x60s config

[richarddd]

I'm thinking of buying this x60s configuration direct from Lenovo. Any suggestions or comments?

1705CTO ThinkPad X60 Series - 1 Year Depot warranty

Intel® Core™ Duo L2400 LV (1.67GHz, 2MB L2, 667MHz FSB) 12.1" UltraLight XGA TFT

Genuine Windows XP Professional

1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)

No integrated fingerprint reader

120GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm Serial ATA (2.5")

ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe US/EMEA/LA/ANZ

ThinkPad X60s Series 4 cell Slim Line Battery

1 Year Limited Warranty

[pianowizard]

Excellent configs. It has all the critical components: UltraLight LCD, XP Pro, 1x1GB (instead of 2x512MB), big HDD, and 4-cell Slim Line battery. It's a good idea to do away with the fingerprint reader because it misbehaves easily.

Some might recommend you to upgrade the warranty, but if you know how to take care of your laptop, 1 year is fine IMO. Another thing is the battery. The Slim Line battery is perfect for minimizing the weight of the laptop, but it also doesn't last very long, like 3 hours. That wouldn't bother me at all, but if you think you need more than 3 hours, you may want to consider getting an 8-cell battery. The laptop gets ~0.5 lbs heavier and much uglier though.

[richarddd]

Thanks.

I'll probably get the 8 cell battery for traveling. Most of the time I just carry a notebook from one place with an outlet to another, so 3 hours is enough.

I also plan to get another 1gb of RAM, but other places sell it cheaper than Lenovo.

Can I buy XP Home, then transfer the license from an old machine?

This config is about $1,500 plus tax

[pianowizard]

I also plan to get another 1gb of RAM, but other places sell it cheaper than Lenovo.

That's smart. In fact, if 256MB is an option, you might want to choose that and buy 2x1GB from Frys.com or Newegg.com . Sell the 256MB stick for $5.

Can I buy XP Home, then transfer the license from an old machine?

If you can peel off the XP Pro COA sticker from that old machine, why not? There was a thread a while ago about tricks to get it off intact. Someone mentioned heating it with a hair dryer to melt the glue.

[richarddd]

Can I buy XP Home, then transfer the license from an old machine?

If you can peel off the XP Pro COA sticker from that old machine, why not? There was a thread a while ago about tricks to get it off intact. Someone mentioned heating it with a hair dryer to melt the glue.

On my current x31, the XP Pro COA has a different serial number than the one from the recovery CDs. The recovery serial does not require activation, while the COA does.

In any event, to save $79, I can do a bit of reinstallation.

thanks

[cheeebs]

might wanna make sure you have the 3rd antenna in there for wifi N

[richarddd]

How would I check for a third antenna (not that I intend to get N)?

[pianowizard]

On my current x31, the XP Pro COA has a different serial number than the one from the recovery CDs. The recovery serial does not require activation, while the COA does.

Oh, I forgot to mention one thing. Legally speaking, once you've removed the XP Pro COA from the X31, you aren't supposed to continue using XP Pro on the X31, unless you buy another copy of XP Pro with its own COA. Perhaps you can put the X60s's XP Home COA on the X31 and run XP Home on the X31.

[dawhim]

I got a 1gb ram for my x60 for $50. the price is aroud $50-60 for 1 gb. you may want to downgrade that to 512mb ram and add another stick for your x60s

[pdudas]

Bluetooth?
It's a joke in 2007 to use smartphones with cables or usb dongles....

FP reader: it is not make any mistake in my X60s. Works well.
Very good security (stole), and even if you forgot the bios passwords... you can login with your fingers...

I'd never buy notebooks without them...

Some say: UL Screen...
UL screen is a joke (marketing, marketing...). You cannot use it in direct sunlight, there is no circumstances where the UL is more usable than non UL... It has about 20% more brightness than normal. It is slimmer than normal, and maybe it consumes less power. Maybe...

Is there any test with the UL screened X60s compared to a non UL screened thinkpad in battery time? I havent seen any...

120gb?
You should use the PMR series from Hitachi. HTS541616J9SA00 is 160gb space, 5400rpm, 47mb drive index in sandra disk benchmark (7200rpm/100GB gets 51mb)(thinkpad factory drive gets 34mb), low power consumption, and very fast. Maybe the thinkpad can be configured with this drive.

http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/5k160/5k160.htm

Notebooks made for travelling. You should buy every possible feature, because there is no possibility to extend it (BT, FP reader). You cannot download a picture from your friend's mobile phone....without bt. Skype with a wireless headset? Without bt? forget it!

Dont be stupid! Buy a thinkpad with all available feature, and leave the marketing [censored] to the foolish....Maybe you'll use the features after a year, but it it more cheaper than try to expanding thinkpad after a year.... (time, money).

If you have enough money, buy an X60s with atheros wlan (for linux and OS X compatibility) , bt, fp reader, 4 cell (for slim) and 8 cell battery (for long battery runtime), 2gb ram, 160gb hdd. This will be enough for vista too. You'll have a very good notebook.

[richarddd]

UL: a brighter screen seems a good idea. Any other views?

"Customize" does not offer a 512mb memory option or a 160gb drive option

I don't presently see a use for BT.

I don't trust fingerprint reader. What if it fails?

If you have enough money, buy an X60s with atheros wlan (for linux and OS X compatibility) , bt, fp reader, 4 cell (for slim) and 8 cell battery (for long battery runtime), 2gb ram, 160gb hdd. This will be enough for vista too. You'll have a very good notebook.

The plan is to get an x60s with atheros, 4 cell slim (and maybe 8 cell later) and 2gb ram. See above.

[pianowizard]

UL screen is a joke (marketing, marketing...). You cannot use it in direct sunlight, there is no circumstances where the UL is more usable than non UL... It has about 20% more brightness than normal. It is slimmer than normal, and maybe it consumes less power. Maybe...

You forgot about the UL screen's being 0.2 lbs lighter than the regular screen. That's something very important for people who need the lightest laptop possible.

[pdudas]

UL screen is a joke (marketing, marketing...). You cannot use it in direct sunlight, there is no circumstances where the UL is more usable than non UL... It has about 20% more brightness than normal. It is slimmer than normal, and maybe it consumes less power. Maybe...

You forgot about the UL screen's being 0.2 lbs lighter than the regular screen. That's something very important for people who need the lightest laptop possible.

Need lighter laptop? Buy a Sony professiional line below 1kg. Only 4k USD.

[pianowizard]

Need lighter laptop? Buy a Sony professiional line below 1kg.

Does Sony even have a professional line?

2.69 lbs is better than 2.89 lbs, period. It's a simple fact, not just a marketing trick. There are several laptops even lighter than 2.69 lbs, but none of them is as well built as a Thinkpad, and none of them has built-in microphone, ethernet port and modem. Instead, they rely on annoying dongles and docking stations.

I sold my X60s three months ago partly because I accidentally bought one without the Ultralight LCD (though mainly because I realized that the XGA resolution was no longer enough for me).

UL: a brighter screen seems a good idea. Any other views?

Brighter (its 4/7 brightness equals 7/7 on a regular screen) and lighter. It's a no-brainer. Please make sure you get it, or else you would regret it.

[EOMtp]

UL screen is a joke (marketing, marketing...). You cannot use it in direct sunlight, there is no circumstances where the UL is more usable than non UL...

Strongly disagree -- leaving direct sunlight aside, there are many circumstances where the additional brightness of the UL screen makes the notebook a pleasure to use rather than a chore.

Simply put, a level 4 of 7 on the UL brightness is equivalent to a 7 of 7 setting on the non-UL screen. When the screen does not appear bright enough, to be able to go up 3 more notches in brightness is significant both technically and viscerally. The UL screen is too bright at its highest setting in normal room settings -- painfully bright -- but it is a joy to use in bright environments, e.g., daylight at the airport.

Whether the price differential is justified is a personal opinion.