Advice on Thinkpad purchase

[cph@martigny.ai.mit.edu (Chris Hanson)]

   Date: Tue, 26 Sep 1995 11:35:59 -0700
   From: dick@cats.ucsc.edu (Dick Terdiman)

   I understand the CD-equipped Thinkpad (755CD)
   is now a Pentium machine, but does NOT have the DSP features or the
   SVGA screen that the 755CX has.

Not sure about this, but I think the 755CD has the MWave DSP audio.
You're correct, though, that it doesn't have the SVGA screen.

   2.  Are there further developments about to happen (new processor 
   speeds; possible integrated "bay" arrangements [CD player; extra
   battery; floppy drive as on the NEC Versa 4000 series]; new screen
   resolutions or sizes; price changes) that I should know about to time
   my purchase right?

The new 760C, about to be announced, is available in a model with both
the SVGA screen and a built-in CD-ROM drive.  Yesterday, someone
quoted a $7700 price for this unit, from PC Connection.

   3.  I can get an "education" discount from IBM PC Direct (4 percent).
   Where do you think I should look for best price among other vendors?
   Any vendor who consistently undersells and provides reliable sales?

I priced the 755CX/SVGA/810MB from several vendors this week.  IBM
Direct came out cheapest at $5039 ($5249 without the educational
discount).  Competing prices included $5050 (educational discount)
from USA Flex and $5199 (no discount) from PC Connection.  I had
wanted the unit with 1.2GB disk, but it is still unavailable.