I just got my first Thinkpad this summer, a T430s. I absolutely love it, and I'd like to reiterate the approach of buying the cheapest configuration possible an

I just got my first Thinkpad this summer, a T430s. I absolutely love it, and I'd like to reiterate the approach of buying the cheapest configuration possible and then upgrading components separately. I replaced the dvd with a bay battery, and I think I get about 7 hours of battery life. I never use it that long at a stretch, and I recharge it every night, so I just always have plenty of battery life. I run Ubuntu 12.04 at the moment. My only complaint has to do with suspend. I've noticed that while closed and suspended, it still works through the battery's charge. I was surprised to leave it suspended with a mostly full battery one day, and find it off the next day. Also, when I carry it in my backpack in a case while suspended, it comes out of the case hot after a couple hours. Apparently it is still working pretty hard while suspended.