Thinkpads Forum

I used to know the difference between 'non-P' vs 'P' versions of T60's & 61's.

Can someone refresh my memory?

The differences are mainly in GPU and screen options.

T60 vs T60p:

* T60 uses Intel GMA950 / ATI Radeon X1300/X1400 GPUs. T60p uses ATI FireGL V5200/V5250 GPUs (these are more powerful but run hotter)
* Some 15" T60p have been available from the factory with UXGA 1600x1200 IPS LCDs. On a regular 15" T60, the highest you could get short of aftermarket is SXGA+ (1400x1050).

T61 vs T61p:
* T61 uses Intel X3100 / nVidia Quadro NVS 140M GPUs. T61p uses nVidia Quadro FX 570M (again more powerful, hotter).
* Regular T61 was available in 14.1" 4:3, 14.1" wide and 15.4" wide screen sizes. T61p was only available in 14.1" 4:3 and 15.4" wide.
* Note that the FX 570M on 14.1" T61p units was significantly crippled compared to the 15.4" version - having half the RAM (128MB) and have the memory bus (64bit).
* Some T61p 15.4" were available with 1920x1200 (UXGA) resolution. The highest for non-P was 1680x1050 (WSXGA+).
* The nVidia chips used on T61/T61p units belong to the faulty generation of nVidia GPUs, and have extraordinarily high failure rates, and as such are not generally recommended on these forums. X3100-equipped T61s are considered quite reliable.

dr_st wrote:
* The nVidia chips used on T61/T61p units belong to the faulty generation of nVidia GPUs, and have extraordinarily high failure rates, and as such are not generally recommended on these forums. X3100-equipped T61s are considered quite reliable.

Yikes! You might have saved me some $$$ & headaches. I've always been a fan of nVidia and was thinking of replacing my current T-60 (with 128mb ATI X1300) with a T61P with a 256mb nVidia GPU.

I guess now I'll focus instead on a T60P with the FireGL. Any problems noted with the V5200 vs V5250?

I owe so much to this board... I wish I knew enough to contribute back

A question - why do you need a P-unit to begin with?

westsailor wrote:Yikes! You might have saved me some $$$ & headaches. I've always been a fan of nVidia

This Nvidia defect affected not just the T61/61p Thinkpads but also several other laptop brands especially Dell and HP, and it affected not just laptop GPUs but desktop cards as well. When shopping around for laptops or desktop graphics cards, avoid all of Nvidia's G84 and G86 cards, which are listed in this table. But as far as I know, all the other Nvidia GPUs listed in that table are fine.

dr_st wrote:A question - why do you need a P-unit to begin with?

Currently I have a T60 with an ATI X1300. I like it, does everything I need it to except it is just this >< close to being fast enough to play some of the higher end video games. Not a showstopper by any means but...

The most taxing thing I use the laptop for, and dictates my needs performance (CPU/RAM) wise, is as a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation)... mixing/mastering/playback of music (and ergo, my need for a PCMCIA slot.). Otherwise I could probably get away with a lil X3something

Now my T60 is starting to have some odd, intermittent video problems: screen boots up or out of sleep to a missing timing/sync signal (or something). I can eventually get it back to normal by rebooting and/or putting it into/out of sleep a few times.

I just thought if I have to replace my T60 I might as well upgrade to a bigger/badder/faster GPU while I'm at it.

I'd love to buy a T400/410/500/510 but a) I live on a boat and it doesn't make sense to spend too much on a laptop and b) I just can't afford one anyway

I see.

While the V5200/5250 pack quite a bit more punch than an X1300, I doubt it will make a difference in today's high-end games. Then again, it might make a difference if you play games that are a few years old. All depends.

I am not familiar of any issues with either 5200 or 5250, except maybe heat.

I would consider, however, a T400 with ATI 3470 GPU instead, and see if one can be had at a similar price to a T60p (P-units naturally command higher prices). The performance will be similar to V5200/5250, the machine may run cooler, and you'll probably enjoy a faster CPU and more RAM capacity (T60 is limited to 3GB).

what do you run in you pcmicia? RME? How does it feel about being hotswapped? If that is an option you could considder homemade external gfx-solution (unless you game on you tp lcd ofc)
http://forum.notebookreview.com/gaming- ... idock.html
What do you play if I may be so bold? wow? eve?
The answer to this question is crucial to recommending this or that
Personally I would still be soooo stuck in those [censored] mmorpg if it wasn't for some odd compatibility-issue between them and my x3100, now I have time for my DAW again