Thinkpads Forum

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to decide between a x61 and x200. Although I prefer the screen (standard) on the x61, I'm concerned about the heat problems I've read via this forum. Do the newer x61 laptops (i.e., those made in the past year) still suffer from heat problems, or has the problem been corrected?

Any other thoughts you have on the x61 vs. x200 would be appreciated!

Many thanks,
Joe

I am an X61 user and I don't think the heat problem is that bad. The heat problem is due to the fact that the wireless card is located under the right palm rest.

The wireless card you pick matters. Someone on a taiwanese thinkpad forum ran a test and found that the thinkpad wireless card is much hotter. The intel card is cooler due to the fact that it is newer and is produced with a smaller process. People generally think that the thinkpad card has better reception, but I cannot confirm that since I have used only the intel one.

Compared to, say, X31, I can definitely feel that the right palm rest is a little bit warm, but it never gets really hot or becomes a problem.

I personally didn't think it was that bad. Only if it was particularly warm where I was at did it get a little toasty, but never did I think it was too hot to use even in ones lap. The one I used had the ThinkPad card. The X61 is a very thin notebook. You'll feel the heat more than most. Supposedly as noted the ThinkPad card has better range, but it seemed no better than the 3945 card in my R60.

I am replacing my X61s Ultralight with an X200 because:

1) I want the wider screen for software development.
2) I currently get about six hours battery life but I want the long battery life of the X200 (eight hours?).
3) The X200 base offers DisplayPort which you can use a connector to convert to DVI or you can use to directly connect to a (more expensive than DVI) DisplayPort monitor.
4) The X200 is more optimized to watch Blu-Ray DVDs (X4500 GPU).
5) The X200 has a brighter screen than a stock X61 (200 nits vs. 150 nits, but the X61s Ultralight has a 180 nits screen which is about the same).
6) I have the X61s Ultralight which was not compatible with the built-in Verizon WWAN and thus I have had to use a PC-card which draws additional power even when not connected to the Internet. The X200 I'm getting will have the built-in Verizon WWAN.

But the X200 is the same dimensions except an inch wider.

I am selling this X61s Ultralight with specs in my signature which is the best X61 model you can get with a 3 year warranty until Dec 2010. Because of the warranty (which can be extended), a used unit is effectively the same as a new unit (except for battery which is covered by 1 year warranty).