Thinkpads Forum

I am contemplating the purchase of a new laptop on which to run Linux. I'm waffling between a refurbed X41 or X32, and a new X60s. Of these three models, which will give me the least trouble running Linux?

I've read that Lenovo has released it's Thinkvantage suite for Novel's Linux distro. Is that true? Will that version of Thinkvantage work equally well on X41, X32, and X60s models, or am I best off with the newer X60s?

I've been running Suse on one of my desktops for some years now. I'm not by any means a Linux expert, but Suse is the distro I'm familiar with, and I hope to stick with it. Buying Novell's paid-for version doesn't bother me. Does that version include Thinkpad support by default?

I have a few things that I use Linux for, but I really don't like to monkey-diddle much. I'm looking here for the smoothest path possible for getting Linux up and running on a Thinkpad.

Money is a bit of an issue. I can spring for an X60s if I have to, but an X41 would make a much smaller dent in my budget.

Everything works on all the machines.

Only difference is power management. Since dual core processors are new, they do not yet work as well with Linux as old Centrino models. I get roughly 40% less battery life with Ubuntu on my X60s, but this will likely get addressed in the next kernel version.

The ThinkVantage programs were made for SLED 10 on the T60p, but they work on the X60s and likely other machines as well. Not sure if they run on Suse 10.2.

Spif wrote: The ThinkVantage programs were made for SLED 10 on the T60p, but they work on the X60s and likely other machines as well.

The question of ThinkVantage support is important to me. I'll happily buy SLED 10 just for the ThinkVantage programs. Does anyone know for sure whether they will run on X32s and X41s? Or has Lenovo not bothered about support for the older models?

I doubt they work on older machines, as the ThinkVantage programs were made for the *60 Thinkpads.

Take a look at this guide: http://www.softwareinreview.com/cms/content/view/54/

Spif, thank you for the link, and for taking the time to respond.

No problem, good luck getting your new Thinkpad

There's a discussion about the X60s on the kernel mailing list, a bit too technical for me, but maybe you can decipher what exactly they are talking about: http://lkml.org/lkml/2006/11/13/141

To the original poster - can you please let me know where you are seeing refurbished X32's for sale? I'd be interested in one if the price is right. I've been hunting for one for a while, but they are scarce on eBay and IBM doesn't often have x31 or x32 models on their certified used site....thanks!