imaginary configuration (t61p)?

I'm really interested in the T61p and have been waiting for a long time for its release, as have been many.

Now I find myself holding out for a specific configuration, that may never exist. What do you think the chances are of...

• 15" 4:3 or widescreen with camera
• WSXGA+/SXGA+ (WUXGA is too high a res for that small a screen for my eyes)

The rest of the standard config is fine for me, and I don't mind waiting (as I probably would end up doing even if it were "available now") to replace my excellent but old T42. But if it's unlikely this configuration will ever exist, I should look for something else...

 

From what they offer right now...they don't make a 15.4" chassis with a camera. I would say it's unlikely.

 

Any guess if there will be a generally available non-widescreen version? Let alone one that includes a camera?

I'm thinking maybe the camera is where I must give up.

 

I am a die hard thinkpad fan, but if you really need a webcam integrated into the system, give HP a look.

 

Thanks, I'm just weighing the options since there's no "perfect" configuration for me. Having a thinkpad is still more important than having an integrated webcam, but I do a lot of travel and video conferencing and it would be "nice" to not have the extra thing to attach.

This is not intended to be a whine... I love my T42, though it has become a sluggard over the years, my next laptop will be a thinkpad even if it's not everything all in one package. After all the Dells and HP's and Toshibas (and applebooks) I run into around the office, if those were my options I'd stay with my T42!

 

do you really need the "P" model? do you game alot? maybe you could get a 14.1 inch version with nvidia graphics with an integrated webcam.

 

I wanted aT61P 15.4" WSXGT+ w/ integrated webcam, but I got the one in my sig instead. I am quite certain that there will never be a T61 15.4" w/ integrated webcam. I don't think there will ever be a 15" 4:3 either. I'll just have to settle for an external webcam. Don't wait, you'll wait forever... maybe the T62 or T70 or whatever the next model might have integrated webcam.

I do believe there will be a T61P with WSXGA+, but I'm tired of waiting. The 128mb card with WSXGA+ will suite my needs just fine.

 

I'd back your bets 100% at this point. Camera on this year's T-model will stay on the 14" widescreen. If it moves up to the 15" or down to the 4:3, it won't be in a T61. I'd also like to see a WSXGA+ "P" (not that I'd get it over the WUXGA), but IIRC they don't usually give you display options for them (for the T42, you either got the SXGA+ for the 14" P, or UXGA for the 15" P, that was it).

It does kinda sucks to lose the camera, but in reality, I work on an external monitor while docked 90% of the time anyways, so my fantasies about being the hip coffee-shop-vlogger are really just that. I'd need to keep my external webcam anyways.

 

I think you're right... waiting is for suckers... which is why I asked the question. I probably don't "need" the "P" - I wanted the faster graphics for some video production stuff that I do, I do not game at all. Perhaps that is all processor and not on the video card anyway? And the webcam was just to avoid lugging another part if I didn't have to.

I'll have to balance the known choices and pick what is close enough. Thanks all for the advice.

 

video production is alllllll processor. sounds like the 14 incher with nvidia graphics is what the doctor calls for. waiting can be good at times, but as the others have mentioned, waiting is for suckers. the P version is really only for gamers and CAD dudes.

 

I do some video editing with adobe premiere cs2 and after effects. You could benefit some with a video card, but the 140m should be plenty.

 

I bought the T61p simply because I do both gaming and video editing, You really shouldn't need the P if you are only editing video, just make sure you get a big hard drive. It is kind of tough to choose between a 100 gb 7200 rpm or a 160 gb 5400 rpm but I feel like more space is more important. There are some guys out there who feel exactly the opposite. It's a matter of waiting a little longer for your videos to render....and being able to store more of them.... or getting them renderd faster but not being able to store as much. I personally don't think you will notice too much difference if you go with 5400 rpm. Sorry that was a little off topic but I figured it was somewhat relevant since you will be doing editing.

 

also a bit OT, you can get western digital 500gb external hard drives for 130 bucks now. if you needed the fastest machine possible, i would go with a smaller 7200rpm drive and get an external hd.

 

^^yep

For high end video editing applications, it's recommended to have at least a 7200RPM drive for the system drive then at least one more 7200RPM drive for scratch drive. So on a thinkpad you could have one primary HDD then use the ultrabay SATA HDD adapter for the second scratch drive. Then you would still want a BIG external drive to store completed projects.