T61 or D630?

Hi guys,

I am myself a fan of Lenovo. I really love the simple black design. I have a 15" Lenovo R60 which is somehow heavy (> 6.5 lbs) and I want to change it for a new 14" fatser one.
The review of T61 was not so promising in PCmagazine, also the PCmarks reported by Andrew are even less than T60. I am not sure about the protruding battery, and brightness of screen. I am a programmer and do not need high end graphics, but I prefer brighter screens.
How do you compare T61 with D630? Which one do you recommend?

Thanks in advance.

 

I used to buy Dell desktops, had 4 or 5 over the past 7 years, but never bothered with their laptops. I do like how all of the drivers for Dell PCs are readily available from the Dell website by referencing your system serial number.

Since the T61 and D630 are both 14.1" widescreen it's almost a toss up. I like the color of the T61 better but the D630 has symmetry (no oddball off center bezel as with the T61). The T61 has the bonus of the turbo memory so I'd personally go with the T61 over the D630

However, for now I'd rather have a T60p w/ 4:3 display running Vista Business or Ultimate and a hybrid HDD (internal flash memory) with readyboost support. In the future I would want a T61p w/ 4:3 display + 800MHz memory, but I'm skeptical if Lenovo will offer 4:3.

 

I just ordered a T61 (looked at the Dell as well) yesterday and still don't have a ship date (could take a month). I am not thrilled with the battery hanging off the back, but I like Lenovo quality, durability, and support. I am, however, wondering if I made a mistake because I am (and have been) thinking about the newly released Macbook. None of the Santa Rosa reviews seem to be that good and between Vista, dedicated graphics in the T61, and Santa Rosa it is such a resource hog that it will probably limit even the 7 cell battery.

 

Thanks for the reply. I am really skeptical about both of them and to be honest, I am not very familiar nor fond of Macbooks.

 

What can be concluded from reviews till now is that D630:
- Has brighter screen (I have read that D620 screen problem has been resolved)
- Better battery life and battery package design (I like the front-protruding battery)
- Has all the ports at the back, I think T61 FireWire is really in a strange place

The only problem is that I like T61 much more than D630 but I am afraid if it disappoints me.

 

Andrew,

What is your opinion? I really count on your judgments.

 

Bad move. I don't know that Santa Rosa is going to be all that much faster than the R60 you have now though I suppose it will depend on your needs. Upgrading for more mobility seems like a better reason. I liked the D620 quite a bit, but as you've noticed the screens were an issue. You might want to check the forums on Dell.com to see if the issue has been resolved. I think they're both good notebooks.

 

There is an ongoing discussion and a poll on the same subject in the Dell forum. Please go there and vote

 

This is just misleading information!

Andrew's review T61 came with the new Intel INTEGRATED graphics. This new Intel integrated graphics chip gives you about twice the performance of the old Intel integrated graphics chip on the lower end T60's.

The mid level T61 comes with the new nVidia NVS 140m discrete graphics. This nVidia card gives you about twice the performance of the old ATI x1400 graphics chip on mid level T60's.


As to battery performance, the PCMag review used a 4 cell plus the nVidia NVS 140m. What kind of battery life do you expect from a 4 cell running Vista and a discrete graphics card? On the other hand, PCMag tested the other laptops loaded with much larger/higher capacity batteries. Of course the battery runtime test was skewed in favor of the Dells.

Andrew's test result of T61's battery time (a 6 cell this time) is on par with that of the T60, if not slightly better.

 

PC Mag reviewed a T61 with a 6-cell battery. They refer to the battery as "The 56-Wh extended battery..." and the pictures clearly show the battery sticking out of the back (the 4-cell is the only battery that sits flush with the back).

 

Oh! you can just compare the PCmarks:

T61 PCMark05 Score: 4,084 PCMarks
T60 PCMark05 Score: 4,177 PCMarks

maybe that is because of X1400 and integrated graphics...?

 

I think the T61 is better than Latitude D620.
It has better performance (T61-Quadro NVS 140M and D620-Quadro NVS 110M)
T61 is cheaper than D620.
There are some issues about battery and display quality.

 

So which one uses discrete graphics, which one uses integrated graphics?

Again, it's unfair to compare the performance of an integrated graphics chip against that of a discrete graphics chip.

 

i would suggest that you go for the T61 the plastic alloy case whic allows better wifi signals along wit the magnesium roll cage and the legendary keyboard should be a deciding factor
also note that benchmarks are synthetic in nature and are desighned to do just that just give a representation and cannot be compared realtime usage
the lower marks in the T60 and T61maybe due to the integrated X1300 chipset on the T61 as opposed to the dedicated x1400 in the T60

 

For a programmer, I think thinkpad's screen is very suitable if not best. Those seeming-bright laptops usually have a reflecting screen, which hurts the eye esp. when there are are lights around. Thinkpad's notebook absorbs much of the light, thus has no that problem and comfortable for eyes.
Besides the keyboard of thinkpad is better.

 

true to most cases but the think pad T61 screen has 180-200 nits brightness and the d630 screen has the recently updated 220 nits brigtness thoug it does come with glossy or matte screen optional and the T61 has only the matte screen as an option at present though the matte screen is much more suited to the economic users to which these business machines are targeted at
it all comes down to personal preference

 

Where did you hear the D630 will have the option for either glossy or matte? If true, I hope it's soon.

 

A glossy screen is a big no no if you work in an office. It will reflect all kinds of overhead lights, it's really annoying.

A brighter screen consumes more battery power.

 

with the latitude line recently embracing the widescreen format i reckon it would be a matter fo time before they introduce glossy type screens too
but at tis point one cannot be sure
it would be great if they did provide this option

 

Hi,

These are the info I have found about the brightness of screens:

Dell D620 screen brightness:

WXGA: 185 nits
WXGA+ : 220 nits

Dell D630 screen brightness: (no improvement in the high resolution model)

WXGA: 220 nits
WXGA+ : 220 nits

T61 screen brightness: 180 nits

Definitely Dell provides brighter screens!

 

Looks like he T61's screen isn't any brighter than the T60's... does anyone know how many nits the T60's screen has so I can put this into perspective?

Thanks,
Matt

 

Thanks for the info mahdim! I was thinking about getting a D630 (the T60p at best buy that I saw looked a bit dim).

 

I should mention that T60 with FlexView has a brightness of 200 nits
and is one of most wonderful available screens.
Dear experienced users,
How do you like T60's screen? I have an R60 and the screen is dim, it
hurt my eyes sometimes. The screen is the only downside about T61
for me, otherwise I should have ordered one by now.

 

I have a 14.1" screen - therefore, no FlexView. I probably have a very dim screen compared to the FlewView screens...

 

Have you ordered or you have it now? If you have it, can you please tell me how is the screen in comparison to other lappies?

 

I've had it since December. The screen is... acceptable... but nothing more... I have the T60, not the T61 by the way....

It's not bright enough in my opinion.

 

Thanks Matt. So, what do you suggest? what should I do? D630 or T61?

 

Hmm... that's a tough one.. I expected a lot more from the T61... but then again, I'm just ticked off they're not sticking to standards screens... Honestly, I can't give you an unbiased opinion. I don't know anything about the D630. I did almost buy the D620 before buying my T60... I assume that if the problems with the D20 have been fixed, the D30 will be an excellent notebook.

I do know that you will be happy with either notebook.

Sorry, perhaps someone more knowledgeable could assist you.

Matt

 

I am in a similar situation as you, Bobby. Think about this, the T61 screen is about 180 and the D630 is about 220. You are going to be staring at that screen 99 percent of the time. I would imagine a screen that is about 22 percent brighter would be a nicer on the eyes.

After much consideration, I decided on the D630. I was fixated on getting the T61 but the Vanilla-average battery life and semi-decent screen killed the deal.

 

Yeah, so I have to wait until first reviews of D630 come out. I was so excited about T61 that I was going to order one regarding the wonderful offer through EPP in Canada.
But man, in Canada you can not customize the system and I do not need the Nvidida graphics card which sucks the battery.

 

Just received my T60p w/flexview a few weeks ago. The Flexview is a lovely screen -- plenty bright (200 nits) with wonderful color and viewing angles. They are still available via the lenovo site for the 15" T60s. If a great screen is a premium for you (over ultraportability and Santa Rosa), then I recommend you grab a flexview while you can....

Having said that, even the flexview doesn't seem very bright compared to the glossy 'ultrabright" screens. As a writer, I find the glossy screens too hard on the eyes (too much glare and reflection), but they are pretty to look at and fine if you don't need to stare at a screens for hours on end. So I guess if you want ultrabright, a matte screen is not the best. To each his/her own....

 

Same boat, man, same boat...

Anyways, the date for shipping a D630 is 6/12, I need a laptop before the 17th. My plan is to put one on order so I can get in line. When a review comes out, (which, according to Andrew, will be in a week or two) I will decide if I want to keep the order or cancel it.

 

I have heard there are three companies making Dell's screens. This means even if the reviews show D630's screen is good, you still may happen to receive a laptop with a bad screen from a different company! Do you think this is going to be an issue?

 

Oh my God! this is very disappointing! 3 different manufacturers with different qualities? I hate random issues.

 

Great... this doesn't help the situation at all. According to Dell, all D630 will have at least 220 nits, which is one of the primary issues. In terms of color reproduction, I hope it is at least somewhat accurate and sharp. I am concerned about the two things but I have a Spyder 2 Monitor Calibration kit, which, by the way, is AMAZING! I would highly recommend anyone that requires some sort color accuracy to purchase it. It even made everyday tasks and games nicer to finish as the screen looks much more pleasant to see.

 

َAny experience with D620? your comments are appreciated.

 

I feel your pain, brother! But the nVidia Quadro may actually not be that bad when non-intensive applications are being run. Unfortuantely, we just have to wait for more reviews at this point.

D630: random issues? Oh god, I hate that.

What makes me hesitate to buy the t61 is the screen brightness, and that's all. Unfortunately, it's also one of the most important things to consider as a student. I'm guessing staring at a too-dim screen for 8 hours a day is just bad on the eye.

 

I think the Dell Latitude D630 is a better value and has a stronger more sturdy case, but the Lenovo has a better video card. My choice waffles between the two products. Currently I prefer the Dell Latitude D630 because I do not need much of a video card and I need an extremely sturdy, yet light laptop.

 

I read about the Flexview being a great screen but I have never seen it listed in any of the Thinkpad laptops on their website. I did order the 15.4" WSXGA+ for my T60 and it is a fantastic looking screen.

 

unless you're outside, 200 nits is bright enough for most ppl. it's only 9% less than 220 nits. I rarely have my brightness cranked up to full anyway.

 

I am in doubt too between the T61 and D630. But:

a.
The T61 is not yet available here
b.
If it will, it will be € 1700 instead of $1300 (out of budget)

So I guess I am forced to a D630

(From The Netherlands, that small country in Europa West of Germany )

 

But you guys are German, right??
Sorry, bad joke I used to make with my Dutch friend
I think Amsterdam should be the capital of the E.U. one day. Enough said...

So D630 is actually cheaper than the t61 (with roughly the same specs)?

 

I ended up buying the D630, the better screen (on paper) and battery swayed me to Dell. I will be receiving the machine in almost a month (damn you Dell!), I'll let you know about the machine later.

 

Where I leave the D630 has much more value for money. Simply because the ThinkPads are overpriced I am not gonna pay 1600-1800 euros for a basic config while I can get a max-out Dell for 1600.

 

i know, i was just asking if it's cheaper in price, that's all.

 

A couple of notes here:

*T61 14.1" WXGA is 185 nits, WXGA+ is 200 nits. Certainly looks like the Dell might have the brighter screen.

*D630 built better than T61? How do you figure that?

*As far as price goes, I configured a D630 and T61 with T7300/Vista Business/2x1GB/120GB/DVDRW/4965AGN/6-cell/3 year warranty (Dell Small Business, Lenovo U.S.). The Dell was $1517, the Lenovo $1524. Tell me again how Lenovo costs a premium? If you can't customize direct like in the U.S., call the Lenovo toll free number for your area or contact a reseller - I'd bet they can find you a competitive model.

 

Discounts are regional, he's stating his prices from his country. Current discounts of 25% for North Americans are pretty big from a company that is usually around 0%.

Most major notebooks are like this, including HP and Lenovo.

 

I agree with you. But for example all Lenovo keyboards are excellent and the difference is between oh my God! and excellent and not between Oh! crap and excellent!
It seems that the difference in Dell LCDs is completely obvious and noticeable.

 

Lenovo doesn't sell on-line in Portugal, so they are very expensive here. The prices almost double relatively to USA.
I was thinking of buying the T61 from the Lenovo site in the USA, but they don't ship outside the USA. I'd only have to pay more 21% of customs taxes.
Anyway, just noticed, by reading here in the forum, that the T61 screen is out of center. It really annoys me!

The D630 has a aluminum magnesium alloy , it doesn't need the roll cage. The D630 has a brighter screen.

I think that main disadvantages of the D630 relatively to the T61 are that the D630 doesn't have discrete graphics card neither integrated webcam options.

I don't find a big difference between both keyboards. The only think that I hate on keyboards is the existence of keys at the right side of the Return Key, and that doesn't happen in any of the T61 or D630.

I still have a Latitude CPx (since the year 2000) and it still looks new. I bought an Acer one year ago and it look like it has seven years.

I'm really considering on going for the D630.

 

I know, I know, But I am not in the US. I don't know why the Lenovo's cost that much here.

A good and cheap config for a T60 here:
T7200, 1GB ram, 120 GB 5400 rpm, X1400, WSXGA+, Vista Bussiness, 6 cell battery; cheapest: € 1590 ($2138)

There is a German webshop with the T61 on their site:

- 14,1" WXGA+ TFT Display, max. Aufl. 1440x900
- Intel Core 2 Duo Prozessor T7300 (2.00GHz/4MB/800FSB)
- 1024 MB DDR2-RAM PC2-5300
- 120 GB SATA-Festplatte 5400rpm
- 128 MB Nvidia Quadro NVS 140M
- DVD+-RW Double Layer Laufwerk (8x/4x/16x/10x/12x/24x)
- 10/100/1000 Mbit Netzwerkkarte integriert
- Wireless LAN komplett integriert
- ExpressCard
- Kleine Leselampe im Gehäuse integriert
- UltraNav Cursor-Steuerung (Touchpad + Trackpoint)
- nur 2,3kg leicht
- Akkulaufzeit von ca. 4 Stunden
- Microsoft Vista Business
- 3 Jahre Garantie

€ 1759!!! With the current dollar/euro prices that makes $2365!!!!!

The cheapest way for me to get a ThinkPad is (I am serious), is to order one in an US webshop, pay $150 shipping and pay 19% VAT over the price of the laptop. Then it's still cheaper then buy one here in a local shop.

And if I want two of them, it's cheaper to fly myself over and get them illegal trough the douane