Lenovo z61t thoughts & pix

I've put down my thoghts on owning a z61t, plus pix of the new ibm laptop.

http://www.secs.oakland.edu/~mtanski/thoughts/2006/06/18/new-laptop-hotness

Enjoy

 

nice! That's basically the exact machine I want. Can you show a close up pic of the screen, preferably with a web browser up or something so I can see the resolution better. I've never seen a WXGA+ screen but I think I want it. Any comments on heat on the palm rest or underneith.

congrats on your purchase

 

Well that makes 2 of us now who own a Z61T. Nice review and pics.

 

I'll try adding some more pix tommarow... batteries for the cam died durring the day here.

As far as heat, the palm rest is hardly noticble (if any), and warmest part is on the back side of the parl rest and you can notice it if you have it on your lap for more then an hour, but if you just have it on a desk for an hour and then touch the backside bellow the palm rest it really can't notice it... it's weird.

 

I have a z61t scheduled to ship soon. I'm happy that I made the right choice too. I will never buy a dell anymore also.

I had a question. Does this have a SD slot ???. I know it has 3-in-1 reader, but does it have a SD slot like PDAs ??.

 

Yes it does, it's right in the front under the right hand, about an inch away from the right corrner.

 

wooww... i'm drooling again...

why don't they make those Z61m's an inch or below 1.5inch think? they have more room there than the Z61t has....

 

looks nice, thanks for the pics mtanski! congrats on being one of the first to get this machine

 

mtanski,

Can you check if the integrated webcam works with
Skype ?

Thanks.

 

My new (biger) battery came in today, after being hijacked by the FDA and lost by UPS. So aya.

aragorn002: not sure, I don't have windows on this machine at all.

 

How does the 1440x900 screen look? Is it a little too small or just right?

 

For my eyes (with contact lenses tho) it's a perfect size. My bought a laptop last fall, roughtly the same size display (14", wide screen) with a 1280x768 display and i found that to be a little to big for my liking. I find the 1440x900 to be just perfect!

 

I guess that means no W3J and hello Z61t!

**** you, Asus!

 

I know how you feel I was smitten with the vaporware z35f back in february (projected for mid march arrival) and now as soon as my fujitsu comes back from warranty service it is getting sold and hello epp'd z61t

Oh, here's a question for those who bought via epp. Can you customize your order when you tell them a part number from the tabook? I could really care less about windows xp pro and a dvd-burner and would like to downgrade to 'home' and a dvd reader. Is that possible over the phone?

 

I don't think you can downgrade, but you can upgrade from a lesser model. But there are so many models that exist chances are there is one that's so close that i'd be silly to customize. Email/pm me and i might just hook you up with their current PDF catalog (all modules including edu only models). Just hush hush

 

you can do a custom build to order...the base unit with bluetooth, verizon thingy, 1400 res screen and the 2300 core duo etc etc etc is around $700 and you build up from there (drive, HD, battery, RAM etc) I'll see if I can pull up the number.

Anyone know if you can put bluetooth in this one as an afterthought or does it have to go in factory installed?

<edit>
1 944036U LENOVO THINKPAD Z61T 9440 - CORE DUO T2300E 1.66 GHZ - 14.1" TFT $720.00

There ya go, might be EPP only. Hope it helps

 

thanks twill that looks pretty good. Is there one without evdo? I'd like a titanium, wxga+ barebones to build up. Like a decontented 944029U

I have epp access so that's not a problem. Just need the correct part numbers.

mtanski you have PM

 

oh and here's a thread on another forum about adding the bluetooth card to a z60t after receiving it. I would think a z61t would be quite similar but perhaps different part numbers.

http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=19823&highlight=bluetooth

 

if only it had an x1600 or v5200 and you could order a CTO barebone....

edit: twill I just read your post....do you have any idea if you can do a CTO for a T60P? I want this lappy but I really like my gaming

 

xzjn9p -thanks for the link - does adding the daughterboard void the warranty at all???

Spetsnaz Op - call the sales people, they can tell you, I cant even access the tabook, my connection doesnt like it for some reason.

mtanski - sorry for taking this thread on a slight tangent, I'm about to order my 61 any day now and am in the final death throws of planning. thanks for all your help and answer all the questions

 

I'm waiting for a bare bones z61t to go on sale. An IBM sales rep I talked to on the phone today told me that I'll be able to build my own z61t online in a couple of weeks. I've posted the configuration I'm looking at for a 2Ghz z60t in another thread and according to him, I can get a 1.66 Ghz core duo z61t for exactly the same price (all other features identical except for a slighly upgraded video card...from Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 to Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950). But otherwise the features seem to be comparable. Can you please give me your thoughts on my post @ http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=60814. By the way, it's really wierd but I saw your z61t review from another link on a linux website just an hour ago so it was funny running into you here Great review and i'm psyched for you!

Also one other thing, the higher resolution screen....is this an upgrade or does it come standard with the z61t? Thanks.

 

Where did you see this on the EPP page? This is what I've been looking for all along!! I can't find a z61t on the EPP page

 

they wont sell you the barebones without the components - I tried, it has to have an over-priced OS, HDD, Optical and Ram.

just call up and ask if they have anything that can be custom configured...and if you have epp, it can be ordered now

 

But I already asked the sales rep and he said the only z61ts they're selling are the ones on the EPP page...which start at 1400+. My question is where did you get that $720 figure? Because that's inline with the EPP price they have for the bare bone z60t 2GHz ($715). Just so you know TWill (because I understand you're looking to buy a z61t), the sales rep was claiming that the bare bone z61t will be available online in two weeks

 

I don't see the Z61t on http://www.pc.ibm.com/us am I missing something? Thanks

 

They aren't technicaly "out" yet, but if you know that you want it, you can call them and they'll ship them. I highly recomend the z61t been using mine for a week now, great machine.

 

How much did you get that lappy for and how thick is it? Thanks

 

That's strange, because I spoke to 2 reps who said that with the barebones you HAD to buy components (HD, optical, ram, HDD. OS) which, if you choose the minimum specs, total at LEAST $200-300 on top.

I'm wanting to get mine before it goes up because the second it hits the website delivery times will shoot up and I leave the country in 4 weeks.

incidentally, the lady I spoke to said they were waiting for the z60 stock to clear out a bit before they put the 61 on sale...and they have been telling me since late may they would be on the site "within the next week" so I dont really trust them

as for where I got the $720 price from, I had the rep quote out a price for a CTO system and it was emailed to me - they show per-unit prices and the barebones system is one of those units at $720.


mtanski, is the size/shape of the computer odd at all? if you have the 7 cell battery in, and nothing in the optical bay, would it really throw off the ballance or would it be fine? and finally, any update on the run time with the 7 cell (i think it was you who said you finally got it)
Twill

 

Twill, strange indeed. But what the rep told you makes more sense to me. Why have the z61t at the same price as the z60t when you have a warehouse full of the z60ts. In any case, I'm going to sit out for a little longer and see if the z61t bare bone makes an appearance.

To the OP, would you say the screen of the z61t (Max Bright) is noticeably brighter than the z60t? Thanks.

 

I own a Z61T with the standard WXGA screen that is 185nits bright. The WXGA+ screen is only 200nits. The Z61T does not have a MaxBright option. With that said, I think the screen is fine as far as brighness is concerned. But put it next to a Sony Vaio and you wil notice a big difference.

 

Now I'm confused because I had seen an IBM site that says the z61t does in fact have a Max Bright screen. link

Is the z61t screen brighter than the z60t screen? I am not so optimistic now because I think the z60t was also 200nit Wow I was reallllly hoping that they were going to fix the dim screen.

 

Yeah that does look like a Z61t MaxBright. But what country are you from?

The only Max Bright screens that I know of are on the Z60m and the Z61m. Only the 1280 x 800 resolution has this option and not the 1680 x 1050 (200 nit). If you live in another country, you might have different choices. As far as I know, here in the US, only WXGA 15.4" displays have this option.

 

With all due respect, such comments make me laugh because people want the brightest screens, the fastes HDDs and CPUs but STILL want the famous battery life. Doesn't work like that.

If the screen was brighter, the battery would drain faster. Lenovo has a formula that seems to work well even if they have to make some compromises.

Same with cell phones. You want a color, hi res screen and mp3 player and camera, video recorder...yet you still want the battery to last more than a day? Come on.

 

bman, you're probably right. I'm in Cali so I'm probably not going to see a z61t with Max Bright. Oh well...maybe I should just go for the z60t

 

well, I just ordered mine, and it's coming with maxbrite.

maxbrite is only avail on the 1200xwhatever res screens, but it is there, i didnt even ask for it, it just came in as that. I thought I was ordering the 1400 wxga+ screen

thanks for all the help guys, ship date is july 12, so a nail biting 2 weeks waiting for it.

 

MaxBright was available only on the z60m models which had 300 nits. Current z61m comes with 150 nits or 200 nits.

As for z60t it's 200 nits for WXGA. For z61t 185 nits for WXGA and 200 nits for WXGA+

Correct specs can be found at the tabook . It's the June edition.

Lenovo website still have some discrepancies in terms of specs.

 

Yeah considering I just said that ^^

Congrats Twill. What model did you buy?

 

I have a CDRW/DVD in the ultra bay, so it's not empty. The 7-cell does stick out, and i perfect the laptops look with the 4-cell inside (just being honest here), but the extra time is worth it. I get comftably at 4:30 minutes on the 7-cell. But keep in mind I'm using Linux and I'm waiting for the Linux power managment to catch up to this brand new spanking laptop.

 

my system, poorly formated. It was an open bay model. I'm probably going to try to pull the EVDO card and the DVD burner out and sell them (I wouldnt be able to sell a DVD-Rom drive for $95 which is what they were charging) cause I dont need them and could use the cash to bring the cost down and up the ram by a gig

1 SYS.944036 CONFIGURED SYSTEM 07/12/06 $1,359.10 $1,359.10
1 944036U LENOVO THINKPAD Z61T 9440 - CORE DUO T2300E 1.66 GHZ - 14.1" TFT
1 40Y6794 CTO 7 CELL 2.6 AH LI-ION BATTERY
1 40Y7740 LENOVO THINKPAD MEMORY - 256 MB - SO DIMM 200-PIN - DDR II
1 41C9241 LENOVO THINKPLUS EXTENDED SERVICE AGREEMENT - 3 YEARS
1 41N8320 CTO 40GB 5400RPM HDD
1 41N8328 LENOVO THINKPAD MULTI-BURNER ULTRABAY SLIM DRIVE - DVD-RW / DVD-RAM DRIVE - IDE
1 41U3119 CTO MICROSOFT WINDOWS XP HOME

Here's the really odd thing, my confirmation says
Display 14.1" TFT active matrix 1440 x 900 ( WXGA+ ) - 24-bit (16.7 million colors)

but the rep swore to me it was an SXGA MaxBrite screen...so we will see what I get.

 

What LCD does this model comes with, matte or glossy? Thanks

 

it's matte

 

Man, we need closer pictures of this laptop

Edit: The Z61t looks kind of thick compare to the 12" macbook. If someone could, can you measure the thickness of it? I know it says from 1-1.2" but I want to know the exact measurement. Thanks

 

My Z61t with Titanium cover is just shy of 1.25" in height in front of the notebook. The back measured in at just 1.25". So really I would say the whole thing is 1.25" in height. I would imagine the black cover would reduce the size of it.

 

Thanks Bman. How much did you buy your Z61T for and what's the specs on it? Thanks

 

Here ya go I have a thread about it.
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=58104

 

I got the black top, I'll let you know how thick when I get it.

 

Can you please take a photo of the screen up close, so we can see the resolution?

 

Any input on how to buy a Z61t using the epp?

Anywhere to view the various configuration options?

Anyone know if you can have them add bluetooth to a Z61t that doesn't have it (without disassembling & adding it yourself later)?

Thanks for any assistance!

 

What is comfortably 4:30? Is that with wifi on/bluetooth off and the lowest screen brightness? Under what conditions are you getting 4:30 with the 7 cell?

What kind of usage? internet only, mp3s, etc?