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    can t61p run photoshop and premiere CS5?

    Discussion in 'Lenovo' started by investmenttechnology, Sep 1, 2011.

  1. investmenttechnology

    investmenttechnology Notebook Enthusiast

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    there is a t61p at my local second hand shop with the following spec

    Intel Centrino Core 2 DUO 2.4 GHZ
    1GB RAM
    120 GB Hard drive
    512 MB NVIDIA Quadro FX Graphics card

    can it run photoshop and premiere cs5 on windows 7 smoothly?
     
    investmenttechnology, Sep 1, 2011
    #1
  2. Brozini

    Brozini Notebook Enthusiast

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    You are going to need more ram if you want it to run "smoothly"...
     
    Brozini, Sep 1, 2011
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  3. PatchySan

    PatchySan Om Noms Kit Kat

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    I agree with Brozini, 1GB RAM is a bit low if you want to do Photoshop and Adobe Premiere work in Windows 7. You may want to consider adding another RAM module such as a 2GB DDR2 800MHz stick alongside the existing 1GB RAM so things will run a bit more smoothly.

    Since you're going to be running Premiere you could also consider upgrading the hard drive since video editing can take a lot of space. Any 9.5mm SATA hard drive should fit inside the T61p and the 500GB hard drives tend to offer the best balance of capacity and value at the moment.
     
    PatchySan, Sep 1, 2011
    #3
  4. jimbob83

    jimbob83 Notebook Evangelist

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    The Quadro 570 is based on the nvidia G84 and is therefore one of the chips affected by the nvidia G84/G86 defect.

    It is quite possible that the computer you're looking at may never have a GPU problem, but a lot of these chips have been dying. Unless you can get it dirt cheap, I would suggest you look for something else.
     
    jimbob83, Sep 1, 2011
    #4
  5. investmenttechnology

    investmenttechnology Notebook Enthusiast

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    how can I test if the one I want to buy have bad chip or not? Should I bring a blue ray movie or something to test it.?
     
    investmenttechnology, Sep 1, 2011
    #5
  6. illini71

    illini71 Notebook Consultant

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    Quadros overclock well also........
     
    illini71, Sep 1, 2011
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  7. lead_org

    lead_org Purveyor of Truth

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    you wouldn't want to overclock the T61p unless you want the machine to die an early death.
     
    lead_org, Sep 1, 2011
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  8. illini71

    illini71 Notebook Consultant

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    So your the Mr. know it all around here :eek:
     
    illini71, Sep 1, 2011
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  9. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    The T61p has the failing Nvidia GPU (570M is based off G84M, major problematic chip). I wouldn't buy any laptop from Napa/Santa Rosa era with an Nvidia chip unless you want an expensive paperweight.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Sep 1, 2011
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  10. lead_org

    lead_org Purveyor of Truth

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    I am just giving a word of caution from experience.
     
    lead_org, Sep 1, 2011
    #10
  11. cypherpunk

    cypherpunk Notebook Enthusiast

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    Check the sticker on the back of the machine, where it tells you the product id, serial number, and last not least the production date. If the production date is 08/08 (August 2008) or later, it would be okay to buy it.

    The nVIDIA defect issue was solved by the manufacturer in July 2008, and any Thinkpad produced starting August 2008 has no more faulty nVIDIA GPU's on board.
     
    cypherpunk, Sep 1, 2011
    #11
  12. investmenttechnology

    investmenttechnology Notebook Enthusiast

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    it was made in march 08, does that mean the laptop will have the defect or might have the defect. Is there any other ways to test it?
     
    investmenttechnology, Sep 1, 2011
    #12
  13. cypherpunk

    cypherpunk Notebook Enthusiast

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    If it was made in March 2008, it will definitely have a defective nVIDIA GPU unit. Sooner or later it will fail. It is no matter if, but rather when. These units typically survive some three years and then suddenly stop working without prior signs or symptoms.

    If you are lucky, then the machine might already have had a former mainboard replacement due to that bug. But as Lenovo was known to replace such faulty boards with seemingly good boards which still had a faulty GPU, you should better make sure the nVIDIA chip is not one of the faulty production batches. For this one has to take a peek on the chip itself. Here is an explanation shamelessly stolen from forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=96190&p=630276#p630276 and slightly adapted:

    Good luck!
     
    cypherpunk, Sep 2, 2011
    #13
  14. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    I would still avoid any Nvidia chips from that era, I wouldn't roll the dice on it. Maybe look for a W500 for cheap..
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Sep 2, 2011
    #14
  15. investmenttechnology

    investmenttechnology Notebook Enthusiast

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    ok, thanks.

    I have decided to built a desktop instead for my photo and video applications. Thanks for your advices.
     
    investmenttechnology, Sep 2, 2011
    #15
  16. busidor

    busidor Notebook Consultant

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    I have Thinkpad T61p. which has CPU T8100 - 2.1Ghz, 4gb Ram, and Quadro card and SSD Intel X-25 80 Gb. It runs Photoshop with 25-30% usage of CPU amd 30-40% usage of RAM on Windows 7, 64 bit
     
    busidor, Sep 2, 2011
    #16
  17. busidor

    busidor Notebook Consultant

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    Yuo can run Call of Duty on it and you will see. Mine is ok with it.
     
    busidor, Sep 2, 2011
    #17
  18. miro_gt

    miro_gt Notebook Deity

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    heavily overclocked 2007 model here (50+% OC), with the 140m card (the smaller of this type), pushing hard for 3+ years like that :D

    go, go, faulty chips, just like mine :D
     
    miro_gt, Sep 3, 2011
    #18
  19. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    You won't be saying go go when you get black screen of death/artifacts/GPU BSOD.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Sep 3, 2011
    #19
  20. miro_gt

    miro_gt Notebook Deity

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    you're talking like I will get that for sure :confused:

    Yet I've been gaming on this laptop since I got it :D
     
    miro_gt, Sep 3, 2011
    #20
  21. cypherpunk

    cypherpunk Notebook Enthusiast

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    Typically, these GPU suddenly die without any former announcement, and if your machine was produced before 08/08, you'd better be prepared for an unexpected surprise. If you still have a valid warranty, better try to add an additional two year warranty on top, in order to assure a "free" mainboard replacement. If there is no more warranty left, and thus removing all warranty upgrade options, start saving for a replacement mainboard, preferably one with Intel graphics support.

    Been there, done that: I was bitten by this nVIDIA bug multiple times already on different T61's. If i would have known before, i wouldn't have bothered buying any nVIDIA based machine.
     
    cypherpunk, Sep 3, 2011
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  22. miro_gt

    miro_gt Notebook Deity

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    the failure rate typically increases with the temperature that the GPU maxes out. The higher the temp goes, the higher the chance for its failure there is. So the key is to keep the GPU as cool as possible, as well as not to let it change temperatures fast.

    most of the failing GPUs are the ones that would heat up a lot, i.e. the FX models that I've seen reaching as high as 100 deg C. Then it would come the 140M with 256MB of dedicated memory. And on the bottom is the smallest 140M with 128MB that I happen to have in my 14" standard screen laptop.

    Using certain technics, I'm able to keep my GPU out from reaching anything higher than 75 deg C, even when overclocked (625MHz core with 950 MHz memory). When I bought it, the GPU used to hit temperatures in the mid 80s at standard clocks, however that is not happening anymore.

    therefore, may I say that I dont think my laptop is dieing any time soon :D

    P.S.

    production date (0730A2, G86-740-A2); working even faster than its FX brother with 128MB or memory :)

    good luck to all others though :D
     
    miro_gt, Sep 3, 2011
    #22
  23. lead_org

    lead_org Purveyor of Truth

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    You have a machine that has a GPU that functions correctly, while there many others whom have GPU that dies prematurely when they not even doing much.
     
    lead_org, Sep 3, 2011
    #23
  24. Tsunade_Hime

    Tsunade_Hime such bacon. wow

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    From what I read, the GPU just needs to reach 60-70C for failure to start. My Vostro 1500's 8400M GS hit 72C+ for 3 years of heavy gaming and no failures (mine is discreet card though) and I upgraded it to the 8600M GT. Dell proprietary MXM ftw.
     
    Tsunade_Hime, Sep 4, 2011
    #24
  25. unreal25

    unreal25 Capt. Obvious

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    On the other hand, their "eXtreme Performance Series" couldn't handle 8 months of using the laptop before their "fantastic" GPU died.

    That said, even with the famous copper mod, the laptop still sort of works but its a pain to keep the temps under 100 C. Dell and their XPS junk, FTL.
     
    unreal25, Sep 4, 2011
    #25