Finalizing my R61 (Suggestions please)!

Hi All,

I am doing my Master's in Computer Science. Will be graduating soon.

I am planning on buying the Thinkpad R61 with the following specs. I have a budget of around 1000 bucks. Suggest me with my customization. I will be using this for coding, web designing, etc.

Still stuck with R61 rather than T61

Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Duo T7100 (1.8GHz 800MHz 2MBL2)
(For 50 bucks more, will a T7300 (2.0GHz $MBL2) make significant difference?)
Decided on changing to T7300

Operating system: Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic
(I have a Vista Business and XP Professional versions already with me)

Display type: 14.1 WXGA TFT, w/ Camera
Decided to go with WXGA+

System graphics: Intel GMA X3100 GM965 w/ 1394

Memory: 512 MB PC2-5300 SDRAM DDR2 667MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)
(Planning on buying a 1Gb (1 DIMM) separately, totaling 1.5GB)

Pointing Device: UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader

Hard Drive: 80GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm

Optical device: DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Enhanced

Wireless cards: ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe US
(I have been thinking a lot between the this one and the Intel 4965AGN for 50 more bucks. Still not sure.)
Still stuck with Thinkpad chip

Bluetooth: Integrated Bluetooth PAN

Battery: 4 cell Li-Ion Battery
(I don't want battery to stick out of my laptop.)

Please help me out. Thanks.

 

Eh it's kind of a low end laptop but if it meets your needs that that's cool. I would try to run Vista with more than 1.5GB if I were you though. That laptop would be good and cheap if you don't need it for anything too demanding.

 

Go with the faster proc for 50 dollars more and get the 4965agn card. With the faster proc, you also get 4MB cache which will help the performance. 802.11n is where wireless is going, so for 50 more it's worth spending the money to get a card that supports the new standard. You can't upgrade the processor later and an 802.11n card will cost you more than 50 dollars and take up your 1 pcmcia slot.

 

On another note, that's a similar configuration that I ordered for my wife this weekend who's also a college student. You have to remember, 1.8ghz may not sound like a lot, but you're dealing with a true 64bit dual core cpu here. I think that you'll be pleasantly surprised with the performance. Outside of the faster proc and 4965 card, I'd add more memory. That in itself will improve performance more than anything else. swap (Constant hits to swap (or the page file for windows folk) is death to performance.

 

First of all, thank you both xnviews and ciphermonk for those immediate replies.

Right now, once I recieve it, I am planning on loading XP Pro and use it with 1.5 GB. Sometime later (maybe after a few moths), I would replace that 512MB with a new 2GB stick and then load Vista. How about this?

At this moment, I am more inclined towards the T7300 and not so much towards the Intel chip.

Still awaiting for more replies.

 

I agree with the processor upgrade, however, I disagree with the upgrade of the wireless card. Home networks are the fastest to adopt new standards, so unless you plan on buying an 802.11n router for your home network and using the hell out of it, don't bother getting the card, Your popular wi-fi spots (school, Starbucks, library, etc.) are guaranteed to all be only 802.11g and it will take a very long time for these businesses to get the incentive to spend the big bucks on upgrading their wi-fi networks. The only reason why these places are up to speed with 802.11g is only because wi-fi got big during the 802.11g standard. If hotspots were popularized during the 802.11b era, you'd find that at least 3 out of 4 hotspots today would be still using 802.11b.

 

yes, i think going for t7300 is definetly worth $50....in ur case i thik its a must...also get the wireless n.....

btw why r61, when u can pretty much get the t61 for the same price ?

 

Well, there is a $50 difference between R61 and T61 for my configs. I have gone thru so many postings for R61 vs T61, and I am happy with the 0.1" thickness, etc.

Thank you though for ur suggestions on processor and chip.

I don't know why it's all coming down to $50 here, $50 there, and $50 everywhere.

 

Are you sure you don't want WXGA+? I heard programmers love the extra res.

Also are you using the Student & Alumni discount? It takes off a good amount so maybe you can get a lighter and thinner T61 for the same price.

 

Well, I am sure I don't want WXGA+. Instead I would love to save that power on my 4-cell.

And yes, I am using the Student & Alumni discount . Still I should be pretty much happy with R61 (after all, it is still a Thinkpad )

 

hey......try ordering through here http://www.lenovo.com/ibmspp pass:536686

this is gonna shave off 5%

USXIBMSPPTRIPLE at checkout to "triple" your SPP discount.

 

Thank you johnny for ur suggestion. Currently, I am pretty much thinking in ur lines. I see a wavelength of urs overlapping mine

 

True, price not much different (<$100), but then again there is also not much difference b/t the build of an R and T anymore. They both have the roll cage in the lid, both have the new cooling system, same battery life, shock mounted hd, and both same dimensions except for width (assuming you get the 14.1", as curiously the 15.4 R does not have roll cage or turbo memory available for some reason). And the slight extra width might help with heat a little (doubtful), if that matters to you.

But reason I went with T ultimately, even though I am going low spec system like the OP, was that I have read the case material itself- the plastic (carbon fiber composite, polymer, whatever), is different on the T, harder. I hope this is true, because I even though I THOUGHT I cancelled my order- it's en route.

But yeah, I could see going R to save a bill. Especially if the case material turns out to be IDENTICAL. Better not though.

 

Don't think for a second that WXGA+ will somehow use up more battery life. It won't, and it is a definitely worthwhile upgrade. I personally can't stand low res, which made the WXGA+ option a priority for me. Once you go higher res, you can't go back. In fact, if I absolutely had to choose between WXGA+ or say the T7300 processor, I'd go for the better screen. Honestly, PC's are all overkill these days, especially if you don't play games. It's a better DEAL to get the extra 2mb cache for only $50, but in all honestly, you won't regret missing it as opposed to missing the higher resolution screen.

 

WXGA+ uses more power? I don't think thats true.

 

Thanks for ur detailed explanation of the diff. bet. R and T. Well, in my case, I would like to save my bill, and go with the R61 (hoping the material turns out to be IDENTICAL )

 

I'll second that. WXGA+ adds less than thirty bucks. A must, unless you have real bad vision.

Reading some font is counterintuitively less eye straining when it's smaller. Tighter, more focused. Not always, but not only does everything look better with denser resolution, but primarily get that much more real estate. You're gonna want all that real estate.

In fact, there are a few around here who'd pay $75 or more to get wsxga+ crammed into a 14.1". To us, wxga is not an option.


EDIT: (shakes fist at m0006p)

 

Well, well, well. So, that means I was in a mis-conception till now about the WXGA+.

OK. I will go with the WXGA+ for 30 more bucks.

Now, I realize that posting a message and asking suggestions is much better that just reading the messages and deciding all by yourself.

EDIT: (reciprocates shaking fist at Leon2245)

 

Honestly, I don't think that's really true and you just got lucky. Most of us decide to help only when we're in the mood, which at best is only occasional. In fact, this time, I only contributed because I saw that the Wireless-N upgrade was suggested, infuriating me. I decided to make it my mission that you didn't waste your money on that unproven technology.

Mission accomplished.

 

So, I was lucky enough in timing, to catch you all in a good mood

 

802.11n is NOT unproven technology. I've been using n/mimo equipment for going on 2 years now and it's been immeasurably more reliable than 802.11b/g. No drops, far better speeds, far better range, the wireless access doesn't get slower as more people associate. 802.11n is where wireless is going. It's stable, it works and it's better than b/g in every aspect. For 50 dollars having a card built that supports it would be a wise thing; at least in my opinion.

 

7200rpm HD. Get it if you can afford it.

 

Neither card will be as good as what will be available when 802.11n is ratified. I'd go with the Thinkpad/Atheros over the Intel one though.

 

Not me. I just found out for sure you're R is made from the same PLASTIC as my T. $100.

I better really enjoy the 0.1" slimmer case, at $1,000 per inch!


EDIT- on the wxga+ and battery usage, I guess it could be argued that wxga+ could be more taxing IF you turn brightness all the way up, seeing how wxga+ is 200nits and wxga is only 185 (but that's another reason to go + imo, have the option to be brighter).