Thinkpads Forum

Hi there....got a question about maybe picking up a new machine.....

I've been an exclusive TP user for about 15yrs.....but not an techie or enthusiast or anything.....I just have one at a time......for use as desktop replacement. I typically buy second-hand or refurb high-end machines when they are about 3yrs old.....and keep them for 3 or 4 years. I've had 765, 770, A31, T42p recently. Like many of you I am sure, I buy them for the keyboard, the Trackpoint, the build quality and the display. No games or video stuff......not a "power user" by any means.

Anyway, I have had a T42p for the last three years, which has been pretty decent. I bought it for the 15" Flexview screen, which I love. As it is getting older I am thinking about replacing it.....specifically with a T61p. I'm looking for opinions on this proposal....good idea? Basically, I want a bit newer, faster, fancier model of what I have. Again, keyboard, Trackpoint and display are the most important features to me. Will T61p fit the bill or is there a better alternative?

Also, I see there are different display resolutions available for T61p. How do they compare? Is the 1920 considered much better than the 1680? I'm considering the 1680......how will it compare with my 1600 Flexview? I can stare at this thing all day and my eyes are fine.....looking to "upgrade" to the same experience. Thoughts?

Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

The T61p screens will be a significant downgrade from your T42 quality wise. I'd say if you want a newer machine with a good screen, then the T60 is the way to go, but you're looking at a machine who's backlight is four years old and may have dimmed some or a lot. 3GB is memory limit on T60 machines if you care. The pixel density is quite high on a 15" WUXGA. Some like it, but I think most would say it's too small. Probably the best screen offered on the T61 is the LG WSXGA+.

If you like the T42p then you will love the T60p. I believe the T61p does not compare...and you may not like the wide format version. Just some thoughts from someone that had two T60p's and still misses them.

I made this series of upgrades A22p, A30p, A31p, T42p (UXGA), T43p (UXGA), T60p (UXGA) and really don't know what to do next. We do have one T61p 15.4in but it cannot compare to IPS/AFFS screens.

On top of that, an out of warranty T61 with nVidia GPU failed. Fortunately Lenovo replaced it as "engineering change".

sjthinkpader wrote:I made this series of upgrades A22p, A30p, A31p, T42p (UXGA), T43p (UXGA), T60p (UXGA) and really don't know what to do next. We do have one T61p 15.4in but it cannot compare to IPS/AFFS screens.

On top of that, an out of warranty T61 with nVidia GPU failed. Fortunately Lenovo replaced it as "engineering change".

If you want a good screen the 8540w with the dreamcolor 2 should be on your radar.

Buy an external monitor(24" is smallest in WUXGA 1920x1200 format, if you want hi-res), pick up a cheap SSD and go to town. Will amaze you with a nice big display and a rejuvenated laptop.

If you go with lower res, you can buy <24" and save a few more bucks.

Used monitor on ebay, new SSD <$100 from egghead or ebay; you're in biz and still have your laptop for portable usage.

I've been using Z61p laptops for a few years for casual web browsing. Started using monitors a while back(very nice), and shoved in an SSD a few months ago. I was amazed by how much faster the box ran. Should be good for quite a while now.

Hi Barker!

The T4xP machines are the best IBM ever made - absolutely fantastic, but the T6x models arent far behind. Some tips from me:


1. Dont buy the T60(p) models. They have some small flaws and the heat problem is one of them.
2. Even if your eyes are fine you should avoid the 1920x1200 model - it just gets too tiny. I wish there was a 17" version..
3. If you still want some kind of UXGA resolution - get the 1600x1200 version in the 15" size. (not sure if these exists... I think so)
4. If you want to get an external screen then get this one - http://accessories.dell.com/sna/product ... u=320-7641

It has the new 2048x1152 resolution which is nothing less than fabulous! I recommend you others to check it out aswell.

Hope this helps you!

The Dell monitor with 2048x1152 resolution has lots of pixels, but unfortunately, the aspect ratio os 16:9. Many posters on this board highlight the diff between 16:10 vs. 16:9. Doesn't look like much diff, but it really is.

Before venturing into the 16:9 world, be sure and compare to 16:10; you may not wanna go there...

Ok guys, thanks for all the replies. Let me redirect a little if I may.....

For the sake of argument, let's just assume I'm not interested in external displays or other brands of PC......
I just want a Thinkpad.....probably a T-series but I am open......assume I have $500.......assume my criteria are keyboard feel, build quality and display quality..... Do I buy the T61p with 1680x1050 or is there a better machine for my needs? For example a T400 with 1440x900?

Thanks!!!

If image quality is your highest priority, IMO there's no adequate replacement for your UXGA Flexview which means a 15" T60/T60p. On any newer model you'll be pushing the screen back and forth trying to find the 'sweet spot' you remember, where the entire screen has a uniform appearance, but you'll never find the spot - it doesn't exist on these TN panels.

There have been very nice UXGA T60p machines on ebay in the low $300 to the high $400 range.

Just my (somewhat) prejudiced opinion based on using 4x3 T60, T61, x60s, and 16x10 x201, x300 and x301 over the past few years.

John

I have a T61 15.4" with the AUO 1280x800 screen, and let me tell you, it SUCKS. I've been trying to get a 1680x1050 screen off ebay, but ran into some problems the first time around. The screen I got was actually for a T60 and made by samsung, but it looked rather good. Black levels were nearly as good as my IPS desktop monitor, but colors were a bit off. That was easy to fix with the built in Windows 7 color calibration. I had to return that screen though, because it didn't work quite right with my T61. I think you will be satisfied with the screen quality on a T61 as long as you get one from samsung or LG. In my opinion, the other advantages of the T61 far outweigh the screen drawbacks.

I'd take T400 over T61/p any day of the week...referring to models with WXGA+ resolution, and preferably switchable graphics when discussing the former...

That being said, none of these screens will ever come within a mile of your UXGA FlexView when it comes to viewing experience.

T60p would be the only reasonable replacement when it comes to screen quality. Throw in a SSD and enjoy...

Good luck.