[ltp] Re: t61p vs t41p

[Shannon McMackin]

Jim Rockford wrote:
> 
> Hi -- just searching for a few opinions here.  I have had a T41p for a 
> number of years, and have successfully run Fedora on it and
> have generally been pleased with it.  Soon after the T4x series we had 
> the IBM to Lenovo transition.  In fact, a colleague of mine
> bought a Thinkpad (can't recall which one precisely, but it did have a 
> fingerprint reader) from Lenovo not long after I got my T41p.
> He was a Thinkpad devotee like myself, but he complained bitterly about 
> his Lenovo purchase.  He said that the keyboard wasn't nearly
> as nice, the fingerprint reader didn't work reliably, and numerous other 
> things that he attributed to the Lenovo transition.
> 
> I'm in the market for a new Laptop and would love to get a T61p, but I'd 
> like to be instilled with some confidence that the Thinkpad T series
> hasn't gone down the tubes now that Lenovo is making them.  Any opinions 
> from those who know the T series well.  Among my questions are:
> 
> (1) Is the T61p keyboard the same (in terms of the feel of the button 
> presses, the tracker button, etc)?  Worse or better?
> (2) Is the T61p as sturdy as the T41p (i.e. equally immune to typical 
> laptop abuse)?
> (3) Does the fingerprint reader work reliably?
> (4) Is Lenovo customer service of reasonably high quality?
> (5) No new complications running linux (i.e. wireless issues) with the 
> T61p?  (I will run Fedora)
> (6) (maybe most important) Does the T61p run as *quiet* as the T41p?
> 
> 
> These are among many of my concerns about investing in a new Thinkpad 
> now that Lenovo is running the show.
> 
> Much thanks,
> Jim
I've had a slew of Thinkpads over the years...

360CD, 600E, T21, A31p, T41 and now a T61...

The T61 has been the best so far.  I have the Intel model and it's 
great.  I've run FC8 and now Ubuntu 8.04 and everything works.

The frame is a little better under the covers now than previous models.

Battery life isn't as good with some of the better video chips like ATI 
and nVidia.

Touchpad support is quite good now as well with current xorg.

If I never get another one, I'd be happy with this, but I know my 
company will roll out something else to us in 3 or 4 years...