New Thinkpads on the web! T70, 17", quad core, 2.66Ghz

[Dead1nside]

The T61 look to be a failure on the part of Lenovo.... Just look at the volume of complaints.

You should also look at the even larger volume of complaints about the mobo problem of the T4*. I do think that the best Thinkpads were made in the 1990s, but the decline in quality didn't start with Lenovo. It started when IBM was still in charge. Most people, including me, find the T60 superior to the T4* in terms of build quality, so Lenovo might actually have made things better.

I can atest that the T41p is a great machine but it's developed cracks on the palmrest and on the right hand side where the palmrest joins the keyboard, over the Ultrabay. It also suffered a GPU failure, which required the whole motherboard to be replaced... luckily it was still under warranty... now I don't know.

I think the T60/61 build quality looks incredible, I'm glad that there is looking to be a return to the red and blue on the trackpoint buttons, and hopefully they'll remove the needless Windows keys... pointless when you can configure Alt Gr as a Windows key... I think they keep getting better.

[experttease]

I think the T60/61 build quality looks incredible, I'm glad that there is looking to be a return to the red and blue on the trackpoint buttons, and hopefully they'll remove the needless Windows keys... pointless when you can configure Alt Gr as a Windows key... I think they keep getting better.

The only thing that really disappoints me is the addition of the super thick lcd roll cage, which should be optional for highly destructive users. But the removal of the iconic red and blue stripes was a pathetic move away from IBM (not to mention the squaring of the trackpoint buttons! outrageous and completely pointless!), and hopefully they'll return to every thinkpad line.

Ditto re the windows key, I can't see it going again though, unfortunately. It just cramps the other USEFUL buttons (and I do use the windows commands with the ALt Gr key, no functionality is lost)! IBM were saying thinkpads were multi-platform (unless is harks back to the time when they were [censored] at microsoft?), a real linux machine; the windows key is an insult.

[Dead1nside]

I couldn't agree more. It's an insult to the heritage of good Linux support (Not to mention other OS') on the Thinkpad line.

Personally I haven't seen a T61, but I would have thought the extra protection is an asset. But these days I'm thinking my T41p is a bit _too_ heavy, so I can understand where you're coming from.

I'm going to buy a new Thinkpad before I go off to university, I'll have to find somewhere that I can actually test it out before buying it. It seems all the configurations available here (UK) are always missing something. Either the 7200RPM HDD or the 2GB RAM, and although Vista is utterly pance, I'd rather have it on a new machine that I'm going to wipe anyway.

[iamdmc]

While I don't care for an ultrathin malleable screen, OLED 10hour x61s would have been the pimp. Still, LED and the options stated for x300 -- assuming there is also a +8 hour battery option, ideally 10+ hours -- is a legitimate step forward.

As stated elsewhere, if x300 lives up to the hype, it's hard to not see it as a welcome evolution of the X series. Hell, "Ultimate Thinkpad" indeed.

If this place had karma points I would have given you a bagillion btw, iamdmc

Thanks

Seriously, though, if I can design it, why can't Lenovo? I'm not even a design student... I just know a few basic things about what fits where, how to make it fit if it doesn't fit out-of-box, and dreaming within the limits of today's (and the not so distant future's) technology.

Throw me a bone, Lenovo! Free my eyes from the thick plastic frame.

[whizkid]

Sure you can design it. That's one of the easier parts.

What's harder is actually making the thing to be able to sell it at a price that people are willing to pay while still making a profit, taking into account worldwide distribution of parts and customer service.

[notismed]

You should also look at the even larger volume of complaints about the mobo problem of the T4*. I do think that the best Thinkpads were made in the 1990s, but the decline in quality didn't start with Lenovo. It started when IBM was still in charge.

If you browse through the mailing list archives which go back to 1993, you'll find people complaining loudly about something on nearly every model made - even the cherished 600, 770 and A series.

The graphics problems reported on the T61s are nothing compared to the whining that went on about the Mwave modems in the 75x series.

http://zurich.ai.mit.edu/hypermail/thinkpad/

Yup, the 600 series had the premature death of batteries, each model does have its issues...

[beeblebrox]

You should also look at the even larger volume of complaints about the mobo problem of the T4*. I do think that the best Thinkpads were made in the 1990s, but the decline in quality didn't start with Lenovo. It started when IBM was still in charge. Most people, including me, find the T60 superior to the T4* in terms of build quality, so Lenovo might actually have made things better.

I can atest that the T41p is a great machine but it's developed cracks on the palmrest and on the right hand side where the palmrest joins the keyboard, over the Ultrabay. It also suffered a GPU failure, which required the whole motherboard to be replaced... luckily it was still under warranty... now I don't know.

I think the T60/61 build quality looks incredible, I'm glad that there is looking to be a return to the red and blue on the trackpoint buttons, and hopefully they'll remove the needless Windows keys... pointless when you can configure Alt Gr as a Windows key... I think they keep getting better.

I am currently using my trusted T40p again. After 4 years it still looks like brand new, except the keyboard which starts to shine after 14 days anyway.
I learned from my old T20 with its famous crack on the palmrest that a notebook should never ever be lifted by one hand only!!!

Obeying this rule I never had problems with several T4x over the past years. Colleages of mine how always lifted notebooks with one hand are thru their 3rd motherboard already.

I think the cage roll in the T6x shoudl have solved the problem so far. Besides, with new battery technology Lenovo could put the battery to the front again, I think

[wswartzendruber]

Yeah, the T60 definitely solves that issue.

[wearetheborg]

17" ... UGH. I really hope they dont make a 17" thinkpad.

I remember we had a thread last year where many people said they wanted a 17" Thinkpad. 17" is a perfect size for 1920x1200 resolution. In terms of volume, it may not take up any more space than the A- or G-series, and it may weigh less.

Piano, 17" would be perfect for a WQXGA screen

I am wating to see how the 17" model turns out. It might be my next laptop.

[beeblebrox]

MOD EDIT: Snipped

The Lenovo IdeaPad Y710 is out. They charge something like $3600 for it in a gamer configuration.

I assume, the Thinkpad W700 will be in the same price region with its internal roll cage stuff etc.

Probably the HP NW8xxx is the better (and way cheaper) solution, methinks.

I am somewhat disappointed about Lenovo's recent price changes.

[Marin85]

I think it would be great to have a 17 inch ThinkPad as a sort of workstation replacement, that means mobile desktop machine with the build quality and all nice features of a ThinkPad. I hope Lenovo would then put a video card of the range of nVidia Quadro FX 3600M with at least 512MB VRAM (or, of course, the corresponding ATI FireGL) in, otherwise I don´t see much sense of making such a laptop. Despite its size I don´t see why this wouldn´t be a business class machine, either, it would be perfect for designers, engineers etc. unless this concept deteriorates to a consumer ThinkPad with "comsumer" specs. What is more, it´s high time for Lenovo to place itself in the segment of professional 17'' laptops that is currently shared between Dell and HP... Some competition might be healthy

Just my 2 cents

Marin

[beeblebrox]

I think it would be great to have a 17 inch ThinkPad as a sort of workstation replacement, that means mobile desktop machine with the build quality and all nice features of a ThinkPad. I hope Lenovo would then put a video card of the range of nVidia Quadro FX 3600M with at least 512MB VRAM (or, of course, the corresponding ATI FireGL) in, otherwise I don´t see much sense of making such a laptop. Despite its size I don´t see why this wouldn´t be a business class machine, either, it would be perfect for designers, engineers etc. unless this concept deteriorates to a consumer ThinkPad with "comsumer" specs. What is more, it´s high time for Lenovo to place itself in the segment of professional 17'' laptops that is currently shared between Dell and HP... Some competition might be healthy

Just my 2 cents

Marin

It could very well be that way since the Txxp models have moved to the Wxxx series.
17" is ideal for graphics, compiler work etc. and an ideal replacement for a desktop workstation, especially when you are connected to a larger mainframe server for heavy duty calculations.
The Ideapad seems to be a distinguished gamer pad with its gamer keyboard (which is on the wrong side btw. = indication that Lenovo has no clue about this new market for them).

However, any CIO with a corporate budget would rather equip 2 engineers with a HP workstation instead one engineer with just one W700.

However, I assume that Lenovo folks would have firgured this out already. Let's see what they are gonna charge. It should not be much more than HP. I only hope that the 17" screen uses dual backlights!!!

[beeblebrox]

I think it would be great to have a 17 inch ThinkPad as a sort of workstation replacement, that means mobile desktop machine with the build quality and all nice features of a ThinkPad. I hope Lenovo would then put a video card of the range of nVidia Quadro FX 3600M with at least 512MB VRAM (or, of course, the corresponding ATI FireGL) in, otherwise I don´t see much sense of making such a laptop. Despite its size I don´t see why this wouldn´t be a business class machine, either, it would be perfect for designers, engineers etc. unless this concept deteriorates to a consumer ThinkPad with "comsumer" specs. What is more, it´s high time for Lenovo to place itself in the segment of professional 17'' laptops that is currently shared between Dell and HP... Some competition might be healthy

Just my 2 cents

Marin

It could very well be that way since the Txxp models have moved to the Wxxx series.
17" is ideal for graphics, compiler work etc. and an ideal replacement for a desktop workstation, especially when you are connected to a larger mainframe server for heavy duty calculations.
The Ideapad seems to be a distinguished gamer pad with its gamer keyboard (which is on the wrong side btw. = indication that Lenovo has no clue about this new market for them).

However, any CIO with a corporate budget would rather equip 2 engineers with a HP workstation instead one engineer with just one W700.

However, I assume that Lenovo folks would have firgured this out already. Let's see what they are gonna charge. It should not be much more than HP. I only hope that the 17" screen uses dual backlights!!!

[gburnore]

I know I'm picking up on this thread late, but I'm now totally happy with my W400ds. When I opened the box, I had a sick feeling at the size. It makes my T42P look like a pocket calculator. But now that I've had it a few months, I'll never want to be without it. I Just wish I could find one of the old external IBM fingerprint readers. When I dock it, I want to use an external reader. The one's sold now aren't compatable with the current drivers and come with their own software, making them unavailable to ThinkVantage.