Thinkpads Forum

Weighing and sizing thinkpad options

I am posting this in T6x because
- Most of the laptops I am considering as a part of this discussion fall into the T6x zone except for the X60 SXGA+

Also this is dedicated to all the Uber High Resolution Geeks ... esp Pianowizard and the other QXGA modders.

So this is what I have on my plate:

CURRENT WORKHORSE:

17" Dell 9300
WUXGA - I love high resolutions 1920 x 1200
80G
2G RAM
256MB Nvidia Video Ge Force.. etc
BT w Widcomm etc..

One big benefit of wide screen - The biggest benefit being able to see 2 pages of a DOC or PDF side by side. Being able to stack 2 windows side by side
High Res screen benefits - Crisp clear text, vector graphics & images, more real working space for WORKING.. etc.

Issues:
1. Heavy
2. At times gets "very hot" - Typically runs quite warm

It used to have this semi grainy screen especially something a lot of people noticed on Notebook forums. But, I think I've gotten used it and dont see it anymore or take the "sort of self-weave whites" as they are.

ANOTHER MACHINE I USED TO HAVE:
14" T42 w SXGA+
2 GB RAM
40 or 60 GB HDD
ATI Card

SCENARIO:
I used to use it on the LAP (my favourite place to work on the laptop.. On a recliner / chair with ottoman + laptop on lap) ..

PROBLEM:
But the ability to pick it up & shove it to the side was not that great.

Considering that a 14" T42 SXGA+ was like a small notebook that I could dump on the bed, walk off, do whatever I want come back. Not have to worry about it needing cooling
With the the 9300 I had to put it in the inverted V position i.e. like this /\ on the bed and then leave so that its not burning up while I come back.

The T42 spoiled me in one way - I would be able to use it while sitting on the "pot" & browse + type away. Magazines do not do it anymore... he he



MACHINE REQUIREMENTS:
I typically use the following things:

WORK:
Internet - Lots and lots of IE / Firefox windows typically - I typically have 2-3 levels of windows on my taskbar or in Firefox Tabs. I am thinking of getting a tabbed version of IE or even IE7. Lets see.
Outlook 2003 - Maybe going to 2007 - Pretty much always open.
Word - Proposals, Diagrams, Roadmaps, Charts etc.
Diagramming - Visio & Powerpoint - Lots of micro drawings showing fine lines, Scenarios, Organizational Relationships & Interconnections, Process models & maps etc - e.g.
Modeling Tools - Process, Strategy..Data, Business Architecture, Enterprise Architecture .etc.
Code Tools with High Resolution (mostly in the past) - Now use it typically once in a while to LOOK AT - XML Schemas, etc.
Virtual Machines with (Sometimes without VMs - SAP Netweaver, IBM Websphere, Oracle, MS Biztalk & etc Integration Platforms, Business Process Modeling & Management Suites, Enterprise Architecture Tools - Telelogic, Troux etc. )
Lots of PDF Creation & Viewing

Once in a while - Macromedia Dreamweaver & Flash, Adobe Photoshop,

PLAY:
Watch movies - DVD, DivX, X-Vid,
Music - Typical mp3s ala Winamp, WmPlayer & some Digital Library Tools - Sometimes some DJ / Mixing / Sound Editing Tools

I bought the 9300 with 256MB Nvidia Video Ge Force.. etc so that I might play game on it - I paid a premium of couple of hundred dollars to get that card but in 2-3 years, not ONCE have I played a game on that laptop or any other computer.

ADDITIONAL:
Writing a personal & professional journal using some bloggin tools - Wordpress + Windows Live Writer


FUTURE THOUGHTS & OPTIONS:

14" SXGA+ T4x, T6x: (HAD ONE)

I've used this size profile and would probably use it again.

15" UXGA T4x, T6x: (NEVER HAD ONE)

I've not used this one but the legends and likeability of so many people around LIKING the IPS screen + Real estate is tempting me to check it out.

15.4" Widescreen T6x: (NEVER HAD ONE)

Motivation from this one is the WUXGA 1920 x 1200 real estate.

--------------------------------------------------------
I know from reading the forums that there are 2 camps on this - 15" 4:3 UXGA v/s 15.4" Widescreen 16:9 WUXGA.

PLUS.. being the high resolution freak that I am - I'D LOVE THE EXTRA REAL ESTATE over the 14". Then again I wonder if the weight size will cause me to like it less on the whole compared to the 14" SXGA+.

One big benefit of wide screen - The biggest benefit being able to see 2 pages of a DOC or PDF side by side. The biggest benefit being able to see 2 pages of a DOC or PDF side by side. I also typically STACK Windows Side by side to see 2 apps or do comparison reading or read on one side & take notes on the other side.

Ofcourse, the opposite being the ones who want the taller / traditional UXGA for more VERTICAL SPACE.

12.1" SXGA+ Tablet:

The additional abilities:
- To take notes & save them on the machine - Not have to go searching for my pages & pads. It'll always be there to refer - Text, Writing and Freehand diagrams
- To Annotate, Review & Comment on documents, diagrams etc as if it were a printed piece of paper.
For some reason I am able to FIND issues with document - writing, flow, vocabulary etc when I PRINT & REVIEW the document v/s when I am scrolling through it on the computer. I am wondering if that BENEFIT will be applicable to the Tablet.
- Great for presentations & Ultra portable -
- Add Dock with big screen and its great to have.

FINAL QUESTIONS:

- I know each of the above have their own PROS & CONS and I could only determine which ONE(S) fit my SCENARIO(s) most by SEEING / USING them personally.

- I hate having multiple machines - especially when I am not able to SYNCH / REPLICATE - Files, Applications / Application Configurations (I like to organize and get to a certain point with how the apps should be) etc over multiple machines.

- But at the same time, I've wondered if the solution to my dilemma is to have multiple machines for these purposes.

Ideally a 14" QXGA Tablet Thinkpad would solve most of the above problems. He he.. I am dreaming .. LOL!.

But I think Pianowizard is one person who I can relate to from the perspective of GEEKINESS . Go figure..

Anyways, I'd love all of your thoughts and hopefully hearing them will help me figure out a plan of:
- Check them all out in person - Some DREAM store has them somewhere?
- Buy them all and let the favorites rise to the top
- Go visit one of the cities / people who have A HUGE bunch of these that you can play with for while to figure out what you want - Pianowizard.. "hypnotizing" move down to Houston with all your laptops.. move down... down.. ur feeling sleepy... very tired..

ADDITIONAL:

I do want to try and install later to play around with:
- Mac OS X
- Ubuntu Linux

my vote is for a 15.4" WUXGA T61p.   i'm very happy with mine.

i used it on my lap last night for about five hours (plugged in) and it ran slightly cooler than the T42p that it replaced.   considering the fact that it's twice as fast in every respect, that's impressive.

i'll miss having the 15" IPS UXGA panel from my T42p but the extra real estate of WUXGA definitely makes up for it.   it would be difficult for me to go back.   i'm now a fan of widescreen so long as resolution is high enough.

anyway, that's my two cents on the topic.

Thanks.

112 views and one reply. I thought if I articulated enough, people would have some interesting thoughts & feedback.

Pianowizard - Where art thou? No comments..?

Humn well, first and foremost:

You said you wanted to play around with Ubuntu. Not only would i recommend KDE instead og Gnome - but i think nVidia based graphics have better support and performance under Linux. The fglrx proprietary ATi driver is quite buggy, and is slower - not that it isn't usable. You just should expect X to boot from the beginning with accelerated graphics.
If you use Wine, set it up BEFORE installing fglrx.

You want to watch movies? Well, will it be Full HD? If it is, the widescreen it is. Else i'd go for a flexview - or if you are multiple people viewing on the same screen - flexview.

To me viewing documents side by side with widescreen is a very nice feature, but alas - eventhough people tell me that the eyes see things in "widescreen", is still had to move my eyes considerably to find what i was looking for. Note that this was not on a thinkpad, so it might be different.

I think you should meet up with someone before ordering. One with a flexview of some sort, and one with a WUXGA laptop - could be T61p.

Troels wrote:Humn well, first and foremost:

You said you wanted to play around with Ubuntu. Not only would i recommend KDE instead og Gnome - but i think nVidia based graphics have better support and performance under Linux. The fglrx proprietary ATi driver is quite buggy, and is slower - not that it isn't usable. You just should expect X to boot from the beginning with accelerated graphics.
If you use Wine, set it up BEFORE installing fglrx.

You want to watch movies? Well, will it be Full HD? If it is, the widescreen it is. Else i'd go for a flexview - or if you are multiple people viewing on the same screen - flexview.

To me viewing documents side by side with widescreen is a very nice feature, but alas - eventhough people tell me that the eyes see things in "widescreen", is still had to move my eyes considerably to find what i was looking for. Note that this was not on a thinkpad, so it might be different.

I think you should meet up with someone before ordering. One with a flexview of some sort, and one with a WUXGA laptop - could be T61p.

ADDITIONAL:

I do want to try and install later to play around with:
- Mac OS X
- Ubuntu Linux

Yes - But all that is LOW priority at this point. The SIZE, WEIGHT, SCREEN etc Usability is higher on my CHECKLIST at this point.

Then I would look at chipsets LATER to see which are most compatible.