T60p: Impression after first week

Thinkpad T60p (8774-J2U).

Notebook experience:
My first and previous notebook was a Thinkpad T21 purchased off-lease in 2003. The T21 lasted for 4 years with daily use and a fair bit of abuse. It is now destined for my parents as an on couch e-mail checker. It is underpowered and overwhelemed by basic javascript in webpages. My intention was to purchase a laptop that I can use for the remainder of my degree that will perform bioinformatics, word processing, and data analysis. My intention was to revisit the Thinkpad T-series and was considering the T60. I purchased the notebook from Visaperks.ca and saved about $200 versus the Canadian Lenovo website price. My order arrived exactly one week after the order was submitted. SHOCKINGLY the UPS driver left my laptop in my apartment hallway.

Choosing the T60p:
The choice was easy because this provided the best processor I could afford and powerful graphics to run Windows Vista or XGL sporting linux distributions and perform basic protein modeling. It's specifications are as follows:

Intel Core2 Duo 2 Ghz
2GB RAM
256MB ATI FireGL
8X- DVD burner (LG)
100GB SATA HDD (Seagate)
15.4” Widescreen (1680x1050).
9 cell battery
3 year standard warranty (+1 year from Visa)

Experience and build quality
Experience is the best teacher. I have found first hand that many of the comments about the Chinese effect on Thinkpad quality are nothing more than poorly veiled racist comments. My Thinkpad gives the impression and feel of forged metal. It does not creak or yield when picked up from the corners or edges. The screen sits on two substantial metal hinges and does not bounce or vibrate with gentle movement from typing or leg shifting. The back of the screen does not yield a single ripple no matter how hard it is pressed. The keyboard is magnificent (as was that of the T21) where each key gives a slight, precise click. The laptop is quiet and makes the trusty T21 sound like a tractor in comparison. It runs cool enough such that it is comfortable to sit the computer on one's lap for extended periods of time. It is only at its noisiest when running Windows Vista with themes and still this is exceptionally quiet. The screen is excellent. It is not glossy coated. This remains my preference because I am bothered by seeing reflections of myself or overhead lights as I work. Others will be averse to this particular screen for the same reason. This model has no detectable dead pixels and does not leak light like my old T21. The quality of image is able to reproduce the colon between the hours and minutes of my taskbar clock from 65 cm distance.

Performance:
I can’t say more about the performance of Core2duo processors than has already been said. They are fast and this computer benefits from the power. All programs load without hesitation. The hard drive (Seagate) is extremely quiet and cool running. When busy it makes quiet clicking sounds. I have not attempted gaming but I can say the performance of the FireGL graphics are ample for protein modelling and handling large micrographs. Battery life is good I am getting close to 4 hours on the 9 cell battery with the LCD brightness turned down and WiFi enabled. My laptop shipped with a battery that was not affected by the recent battery recall.

First week on the job:
The T60p has been a pleasure to use. The WiFi is strong and works well in my home and in the lab. I like the ThinkVantage software and have been impressed with it thus far. It is the first time I have seen preloaded software that improves one’s computing experience. My biggest complaint is the preloaded software like Symantec’s AV and Google applications. I would have been nice to be given an option but I suppose that would go against corporate wheeling and dealing.

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I am left with an extremely positive impression of this machine. My only concern is whether it will have the durability and longevity of my T21. It seems that electronics are becoming disposable items and many manufacturers plan obsolescence through product breakdown. I hope this is not the case with the T60p.

Picture Gallery:
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/allan.public/T60p"

 

Looks like a lovely machine...I hope you don't mind but I fixed your picture link.
Thanks for the writeup!

 

Lenovo is no push over, alland.. i agree with u.. i had a chance to interract with their Sr. VP last year.. Believe me, Thinkpad is in safehands

they dont want world to see them as a chinese company but a 'Global' company.. dats one of the reason they moved their HQ to calf from china..

 

Nice to read your review, I ordered the same model and it is arriving on Monday

 

Received my T60W last week great machine i love it

 

Please do not hijack threads.

 

vespoli, y do u use the word hijack when u are talking to nxman, is it because the pics he posted link to some middle eastern website?

 

"Chinese effect on Thinkpad quality are nothing more than poorly veiled racist comments"

I'd be careful on what you call racist. Quiet frankly I find it pretty distasteful how often this term is applied to people. Sometimes it's for good reason, sometimes people are hypersensitive.

The general perception is simply that China has lower skilled workers and lower quality control as they are known for volume goods. This may or may not be true in fact. However it is true that the less expensive Canon cameras for instance are assembled in China, while the more expensive models are all assembled in Japan. People start assuming that this has some reason other than cost and volume and get this opinions about quality. So, I don't see that as racist. Racism would be its bad because a person of Chinese heritage designed it and they are all stupid. Something I can personally attest to as absurd, as most of my colleges are Chinese.

All I'm saying is that people in general ought to be more careful about this label and reserve it for things that really are about bigotry.

 

wooo this thread is churning with undercurrents for a NBR thread

 

Is it possible to replace my x1400 card in my T60 with a FireGL card?

And if that is possible, does that mean that I have an equivalent of a T60p?

By looking at the gallery you posted, the FireGL card might have been worth the extra 200 bucks.

 

http://caipsgws001.can.ibm.com/store/addoptions?sku=8744J2U&tool=search&aud=EA1VISA

 

People tend to be confused with the word 'stereotype'.

stereotype - a simplified and standardized conception or image invested with special meaning and held in common by members of a group

If I say African Americans love fried chicken, that is a stereotype but also very true.

Chinese manufactured products are cheap and of low quality. That is another stereotype.

I got laid off and my job was outsourced to an Indonesian! That is another stereotype.

 

Except for those African-Americans who can't stand fried chicken. That's the problem with stereotypes, they tend to be sufficiently not true enough to make them notoriously hateful and to make the user look like an idiot. Especially when that person used a notorious stereotype to "prove" the use of a stereotype.

 

No, you could not change the graphics card without getting a new mother board.

 

This thread has run its course.