I’ve always been a loyal thinkpad user, since the good old IBM days. For the last seven years I’ve used classic models like T61, T23, R51 to the modern ones x220, t420, w510. It always amaze me how durable they are and how easy to dissemble and reassemble the whole machine. My current configuration of my main machine today is:
w510:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Q820
RAM: 16GB
Boot HD:Patriot Pyro SE 120 GB SSD
Second HD: 1TB HD (more on how to do this)
Video: NVIDIA Quadrop FX 880M
Display: FHD (1920X1080)
By today’s standard, it still is quite a beefy machine (I did most of the reconfiguration last year in 2011). The CPU, video and display remains unchanged as stock configuration from lenovo. I’ll illustrate adding the RAM and the second HD below. With a little hacking and research before purchase, the whole machine of the above configuration can be had for under $1500.