New toy "for the wife": Z61m! Yuhuuuu...

[Tasurinchi]

Hi Thinkpadders

Today I picked up my new toy. I bougth an used Z61m for my wife

Original description: T2500(2GHz), 1GB RAM, 100GB 5400rpm HD, 15.4in 1680x1050 LCD, 128MB ATI Radeon X1400, CDRW/DVDRW, Intel 802.11abg wireless, Bluetooth/Modem, 1Gb Ether, UltraNav, Sec Chip, IEEE 1394, FPR, Camera, 6c Li-Ion batt, WinXP Pro

This is a unit with the titan lid and it's in gorgoeus state! It's the first 15.4 machine in the house. It will be basically attached to a dock and stay home so portability was not an issue. The screen is great! I'm really impressed. Now I will may out the RAM and swap the original HD with the one from my T60 (320GB Samsung).

Anything special I should know about this model? Potential issues? I hope there won't be any heat, flexing, loose hinges or graphic cards issues with this line. Please let me know if I should do any special check related to this particular model. I will put some pictures later!

Regards

T.

[underclocker]

Congrats on the Z61m! I have one just like it (with webcam, too!) They are great machines. The only downside is weight and the 3GB RAM limitation due to the mobo chipset/BIOS limitation - same as T60's. I've owned several Z61m machines. You can upgrade them all the way to a Core 2 Duo T7600, but an SSD is a better performance boost.

I usually just tighten all the exposed screws, since they loosen a little over time. Don't go too tight, since you can crack the plastic. The Z61m's are reliable and generally quiet and cool.

Enjoy it, that's one of my favorite ThinkPad designs plus it has nice features like the webcam, SD memory card slot, Firewire, etc.

[AMATX]

I have several Z61p, which are similar, but with a little more juice and 1920x1200 screen. These also have a firewire port, if that's important to you.

Nice machines. Great value for a basic web surfing, misc. usage box.

Best 'improvements'/upgrades:

* external monitor.
* 3G memory, or course...
* SSD - Huge different, wayyyy faster with an SSD...new lease on life for these babies.
* If you use USB a lot, snag an Expresscard-USB 3.0 card for faster speed.

These were IBM's first widescreen laptops, and while quite fine on the display, for my old eyes, 15" is a bit small, so I went with a 24" 1920x1200 external monitor. 24" is currently the smallest monitor available with 1920x1200. Smaller woulda been ok, but I really like WUXGA; can't stand 1920x1080, which is the best you can get on smaller monitors.

Problems: Well, they do eventually wear out...main annoyance to me is that after resuming the laptop from standby mode, the touchpad mouse/cursor mover becomes active, which I don't want. I like just the two clickers right above the touchpad, but don't want to use the touchpad itself. So, I have to press Fn+F8 and turn off the touchpad. Seems to be a bug in the code/hardware.

Only other issue for me is that if I'm doing constant video, the gpu can heat up, but that may be due to crud in the fan assembly. I did have one fan crap out(replaced it) and another is grinding, while my third is running fine.

Lately, the ebay price on the Z61p has been $200+, with the Z61m slightly lower, I suspect.

Good buys; just don't over pay, as these babies are fully depreciated by now.

[underclocker]

Problems: Well, they do eventually wear out...main annoyance to me is that after resuming the laptop from standby mode, the touchpad mouse/cursor mover becomes active, which I don't want. I like just the two clickers right above the touchpad, but don't want to use the touchpad itself. So, I have to press Fn+F8 and turn off the touchpad. Seems to be a bug in the code/hardware.

Permit me to assist! You can shut off the touchpad in the BIOS. The option is under the Config menu. I do it on all my TPs.

And yes, the Z61p is awesome, especially good for HD video watching or output to HDTVs.

[schen]

I'll chime and say that my wife is very happy with her's which she's had about a month or so. I went the low end route since I really wanted a machine with the Intel integrated GPU and was able to snag one in outstanding condition for $130. Of course the specs were VERY low end compete with Celeron, 512Mb of RAM and a small/slow HDD.

One C2D T5500 processor, 2Gb of RAM, 320Gb/7200rpm HDD, DVD Multi-Burner later, it's just the right thing to replace her aging R52. She has astigmatism, so the even the low res. WXGA screen was good for her. Its the only machine I've done for her that she's had zero complaints on! She could use a webcam, but they just don't appear on the lower-end models. So, far, no issue that I know of.

I'd love to get my own as a workstation project to go along with the X300, but that'll have to wait....unless I get another killer deal!

[leftbrain99]

I have several Z61p, which are similar, but with a little more juice and 1920x1200 screen. These also have a firewire port, if that's important to you.

All Z's have a firewire port, not just Z61p's.

[Tasurinchi]

Thanks everybody for the valuable tips!

They are great machines. The only downside is weight and the 3GB RAM limitation due to the mobo chipset/BIOS limitation - same as T60's

I knew those limitations, this TP will stay on my wife's desk replacing her current desktop PC. It won't be moved around (for that I have my Xs machines strategically distributed at home -all around the couch- ) so weight was not an issue. 3GB and Win7 will be more than enough for her needs.

I usually just tighten all the exposed screws, since they loosen a little over time. Don't go too tight, since you can crack the plastic. The Z61m's are reliable and generally quiet and cool.

Oh! Good to know that. The machine came in such a good state that I'm really doubting if I should open it and check the inside. I think I got a laziness attack...

that's one of my favorite ThinkPad designs plus it has nice features like the webcam, SD memory card slot, Firewire

And the titan lid! That's actually almost the only reason why I got it. My wife was really happy when she saw the shiny polish lid, you know women pay a lot of attention to things like that

I have several Z61p, which are similar, but with a little more juice and 1920x1200 screen.

I was eyeing one of those in the Swiss ebay competitor. Unfortunately I was too stingy and it went to another happy user . Z6x models are very very rare here in Switzerland. So this time I prepared more budget. I did not overpay as it was way cheaper than T60 offerings here, but I was mentally ready to go higher to get my Z61m.

* SSD - Huge different, wayyyy faster with an SSD...new lease on life for these babies.

For the moment I will stick to the HD, as an SSD around 250/320GB are too much expensive IMO. If I see she can live without the optical drive I may move the HD to the ultrabay and go for a small SSD later.

I'll have to find time to clone the desktop HD and install it in the TP during the weekend, my wife is getting impatient, before she wasn't much into laptops. Now she wants her Z61m now!

Cheers!

[Tasurinchi]

I'm having trouble getting the fingerprint to work with seven (32bits Ultimate version), it's the first time I have problems with any FP reader from my Thinkpads.

I'm using the Lenovo drivers and every time I want to scan any fingerprint it will not react at all, unless I do a quick and short scan, where the software complains that the scan was too short or bad quality. A very slow and log movement of my fingertips while scanning produces no result

Furthermore I find the FP reader in the Z61m to be far "deeper" positioned as the ones in my T6's, X60 and X41's. Is this normal?

[AMATX]

On the firewire port, I meant that all Z61x have firewire, not just the 'p' model

For SSD, I just use a small cheapie off of ebay. Cheap, works great, no issues.

If you want lots more disk space, pick up an ultrabay slim 2nd hard drive caddy and shove it into the ultrabay slot on the right. I don't use CD/DVD much, and have a USB drive for occasional use.

So, gist of all of the above posts is that if you don't need more cpu horsepower than these models have, they're very nice, affordable little units that can be expanded/upgraded to work well these days.

Somewhat uncommon, as IBM didn't make 'em all that long before they came out with the T60 line, which, along with the T61, has had a much longer lifespan and sold many more than the Z61 line. I'd guess IBM also had the Z61 line overpriced for the consumer market, which limited them to the corportate circuit. The last of this model are coming off of warranty, and with depreciation, now's the time to scarf one or more up.

[leftbrain99]

I'm having trouble getting the fingerprint to work with seven (32bits Ultimate version), it's the first time I have problems with any FP reader from my Thinkpads.

I'm using the Lenovo drivers...

I don't have the FPR on my Z, so I can't comment on it, but be sure you are using the Windows 7 driver:

http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... MIGR-73583

It is not specifically listed on the Z-series driver matrix, so you have to "hunt" for it.

On the firewire port, I meant that all Z61x have firewire, not just the 'p' model

Yeah - I guess what I thought was funny is that the OP already mentioned firewire (IEEE 1394) in the first post.

[Tasurinchi]

I don't have the FPR on my Z, so I can't comment on it, but be sure you are using the Windows 7 driver:

Well, Windows Update picked it up automatically, so I guess it's the right driver. When this wasn't working I installed the Lenovo drivers via Lenovo System Update. I'll check the BIOS settings later, but my guess is that if it's recognized by seven then it should be active in the BIOS.

I think as next step I will uninstall everything FP related and try your link. Thanks!

[frankiepankie]

I had no problems with Windows 7 in combination with the FP reader on my X41 Tablet.

I just let Windows Update did his work to pick up the drivers, and it worked without any problems after that.

[Tasurinchi]

I just let Windows Update did his work to pick up the drivers

I did the same with all my other TPs, just with these one is not working...