Seriously, does the hard disk on T60 make noises?

[thinkweird]

I am returning my T43 and thinking maybe I will settle with a quiet T60.

However, I am not sure of the hard disk noise level on T60. So, T60 owners, are you satisfied with the

fan noise
&
harddisk noise

of your laptops?

[RonS]

If your T43 has a hitachi drive, you should first run the Hitachi software and enable acoustic management. Download from this link (scroll down to Feature Tool) http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm

On drives that I've used this tool, the drives become almost totally silent with no measurable decrease in performance.

[thinkweird]

Mine is Toshiba 80G. The spinning is almost as loud as the fan.

[RonS]

I'm fairly certain that Lenovo isn't shipping Toshiba SATA drives in Thinkpads. If you get the T60, you'll get a Hitachi or possibly a Seagate.

[EOMtp]

On T60p units with Hitachi 100GB/7200RPM SATA drives, the fans are absolutely silent (even when blowing) and so are those particular disk drives. Perfect machines. Other disk drives may have less desirable acoustics.

[BillMorrow]

i second the above post..
T60 is as near perfect, in spite of those who nit pick it to death, as any thinkpad i have ever owned..

in fact, i have been practicing with the red and blue nail polish on my X60 and desktop keyboard..

[nelson]

The T60 is lovely quiet. I never notice the hard drive (Toshiba, 100g) and only barely notice the fan when it comes on. If you keep the system at low performance the fan mostly stays off.

[archer6]

T60 is as near perfect, in spite of those who nit pick it to death, as any thinkpad i have ever owned..

You took the words right out of my mouth. After all the ThinkPads I've owned, I find the T60 series the finest laptop ever.

in fact, i have been practicing with the red and blue nail polish on my X60 and desktop keyboard..

This is where I really blew it, as I used a spray can.....

[wallybear]

This is an interesting thread because it rather innocuously touches on two central issues that come up again and again on this forum:

1- Is the T60 the "perfect" laptop (or not)?
and
2- Do I have to worry about <something really minor>?

I've already commented (humorously, I thought) on another thread on the first issue (and got flamed for it). Still, my observation is simply that "while nothing is perfect, some things get [censored] close; close enough to inspire true devotion and fervent forum postings". I have liked ThinkPads (IBM or Lenovo branded) since my first model 365. I liked them even more when I got a 1500i model. I really "fell in love" with my 600X. So, when I went looking for a new one this year, I shopped for a ThinkPad. Early this summer before Lenovo changed its return policy (a fact that has, so far, not been commented on that I know of in this forum), I "auditioned" three current models: a R60, a Z60m, and a T60. I even looked at Lenovo's new 3000 series at my local Office Depot. I ended up returning the R60 and Z60m to Lenovo (yes, I paid for the return shipping so the "audition" wasn't free). I shopped for the best value (to match my uses and budget) on a T60. Once I found a good deal, I called Lenovo/IBM and politely asked for an additional discount. They obliged me with another $100 off and so I got a T60 (2623-D6U for $1200 plus tax). Not the fastest, not the very best video, etc., but a hell of a value.

I will say that each ThinkPad model I auditioned had its own advantages and disadvantages but the T60 was clearly "superior" to the others in ways that mattered to me. All of them were "nice" but the T60 is lighter, more rugged, and better-designed than the others. The fact that it is called the "flagship" of the Lenovo line makes total sense to me. It has compromises (as does everything in life) but it ranks--in my mind--as the finest laptop now available. Why? Well, in addition to what others have said, among the many strengths of the T60 are these things which are rarely mentioned:

1- The ThinkVantage suite of tools. Wow...have you checked these things out!? I say compare them to any other vendor (like HP or Sony, or the maligned Dell). You'll find that nobody has anything that even comes close. Talk about refinement and utility. Wow!

2- The built-in (hardware-based) security chip. If you care about the security of the data you put on your laptop at all then you won't want any machine that is not equipped with a TPM chip like the T60. Enough said. (Oh, and I love the fingerprint reader.)

3- The refinement of the design and the overall construction of the T60 are heads above all the competition, even Sony (which I think is a close second). HP has a nice new series (the DV2000) that is more of a MacBook knock-off (and a good one) than a T60-killer. The SZ series of Sony's is nice, but more fragile and "fussy" than the T60 (I know first hand because I helped my sister buy a SZ280 recently...couldn't talk her into a ThinkPad because she works for the US Government).

4- In spite of the complaints (and there will always be those) the service, support, and reliability of the ThinkPad line (which is being sold by Lenovo and supported by IBM) is clearly superior, even when compared to Apple's and HP's respectable efforts. And don't get me started on Dell....I own some of their products and I've helped many clients purchase and use them...but I don't recommend their laptops. Too fragile, too shoddy, too hard to get them to admit there's a problem and fix it. The cost of the extended warranty is also a big issue for me (the T60 I bought included a 3-year plan). Compare that to Sony or Dell, or HP. The winner? T60.

I could go on and on, but then I would sound like a devoted fan of the ThinkPad T60 (and I can't let any one think that, now can I?). So, I will just add this last comment:

It is helpful to compare issues and problems (such as the noise made by a hard drive) with other users. This forum is invaluable for sharing information. But, and it's a big "but", when someone is nervous or even paranoid (my words) about the standard noise produced by a machine, or about whether a power plug being redesigned is a sign that the end of the world is upon us...well, I have to point out that there are compulsive and obsessive people. They may never be satisfied or comfortable with their purchase. They may scrutinize every speck of dust that falls on their T60's screens....but that doesn't make their worries a big worry for others. It just shows their anxieties and compulsions. (Oh, and if anyone who reads this has an urge to flame me for these remarks, please don't. I'm entitled to my opinion, after all, as are you. ).

So, I'm gonna get back to polishing my T60 and making sure it has no specs of dust on it and that the noise of the hard drive is under 24 decibels. Oh, wait. Maybe I'll just post another reply on this forum instead....

[archer6]

This is an interesting thread because it rather innocuously touches on two central issues that come up again and again on this forum:

1- Is the T60 the "perfect" laptop (or not)?
and
2- Do I have to worry about <something really minor>?

Nice job, wallybear...

I truly enjoyed reading your post.

Cheers...

[hary]

wallybear - really relaxing to read nice,
cheers

[BillMorrow]

when using nail polish (i do NOT recommend a spray can) i suggest using a fine line brush and not the brush that comes with the nail polish..

also, while the color "denim dreams" i used for blue is nice, something less bright might be more appropriate..

[NS]

In my T60, I swapped the 80GB Hitachi with a Samsung 100GB HDD and all i can hear from my T60 is the occasional quiet "Braking" sound. Other than this "braking" sound, i hear nothing.

[thinkweird]

Maybe I just happened to have the bad T43P with unusual noise level.
I like Thinkpads but it does not mean that a good laptop should at most of the time stay quiet.

The durablity of Thinkpad is what I hear often. But its screen is secondary compared to Sony's.

Since I am a poor man, I will go for durablity but other than that, I see no reason not buying a Sony.

[christopher_wolf]

Sony has very short product life cycles; they usually bring a laptop out on the market, then later try to replace it with a newer one.

Also, even though most Sonys have good build quality, they are quite difficult to repair and maintain in the field by the operator.user should they require it. I have seen more than one Sony laptop suffer from this at a key point, such as a presentation, in addition to having nothing near IBM/Lenovo's level of hardware and HMM documentation plus tutorials. Much the same goes for many of the newer Toshiba models, not the older ones.

[archer6]

Maybe I just happened to have the bad T43P with unusual noise level.

I believe your statement above could be quite accurate. After all these are mass produced products and every one cannot be perfect. That's why all major mfgs have service departments and warranties.

The durablity of Thinkpad is what I hear often. But its screen is secondary compared to Sony's.

Yes the great build quality and solid long term track record of reliability of the ThinkPad is well known. These are well engineered laptops born out of years of experience in the professional and business sectors.

To compare the displays can be very misleading. First of all the only appropriate comparison is to place a Sony VAIO on the desk alongside a ThinkPad. Then you are viewing them under the same conditions in regards to ambient light etc. While at first glance the Sony display may seem a bit brighter, you will be surprise during a proper test that there is not a significant difference. In fact most people who use their computers for work and therefore on a daily basis, find the ThinkPad screen the superior of the two.

Since I am a poor man, I will go for durablity but other than that, I see no reason not buying a Sony.

I have had quite a bit of experience with Sony VAIO laptops over the last 8 years. That is not reflected in my signature below, as this is a ThinkPad forum. I can say from that personal experience that I find Sony laptops amongst the most expensive to purchase and own of any laptop. They have a very spotty track record when it comes to durability. This is one of the reasons that large corporations do not use Sony, they are too expensive and cannot be relied upon.

They are poorly built as compared to a ThinkPad with keyboards that are much less sturdy and have a degree of flex that is absent in the well designed keyboards used in ThinkPads. Their cases have far less rigidity than ThinkPad and develop squeeks and other annoyances. The hinges for the display on a ThinkPad are very robust metal pieces that do not fail. Virtually every component in a ThinkPad is of high quality.

Taking all this into consideration, the fact that sony fails sooner, crashes more frequently, all ads up to shorter life before replacement is needed. What good is a computer that does not work? The typical turnaround time to have a Sony repaired is measured in weeks, not days like a ThinkPad. In addition Sony has a very poor service department and once a model is discontinued (which is very often) they support stops as well.

One can buy a used ThinkPad today that is 5 years old and still buy parts and find repairs readily available at a resonable price. This option is not available to Sony owners.

So if money factors into your decision and you want the best value for your dollar a ThinkPad will actually cost you a lot less than a Sony. Even a Sony offered at a good sale price will in the end (which comes far sooner for that brand) you will find that the cost of ownership was very high.

[Kyocera]

my t60 - 2GHz processor, 1.5GB memory, 100GB/5400 HD, 14", 128MB ATI.

Hard drive is quiet, fan is quiet, and it runs cool .
Just wish the wireless (intel) was a little better.