Lenovo X61 vs XPS M1210

Hi all,
I am considering buying X61 vs XPS M1210 and I was hoping someone might have some feedback or insight regarding the differences.
I intend to use the laptop as a desktop replacement for web programming/development purposes and at home connect it to my regular LCD.
The downsides for buying the X61 are:
1) No tracking pad
2) Have to buy docking station & optical drive
3) Integrated intel graphic card (will it be able to play HD 1080p movies?)

On the plus side:
1) Santa Rosa platform (as opposed to the m1210 - am I wrong here?)
2) International warranty

Both XPS & X61 seem to be very close in prices, if I'm not counting the docking stations in.
However in the X61 it seems like I am "forced" to buy the docking station as well (for optical drive in case I need to reinstall the system). Docking station is indeed a bit of a luxury and I'm not sure how much I need it...

 

You dont have to buy a docking station just for an optical drive. You can buy a cheap usb optical drive from any online vendor.

 

I would say that the XPS is a better computer based mainly on its graphics card options. Also, if you read the reviews on NBR there is quite a bit of insight on the two machines.

 

Just wondering though, the 12.1" category isn't really a desktop replacement sort of category. I think for your budget you may want to go with a larger system. Just my $0.02 though.

 

in my opinion (and remember you are on a thinkpad board), the x61 by far exceeds the dell, unless you can not live without a touchpad. you can also buy an external cd rom drive for about 50 dollars if you look around.

if you look at the dell, the design looks cheap, and it is nowhere near as thin and light as the x61. i know this sounds biased, but go look at an XPS M1210 in person, and you will know exactly what I am referring to.

i think the XPS M1330 might give the x61 a run for its money, though, but it's a lot more expensive

 

Cant really compare the two because ones a multimedia/gaming laptop, the other a business laptop.

As far as i know the m1210 doesnt come with santa rosa

m1210: A high performance ultra-portable (12.1" screen) notebook featuring a new case design, Intel Core 2 Duo processor technology, an optional dedicated NVIDIA GeForce 7400 Go video card and an optional integrated web camera (1.3 megapixel). The M1210 also has optional WWAN (wireless wide area networking) features supporting 3G broadband services. Unlike other 12" notebook computers, the M1210 features a built-in optical drive rather than an external.

source: www.wikipedia.com

 

That's only if he cares about gaming. If he's only cares about programing/development purposes, the XPS M1210 pales in comparison to the X61 in terms of quality and mobility.

Of course you can compare. We compare it based on which system would be better suited for the OP's needs. That's why we have the "What to buy?" FAQ for people to answer, so we know what their needs are.

 

If you look for build quality, you'll need to compare the X61 with the Latitude D430.

 

i agree with everyone else. the X61 will make a quality machine for business use. the xps would be a great mobile gaming machine. I would look into the T61 14.1 inch model as well if I were you.

 

thats odd since he plans to use it on web programming/development. In that case i wouldnt even consider the XPS... It would either be the Lenovo T series or the Dell Latitude