ThinkPad X61 and X61 Tablet with Santa Rosa Coming Soon

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Based on some documents on an IBM website, it looks like the 12.1&quot; screen X61 ultraportable and tablet will be getting the new Centrino Duo (Santa Rosa) platform fairly soon.

Following are links to an IBM site that contains the announcement information for these upcoming notebooks:

• ThinkPad X61 Tablet PC
• ThinkPad X61Ultraportable

According to the documents the &quot;ivory paper release&quot; (aka formal announcement) is set for May 31st and planned availability for June 2007. The only obvious changes based on available specs with either model is an upgrade to the Santa Rosa Intel platform. Meaning you'll get the following upgrades from the existing Lenovo ThinkPad X60 ultraportable series:

• New Intel Core 2 Duo processors and chipset (800MHz FSB, 4MB Cache)
• Intel GMA X3100 Integrated Graphics
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link  4965AGN 802.11n

ThinkPad X60 Tablet PC (view large image)

It looks as though Lenovo will be using the Intel T7300 (2.0GHz) and T7500 (2.2GHz) in the X61 ultraportable, while they'll use the low voltage L7300 (1.4GHz) and L7500 (1.6GHz) in the X61 tablet pc. The good news is that they still plan to offer the SXGA+ in the X61 tablet:

&quot;The ThinkPad X61 Tablet is a thin and light tablet with a 12.1-inch XGA TFT with  1024  x  768 resolution, a 12.1-inch TouchScreen XGA TFT with 1024 x 768 resolution, or a 12.1-inch SXGA+ TFT with 1400  x  1050  resolution. Models
 weigh from 1.70 kg (3.76 lb) with the small footprint starting at 274 mm x 244 mm (10.8 x 9.6 in).&quot;

Also some good news is that it appears in the X61 the option for 1GB of Intel Turbo Memory will be there, along with a 100GB 7200RPM hard drive.

Following is an example configuration for the X61 ultraportable:

• Screen: 12.1-in TFT (1024X768)
• Bluetooth Wireless Technology
• Integrated Fingerprint Reader
• Intel Core 2 Duo processor T7300
• Mobile Intel GM965 Express Chipset
• Intel GMA X3100 Integrated Graphics
• 120GB / 5400rpm
• 2 GB (2 x 1GB)
• 8-cell battery
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
• Microsoft Windows Vista Business

And an example configuration for the X61 tablet pc ultraportable:

• 12.1&quot; XGA Super-Wide Angle TFT
• Bluetooth Wireless Technology
• Integrated Fingerprint Reader
• Intel Core 2 Duo processor L7500 (LV)
• Mobile Intel GM965 Express Chipset
• Intel GMA X3100 Integrated Graphics
• 120GB / 5400rpm
• 2 GB RAM
• Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN
• 8 Cell Li-Ion
• Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate)

 

Thanks to Georgios for the tip!

 

High resolution! <3!

 

If only someone would do a tablet with non-intergrated video.

I just don't know that I could live without the ocasional game. Guess I could buy an xbox 360 though.

 

Assuming these are the finalized specs, I'm disappointed at the decision not to offer the 1400x1050 screen on the non-tablet version.

 

I wanted a 12.1" widescreen in the X61. Oh well.

 

Check out these documents from the same site, announcing the X61s models:
http://www-306.ibm.com/common/ssi/OIX.wss?DocURL=http://d03xhttpcl001g.boulder.ibm.com/common/ssi/rep_ca/4/899/ENUSLG07-0144/index.html&InfoType=AN&InfoSubType=CA&InfoDesc=Announcement+Letters&panelurl=OIX.wss%3Fbuttonpressed%3DNAV002PT090&paneltext=Announcement+letter+search
http://www-306.ibm.com/common/ssi/OIX.wss?DocURL=http://d03xhttpcl001g.boulder.ibm.com/common/ssi/rep_ca/5/899/ENUSLG07-0145/index.html&InfoType=AN&InfoSubType=CA&InfoDesc=Announcement+Letters&panelurl=OIX.wss%3Fbuttonpressed%3DNAV002PT090&paneltext=Announcement+letter+search

 

I do too but what are you going to do about it?

Yes, it will use the new Core 2 Duo LV processors.

 

Not buy one

I'm considering a T61. I have yet to see Asus' V2 or V1 Santa Rosa refreshes, however, along with Dell's XPS refreshes and some concrete data on Compal's IFL90.

 

Honestly, I was hoping Lenovo might pull a fast one and come up with an X61 that had an optical drive. One day, maybe.

 

KelchM - There are tablets with dedicated graphics. Look at Gateway. Toshiba used to have some, too...maybe their Santa Rosa update will satisfy you.

yggdrasil - Lirial wants her tree back. Anywho, IBM/Lenovo has never offered sxga+ in the non-tablet x-series. However, like you, I had hope.

FREN - I'd rather have sxga+ than low-resolution wxga. I wish computer manufacturers would just make all their sub-15" screens sxga+ instead of wxga...widescreen does NOT = more real estate.

Does anyone know if the x61t is going to have Robson cache? The blurb above seems to indicate that only the non-tablet x-series will get it...

 

teknerd122: Good question. There is no mention of the intel turbo memory (robson cache) in the x61 tablet announcement, whereas it's mentioned several times in both the vanilla x61 and x61s announcements.

 

Yeah, I could totally see a slot loading SuperMulti drive...

 

I share both sentiments!

I also would find it strange if the tablet won't have the Intel Turbo Memory option, as power savings had been one of its touted benefits (and the tablet would seem to be especially power conscious, given the choice of the LV processor compared to the non-tablet)?

Anyways if no one minds, I'd also like to paste below my other tablet questions from the Tablet PC Forum:

 

Me too! This would have been a excellent laptop had Lenovo implemented a widescreen.

 

damn no widescreen... sob.. maybe T61 then.. but they are so heavy...

 

PC Card?! NOOO!
Why?! Why no Express Card for the new X series ?!

 

Small widescreen tablet: Asus R1
http://www.tabletpcreview.com/default.asp?newsID=702
Personnally, widescreen makes no sense in a laptop that small. In fact, widescreen make no sense in anything smaller than a 19" monitor. Laptops are enough of an ergonomic disaster, if you start to compress the vertical and make people look down even more, you'll never make it past 40 without becoming a hunchback.

As for intel robson, not a big loss. As of right now, Anandtech did a review of the thing and says that not only does it not improve battery life or performance, it makes it even worst. Quite counterintuitive, but that's how it is.

 

It will be bad if they will not ship an optional SXGA+ screen with new X61. I was going to purchase it this summer, but I will have to search for an alternative if there will be no optional SXGA+ screen.

EDIT: Sorry, haven't noticed that: