Comparing the G41 and G50

[solidpro]

Hi Everyone

I've managed to get a G41 and G50 side-by side. The two main external differences is simply that the G50 has a 'regular' Thinkpad power connector (the larger one) and the LCD is much brighter. The G41 is entirely IBM-branded, whereas the G50 is lid-branded IBM Thinkpad whilst the LCD bezel and base is branded Lenovo. The G50 BIOS has also list the 'IBM' name as well as a few less options...

The biggest difference is that the G41 has a Pentium 4 CPU rated at 3.06Ghz, whilst the G50 has a Celeron M running at 1.6Ghz. Is this the performance hit that it seems like on the surface? I mean maybe a Core 2 Duo at 1.6Mhz, with the right OS might somehow compare to a P4, but a Celeron!? Seems like a massive downgrade. But I don't really know much about comparing the two.. Any comments? I do wonder if I could upgrade the CPU to a Core 2....

I think perhaps both of these machines were actually manufactured by Acer or something like that? Funny how that worked with the transition of IBM IP to Lenovo.







Ideally, I'd like to replace both keyboards with less -shiny ones but they're not exactly common now. Does anyone know if the keys themselves would swap with another similar era keyboard?

Bye Bye!

[TPFanatic]

T2300 comes back as a core duo, so at least you have 2 cores. According to this thread the best cpu you can install is t2700 2.33ghz core duo. viewtopic.php?t=126344

I’ve never seen a G50. This is incredible. Thanks for sharing.

[RealBlackStuff]

If you got money to spare: UK layout keyboards here: https://www.pcupgrade.co.uk/laptop-part ... -keyboard/
NMB: FRU P/N 91P8150/91P8151
CHICONY: 91P8094/91P8095

[astral]

I'll never quite understand why Lenovo released the G50 at all - that body only made any sense when a heat pounding P4 was crammed in there. What went in the heatsink space on the G50? Is the giant heatsink still there to cool the Core Duo, or is it just empty space? Why release that thing at all when the R60 existed?
Also worth noting - my G40 says "Manufactured FOR IBM", not "by IBM", so it's not an in-house system... Could reasonably be Acer, not sure.

[dr_st]

Ah, finally a side-by-side of these two unique and awkward models. G50 is a true transitional design. Basically identical chassis to G4x, full IBM style, yet features Core Duo CPUs and the 20V power plug.

[solidpro]

T2300 comes back as a core duo, so at least you have 2 cores. According to this thread the best cpu you can install is t2700 2.33ghz core duo. viewtopic.php?t=126344

Maybe someone previously did a switch then. I did end up finding that old thread but all that's around on ebay right now is an £84 T2700, which is a bit crazy.

An £80 new keyboard on the other hand....

Glad people have found this comparison interesting. Does anyone care to guess if the different brightness levels is due to different technologies or just a less-used CCFL?

Weirdly this machine does seem to have a very limited release so I'm surprised it happened to pop up and it was only £60 (plus some heavy shipping from Japan to the UK).

[Gonzaleitor]

Does that Celeron have the same socket and chipset as the Core 2 Duos from the era? If it does is quite possible that you can get one in. They must be cheap as hell, also.

[Gonzaleitor]

Sorry, I didn't read the post of TPFanatical, you already have one.

[astral]

My G40’s LCD doesn’t look great either. Best way to tell if it’s wear or just how they are is to get the part numbers of both and look them up on panelook.

[TPFanatic]

If they use EDID you can install the MonInfoView software by entechtaiwan and it will try to tell you the LCD model.

[ZaZ]

I can't recall, but has anyone installed a FlexView into a G series? If possible it would make for one of the rarest FrankenPads and would solve the color problem, though the brightest would be mediocre by modern standards. If I remember correctly, which is a coin flip at best, they use a T60 based board. That makes me it's possible, but there's always a reason it won't I've forgotten or never knew.

[RealBlackStuff]

G40 was indeed built by Acer.
Apparently FlexView can be done, see viewtopic.php?p=523847#p523847
And assuming that inverter is "moddable", then you can even go a step further and put a LED-backlit UXGA in it!

[solidpro]

I'd be willing to try and put an IPS panel in, but have no idea where to start.

[astral]

RBS, what's your source on Acer manufacturing the G40? Not that I don't believe you, I'm just curious.
FlexView upgrade in one of these would be absolutely hilarious. I'd do it if only the SXGA+ cable wasn't Grade-A unobtainium.

[RealBlackStuff]

My 'source' was the link I gave in that post.

[astral]

Ah, I see now. I had only read below in the thread from the post it sent me to.

[Saucey]

What I found nuts about the G4x series was that it never had a docking port!
You had the desktop replacement, but couldn't get the full suite from T4x or A3x machines.
Arguably those with the advanced dock that had GPU support, would surpass the G4x machines.
Yes I tried gaming on a G40 and G41. That nVidia chip on select G41's made a massive difference.
I find it wild that IBM never had a dGPU as standard. Along with not applying a modern graphics card on the X32.

[wujstefan]

I'm restoring and modding mine G40, G41 and G50 - will try to make some pics one to another once they're done. G50 already sports a SXGA+ IPS panel but still needs some love The worst of all are the hinges; they do tend to wobble, are inaccessible and irreperable :/

@solidpro if you succeed to find any kind of parts for these models please let me know. These are, by far, the hardest to get so far (especially G50).

[solidpro]

Right now, the only spare I have is a spare working keyboard. It's either japanese or US configuration.

I also have a couple of spare 15" screens - one has a single green vertical line and the other backlight comes on and nothing is displayed. If anyone wants these for free (+ postage) then let me know.

I've noticed that the CPU heatsink on the G50 is hideous. It uses a triangular shape over the CPU and you screw them down in a particular order. However, 1 is a screw, which screws directly into the motherboard and the other two are more like bolts which screw into 'floating' upside down screws built-in to the motherboard - however the floating screws are so shallow, their threads rarely catch the heatsink so it's almost impossible to screw on. Really bad design.

Finally, does anyone have model numbers for upgraded LCDs which will work on the 14" or 15" models and whether or not they need a specific ribbon/inverter? All of mine are running at XGA which is just a bit lame on a 15" panel.

At some point I've acquired a Samsung LTN150P3 panel which supposedly does work with the G40/G41 but shows all white. This is a 1400x1050 panel so I suspect it requires it's own special ribbon cable.... maybe from a different machine?

Thanks

[wujstefan]

Right now, the only spare I have is a spare working keyboard. It's either japanese or US configuration.

I also have a couple of spare 15" screens - one has a single green vertical line and the other backlight comes on and nothing is displayed. If anyone wants these for free (+ postage) then let me know.

I've noticed that the CPU heatsink on the G50 is hideous. It uses a triangular shape over the CPU and you screw them down in a particular order. However, 1 is a screw, which screws directly into the motherboard and the other two are more like bolts which screw into 'floating' upside down screws built-in to the motherboard - however the floating screws are so shallow, their threads rarely catch the heatsink so it's almost impossible to screw on. Really bad design.

Finally, does anyone have model numbers for upgraded LCDs which will work on the 14" or 15" models and whether or not they need a specific ribbon/inverter? All of mine are running at XGA which is just a bit lame on a 15" panel.

At some point I've acquired a Samsung LTN150P3 panel which supposedly does work with the G40/G41 but shows all white. This is a 1400x1050 panel so I suspect it requires it's own special ribbon cable.... maybe from a different machine?

I never actually put a notice on the lid. Are they just the same for G50 and G40/41.
I was planning to make some testing on a G40 I have spare (I have exactly one G41 and G50, but 2pcs of G40, one of which is extremely beat) with 4:3 panels available from thinkpads or for thinkpads (I should have all options available). I do NOT expect SXGA+ to work on XGA cable set, but I DO expect that UXGA will work with SXGA+ cable. Inverter seems to be universal. Thingy is, I do not have any proper cables will need to hunt for that.

FRUs for 15" SXGA+ cables you need:
91P6797, 91P6822, 91P6866

[pianowizard]

Nice side-by-side comparisons! For about 10 years I collected almost 50 Thinkpads, and two models that I really wanted but never owned were the G50 and the 770Z with 13.7" 1280x1024. I did have a G41 2886-79U with 3.3GHz Pentium 4, 15.0" 1400x1050 and 1GB PC2700 RAM, weighing 8.43 lb. It was a near-mint unit that cost me $350 in July 2008. I loved its unique design, solid construction, and performance -- it was my very first computer on which Vista ran smoothly. I didn't use it much though, as I had already migrated to desktops and when I needed mobility I had a T43p with 15.0" QXGA, so I sold it in Sep 2008 without losing a single penny.