T61p configuration - anything you'd get differently?

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juu · #1 Post by **juu** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:11 pm

I need a new laptop as my R52 is getting sluggish and I'd have to return it in a few months anyway.

6459CTO ThinkPad T61 15 Widescreen
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T7500 (2.2GHz 800MHz 4MBL2)[1]
Genuine Windows XP Professional[12]
15.4 WSXGA+ TFT
NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M (256MB Open GL)
2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)[8]
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad)
100GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm[4]
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim[5]
ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe US/EMEA/LA/ANZ[10]
Integrated Bluetooth PAN
6 cell Li-Ion Battery[60]
6459: Express - 1 Yr Depot Warranty[7]
System Processor[1] Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T7500 (2.2GHz 800MHz 4MBL2)
Operating System[12] Genuine Windows XP Professional
Operating System Language Genuine Windows XP Professional - US English
Display Panel 15.4 WSXGA+ TFT
System graphics NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M (256MB Open GL)
Total memory[8] 2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
Keyboards Keyboard US English
Pointing Device UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad)
Hard Drive[4] 100GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Intel® Turbo Memory hard drive cache Intel Turbo Memory 1GB
Optical device[5] DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim
System expansion slots PC Card Slot & Express Card Slot
Card Reader 4 in 1 Media Card Reader
Wireless cards[10] ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe US/EMEA/LA/ANZ
Bluetooth Integrated Bluetooth PAN
Battery[60] 6 cell Li-Ion Battery
Power cord Country Pack North America
Language Pack Language Pack US English

250410U ThinkPad Advanced Mini Dock with US/Canada/LA Line Cord

I'm thinking of buying this one and would use it mostly for software development. I'll buy a 30'' monitor too in a not-so-distant future, hence the Advanced Mini Dock and FX570M (some people say you don't need discrete graphics to run a 30'' monitor at max resolution but I don't want to find out differently on my own).

My main concern is about HDD speed - will the 7200rpm be much noisier than the 5400rpm one?

I could pick between 0.2 Ghz more or 1MBL2 cache more; I picked the cache.

The laptop will spend around 90% of usage time docked at the docking station I estimate.

alacrityathome · #2 Post by **alacrityathome** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:23 pm

Drop the Turbo Memory. It doesn't fly with XP Pro and many folks say it works poorly with Vista.

Upgrade to the 9 cell battery. Cheaper when you get it with a new purchase at Lenovo. And, dramatic difference in battery time.

Nice selection.

Enjoy.

juu · #3 Post by **juu** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:32 pm

The 9 cell battery protrudes, right? I kinda dislike that, I've had an older Thinkpad that had that.

Thanks for the Turbo Memory advice. It does sound like a good idea on paper though.

lbraasch · #4 Post by **lbraasch** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 5:41 pm

i have pretty much the same spec'd laptop. w/ the 9 cell, I get aprox. 4.5 hrs of battery life, give or take 30min depending on what I'm doing, with wifi on, bluetooth off. That translates out to ~3hrs on a 6-cell. imo, that's not enough battery life for a day's casual use on the road.

as a side note, my t41p w/ a 9 cell used to get 6hrs, but that was a 14", and it was running xp.

Aroc · #5 Post by **Aroc** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 7:34 pm

I wouldn't get the 9-cell if you're going to be docked as much as you say you are. You're T7500 makes me question why I opted for the T9300 when the T7500 would have been just as good. I would drop the turbo memory, like the others are saying. If you want to spend money on something in its place, increase the warranty to 2 years. Otherwise, leave it as it is.

juu · #6 Post by **juu** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:41 pm

Aroc wrote:You're T7500 makes me question why I opted for the T9300 when the T7500 would have been just as good. I would drop the turbo memory, like the others are saying. If you want to spend money on something in its place, increase the warranty to 2 years. Otherwise, leave it as it is.

Actually, I read T9300 has better power consumption and is quieter so I'm thinking of upgrading to that in place of the turbo memory.

The video card is still open; I wonder if the 570M generates more heat than the 140M...

XyKo · #7 Post by **XyKo** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:46 pm

Currently using a 14.1" T61P with the 5400rpm hdd. Very quiet from what I know.

I also got the T9300, and I have to say, the T61P is much cooler during intense working, installing softwares, downloading, etc than my T43.

juu · #8 Post by **juu** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:53 am

Also, do I recall right somebody saying the Thinkpad wifi card holds connections better than the Intel ones?

msb0b · #9 Post by **msb0b** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:33 am

If Vista downgrade right is available in Latvia, I would get the Vista Business 64 and use it to get XP Pro at no additional cost. Once you have both recovery disc sets, you can switch back and forth at will. You will be ready for Vista and 64-bit computing when the time is right.

Definitely get the Penryn processor.

Atheros WiFi card has much better driver support in Linux and OSX. The difference is less pronounced in Windows.

Both of my 7K200 and 5K160 hard disks are inaudible over the ambient noise level.

#10 Post by **RonS** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:40 am

I have both the Seagate and Hitachi 7200 drives, and I don't think I've ever heard either one.

Good choice on the WSXGA+ screen. I have a T61p with a WUXGA screen that's so bad I'm not using it. Brand new, and shelved (for now).

If you plan on travelling with this Thinkpad, consider getting the 6-cell AND the 9-cell. The 6-cell for normal use, and the 9-cell as a backup.

exTPfan · #11 Post by **exTPfan** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 4:54 am

RonS wrote:I have both the Seagate and Hitachi 7200 drives, and I don't think I've ever heard either one.

That explains a lot --- many of us can certainly hear them.

juu · #12 Post by **juu** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 5:54 am

Atheros WiFi card

Which one is the Atheros? I didn't see that one in the options.

I see the following ones:

ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe US/EMEA/LA/ANZ
Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (supporting Centrino Pro)

msb0b · #13 Post by **msb0b** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 9:23 am

The ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi card uses Atheros chipset.

dingo · #14 Post by **dingo** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 10:30 am

I actually have the same question as Juu.....

this is whats in my cart>>>>> would any of you make changes?? (bearing in mind main use will be video editing/gaming)

ThinkPad T61p 15 inch widescreen with discrete graphics and Mobile Broadband
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T9500 (2.6GHz 800MHz 6MBL2)
Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium
WUXGA TFT (I thought this had better resolution????)
NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M (256MB Open GL)
4 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
200GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm with Disk Encryption
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim
PC Card Slot & Smart Card Slot
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (supporting Centrino Pro)
Integrated Bluetooth PAN
Integrated Wireless Wide Area Network (WWAN)
Integrated Wireless WAN: Verizon Sierra CDMA2000
9 cell Li-Ion Battery
4 Year On Site Upgrade with 4 Year ThinkPad Protection
ThinkPad Serial ATA Hard Drive Bay Adapter

juu · #15 Post by **juu** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:53 pm

OK, so I ordered the following configuration:

T9300, Vista Business 64 (I plan to downgrade to XP), 15.4 WSXGA+, FX 570M 256MB, 2GB, no fingerprint, 100GB 7200rpm, DVD rec, Thinkpad 11a/b/g, Bluetooth, 6-cell - $1,404.75

Advanced Mini Dock - $197.10

Total with tax $1,716.39

Too late to change anything now

I should get it some time in April but looking forward to it...

Thanks for all your help.

juu · #16 Post by **juu** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 2:57 pm

Dingo the problem with WUXGA is that the pixels will be so small it will be hard to read text. That's why I went for WSXGA+.

SouthPaw42 · #17 Post by **SouthPaw42** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 3:13 pm

Vista: http://www.istartedsomething.com/200612 ... i-scaling/
XP: http://blogs.msdn.com/tonyschr/archive/ ... 94391.aspx

T61p configuration - anything you'd get differently?

T61p configuration - anything you'd get differently?

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