Help! I need a new ThinkPad!

[thomase13]

Hi,
The time has come that I require a new ThinkPad. I am so glad I stumbled upon this great forum, so I have no fear of people trying to suggest other laptops. I'm not interested.

My first one was an iSeries ThinkPad, still the most beautiful computer I have ever seen, with the best keyboard I have ever used.
It eventually became too slow for my needs.
I currently have a T42, and it has the same problem: too slow. Otherwise, it meets my needs quite fine.

I had a tough time deciding on a replacement, but I ultimately went with the ThinkPad Edge (E530). It's very fast, and I like it in its own way, but it has two major problems:

1. It is not a classic ThinkPad, but an impostor! :O
2. It has Windows 7, not XP.

I thought I should buy the fastest and newest ThinkPad available, but I didn't really understand what my needs would be for university. I now realize that for my day-to-day needs, a computer with an i7 processor, HDMI output, USB 3.0, and a fingerprint reader is not necessary. What is more important is a computer that I will be able to love, which to me means it runs Windows XP, has a "square screen" (4:3 aspect ratio), and is an actual ThinkPad (meaning it radiates beauty and doesn't have a chiclet keyboard).

So what I am looking for is the fastest ThinkPad available that meet my needs (or wants rather). If I have to downgrade from Windows 7 or Vista, that is okay, but I'd rather not have to bother.

Thanks a million,
Thomas

[TTY]

Hallo and welcome to the forum!

The last ThinkPads to have a standard aspect ratio screen were the 14" T61 and 12" X61. In Europe, R61 models with 15" standard aspect ratio screens were also sold. So if you really need a standard aspect ratio screen, your new ThinkPad will actually have to be an old one.

At least the screens in the 14" T61 models have rather narrow viewing angles, so you might be better off with a T60 that has a 15" IPS screen. I believe all SXGA+ (1400*1050) and UXGA (1600*1200) screens on T60 ThinkPads were IPS screens. In the meantime, the IPS displays on some used T60 ThinkPads might have turned dim. If you should happen to get one of these, getting a new display is an option. Board member RealBlackStuff sells such screens.

If you want to improve the performance of a T60, you could install a motherboard from a 14" standard aspect ratio T61 in a 15" standard aspect ratio T60. If you do that, make sure you get a motherboard with the Intel GMA X3100.

You say you want Windows XP. I can only suggest that you use a more recent OS, because Microsoft will stop supporting XP in April 2014. And that means, you won't get any more security patches after that date. Therefore, using an XP computer that is connected to the Internet after April 2014 won't be such a good idea. If you don't like the standard Windows 7 design, you can always switch to the classical GUI.

[mikemex]

I used to have a fully maxed out T61, it had:

Penryn T8300 2.4 Ghz Core 2 Duo.
4GB of RAM
64GB SSD
14.1" SXGA+ screen
Bluetooth, Fingerprint reader
DVD+RW
9 Cell battery

It was pretty fast, pretty cool running and quiet, battery life was good (I was getting about 5 hours from the 9 celland it was already to 75% of the original capacity). I sold it mostly because I'm capricious and wanted the latest (replaced it with a T420) but I admit I was very happy with it, I can recommend it without hesitation. Avoid T61 with nVidia graphics if you're to get one.

I'm with you that XP is still the best OS ever but 7 isn't that bad.

[TTY]

Just want to add that i'm not entirely certain whether the Intel GMA X3100 will be able to render all videos fluently on a UXGA panel.

[pianowizard]

Get a T61 with Intel graphics, 14.1" 1400x1050 resolution, and a Vista COA sticker. Run XP on it until April 2014 (when Microsoft support for XP will end), then upgrade to Vista using the product key. Unlike 7, Vista's "classic" user interface is still fairly similar to XP's, so it would be quite easy for you to adjust to. Also, despite what many people may have told you, Vista is a wonderful OS. If you don't like its agreesive User Access Control, you can just turn it off. Microsoft will continue to generate security patches for Vista until April 2017 (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... /lifecycle), long enough to cover your 4 years of college.

[RealBlackStuff]

Thanks PW for that advice!

I happen to have that very T61 for sale, incl. the Vista COA!
This machine is the result of a "marriage" of two 14.1" T61 machines.
One had an unloved nVdia motherboard with a good SXGA+, the other an Intel motherboard with a cracked LCD.
The result is:
T61 (8892-01U)
T7100(1.8GHz)..............................now T7250 (2.0HGz) C2D
1GB RAM......................................with 64-bit OS up to 8GB (with 32-bit OS up to 4GB)
100GB 7200rpm HD.........................now NO HD
14.1in SXGA+ 1400x1050 LCD...........nice and bright, no scratches, dead pixels or pressure points
128MB nVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M.......now Intel X3100,
CDRW/DVDRW................................now DVD/CDRW
Intel 802.11abg wireless
Bluetooth
Modem
1Gb Ethernet
UltraNav
Secure chip
Fingerprint reader
6c Li-Ion........................................in green
WinXP Pro.......................................now Vista Home
The machine is in excellent condition, with very little wear and tear (less than could be expected for its age).
All it needs is a HD-cover and a hard disk, and probably some extra RAM.
My daughter has the exact same machine in college and absolutely loves it.
This machine is ready to roll!
PM me if interested.

[thomase13]

Thanks so much for the warm welcome, and your very helpful replies!
I wouldn't find a similar response anywhere else!

Avoid T61 with nVidia graphics if you're to get one.

Why is this?

I'm with you that XP is still the best OS ever but 7 isn't that bad.

THANK YOU!
I agree with you completely!
I have given my ThinkPad Edge, and Windows 7 a good try, and they really aren't that bad (even if I don't love the latest ThinkPads or Windows operating system, it still seems that ThinkPads still are the best laptops by far, and Windows 7 the best [current] OS.)
Windows 7 even has some new features that I like! However, they aren't worth giving up Windows XP.

I can only suggest that you use a more recent OS, because Microsoft will stop supporting XP in April 2014. And that means, you won't get any more security patches after that date. Therefore, using an XP computer that is connected to the Internet after April 2014 won't be such a good idea.

That may be sound advice, however, I have decided to use Windows XP. It is my operating system. I figure that there is no point of even trying to keep up with Microsoft's latest system. Windows 8 is out now, and it's completely atrocious, especially for laptops and desktop computers.

If you don't like the standard Windows 7 design, you can always switch to the classical GUI.

While Windows 7 does have a "Classic" theme, however, it's not classic enough for me. It's actually pretty good, but I can't even change the system typeface to an actual classic type.
You see, the real problem here is that I'm in love with pixel art and pixel art icons. Therefore, I use Windows XP only with Inexperience, which changes the icons into the pixel art of Windows 2000! I have found that I can't bear giving this up, at least not for my main computer (my beloved ThinkPad).
So I'm basically sacrificing speed and having a supported operating system for pixel art icons.

Get a T61 with Intel graphics, 14.1" 1400x1050 resolution, and a Vista COA sticker. Run XP on it until April 2014 (when Microsoft support for XP will end), then upgrade to Vista using the product key. Unlike 7, Vista's "classic" user interface is still fairly similar to XP's, so it would be quite easy for you to adjust to. Also, despite what many people may have told you, Vista is a wonderful OS. If you don't like its agreesive User Access Control, you can just turn it off. Microsoft will continue to generate security patches for Vista until April 2017 (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/wind ... /lifecycle), long enough to cover your 4 years of college.

This is probably also very wise advice. Although I don't like the idea of Vista as much as Windows 7, you are right that Vista at least still gives you the choice to change to the classic start menu, unlike Windows 7.
This would certainly be a good way to transition from the world of XP to Vista/7. However, I do not plan to transition. I plan to use Windows XP in the long term! I don't think it is really the worst idea in the world to run Windows XP unsupported, but please correct me if I'm wrong!

I happen to have that very T61 for sale, incl. the Vista COA!

Wow, that's awesome! I will certainly think about it!

[pianowizard]

I plan to use Windows XP in the long term! I don't think it is really the worst idea in the world to run Windows XP unsupported, but please correct me if I'm wrong!

Sorry but you are wrong. It really is the worst idea in the world to run Windows XP unsupported. I vaguely remember that shortly after support for Windows 98 ended, computers still running 98 had lots of security issues. It is extremely unsafe to continue to use XP beyond April 2014, unless you completely disconnect your computer from the internet. Are you sure that Inexperience doesn't work on 32bit Vista? The page you linked to said 64bit Windows isn't supported, but doesn't say anything about Vista. BTW, even though many if not most T61's came with Vista COAs, so many people hated Vista back in 2007 and 2008 that they downgraded their T61's to XP. So, it's still quite easy to find a T61 with a Vista COA sticker but with XP installed. Get one of these and you have the best of both world: there's no need to spend half a day downgrading to XP, and yet if you later decide to upgrade to Vista, you can do so without paying an extra penny (you can make your own Vista setup disc for free, legally -- see http://en.community.dell.com/support-fo ... river.aspx).

[thomase13]

Are you sure that Inexperience doesn't work on 32bit Vista? The page you linked to said 64bit Windows isn't supported, but doesn't say anything about Vista.

Unfortunately, I don't think Inexperience would work on Vista. I have tried it on Vista before and it didn't work (though it's possible that was on a 64-bit version). If it does, I would be a very happy camper indeed. (If I were someday forced to switch)

It's still quite easy to find a T61 with a Vista COA sticker but with XP installed. Get one of these and you have the best of both world: there's no need to spend half a day downgrading to XP, and yet if you later decide to upgrade to Vista, you can do so without paying an extra penny...

I think this is definitely my best bet. I appreciate all the good advice!!!

[systemBuilder]

In our family, we use T42's with ATI 9600 graphics, and 1400x1050 displays and 2 GB RAM. These machines are not slow, and if you need more speed then a 128 GB PATA SSD can be purchased on EBay for about $140. They will still run all the games from 2009 and before at good resolution, although the shader model of DirectX 11.0 is not supported. We run XP and Office 2007 just fine on these machines, and play games (Half Life, Far Cry) at O.k. Resolution (1024x768). The T42 won't run Windows-8, without a CPU/overclocking upgrade.

[Adda]

They will still run all the games from 2009 and before at good resolution, although the shader model of DirectX 11.0 is not supported. We run XP and Office 2007 just fine on these machines, and play games (Half Life, Far Cry) at O.k. Resolution (1024x768). The T42 won't run Windows-8, without a CPU/overclocking upgrade.

The GPU's in the T4x series don't support DirectX 10 either, they don't even support DirectX 9.0c so any game that requires this won't run.
A game like Fallout 3 which came out in 2008, won't even start on a T4x machine, and if it did, it wouldn't be playable at 1024x768.
Crysis from 2007? forget about it...
Even Oblivion from 2006 it quite a challenge, you really have to do a lot of tweaking to make it playable while looking half decent.

Sure old games like the first Far Cry and Half-Life from 1997, but also Half-Life2, even Portal 2 runs on them, and Spore too.
But saying they will run anything is just wrong, because they don't, far far from it, the GPU's are much slower then contemporary integrated video cards and while the Pentium M is versatile, it's not much faster then the Atom CPU's in netbooks.

[RealBlackStuff]

@Systembuilder:
please stop your unfounded comments about how 'good' your T42 machines are/were.
They are 5-8 years old and WAY behind the time.
T42 are museum pieces or just about good enough for email and web-browsing, NOTHING else!

[mikemex]

@Systembuilder:
please stop your unfounded comments about how 'good' your T42 machines are/were.
They are 5-8 years old and WAY behind the time.
T42 are museum pieces or just about good enough for email and web-browsing, NOTHING else!

All computers are marvels in the full sense of the word. I've got a couple AMD K6-3 machines here and while some may call them fossils, they do a surprisingly wide range of useful things, from serving files, keeping inventory of stuff, web browsing, playing music and even youtube video play.

Computers don't get slow, it's people who can't resist the temptation to use newer and and inneficient software on them.

[ajkula66]

Computers don't get slow, it's people who can't resist the temptation to use newer and and inneficient software on them.

Well...yes and no...

You're correct in saying that computers don't get slow per se.

However, a machine that can't play a youtube video without stuttering and/or struggles with ever-increasing flash content on websites - which would describe vast majority of T4x units - is not deemed to be particularly useful today...

Yes they can still manage office applications and numerous other tasks...but if a person has to rely on one laptop as an all-rounder, a T4x machine just doesn't cut it anymore.

[pianowizard]

@Systembuilder:
please stop your unfounded comments about how 'good' your T42 machines are/were.

Not to mention that the OP already wrote this in his very first post: "I currently have a T42, and it has the same problem: too slow."

He further wrote that "What is more important is a computer that I will be able to love, which to me means it runs Windows XP, has a "square screen" (4:3 aspect ratio), and is an actual ThinkPad (meaning it radiates beauty and doesn't have a chiclet keyboard)...So what I am looking for is the fastest ThinkPad available that meet my needs (or wants rather)." The T42 is clearly not the fastest Thinkpad available that meets his criteria. The T61 is.

Yes they can still manage office applications and numerous other tasks...but if a person has to rely on one laptop as an all-rounder, a T4x machine just doesn't cut it anymore.

So, how are you coping, George? Even the most modern computer in your signature is 6 years old.

[omnivertex]

Like or not, someday you have to bid farewell to your old lovely thinkpad. I suggest to learn the new things slowly step by step just like you're walking in beautiful garden where there are many sleeping pit bulls scattered over.

If you need to run application that only can run in winXP but your running OS is not winXP, then you can run winXP in virtualbox to run the application you need. Hopefully it run.

[oeuvre]

I have a T42 that I've been using on a daily basis until I acquired a T60 a couple months back... My friend coincidentally needed a laptop so I lent him my T42 and he says it's great for websurfing, email, his Photoshop work as well.

T42 series are still plenty useful. I wouldn't game with it though... at least with DX10 and newer games.
Fine for older freeware games and such.

nothing like Ski Free...

[Adda]

I use my T43p as my daily driver, the only things I do that it can't do, is demanding games and advanced FL Studio projects, I use my W510 for that.
Everything else is done by the T43p, even composing music in FL Studio, playing flash and 720p video, all the things a general purpose system needs to do.
But it is dependent on WinXP to really shine, especially with a modded cooler and IBM_ECW.
But XP's days are numbered and it's difficult to get around the cooling problems in this machine even after modding the cooler and undervolting the CPU.
The southbridge just get's too hot for comfort when both CPU and GPU are under heavy loads at their max speeds. even if they are stay blow 75C.
56C after prolonged load is too much for that type of component, but if I limit the CPU speed to 1.2GHz I can overclock the GPU and keep the southbridge below 50C.
I can also leave the CPU at max speed but run the GPU in the Balanced PowerPlay mode, but it won't run at as high clocks here then in Max Performance mode.
To keep temps down when playing fullscreen flash video, I use the fullscreen magnifier feature.
For GPU flash acceleration 128MB of video memory is required, so the FireGL T2 and V3200 are at least partially supported, and do accelerate flash.

Configurability, the W510 is just so crude by comparison

In the end I'd say that if you like tinkering and don't mind a few compromises, then the T43p can be a daily driver.
The T42p doesn't have a Balanced PowerPlay mode, can't be SATA moded, has no expresscard slot and uses the older PCI/AGP infrastructure, but can be configured to have very low power consumption.

[ajkula66]

So, how are you coping, George? Even the most modern computer in your signature is 6 years old.

Well, there are several aspects to consider when answering this question...

a) No one in this household games on their PC - for the sole exception of my daughter who does some lightweight stuff on her T60 - since my kids prefer their xBox and Wii...

b) No machine here is expected to run VMs and stuff like that. In all fairness, we are rather on the low-end of the user profile. Sure, when my wife throws a rather complex spreadsheet the fan of her Z61m becomes very audible, but a Core 2 Duo is still capable of handling her needs.

c) The only one that is beginning to show its age severely is A31p. After this upcoming weekend it will be the last laptop standing with XP installed. It is being moved - slowly but surely - to the role of a big and beautiful word processor.

d) There's no question that the technology has moved forward in many respects. The whole Sandy thing had me pull out my work laptop (Panasonic CF-31) and I was getting *real* 9 hours of battery life in the field. None of my ThinkPads/FrankenPads could ever come close to that, even when new...

e) RBS is about done building a custom FrankenPad for me - literally waiting for one last piece to arrive in the mail - and that machine should be good for several years to come. Pictures and specs will hopefully be posted on the forum by the end of this week, stay tuned...

As for my T43pFL, Adda has summed the limitations of these machines pretty well:

In the end I'd say that if you like tinkering and don't mind a few compromises, then the T43p can be a daily driver.

Lastly, my T43F is the "dedicated Linux box" that travels with me...and does everything I need it to while I'm on the road...