Just bought an X60s... questions?

[LegendaryKA8]

Hey there. I'm going to admit I gave into impulsiveness last night and pulled the trigger on a pretty tempting X60s. Core Duo 1.66, 60GB HDD, 1GB RAM, and an 8-cell battery in supposedly good shape. All that for $350, and I snagged an Ultrabase for $40. So.. just under $400. I have a 100GB HDD and two 1GB sticks laying around which will be used as an upgrade once it comes in.

I've been using my T60p as a school workhorse for the past two months, and I found the 15" footprint just a little too big for the amount of desk space I have to work with. I was also tempted by good battery life; while I have two 9-cells and an Ultrabay battery for my T60p, having hours and hours of runtime with screen brightness up a bit and wifi on and not having to swap out batteries all the time was tempting.

I'm really hoping I didn't make the wrong decision to get one of these. I know I could have picked up a netbook for less money, but I will be doing quite a bit of office apps and some light coding as part of my classwork. As such, I'm kind of making the gamble that the Core Duo and XGA resolution will make these tasks a bit easier than if I was strictly using a netbook. Has anyone used one of these as a companion machine to a T60/p?

I'm also wondering about the overall durability of an X60s. While I did get a sleeve for it, the X60 won't be subjected to the nicest of environments... a pretty cramped backpack with schoolbooks, and when going on extended trips it'll be sharing space with my T60p. I take care of my rigs and don't try to abuse them, but will an X60 stand up to this sort of treatment and keep on ticking? I don't want to inadvertently crush it. Any tips to traveling with this little guy would be helpful.

[Atreides]

Trust me, an X60s is much better than a netbook. I just bought with almost the exact same specs a few weeks ago, and couldn't be more please. I can't comment on it in relation to a T40, but I can speak on the X60s itself.

It does seem to be quite durable (it is a thinkpad), but I could almost guarantee it probably isn't as durable as a T4x, which you could have guessed yourself. Mine feels rock solid all around (zero keyboard flex and screen wiggle) and feels solid all around the sides when closed. The only area of concern is that the screen does have a fair bit of give when closed if you press in the middle of it. This might be mitigated it weight is applied evenly to all 4 sides of the unit, but still something to note.

Let me know if you have any more questions, we have almost the exact same product, only I got mine 2 weeks ago.

[EOMtp]

... Any tips to traveling with this little guy would be helpful.

The only caution is to prevent the track ball from leaving a mark on the LCD display. One of the following is perfect for protecting the screen when the top is closed, and it is perfect for cleaning the LCD without scratching it or marking it in any way:
http://www.shaggymac.com/index.php?main ... ucts_id=32

For best protection in a backpack, nothing beats the Booq Vyper XXS case/"sleeve". The XXS size (now discontinued, but perhaps available on eBay) is the perfect size IF you don't have an 8-cell battery, the kind that stick out the back of the X60. It is a crush-proof hard shell. Phenomenal product. Here is an example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Vyper-Booq-XXS- ... 286.c0.m14

... (X60s) I could almost guarantee it probably isn't as durable as a T4x ...

Quite the opposite! T4x units are probably the most fragile Thinkpads. They have a nasty motherboard flexing problem which damages the GPU if lifted with one hand from the front right corner. The X6x/s units, on the other hand, are rock-solid and not "fragile" in any reasonable sense of the word.

[LegendaryKA8]

The only caution is to prevent the track ball from leaving a mark on the LCD display. One of the following is perfect for protecting the screen when the top is closed, and it is perfect for cleaning the LCD without scratching it or marking it in any way:
http://www.shaggymac.com/index.php?main ... ucts_id=32

Quite the opposite! T4x units are probably the most fragile Thinkpads. They have a nasty motherboard flexing problem which damages the GPU if lifted with one hand from the front right corner. The X6x/s units are rock-solid and not "fragile" in any sense of the word (within the limits of common sense).

Wow...thanks for the info! I haven't heard of those protectors before, and I've actually been kinda annoyed with the Trackpoint mark on my T60p's screen. I'm definitely going to grab a couple of those.

And, I do second the fact that the T4x systems are quite fragile. I've had five of them in various configurations... only two of them didn't have GPU issues. That's the main reason I went to the T60p. The T60p, however, seems rock solid.

[Atreides]

Quite the opposite! T4x units are probably the most fragile Thinkpads. They have a nasty motherboard flexing problem which damages the GPU if lifted with one hand from the front right corner. The X6x/s units, on the other hand, are rock-solid and not "fragile" in any reasonable sense of the word.

My mistake, just assumed anything from the T series to be sturdier than anything from the X series. I've never owned a T series Thinkpad however, so don't pay me any mind :p

[LegendaryKA8]

My mistake, just assumed anything from the T series to be sturdier than anything from the X series. I've never owned a T series Thinkpad however, so don't pay me any mind :p

Oh, no... in most cases, T-series Thinkpads are extremely durable. Actually,I'm typing this on my old T21 that has seen copious amounts of abuse for years and still keeps on ticking.

What makes the T4x a comparatively fragile Thinkpad are their graphics cards. Most of them have an ATI Radeon 7500, 9000, or 9600 card that sits right in the middle of the motherboard. Due to(at least in my opinion) heat cycles and the motherboard flexing while being carried around, the graphics card 'breaks off' from the motherboard very slightly, making the machine crash randomly and eventually not work altogether. Later cards have made attempts at fixing this, but I have seen them fail as well... but if you have an Intel integrated card you're free and clear.

Later Thinkpads(T60-series and up) don't have this problem, partly due to moving the location of the graphics card and partly due to the magnesium 'rollcage' that they started using in these systems. My T60p looks and feels like it's built like a tank. If the X60s is about as good I will be thoroughly impressed, but it won't be able to be coddled in its own protective compartment like my other Thinkpads have been.

[John H]

My 15" T60 sometimes recycles the opsys if I lift it by the right corner with no drive in the ultrabay, so I leave the CD/DVD drive in and don't lift it by the corner. Two hands for that heavy babe.

The T40 definitely has a flex problem.

I also bought a (used) X60s on eBay recently for $285. It's a sweetheart. The PO warned that it had a trackpoint problem, but I have since discovered that it only happens with a dead battery, so I installed a fresh battery and the problem is gone.

The X60s seems not to have as good acceleration protection as the others if I rap it against something like a carpeted floor.

But overall the X60s is a fabulous machine, vastly superior to any netbook I looked at, and cheaper, too!

[LegendaryKA8]

Okay... here's another quick question.

I like to keep a common OS between all of my machines, so I have Vista Ultimate x64 on both my T60p and M1730. I've received a lot of conflicting information about this wherever I look, but is the 1.66 Core Duo a 64-bit processor? I don't think it is, but I'm even seeing 64-bit drivers for the X60/s on Lenovo's site. I thought all X60 machines were Core Duo and all X61 machines were Core 2 duo, right?

[Atreides]

I always forget about the T4x's graphic issues.

Okay... here's another quick question.

I like to keep a common OS between all of my machines, so I have Vista Ultimate x64 on both my T60p and M1730. I've received a lot of conflicting information about this wherever I look, but is the 1.66 Core Duo a 64-bit processor? I don't think it is, but I'm even seeing 64-bit drivers for the X60/s on Lenovo's site. I thought all X60 machines were Core Duo and all X61 machines were Core 2 duo, right?

I do not to believe the Yonah core to have 64 bit support, I don't really know what the immediate use of it would be anyways as the X60s maxes out at 3gb of ram (unless you have some program that needs a 64 bit environment).

I wouldn't pay too much attention to Lenovo's drivers site, I find all kind of crazy drivers up there.

Apparently some X60s' had a Core 2 Duo (Thinkwiki) but none that I have seen, and yes all X61's used Core 2 Duos.

[underclocker]

Has anyone used one of these as a companion machine to a T60/p?

Check out my signature;

IBM T60p 2007-93U 15" IPS UXGA w/Intel T2600 & ATI V5200 Home | X60s 1702-3JU Travel
+ T4x w/R51 Intel GPU mobo | T41 | R51 | R61e | Z60t | Z61t | Z60m | Z61m

It seems like a perfect combination, the best of both worlds, to me. My previous set-up was a 15" T42 w/SXGA+ and an X40. (I suppose a W500 or W700 and an X200s would be the most modern equivalent combination.)

The X60s seems very solid, but the LCD cover is very thin (just like the X40). Care should be taken to avoid excess pressure on the LCD cover (as others have mentioned).

[LegendaryKA8]

Well... I just received my new X60s and I am completely satisfied with this system. My first impression was shock at how small and light this system actually is, even with the 8-cell battery. I was also very pleased to see that this battery only has 45 cycles on it, and absolutely no charge degradation. Power Manager is reporting nearly eight and a half hours of battery life remaining, but I'm not sure how accurate that figure is going to be.

I think I'll be doing a in-depth review of both this and my T60p, just because I can. As it stands I am very happy with my purchase, and I'm sure my new X-series will serve me well for quite a while to come.

[lead_org]

love the X60s, unfortuantely i couldn't find a good condition example in Australia, so i had to settle for a second X60 machine to replace the one that my cousin gave me, which is pretty beaten up, but chucking along like a tank.

[syrahnose]

I'm also wondering about the overall durability of an X60s. While I did get a sleeve for it, the X60 won't be subjected to the nicest of environments... a pretty cramped backpack with schoolbooks, and when going on extended trips it'll be sharing space with my T60p. I take care of my rigs and don't try to abuse them, but will an X60 stand up to this sort of treatment and keep on ticking? I don't want to inadvertently crush it. Any tips to traveling with this little guy would be helpful.[/quote]

I'm staggered by how durable mine has turned out to be after 3 years of hard daily use. It's been all over the world in a back pack and still ticking. A few cracks I had to glue back together, but holding up well. This is the finest laptop I've owned. Wish I'd grabbed a cheap x61 when they were around on outlet store. I'll probably move on to an x200 based on the x60s performance over time.

[paul*robertson]

Is the core duo a BIG advantage over the single core model.

[LegendaryKA8]

I would consider the dual-core processor to be a definite selling point to the X60. While the single-core processor would have a slight advantage in battery life and possibly thermal output, I would think that the more powerful processor would be worth the trade-off. If you're worried about battery life, go for an X60s/X61s. The low-voltage processors used in these systems use significantly less power and probably have a better battery life than the single-core high-voltage systems.

[mfbernstein]

Okay... here's another quick question.

I like to keep a common OS between all of my machines, so I have Vista Ultimate x64 on both my T60p and M1730. I've received a lot of conflicting information about this wherever I look, but is the 1.66 Core Duo a 64-bit processor? I don't think it is, but I'm even seeing 64-bit drivers for the X60/s on Lenovo's site. I thought all X60 machines were Core Duo and all X61 machines were Core 2 duo, right?

No. The Core Duo is a 32-bit processor. The Core 2 Duo is a 64-bit processor. Some X60 models (but not yours) did come with an early-version Core 2 Duo processor, but most did not. I believe all X61 models came with the Core 2 Duo.

In practice, it's not terribly important as the X60 motherboard can only address 3GB RAM to begin with.

[dr_st]

Later Thinkpads(T60-series and up) don't have this problem, partly due to moving the location of the graphics card and partly due to the magnesium 'rollcage' that they started using in these systems.

Actually, it's mostly due to a better soldering process. The one on the T4x was downright flawed (with some improvement achieved with late T42/T43 units). Of course, the rollcage helps too.