T60 vs. T61

[alanrudy]

Don't want Vista, so no Intel Turbo Memory 1GB
So for me,
T61,
Pro:
1. Santa Rosa
2. Media card reader, Camera
3. Various improvements over T60

Con:
1. With T60, can still get the 15" FlexView
2. Don't like buying new items when they come out, prefer to have any kinks worked out.

What do you think? Anything to add to the debate?

[KelchM]

Better battery life on the T60 as well.

And why don't you want Vista? About the only thing I don't use vista for is gaming and thats not very likely to be too high on your list of activities if your looking at the T60/T61.

[FRiC]

The T60's that come with Vista pre-installed has a different/new motherboard than older T60's. It could have problems too. :P

[alanrudy]

No Vista for me. Runs too slow, too many bugs. Had same computer as my friend (t7200 with 2gb ram) and with Vista all aspects were either slower or had problems with it. XP flies with this config. Only thing I like about Vista is Windows Fax/Scan. Although visual is better, I'd rather have good performance. Plus, I have an expensive fax/scanner and business programs that only work with xp.

[Rodster]

What the OP stated re: Pros and cons is exactly how I feel about the T61. I'll also add that the machine is crippled out of the gate. Why slap an 800 mhz FSB on the T61 and pair it with 667 mhz memory?

I think when it's all said and done the T60 and T61 will be a wash. The only reason turbo cache exist in the T61 and only comes with Vista is because Vista is one bloated OS, nuff said.

I tried Vista and returned it to Microsoft for a refund. I'm still waiting for my T60 to be shipped and as of today Lenovo said my T60 packing slip has been created and it should leave on schedule May 15th. If it doesn't i'll probably cancel the order and buy a T61 with XP Pro.

[mahdim]

And add to Cons: Apparently T61 is heavier!

[Rodster]

And add to Cons: Apparently T61 is heavier!

True, by about half a pound due to the T61's internal roll cage.

[ZaZ]

If you need a good scree, the FlexView is probably the way to go.

[turnerpr]

My assessment is quite similar to alanrudy's. Just received my first thinkpad T60p last week (T7200, 2 gig, flexview screen) but of course I wondered if I would regret not waiting for the T61s. After reading all the reviews I think I made the right call. The flexview is a big reason as there is nothing yet on the horizon that can replace it (and as a writer I'm not a ready convert for widescreen) But beyond that, I would agree that the T61 represents THE FUTURE -- but as yet only in embryo. There is no remotely affordable ram to take advantage of the 800mhz FSB, the OS that will really make use of Santa Rosa innovations is just out of beta, the port choices try to straddle uneasily the old and new by making you choose between an express card/pcmia or multi-card reader, no DVI but a display port promised in 2008, and battery technology that is months behind the new performance demands, making the T61s less travel friendly than thinkpads years older.

BUT I can't wait until the T61s grow up, hopefully just in time for my next machine.

[Toucan]

Perhaps one should wait another half year to purchase T61. At that time 800MHz memory would be very cheap, SP1 of Vista is available, and most applications would be truely Vista compatible. Then, the beauty of Vista on T61 can be seen.