Thinkpads Forum

Is it just me or are there more than a few people here who wish that Lenovo can put a discrete video chipset on an X61 and sell it as a professional series model? Every time I see that Intel logo on the graphics driver it makes me feel queasy. Any chance that might happen? And why not?

Actually I could live with the video if there were a widescreen option for the x6x, WXGA or better. I need a new notebook in the next couple of months and right now it is a race. I will buy whichever comes first, a widescreen x6x or a Santa Rosa Sony SZ.

a discrete video card would be nice, but a higher screen resolution or widescreen aspect would be more important to me.

Even if it were an option for the X61, I still wouldn't choose discrete graphics. These laptops are not optimized for gamers. In an ultraportable such as the X61, battery life must take center stage.

Agree. The one nice thing would be a 1400x1050 display (widescreen is surely out of the question as it would need a unique form factor), but I, too, would much rather choose integrated graphics.

1440x900 on a 12" is doable I think, but you're not getting it elsewhere either other than a few Tablets with SXGA+. I can live without the GPU. The X6x gets hot enough already for my tastes.

The problems with excess heat and loss of battery life when feeding the GPU are concerns in the 12 inch market which is weight and battery life conscious.

For many tasks other than 3D CAD/CAM work (requiring OpenGL, etc) or 3D gaming, a 12 inch ultraportable with integrated intel video is a great compromise. Many of our staff use them as desktop replacements with a docking station.

discrete graphics would kill batterylife.
the next upgrade for the x6x series would be an led lit lcd.

I select the last one. I prefer a X serial that without discrete graphics because the ultra light and longer batter life are the glaring point of X serial laptop.

How about discrete graphics in the docking station?

Okay...maybe I explained the premise of the thread wrong...

Who here wish that the X61 includes a PERFORMANCE model with a Discrete graphics chipset, much like how the T4x and T6xs have a p-subseries big brother for the CAD/CAM crowd...perhaps with a 1400x1050 IPS LCD option?

I'd suggest a different direction: If you were to make a "performance" version, and you were willing to pay the extra $100 premium it would cost, why not make it swappable? That is to say, include both the X3100 and a discrete card with say 256MB on board. Allow the graphics to swap to X3100 when on battery power and discrete when powered, or always on if you don't care about the 2 hours less battery life and fan noise you'll get. Something tells me this would not be that hard to do. I'd have paid the premium for it on my X61 tablet.

If you can only have one card and you choose the discrete graphics card, then they should also offer the T series 2.2ghz chip in it and really make it a screaming 2-hour ultraportable (space-heater) notebook.

Of course, if Lenovo puts in swappable graphics, they will probably put it on a pci-e card and you'll either be able to get the discrete graphics, the turbo memory, or the WWAN.

I will say to stay with integrated graphics. However if they can somehow provide same battery performance under discrete gpu then I would go with other options.

12.1" SXGA+ or WXGA+ with integrated graphics would be the best for the X-series.

I a huge ThinkPad fan. I've had X Series notebooks for 7 years now. BUT I think the ultraportable which most closely meets the graphics requirements of everyone in this thread, today, is the Sony SZ:

* Hybrid graphics: Has both Nvidida GeForce Go and Intel internal graphics. You get to choose which one you use at any time, depending on your needs (making the graphics performance/battery life decision for yourself).

* 13.3" WXGA (1280x800).

At 3.7lbs and 12.5" wide it is just a tad bigger than an X61, but you get the bigger screen, LED backlighting, and a built-in optical drive.

I'm just waiting for the Santa Rosa version! As I said in my earlier post, if a widescreen ThinkPad ultraportable appeared, I would consider it too.

bananaman wrote:* 13.3" WXGA (1280x800).

At 3.7lbs and 12.5" wide it is just a tad bigger than an X61, but you get the bigger screen, LED backlighting, and a built-in optical drive.

The resolution is too low and the weight a little too much. Are you aware of the Panasonic Y7?

pianowizard wrote: The resolution is too low and the weight a little too much. Are you aware of the Panasonic Y7?

No I wasn't aware of the Y7. Looks interesting! Will investigate. Not sure about the optical drive door in the palm rest.

On the resolution, my x41 is the only non-widescreen I use and I find it constraining. After 7 years of 1024x768 X Series it's time for an upgrade. I'd be happy with an X-Series which was just wider, and delighted with one which had more resolution all round!

bananaman wrote:* Hybrid graphics: Has both Nvidida GeForce Go and Intel internal graphics.

Sounds great.

ragefury32 wrote:Okay...maybe I explained the premise of the thread wrong...

Who here wish that the X61 includes a PERFORMANCE model with a Discrete graphics chipset, much like how the T4x and T6xs have a p-subseries big brother for the CAD/CAM crowd...perhaps with a 1400x1050 IPS LCD option?

No one makes 12.1" IPS LCDs, as far as I know. But Lenovo could easily drop in the 12.1" FFS SXGA+ LCD used in the X61 tablet -- that would be very nice.

As for the wide-screen requests, surely that will not happen in the short term as that requires a different form factor. Maybe X62p or X70p, but not before.

If size, weight and battery life would be the same, I'd gladly pay a premium for discrete graphics and a higher res display. If the weight/size would increase, or the battery life decrease, I would likely stick with the integrated graphics. For me, the best features of the x series are their size, weight and battery life - I can get close to 8 hrs on my x60s. I doubt I would give up the portability and battery life for higher performance.

tomh009 wrote: ...
No one makes 12.1" IPS LCDs, as far as I know. But Lenovo could easily drop in the 12.1" FFS SXGA+ LCD used in the X61 tablet -- that would be very nice.
...

Well, Boe-Hydis makes a 12,1" 4:3 AFFS SXGA+ TFT-panel without digitizer, type number HV121P01-100...

http://www.beck-oled-lcd-tft-display.de ... Rev.P0.pdf

And TMD should also have some 12" SXGA+ TFT-panels, but I'am not sure if these would meet the IPS/AFFS wide viewing criterias.

For tablet pcs and some former MS suggestions what's a good resolution for such 12" devices, step through this PPT-file...

http://research.microsoft.com/workshops ... _Keely.ppt

That's actually a tablet PC panel -- essentially these are what the X60 tablets are using:

http://www.boehydis.com/eng/03_products/product_03.asp

Yes, these are probably used by the X60T models, but acording to the PDF-spec reference I posted above, it's initially just the TFT-panel from Boe-Hydis without a digitizer. - A digitizer can be mounted on the back of these panels (it offers digitizer mounting holes), but AFAI interpret the panels specs, it hasn't to be if it should be used for other purposes than tablet pcs. - Thus I believe that these panels could be used for plain notebooks too, since the side where I referenced this panel from lists it as a plain 12,1" TFT panel!

That could well be -- the specs on the Boe Hydis web site are not clear on whether the digitizer is integral.