X60 vs. X60s

I am thinking of getting one of these for school. It is perfect to carry around but I am a little disappointed with the no optical drive. I wouldn't be able to install softwares on the go.

First of all, what is the difference between the x60 and x60s? I want detailed comparions. Which would be better for daily usage, long battery life, high capacity memory, fast wireless connections, etc.

Also, what is a good optical drive to use for this system?

 

The X60s is thinner and lighter. Both have the same battery options, I'm not sure how the high capacity batteries bulkiness compares betweent he two, but I fully expect it to be more pronounced on the X60s.

They both have the same memory capabilities. They both have a soldered on processor, the X60 a 1.83Ghz, the X60s a 1.66Ghz. The X60s will certainly get better battery life.

In the past Atheros chipset wireless cards have been used for better wireless range, I'm not sure if this is still the case. I believe the X60's offer Atheros, in fact SkiBunny just got one with Atheros. You should read her recent posts on the matter, she's something of a Thinkpad expert, she's tried em all!

If you're interested in a built in optical, then the Fujitsu P7120 and the Portable One UX would be good options, heading in different directions as far as size and weight as well as speed. The P7120 has received favorable reviews, the UX has yet to be reviewed but is catching a lot of interest.

 

Which one is the ultra ULV one? I don't want the ULV one because it will decrease performance. And how much of a difference is it battery wise?

So my question is, what type of users will go for the x60 and who will go for the x60s?

 

Honestly, anything the X60 is capable of without a dedicated graphics card will get most benefit from the second CPU core and a bit more RAM for enhanced multitasking. I don't think the extra 170mhz will make all that much difference, all things considered. At least not enough to make up for the lower weight and thinner dimensions.

Lenovo advertises these battery times:

X60
4 cell cylindrical 3.9 hours
8 cell cylindrical 7.8 hours

X60s
4 cell cylindrical 4 hours
8 cell cylindrical 8 hours

They also offer a 4 cell prismatic which helps maintain the thinner form factor of the X60s, which gets 3 hours. It appears the X60s is more about size than battery life, though it is a little longer.

I don't think I can differentiate between the two in userbase, but I generally see two types of people coming to the X series.

1) Those who have owned smaller ultraportables like the Fujitsu P series or Sony X505, but want a full size keyboard, bigger screen, and the silky smoothness of dual cores and affordable RAM. People who travel a ton would fit this generality fairly well.

2) Those who've used a 14" or 15" laptop in the past, like a T60, but find a need for more portability without too much compromise in performance. Sysadmins and programmers would be good examples.

As far as X60 vs X60s, I think it comes down to the velocity with which they enter their transition, or how in touch they are with their specific needs. Personally I don't really see any use for the X60 with the X60s out there. They should have made the X60s with ultralight screens and 1.8" hard drives over here like they do in Japan, or just not introduced the bulkier X60 at all.

 

I think the users will be basically the same. The models are identical, except the s has a low voltage processor which less slightly less battery (maybe 30 minutes better in real-life test) but is not as powerful. The lower voltage will generate less heat, tho in practice, i find cannot tell the difference.... both models are hot and i think it's the 100gb HD under the right palm (tho someone said it's the atheros card). As for battery life, having a fresh battery and taking care of it will do more to ensure long battery life than the different processor. Also, setting your power mgmt settings, lowering the LDC brightness etc.

The case & weight are the same, the main determinant of these being the battery... 4 cell vs 8 cell which adds half a pound and sticks out an inch across the back. Both models can have either battery.

The x60s comes with a 3 yr warranty, but the x60 has a one year which can be upgraded for about $100. Therefore the price is very close, actually the x60 is a little more if you have the same warranty because you're paying for the higher ghz processor.

I was gonna get the x60s but i didn't wanna wait 1-2 months for it. Oh well, with the x60 i got a faster processor, which i dont neet but probably will resell for more on ebay in a year.

 

The HD is the tray on the right side of the Thinkpad. WWAN is also underneath the right palm rest.

The x60s is slightly lighter than the x60 by 0.15lb. It is thinner than the x60 at the battery end by 0.29in although this thickness is mostly negated if you're using an enhanced 4cell or the extended 8 cell battery.

If you care about portable weight, the x60s is the way to go. With the slim 4 cell (which sits flush with the back of the laptop), the weight is 2.89lb. The lightest a x60 can be is 3.15lb.

 

My son has the X60s. It is a fantastic machine - very light, good speed, amazing battery life, and bulletproof build quality. As for the optical drive - we have an external one - very simple to use. We consider this a postive not a negative (lighter weight, less fragile).

And the kicker - the current price of $1,200 is outstanding value.

 

How much software do you really install on the go? Unless you have a job or something that requires this often, I think you'd be surprised how unnecessary optical drives can be in the average day. Almost all software install programs can be downloaded now, and USB drives are much easier and more efficient than burning CDs (for short term storage). I have a t43 and I use an empty bezel instead of my optical drive, and it has very rarely been an inconvenience. The weight savings is more than worth it, imo.