Thinkpads Forum

I'm about to order a T60(p) w/15" Flexview (non-widescreen) for photography. I want maximum battery life. In viewing the tabook, there is a 2 hour different between video cards and integrated video.
However, the Flexview screen is not available w/o a video card (please correct me if I am wrong). I have never had a non-integrated video card, so I'm assuming the reduced battery life is because of the fan. Am I correct to assume that there will be no difference in battery life with any of the video cards, so I might as well get the T60p. My need for a video card for gaming is zero, though I am considering getting a TV tuner in the future. Does battery life vary with the different video cards? If so, how much?

The tabbook estimates should be assumed to be fairly accurate.

Higher-end video chips use more wattage AND generate more heat to be dissipated, so there is a substantial draw over integrated video.

The advantage to these solutions is significantly better graphics performance in everything (not so much an issue with XP, but this will become PAINFULLY apparent to users that switch to Vista).

Also, manufacturers always mate top-end components. So if you want the flexview display you are going to have to get the non-integrated video.

brentpresley wrote:The tabbook estimates should be assumed to be fairly accurate.

Thanks for the response, but my question was not answered. I apologize if I was not clear enough.
Is there a difference in battery life between the different video cards? ie., the 128MB ATI Mobility Radeon x1400 (or x1300) vs. the 256MB ATI Mobility V5200.

I'm a linux user so Vista requirements are irrelevant to me. I will use Windows solely to check to make sure the hardware works. Then, it will be deleted so fast it would make your head spin!

The battery life estimates are reasonably accurate, but yes the V5200 uses more power than the X1400/X1300. You will lose less than half an hour of battery life I would say.

I got the 15" IPS FlexView, 256MB ATI Mobility V5200 w/ two 9-cell batteries. I was going to get the 9-cell and an UltraBay, until the rep told me the 9-cells were hot-swappable. The price difference between the 9-cell and the 3-cell Ultra-Bay was $18. I was willing to accept having to shut down and restart in the field. Now the waiting begins...

The 9-cell is hot swappable only in the sense that you can Hibernate your system (save all info to disk and shutdown, then restores saved info to resume from your previous operating point) and put a new battery in. To swap any battery, you must have another power source for the machine to remain running (of course) or shut the machine down in some fashion.