I am not happy with my new MBP. Should I consider a Thinkpad T61p?

I thought that I'd try to switch over to Mac OSX and recently bought a new 2.4 SR MBP. I love the computer, but there is an annoying yellow tint on the bottom of the screen, and after one repair and two returns I've almost had enough of dealing with Apple. Every machine I've seen has the bottom yellow tint.

So I'm looking at other options, and it seems that the T61p is the best PC laptop. I understand that technically it is a great machine, but I'm not so sure of its gaming capabilities. How does its NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M (256MB) compare to the MBP's NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT? I mainly play HL2.

Overall, how do the two machines compare to each other?

Thanks.

 

The Quardo is designed with 3D-model and other "business" applications as its priority, so it gaming performance won't be as good as the MBP's 8600

 

Thinkpad sucks. Stick with your MBP.

 

The macbooks I've tried have the advantage that they can be used to fry an egg on when they heat up.

 

Wow. The snark runs high on this thread, am I missing something?

The 570M and the 8600M GT share the same core, so they should be similar in terms of gaming performance. The only benchmark we've seen from a system in the wild claims:

3dmark 2006:
SM2.0: 1531
HDR/SM3: 1353
CPU: 1899
Tot: 3740

That's pretty close to the MBP's ~3600ish score, and if you believe the guy on the dell board who has a pic of a 4900+ score with the DDR2 version of the GT8600M GT, the gaming potential should be just fine.

This is close to the best notebook gaming GPU you can get on a "mainstream" system before you go to those huge DTRs or crazy alienware level rigs.

 

I am thinking about T61p or MBP 2.2 or HP 8510p
But I want 1680x1050 screen - so MBP is too small and T61p is too big and 8510p is not here yet.
It is killing me. I am already waiting for 1 month. Not sure if I can wait till they release 8510p in September...

 

I would check out the HP 8510p and the Asus V1s, both should be out the soon.

And, you can always fill out the FAQ in the "What to buy section".

 

Or, when used as a lap-top, effective (and free) birth control.

 

Oooohh hate 13.3" Macbooks. Cheapo-plastic white, totally heavy for its screen size, crappy keyboard layout for Windows user, only 2 USB ports, no expansion slots, dirties easily, palmrest edges that release endorphins, the list goes on..........

 

i completelt agree white macbooks suck ,however i would say i have the santa rosa mbp 2.4modeland idont have the yellow screen,but it is a reported problem and applerolledout a firmware 1.3

 

Its hard to believe that a $2400 notebook would have this serious of a defect. I was enamored with the MBP at the Apple stores. Makes my Lenovo even more of a deal at half the price.

 

alenas, perhaps consider a Dell Latitude D830 from their business line? Or another poster mentioned, an Asus model if you are cool w/ a glossy screen....

 

no - Dell's are way too big and too heavy. Never liked them. You can not even compare them to MBP...

 

Now that everyone has told him what he already knew (MBPs aren't the favorite in the lenovo forum) any answers to his actual question? I have the same question. If the T61P's card worth the money? How DOEs it compare?

 

The Quadro FX 570m is essentially the same thing as the 8600M GT. It's the same core, but IIRC its underclocked compared to the 8600M GT.

570m details can be found here: http://www.nvidia.com/page/quadrofx_go.html

8600M GT details can be found here: http://www.nvidia.com/object/geforce_8600M.html

 

I thought there was some serious concerns about the real-world performance of the 570m. I mean, I know it's supposed to be the same but I have read plenty of places that it doesn't actually perform that way.

 

Well, the drivers are different for the 570m compared to the 8600gt...but since its the same core, you can get "hacked" drivers for the 570m that make it seem like an 8600gt.

 

This is so funny..................LOL

 

One thing to be aware of is that the T61 screen is likely inferior to the MBP screen. I have a T61 and the light leakage from the bottom drives me nuts. The vertical vieing angle is horrible, and you can actually see white and gray invert if you tilt the screen 15 degrees too much.

So if your main gripe with the MBP is a bad screen, I'm not sure if you will find the Thinkpad line better.

Battery life with a dedicated gpu is also atrocious - around 1:15 with the basic 4-cell and a Nvidia 140.

Having said that, everything else about the machine is great. Build quality better than Apple imho.

HTH.

 

Agreed 100%.

 

eh?

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/e...5-321838-3329741-3369263-3355681-3453374.html

 

Also has a pointing stick and motion sensor/hd protection, 8 cell, and their wear resistant "durakeys" that feel textured like its magnesium case. Only 1.1" thick, not bad for a 15.4".

GO! (for it).

 

I completely disagree with you Johnny. I know that you are entitled to your own opinion but I don't agree and I know many others that would disagree as well. My T60, T41 and 600x are rock solid. I looked long and hard for a replacement to my T41 and I couldn't find a notebook that would even come close to the flexibility and construction of a Thinkpad.
Scott

 

i wouldnt say the T61p is the best PC laptop, but it is, IMO, the best business class laptop out there

 

Scott, I think he was being sarcastic, and doesn't want another Mac guy in with the Thinkpad guys. Once word gets out that Thinkpads are rock solid more people will be buying them, and then prices will go up.

 

That Hp does look good, WSXGA+ with a 570m should perform pretty well on games and 3D stuff.

As for WUXGA, I would think thats a bit to high res for 15.4 and I would think the resolution would stress the 570m a bit to much.

 

If that happens, we might have to wait a year before the Thinkpads we ordered actually get shipped!

 

I was being sarcastic not for your reason. Back in the day ( six days ago) lots of people were complaining about x, about y, z about their T61's. Stupid things like "I forcefully squeeze my screen bezel and it pops." Well, no sh*t, retard!!!!!!

 

Stick with the MBP, I am planning on getting it as my next comp( I have a T60).

 

haha johnny
theres no please in some people...

 

I remember somebody on here with a name similar to johnny_1987 that hates their thinkpad for whatever reason. I do apologize Johnny. I confused you with that person.
Scott

 

While I instantly recognized that thread as a parody (illustrating how ridiculous those of us with t 61 complaints sound), I've yet to convince him that sarcasm doesn't always translate well in forums, and many will think he's just one of us lol.

 

Not all MBP have the yellow tint problem.
Not all Thinkpads have light leakage.

If you think about this objectively, it doesn't really make sense to let an isolated and curable problem deter you from the system you want.

If you really want a MBP, you can keep switching it until you get a model without the yellow tint. It's free on your part except for the time invested. - especially since apparently Apple is acknowledging that your MBP has a problem.

Similarly, if you want a T61 and get one with significant light leakage, you can get Lenovo to keep replacing it until you get one free from defects. (Although this is a bit more iffy - Lenovo support isn't as good as Apple, and they may well write off some light leakage as "within acceptable parameters".)

 

It's hard to accuse the OP, who probably isn't even around anymore for good measure, of being impatient when he's seen the problem even after 2 returns and a repair.

 

Not accusing the OP, but was more responding to people saying that there's light leakage on the Thinkpad.

But even after 2 returns, as long as they acknowledge that there is a problem and are willing to replace, it's still fixable if you really want that system.

 

Johnny/Playmaker... having an identity crisis?

 

To add to that crisis: Johnny isn't even my real name.