Thinkpads Forum

Hey everyone, great forum, this is my first post.

I'm starting architecture school this fall, and I'm considering these laptops:

- Lenovo Thinkpad T61p (NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M 256MB)
- Lenovo Thinkpad T61 (NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M 128MB)
- Dell Latitude D830 (NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M 256MB)

I've read a bunch of reviews and all three look like great laptops, but I haven't been able to determine which Graphics card would be best for AutoCAD. I'm not into gaming at all, and the rest of the time I'll be using the laptop mostly for web browsing and MS Office...

Which one of those should I get?

Thanks!

Welcome to the forums.

The second option ( Lenovo Thinkpad T61 (NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M 128MB) is a great balance between performance and cost, and I think it will work with autocad pretty well. If you want a GPU with more memory, go for option #1. It really depends on how much your budget is ...

ps: were you at UF?

I can go as high as about $2,500 for the laptop, but I wouldn't want to spend that much if I don't have to.

I read that the Quadro NVS cards are mostly for business applications, whereas the Quadro FX cards are more adequate for 3D design and stuff like that.

Basically I'm wondering whether there is such a big difference between the two that I should definitely go for the FX, or can the NVS do the job?


gator: yes, i went to UF (class of 97, business major but now i'm switching to architecture). you did too?

my T42p (2gb ram + UXGA + 128mb ATI FireGL) runs both autocad and solidworks without any issues.   i'd say that anything with a 128 or 256mb GPU and enough screen resolution should be suffice but would recommend the 256mb quadro FX 570M if you can afford it.

T61p allows you to have WUXGA screen while T61 doesn't.

thanks for the responses.

has anyone else here been using AutoCAD on a 128mb Quadro NVS-like card? If so, how is it performance-wise?

My friehnd here runs autocad wit absolutely no issues on on his T60 with the 128 MB ATI X1400 card. Ofcourse, a 256 MB card will be sweeter ... as I said, it depends on your budget. if you can afford it a WUXGA T61p with the 256 MB card will be AMAZING and will last you for years ...

If you ask me, even a T60p will nicely suit your needs too ... depends on what you want to spend.

ps: I am a PhD student at UF

PCmag reviews that the T61p with 9cell and adapter on travel is 7lb, very heavy if you ask me.

I'm using a T60p, 15" flexview screen, ATI FireGL V5250, 2GB RAM, 7200 RPM drive, T7200 @ 2Ghz and I find AutoCAD runs pretty well indeed. A wireless mouse helps a lot. Get the fast drive!

XIII wrote:PCmag reviews that the T61p with 9cell and adapter on travel is 7lb, very heavy if you ask me.

But the 90W adaptor alone is 14oz.

Ive run solidworks on an X24 with an radeon 8mb card without a problem....well, if slowness isnt a problem! I currently run solidworks and autocad on the ati x1400 128mb, and it looks terrific. In my opinion, if you can go with the ISV CAD certified gpu, get it, but even on the lower end gpus, itll run just fine. And on the 2-d autocad drawings, there really isnt that much info that needs to be rendered as opposed to say, some 3-d games, which most of these thinkpads can also do just fine.

If I were you, for around 2500, Id pick up a base t61 and a tablet x or something, as opposed to just one tricked out t series....but thats just my opinion!

If you don't want portability or merely will do it occasionally then T61p is for you.

I just ordered a T61 for many reasons. One was the trusty keyboard nipple mouse. When using it to scroll in AutoCad will it zoom like the roller button on my desk top mouse does? I heard the touch pad scroll (up-down in right hand side) will not but the nipple mouse will. This was a question i asked many folks before i found this forum. If it does scroll AWESOME!!!! if it doesn't i should get cracking on buying a MoGo mouse with scroll http://www.newtonperipherals.com/mogo_mouseX54.html before tuition is due. In AutoCAD and some GIS programs i use that scrolling zoom so much that i go through quite a few mice.

I wish rather than a button between the mouse buttons that turns the nipple into a scroll level that IBM had just put a scroll wheel or variable speed scroll lever in that spot. Save a step?

Thanks for your help,
Pete

If you will do 2D AutoCAD only and moderate use of external references and relatively small drawings (20Mb) anything will work. For 3D AutoCAD and especially for AutoCAD 2007 & 2008 a 3D enabled card will do the job, otherwise the experience will be frustrating. RAM is very critical 2GB is OK, 3GB with RamDisk is exceptional. Read my signature for my current system for AutoCAD 2006, it is fast even with very large drawings (over 100Mb).

In AutoCAD mouse is one of the most important tools, do not skimp on it. The "nipple" doesn't work for panning, unfortunately. I suggest getting a trackball, I suffer of RSI already, wireless mice are too heavy and will stress the wrist too much. I used a Logitech MX 610 Laser Cordless Mouse, a very good mouse, but it was killing me due to weight. Now I'm using a Logitech TrackMan Wheel and it's very comfortable on my wrist and is a fraction of the wireless mouse. Trackballs don't need panning surface so are good for traveling when "desk" space is very limited.

For intensive CAD you need a powerful station and a comfortable interface (display, mouse, keyboard), personally I prefer comfort over speed. I do lots of CAD and in the long run it matters very much to finish what I have to do without headaches or wrist aches.

For desk work a docking station is a must, the 15" UXGA IPS display is no match for 22" display, a NMB keyboard isn't even closer to a Logitech G15 or G11 keyboard.

Good luck on picking your laptop, it's a tough task especially when budget is limited.

Regards,
v.

Vali wrote: Now I'm using a Logitech TrackMan Wheel and it's very comfortable on my wrist and is a fraction of the wireless mouse. Trackballs don't need panning surface so are good for traveling when "desk" space is very limited. ... v.

Vali,
I'll second that emotion on the Logitech TrackMan Wheel. I've been using them for years now and it has spared me a lot of pain, literally. I don't know if you are a lefty but I've become one in my trackballing. Started out using the TrackMan on my right hand and eventually switched to left. Now I find it hard to go back to the right. Anyway, great piece of equipment.
DenTP4rm

Vali wrote:...The "nipple" doesn't work for panning...

I don't plan on using the thinkpad “as is” for extended GIS or autocad work. I have a huge monitor and external usb mouse that works well. But when on a bus or in the field the computer will be as is. I use the scroll wheel on my desktop mouse ALOT when zooming in and out... never for ‘panning.’ If you don’t mind could you boot up autocad, push the scroll button and manipulate the keyboard nipple up+down. Does it zoom like the mouse scroll wheel on a standard mouse?

(I am trying to find a used digitizer pad, like I learned on back in the mid 90's, for quick selection nothing beats it. The mice/pucks on pads don’t have a scroll wheel, which as you can tell I am fond of especially when doing complex 3d stuff. I hope the pad can run concurrently with my desktop mouse, we will see).

It's not working, no matter what value I assign to MBUTTONPAN.

A mouse is needed to pan and zoom decently. You can hit zoom with 2 spaces to go into zoom but is not the type tou are used to.

It resembles what was like in AutoCAD R14 not like we have now, which was introduced starting with AutoCAD2000.

I switched over to touchpad and the results are the same.

/edit

I currently run AutoCAD 2006 (R 16.2).

/edit

A driver must be introduced, but I guess that Autodesk should handle that together with Lenovo.

Sorry for the bad news,
v.

thank you, that info is helping me plan.