T60 Vs T61

[recain]

Hey, guys. I've decided to by a T-series Lenovo laptop, but could anyone tell me the major differences between the T60 and T61 models? Thanks in advance.

[fd9_]

Aside from being the first "built by Lenovo" system, it has a roll cage and new cooling system. Some argue that the T61 is less superior in terms of build quality, but that's mostly speculation.

If you want my opinion: Get a T61 simply because you get a lot more bang for your buck. And may I also make a suggestion: If you order directly, buying your own RAM will be much cheaper.

[Leon2245]

Well aside from specs, just talking build points here...

60- magnesium lid
vs 61's super elastic poly (plastic) lid w/roll cage (both have roll cage in case). I liked the 60's lid, but supposedly better wifi through plastic, and probably just as good.

61- newer cooling system, bigger fans/vents, quieter and cooler.

60- CENTERED SCREEN! vs offset in 61

60- tenth of an inch thinner than 61

60- standard aspect in 14.1/15, wide in 15.4 only
vs 61- only wide in 14.1 and 15.4 for now

60- older but more proven (supposedly last "ibm design")
vs 61 maybe still working bugs out, 1st all lenovo design, 1st from Compal plant.

60- flush fit 6 cell,
vs 61 flush fit 4 cell only in 14.1 wide

For me most of the above are a wash (ie aesthetics for 61 are a burn, but more than made up for by the superior cooling system; i like the fit and finish of magnesium lid and 60's design, but in practice plastic shell over magnesium roll cage probably more durable etc)...

...SO it's probably going to boil down to sizes offered in each. If there had been a 14.1" wide t 60, I'd probably have gone that route over 61, b/c I don't need latest processor and graphics.

So depends on what you seek- 14.1" widescreen? latest processors? t61. Build quality? My preference is t 60 (though I chose 61), but probably a wash overall.

[Tholek]

Good points, but the T61 supposedly benefits from being designed by the same IBM techs as before, despite working for Lenovo now. Compal is a reason for concern, but I'm still confident in the superior design.

I went T61, but mostly for futurability. The T60 is a great machine, but a little behind.

[furrycute]

Only the 14" standard aspect ratio T60's come with a magnesium lid. The rest of the T60 line come with carbon fiber reinforced plastic lids.

[SkiBunny]

All good points. A couple of more...

If you want an IPS screen (which is much better quality than TN screen, but much more expensive), you have to get a T60 (15" in 4:3) because T61 only has TN lcd screens. Once you've used an IPS flexview screen, you'll probably dislike the TN screen.

T61 offers integrated webcam and WWAN, T60 does not.

If you want the highest resolution (UXGA), you have to find a T60, because the T61 is not made with that much hi-res

T61 can ship with abgn wifi; T60 ships only with abg.

T60 offers 256mb dedicated graphics, T61 does not (yet).

Most T60 machines had an international warranty. T61 machines do not, unless you call Lenovo and get their prohibitively expensive international coverage. This coverage is valuable only if you ever move or travel abroad, or if you want want to enhance its potential resale value by making it appeal to someone in Europe (where laptops cost about twice as much).

T61 offers (slightly) faster processors and supports faster memory, tho few users will ever notice a difference.

[recain]

Thank you all for replying. All the comments were very helpful and I decided to get the T60 model.

I found this great deal at my local BestBuy. They sell T60's for $1200 with pretty good specs, such as Core 2 Duo, 15.4" widescreen, 120 GB hard drive, and 1024MB DDR memory.

What do you think about this deal? I did some research and this one seems pretty cheap..

[furrycute]

The Best Buy model has integrated graphics.

[vaw]

but the T61 supposedly benefits from being designed by the same IBM techs as before, despite working for Lenovo now.

That's what I was thinking. All these complaints about Lenovo being inferior to IBM--but don't they have the same people designing the machines? Could there be a sudden and immediate downgrade simply because the owner changed?

[SkiBunny]

Could there be a sudden and immediate downgrade simply because the owner changed?

I dont think it was "sudden and immediate"... last year there was little change, but in 2007 there has been.