Save $$$. Deals on Lenovo Ideapad
Entered CNET Catalog: 05/04/2003
SKU: 27222JU
Manufacturer: Lenovo
Manufacturer description
The expanded range of IBM ThinkPad R40 models gives you more choices than ever. Whether it is processor power, display size, or connectivity, you can choose the right balance of portability, strength and affordability for all your mobile users - and their varied needs. IBM ThinkPad R40 models feature ThinkPad UltraNav multi-pointing system. It combines the latest full-function TrackPoint pointing device with an IBM -customized touch pad. Designed using detailed research and analysis, this innovative tool lets you work the way you want. IBM ThinkPad R40 2722 notebooks with Intel Centrino mobile technology and the IBM Embedded Security Subsystem provide secure, easy wireless computing to increase productivity. Intel Centrino mobile technology with wireless LAN capabilities based on IEEE 802.11b delivers cutting-edge system performance and low-power enhancements to help enable extended battery life in thinner, lighter notebooks. With Intel Centrino mobile technology, three components work together to deliver a breakthrough in freedom and capability: Intel Pentium M Processor, Intel PRO/Wireless Network Connection and Intel 855 PM/GM Chipset.User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 User Rating: 
8/10
I've had it for 2 years & it's good
Pros: IBM features -security, thinklight, 6 hrs of max battery life
Cons: it's not as cool (heat) as A31p, T seris & your hands sweat
It has the durable steel hinges to hold the LCD. But the joints are so strong that the iron hinge itself is beginning to tweak a bit.
It has the ultranav in the center -I couldn't live without it b/c I've gotten used to it & other laptops don't have it---> I'm stuck with IBM ThinkPads forever.
It has the scroll button & 2 sets of mouse buttons -1 for ultranav & 1 for the touchpad. The touchpad is amazing. Absolutely. But ultranav is god.
The keyboard is the most amazing of all. Simply you are god in heaven when you type on this keyboard. It's really good feeling. On almost all reviews of IBM ThinkPads, nearly everybody will mention the good keyboard. The keys thicker than others ==> there's no chance that your finger nails will get stuck into those keys and pop them out -like those cheap Dell's. Your fingers are as if they are being supported by something. I mean, as your finger pushes into those keys, they are pushed out into the air with this tremendous force -enough that your finger is high enough to strike down on the next key. You can type so fast on this keyboard. Seriuosly. And it's slightly wider than other keyboards as well.
The magnesium-plastic composite is absolutely amazing. You might think that just because the laptop is nudging in a bit it is weak? No. That's the characteristic of the plastic. If it was totally magnesium, it would be so brittle & heavy. The cover itself is textured & black--> scratches won't show. Also, the texture itself is effective in hiding all the oily marks that our fingers make. Seriously, a Dell Latitude or Apple PowerBook will look old as a grandmother after about 2 years -with all those scratches, those "Shiny silver" covers that get black and dusty, and those oily shiny fingermarks that make the computer look nasty. This looks as if it were about 3 months old even though it is 2 years old. This magnesium cover is also useful when you want to rub off marks. My little brother drew with a highlighter on the cover & I thought I was going to die & rubbed desperately, and in a few swipes, it was off completely. Even pencil marks -rub it off. If it were on another laptop, it would still leave that gray mark. Finally, the magnesium composite is heat resistant. It is colder than room temperature when the computer is off.
The screen is okay, but I'm fine with that because brighter the screen, more battery life you waste. Who needs a super duper bright screen anyway? It hurts your eyes. But the viewing angle is limited.
As for battery life, at first, it had about 6 hours of maximum battery life -that is 5 hours with normal applications. Now it's something like 4.5 hours of max battery life. Battery is a consumable product -that is, its performance decreases over time. It's amazing.
It has really strong wireless -thanks to dual wireless antennae on the sides of the screen.
The audio is okay. It has a microphone, though. Not that good. But, the audio is placed in the front & the bottom is slanted so that liquid won't get in those holes. Dell's have the front slanted upward--> liquid can get in those audio holes & mess up the computer. Also, the slant makes the computer look thinner.
The thing is that, although it's that amazing, it's not amazing as the T & A series. Those series are as cool as cucumber even though they've been on all day long. Yet, this laptop has been satisfactory for me.
Also, I dropped it once accidentaly & it was sitting up with the body & LCD. It didn't break although the steel hinges tweaked. ALthough it's a discontinued product now, I definitely recommend R50, R51, and R52.
User Rating: 8/10
Can't Complain
Pros: good battery life, sturdy, good bang for the buck
Cons: slow start, so-so graphics
The only major complaint I have is that it turns on really slowly and lately there's been a delay when I go from snooze mode back on again. Graphics aren't good enough to watch DVDs regularly, but that's not what this laptop is made for anyway.
User Rating: 
9/10
for mainstream computing...the best you can buy!
Pros: -Great Value! -Good battery life -Fast -The best service and support I have ever seen! I spilled a coke on mine and called in to have serviced. They sent me a box the next day. I sent it in and got it back all within a few days! Thats better service th
Cons: A little heavy
User Rating: 
3/10
Lot of HW problems with this type
Pros: Good features
Cons: Inconsistent LCD baclight After 3 weeks mainboard HW failure CD rom does not always read CD Keyboard problem (losing contact) Finally after year it stopped to charge battery
User Rating: 
5/10
Problems with CR-RW/DVD-ROM
Pros: Good value for money but some hardware issues
Cons: 5min delay with bootup when BIOS initailises the CDRW driver. Faulty CDRW
User Rating: 9/10
The complete notebook experience!
Pros: After being used for 6 months, this computer is a phenomenal experience in simplicity and functionality. Quiet, powerful Pentium M 1.5 GHz, bright and crisp 15" 1400 x 1050 screen (with no bad pixels), removable DVD-RW bay, and great Wi-Fi setup. Nice la
Cons: This computer is a bit more pricy than other notebooks with some of the same features; however, if you can (and want to)spend alittle extra on your computer because you want it to be an experience and not just a tool, this computer is worth it.
User Rating: 
7/10
More then i expected
Pros: My parents selected this notebook for me for school, the specs dont appear to be very good(centrino 1.4, 256 ram, radeon 7500), but don't be fooled, this machine can run performance hogs like Unreal Tournament 2003 and Bryce without any problems! Perfect
Cons: I'd suggest to upgrade the 512 MB RAM, it'll speed it up a lot, the start up time is a bit slow.
User Rating: 
2/10
cardbus doesn't work right
Pros: After 15 months the computer still works.
Cons: cardbus IEEE 1394 cards do not work in this unit. We have two identical R40-57U, both have the same problem. Computer sees the card but not anything plugged into it. Older Think Pad works well with the card. Looks like IRQ issue, looks like the whole comp
User Rating: 9/10
Great workhorse laptop
Pros: I've had a lot of previous laptops, but this one has been the most reliable and pleasant to use of all of them. The IBM utilities are very good.IBM support is the best.
Cons: Speakers are not very loud and sound tinny.
User Rating: 
6/10
Definitely not a desktop replacement.
Pros: Excellent driver setup and support, fast dvd/cd-rw drive, very extensible, sharp and colorful display, lightweight and portable.
Cons: Display exhibits DEADLY glare (make sure to see it first in a local store), cheap-o keyboard, very weak graphics card even for Microsoft Paint.
User Rating: 8/10
My Fat Thin Box
Pros: I have had my thinkpad for about 10 weeks or so now. I really love the features, and think that IBM does a great job of handling my Wi-Fi location profiles. Keyboard light is great, use it often. All my friends say it's ugly, but I positively love it's
Cons: I am very disappointed that my thinkpad didn't come with AOL, MS Works, Clarisworks, Quicken, or other penny software. Honestly, they could have given me more software to delete. It was a boring set-up not having to fight AOL to the death. (kidding, gre
User Rating: 6/10
AHHHHH!!
Pros: There are a lot of excellent hardware and software features. The processor is very fast. Wireless is great, and the battery life is excellent.
Cons: However, you should know that you will have ALOT of hardware problems with this machine. Within 2 months, my CD Drive stopped working. This was due to a bad motherboard. I had that one replaced. Then about 3 months later, I had the same problem, and I
User Rating: 9/10
Very pleased with my R40
Pros: Lightweight great screen Battery life-last long in meetings.
Cons: speakers-I bought external.
User Rating: 8/10
THE GREATEST NOTEBOOK OF ALL TIMES
Pros: THIS NOTEBOOK IS SIMPLY THE BEST. THE MANY FEATURES MAKE THIS NOTEBOOK EXTREMELY USER-FRIENDLY, EVEN FOR DUMMIES. I REALLY ENJOY THE NITELITE(Fn+PgUp). THE KEYPAD WITH THE DUAL MICE MAKES TYPING PAPERS A BREEZE. THE 15" SCREEN IS BRIGHT AND CLEAR, EX
Cons: NO RECOVERY SOFTWARE CAME WITH THE PACKAGING, ALTHOUGH IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE CPU.
User Rating: 9/10
excellent product; very sturdy laptop
Pros: solid build has taken a lot of abuse very reliable long battery life
Cons: none yet and I have owned one for over a year.
User Rating: 8/10
Good for desk-to-road and back again.
Pros: Battery Useage Schemes (help save battery life), UltraBay (removeable drives are hot swappable), TrackPoint a big plus
Cons: Not as light as X or T series - can get heavy carrying it around.
User Rating: 9/10
R40 has everything I need.
Pros: Good solid machine. It's what I expect from IBM.
Cons: All IBM screens have crisp, bright screens. However, there is some fadeout with some colors with wide fonts.
User Rating: 8/10
Great Laptop.
Pros: Good screen (15"), good keyboard with eraser & trackpad. I'm pleased with this laptop. Comes with optional dock.
Cons: Only negative is the weight.
User Rating: 8/10
A steal deal!
Pros: crisp screen, Patented light source on top of the screen, keyboard, got 6+ hrs on mah battery and was fast enough for me! international warranty.
Cons: had to change the hard drive like 3 times. coz 20gb turned out to be a disappointing 12gb with 7.5gb remaining as free space. keeps searching for wireless networks a good 10 minutes until it gts exhausted. no eary key to stop it from searching. no windows
User Rating: 6/10
Lucky the second time?
Pros: The last Think Pad I had was a LEMON extraordinaire. Multiple hardware problems from day one, and I was working in Europe without the chance to swap the lemon for a new US model. I bought it from a scumbag volume dealer in NY (Marine Park) who did an appa
Cons: There are three problems with this machine: Microsoft, Microsoft, Microsoft. After I loaded a couple of programs, the patently lame operating system (Windows XP Pro) got hiccups and I had to reset it to a prior date to get rid of the problem. IBM service
User Rating: 8/10
A cut above!
Pros: Battery life is OUTSTANDING! I consistantly get 5.5 hours with the wireless radio on. Charges in about 3 hours. Very sturdy construction. Excellent IBM utilities. Runs extremely well with 512mb of memory. Great keyboard and UltraNav.
Cons: No real manuals or software media included. All software is pre-installed. I would recommend imaging sofware.
User Rating: 9/10
Excellent Notebook Quality and Value
Pros: When you call, you talk to an English speaking American! Very Upgradeable Service Centers in every state so you don't have to send it away for warranty service. Excellent support. Would never buy another Dell again after recieving such quality support
Cons: 35 GB hard drive when published size is 40 GB
User Rating: 9/10
first laptop
Pros: this is my first laptop so do not have any comparisons. It does everything I want it to do!
Cons: Have to look directly at the screen
User Rating: 9/10
A notebook for the adult in you
Pros: I previously purchased a Toshiba A10-REH, and luckily was able to sell it and purchase this IBM R40. I wanted better battery life and I am more than satisfied with the battery life of my R40 (2722). I run FreeBSD on my machine, but WinXP seemed to run nic
Cons: For the small footprint that my 14" seems to have, it would be nice if it was just slightly thinner. The ATI Mobility Radeon M6 isn't the best for hardcore 3D gaming.
User Rating: 7/10
Superior quality notebook . . . with limitations.
Pros: Quietest notebook I've ever used; sturdy, solid construction; burn times are great (real short); dual mouse is nice; just a real nice piece of machinery.
Cons: Speakers are embarassing (sounds like a clock radio); comes with nothing (bare bones for the money).
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome machine for the price
Pros: I just got my R40 w/ intel centrino 1.3 gz, 15" SXGA+, 250 mb ram, 20 GB, wireless ready. Big size but surprisingly light. Centrino is the way to go-- very fast and uses less power, I get 5+ hours of battery life. Very nice screen, bright and sharp. Defau
Cons: None so far.
User Rating: 7/10
Update on the 'lemon' 16 Aug
Pros: My 'lemon's' problems came from faulty RAM that was installed. Since replacing it, NO complaints! Everything has been working great for months now.
Cons: NOT impressed with IBM's suggestion to go to the Microserve service centre. They BROKE my keyboard!!!????!!!! I ended going to a service centre that was recommended by friends. A suggestion to get "award winning" service. I only started getting some
User Rating: 6/10
No regret for buying
Pros: Long battery life. It allows me to work any place I want. With my gprs mobile phone, I can work in the park and be able to connect to my team in the office without any concern about the battery life. By the way, I work in South-East Asia where hot spots f
Cons: Look not as nice as other brands. But it does not bother me that much.
User Rating: 
4/10
Don't get this one
Pros: Good battery life and quick charging time
Cons: Did physical memory dumps Had to replace the motherboard Very unreliable
User Rating: 
10/10
happy ibm user, switched from dell
Pros: laptop user for 15 years. totally quiet, quick cd/dvd burns, lots of speed, not one single hiccup. looks plain, but dressed mine up with stickers. happy happy
Cons: the docking port slip doesn't lock so it flips open and close when carrying.
User Rating: 8/10
One of the best ones out there
Pros: A lot of great programs that allow the laptop user to do almost anything it needs. Has a touchpad as well as a ball in the middle and two places to use the mouse. Clicks shut and stays shut has more possibilities than you can imagine not to mention the ba
Cons: The screen is really flimsly and can break with only 25lbs of pressure. Be gentle and its the best you can get!
User Rating: 9/10
Top laptop top price
Pros: Excellent quality, beautiful keyboard, nice dual mouse features, fast, long battery life, quality product from IBM
Cons: A bit heavy, screen can be a dim at times but suppose thats to save battery. I have one dead pixel
User Rating: 9/10
I've had my R40 for 4 or 5 months now, and have loved it! (I got the 2722 GAU model).
Pros: - Long battery life (I get over 4 hours) - Not too heavy - Lots of bang for the buck - Nice bright screen (15" 1400x1050) - built-in keyboard light - Trackpoint as well as touchpad mouse (I found that I prefer the trackpoint) - Good solid look and feel -
Cons: - Lots of IBM 'wizards' and tools that mostly try to replace what XP already does - The hard drive is a little slow, so it takes a little longer booting up, but that's the only place where I've noticed it (I often just put my computer on standby anyway).
User Rating: 8/10
I made the right decision
Pros: My last laptop was Toshiba, which has a very good customer service. I was trying to buy a Toshiba again, but could not resist the value of other brand. Before I bought this R40, I returned Dell300m ultraportable with mediabase. It is a good one, but the
Cons: A little bit heavy, but no problem for me, (dell300m plus mediabase will have the same weight anyway). XP start time is very long, maybe I installed many software and XP updates. There is no recovery CD, and it will be provided only when HD dies. Dont kno
User Rating: 4/10
Nice features; if it didn't arrive DOA!
Pros: Battery life, navigator options, standard ports, comfortable keyboard
Cons: Service response is pathetic; my R40 arrived new at my home with a faulty LCD - stopped working entirely within an hour of turning unpacking the box. Bad LCD backlights are apparently plaguing this version of ThinkPad (from review of IBM's user forum - w
