Currently considering an x60 for college

[superfungus]

Hi, i'm a senior and will be heading off to college next fall and will be leaving my desktop at home in favor of a laptop. I'm considering the x60 but have a few questions.

How will the x60's core 2 duo compare to my 3700+ athalon 64 both subjectively and objectively?

How will the integrated intel graphics compare to my nVidia 256 MB 7600 GT? What sorts of games will be playable with the card? Half-life 2? Civ 4?

How will the notebook memory compare to my DDR 400 CAS 2 desktop memory?

Also, as a matter of curiosity, how is the ultrabay drive in a x6 ultrabase connected to the x60? Is it a proprietry bus of some sort or is it just a usb 2.0 connection? I'd like to know so i can make a decision as to whether the dock is worth it or if i should opt for an external CD drive to save some cash.

Additionaly, i'm only very slightly concerned about the 12" screen size and would love to know if there's some way i could try out this size on my desktop.

As i'm sure you can tell, i'm quite ignorant of the current notebook pc performance benchmark and standards as they compare to the desktop market so i'm not sure what to expect of an x60 so i'd really appreciate any feedback i can get. Thanks.

Edited screen size.

[tomh009]

Hello superfungus and welcome to thinkpads.com!

I haven't seen a benchmark comparing the mobile Core 2 Duo (T5600 is the fastest for the X60) to the Athlon 64, but based on desktop processor benchmarks, I believe that the CPU performance will be at least as good and probably better than your current Athlon 64.

Games ... I don't have a lot of personal experience here, but both Civilization 4 and Half-Life 2 do run. Extremetech.com tested GMA950 at 31 fps on the GMA950 graphics, while anandtech.com got a lower frame rate at a higher quality setting:
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1 ... 806,00.asp
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2427&p=4

What do you mean by the memory comparison question? The X60 uses DDR2 PC2-5300 memory, which is pretty fast.

The Ultrabase connector is proprietary, but there is no problem using a USB2-connected optical drive. I use an Ultrabase with my X31 and it's great for docking (I have an external display) but for just the optical drive USB2 works great.

Incidentally, the display is 12.1", 1024x768. Have you seen an X60 in real life? I think a lot of the Japanese electronics stores in the Tokyo area do have ThinkPad models on display as well.

[superfungus]

Thanks for your response, that was fast! Some very usefull info. The memory question was in reference to speed and DDR 2 is all i really need to know ;) thanks. Sorry about misquoting that screen size, i've been looking at so many ultraportables i must have gotten mixed up, thanks for correcting me.
I should have been more clear about my dock connector question; is there a speed advantage to the proprietary connector or is it just a usb connection in a special form factor?
Unfortunately, i haven't seen one in real life yet, i will definately have my eye out on my next akihabara visit however!
Thanks again for the information.

[tomh009]

Both USB2 and the docking connector are much faster than any optical drive so you won't see a performance difference there.

For sure I remember seeing lots of ThinkPads on my Akihibara visits, though I don't remember the specific models. Given that small notebooks are very popular in Japan, though, they definitely should have the X60 or X60s on display there.

[superfungus]

good point.

[pianowizard]

How will the x60's core 2 duo compare to my 3700+ athalon 64 both subjectively and objectively?

Much faster. See this page, which shows that even the slowest Core Duo beats the 3700+ athalon 64.

Given that small notebooks are very popular in Japan, though, they definitely should have the X60 or X60s on display there.

Due to this popularity, before the X60s was introduced, Lenovo was talking about selling some X60s models with 1.8" HDDs (lighter than 2.5" HDDs) in Japan. So superfungus, if you want power, avoid those models! Most ultraportables made by Sony, Sharp, Fujitsu etc. also use 1.8" HDDs, so you ought to avoid those too.

Another thing is, the X60s has two kinds of LCDs: regular and ultralight. The latter is 0.2 lbs lighter, and is much brighter. If you want light and bright, look for those with the ultralight monitor.

[superfungus]

Oh i won't be buying a japanese thinkpad, i'll simply be looking at them to try and make a decision about whether to order one or not. Thanks for the cautions though.

[RUSH2112]

I've been using laptops through high school, and bought my X60s last summer. It is a GREAT computer for school, since you are carrying it everywhere with you. Because of the battery life, I just leave my ac adapter in my car and carry just the computer to my classes.

The speed is fine for 95% of what I do. It can be a little slow with some photoshop filters and other cpu intensive stuff, but is still very usable. Common tasks are snappy. I have the 1.66GHZ CD LV, so you'll get even more speed out of the C2D 1.83GHz.

The screen is 12", not 10, and is very usable. I could use a higher resolution, but it is generally just fine.

If you are a gamer, you should invest in another computer, probably desktop, for that use, but for just about everything else, the X60/s is fine.

I'm probably going to be looking to pick up another X60/s (X61 if theyre out) this summer, which will help with multi tasking, and will give me a spare computer in case my X60s breaks.

If you REALLY need more power/screen size on the go, get a T60. Otherwise get the X60, you'll love it.

[dfumento]

I used to own an X60s and now own the Core 2 Duo in an X60 (see signature). I would get this unit and you will get plenty of power. The screen size is fine, unless possibly using it as your only screen for software development. If you want power get the 7200 RPM HD for it is much faster than a 5400. Don't forget also to spend the extra $35 for 802.11n .

[superfungus]

How imminent is the x61's release? and what can i expect from that notebook? I'd like this laptop to last all 4 years of college, so should i hold out for a little to see if a x61 is released?

[dfumento]

How imminent is the x61's release? and what can i expect from that notebook? I'd like this laptop to last all 4 years of college, so should i hold out for a little to see if a x61 is released?

The next refresh is with the Santa Rosa chipset/platform which is due sometime after April/07. Probably most significantly it will have a faster graphics processor unit but the current ones work well enough. It may be June/July before you can get your hands on a Santa Rosa machine with a good discount. Probably best buying a machine now.
With changes in notebooks and with student discounts and good pricing at university it is unlikely you will have the same laptop for four years.

[apbudha]

How imminent is the x61's release? and what can i expect from that notebook? I'd like this laptop to last all 4 years of college, so should i hold out for a little to see if a x61 is released?

well, do you need it now or sometime in September. If Sept., it may be a good idea to wait, although it is unknown when Lenovo will re-release the tablet with the new technology made available in the April - June time frame.

Also I recommend purchasing the accidental damage protection on top of the three-year warranty.

Not to hijack this thread, but I read in:
http://reviews.cnet.com/Lenovo_ThinkPad ... =pdtl-list:

that: “During our anecdotal use running typical office applications and browsing the Web wirelessly, the X60 Tablet lasted beyond four hours.)”

I wonder how much over 4 hours. Doesn't the x60s with the same 8cell last about 6 hours. wow, 4 hours vs. 6 hours is a major difference.

[pianowizard]

If you REALLY need more power/screen size on the go, get a T60. Otherwise get the X60, you'll love it.

Or get the X60 tablet with SXGA+ resolution. You'd get the same number of pixels (i.e. real estate) as the 14.1" T60.

Regarding whether or not to wait for the X61, I agree that if the OP doesn't need a laptop until college starts in the fall, then it's worth waiting for a few months, especially because he'll want to keep the laptop for 4 years, so it makes sense to try to get the latest technology possible.

[superfungus]

So is the x61 a tablet? Or will there just be tablet versions? i'm looking for a conventional laptop, not a tablet.

Also i do have untill the fall so i don't plan on buying anything VERY soon i'm just trying to plan ahead so i can get the best deal possible in terms of features/price, which seems to wait either for the x61 and buy that or wait for the following x60 price drop and still buy an x60.

Also what are your opinions on the best way to buy a thinkpad, i've heard horror stories about getting something shipped from lenovo directly.

Thanks alot for all your help so far, this is really usefull information.

[tomh009]

Well, the X61 isn't anything yet -- we are all speculating. Assuming there is a significant rev with the new chipsets, and the form factor stays the same, the new system will probably be called "X61". And it will probably be out as a notebook first, and a tablet later.

What country will you buying your notebook in?

[superfungus]

Well, japan untill the end of this school year or the states if i order durring the summer.

[tomh009]

Don't know what the prices are like in Japan ... if you buy in the US, there are some good resellers who tend to have more predictable delivery times. On the other hand, if you do wait until the summer, you should check on lenovo.com sales and the visa.us special offer prices, too. The price may be worth the extra wait.

[superfungus]

Well thanks everyone, i've made my decision. I'll wait untill this summer when i'm stateside again and reasses what my needs are and the best way to get them met. I'll be back here then, thanks alot for all your help.