upgrade

[mrbojangles]

Hi all, sorry i have not posted for a very long time, just been busy using my T40, but im now wanting a little more spec, so do i get a T60-61, or an X61, just for browsing and running my astronomy programmes

[Cigarguy]

Matter of personal preference. All things being equal, T61 for me for faster SATA II speeds and they are popping up everywhere because a lot of large corporations around Calgary are upgrading. Price is always a consideration so if you get a sweet deal then go for it. Matter of finding the sweet spot between price and the features you want.

[mrbojangles]

Is there much difference in reliability between T6x and X61?
I had the southbridge go on my T40 and it cost a fair amount to fix

[jdk]

Is there much difference in reliability between T6x and X61?
I had the southbridge go on my T40 and it cost a fair amount to fix

Yes, at least when comparing straight Intel chipset X61vsT61. X61 has a thinner palmrest, which makes it hot to the touch on some models, and prone to cracking at the PC card slot. T61 is thicker and stronger.

[RealBlackStuff]

X61 = 12.1" Standard 4:3
T60 = 14.1" and 15" Standard 4:3, or 15.4" Widescreen
T61 = 14.1" Standard 4:3, or 14.1" and 15.4" Widescreen
T61 has problems with the nVidia GPU models, the Intel GPU models are fine.

[mrbojangles]

Thanks for the replies, the X61 is just in the lead so far, im thinking 2g core 2 duo with 3 gig ram and 80-120 HD running win 7

[ajkula66]

Thanks for the replies, the X61 is just in the lead so far, im thinking 2g core 2 duo with 3 gig ram and 80-120 HD running win 7

Two things here, from my perspective:

a) If you're looking at a standard (non-"s") X61, go for one of the later models with a Penryn CPU - T8100 or above - since they run much cooler and a few extra quid will be money well spent IMO.

b) At today's prices of SSDs, it would be a sin not to throw one in if you need just 120GB or so of storage. Install Middleton's BIOS and watch that baby fly.

My $0.02 only...

[mrbojangles]

Thanks for the advice, cant seem to find any T8100 spec here in the uk, only T7300 or lower, though i have seen an HP 6910p that has the core 2 duo with T9300 that should be a real flyer, but its not an ibm, and i want to stay loyal to the thinkpads

[ZaZ]

Don't forget the R61 too. It's a little heavier and thicker than the T61, but an otherwise solid ThinkPad and might be less expensive than the T61. If you want to go a little newer, the T400/R400 or X200, which has the aesthetically pleasing touch padless palm rest, might be worth a look too.