Advice: 14" 4:3 T60/61 1400x1050

[flyvendehest]

Hey there!
New to the forums, greetings - and new to thinkpads in general. A friend gave me a 14" t60 recently (1951-4tu), got xubuntu running to try it out, and am enjoying the trackpoint and 4:3 - it's really a wonderful experience to work on this machine. However, it only has the XGA panel, and the 1024 x 768 definitely isn't optimal. So I hope I'd be able to afford an upgrade, and I'd prefer to get one from a trusted member here rather than eBay.

I've researched a bit on T60 and 61 and the P's, and am still not quite sure which model to get. These are the things I'm looking for:
* 14", 4:3
* 1400x1050 (sure I'd like a nice screen, but a regular 1400x1050 would probably do. I hear the t60's carry nicer ones?)
* GPU: I value batterylife, keeping cool and stability, over power. I suppose going with discrete graphics would be good here? (are all the P models with dedicated graphics?)
* >2ghz C2D
* RAM: be great with 3gb (or more if a t61 I suppose)
* HDD: Doesn't matter too much, though I could be interested in a smaller SSD if supported.
* Working wifi

I might be open to a frankenpad, if those exist in 14".
I'd appreciate any advice on the matter, and what price range I'm looking at here (I'm hoping to spend around $100, is that realistic?)

Also, it should be noted that I'm in Canada (shipping)

Thank you, and make a great day!
Morten

MOD edit: moved this to the T6x forum, and changed the title.
Post in the Marketforum, once you know what you want to buy.

[Cigarguy]

T60 14" don't come with Flexview only the 15" T60. The Flexview screens are gorgeous though, like some beautiful blondes, are not known for being bright. With either T60 or T61, the XGA screens are horrible while the SXGA+ screens are very nice....at least to my eyes. I've become addicted to higher resolution screens and will not go back to crappy regular res screens. Once you've seen a Flexview screens, such as those found on T4x series and 15" T60, you'll be hooked.

I have a few T60 15" with Flexview and a Frankenpad. I've also got a high res (SXGA+) 14" T60 and T61 that I obsolutely love. It is a wonderful screen size and is small and light. Frankenpads don't come with 14" screen, it's a 15" Flexview screen from a T60 with the body of a 14" (non-widescreen) T61.

As for CPU, T61 CPUs run cooler and are more powerful. T61 will also take Peryn class CPUs with the T9300 being excellent value. T61 will a do SATA II (via Middleton's wonderful modified BIOS), take up to 8 GB RAM and have more powerful dedicated GPU. T61 are more powerful than a T60 but runs cooler in general. However, a T60 with max 3 GB RAM, a SSD, decent CPU (i.e. T7200) and a X1300/X1400 GPU is still very capable and can be had for cheap. T60 discrete ATI graphics don't have issues like the T61 Nvidia GPU. If you haven't heard about T61's Nvidia's GPU issue, google it and do some research.

I have way to many Thinkpads, Elitebooks and Dell Latitude in my collection. I have about 16 Thinkpads and growing from a T42 to a T420. Of late my favourite of those are the 14" T60 and T61. My 14" T61 may yet still be my next Frankenpad machine but it is in such beautiful condition that I don't feel like being Dr. Frankenstein just yet. My 14" T60 is my daily machine, is frequently abused but it keeps on ticking.

Don't know how often you make it down to Calgary, but if you are patient you can still pick up 14" T60 and T61 for a song. Most people don't know what they have and are just happy to move on to the next crappy Acer. Unfortunately my two 14" T60 and one 14" T61 is not for sale.

No matter what you get I recommend getting a SSD, even a cheap SSD. My T60 for example, gets a $20, 32 GB Samsung SLC SSD which is loaded with Win 7 32 bit and all the programs I normally use including Office 2010 and Photoshop 5.1. After all of that I still have 7-9 GB left. 32 GB is too small for Win 7 64 bit plus programs so T61 gets either a 64 GB or 120 GB SSD. Most of my machines are outfitted this way. All data is stored on a 1 GB HDD in the Ultrabay (via an adapter). The data drive (D:\) get's moved from one machine to the next depending on what machine I feel like using for that month. Makes data backup very simple too. My laptop data drive, along with my desktop data drive are backed up in triplicate.

[Cigarguy]

As for price range, both of my 14" T60 and 14" T61, were around the $100 mark for a "bare bones" systems. My bare bones, it means no power adapter, bad battery, low memory, no HDD and a crappy CPU. All my machines gets upgraded CPU, SSD, memory and Win 7. Both of my 14" T60 for example are upgraded to a T7200 ($25 each), 32 GB SSD ($20), genuine 90W Lenovo power adapter ($20), addition 2 GB RAM which brings it to max 3 GB ($25), Win 7, new battery ($25-$60) and more often than not, an upgraded Wifi card ($10-$25). As you can see all the upgrades and accessories add up. So basically the original $100 buying price is for the screen (most important), motherboard and good case.

I source my laptop locally and prefer to see and feel it first before buying. Especially important to me is the screen. I'm fortunate as my favourite seller is only a few blocks away. She also sells a lot of her laptops on eBay for cheap and provides excellent service. Last Thinkpad I bought from her was last week, a pristine condition X200 Tablet with an excellent condition genuine battery and docking station for $100. Delivery was nothing as I picked it up on the way home from work.

Another good source is the marketplace of this forum. TuuS was a tremendous help with my Frankenpad build and other parts. I highly recommend him.

Another laptop that I'd suggest you look at is the X60 tablet X61 tablet with SXGA+ IPS screens. My favourite modification on these machine is a X60 Tablet Flexview SXGA+ screen installed in a X61 Tablet body. The is Frankenpad modification is easier to do then a T60/T61 conversion.

All my laptops are stripped down to the bones, cleaned, new thermal paste applied, then gets thoroughly stress tested. Yes I'm a computer geek.

[RealBlackStuff]

If you stick with 14.1" 4:3, then SXGA+ (1400x1050) is your only chance.
Try NOT to get a Samsung screen, but LG Philips instead.
If you only do web browsing, email and watch movies/Youtube, there's no need to go for hotter running/more energy consuming discrete graphics.
You'd need to get another motherboard and another fan for that.
Most revered (and rare) would be a 14.1" 4:3 T61 with Intel graphics and SXGA+.
Put in an SSD, 4GB RAM and a T8100 CPU and you'll be golden!

[Cigarguy]

Personally, I'd post a WTB ad here in the marketplace for a SXGA+ screen for that T60 of yours. It's still a fine and capable machine. With the aide of Lenovo's maintenance manual and a hour or two of your own time, you can swap that panel out.

[RMSMajestic]

How about the T61 in my signature?

[flyvendehest]

Thank you Cigarguy and RealBlackStuff, that answers pretty much all my questions. Cigarguy, great suggestion with the screen. I think I've seen a thread where TuuS is selling the SXGA panels, so I'll PM him and maybe post a WTB thread for one if needed. And, then when I got a bit more time and money on my hands, I'll look for that rare t61 with discrete graphics, or maybe try my hand at a frankenmod of the x60, sounds pretty rad.

RMSMajestic, I think that laptop is a bit out of my league

Thanks again!

[RealBlackStuff]

... I'll look for that rare t61 with discrete graphics ...

The Intel graphics in the T61 I mentioned are integrated graphics!
The discrete T61 versions are made by nVidia and are fairly dangerous if made before 2008/08.
Don't ask about these here, but search the T6x forum, it's been mentioned only a gazillion times...

[Neil]

From the first post in this thread:

* GPU: I value batterylife, keeping cool and stability, over power.

I believe Morten has been looking for integrated graphics all along.

[jcvjcvjcvjcv]

Even with the Intel graphics the T61's don't compare well in batterylife vs now current Thinkpads. But neither does batterywear, lol

[Cigarguy]

This is a great T60 offered by Canadian Dude. For the price you can't go wrong. I've dealt with Canadian Dude a few times and can't recommend him enough.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... 5c#p727965