*NEW* T60 widescreen review (from NBR with great pics) !!

[gator]

Link from NoteBookreview.com

from the review:

The very important thing we must emphasize here is that the T60 is not converting entirely over to widescreen, this is simply an added option. Customers will be able to choose between having a widescreen or standard screen display. If you want to buy a Dell Latitude D820 15.4" business notebook or HP nc8430 15.4" screen business notebook your only choice is widescreen. So Lenovo deserves kudos for being flexible in now offering both widescreen and standard screen options within the same product line. I believe they're the only company providing this option within a single product family.

Go Lenovo!

Although some ThinkPad fans will say a widescreen T60 is a weird mutation and not evolution, a majority of people will welcome the extra choice. While some would like to see a 14.1" widescreen offering, that may come in time if the 15.4" widescreen T-series format is a success.

Let the drums roll .. start discussing!

[JonathanGennick]

I welcome the option of widescreen. I'd like to see that choice available in the X series.

And, FWIW, IBM's decision to use Z to denote wide-screen notebooks was a mistake. Perhaps in the short term they got some marketing buzz from the new letter. However, the letters R, T, X were already in use to denote a range of cost and weight and thinness. To suddenly drop in a new letter based on aspect-ratio was confusing. Indeed, now that Lenovo is making a thin and light widescreen, where is it going? Into the T series where it belongs.

Again, I'm very happy to see the widescreen. My boss is a spreadsheet fanatic. I hate spreadsheets, and I'm constantly challanged with the problem of reading his sheets that are so wide they could spread across three or four displays. Spreadsheets are an application in which widescreen can really make a positive difference.

Ok. I'm obviously happy about the new choice. I'm off to read the review now.

[marlinspike]

In my opinion, they can offer whatever they want, I don't care, as long as they offer a 4:3 ratio 1400x1050 Flexview screen.

[JonathanGennick]

Now that I've read the review:

I wonder why Lenovo didn't put speakers to the left/right of the keyboard. My guess is that it was simpler to just manufacture the existing case a tad bit wider, and leave the other aspects of the T-series design unchanged. Maybe too, there is an issue w/speakers being a potential avenue for water to get into the system.

The 15.4-inch model is a good start. I'd like to see a 14-inch, WSXGA+ model too though. I'm a fan of small. What if Lenovo constrained the width to that of the keyboard like in the existing T-series? Could they shoehorn a 14-inch widescreen into that space, and come up with a widescreen laptop that was not so deep as the current T models, and that did not have blank space on either side of the keyboard? That'd be cool.

Despite my own personal desire for a smaller size, I think Lenovo did the right thing here. 15.4-inch seems to be the mainstream size in wide screens. Lenovo had to begin with that size.

[JonathanGennick]

Hmmm... Nothing at all--that I can find--on Lenovo's site about the new model. I couldn't order one if I wanted to.

It's probably for another thread, but I sure wish Lenovo would improve on their site to make it possible to actually find their products. IBM did poorly at that, and Lenovo is no better. You have to really *want* a Thinkpad to go through the bother of finding and ordering one.

[Puppy]

"One downside of the display in this T60 wide review unit is that it has the same "sparkle" graininess effect that's often complained about with the equivalent Dell notebook screens"

This is what I was afraid of. Crappy TN panel even in 15" T series, sad ... Should we rush to buy "last" good old T60 ?

[iatacs19]

it's too big for my taste, maybe they will release a 14in wide screen version? that would be a better format for me.

[okay]

I don't like widescreen. But since many people do, it has now become the standard. Therefore, I am almost sure I will buy a widescreen T. Any news on the T60p??? I want WUXGA IPS and a more powerful graphics chip!

[Puppy]

I want WUXGA IPS and a more powerful graphics chip!

It seems as there will be no IPS widescreens at all (see the discussion thread). This is major issue regarding ThinkPads future since the world is currently infected by widescreen mania.

[mikemi]

I just called Lenovo and was told we probably can't order it until mid-Dec.

[perry_78]

Nothing to even tempt me

4:3 is the golden way to go.

[RonS]

The widescreen looks nice. If it came with an IPS screen I might even buy one. I still wonder... If Lenovo's IPS screen goes away, then who will have the best screens?

It would be nice to see a side-by-side comparison of the Z60 with the Widescreen T60. The Z60 has firewire, but the T60 looks thinner.

[Puppy]

And, FWIW, IBM's decision to use Z to denote wide-screen notebooks was a mistake.

I don't think so. The mistake was to introduce T widescreen models which does not match the expected quality of T series.

[RUSH2112]

I would consider it as a stationary machine, if it had WUXGA. I want nothing to do with widescreens on my portable, especially not a 15.4. Theyre just too big and awkward. I'll keep my 4:3, thank you.

[Puppy]

If Lenovo's IPS screen goes away, then who will have the best screens?

No one. AFAIK Asus tried to introduce such model but they have given up due high price. I don't get it, people are willing to pay for such (useless) graphic chips but they don't mind horrible screens everyone else produces ?

[okay]

Ok, thanks. And what about UXGA IPS??? I currently use a UXGA and would be very disappointed to get a lower resolution.

[Puppy]

Ok, thanks. And what about UXGA IPS??? I currently use a UXGA and would be very disappointed to get a lower resolution.

That's good question. I hope Lenovo won't discontinue "classic" T series.

[marlinspike]

Ok, thanks. And what about UXGA IPS??? I currently use a UXGA and would be very disappointed to get a lower resolution.

The supplier of UXGA laptop flexview screens went bankrupt, so they are no more. Some college stores still have them, but they're basically hen's teeth (and any that are left are old).

[Puppy]

The supplier of UXGA laptop flexview screens went bankrupt

Is that for sure ? There were at least two manufacturers of UXGA IPS panels according this table, IDTech and BOE-Hydis.

[ingenious]

I personally think that by definition the word "laptop"/"notebook" should be associated with "small", "light", etc. What I like about IBM ThinkPad T-series is that they provide high performance, solid materials in the smallest case, equipped with only the most needed extras, that is - reliable and compact high performance. And that's why I hate Acers, Toshibas, Sonys and others - huge bulky/childish boxes.

For me, ThinkPad T with a 14" inch is the nicest laptop one can get, but since their displays are not very good, the 15" versions are in the competition for the lightest and strongest notebook too.

Now, what do you get here - a couple of inches of unused space on the left and right side of the keyboard, resulting in a much wider case only for the 100 or so pixels more in width. And the notebook is compact no more.

And why is it so hard to make at least the keyboard wider on those models? Will be much more comfortable and won't look as such a waste of space only in the name of the "holy" widescreen display.

I am posing a question here. Which one is better - a 15" 1400x1050 compact laptop, or a 15.4" 1280x800 much bigger one?

[megalosaurus]

The supplier of UXGA laptop flexview screens went bankrupt, so they are no more. Some college stores still have them, but they're basically hen's teeth (and any that are left are old).

What I'm interested in knowing is whether Lenovo hoarded enough of them to cover warranty replacements. The IPS displays on the A31Ps have a habit of going pinkish after a couple years. The T60P displays appear to be different, but I assume some of them will fail during the lifetime of the computers. It would be a major disappointment if I had to get my display replaced and got one that was not IPS.

[marlinspike]

The supplier of UXGA laptop flexview screens went bankrupt, so they are no more. Some college stores still have them, but they're basically hen's teeth (and any that are left are old).

What I'm interested in knowing is whether Lenovo hoarded enough of them to cover warranty replacements. The IPS displays on the A31Ps have a habit of going pinkish after a couple years. The T60P displays appear to be different, but I assume some of them will fail during the lifetime of the computers. It would be a major disappointment if I had to get my display replaced and got one that was not IPS.

Hydis is the one Thinkpads used, at least recently. I don't know about IDTech.

By the time your screen dies it will probably be a few years. If it's still under warranty, while you may not get a UXGA flexview, I'm sure you'll get some sort of flexview. When they can't repair a laptop they tend to replace it with the modern version of the same laptop, meaning you get spec upgrades because of the natural progression of technology.

[Kenn]

I wonder why Lenovo didn't put speakers to the left/right of the keyboard. My guess is that it was simpler to just manufacture the existing case a tad bit wider, and leave the other aspects of the T-series design unchanged. Maybe too, there is an issue w/speakers being a potential avenue for water to get into the system.

The 15.4-inch model is a good start. I'd like to see a 14-inch, WSXGA+ model too though.

I can't help but think that the speakers are positioned where they are for the same reason it took them so long to come out with a widescreen in the first place - thinkpads are "business" machines, and right or wrong, there's a perception that enterprise IT decisionmakers don't want "game/movie machines." This has got to be at least part of the decision-making process, in addition to the legacy engineering decisions of fitting speakers on a small thin-n-light.

Here here to the idea of a 14" widescreen! If they eventually do this, I hope the 1680x1050 screen resolution stays an option.

[marlinspike]

Look around the laptop. Where else can they fit the speakers?

[abnorm]

With the larger case they could have added s-video and firewire ports. If the current 4:1 flexview T60 had those, I'd buy it right away.
My Z61P has these ports, but that thing is huge with a crappy screen.

[megalosaurus]

[

By the time your screen dies it will probably be a few years. If it's still under warranty, while you may not get a UXGA flexview, I'm sure you'll get some sort of flexview. When they can't repair a laptop they tend to replace it with the modern version of the same laptop, meaning you get spec upgrades because of the natural progression of technology.

Getting a "modern version" of the same laptop isn't exactly reassuring. In 1999, IBM discontinued the ThinkPad model 770Z with its 1280x1024 display - the highest resolution ThinkPad available at that time. It took over a year before they came out with the A20P with a 1400x1050 display. During that time, the highest resolution display they offered was XGA. I was due for an upgrade of my employer-issued 770Z, and it very nearly came down to them snatching it from my cold dead fingers. They just couldn't understand why I didn't consider giving up 40 percent of my pixels to be an upgrade.

I would hate to think that if my IPS UXGA display dies, they would force me to upgrade to a WXGA model with lots of multicolored LEDs and other features to facilitate watching DVD movies.

[Kyocera]

Sticky created for all the interest in the wide screen issues.

[brentpresley]

Ick. WS.

Id rather have a root-canal than use a WS laptop.

ICK!

[creed_mty]

SWEETTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hope they will release very soon the WUXGA or the latest technology with the same specs. I heard that the technology W or UXGA is kind old as described at wikipedia on screen technology history

[pianowizard]

I welcome the option of widescreen. I'd like to see that choice available in the X series.

Me too. I want to buy a really good ultraportable laptop in about half a year and am debating which of the following to get:

Fujitsu Q2010
Dell Latitude X1
HP nc2400
X60s

The X60s is the best equipped (3 USB ports, 2.5" HDD, and built-in ethernet, modem, VGA port and microphone), but the only reason I am also considering the other three is that they have widescreen displays. If Lenovo adds a widescreen option to the X60s, it will be the ideal ultraportable for me.