Differences among X6x models?

[atanasoff]

I am trying to determine the differences between the various X6 models and can't find the info via ThinkWiki

What I want to know is
i) are they all the same external size?
ii) what screen resolutions were available? The only thing I saw listed was 1024x768, which seems deficient for the screen size.
iii) are they all 4:3?
iv) what is an X6x s?
v) Are some more portable/drop and spill resistant than others?

I'm thinking of it to serve 2 functions:
i) convenient backup machine for my T series which is getting old.
and
ii) being used as a netbook - small-ish and portable.

comments welcome

[j-dawg]

1. They're mostly the same size. The tablets are definitely chunkier. I don't know if the s models are slimmer, but I do believe they're lighter. The screen sizes are all 12".

2. The only way to get an X6x with anything besides 1024x768 was to get an SXGA+ tablet. If you're adventurous, there's a thread in this forum detailing the retrofit of such a panel into an X61s, but such a configuration was never offered from Lenovo.

3. Yes.

4. The s models use low-voltage processors, so they run cooler, use less battery power, and weigh less. They're also less powerful. Incidentally, the tablet models use the same low-voltage processors.

5. The tablets, as noted, are slightly bigger than the others; with battery, their footprint is nearly square. They are also heavier: with battery, I believe mine is rated at about 4.5lb. As for spill/drop resistance, Lenovo was confident enough in the anti-spill keyboard to cover keyboard spills under warranty, and they all seem quite tough.

If you don't do hardcore graphics work, don't need a drive bay, and don't mind a small screen, an X60 or X61 is just as good as a T60 or T61. They are small and portable, but still powerful enough to be your main computer - my tablet has done so for the last 2.5yrs, even with the low-voltage processor, and it still feels like new. For being considerably cheaper than the X2xx series, the X6x isn't much less capable. It's definitely a good line of computers.

[atanasoff]

Thanks - SXGA tablet looks like the right slice. But... is that any smaller than a T? The T is perfect for a general purpose laptop, but a shade large for casually taking around town.

[marYn]

1) 4) nope. tablets are larger but there is also a difference between X6xs and non-s models. "s" means "slim".

X6xs-models differences to regular X6x models:

- thinner in the back side (due smaller CPU heatsink size)
- use low voltage CPUs with lower maximum thermal emitting (anyway if not in high load, the thermal emitting is similar to non-low voltage CPUs)
- use slightly wider battery which is more flat than regular battery for non-s models. this battery can fit to s-models, but not non-s models. anyway you can use non-s model battery in s-models (with small plastic spacer which fills up the unused space).

5) I don't think X6 series are somehow extra drop resistant, but are definitely portable. what I love most is that their size is so compact, that it can't be smaller to fit 12" display. no fat bezels or waste of space as you can see on netbooks nowdays.

Check this (you can use google translator if you want to read it):
http://www.tpuser.idv.tw/articles/x60-test-4.htm

[IvanAndreevich]

I am quite sure that an X6 series is tougher than T6 series. It's just as well-built, but due to smaller dimension and lighter weight it is so

Get the X60s if you are low on funds or need the best portability, and or battery life. Better with an UL display if you can find it. Get an X60T with SXGA+ if you need the resolution, and a far superior screen.

[atanasoff]

I am quite sure that an X6 series is tougher than T6 series. It's just as well-built, but due to smaller dimension and lighter weight it is so

Get the X60s if you are low on funds or need the best portability, and or battery life. Better with an UL display if you can find it. Get an X60T with SXGA+ if you need the resolution, and a far superior screen.

So:
If I read it correctly,
an X tablet is larger than a non-tablet X but has a great screen
--- is an X tab any more portable than a 14" T series?

and there exists an X60/X61s which is thinner and lighter than the standard X6 (and costs less for some reason), with an available "UL" display
--- I've never heard of a UL display -- wth is that, and how would I know if a machine for sale has it w/o physically inspecting it?
--- That tablet screen -- it occurs to me that could be different from the typical notebook screen of its day. Is the tablet screen outdoor-readable? That would make lugging around more kit worthwhile.

I'm a bit compulsive about stuff I buy - I got my current Tpad new, ages ago, at double the price of a brand X midline machine. It worked out fairly well - 6 years later it's technically obsolete but performance is still adequate and the 1400x1050 display is still above average for machines this size. The plastic case (T40) is flexy and a bit flimsy, but it still doesn't have the pile of plastic trash feel that a cheap machine gets after a couple years. I like to find just the right thing and keep it a while, even when I could get two disposable items for the same price. It doesn't save $, it saves aggravation of dealing with junky stuff which never quite does the job.
It seems Lenovo has been a inconsistent with the Thinkpads - some have the crisp design, ergonomics and build quality Thinkpads were known for and some have change for the sake of change.

[IvanAndreevich]

You can see if the machine has an UltraLight displays (TMD) by using the machine type to look up the specs online. X60s costs the same as X60 nowadays, but brand new it was a few hundred more.

Tablet screens can have IPS panel, so they are much much better. You can also look up the part number of the display and then search if it's one of the good ones here on the forums or on google. And yes, you can use it outside. X6 tablets are much smaller and lighter than your T40 (I'm assuming 14.1").

[j-dawg]

Yes, the X6 tablet is considerably smaller and lighter than a T-series. It is marginally bigger and heavier than an X6 non-tablet. I bought the tablet only for the higher-res display and a few years later still consider it a worthwhile tradeoff. If a 1400 x 1050 display is above average for a 14" computer, then the same resolution on a 12" screen is delicious overkill. It's a very nice screen. Reading it outdoors, however, is not a particularly pleasant experience. Though I've got an X61 tablet, the X60 was supposedly worse - the X61 has a special coating with some stupid marketing name that apparently made it a little easier.

UL means UltraLight, another stupid marketing name Lenovo used to describe a screen that was...uh, somehow better. I dunno how but it seems to be SOP to seek out the UL screen, so I guess it's probably true.

Regarding "feel," a smaller machine of the same "quality" as a larger machine will generally feel stiffer than the larger machine. Larger planar areas are more susceptible to flex, and the T4s are known for being somewhat flexy. I know what you mean about the "hit-or-miss" quality in the Thinkpad line when it comes to stiffness, but the X-series is consistently on the mark.

[atanasoff]

Yes, the X6 tablet is considerably smaller and lighter than a T-series. It is marginally bigger and heavier than an X6 non-tablet. I bought the tablet only for the higher-res display and a few years later still consider it a worthwhile tradeoff. If a 1400 x 1050 display is above average for a 14" computer, then the same resolution on a 12" screen is delicious overkill. It's a very nice screen. Reading it outdoors, however, is not a particularly pleasant experience. Though I've got an X61 tablet, the X60 was supposedly worse - the X61 has a special coating with some stupid marketing name that apparently made it a little easier.

K. Outdoor readable seems to be a specialized feature - it really needs reflective not illumination based viewing. I s'pose it would work with a simple cardboard shade though, yeah? There's a plastic version one can buy, but it's $30 for something you can do with 79c worth of materials.

Anyhow the tablet looks like a good portable/backup machine. Where and for how much should I look around for an X61 tablet?