Journey's End - T61p

Spent the last few days researching to figure out what my first laptop purchase will be. I was originally thinking vostro 1500 or xps 1530. However the vostro didn't offer me the quality I was looking for and the 1530 didn't have XPP. So then I looked at the Hp 8510p and the T61p. I finally settled on the T61p (I think). The better graphics card and the ability to make a customized purchase via visaperks just seems to offer me more of what I want. The T9300 is a clear winner vs the T7300 (what the HP would have) IMO and I can't change that from the preconfigured Hp's.

I am basically a click away from buying this sucker. But before I take the plunge, I would just like some of you awesome notebookreview.com users thoughts on what I am about to buy. (FYI - I am a Web Designer based in Canada and big CS:S fan. Planning on getting Starcraft 2 and Team Fortress 2 later this year to play on this desktop replacement).

So Here is what I am getting:

ThinkPad T61 15" Wide 6459

ThinkPad T61 15 Widescreen - 1 Yr Depot Warranty
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9300 (2.5GHz 800MHz 6MBL2)
Operating system: Genuine Windows XP Professional
Display type: 15.4 WSXGA+ TFT
System graphics: NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M 256MB Total memory: 1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 (1 DIMM) (will upgrade this on my own) Fingerprint : Integrated fingerprint reader
Hard drive: 100GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm
Optical device: CD-RW/DVD-ROM, Ultrabay Slim
System expansion slots: PC Card & Express Card Slots
Card Reader: 4 in 1 Media Card Reader
WiFi wireless LAN adapters: Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (US/CAN/LA/AP) Bluetooth: Integrated Bluetooth PAN
Wireless USB Adapter: None
Wireless WAN accessories: None
Battery: 9 cell Li-Ion Battery
Power cord: 90W AC Adapter; NA, LA, (2pin)
Accessories and options:

3 Year EasyServ + 3 Year ThinkPad Protection for 3 Year EasyServ ThinkPad
$152.15

ThinkPad Serial ATA Hard Drive Bay Adapter$50.15
$50.15

Subtotal: $ 1,534.37
Shipping and handling: $ 0.00
GST: $ 76.72
PST: $ 122.75
[CAXVENMAR15 coupon] -$ 70.11
Savings: -$ 671.63
Estimated total: $ 1,733.84*

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Based on that info, is there anything I am missing here or anything that you guys think I should change before I buy? I am very open to recommendations. Should I upgrade to the DVD Burner? Is that price good for Canadian customers?

Thanks

 

That's a really good price...that's an awesome deal on 3 year Protection..first time I seen it that low on the canadian site..its normally about $350.
The DVD burner is useful. Frankly I've only used it for burning the rescue and recovery discs but it beats having to use 8CD-Rs instead of 2 DVD-Rs.

btw the 25% off end 3rd march...not sure if that's midnight tonight or midnight tomorrow..

 

I would downgrade the harddrive to the basic 80GB and upgrade it yourself to the size you want with 7200. Other stuff looks great. It looks like you want to keep the machine a while so I would just deck everything out. Also make sure to use the coupon codes, check out the Tech bargins board on this site.

 

I decided to opt for the DVD burner as you suggested. Never know when it might come in handy.

I placed the order just 45 minutes before midnight (march 2nd) so hopefully I can still get in on the 25% off.

Also something weird happened when I hit order the first time and it didn't go through. So I went through the whole process again and it seemed to work. But then I got two order confirmation emails and also replicas of the confirmation that are all messed up. I sent an email to [email protected] explaining the occurrence. I'm really not sure what happened. It makes me nervous though. heh

 

good point. I downgraded before I hit 'order'. The only coupon I could get was 5% unfortunately. All the coupons for thinkpads in the bargain board are US only. 30% off is still pretty awesome though.

 

Make sure to also give them a call immediately, don't wait for them to get back to you by email. Returns/cancelling orders can be a problem, since the building of the machine is happening at China. If you get them early and persistently follow it up till it is cancelled and get a confirmation of that, you should be ok. Otherwise they will ship both machines to you and when you return one you might get charged a restocking fee. My machine took 7 days from order to delivery to my house!

 

Forgot about that, Canada is treated differently

 

Just made a similar purchase, hopefully we made the right decision...

ThinkPad T61 15 Widescreen - 1 Yr Depot Warranty
Ships within 1-2 weeks** $1,315.78 $1,315.78
Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor T9300 (2.5GHz 800MHz 6MBL2)[1]
Genuine Windows Vista Home Basic[12]
15.4 WSXGA+ TFT
NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M (256MB Open GL)
1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM 667MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)[8]
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
250GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm[4]
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim[5]
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (supporting Centrino Pro)[10]
Integrated Bluetooth PAN
Integrated Wireless WAN: Verizon Sierra CDMA2000[65]
6 cell Li-Ion Battery[60]
6459: Express - 1 Yr Depot Warranty[7]

 

It's been an Odyssey so far for me. I'm so satisfied with the T61p.

 

Yeah get the cheapest HDD and upgrade yourself. My brother got the 100GB 7200 RPM on his T61p and really regrets it--he's out of space already and constantly emptying out his HDD to make more room, whereas I with my 160GB drive mock him endlessly for it!

 

Upgrade to DVD Burner no doubt! If you plan to have this thing for a long time and down the line you decide to burn something on a DVD it would be handy to have. When I got my machine(T60) I didn't think I would use the DVD Burner in it but about 6 months after getting it I got a video camera to record me and my bud's jam sessions and would upload them to this computer and burn some DVD discs as backups after uploading the videos to youtube.com. The DVD Burner really ended up coming in real handy.

 

LoL. Ya, its a good thing I asked you guys on here first or I'd be up the crick.

Btw Ackeron, thanks for all the time you've spent doing reviews and posting and such on this forum. Very helpful info. You almost convinced me to get a 8510p instead to save the extra $$$

 

I had exactly the same problem on the Lenovo Canada site on Friday night, Feb. 29, ordering a configuration very similar to yours. I too received two order confirmation emails and feel equally rattled, especially given all the problems with Lenovo Canada orders and its website.

I tried to phone Lenovo Canada sales over the weekend, but there was no one around. I'm about to call them now.

 

Just got off the phone with Lenovo Canada. Colour me relieved and happy! There's only one computer in the order pipeline!

 

cool. Im on hold right now lol. 15 minutes so far.

 

i just ordered my t61p and could not be happier. same specs as you except the 160gb hd 7200rpm (they were having a sale). and the dvd burner is a must. The most impressive thing by far was i placed my order on feb 22nd at 11pm and recieved my laptop at 9am on feb 27th. Now that my friends is simply amazing =)

 

Finally got through. I guess I did actually have two orders on the go. I was able to cancel the second one without any problems

 

Hey, congratulations. Glad you were able to cancel!

 

BTW, I just received not one but two emails telling me that all or part of my order (same order # on both) had shipped. Surely it's only a computer glitch.

 

you made the right decision. These are very nice machines.

 

Well as long as you called them and talked to a rep and the rep told you that he canceled one of them you should be fine. The rep I talked to told me that the order number becomes the cancel confirmation reference number once canceled.

I feel like calling once more just to make sure with a different rep. I hate holding for 30 minutes though!

 

He didn't say he'd cancelled one. He said there was only one computer under that number (and I certainly haven't been told of any other number). But they're still sending out two emails under that same order number. I'm not worried. I do really believe this is a computer glitch.

But if it's not, and they end up trying to charge me for two computers, well these posts and several emails I've sent are evidence of what really happened.

 

wrighton, I too received two emails. Oddly, one contains the customer number while the other does not. Looking at my credit card's account summary I can see the amount for the one T61P I ordered has been deducted from my available credit.

I ordered mine on Feb. 28th and still hasn't received any shipping confirmation. Ah, the fun begins!

 

Thanks! Having used both machines extensively I like them quite a bit, and I know you'll enjoy the T61p for sure

 

EDIT: Completely deleted my last post because I missed some posts on the 1st and 2nd page.

This is what I am getting, thansk for pointing out the extra 5% off.
ThinkPad T61 15 Widescreen - 1 Yr Depot Warranty
Ships within 3-4 weeks** $1,261.68

Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9300 (2.5GHz 800MHz 6MBL2)
Genuine Windows XP Professional
15.4 WSXGA+ TFT
NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M 256MB
1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 (2 DIMM)
80GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
CD-RW/DVD-ROM, Ultrabay Slim
9 cell Li-Ion Battery
1 Year Depot/Express Warrant
Processor Intel Core 2 Duo processor T9300 (2.5GHz 800MHz 6MBL2)
Operating system Genuine Windows XP Professional
Operating system Language Genuine Windows XP Professional - English
Display type 15.4 WSXGA+ TFT
System graphics NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M 256MB
Total memory 1 GB PC2-5300 DDR2 (2 DIMM)
Keyboard Language US English Keyboard
Pointing device UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad)
Hard drive 80GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
Optical device CD-RW/DVD-ROM, Ultrabay Slim
System expansion slots PC Card & Express Card Slots
Card Reader 4 in 1 Media Card Reader
WiFi wireless LAN adapters Intel Wireless WiFi Link 4965AGN (US/CAN/LA/AP)
Wireless USB Adapter None
Wireless WAN accessories None
Battery 9 cell Li-Ion Battery
Power cord 90W AC Adapter; NA, LA, (2pin)
Publication Language English US Publication for XP

ThinkPlus 3 Year Onsite 9x5 Next Business Day for 3 Year EasyServ ThinkPad $75.65

Savings: -$ 615.67
Subtotal: $ 1,337.33
[CAXVENMAR15] -$ 66.40
Estimated total: $ 1,337.33*

 

Up in Canada, there was a 25% off coupon that expired on Feb. 29, which was when I bought the T61P.

 

Nice specs, however I'm surprised you went for 3 yr and not add in the extra for protection. Its the best deal right now for 3 year Protection I have ever seen on the Canadian site. $179(before 5%) for 3 years. The extra $100 for 3 years of peace of mind is worth it imo.

edit: nm, sale is still on..$179 for 3 years depot+protection..$269 for onsite

 

nice. Careful with the RAM though. If you think you might need more in the future I would definitely go with the 1DIMM instead of 2.

 

Very important. 1 DIM GB FTW.

 

Hi All,

Any updates on the order status for you guys? I'm teetering on the edge between the t61p or the mx1530. I've obviously read (as you all have as well) that lenovo canada is having some issues with their system. I'm wondering if by now (especially with the pressure from increased exposure) they haven't fixed things and started getting this computers out?!