Thinkpads Forum

May be a matter of opinion, but curious if running OS X full time on a Thinkpad is really practical. Is it somewhat like working with a crippled laptop where some of the features don't really work (ie, power management, issues with sound, etc)?

I want to use OS X, but I don't really want to use a Macbook Pro. They're nice laptops, but with disappointing resolution. That is my biggest disappointment with the Macbooks.

So I am torn between buying a Macbook or buying a Thinkpad (likely a T61p) and just running OS X on it. I'm a huge fan of Thinkpads and love them to death (own a T60, had a T40 and A22), but find myself wanting to use OS X more.

Anyone have any thoughts? Tried OS X on my T60, but the ATI couldn't do WSXGA and I have the Intel wifi, so wasn't too functional. Thinking of trading for a T61p though.

IMO, no, it's not too practical.

I've got 10.4.11 running on my T42, but many hardware features easily supported by Windows or (even Linux) don't work as efficiently or at all in OS X.

I think if you really like OS X and want to get serious work done on it, then get a real Mac. But for me, I just use it for simple stuff like web browsing, mail, etc. and it's quite sufficient.

Just out of curiosity, what about the resolution of MacBooks do you not like? (Is it too large/small?)

I'm kind of disappointed by the low resolution on the MB/MBP. You can get WSXGA on a 15.4" screen from IBM, Dell, and others, but Apple doesn't. With the T60p you can even get WUXGA, yet Apple still at just WXGA.

If they'd just add WSXGA on the 15", I'd jump on it no problem, but find 1440x900 a little too restrictive. I might just wait for the next Macbook model refresh.

Also, I love the look, feel, and quality of Thinkpads and figure I'd be in heaven if I could marry that to OS X. I mostly use my laptop in places with power, but need all the basics working (sound, LAN/wifi, sleeping) and don't want a crippled/touchy setup.

Thanks for your input!

screen rez ticked me off, first,.... since my app, needs 1280x1024 minimum,... so I got the R60 sxga+ 1400x1050 15" ,...
now I even run win xp in vmware,....
in windows I get 1+ hrs more battery life, and it's quieter too,...
- did hear, that new macbook pros, should come out with higher screen rez, but only seen the 17" , wsxga,wuxga,... looks, good, but last time I seen one in a cafe, it's a monster, don't want that most of the time,...
- T61,R61,... all wide screen , what the F@#,....
- graphics , integrated x3100 or quadro only, ?! quadro don't work,... and ATI don't work,...
- Heat, noise,... all the decent highend, have super duper cpu and graphics card,.... but I want quiet !!! and battery life,....
my game plan , is to wait for the medium voltage new penryn,
and trade in my R60 for an T61,..... unless mac has one in the store,...
- the touch scroll don't work eather,...

krobertson wrote:I'm kind of disappointed by the low resolution on the MB/MBP. You can get WSXGA on a 15.4" screen from IBM, Dell, and others, but Apple doesn't. With the T60p you can even get WUXGA, yet Apple still at just WXGA.

If they'd just add WSXGA on the 15", I'd jump on it no problem, but find 1440x900 a little too restrictive. I might just wait for the next Macbook model refresh.

Also, I love the look, feel, and quality of Thinkpads and figure I'd be in heaven if I could marry that to OS X. I mostly use my laptop in places with power, but need all the basics working (sound, LAN/wifi, sleeping) and don't want a crippled/touchy setup.

Thanks for your input!

As someone who's been working on a thinkmac for a long time, I'm more than satisfied with the power that I get on my thinkpad. Hardware support for the T60p that I have has been great, and if it wasn't for the occasional artifacting, and one other issue, I'd run it full time. It actually clocks in better than my friend's MBP with the same parts, surprisingly enough.

The biggest downside for me, that you wont have to worry about, is the lack of power management. While a sleep/speedstep fix has been released, it doesn't seem to work on my old CoreDuo. The core2duo that's in the T61p shouldn't have that issue.

I'd upgrade to the T61p and sell off my T60p if i could, but Mac in 1600x1200 IPS is still one of the best sights I've ever seen.....

tmp101 wrote:screen rez ticked me off, first,.... since my app, needs 1280x1024 minimum,... so I got the R60 sxga+ 1400x1050 15" ,...
now I even run win xp in vmware,....
in windows I get 1+ hrs more battery life, and it's quieter too,...
- did hear, that new macbook pros, should come out with higher screen rez, but only seen the 17" , wsxga,wuxga,... looks, good, but last time I seen one in a cafe, it's a monster, don't want that most of the time,...
- T61,R61,... all wide screen , what the F@#,....
- graphics , integrated x3100 or quadro only, ?! quadro don't work,... and ATI don't work,...
- Heat, noise,... all the decent highend, have super duper cpu and graphics card,.... but I want quiet !!! and battery life,....
my game plan , is to wait for the medium voltage new penryn,
and trade in my R60 for an T61,..... unless mac has one in the store,...
- the touch scroll don't work eather,...

krobertson wrote:I'm kind of disappointed by the low resolution on the MB/MBP. You can get WSXGA on a 15.4" screen from IBM, Dell, and others, but Apple doesn't. With the T60p you can even get WUXGA, yet Apple still at just WXGA.

If they'd just add WSXGA on the 15", I'd jump on it no problem, but find 1440x900 a little too restrictive. I might just wait for the next Macbook model refresh.

Also, I love the look, feel, and quality of Thinkpads and figure I'd be in heaven if I could marry that to OS X. I mostly use my laptop in places with power, but need all the basics working (sound, LAN/wifi, sleeping) and don't want a crippled/touchy setup.

Thanks for your input!

To counter your last points, the quadro I believe is absolutely supported in both Tiger and leopard, so is the FireGL/X1x000 series

iatkos or kalyway,... so far have not found one, with nvinject has it running qe/ce ?

and what's the battery life with those ?
did hear 570m running ,...

and the X1x000 kext is a fiasco, even ok wiki osx86 stated,.... not supported, maybe 1024x768, that's it,...

would love to hear , that the 140m is working ....

X61 with Leo 10.5.2
everything is working except sound

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