Thinkpads Forum

I'm in the process of ordering two T510s - one for work and home.

The work machine it is replacing is a T61p with a 1920x1200 display. The home machine is a T60p with a 1600x1200 display.

For work this is my only computer for firmware development, so I have lots of windows open. At home I'm about to embark on a photo digitization project in which I will scan roughly 10000+ negatives and slides with a Coolscan 9000 scanner.

I'm considering the T510 with the FHD display since it is the largest one available for work, and probably the "brightest" display for photo work.

I prefer the T series over the W series for the Photo project since I do travel with the machine.

Any other suggestions?

Another question: Is the T60/T61 UltraBay HDD adapter compatible with the T510?

It also states in several places that a BluRay optical is available for the T510s but it was never offered as an option in any of the configuration menus. Is it real?

Mods, I'm sorry, but I'd rather have this in the T400/T500 series subform. Can it be moved?

Have you considered getting a W500 with 1920x1200? I too am a "resolution addict" and have found 1920x1200 to be far more satisfying than 1920x1080. In case you aren't familiar with T versus W, the W series is a more powerful incarnation of the T series.

pianowizard wrote:Have you considered getting a W500 with 1920x1200? I too am a "resolution addict" and have found 1920x1200 to be far more satisfying than 1920x1080. In case you aren't familiar with T versus W, the W series is a more powerful incarnation of the T series.

Yes, but the W series is a lot heavier. Even schlepping one of the larger T-series around the airport is a task.

Thanks!

tpribors wrote:Yes, but the W series is a lot heavier. Even schlepping one of the larger T-series around the airport is a task.

Where did you hear that? Perhaps you are thinking of the W700? The W500 and the T500 are the exact same weight, 6.2 lb with a 9-cell battery. The T60/T61 evolved into the T500 and then the T510, whereas the T60p/T61p evolved into the W500 and then the W510.

Actually, if I remember correctly, the W500 is thicker and heavier than the T500 counterpart. It is only on the W510 and T510 generation that they standardized the chassis between the two.

Colonel O'Neill wrote:Actually, if I remember correctly, the W500 is thicker and heavier than the T500 counterpart.

Why rely on your memory when you can look up the specs in the ltwbook:

T500 dimensions & weight: 14.1" x 10" x 1.2 - 1.3", 5.9 lb with 6-cell, 6.2 lb with 9-cell

W500 dimensions & weight: 14.1" x 10" x 1.2 - 1.3", 6.2 lb with 9-cell

tpribors wrote:Another question: Is the T60/T61 UltraBay HDD adapter compatible with the T510?

No, its not.

The T61 uses a PATA connection on the back of the Ultrabay Slim carrier (no matter what type of drive is in the carrier) while the later ThinkPads models no longer have a PATA connector in the bay.

Cheers,

Bill B.

I priced out a T510 and a W510 with identical configurations where they could be made to be the same. It turns out the only difference is the graphics card, for $70 more on the W510. Plus, on the W I can get the color calibrator. If they are identical in weight and size then the W510 does have a slight advantage for the project I have to do.

To add confusion the T and W don't line up on the warranty - they W forces a 3-year on site plus protection whereas the T offers just on site. Also available if you ask is the old 3-year depot but it's not on the web.

I looked at a friend's T400 at work and the ultrabay devices are now native SATA so indeed the older PATA connector will not work.

Today the 15% USPTHINK999 disappeared. Do they refresh these often?

I guess I'm not done yet.

This just got easy - today's coupon code includes 20% off W series but only 15% off T series. Will probably order this week!

To get 4GB memory the W series gives the option of 2x2GB or 1x4GB. Except for moving to 8GB in the future, is there a reason to choose one over the other? It used to be that the two-DIMMs were interleaved and resulted in an imperceptible performance gain. Is that still true of the modern architecture?