Need help choosing a T61

[Oro]

I have spent a fair amount of time studying old threads to help choose a new-to-me Thinkpad. I’ve been using a T43 XGA machine a while, and it’s not satisfied me, and needs a new screen. I had a T42p Flexview before that, lost to the GPU problem. I have considered T60s, T61s, and T400s. The properly configured, latter T61s seem to offer about all a T400 does, and be more widely available and cheaper. I have sifted through many ads and specs, and located these two T61s for sale locally I can get in the next few days. I would appreciate comments about which appears the more desirable of the two.

Both are:
a) Clean from a careful original owner
b) With Win 7, 4GB memory.
c) Both right at $200 (opinion on cost?)

Candidate 1:
T61p, T7300, 100GB 7200rpm drive, NVS 570M, 1680x1050. Build 08/09, 6458-CTO.

Candidate 2:
T61, T9300, 160GB 7200rpm drive, NVS 140M, 14.1” 1440x900 LCD. Verifying post 08/08 build, 7665-FA1.

So, assuming #2 is post 08/08 and thus the Nvidia issue is neutral on it as well, opinions?

I not going to lug it around much so the size/weight is not a big deal, though I do find the smaller size handier. I don’t do any graphics-intensive gaming, though occasionally stream video and would value quality video. Drive size is unimportant; 100GB is adequate. I don’t have experience with either of those screen types so comparisons there, and how they’ll perform with those chips and GPUs is valued. Even if #1 can be upgraded to T9300, I doubt I’d do it? I probably would get an 80GB or 100GB SSD for whichever I buy, however.

[ajkula66]

Welcome to the forum!

If the machine # 1 is really 08/09, at $200 that's a no-brainer in my book. The board alone is worth more, and the WSXGA+ LCD is more desirable than WXGA+ in my opinion.

[Oro]

Thanks for the welcome and the advice. My instinct was #1, also, but unsure.

It is date code 08/09, which I now understand to mean Sept 2008 (yy/mm), so that's still good. #2 turned out to be 08/05, so not a great candidate. Looks like #1 it is then. Now I'll ponder Penryn, SSD, bios, etc.

[ajkula66]

Yes, 08/09 = September of 2008.

These are fine machines, plagued by bad reputation gained from the whole nVidia scenario. I'm fairy certain you'll enjoy yours.

Good luck.

[TuuS]

Check this out out carefully, I've never seen a T61p of that vintage with a T7300 cpu, so get the serial number and lookup the parts it came with, if the cpu was changed, the board probably was too and you don't want that, but I definitely agree a T61p 08/09 is worth $200 even after it rolls down a flight of stairs lol They are very uncommon.

When you get it make sure the bios serial matches the label on the bottom, then I'd check the board fru number and the date on the nVidia chip which should be 082x, where x=0-9, anything before or after would be suspect. What worries me is that there are only two ways you can get one of these for $200, the seller doesn't know what he has, or it's not what it appears.

Good Luck

[Oro]

Thanks, TuuS. I'll check it out thoroughly. I can't open it up pre-purchase, but signs all point to it being legitimate. I understand your reservations. Thanks for the details on how to do so; that's very helpful.

[Oro]

Check this out out carefully, I've never seen a T61p of that vintage with a T7300 cpu,

As a final footnote, it turns out they did ship them configured as such at this late date.

The lenovo support s/n look up shows it was indeed built with the penryn board (44c3931) and a T7300 (42W7655). The s/n and parts all match; indeed nothing appears to have been opened at all before. The warranty expiration date also jives with the build/sale date Sept. 08. (warranty expired end of sept. 2011). So, I guess they were perfectly willing to CTO a machine with that chip then, even a /p with the 570M and 1680 screen.

I had not looked at one in the flesh before; I had assumed it would be around the size of my old T42p. This puppy is WWWWW>>>I>>>D>>>E!

Thanks you all for your help so far (there will be more, I'm sure).