in almost all specs except screen size. There is no good reason not to offer a 15.6" version of the T495. Most T590 are i5 not i7 as far as I can tell unless you order the higher spec machine explicitly.
Lennart, Sorry I got the model numbers messed up. Anyhow I would assume its for other reasons, mostly Intel is known to be good in this space and AMD has not competed well even with the launch of Ryzen. As I did state the 4000 series may fix this from various vendors of laptops. I've not sure if Lenevo is thinking of changing it as the default in a lot of their machines through, Nick
| From: Nicholas Krause via talk <talk@gtalug.org> | Maybe that explains it better as Asus as started switching over their end high | laptops to Ryzen with the 4000 series at CES this year, In return (apparently) AMD has given them six months of exclusive use of Ryzen 7 4800HS. This looks to be a quite attractive chip. <https://www.anandtech.com/show/15324/amd-ryzen-4000-mobile-apus-7nm-8core-on-both-15w-and-45w-coming-q1> This may make Lenovo less enthusiastic about the line.
| From: Nicholas Krause via talk <talk@gtalug.org>
| Maybe that explains it better as Asus as started switching over their end high | laptops to Ryzen with the 4000 series at CES this year,
In return (apparently) AMD has given them six months of exclusive use of Ryzen 7 4800HS. This looks to be a quite attractive chip.
This may make Lenovo less enthusiastic about the line. Probably not after reading the article its just a better binned chip as
On 1/22/20 6:26 PM, D. Hugh Redelmeier via talk wrote: the others can hit 35 watts but are binned for 45. Nick
--- Post to this mailing list talk@gtalug.org Unsubscribe from this mailing list https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
| From: Nicholas Krause via talk <talk@gtalug.org> | Probably not after reading the article its just a better binned chip as the | others can hit 35 watts but are binned for 45. The part that Asus has exclusively is 35w vs 45w for the best part Lenovo can get, with otherwise identical specs. (There may be a hitch that we don't know.) It doesn't matter how that advantage was achieved (binning or magic dust). If I were Lenovo, trying to compete with Asus, I would say that the AMD mobile game is rigged in Asus' favour and I'd just not enter that game. Why give credence to AMD as a notebook processor when you know you will lose? In reality, it isn't a simple one-dimensional decision. The most natural response for Lenovo might be to continue pushing low-end models with AMD mobile processors. It's a good fit and Asus' advantage doesn't come into play. Yes, there is a price to be paid for playing favourites with your customers. Especially when you need them more than they need you.
participants (4)
-
D. Hugh Redelmeier -
Giles Orr -
lsorense＠csclub.uwaterloo.ca -
Nicholas Krause