flimsy plastics

Hi, guys,

I read some posts on these forums about thinkpads having flimsy plastics and some recommended to tighten screws on the back.
I just did that, and it changes nothing. Plastics on the sides of the keyboard and also hand rest area slightly gives and creaks when I put my hands on it. I'm not applying any pressure, mere touching it. It feels very cheap.
Also when I close the screen it doesn't lock tightly, there's a fair amound of play, not to mention the battery that has by far the most play.

For those who has experienced this problem, does it get worse? I'm a bit disappointed, since everyone spoke so highly of thinkpad quality, and I was willing to pay premium for something I don't seem to get.

thanks in advance

 

have you compared it to other notebooks?

 

Same observations here. Lenovo calles the plastic a 'skin' to go over the sturdy metallic frame, thats why it is so flimsy and thin. I am glad I didn't pay a premium price.
I think my thinkpad is actually only worth about $900 compared to a similarly configured Dell Vostro 1500 (which is like $800). I ended up paying 1100, so I lost 200 bucks.
Oh well, so much for the IBM name.

 

compare it to any other notebook at that price and you will see thinkpads are the best...yes they are cheaper in quality than they were while under IBM...but still the best

 

The vostro was one of the first notebooks i had ordered....they sent me a big black brick thats all I can say. Lenovo has taken very good care of me.

 

Can anyone post a picture, of the t61p bottom?
On mine, on the right side, right below the switch that releases the handle to pull out dvd, there appears to a place where a screw might be missing, the whole is a little larger than for other screws, but still, I can see the threads, but nothing screws into them.

thanks,

 

^^ that is normal...that is to lock it in place to prevent theft...do a search and you will see for yourself

 

What you do is remove the wrist rests, just like adding ram and then replace and tighten the screws.

Before I added my 2 gigs of ram my wrist rest was flimsy but after I replaced it the part had less give.

I do agree that Lenovo needs to thicken up some of the skin around the notebook though.

 

; ; forget thicker plastic.....better vents please.

 

^^ they also need a new 'screw man' as he/she sucks...all my screws were loose on my notebook which resulted in massive creaking...i made a seperate thread about it..called "lose screws!!!!!!" so do a search for those with creaking problems still

 

i think their vents are more than adequete..my notebook never gets beyond warm....i also love how they dont have a fan on the bottom, this way we can settle the comps on bedsheets without problems

 

Thats just it though thats the only one ; ;. If you look at those other vents they are all covered from the inside. Not saying they are bad, just saying could be better and it wouldn't be very hard to do.

 

you REALLY should look into hp 65XXp/w, 69XXp/w or hp 85XXp/w series...

EDIT: there were 2 reasons why I bought IBM: 1) brainwashed from childhood (that's why I wanted thinkpad with IBM logo); 2) keyboard with [home/end/pg up/pg down keys/del/ins] in right places.

 

I was about to pull the trigger on a t61p but I was at circuit city yesterday and they had a slightly older T60 on the floor and I wasn't really that impressed the plastics did indeed feel cheap the trackpoint buttons were all loose. It just didnt feel right, I'm gonna go with dell instead its a few hundred cheaper and they feel just as cheap in terms of quality to me, I may as well pay less for the same quality, now... if only dell's 8600m had gdrr3 =p

 

LOL! That's pretty much my story as well. Lenovo knew what they were doing when the licensed the *@#&! logo!

And I totally agree about HP. I think the ergonomics of Lenovo are second to none (great keyboard, good trackpoint, 3rd mouse button, comfy wrist rest...) but in overall build quality it's not the best. (Now, don't even start to tell me all about the titanium/platinum/uridium roll cage, I don't plan on driving over my T61 with a motorcycle anyway...)

 

AMEN to you brother

 

but but but...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taTbJi3Yhto

 

My T61 is by far the most solidly built and sturdiest notebook I've ever seen. I've tested the entire system for flex, and the lone spot I find it is on the far left palmrest above the smartcard reader. Which I would hardly call a design flaw. Terrific notebook, and anyone who has complaints about this design simply has unrealistic standards.

 

i am typing on my squeaking t61: you serious??

 

Sorry for hijacking this thread but can somebody please tell me (us?) where the fan is located in the T61 if not on the bottom???

Thanks

 

My T61 palm rest area feels really cheap: very hollow and the plastic feels very thin, so thin that it depresses when I just lightly press it, and it feels like if I knock it a bit stronger the plastic will break a big hole there. When I tap the area with my nail it also sounds very cheap, hollow and thin. Did this use to be the case with IBM previous models?

 

I just got a T61 14" widescreen from work... and while it's a bit weird getting used to the widescreen - the machine is as solidly built as my T40, and T60, and T60p. It's perfect in every aspect. There's even less screen-flex than on my old T40(push on the back of the screen and watch your fingers appear on the LCD) and it's as solid and non-squeky as ever.

 

Bump!!! Can someone please answer my question about the location of the fan in T61 15.4 widescreen?
Thanks

 

The vent's for the fan are on the top left area of the notebook and I imagine the fan is somewhere near there

 

The right wristrest area of my T61P squeaks like crazy. I've taken it apart to try and fix it but it still squeaks. I barely have to place my hand on it to feel it flex and squeak. There was no problem like this with my T42P.

 

Sounds like a defective part if you ask me, I would ask tech support to send me a new palm rest. If that doesn't stop the squeaking then you might need to send it back to be repaired.

Squeaking isn't normal, the only thing that makes noise thats normal is a some creaks if you apply pressure to the corners of the plastic (corners of the touchpad).