Thinkpads Forum

I'm new to Lenovo/IBM computers and buying laptops in general and need some help with the customization. If anyone could take the time to breakdown the different customization options and the pros/cons of each option for me I'd greatly appreciate it. I'm a college student about to start law school and had heard great things about Thinkpads. So if anyone could help I'm in need of some advice, Thanks.

uafanatic1 wrote:If anyone could take the time to breakdown the different customization options and the pros/cons of each option for me I'd greatly appreciate it.

It merely depends on what you want and don't want in your system. Btw which thinkpad are you looking for?

I was looking at the T61 mostly because its gotten the most press but wouldn't be closed off to alternatives. I just don't know the difference with some of the specs like the processors, graphics. Basically I want to know what's worth the money and not. I'm into movies, sports, and music but am not likely to watch a many movies on the computer so its not like a need some big multimedia desktop replacement computer. But I do want something efficient, reliable, and sturdy.

Hello,

The T61 will do everything you want, and even more.

What will you do with this machine, and how many $$$ can you throw in it ?

If you're short on the bucks side, you could consider the R61 too. It's technically a similar machine, but with a little more weight, a little less autonomy, and a little less pricey too. Design is a little different too...

W.

I'm hoping to be able to throw out around 2,000 but probably not more. I'm looking for portability at this point to use in class and such since my old dell laptop is fairly large and always a hassle to carry around.

uafanatic1 wrote:I was looking at the T61 mostly because its gotten the most press but wouldn't be closed off to alternatives. I just don't know the difference with some of the specs like the processors, graphics. Basically I want to know what's worth the money and not. I'm into movies, sports, and music but am not likely to watch a many movies on the computer so its not like a need some big multimedia desktop replacement computer. But I do want something efficient, reliable, and sturdy.

As of this moment we are expecting some more T61 models from Lenovo to be released in next few weeks/perhaps a month time which will feature technologies like integrated built-in camera, higher graphics and more lcd/display options.

So right now I can either suggest T60p (directly from lenovo you'll find it in 15.4 WSXGA+ TFT lcd/display with ATI Mobility Fire GL V5250 256MB graphics card, comes either with 6 or 9 cell battery) or T61 (the latest model with Intel Santa Rosa chipset comes with either Intel GMA X3100 or nVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M graphics card in 14.1 WXGA TFT or 14.1 WXGA+ TFT displays as of this point. Comes either with 4, 6 or 7 cell battery configuration) to you. Read T61 review, and see if you like what you see.

Also go here and make yourself familiarize with lcd offerings from lenovo.

I don't mind waiting on models that may be better for me, i'm just not sure what those would be. I'm also interested in which upgrade options when customizing are worth it and which are not.

This would probably be easier, ok here are some questions i have about the T61

1. Graphics - Whats the difference between the Intel GMA X3100 GM965 w/ 1394 and the nVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M and is the nVidia worth the extra money?

2. Processor - How different are the different processors (T7100, T7300, T7500, T7700), does one give you more bang for your buck?

3. Display - WXGA vs WXGA+, what's the difference?

4. Memory - How much is sufficient and what does 2 or 1 DIMM mean?

5. Hard Drive - Is there really a significant difference between 5400 rpm and 7200 rpm and is it worth the money to upgrade?

6. Optical - is the DVD recordable 8x max dual layer a good option? will this burn dvds and cd-r or rws?

7. Expansion slot options are way over my head.

8. What is the difference in the wireless cards?

9. Is WWAN a good option and can you get it and not have to sign up for the service immediately and just have it in case I want it later?

10. A lot of battery criticisms throughout reviews, what is the choice here?

11. What is the best option for your money as far as warranties go?

12. Is an ac adapter included in the package or do you have to check the box under accessories and pay 53.10 in order to get one? Is an extra battery worth it?

Thanks, I appreciate all the help. I know this is a lot, sorry if its inconvenient.

1. The integrated graphics can handle anything short of games and encoding. The X3100 should be able to handle DVD playback easily.

2. It just depends on how much speed you need. I have a 2ghz processor, and it works fine.

3. Just higher resolution. I have SXGA+, but if you dont need high res, then XGA is fine on a 14 in, but if you prefer high res, SXGA+ is great for a 14 or 15in screen.

4. For Vista 1GB works, but 2GB is great. 1-2 dimms indicates how many memory cards are being used to achieve that amount of memory. Thinkpads generally have two slots, so if it comes with 1GB in 1 dimm, then you should have one slot left to add memory.

5. Many people prefer 7200 rpm drives, and they are faster. Just search around the forum, there are many discussions about this.

6. That drive can record DVDs and CDs, including dual layer DVDs. It is a good option if you plan to ever burn DVDs.

8. Most thinkpads come with cards that support A/B/G. Some of the new ones support N, but thats unnecessary unless you plan to buy an expensive N router, and you probably dont have an internet connection that class regardless.

9. If you are getting this as a business laptop and need constant access to the internet anywhere, sure it is nice, but absolutely not necessary outside of that circumstance. You do not have to sign up for service immediately.

10. T60s have good battery life under XP. There are criticisms of battery life under Vista.

11. Business thinkpads come with a 3-4 year warranty, and you can buy thinkplus insurance with it.

12. They all come with AC adapters. I wouldnt buy an extra battery, but some might.

uafanatic1 wrote:1. Graphics - Whats the difference between the Intel GMA X3100 GM965 w/ 1394 and the nVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M and is the nVidia worth the extra money?

With Intel's card you get firewire port which is good for ipod users/digital cameras but nVidia chip has more and better benchmark results.

2. Processor - How different are the different processors (T7100, T7300, T7500, T7700), does one give you more bang for your buck?

For a normal user, it does not matter much. T7300 is more than perfect for your needs.

3. Display - WXGA vs WXGA+, what's the difference?

Screen resolutions of 1440×900 and 1680×1050 are called WXGA+ or WSXGA respectively.They have the lesser used aspect ratios of 16:10/8:5 (widescreen) and resolutions falling between that of WXGA and WSXGA+. See this for more details.

Wide XGA (WXGA) is a set of non standard resolutions derived from the XGA display standard by widening it to a wide screen aspect ratio. WXGA is generally understood to refer to a resolution of 1366×768, with an aspect ratio of 16:9. See this for more info.

4. Memory - How much is sufficient and what does 2 or 1 DIMM mean?

2GB is more than enough in today's world. 2 DIMMs mean (1+1) memory sticks and 1 means only one. For instance 512MB+512MB=1GB or 1GB solely.

5. Hard Drive - Is there really a significant difference between 5400 rpm and 7200 rpm and is it worth the money to upgrade?

7200 rpm is relatively faster.

6. Optical - is the DVD recordable 8x max dual layer a good option? will this burn dvds and cd-r or rws?

DVD Recordable option gives you the boast of burning Dvd+-RW (CD-R or RW's too).

7. Expansion slot options are way over my head.

You can configure for smart card reader if you do alot of file transferring from memory cards.

8. What is the difference in the wireless cards?

9. Is WWAN a good option and can you get it and not have to sign up for the service immediately and just have it in case I want it later?

You choose WWAN and get the service whenever you want but you won't get Turbo memory option which is designed to cooperate with Vista to improve system performance, according to the review.

10. A lot of battery criticisms throughout reviews, what is the choice here?

Lenovo sacrificed battery life for performance and fan noise reduction.

11. What is the best option for your money as far as warranties go?

3 years is fair enough.

12. Is an ac adapter included in the package or do you have to check the box under accessories and pay 53.10 in order to get one? Is an extra battery worth it?

Yes it's included. Depends on your work, you can get an extra battery if you really see the need of it.

so the nVidia can run games and stuff but the intel can't? Which is integrated and what does that mean?

So the dvd drive can't record cds? If i want to record cds as well would it be cheaper to get the dvd drive that is included with the computer and then buy a seperate cd-recordable drive?

And thanks for all ya'lls help, i really appreciate it.

uafanatic1 wrote:so the nVidia can run games and stuff but the intel can't? Which is integrated and what does that mean?

Both can run games to an extent as Thinkpads are business machine. nVidia is a discrete graphics chip and Intel an integrated.

Integrated graphics solutions, or shared graphics solutions are graphics processors that utilize a portion of a computer's system RAM rather than dedicated graphics memory. Such solutions are typically far less expensive to implement in comparison to dedicated graphics solutions, but at a trade-off of being far less capable and are generally considered unfit to play modern games as well as run graphically intensive programs such as Adobe Flash (examples of such IGPs would be offerings from SiS and VIA circa 2004.

uafanatic1 wrote:So the dvd drive can't record cds? If i want to record cds as well would it be cheaper to get the dvd drive that is included with the computer and then buy a seperate cd-recordable drive?

Sorry I made the mistake, it can record cd's too.

Its cool man, thanks I appreciate all your help. So what sort of things are rumored to be coming in other models of T61 in the near future?

uafanatic1 wrote:Its cool man, thanks I appreciate all your help. So what sort of things are rumored to be coming in other models of T61 in the near future?

Better lcd/display types, integrated camera option, higher gpu with 256MB offerings and Blu-ray drive option as well. Things will be more sweeter in T61p offering.

what kind of lcd types and what is GPU?

GPU= graphics processing unit or simply a graphics card.

Higher lcd panels like WSXGA+. I encourage you to go here
and get yourself familiarize with these terms.

aight thanks man I appreciate your help. I don't think i have any more questions right now but if i do i'll bump the thread back up. Thanks.

On the subject of warranties, I'd definitely consider the accident protection -- particularly if you're going to be carrying the computer around campus on a daily basis. Hard bumps (if not actual drops) are almost inevitable and there is always a risk of spills. Thinkpads are extremely well-built, but even the spill resistant keyboard may not withstand a 12-oz cup of java. The regular warranty does not cover accidents of any kind, but the accident protection warranty will and the price is usual quite reasonable when using the higher ed/student purchase contracts.

Are you going to be travelling to law school or will you be staying on campus? If you need portability, going with a 14.1" screen would be the better option. The models that will be coming out will most likely be bigger screens for the t61 and maybe a standard 14" screen.

Also, when does your school start? It'll most likely take you a month to get your laptop. I'm also going to law school in august, and since I'll be travelling by train and subway a 14" screen was necessary. If you need anymore help feel free to ask.

This would probably be easier, ok here are some questions i have about the T61

1. Graphics - Whats the difference between the Intel GMA X3100 GM965 w/ 1394 and the nVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M and is the nVidia worth the extra money?

The Intel X3100 is an onboard graphics solution build directly into the motherboard. It is advantageous in that it uses significantly less power (and creates less heat) than a dedicated solution. However, it is much slower and uses system memory. The NVS 140M is going to be quite a bit faster, but it also uses more power and creates more heat.

For you, the X3100 is quite a sufficient choice.

2. Processor - How different are the different processors (T7100, T7300, T7500, T7700), does one give you more bang for your buck?

I would suggest going with the T7300. This gives you the extra 2MB of L2 cache, which not costing a lot for the upgrade. This will be quite sufficient for your application.

3. Display - WXGA vs WXGA+, what's the difference?

WXGA+ has more pixels (1440 x 900) compared to WXGA. The WXGA+ is most definately a worthwhile upgrade.

4. Memory - How much is sufficient and what does 2 or 1 DIMM mean?

You want 2GB of memory certainly. You can save about $100 by getting 1GB (1 DIMM) from Lenovo and purchasing another 1 DIMM 1GB module from a e-tailer (like www.newegg.com) and installing it yourself. If you don't want to deal with the hassle (sounds like you won't), just get it from Lenovo.

5. Hard Drive - Is there really a significant difference between 5400 rpm and 7200 rpm and is it worth the money to upgrade?

7200RPM is significantly faster (and worthwhile) compared to the 5400RPM. There is nothing more annoying than waiting for your system to start up or load. The two most significant aspects that affect load time are hard drive speed and amount of memory (reffering to the memory in question #4)

6. Optical - is the DVD recordable 8x max dual layer a good option? will this burn dvds and cd-r or rws?

7. Expansion slot options are way over my head.

Just stick with the default selection!

8. What is the difference in the wireless cards?

The highest prices card (Intel AGN) has the new draft N wireless technology. This is somewhat useless depending on what kind of router you will be working off of. If you want it to be future proof, get the Intel AGN wireless. If not, any wireless solution will work.

9. Is WWAN a good option and can you get it and not have to sign up for the service immediately and just have it in case I want it later?

You can get it and not have to sign up immediately. WWAN subscriptions are expensive ($50+ per month). I would not get the card unless you know 100% that you will be getting it.

10. A lot of battery criticisms throughout reviews, what is the choice here?

This is a question of how much weight (and size) bother you and if you are willing to spend the money. If you can afford it and don't care about weight / size, get the 7 cell.

11. What is the best option for your money as far as warranties go?

12. Is an ac adapter included in the package or do you have to check the box under accessories and pay 53.10 in order to get one? Is an extra battery worth it?

It does come with an AC adapter. If you want a car / plane adapter you will have to buy that separately.

Thanks, I appreciate all the help. I know this is a lot, sorry if its inconvenient.

Thanks Paul that summary was very helpful. Another question for anyone, does Lenovo hold sales like the Memorial day sale (25% discount) fairly regularly throughout the year or is it a once in a blue moon type deal? And as far as i can tell the Student discount will help out some too.

I've been looking at the Lenovo site for the past 6 months in preparation for upgrading my laptop and I have never seen a single instance when Lenovo was NOT holding a sale. Holiday sale, Valentine's day sale, St. Patrick's day, etc etc etc... Marketing remains what it is, the only difference is how good the particular "sale" happens be to at the moment. This current 25% off is one of the better ones I've seen recently.

Thanks, I appreciate it. I'm thinking I will wait and see what the other model T61 are going to be and here some reviews of these first ones before making the purchasing decision but all this help has been great.

uafanatic1 wrote:And as far as i can tell the Student discount will help out some too.

Discussion about sale on lenovo's website is openly welcomed however any kind of epp/student discount is prohibited as per forum rules.
Please refrain from asking or commenting about it.

The current sale price for lenovo T61 is very very sweet. If I had spare $$$'s and were a user in need I would've grabbed one before it was over.

Paul386 wrote:The highest prices card (Intel AGN) has the new draft N wireless technology. This is somewhat useless depending on what kind of router you will be working off of. If you want it to be future proof, get the Intel AGN wireless. If not, any wireless solution will work.

You speak as if the Atheros card isn't "future proof".

You may also want to take a look at the X Series. I have an X31 and it is a terrific machine especially for carring around all day. It doesn't have a built in optical drive, this may be important for you, it wasn't for me. The USB memory sticks are better than optical media but I don't use my pc for DVDs so that might be an issue. Also, loading software usually requries an optical drive. I would map an optical drive from my desktop and use that for loading software or use a usb drive.

The X Series will probably be refreshed with Santa Rosa very soon as "leaks" are now showing up on the web.

That said, I ordered a T61 as I needed a larger screen and it doesn't look like the X Series is going to get a 13" LCD. As you can read on this forum, there is a lot of crisitsim of the T61 and I agree with some of it but I just don't see a better machine out there. I checked out the Mac Book and the Sony before buying the T61 and the keyboard on both were disappointing, especially the MAC where the keys seem to have a lot of play especially the space bar.

Regards-Michael G.