Lenovo ThinkPad T61p Review

Actually even if the Quadro drivers are brand new, you'll still see a noticeable performance increase with Geforce drivers, because of the way they send information to the GPU and interpret information the GPU sends back to the system.

 

On August 14, 2007, the 15.4" T61p was available on Lenovo's web site. The following day, it had been removed. A sales representative explained that this was due to backorders on the display and that there was not an estimated time to resolve the matter.

What are the physical measurements, width and height, of the 15.4" (diagonal) display area itself?

 

The 14" has either a WXGA or WSXGA option. + option for a camera. Just FYI.

 

Not the 14" T61p, I don't think. I think it lacks the camera, and has SXGA+ resolution (it's a standard screen). The 14" T61 has WXGA or WXGA+, and the camera option (but it has the mid-level graphics).

 

Ah k, thanks odin243. That site is a bit confusing. Or maybe it's just me.

 

Have anyone tried to set the resolution on the screen to a lower level?

Few good laptop screens can handle a resolution change - but can this one?

 

curious to know this as well. Plus, how does this screen compare to a Macbook Pro 15" LED?


Also, no HDMI or did I miss something? any HD optical drive options? I can't find this computer on IBM's website and I guess that's because of the supply/demand issues/??

 

I am trying to choose a laptop and like the ThinkPad keyboard, among other things. I know very little about laptops -- am concerned about the display issues discussed on this forum ... is the 14.1" model the way to go? Will that give the best resolution? I want a decent desktop replacement laptop, with good graphics card, RAM & processor, plus DVD, wireless, etc. With so many options, it's a daunting task, trying to decide. Also -- is Vista that bad?

 

I recently bought a T61 with 100GB 7200RPM hard drive. I notice a strange clicking sound that occurs every few minutes. It sounds like a tapping noise, consisting of 4-5 light taps. I have never heard anything like this from a hard drive. I contacted IBM to get a replacement only to have the second hard drive also have this issue. Has anyone else experienced this?

 

thanks for the review

 

Ordered the 14.1 t61p 3 days ago! Can't wait for it to ship... (ESD 9/14?)

Thanks for the review!

 

Impressive review. If I ever get another Windows laptop, it's definitely going to be a Thinkpad.

 

Now they just need to put the 570m version back online!

 

The T61p is available for sale online.....

 

Any links to the 570m version? Because I sure as hell can't find it on lenovo's site.

edit: whoops found it. heh

 

The T61p is a great system. If only it had a 64GB SSD drive, it would be the fastest business notebook in the market today -- period. The 7200rpm hard drive option is OK, but still won't compare in terms of I/O responsiveness. Suggestion to IBM and others

 

So the lenovo site has the 15.4" T61P back on the site but with a WSXGA+ screen instead of the U screen...
also, and more important before I order it, does anyone know of any plans to come out with larger GB drives with 7200rpm or should I just take the default 80GB and buy an aftermarket 7200rpm drive?

Thanks

 

just buy an aftermarket drive.

 

I just got mine today and set it up and realized it has no proper way to hook up to a TV. I never thought at this point that I would have to check, and I never noticed in the specs that HDMI, DVI or even S-vid is completely absent. As far as I can tell (though I'm still looking) the only good way to hook it up to a hi-def TV is to put it on one of the docks. This seems like a major omission to me, and it might be a good idea to add it into the review.

I'm aware that a way exists to go from VGA to S-video or component, but it's kind of lame that with such a great graphics card, we have to step it down so much unless we want to pay an extra couple hundred dollars.

If anyone has a cheaper workaround, please let me know. I feel a bit cheated right now.

P.s., I ordered it on the night of the 1st of November and it arrived at 10:20 PST today. Very fast.

 

thermal design is still incompetent as T60, bad.

 

Care to explain and site examples comparing it to notebooks that run super cool and quiet with the same or higher spec?

 

Great review!

Looks like I'll be replacing my current T60 with one of these. Is there really *that* much of a difference in fan noise with the T61P? This has been one of my biggest complaints with my T60 as the fan's minimum speed is a bit noisy and unless you use TPFanControl to moderate fan activity, it tends to irritate. It's still a bit annoying even after tweaking.

That and some creaking are really the only complaints I could list, and if those issues have been addressed in the T61P then I think that seals it for me.

 

Audio Capture Disabled in New Notebooks

Imagine my surprise when I discovered that there is no line-in nor any way to do a native audio capture on my new ThinkPad T61/p. The only available audio input is the mono microphone. I posted on the ThinkPads forum at http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=52527 and discovered that new Dells and Gateways are similarly crippled. I've also been told that the only version of Vista that has audio capture enabled is "Ultimate" and that it is disabled in other versions.

In order to record, let's say from a CD or a stream, you need a piece of software called Virtual Audio Cable, which restores the ability to record from other sources. This sort of leaves me thinking that it's a driver causing the problem. Opinions are solicited.

What's even more peculiar is that this removal of a key hardware/software feature is not mentioned or disclaimed in any vendor literature I can find. It's not mentioned in this review either.

 

i haven't been able to hear my t61p when its running even with the at full spin. the only way i know it's actually working is all the hot air that's being pushed out the upper left side.

 

Thanks for the review, thinking of getting one for Xmas here in Australia.

Question: What options are there for TV output? Either s-video or composite? Does a Lenovo docking station provide TV output, or will I need to get some kind of VGA-TV adaptor?

 

The docking stations do not have composite or svideo out. You will be limited to buying a VGA converter, or getting a HDTV that accepts VGa input.

 

I really hope this is a temporary thing and not a trend.

We also see the current fad of glossy screens, which all but eliminates use of a laptop in the great outdoors or even in some offices. Hopefully it's a case of one manufacturer does it and the flock follow for a while, or because it's cheaper to push out crappy screens then put gloss on them to fool people into thinking it's "better".

We also see lack of s-video/composite output, whereas even on business Toshibas (e.g. Tecras), this used to be quite common.

Now no audio input? The first time I looked at a T61p, I thought wow, it's pretty bare of a/v ports. As an all-purpose type of user (coding, web design, office use, playing vids/games on occasion) it's too "specific use" for me.

This is a shame, as it's otherwise a nice unit. The problem these days is that choice is VERY limited for people who want a media machine but DON'T want a glossy screen, because it's also an office-use machine.

I've decided (I think) on the HP8710. Good video card, good a/v support (docking station has s-video AND composite output as well as DVI on the laptop) and it has a matte screen.

It's difficult when the market is such that you only have 1 model to choose from.

 

Just bought the T61p with WUXGA and the screen is wonderfully sharp. I do have 20/20 vision, but I see no reason to avoid this absolutely wonderful screen.

Also, Lenovo is very quick on the delivery. They say expect 1-2 weeks for delivery, but I ordered my customized model on Sunday and it arrived on Wednesday, direct shipped from Hong Kong.

This is replacing a very capable R50p from several years ago, and I admit to being a little nervous as to whether Lenovo had kept the engineering standards of IBM or lowered the standards in order to save pennies here and there. It's a gorgeous machine, and though I can't tell how long it will last, every aspect I can consider seems very well designed and assembled with excellent fit and finish.

 

I didn't know you could customise those.. what graphics card is in yours?

 

The 256MB FX 570M.

 

You can't customize the GPU. That is probably the only thing you can't customize on a T61p.

 

This is pretty much on par with the review of the T61. Thanks for posting this. All of these reviews are helping me make my decision.

I do have one question. What is the difference between the T61 and the T61p?

 

the graphics card on the t61p is much more powerful than the one on the t61. other than that....no differences really.

 

Thanks, Wuzertheloser.

 

Wanted to make a new post, but this system indicates I'm not allowed to; what's with that?

Anyway, my question's regarding the screen on the T61. I need something that's easily viewed in the bright daylight (had no problem with the screen on my Inspiron 8000, but it's a dog and can't keep up with my charting/mappping/plotting programs). Below is the system I'm considering, but haven't seen one personally and so am unaware of screen's viewability in daylight. Haven't seen any discussion about the WXGA, just the WUXGA; don't even know it's native resolution (not listed on site). Any input?

ThinkPad T61 15 Widescreen
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T8300 (2.4GHz 800MHz 3MBL2)
Genuine Windows XP Professional
15.4 WXGA TFT
NVIDIA Quadro NVS 140M (128MB)
2 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
160GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo 24X/24X/24X/8X Max, Ultrabay Slim
ThinkPad 11a/b/g Wi-Fi wireless LAN Mini-PCIe US/EMEA/LA/ANZ[10]
6 cell Li-Ion Battery[60]

Ships within 1-2 weeks** $1,075.50

Thought I found exactly what I wanted last week, but when it arrived I found even though the Dell XPS1530 had all the memory, video options and speed I had hoped for, it had a useless (for me) shiny screen and brushed chrome keyboard. Took a hit on restocking fees on that one, but it totally wouldn't work for my application. Obviously I didn't do enough investigation....

 

hey el3888 and welcome to the forums. the t61's matte screen is pretty good in daylight...but it's not too bright in normal conditions, but i find it bright enough. wuxga is i believe 1920 x 1200 resolution while wsxga is 1680 x 1050.

 

El3888, I haven't actually seen the screens in person either, but everything that I've heard so far suggests that you may have a problem with viewing the screen in the sunlight. Again, this comes from what I've read and not actually what I've seen with my own eyes.

 

Quick question on the Thinkpad specialty software. Do all those programs start up automatically with Windows??? And can they be shut off if they do???
Thanks.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?p=2407893#post2407893

 

You can disable anything from starting.

 

the screen is a little dim but not a huge problem in my opinion. i just got mine a couple of days ago... order to shipping took 1 week. service people were very friendly and helpful when I called to confirm the order. its a nice laptop and I am running Rhino, Maya, Adobe software, ACAD, etc on it without problems (I got the 1680x1050 screen)

 

i believe mine is the WSXGA... which is reported to be the better screen over the WUXGA

 

Hello friends,

I am also thinking of getting a T61p. I currently have a T60p and looking for something equal or has better screen display than my T60p. I love the resolution on my t60p even though it is not as bright as my 17" desktop flatpanel. Is the t61p with WUXGA worse than this? Could someone who has a t60p and t61p offer some advice?

The choices upfront seems to be 15.4" WUXGA or 15.4" WSXGA+ or even 14.1" with WSXGA+ which is 1680x1050. For a 14.1" with WSXGA+ will the resolution be 1680x1050 but on a 14.1" screen size, will this be finer than my T60p's resolution of 1600x1200?? What would be the best combo between screen and resolution?

One other thing I found is that I could not pick a 9-cell batt for the current t61p purchase in the online selection. Strange. Is the 9-cell on t60p able to be used on the new t61p?

Also, I am intending to max out the RAM to 4 Gb. Should I get Vista 64bit pre-installed with 2Gb and get the other 2 Gb off market?

For processor speed, should I just pick 2.5GHz with 6Mb L2? With additional 3Mb L2 cache speeds up the system?

I have my working T60p and very happy with it but thinking of exploring into the T61p but I have to make the upgrade very worthwhile so hope you guys could give me some good advice to make the decision. Thanks.

-Lucas

 

You're out of luck. The T60P UXGA screen is IPS, the best screen there ever was. Unfortunately, thinkpads stopped sing them. So, even though the WUXGA screens may be nice (and perhaps more bright), they are inferior in contrast and color reproduction and viweing angles to your UXGA one.

I dont see any point in upgrading to a T61p. I suggest you wait for a year or so
when Nehalem CPUs come out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nehalem_(microarchitecture)

 

Many thanks for the good advice! I will stick to my beloved t60p for now till they can offer something far better!

 

I hope so too. Lenovo will be offering LED screens in their next models (due July)), and perhaps the LED panel manufacturers will get even better by the time Nehalem comes out next year.

So, my target is Nehalem CPU, LED lit WUXGA panel, SSD drive, and DDR3 ram; and they should all be available at a good price next year
Also USB 3.0 will come out in 2009/2010, with 10 times the bandwith of USB 2.0
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB#USB_3.0

Lots of goodies to anticipate

 

Wow! Must be worth waiting for. By that time, what we have now would be antiques. Must upgrade then, so must start saving now.

 

Yeah stick with your T60p. The 61p WUXGA panels aren't too bright and the Samsung panel has emojournal-inducing backlight bleed. If you can't even get the 9 cell at the moment that seals the deal IMO

 

I've had my T61p for about 2 weeks now. It's powerful but the build quality is very poor. The palm rest is creaky, the plastic parts surrounding keyboard pop and creak when you move the laptop around. There is a loud crackling noise when opening and closing screen. There is also about 1/4 of play in the hinges.

T61p specs:
T7700(2.4GHz), 4GB RAM, 320GB 7200rpm HD (upgraded), 15.4in 1920x1200 LCD, 256MB nVIDIA Quadro FX 570M, CDRW/DVDRW, Intel 802.11agn, Bluetooth, Modem, 1Gb Ethernet, UltraNav, Secure chip, 9c Li-Ion.

I've performed all the steps, found on other posts, related to the creaking, pops, hinges, etc. etc. Tightening all the screws on the bottom of the laptop do absolutley nothing, literally.

I'm going to take it in for repair.

I love the resolution, the powerful CPU, tons of RAM. Ubuntu 8.04 and 8.10 run AMAZING with Compiz.

My other option was a new Macbook and I regret not purchasing one.

My job requires a company issue thinkpad, I received a few thinkpads since I started, T42, T42p. These were utterly fantastic in terms of build quality.

The Lenovo truly feels like a cheap imitation of a Thinkpad.

I feel like I went from a BMW to a Rattle plauged Corolla

 

I can't believe that story! =P Well, mine has had no problems for build quality, it's the greatest feature of mine!

 

I sincerely wish I could say the same for my T61p. As mentioned I LOVE the power and the over all look&feel - very low key, I like that.

The warranty is a 3 year "customer carry-in". I need to either locate a local repair shop, or find some instruction on how to re-build a t61p. Re-building appears self-explanatory though. If I can fix it, or get it fixed, I'll keep it. If not, I'll live with it, take a hit, wait a year and get another laptop.