SOLD! My personal T601 QXGA FrankenPad, maxed-out, scary...

[ajkula66]

Testing the waters - for the last time - to see whether there's any interest in this unique piece...if it's not sold in a couple of weeks, to the vultures of feebay it goes...

FrankenPad T601PFQ

Lenovo 15” ThinkPad T60 4:3 shell
Intel X9000 CPU (2.8 GHz Core 2 Extreme, 6MB L2 cache)
8GB DDR2 RAM (Elpida, with heatsinks)
512 GB Crucial M4 SSD (still under warranty)
15in 2048x1536 (QXGA) IPS FlexView LCD
*ultra rare* 42W7874 native Penryn “p” board
128MB nVidia Quadro FX570M GPU
CDRW/DVDRW
Atheros abgn wireless (450 Mbps on my dual-band router, YMMV)
Bluetooth
No modem
1Gb Ethernet
UltraNav
Secure chip
Fingerprint reader
Genuine Lenovo 9-cell battery (Panasonic, less than 20 cycles, "green")
Genuine Lenovo 90W AC adapter included
Lenovo 2504 Mini Dock with keys included
Middleton's modded BIOS installed
No COA included

Absolutely, positively, one-off. Physically 9 out of 10, light wear on the usual spots but *very* clean overall. Tortured into oblivion with hundreds of hours of Freestone and Furmark and showed absolutely no signs of an impending GPU failure.

I have yet to get my Lasik done (not kidding) and that's really not on the top of the list of my priorities right now, so someone else should enjoy this thing of beauty...while I still have a good mind to sell it...

Listed below are the downgrades that I'm willing to perform. Please do NOT ask for anything else.

a) RAM: deduct $150 for NO RAM included, $135 for 2GB (2x1GB) and $110 for 4GB (2x2GB)

b) SSD: deduct $200 for NO SSD/HDD (cover, caddy and screws WILL be included)

c) DVD RW: $10

d) battery : $30

e) adapter : $10

f) dock : $10

Pictures will be made available if serious interest is shown.

PM or email me directly to tataslonATaol.com with any questions/concerns.

[RMSMajestic]

One question, how's the condition of the covers? brand new or 9/10 or 9.5/10? Any wears on corners?
What's the refresh rate of the screen and is there any imperfections on the screen?

[Worzyl]

What a fantastic and well modded machine. Unfortunately the QXGA screen would be too much of strain for my eyes.

May I ask why you are selling it?

[ilma]

Am v.v.interested -have been plotting how-to's re $$ ever since I read about this amazing T601. Am getting close. AUD exchange rate is not helping, but that's life downunder. My other half says 'go for it'.
Main Q for me is about QXGA - I've never seen this screen resolution in real life (have read lots of comment in TPForum re small-size type etc) so not at all sure what to expect. Would it be TOO good for my eyes/work which is mostly documentation. Current IBM-badged T60p (2007-89JM) with SXGA+ is easily adequate. But hey, my head's into a maxi-Frankenpad.
Would love to see pics - are you going to put on this thread, or just do via email? Pls advise. ILMA

[ajkula66]

Thanks to everyone for kind words and interest. Now to answering questions...

One question, how's the condition of the covers? brand new or 9/10 or 9.5/10? Any wears on corners?
What's the refresh rate of the screen and is there any imperfections on the screen?

I'd rate it 9 out of 10, covers are not new but in good shape with normal wear, including corners. As for the refresh rate, I currently don't have an OS installed on it, will check and report back once I get a chance.

As for screen imperfections, I haven't noticed any...but I also wouldn't count on spotting a single dead pixel on a 15" 2048x1536 panel with my eyes...

@Worzyl:
You've pretty much answered your own question: my eyes can't take the QXGA for a prolonged period of time. That's why I wrote:

I have yet to get my Lasik done (not kidding) and that's really not on the top of the list of my priorities right now

@ilma:

I probably won't get to taking pictures prior to the end of this upcoming weekend. However, you can get an idea - at least to a degree - how the QXGA compares to more standard screen options from this thread:

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=106044

Overall, I haven't met too many people who are truly comfortable with using this type of panel 24/7/365, but to each their own.

[pianowizard]

Overall, I haven't met too many people who are truly comfortable with using this type of panel 24/7/365, but to each their own.

In retrospect, I bet I would have been fairly happy with 125% scaling on this 15.0" QXGA screen, which I had on two R50p's and a T43p. Sure, some icons and menus might not have scaled properly, but at 125% magnification, the distortion would have been pretty minor. But I stubbornly stayed with Windows XP's default scaling, which I tolerated okay but couldn't say I was "truly comfortable".

Would it be TOO good for my eyes/work which is mostly documentation.

If you are referring to Microsoft Office, then I wouldn't worry about it since we usually scale Office documents anyway.

[TuuS]

Windows XP was always difficult to adjust to high resolution monitors, it was developed in 2000 when XGA was the norm, but you can adjust all your menus, icons and text to be easily readable. Later windows versions let you select large or extra large sizes and also have accessibility features for those who are visually impaired... even if you don't consider your vision impaired it can still be helpful when using a high resolution screen like this and I think the stunning graphics would be well worth the effort.

[bwaldow]

Hello,

Would it be TOO good for my eyes/work which is mostly documentation. Current IBM-badged T60p (2007-89JM) with SXGA+ is easily adequate.

I'm struck by how few people know that you can scale the display as you like in Windows and most Linux distros I've used.

For my needs, the extra pixels are for better formed characters and graphics. The idea of jamming more text on the screen smells faintly (or strongly) of some sort of 'coder machisimo'.

'10pt' is a physical measurement, and 10pt text on the display had better be an actual 10pt high.

In Windows XP, there is an option to have 'normal' or 'large' text, but the same dialog also allows setting a custom DPI value. I always calculate my actual DPI, and then set the value to the nearest number divisible by 4 - as I read once that matches some internal calculations and provides some benefit.

Some Linux desktop environments don't have the control, but many do. My XFCE desktop allows explicitly setting the display DPI. In earlier systems, and in current ones that don't provide a GUI tool to do this I can just set the line in the xorg.conf file to scale everything.

The Macintosh does not provide a continuously variable resolution setting, but does provide several scaling values - one of which is hopefully close enough to be useful. I run Mavericks on my 15" Frankenpad, and scale the display down from the native 1600x1200 so I can read it.

I am bemused that after all these years people still don't generally know the controls to scale the display are provided in the OS for most cases. This is really a non-issue, except for knowing about it.

"Hey, computer. Use those extra pixels to form the characters more finely so they are readable. Yeah, that's good." My UXGA screens are set to 136dpi/ppi. Then I set my character sizes. They print like they should.

Cheers,
Bret

[FryPpy]

Windows XP was always difficult to adjust to high resolution monitors, it was developed in 2000 when XGA was the norm, but you can adjust all your menus, icons and text to be easily readable.

Yes and No.
2001 - IBM invented T220... Big Bertha which have 204dpi. But i don't know if XP have driven such display. I using XP now... and i feel comfortable with UXGA. I have 1 QXGA but it is on the shelves. Reprogrammed and ready to go, but i have seen it only in ubuntu environment... very finely;)
XP have only 2 bad things:
- it have only 2 icons sizes - normal and big. Vista+ scaling all GUI items with this slider the same size. Sometimes it makes icons inadequate big (for me).
- not XP but bad old programs written in terms of pixel width and height, so when one scaling fonts - GUI items (buttons, labels) become bigger but containers (windows, panels) size defined as fixed and some elements goes away or brakes composition:(

I have tinkered with scaling factor in display settings. There is some approaches:
- find out real pixel density (dpi / ppi) of LCD and choose appropriate scaling factor
- use ruler and slide the onscreen ruler till 1 inch mark become exact 1 inch on real ruler.
In 2nd approach dpi become slightly bigger then original LCD dpi. But i have used 2nd approach. We can write scaling factors that we are using on our FlexViews - but this story for a different topic;)

[ajkula66]

For my needs, the extra pixels are for better formed characters and graphics.

Those are *your* needs. Some of us have requirements that differ from your own.

The idea of jamming more text on the screen smells faintly (or strongly) of some sort of 'coder machisimo'.

An interesting opinion which really has no place in a FS thread...

I am bemused that after all these years people still don't generally know the controls to scale the display are provided in the OS for most cases. This is really a non-issue, except for knowing about it.

Most of us know about it. The problem is that some of us are unhappy with the results. Scaling in Windows sucks IMO, otherwise this machine wouldn't be up for sale. It's really that simple.

[priono2000]

@ Ajkula 66 :
The Mobo is brand new or second part?

Regards
Priono

[ajkula66]

The Mobo is brand new or second part?

Used.

[priono2000]

the price is scary me

this frankenpad build for enthusiast

[ajkula66]

the price is scary me

Oh well...you can always assemble your own...

this frankenpad build for enthusiast

You got that one right.

[priono2000]

it's out my budget

In my country, very difficult to found someone build this machine same like this.

Of course this machine will be my dream

[PowerPC]

Pending offer from me, PM sent.

[ajkula66]

Sold outside of the forum.