T60 or T61, and what´s the ideal T61 config?

[Lo-q]

I´m about to pull the trigger for a T60 with a 1.87 GHz C2D and X1300 graphics, but I´m thinking maybe I should put in some extra cash and get a T61 instead.

The T61 I am considering has the WXGA+ display, the T8300 processor and the GMA X3100 graphics, but this I will get through ebay and so there are lots of configurations available.

Are there any obvious or less than obvious reasons to go with the T60, or should I just get a T61 since the money difference really is quite small?

What would you consider an ideal T61 configuration?

This will be a secondary machine for me, for web browsing and a few vintage games, to keep my work setup clutter free. But I enjoy a PC that is well built, fast and works well.

[rumbero]

What would you consider an ideal T61 configuration?

A 4:3/15" T60 chassis with an UXGA IPS/Flexview display, hosting a T61 mainboard equipped with a T9300 and 2x4=8GB RAM.
I built it according to forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?p=620807#p620807 and just love that combination.

EDIT: For normal end users without any DIY ambitions this is not really a viable option, since this requires additional money to invest.

[TuuS]

The main reason for not getting a T60 are it's ram limitation (3GB).

Many of the "old school" thinkpadders don't like the widescreen, and most T61 models are widescreen. I don't have a problem with W/S, in fact I watch a lot of video on mine so I prefer it. I also find the screens to be more durable and don't age like the the T60 screens. My preferrence would be for the larger 15.4 inch though, the 14.1" that your considering aren't bad, but the screen resolution options aren't as nice.

The option posted by rumbero is great, but you'd need to spend a huge chunk of cash to build one, not to mention the work involved, but it would be a nice unit when finished... the biggest problem is graphics, it would be exceedingly difficult to find a 4:3 aspect ratio T61 board with discrete graphics that is reliable... so I wouldn't plan on something like this to be used for gaming or graphic intensive work, but it would make a good general use PC... but with all that work put into it, I'd want some horsepower too.

However if you're just looking for something cheap, then you're headed in the right direction, the Intel graphics are common on the 14.1 widescreen and they are reliable, so it should fill your needs. The Penryn chip is less common, so you might have to spend a bit more for one with Penryn.

[ajkula66]

I'd go with the T61 - it will fit the bill much better than the basic T60 that you mentioned.

Combination of X3100 integrated graphics and T8300 CPU is a very solid one in my opinion...

Happy hunting.

[Backslashnl1]

I would go for a T60 15" with IPS flexview Speed difference between T60 and T61 isn't very big, but the screen quality of FlexView is awesome

[ZaZ]

I would go for a T60 15" with IPS flexview Speed difference between T60 and T61 isn't very big, but the screen quality of FlexView is awesome

Provided of course the screen hasn't dimmed much of course.

[Lo-q]

Hm, thanks guys.

The T8300 T61 was sold, seemed like a good deal:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Lenovo-T61- ... 465wt_1154

Or can I expect much better prices if I start bidding at auctions?


I´m starting to think I´ll just get the T60 locally. WIll it run hot / have much more fan noise than a T61 with Intel graphics?

[rumbero]

The T8300 T61 was sold, seemed like a good deal:

Since you don't mind a widescreen machine, a much better deal would be to get a T400 or T500. If i wouldn't require an IPS/Flexview UXGA display, i wouldn't bother about T61's anymore. It may cost slightly more, but you'd gain native SATA II also on the Ultrabay and can cheaply upgrade DDR3 memory to 8GB. These are two major technical advantages over the T61.

[dsvochak]

eBay is significantly more chancy then the marketplace here.

As examples, Ed’s T60p ( http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=101571 ) and Neil’s R61 ( http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=100727 ) will be in better condition than virtually anything available on eBay. Both appear to be more than what you’re looking for.

[TuuS]

I bought a similar unit to that one, advertised with almost identical specs, but also with webcam. When I got it the video driver installed was standard VGA, not the Intel. so I downloaded the Intel drivers and they failed to install. I then installed system update and it correctly installed nVidia drivers.

It's very common for ebay sellers to hide the presence of nvidia, then pretend it was a mistake when they get caught. Since most units with Intel graphics are low-end, and won't have the T8300, the optional 1440x900 screen, and other such things, I'm be suspicious of it until I saw some proof, such as a parts lookup on the serial number, or a non "CTO" model number to confirm it's config.

Or if the D.O.M. is 08/08 or newer, then the nVidia is a good thing, but that's like 1000:1 odds.

Not all ebay sellers are bad, but there sure is a lot of crap on there, and the machine in question I ended up filing a dispute and in the end the guy paid my return shipping... very wise of him because it's the only reason I didn't leave some appropriate feedback, but in the meantime, I wasted many hours of looking and my buyer was highly upset when I told them their unit was received with a deceptively hidden and unreliable nVidia chip.

[miro_gt]

the ideal config would be that in my sig

sorry, had to

[Lo-q]

Thanks for the input regarding ebay. I´m pretty sure now I will get one locally. The selection here is quite good, and in fact they come much cheaper than from ebay as I avoid postage and VAT.

The T400s here are expensive though.

By the way, what would be the best fast procedure for making sure a unit has Intel and not Nvidia graphics? I´m a Mac person, newbie to PCs...

[TuuS]

Thanks for the input regarding ebay. I´m pretty sure now I will get one locally. The selection here is quite good, and in fact they come much cheaper than from ebay as I avoid postage and VAT.

The T400s here are expensive though.

By the way, what would be the best fast procedure for making sure a unit has Intel and not Nvidia graphics? I´m a Mac person, newbie to PCs...

I agree, the T61 is a great machine for the price. Also, if you can get one with 08/08 or better date, the nvidia is the way to go, they perform quite well, but if you aren't concerned as much with performance, then the Intel is very dependable. On the smaller 14.1 widescreen units, the Intel is common, but on the larger 15.4, it's quite rare, most people ordering the bigger and better model optioned for the more powerful graphics, but you can find them if you look and are determined, but most are very low-end units.

One way to tell if a unit has Intel graphics is to look up the model at lenovo.com, but if the seven digit model ends in CTO, then it's not so easy, these "configure to order" systems you'd have to do a parts lookup by the serial number, but even then, they often aren't in the database, so the best way is to get the seller to boot it up and check device manager. If it has Intel, it will be listed as the graphics/video adapter. The only options are Intel and nVidia on the T61, and if device manager says "standard VGA", then you know someone has uninstalled the nVidia drivers and disabled windows from automatically correcting this... I know of no way to accidentally do this, it has to be intentional. In fact I just installed a harddrive in an nVidia system and it booted up with default standard VGA, but automatically install the nVidia and asked me to confirm, I would have to decline and check the box to not be notified of this again in order to avoid the drivers being installed again.

Also, just so you fully understand... millions of T61/T61p units were made with nVidia, the vast majority not having any type of failure, but the few that do are very vocal about how horrible the chip is... not that I can blame them... in fact, I'm a victim too, but I believe the actual failure rate is probably well below 1%, perhaps far below, but no official stats have been released. I've been seeing an average of 1-4 reported each month on Lenovo's forum, but other manufacturers were hit much worse, but my point is that even if you do get an older nVidia unit, it's far from certain it will die, and the units build from march to july 2008 seem to have much less failures, supporting the belief that the updated chips began showing up randomly sometime after nVidia diagnosed the cause back in febuary 2008.

[Banshee365]

I'm rocking a T60p 15" Hydis Flexview chassis with my old nVidia powered T61p internal components and I couldn't be happier. The T61p setup runs soo much cooler and quieter than the T60p did out of the box and I trust my particular nVidia 570m even when heavily loaded as it has been for over 5 years. I love this machine and couldn't be happier with my frankenpad experience so far.