Lenovo ThinkPad Advanced Mini-Dock Port Replicator (250410U)

I purchased a Lenovo ThinkPad T500 laptop brand new one year ago (November 2009). I really like the T500, and recently I needed the mini-dock port replicator that Lenovo made for it. I assumed this would be no problem to purchase direct from Lenovo, since they make a big deal about service, support, and upgrades on their website. Silly me. One year ago I could have purchased it from Lenovo, but no longer. It seems Lenovo has stopped supporting last year's models with periphery hardware and now only offers a mini-dock for their newest line of ThinkPads, such as the T410 & T510, and that mini-dock will not work with the T500 (confirmed by a Lenovo support rep). Now they offer only a USB port expander for the older machines, which isn't what I needed. Thank goodness for Amazon and their third-party retailers, for that is where I found the exact model "Lenovo ThinkPad Advanced Mini-Dock - port replicator (250410U)" that I required (I specifically needed the serial and parallel ports that only the mini-dock will provide). The retailer was offering this as "factory refurbished", and the price was less than half of what the manufacturer had been selling them for just a year ago, and since the purchase was being made through Amazon, I did not hesitate. The retailer, located in Rhode Island, shipped the item quickly (I think I had it within 4 days of placing the order, with "Amazon free super-saver shipping"). It arrived in a sealed Lenovo box, with a "refurbished" sticker on it, but honestly, it looks brand new to me, and functions the same. The mini-dock came with the 90 Watt power supply/battery charger, which was a bonus since most of the other used and so-called "like new" 250410U mini-docks that I found for sale on the internet did not include the power supply (this would not be a deal breaker, though, since you can also just use the 60-Watt power supply that came with the laptop, as long as your power needs don't get out of hand). I am pleased with this purchase, pleased with the retailer who shipped it, pleased with Amazon, and pleased with the operation of the mini-dock. These Lenovo mini-docks have a relatively small footprint (as the name implies)compared with the older-style docking stations, and are very easy to dock and un-dock the laptop. The mini-dock adds the serial port, parallel printer port, 4 additional USB 2.0 ports (there are already three on the laptop), VGA and DVI monitor ports (both can be used at the same time for a dual-monitor hook-up), modem and LAN ports, one PS-2 port for a mouse or keyboard needing that functionality, sound-out and microphone port. All ports and peripherals that are already on the laptop, such as the 3 USB ports, card reader, headphone and mic ports, and optical drive remain functional while the laptop is docked. If you use an external monitor, keyboard and mouse plugged into the mini-dock, you need-not even open the laptop, as there is a "start" button right on the mini-dock to turn-on the laptop, and small colored LED lights to tell you the status of the dock . There is also a key lock on the dock which allows you to lock the laptop to the dock and take the key with you, and of course, the dock has the standard attachment for a cable lock to secure the mini-dock to a desk. If you own a ThinkPad T400 or T500, I can highly recommend this mini-dock if you need the additional functionality, or if you use an external monitor, keyboard, and mouse at your desk.

I've had this since March, 2006 as my second docking station to use at home and it served me well. In fact it will outlast the T60 I've been using with ever since as the T60 will be replaced by a T400 in a couple of days - you won't need a new Mini-Dock as this one is fully compatible with the T400. To those unfamiliar with the ThinkPad style mini docks, this is as a minimalistic design as possible while adding to the 'port replicator' expectations by even adding a few extra ports - see below for features. - Small form factor. - Button for turning the laptop on/off or awaken it if it's plugged in while sleeping. - Laptop eject button. - Physical lock with physical keys to provide some security. - Will dock the laptop even when it's using the larger 9-cell battery. - Built in opening allowing for the hot air to exit via laptop's lwft side back vent. - Replicates and sometimes duplicates the following ports: serial, parallel (who's still using these?), VGA, round keyboard, DVI, phone line RJ-11, Ethernet RJ-45, microphone, headphones, USB. - Adds 4 USB ports to the existing 3 USBs on my laptop to give me a total of 7 (SEVEN) usable ports on my docked T60. I found this dock very easy to use and I found that it greatly simplifies my professional life. With 2 docks, one in my office and one in my home office I can take advantage of normal size keyboards and big screen monitors whenever I want them and it only takes 2 seconds to pop my laptop in an out of the dock. I also found the heat management quite satisfactory. I am having my T60 replaced because it overheats and it turns itself off (black screen) lately. This is bad behavior on the T60's part but it's over 3 years old and it was used daily for many hours every day of its life. However, I would like to note that probably 90%+ of the black screens occurred while the laptop was NOT docked so it seems to be running cooler while in the dock. For a product that brings so much convenience and as durable as this one, I can only grant 5 stars. And, if as promised, it supports the T400, I will update my review to state so. ____________________________________ Update: I've been using the dock with my new T400 and, I am happy to report that it all works perfectly. I've had the same convenience, ZERO issues.

This did not get near as much use from me as I expected. Likely more a problem with my ThinkPad than with this dock, but I could never get my laptop and my monitor to make friends. On the up side, this comes with an extra power brick.

The power supply that came with the dock was 170Watt power supply which is compatible with the Thinkpad that I have, however it would not plug into the dock because the power plugs were different. The dock works with a lower wattage power supply which I just happen to have, but the Thinkpad still runs on battery power. Not really what I was looking for from a dock. The supplier (eDealer) that I have been dealing with has been GREAT through this whole thing and I would give them 5 Stars!

I plan on using this for a dock next to my TV to run my Thinkpad T400 as a HTPC. The dock adds ports that the laptop itself supports internally but doesn't physically have the ports on the T400. The main ports I was looking for on this were the DVI out and the SPDIF out. Just to give you an idea of how I planned on using this for a HTPC. This will be my setup to give you an idea: - Built in charging - DVI port for video (Amazon basics DVI to HDMI cable is about $8) - SPDIF to speakers - 3.5mm to wireless headphones - Wired LAN - External USB hard drive - Logitech unifying receiver for wireless keyboard with trackpad - Wired Samsung laser printer I just exchanged Google TV for this setup since it will allow a full Windows computer on the TV rather than some unnecessary interface that is 3x more expensive even at the $99 price reduction. I would recommend this product used because you can save a ton of money and there are a lot out there.

I bought one of these for my Lenovo T61 four months ago, mostly to add a "real" serial port, which is still widely used in the embedded development field in which I work (USB-to-serial converters add unacceptable overhead to data transfer rates). The serial port works at full speed with true RS-232 levels--no complaint there. Since then I've also appreciated the four extra USB ports, and the convenience of being able to leave all cables still connected to the Mini-Dock when I take my laptop off-site. I've had no mechanical issues, and I dock/undock on almost a daily basis. However I've had enough OS problems with the undocking process (running WinXP SP3), that I've learned it's less problematic to just Shut Down the T61 before undocking. Also, if you happen to shut off power to the dock while undocking, that will definitely lock up the OS. Except for the serial port and Ethernet jack, I haven't used any of the other ports (legacy parallel, audio out/mic in, DVI, VGA, modem, PS/2) so can't comment on those. The dock comes with a 90W AC adapter. It would be nice if the Mini-Dock also included a stand (like the Lenovo ThinkPad Adjustable Notebook Stand, which I have on order); right now I have it propped up on a homemade stand to get a comfortable angle on the T61's keyboard. Of course the ultimate question is, 'Would I buy it again?'. The answer is yes--I've just ordered another one for home office use.

Product not as described......This does not fit my Lenovo laptop. It appears to be the full size docking station. I have one at work at they are completely different. I would have returned this product but I haven't been home in 2 months.

I wish I had bought one of these years ago. Coupled with a good screen (a 24 inch Dell UltraSharp), speakers (Bose Companion 2) and an external keyboard (IBM Classic M), this port replicator has transformed my home computing experience with my 4-year-old Thinkpad T61p. The convenience it provides in not having to keep plugging and unplugging things is wonderful, but what's better is how it transforms my laptop into a fully functional desktop with a better display, better keyboard and quality sound. Again, why i didn't buy one of these when I first bought my laptop, I'll never know. But you can be sure a port replicator like this is the first accessory I'll buy with my next computer.

5 stars

Funciona muy bien