Sixty million ThinkPads sold to date, Lenovo updates the T Series with NVIDIA Optimus in celebration

Boy, have we covered scores of ThinkPad laptops in the last few years -- everything from the introduction of the X300 to the first dualscreen W700 workstation to the older R50e that left unforgettable burn marks in a mattress have graced our internet pages. We apologize for getting all nostalgic, but hearing that sales of ThinkPad laptops will surpass 60 million this month just gets us all sappy. Actually, Lenovo's estimating that 14 ThinkPad laptops are sold every 60 seconds -- it's certainly impressive, but obviously the history of the company's business laptops must go onward and upward. And the updated T Series is a step in that direction. Starting today, the T410, T410s and T510 will have an NVIDIA NVS 3100M GPU option and rely on Optimus to take care of the dynamically switching between the integrated and discrete graphics. While we're a bit bummed they're not using the newest 400M Series, the rigs are the first with Optimus to be able to dock and then drive four simultaneous displays. All T Series models are available with Core i5 CPU options and a selection of hard drives / SSD options -- the T410 / T510 will start at $1,299 and the thinner T410s at $1,849. We guess this is where we raise our coffee mugs and say, "Here's to the next 60 mil, Lenovo!"

Update: Hot Hardware is reporting that Lenovo's tinkered with the Optimus implementation a bit so that both the integrated and discrete GPUs can run at the same time. Hit the more coverage link for some more information.

Source: Engadget - Sixty million ThinkPads sold to date, Lenovo updates the T Series with NVIDIA Optimus in celebration -- Engadget

 

So is this a hardware change, or is it a software update? If it's a hardware change, there's going to be plenty of ticked off discrete-graphics T410/T510 owners out there, and it's going to be tricky to check whether or not a particular laptop has Optimus or not when buying from sites like eBay.

As of right now, one can get an Optimus-laden T410 direct from Lenovo for under $1k with pretty impressive specs. Not too shabby.

 

so optimus let's you run four monitors? any chance of it coming to the x series?

 

Well, definitely not for any of the current X-series machines--they all have Intel graphics. Optimus is an Nvidia technology, and thus a discrete Nvidia card would be required, something that probably won't be making it over to the X-series anytime soon.

 

Nvidia Optimus is where the GPU can be switched seamlessly between the discrete and integrated GPU. It is not the ATI Eyefinity technology that allows you to run more than 2 LCDs.

 

I seriously hope it NEVER comes to X series. It's an incredibly dumb-down switching technology that showed up on Alienware m11x-release 2. The only advantage that I see is that you can update drivers on the nVidia cards more easily.

 

didn't the OP mention that "able to dock and driving four monitors simultaneously? "

 

hum okay, i did not read the OP's post very closely. I read the Optimus White paper, but i didn't notice that they mentioned anything about driving more than 2 LCD. I may have missed the important detail. If Optimus can drive more than 2 LCD, then it would be a step up. I will definitely go and purchase the T410 as my next machine, if it now can drive more than 2 displays.

P.S. i do feel sorry for the people whom have the older T410, i wonder whether this is resolvable with a BIOS upgrade. My friends would be pissed off at Lenovo, if this is not the case.

 

so is this just a small update til January when SB and new Thinkpads are released, or is this all that we should expect from Lenovo til next year?

 

only Lenovo employees working on the next design would know. But given the fact that David Hill mentioned that he was working on the next iteration, i think one would expect something exciting from Lenovo by early next year.

 

I hope its going to be something really exciting and not just added usb3 to all thinkpads, new SB chipset and redesigned X2xx series.
Im all excited about X series update, but what about others? No visual changes, not going slimmer etc?

 

i just wish that the new X20x have the eSATA and Displayport port on the laptop itself.

 

Looks like I have to step up to the T-series if I want some serious graphical power.

With the T410s multi-touch, is that also a stylus compatible just like the tablet?

 

I know it's probably never going to happen, but a factory supported version of DIY-dock for external graphic card would be pretty neat... and probably attract more consumer audience.

 

T410s multi-touch is resistive version, not those stylus sensor version. It is like the one on iPad and iPhone, etc.

 

so are there any stylus enabled thinkpad apart from the X series tablets?

 

My understanding is that the way you get to more than 2 is to use DisplayPort daisy chaining. I'm pretty sure that means all of the monitors must support the feature as well. Hope I'm wrong because it'll be a long time before I replace all of my LCD's.

 

Probably not. Historically, little changes between a few consecutive Thinkpad generations, and then a major overhaul is made. Seeing as a major design change was made between the Tx00 and the Tx10 series, I would assume that a significant redesign won't be due until the Tx30 series. Probably the most significant change I can see happening is the shift of the T410 to a 16:9 form factor.

 

I'm trying to understand your comment.

Are you saying you hope the X-series stays Intel onboard graphics? While I find onboard is reasonable enough for everyday use, Optimus provides the ability to switch between onboard Intel and discrete nVidia graphics as the situation warrants. You get the benefit of performance when you need it, and battery life when you don't.

Due to the small form-factor of the X-series, I doubt this will happen --but if it did, I can think of many people who would be very happy.

With Sandy Bridge being around the corner, I think a significant redesign may be sooner than we think, unless Intel prioritizes the desktop product so much that the mobile parts aren't released until another quarter or two down the road.

I really hope they won't go 16:9. I love my 14" 1440x900 display. The last thing I want to see is it being replaced by 13666x768.

 

The w700 supports a digitizer pen, but it's on the palmrest rather than behind the screen. Only the X series tablets have inking support behind the screen.

Also, to clarify the T400s multi-touch is capacitive (four finger) rather than resistive. It does NOT have an active Wacom digitizer though (the multi-touch tablets have twin digitizers and automatically shut off the touch interface when the pen is detected).

 

i think Lenovo changed the optimus system a bit to enable both IGP and discrete GPU at the same time, to allow each of these GPU to support 2 monitors for a total of 4 monitors.

The optimus system used in this mode is slightly similar to the ATI Surroundview feature on specific amd equipped desktops.

This is different to the ati eyefinity technology.

 

What I meant by a significant redesign was in terms of the other hardware. Sandy Bridge will be, by my educated guess, merely a hardware update, such as the ones between the T60, T61, and Tx00.

No, the 1440x900 display would be replaced by a 1600x900 display. 1280x800 would be replaced by 1366x768. See the HP Elitebook 6930w to 8440w transition.

 

So this is a hardware change right?

 

i would think that is most likely the case, which is unfortunate.

 

Sandy Bridge is the first wholly new Intel architecture since the P6 (Pentium Pro) was introduced. Due to that, I can't see how it can be anything less than a significant internal redesign.

If you mean externally there may not be a lot of difference, I can agree with you there, but the internals should have a significant change.

1440x900 at 14" is my optimal display. Higher is hard to read (until we have a Windows OS with a truly scalable font architecture where apps just work regardless of how I scale them for display). Lower, and I don't get as much desktop as I'd like to have; that's why my SO now has my 15" WXGA T61 and I got the T400. I've enjoyed my ThinkPads, but neither of those options would be acceptable for me.

 

This actually ticks me off a bit. The switchable graphics uses up less battery life and I took this small sacrifice of not having switchable graphics when buying a T410 and now a few months later they introduce optimus but aren't making it available to the current models? Honestly, I've been having too many problems with Lenovo lately. I had to have my defective screen replaced which took over a week, I kept blue screening a while ago, and now this??

I don't think I'm going to buy Lenovo again once my Laptop becomes obsolete...

 

6930w does not exist, but 6930p

HP, as many other manufacturers, switched to 16:9 laptop. T410 may be the last 14.1" and 16:10 laptop to date. And of course, when the ratio changes, the resolution also changes

 

I simply don't understand how people are ever upset at a company for evolving their product. Optimus was just coming out from Nvidia when the 510/410 was released, why is it Lenovo's fault for evolving their products? How is this a bad thing? Why in the world would you get upset at them? Because they don't give you new free hardware? Seriously? Get real people, when is this ever the case in the real world? Do you really expect Lenovo to send every 510/410 owner the new hardware that enables this? Heck, maybe Lenovo should just issue free updates for life!

 

i think people got angry, because there was significant mid-life update of hardware, which many people have wanted since the inception of the new Thinkpad model (T410, T510, W510). If Lenovo brought out Optimus in the next iteration of the T4xx, T5xx, then people wouldn't be so unhappy. For those people whom wants the Optimus, it would require a new motherboard replacement (not covered under warranty) or repurchase of a new laptop.

 

This is the computer industry though. Most machines are outdated in months. It's ridiculous to get upset at it.

 

pretty much this.

what was Lenovo supposed to do, not release the original T410? that means people would have had to purchase a T400 and would have been even more pissed when this was released.

 

If everyone thought clearly about these, then a upgrade cycle would be 3 years rather than 1.5 to 2 years.

 

I'm not sure I understand, are you saying you think Lenovo should release a new machine every 3 years or that people should buy a new machine every 3 years?

 

I think he meant if people did their homework before upgrading a new laptop, then they only need to upgrade every 3 years instead of 1.5 years.

 

Yeah, I could buy that. I know many people that upgrade every year for no good reason other then wanting a new machine.

 

they probably did it for tax reasons.

 

lot of people buy a new laptop every year because that is about when many consumer laptops start to fall apart... all three of my compaq/hp consumer laptops systematically failed between 13 to 16 months.

 

Yeah...this is pretty much my experience too. I had a Sony Vaio which failed exactly one day after the warranty expired (which was for 1 year).

My Acer too failed about 6 months after the 1-year warranty expired. All this is so frustrating, which is why I opted for the ThinkPad. Hopefully this won't fail, but then again, there is a 3-yr warranty on the machine.

I wonder: Are Macs considered to be as robustly built as ThinkPads? Certainly, they are very well designed. But in the long run do they hold up?

I have flirted with the idea of moving over into Mac territory, but I have held off. In terms of "value-for-money", I think the TPs are better (in terms of build) though - a feeling that is shared by TP users, I'd guess - which accounts for the sales figures of Lenovo! The only think is I hope that in the numbers quoted, Lenovo is not including those "other" ThinkPads - the X100 and the Edge.

 

lot of consumer laptops don't offer 2/3 years warranty option when i bought my laptop, which is also indicative of their quality in general.

Macbook Pro are not robustly built, their aluminium frame is thin and easily bent..although the new unibody has somewhat increased the quality of macbook pro through the new design, but a low height would almost render the laptop useless and ugly (any blemish on a Macbook Pro looks ugly).

Although you may want google Macbook Pro overheating problem, furthermore if you haven't used a OS X operating system before, then you should try it out in a store first for couple of hrs before you decide whether you want to purchase it.

 

I think by robustly built on MBP... I'd say that it feels like that as in it doesn't bend, and such. It most likely isn't that resistant to shocks and drops, so not that kind of robust. But the metal frame gives it a feel that its solid (talking unibody macs) and I'd say it has a pretty good build quality, unlike a lot of consumer-style plastic laptops.

 

quality of build of MBP is good, since the surface finish and the distance between gap is probably the best in the industry.

It is not Thinkpad type of robust, you can't carry the MBP by the screen, otherwise the whole screen case would bend under the weight. Also, Apple don't offer onsite service or accidental damage protection on their laptop range.

 

@lead_org: I have never had a consumer-grade laptop which came with more that a year's worth of warranty. And, they all failed just after the warranty expired! So, I agree.

I am totally unfamiliar with MacOS. So, yeah, I'd be very wary of making any switch. And, anyways, I think ThinkPads are better - in terms of build quality - despite some of the nagging issues that are often reported on this forum.

@unreal25: Thanks. My exposure to Macs is minimal. So, your insight is valuable to me. Thanks.

 

There are nagging issues with most laptops including Macbook pro... i had one that had annoying issue of overheating all the time.

 

You welcome. I had the same dilemma - MBP or Thinkpad. I am glad I went with Thinkpad, it fits more the tinkering user such as me - even though I am not a business guy; using the laptop mainly for my grad school / research.

I actually used iMac with OS X for some time, as I did some research on it. I preferred Windows, but you can probably live with OS X too once you get used where everything is. I like Windows as I know how to mess up with registry and do such tweaking... and I don't know to do it on OS X.

I'd summarize it like this:

Macs: Pro: really good screen (but glossy), finish, touchpad, backlighting, looks (subjective). Cons: MBP13 (only one I actually used and relatively little, but everyone around me has it) can heat up like crazy, due to laws of physics as alumin(i)um conducts heat , no real dock.

Thinks: Pro: more on the usability - cheap thinklight but works great, dont need touchpad with trackpoint, keyboard fantastic for long typing sessions, stainless steel hinge, rubber padding on the hard drive, super-easy access to components (I installed RAM, SSD and adjusted the keyboard in literally few minutes), Lenovo support web pretty good, Dock station.
Cons: green LEDs? Looks little ugly imo on the inside. Heavily oriented towards business users, so uses some old technology (56k modem), doesn't have DisplayPort/HDMI, crap speaker.

In what I haven't mention they are pretty equal (price being one).

 

Going back to the number of units sold by Lenovo, I think if they offered the prices that they offered on ThinkPads in the US to the rest of the world, their numbers would rise even more.

 

Yeah I know exactly how that feels. Unfortunately it's not only Lenovo, most laptops have a bit higher prices outside of US.

 

I can't seem to find a reason why they would raise prices outside the US.

 

Yeah... I am also not a business user.

About the heat from the Macs: The current ThinkPad that I use is cool - ALL THE TIM! This an experience I have not had with my last two laptops - namely the Sony and the Acer. The R400 is the first machine that I have used that does not warm up at all, which is refreshing! And, this has also set the standard - like the keyboard has - for me about laptops. Though I have read at some places on this forum that certain ThinkPads - even the newer and slimmer T-series machines do get warm.

 

Hope the Optimus and GPU performance is better in the T410 than it's been with the T410s.

 

Maybe something with import taxes... I know that's an obstruction in some countries where they'll rip you off completely if you try to import a laptop or in general a piece of electronics, by the book. I bought Razer Mamba mouse for a friend (valued $85) and I paid all the delivery expenses (or so I thought). He ended up paying total around $35 extra for all kind of other crap.