Picture of x60 underside with 8 cell battery?

[ibbo]

Hi,

Like many of you, I'm torn between the cheaper x60 and the x60s. I am planning to pair whichever I get with an 8 cell battery. The only concern (or rather, the primary concern) is the thickness of the x60. According to tabook, the x60 is over a quarter of an inch thicker than the x60s. Is this because the x60 usually ships with the enhanced battery and not the slim?

Can someone compare the thickness of the x60 and x60s with 8 cell batteries? Is it all that much? I'm debating whether I should jump on a deal with the x60 or wait for a deal with the x60s. Also, it is expected that a couple large notebook companies are annoucing Merom chips on Monday, so I don't really want to purchase a x60 when a 64 bit dual core is right around the corner.

Any thoughts?

[mfratt]

The X60s and X60 are the same thickness. The difference is due to the battery the X60s ships with. I have not used an X60, nor the slim battery, so I can only attest to the X60s. The battery gives it a bit of a tilt, making it more ergonomic. My only complaint is that the rubber feet on the battery can get a bit uncomfortable on my lap.

If youre considering between the two, it really depends on what youre looking for. You will get slightly better performance on the X60, but at the cost of battery life. Even though Lenovo claims only a .2 hr difference, the real world difference is going to be 1-2hr.

I personally wouldnt wait for the X61 (Merom). I bought my X60s the end of last month (and got it last week). The Merom will only give you another 10-15% performance, and at the cost of both battery life and heat. Actually, if youre not in a rush, Id wait for the X61 to come out, and snag a deal on an X60s. If you really need performance, you probably should be looking at a T instead of an X.

[snife]

That's not true - the X60 is thicker in the fansink region but this extra thickness blends into the 8 cell battery so if you must have the 8 cell battery you will lose the size advantage of the X60s anyway

[lucas]

the 8 cell battery doesn't eliminate the lv processor

[snife]

the 8 cell battery doesn't eliminate the lv processor

Agreed but thats not really a size advantage - I think i'd rather have a spare 4 cell battery than use the 8 cell - i just love the size of the X60s with the 4 cell battery

[mfratt]

I dont mind the size with the 8 cell. Its worth the extra life and not having to change batteries. Plus, if you ever type while youre walking around (hence holding the computer with one hand), the 8 cell makes a nice spot to wrap your finger tips around to get a solid grip on the computer. I mean, sure its nice haivng the size of the 4 cell, but the computer is still small with the 8 cell, and you get twice the battery life. Im actually considering the plate battery for another 3-4hrs.

[dannyp]

I can word up to that. I hold that battery when I walk to the kitchen in my boxers for breakfast So as not to close the lid.

[mfratt]

You may want to check out my X60s pics over at http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=29649

[ibbo]

You may want to check out my X60s pics over at http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=29649

Thank you, those help a lot.

Does anyone have any x60 pictures for comparison?

Perhaps I should just wait until Merom is announced this week. I do suspect that the prices will go up instead of Yonah prices going down.

[madana]

Perhaps I should just wait until Merom is announced this week. I do suspect that the prices will go up instead of Yonah prices going down.

Ibbo, do I take you right that you suspect prices on X60s to go up? Or just on Merom-based laptops?

[ibbo]

Perhaps I should just wait until Merom is announced this week. I do suspect that the prices will go up instead of Yonah prices going down.

Ibbo, do I take you right that you suspect prices on X60s to go up? Or just on Merom-based laptops?

I suspect that Merom will be introduced at a higher price point than Yonah and Yonah prices will stay the same.

[mfratt]

Perhaps I should just wait until Merom is announced this week. I do suspect that the prices will go up instead of Yonah prices going down.

I would expect to see a little of both. Say, a $1500 Yonal computer becomes $1400 and the Merom version is $1600 (as opposed to Yonah staying at $1500, and Merom being $1700). It makes perfect sense, as it will give people incentive to buy Yonah systems, but still keeping the price reasonable on Merom systems. Not to mention that a moderately equipped X60/s is over $2000 already, pushing it much higher will put it out of reach of too many people.

[madana]

Perhaps I should just wait until Merom is announced this week. I do suspect that the prices will go up instead of Yonah prices going down.

I would expect to see a little of both. Say, a $1500 Yonal computer becomes $1400 and the Merom version is $1600 (as opposed to Yonah staying at $1500, and Merom being $1700). It makes perfect sense, as it will give people incentive to buy Yonah systems, but still keeping the price reasonable on Merom systems. Not to mention that a moderately equipped X60/s is over $2000 already, pushing it much higher will put it out of reach of too many people.

Could I ask for a piece of advice from you? I am about to place my order on X60s this week, but due to my itinerary I have to make sure to get the computer at the end of September the latest.

Would you suggest waiting for another week in hope that prices will drop, and thus running the risk of getting it too late due to Lenovo shipment mess?

I know that such questions are from the realm of clairvoyance, but maybe your intuition has a better chipset than mine.

[mfratt]

Could I ask for a piece of advice from you? I am about to place my order on X60s this week, but due to my itinerary I have to make sure to get the computer at the end of September the latest.

Would you suggest waiting for another week in hope that prices will drop, and thus running the risk of getting it too late due to Lenovo shipment mess?

I know that such questions are from the realm of clairvoyance, but maybe your intuition has a better chipset than mine.

They are estimating 3-4 weeks for X60/s right now. The X61's will probably be backordered, unless you literally are one of the first to order it.

If you absolutely must have it by the end of September, I have two suggestions
1. Just buy an X60/s. (Read my synopsis below)
2. Wait, then get one on ebay when theyre out. You should have it within a week of buying.

I dont think the X61/s is going to be worth waiting, especially if youre on a deadline. The Merom will only give you a 10-15% performance increase, and will probably decrease real-world battery life by as much as 1-2 hours, while also running hotter.

You also can not trust Lenovo's ship estimates. My X60s said 8-10 days and took 3 weeks.

You can also wait for the meroms to come out and try and grab a deal on a yonah.

[madana]

You can also wait for the meroms to come out and try and grab a deal on a yonah.

Sorry for ambiguity, I meant waiting for x60s price to drop with Merom release. It makes no sense for me waiting for x61. Do you expect prices for x60/s to drop in a week or so?

Thanks.

[rkuo]

Not sure why you think the Merom will run hotter and decrease battery life. Real world tests have been indicating that there's a slight performance bump with no impact on battery life. The DailyTech article indicating otherwise was misinterpreting the data.

[Saml01]

Not sure why you think the Merom will run hotter and decrease battery life. Real world tests have been indicating that there's a slight performance bump with no impact on battery life. The DailyTech article indicating otherwise was misinterpreting the data.

The processors are identical. no increase in heat or increase in power consumption. The only difference between the chips is some additional technology and a large cache. That is all.