Thinking about getting a T16p but...

I currently use my work issued T60 for work and personal use but have been wanting to get my own laptop finally. I've heard good things about the T61p and it fits what I need well (lotsa power, can play the latest games, sturdy, etc) especially while it's nicely discounted on lenovo.com. However, one thing bothers the hell out of me, there is no TV out of any sort, which seems like an odd thing to leave out when so many manufacturers have S-video at the minimum or offer an HDMI output. I understand that it's a business class notebook, but still...

Also, would you advise going with XP or Vista for this laptop?

Thanks!

 

I agree with you on that it doesnt have any TV output...as far as vista or XP...i am wondering the same thing...i rather use XP but on my T61 i had driver problems when i had reformatted to XP tho it was 64bit which i dont think the option is...im buying a t61p later today =P

 

Yeah, now I'm thinking about an HP8510p. From what I've read the HD2600 is probably not quite as fast as the Quadro, but it does have an HDMI output.

 

The general reason I recommend against ATI Mobile Solutions or ATI Solutions in general when it comes to GPU's is the lack of driver support compared to Nvidia. I've seen multiple people having issues with the latest Catalyst Drivers.

I just ordered my T61P, if you use a Visa Credit Card or are a College Student/Teacher you get an additional 5% off on top of all other savings which is pretty nice.

As far as the debate with regards to XP vs. Vista, Vista will be just as stable as XP once SP1 Final is released.

Benchmarking/Testing of the SP1 Beta shows it definitely fixes a majority of the issues people are experiencing and increases performance for gaming etc...

 

Yeah, I've heard about this with ATI cards. The 2600 is also supposedly a bit slower than than Nvidia. I honestly think that the lack of tv-out is the only thing stopping me at the moment, even though I'm not sure what exactly I would use it for, I still want it, go figure haha. I've been thinking an Asus as well, but there's some indication that their customer service is non-existent and some problems do crop up as with all computers.

 

Where would you get that indication from? If you order a customizable Asus get it from www.xoticpc.com which has the best customer service anywhere.

As far as Asus's customer service, last I checked it was in the top 3 at least worldwide in OEM customer service for notebooks. (And has superb build quality)

 

I've seen it more than a couple of times on newegg reviews. The Asus build quality is what initially drew me to them. I would probably be happy with a comparable Asus for under 1400 as well. Any ideas? (I'll checkout xotic)

 

If your budget is under 1400 your choices would be:

The Compal IFL-90 (Xoticpc)

or

Thinkpad T61P (Lenovo)

Its really just down to choice, though personally Thinkpads are under extreme discounts currently. Plus the wait time on the Compal IFL-90 is approximately 2-3 weeks because of the larger resolution screens are on backorder. (Compals fault, not Xoticpc's)

I just cancelled my order for a Compal IFL-90 last night and ordered a T61P as a matter of fact.

So performance vs price ratio would normally be with the Compal but for this week only its tipped towards the Thinkpad.

 

Been there done that.

My experience with Lenovo and a T61p was indefinite delays, lies, defective products, breach of contract on Lenovo's part, refusal to warranty the defects and it ended in dispute.
If I were you, I'd stay as far away from lenovo as I could.

The HP8510w is every bit as fast as the T61p, has HDMI, costs less and is supported by an ethical company.
Take a hard look at the HP before you venture down the Lenovo path, which is sure to be painful at best.

 

Thanks Monster. I just looked at it since the specs are pretty much the same and it has the HDMI port which is lacking on the T61p. However, I would definitely not agree about the cheaper part. The T61P works out to be around 1300-1400 for a well spec'd one after the discounts lenovo has right now and would be under 2k without them. The 8510w is around 2050 on hp.com after a $580 discount. If you know where it's cheaper, I'd love to find out.

also, how good is the 570m for games really? There doesn't seem to be a clear consensus on the forums...

 

MonsterMaxx had a bad experience with Lenovo. He is now an advocate for all things anti-Lenovo. Look at all opinions of Lenovo and the T61p before you make your decision. I did, and my signature shows the way I went.

 

The thing about Lenovo is that the price of the machine is constantly in a state of flux. You never know IF whatever coupon you've scoured the net will actually be processed. There are numerous stories of people wasting a lot of time getting the order in only to have Lenovo not fill it for months or cancel it outright.
This practice of screwing with the price is hated by retailers (like CDW) and eventually it will cost Lenovo their dealer base.
To be fair, price compare similar models within the retail structure.

I found the $1850 8510w model from newegg to be the best bang for the buck. No, it does not have the top of the line processor, but most manufacturers list the 'upgrade' price in excess of what I can go buy the darn processor for Retail. With 45nm chips on the horizon I saw this as an easy upgrade path and chose not to get the newest pcsr now. Believe me, the 2ghz is plenty fast as it is.
It comes with a single 2GB chip (one slot open) which most mfgrs charge several hundred $ for. I added another 2GB chip for a total of 4GB.
The screen on the HP8510w is beautiful. The one on the T61P was the very worst LCD I have ever seen and Lenovo stated that it's within their quality specifications.

My 8510w whipped the pants off the T61p on all the benchies even though it had a 'slower' processor. It's plenty fast to run all my CAD stuff and even play a few games. My flight sim runs 1600 res 32bit, with every graphics option set at highest. Never stutters at all.

Bottom line HP has a very nice high performance machine with none of the BS you have to put up with from Lenovo.
Just remember, the bitterness of poor quality (be it hardware, software, support or customer service) lasts far longer than the sweetness of low price.


Better machine, better support/service, faster and best of all, the HP is actually available.

As to accusations from the peanut gallery. My BAD experience with Lenovo is FACT. They screwed me. They wasted my time and money, both of which I consider precious commodities.
Read the forums and consumer reporting agencies, I'm not alone.
When you rip your customers off, you get unhappy customers.
The problem is not that these screwed customers tell other people, the problem lies within the company (Lenovo in this case.) Eventually they either fix their problems or go out of business.

 

I have purchased many HPs in the past, and I am a proponent of HP, in general. However, the T61p that I ordered was shipped and received within two weeks, and cost me over a 1000 less than a similarly equipped HP 8510(w/p). There was a price reduction after I ordered, and I was given credit for the difference immediately. I have no complaints about my transaction, or the quality of the laptop I received. Of course, YMMV.

As far as consumer complaints go, they are a dime a dozen for every OEM. As a matter of fact, for every pissed off Lenovo customer you are likely to find two pissed HP customers due to their sales volume.

My advice to the OP is to make an informed decision evaluate all of the information out there including yours MM.

 

Hmm, this is all very interesting. I like both options and have had a generally good experience with my work-issued T60. However, I admit that what I really want is a gpu on the same level as a 8600gt but in a business-class platform. I don't care about flashing lights and other idiotic doodads. Just something that will last for the next 3 years or so...That being said, how good of a gpu is the 570m for the casual gamer? Is it on par with the 8600 or does it lag? There doesn't seem to be a consensus on the forums.

 

http://www.notebookcheck.com/Mobile-Grafikkarten-Benchmarkliste.735.0.html

570M is rated 1 step higher then the 8600

 

MonsterMaxx had a bad experience true.
However, he seems to think that lying and exaggerating will help his anti-Lenovo cause. I would not put much weight into his "experiences".
Some other people on the forums have had good and bad experiences (and don't make up BS), I would search around.

I'll tell you my good and bad experience:
Good -
Shipped within 3 days of order.
Received in ~1 week after order.
More than satisified with build quality (relative to cost).

Bad -
CS reps have no clue what they are doing. Asked for a price match, was told that he would do it... turns out he never requested it for me. The reps I talked to after that basically gave me the runaround and gave conflicting information/stories. Ended up having to file a complaint with the US based complaint people to get it done.

 

It is considered on par with the 8600M GT, or very close to it. (Most people get very similar benchmarks in gaming with it as the 8600M GT, FPS wise) The 8600M GT is the fastest notebook DirectX 10 card out currently except for the 8700M GT & the ATI equivalent which are not available in 15.4" notebooks currently.

As for MonsterMaxx's post I wouldn't let it stop you from purchasing from Lenovo. I just got done returning an HP Notebook that broke down ten times in under a year until they finally allowed me a refund. It was at best a miserable experience.

As for ATI, they have awesome hardware but poor Driver Support that tends to cause numerous issues with new and old games alike. Nvidia normally updates their 8 Series Driver Support at least once a month, sometimes more. Whereas ATI only releases a new Catalyst once a month? (If that)

 

Thank you all, this has been very helpful.