T61...Build Quality

After three weeks of usage, my T61's poor build quality is starting to show. The chassis of the computer has given away. The right front of the computer has lifted a few centimeters. It's so bad that the rubber guard on the bottom is not even touching the ground.
The hole where you put in the ac adapter in the back left of the laptop has come apart. I have to be really careful when putting in the ac adapter, not to push it in.
I called in to Lenovo but today is my 22nd day. So I can't get it replaced. I owned a T60 before purchasing my T61 and the T60 was a tank compared to my current T61.
I think this is my last time buying a Thinkpad!!!

 

I also have the problem with the right foot not sitting on the table. Almost like the unit has twisted.

Any lump on the top of your lid?

 

Oh YES...there is a lump on the lid. But I didn't mention it because I heard they did that on purpose to make the lid stronger. I don't know...It doesn't bother me much though. Not as much as my other problems.

I did notice that if I hold up the computer and bend the right side down with some force, the right rubber foot will touch the ground again. But it will lift again after 10-15 minutes.

 

Not the kind of posts I usually see on the Lenovo forum.. hmm.. whats going on?

 

I'm begining to wonder if all these units are bult at the same location? My T61is built like a precision tank. What lump? I see nothing that could be defined as a lump and as matter of fact the top is as flat as a billiard table. Is there more than one mfg. facility's building these things. I simply do not recognize most of the problems that I see on this forum. The fact that I'm running XP without Turbo memory probably defines any number of issues that I have not encountered so far. Fingers crossed!

 

I am also running XP and the computer runs like a champ. I haven't had one issue with the computer yet.
It's the build quality that is disappointing to me. Chassis flex and things like this which I never expected from a $1400 laptop.

 

You mean, an entire inch?

Is this a troll, or are T61s really this bad? Over the weekend I had already convinced myself to keep my order(s) in the queue, but it's beginning to get a little unnerving waiting for the hammer to fall ... especially when I could just go to the Apple website and order a machine that will ship *today*!

 

I am sorry, I didn't mean to mislead anyone but "few" is a typo. I meant to say a centimeter.
Sorry...

 

I am running XP also, and like dwjlee said, it runs like a champ. I just feel like I paid extra $$$ buying a thinkpad, thinking it would be good quality, with a nice fit and finish. I don't feel like I'm getting it out of my T61. One of my speakers also sounds like it might be blown. Or else some small piece of metal close to the speaker is vibrating. When windows boots and the volume is high, it makes an awful screech <--- anybody else experience this?

 

dwjlee....I have the issue of the right front rubber pad not touching the ground. This has been discussed before and quite a few people do have this issue. I'm pretty sure your computer would be from lenovo singapore, as that seems to be the case with the t61's that have the rubber pad that doesn't sit flush. You can check the microsoft windows sticker on the bottom of your computer to verify.

I really don't know why so many of them are like that. Mine still feels rather sturdy when you lift it up and check for flex, both with the lid open and closed. I called them to see what I was supposed to do about this issue and I was told I could send my computer in. I didn't go with that plan as I've seen numerous people send in their computers and have them come back even worse than before.

We all have at least a 1 year warranty, some have more. I opted for a 3 year warranty and I'm glad I did.


Here is a link to a thread that discusses the issue and has some pictures that show the problem pretty accurately:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=141174

 

What?! One centimeter is still pretty bad. I'd say one millimeter of warpage would be within reason.

One Centimeter: |----|

Is it really that much? I would think it would be practically unusable with that much warp.

 

Ey guys, I have a T60 and my front rubber feet do not sit flush with a flat surface. The front tips of both the feet are touching and the back portion is raised very slightly, this causes the gripping on the table to be less than when I first got it. Also, when I close the lid, I can see a tiny offset between the right edge of the lid and the body. Maybe T61s aren't the only lemons after all.

 

jd1010...yes, my microsoft sticker says Lenovo Singapore. When I called in to Lenovo, they recommended I send the laptop in to be fixed but I decided not to.
I am always pressing extra hard with my right wrist when I am typing thinking I can bend the chassis back to normal.
Actually what worries me more is the ac outlet hole in the back left. The yellow plastic part where you put the ac adapter in has come lose. When I press on it, the yellow plastic part goes into the body of the laptop about quarter of an inch and it also move side to side. I hope it holds up so I dont have to send it in to be fixed.

 

ari_m...yes it is pretty bad. When I have it on the table and constantly type on it, the gap is a lot smaller than a centimeter. I guess because I am putting pressure on it with my right wrist. But when I return from lunch where the laptop has been on the table for couple of hours, the gap gets much bigger. I have not measure it yet so I am not sure if its exactly a centimeter but its definitely close.

 

Can someone post a picture?

 

This was posted by someone else, but I along with many other have the same problem. There is this tiny little rubber piece in the middle that sticks out like a MM that barely touches the surface the computer is sitting on. The wavey ruber part does not touch.

Check out the difference:

left front rubber panel


right front showing middle ridge extended


again from a distance
[/QUOTE]

 

dwljee ought to post some pictures. This sounds too good to be true.

 

I agree, we need some pics. so far it seems like I'm one of the people that doesn't have any problems along with a good portion of T61 owners.

Probably just a lemon.

 

Maybe post a pic so we can see all 4 feet in the same angle, because it looks a bit misleading.

 

I'm starting to think about holding off on ordering my T61 now....I was going to do it in about 4 days but seeing as everyone's having problems....

 

Just get a T60, build is MUCH better and its made in the traditional factory not the ****ty inspiron factory.

 

Me too, but keep in mind, 90% of folk who come on forums have problems - very few come to compliment.

I'm arranging to go look at a T61 and T60 at a shop/supplier (phoning around helps) .. will make me feel better

 

I have been nothing but happy with my personal T61. I purchase all the laptops for my company and we are still getting T60's at the moment. The build quality of the T60 sitting side by side in comparison to the T61 seems exactly the same and both seem to have outstanding build quality. I personally have had no issues with my T61.

 

I've come to compliment the T61! Aside from it taking 52 days to arrive from the date of order, I couldn't be more pleased. Fantastic build quality and features. Turned off Volume Shadow Copy service (aka System Restore) because I couldn't stand the constant disk activity (not that there was any audible noise from the disk and I'm perfectly capable of restoring my computer myself, thank you), but that was about all the tweaking I did. Cool quiet and quick! My screen is brighter than my Dell 1702FP desktop monitor at home and I even get over 4 hours on the standard 4 cell combined with the Ultra Bay battery (though NOT when I'm doing CAD). And I got the free 6 cell too... No crashes, hangs or BSODs. I even got Autodesk Inventor Professional 10.0 to run in Vista 64 just fine.

Oh, and FWIW:

7662CTO T7300 1GB Turbo 4GB Ram 100GB 7200 Fingerprint Bluetooth NVS-140M 14.1 WXGA+ Vista Business 64

 

I'm really satisfied wit the computer as well. I was having problems with it at first, but after running a clean install I've been much happier. The only complaints I have are with the nearly 2 month wait to get the computer and the rubber not touching on the right side. I've pretty much grown past that problem though as I really don't think it's that big of a deal.

 

Great to hear. I'm hoping to have a T60 or T61 by the end of this month!

I don't mind a lil' creak or a squish here and there, I'm used to that with my knees anyway As long as it lasts me 3 years without falling apart, things popping off and overheating constantly then I'm happy.

 

Heh, if anyone gets sick of hearing about all the Thinkpad problems, poke your head into the Dell forum if you want to feel better:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=142711

I haven't even looked at the Apple forum yet - I'll just continue to believe they are perfect

 

I don't know why you guys are always chalking up the T61 problems to the Compal factories. Compal has taken orders for all Thinkpads since April 2006.

http://investintaiwan.nat.gov.tw/en/news/200604/2006042001.html

In other words, your precious T60's were made by Compal too. So before you start making accusations, do some research so you don't look like an ass.

 

T60's are being made at the former IBM plant, not Compal.

 

And how is that possible if Compal was chosen as the sole ODM for Thinkpad manufacturing? Unless that plant is now controlled by Compal, lol.

 

For new models.

 

http://laptoping.com/lenovo-thinkpad-t60-and-t60p-refreshed.html

When? November, after they partnered with Compal full-time.

Besides, "new" could easily refer to the T60 laptops that were only very recently released at the time. Like, I can talk about my "new" Toyota Highlander even though I've already had it for a few weeks. Not to mention, you really think Compal would announce taking 100% of Thinkpad orders in April 2006 only to start building Thinkpads in May 2007? Please.

Your contention doesn't make sense. Even if Lenovo did not release new Thinkpads between April 2006 and the T61 release in May, they still would have shifted manufacturing of their current ThinkPad lines to Compal. Otherwise, it would be impossible for them to order from Compal if they didn't release anything new. They'd HAVE to have shifted production.

Sorry buddy, your T60 was built by Compal too. My evidence proves it, whereas you have none.

 

This article is dated May 23, 2007

Next month Lenovo will move its production to a new factory, which will also produce IBM notebook computers for export...
...Up to now, IBM-branded computers had been produced at the former IBM plant in Shenzhen, near Hong Kong.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6675739.stm

 

We've always been making assumptions about what was said in that article. But now that you match it up with other Lenovo news, none of those assumptions are true. BBC never explicitly said that the new factory was Compal and never said the former IBM one wasn't. The brand "Compal" was never even mentioned, so we cannot rely on that article to educate us about the Compal/Lenovo relationship. Not to mention, the T61 was released BEFORE that article was written.

 

This line from that thread... WOW!

"the 60% probability that your headphone jack is messed up is kinda intimidating =\
http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=141100"

 

hey guys, I've had my t61P for a week now and so far so good.
Had a few software issues (mostly because of vista incompatible with some programs I like to use ie. firefox, had to reinstall with a different version)
No noticible cosmitic defects, nothing really sticking out.
Although, I do want to point out one weird thing, there is a yellow sticker taped around a couple plastic/rubber sticks hanging from the side (i can press/click it in) What is that?

 

[/QUOTE]

Mine is also the same way...also says from singapore..but it was shipped from china...what is going on with this discrepancy?

 

Guys..So I did some mass analysis with an electronic scale and the left side of the laptop seemss to be much heaver than the right. Perhaps this is why there is a slight wobble.

There is a ton of copper on the left side because that is where the heatsink is..

also try placing the laptop on a bed and lift slowly from the left side and then the right and you will notice the left side is much heavier

So this is probably what is going on here with the 'tilt'

regarding the singapore label...that is where the label is made..not the computer

computers are made in china

 

I got a lump on my T61 too (behind where the Network LED is).

 

"I did some mass analysis with an electronic scale and the left side of the laptop seemss to be much heaver than the right. Perhaps this is why there is a slight wobble."

I've always suspected that's the reason for the off centered display. It's structural, designed to add some rigidty to the heavier side of the machine.

 

exactly, the mass is not evenly distributed throughout the notebook. Take a look at the video in the sticky when they show a dismemebered thinkpad. The heatsink is HUGEE. they show a huge hunk of copper. So there is more weight pressing down on the left side causing the left side to dip lower. I also put the notebook upside down on the lid surface and put a liquid balance scale on there and it is even. This must be the reason for the 'wobble'

 

I took a look at the T61's both 15 inch widescreen and 14 inch 4:3 in person yestarday and the build quality relative to the Dell and Sony Vaio notebooks in the store is not comparable. T61's have very little case flex, the plastic is much more high quality and the overall crafstmanship surpasses the others IMO. This is the same notebook that the US spece crew takes into orbit. If it is good enough for the United States of America on critical missions then it is a good notebook.

 

the reason why the complaining exists is only because, under IBM, it was even more sturdy. Everything fit in the right place. I remmeber my old t40 where once it snapped shut. it would not budge. There would be no movement with the lid. I could either shut it from the far right corner or the far left corner and both hooks would snap in place. Now when I try it, only the right hook or left hook snaps on leaving the other corner to be pressed down on. And there was no flex aywhere