Lenovo's ThinkPad X61, X61s and X61 tablet PC get official

Hearing about Lenovo's ThinkPad X61 shouldn't come as a total surprise to anyone, but while leaked information always satisfies the pallet, official details on a few new machines in the X-series shouldn't hurt. The X61 tablet will sport your choice of a 1.4GHz L7300 or 1.6GHz L7500 Core 2 Duo CPU, a 12.1-inch XGA or SXGA+ display, up to 160GB of hard drive space, up to 4GB of RAM, an optional dual-layer DVD writer (UltraBase required), Intel's GMA X3100 graphics set, gigabit Ethernet, WiFi, Bluetooth, WWAN, a trio of USB 2.0 ports, up to eight-hours of claimed battery life from the eight-cell Li-ion, optional fingerprint scanner, an SD reader, and a PC Card slot with 34-millimeter ExpressCard adapter. The 12.1-inch X61s touts most of the same hardware as its tablet-based sibling albeit in a laptop form, while the X61 goes up to 2GHz with Intel's T7300. All of the aforementioned units should be ready to ship next month, and the ThinkPad X61, X61s, and X61 tablet PC will purportedly start at approximately $1,484, $1,474, and $1,779, respectively. More shots of Lenovo's latest after the break.

[Ryhan @ May 30th 2007 8:18PM]

I hate to admit it, but why do all IBM's have to be such eyesores? Frankly, they have succeeded in making a laptop look like a heavy desktop, which is no easy task... :)

[bc @ May 30th 2007 8:30PM]

Some serious design issues at Lenovo if that is built in WWAN w. an antenna sticking out! Off centered displays, delays in production... Dell has the right idea by having a magnesium shell... like a bug (dell's thinking in design) vs human (apple, thinkpad mg internals/ plastic exterior) but Dell has lousy customer service. I really dont like any of the laptop manufacturers right now...

[Kingson @ May 30th 2007 8:47PM]

pallet?

[fke @ May 30th 2007 9:09PM]

Still the same 90's design... yay!

Really fuggly for the 00's!

[ian @ Jul 3rd 2007 6:05PM]

The Paul Rand-inspired black IBM design is timeless, just like the Porsche 911. Just leave it like that and continue polishing the edges, please.

That said, do not screw it up with those antennas sticking out at the wrong places.

[genomad @ May 30th 2007 9:15PM]

The thing is, is that Thinkpads are the only laptop that don't look freaking ugly. Get a four year old thinkpad and it looks brand new, get a four year old dell and it looks broken.

Don't knock thinkpads looks, because it is the one of the only laptops that looks good (some of the apple ones look good to)

[Tom Reinke @ May 30th 2007 10:48PM]

I don't understand what is wrong with the IBM look of the thinkpad.. Your laptop doesn't need to look sexy to function great. Hell, my 8 year old thinkpad looks exactly like these models and works great.. STILL.

I don't care what my laptop looks like but I'll tell you one thing, once my old thinkpad finally dies (If ever) the next laptop I'll be getting is a IBM Thinkpad.

[Ryhan @ May 30th 2007 9:17PM]

I think the 1990's IMac looks better; however, these systems aren't half bad... definately more reliable thanCOmpaq... *grumble*

[HoldenCfld @ May 30th 2007 9:19PM]

I care more about how well it works then its "prettiness" factor. If its a great laptop, I don't really care if it looks like that.

[Darnell @ May 30th 2007 9:25PM]

Lol. The form factor is the first thing I noticed too. Whether you like it or not, design plays a heavy factor in determining a purchase. Looking at the specs--it's comparable to just about every other laptop with the Santa Rosa chipset. Of course, if you're company is buying it--I'm sure you're not really going to complain about the looks.

[humpty @ May 30th 2007 9:32PM]

Does Lenovo/ibm even sell laptops to consumers any more? Of the people i know who've bought personal computers in the past few years, Think Pad wasnt even on their mind.

[Jon @ May 30th 2007 9:37PM]

You can buy them online from third party distributors. For UK costomers Lenovo even list price comparisons between different online stores on their site.

[Tom Reinke @ May 30th 2007 10:48PM]

I think one of the way that they still make business is the fact that they make such damn good laptops and have such a devoted consumer base. Everyone that I know that has owned an IBM/Lenovo Thinkpad has NEVER wanted to go to any other brand of laptop.

They're tough, they last forever, and they are just excellent laptops.

[Jon @ May 30th 2007 9:33PM]

The basic ThinkPad design still looks great. People often ask me about my X31 (which is three years old) because they like how it looks.

The only thing missings from the X61 I want is the red/blue TrackPoint button strips, the IBM ThinkPad logo and SVGA+ MultiView on the non-tablet version.

[Ryhan @ May 30th 2007 9:41PM]

I admit, its a great product, but few people consider it due to it's fairly clunky design...

Of course, if someone here was willing to take a break from work, head over to Lenovo and foricbly change the design (in their interest), then companies might start paying attention to sites like Engadget, ABI, etc for "user" feedback

[Quentin @ May 30th 2007 10:44PM]

Yeah, the Thinkpad design is quite ugly, but then again these models are geared towards the business set. Those guys are probably more concerned about how well built it is and not how cool it looks.

[cmonkey @ May 30th 2007 10:01PM]

Incidently, I see more people using Thinkpads (whether they be IBMs or Lenovos) than any other brand of notebook at my university. Beyond that, Thinkpads are a perennial favorite for company laptop fleets because they have a reputation for surviving until they are obsolete.

I think the issue is more that consumers are constantly inundated with advertising from Dell, Apple, and HP, and they get the other brands like Avertec and Toshiba shoved towards them at consumer electronics stores. IBM(and now Lenovo) doesn't spend as much time or money on advertising to consumers or forcibly creating a brand image, because they have no trouble selling as many laptops as they can to businesses.

Perhaps with Lenovo's relatively recent 3000 series (note the consumery styling on them too), they'll begin to push into the home/home office market.

Anyway, I like the way Thinkpads look, but more than that, I like the way they are built, and I will likely buy one soon.

[Ryhan @ May 30th 2007 10:05PM]

I don't mean to counter your comment, but I very rarely see ThinkPads anywhere. Though they are reliable, pricing, (and as you said) (relative lack of) advertising, and the sharp-ish edges have led most people away to other brands... I see many more Gateways and Dells and Compaqs...

[Jon @ May 30th 2007 10:20PM]

In London (or at least around Soho where I sometimes hang out) there are plenty of TPs around. But then Soho is a business district... The local computer shops around the area carry plenty of used TPs, which I guess are probably from businessman who upgraded to a newer TP.

However I do see more Sony VAIOs followed by Toshibas then ThinkPads, Dells, Acers, HPs and finally MacBooks.

ThinkPads are an acquired taste. You either hate them or love them religiously. I myself love the design (T and X series in particular) and built quality and would never consider another notebook brand.

Seeing that most of the engineers from IBM's US and Japan ThinkPad division stayed around when Lenovo bought it I am happy to keep upgrading to future TP products. Unless they ditch black.

[Zadillo @ May 30th 2007 10:24PM]

Hrmm, personally I've always respected the ThinkPad design..... at least some of them. I know some people may say they are boring, but I think they do have a classic look, just nice and black and solid-looking.

And I really like the X series.... I was playing around with an X60 and X60 tablet at MicroCenter, and they both felt great, and more importantly, had some of the best keyboards I've used on any laptop (especially remarkable given their size).

[Brian @ May 30th 2007 10:37PM]

so ugly...

[jsanders4484 @ May 30th 2007 10:44PM]

Could always ship it off to colorwarepc or some place like that and have it painted if the 'ol reliable design doesn't tickle your fancy. Or you could do like I did, and have a DIY project after the warranty's up. (My dell was showing serious signs of wear and tear...so I painted it and applied some clear coat + wax.)

[wellingj @ May 30th 2007 11:25PM]

I just bought a T60 when they while they were cheap (just before the T61) and I'm not disappointed at all. Even with the 9 cell batter it's as light as other 14 inch laptops. And you really have to experience the key board. I'm still getting used to the little red nub of a pointer but the touch pad feels better than every other laptop I've tried. Best of all, Think pads are the best laptop for Linux. I did a net install of Debian Etch and went from boot to wifi and dvd movies in about 30 minutes. It was supper easy. I think the old saying might be true... once you go black you never go back...

Although a few people have said "Nice Mac" at the coffee shop. I think the blue Gnome desk top confuses people...

[sheepbat @ May 30th 2007 11:27PM]

I (as a plain ol' consumer) just bought a T60 off of Lenovo's website. Lenovo is slow, but they do make a quality machine.

They may not be enormously popular outside of my school's CS department, but nearly everyone I know actually does own one. As people have stated earlier, they're incredibly well-built, and we all love the look. To us, it just screams "I'm well-built, and I'll get the job done comfortably".

Does anyone else think that a "too pretty" machine just looks less comfortable to use?

[ark_v2 @ May 30th 2007 11:39PM]

Lenovo just doesn't lose it's touch

[Edward @ May 31st 2007 3:58AM]

T43 user here.
I love the ThinkPad design. Why mess with perfection?
I really love the glossy Macbook design too... but there's something cool about the business-y black ThinkPad design. It's something Jack Bauer would approve of.

[Dan @ May 31st 2007 5:27AM]

R50e user right here - I love the Thinkpad design. They're just solid, great value laptops that never date. I've got an eight year old lump of one in the cupboard and it's still good for wireless Internet browsing and the keyboard is fantastic.

[snife @ May 31st 2007 5:30AM]

Grrr - could we just take the "its so ugly" and "its so 90s" comments for granted each time a ThinkPad is launched.

I don't like some of the minor touches of the design of the new ones but overall the black box design is timeless and shows you mean business.

Sure consumers don't buy ThinkPads but most consumers are ignorant on technology matters so this is why, go to a conference with intelligent people or high executives and you will see the percentage of ThinkPads outnumber anything else. Some people don't want the latest trendy machine, they want a machine that works well and is going to stand up to the abuse that a system gets when carrying it about.

If you want a trendy laptop (albeit one that won't last as long, is not easily serviced and has an unusable pointing device) then buy a Sony.

[jono @ May 31st 2007 6:17AM]

i have a Thinkpad 570E. It has 2 cracks in it, from drops and smacks. Not bad for something that is reaching 9years old. I use it regularly (obviously not with Windows. Xubuntu instead). The finish has not worn off anywhere and still has that matte grey/black finish on all it's edges. I bought it 3months ago as i was after an old laptop for a linux project. Didn't want anything else but a Thinkpad as i know how well they last.

A friend of mine has an oldish thinkpad. I personally think they are well designed and not butt fugly.

[gjoule @ May 31st 2007 8:19AM]

I used to sell IBM ThinkPad...the problem selling these machines is that no customer wants to upgrade to the latest model as the older machines still running perfectly.. I used T30..then X40...and now my wife just so in love with the Trackpoint and keyboard feel..she refuse to buy other than thinkpad i.e X60..Design aside..it's all about the reliabilty of the machines...

[Jeff @ May 31st 2007 1:12PM]

As an employee of Lenovo, I can tell you that design does play an important role in designing a new system. However, unlike Apple and other competitors, design is not the first thing on our mind. We design and build our systems around quality and durability. It's why the ThinkPad has a magnesium roll cage to protect the inside components, and now on the 61 series, in the LCD display as well to protect from users picking the machine up by the corner. We build our systems to be strong and durable which is what our customers want. What good is having a bright coloured fancy looking machine, if it's just going to fail after a year? ThinkPad's are tough and the best in the industry. If adding a bit of thickness, or not having smooth round lines like a Mac means that we can build a system that is stronger, and will last a user longer, then we'll do it before putting the look first.

[Lee @ Jun 1st 2007 2:50PM]

Fair enough, Jeff and I understand the function over form argument. However, believe it or not, there are other colors in the spectrum then black. Not only that, but some edges can be curved. Don't get me wrong, I just ordered my X61 and am looking forward to its anticipated long life - but, a little bit of style never killed anyone.

[Christian @ Jun 7th 2007 9:48PM]

Jeff, that is what is expected from you guys. Keep up the good work.

Oh, while we are at it, the last one I had, X40 I think, had very sharp corners at the bottom of the keyboard where you rest the heel of your hands while typing. After working a few hours, my hands (fairly big) had inprints and it hurt. If you would not have changed the design there, I would not have bought a new one! Things like this are so much more "off-putting" than some design. So my priorities are clear: Usability - Quality (robustness, durability) - Design (cool look).

[Draycal @ Jun 12th 2007 11:20PM]

I just ordered the x61 and I am excited. I have been using my x60 and love that. I Figured with a little more speed and better battery life it ought to be perfect. Does anyone have one yet, that Can fill me in on some reviews?

[John @ Jun 14th 2007 2:55AM]

I was planning to order one of the x61s'... have anyone been able to get through the 866-96-Think number? I tried so many times to get through and waited over 20 minutes each. Doesn't seem like anyone is working on the other line. All they have to do is collect money and yet no one picks up.

[Draycal @ Jun 14th 2007 5:51AM]

I just ordered right online. It's giving me an e.t.a of July 13th....Well see what happens. Does this thing have the new Santa Rosa chip?

[Ray @ Jul 2nd 2007 9:46PM]

Thanks to IBM Lenovo, just got the IBM X61 Model 7764CTO. You have it on hand then you know what I mean is the best.

It is better that the X60. More power and VERY FAST!. I mean it ROCKS!

Thanks IBM

[zed @ Jul 15th 2007 11:31AM]

ya but now the x60s are cheaper so i bought one... its a thinkpad... itll last..

[Ryan Riehle @ Jul 24th 2007 2:04PM]

Is anyone using the Tablet as their primary PC for .Net (or other) development activity? Torn between the Tablet and the T-Series.

[michael s @ Jul 29th 2007 11:38AM]

Ryan,

As long as your tablet has over 2G memory, I don't think you will have any problem using it as primary PC. I have T42 that I use for primary PC, but when my co-worker showed up at work with X61 tablet... I found myself online in IBM/Levono site ordering one for myself same afternoon... They are on sale...

[Coco Levesque @ Aug 6th 2007 3:12PM]

So damned, the company bought me an X60......... I should have waited a month or 2 so I could have ordered a X61...... is the X60 processor can be updated for a duo core 2 I already have 4 G of memory, but my other company computer a Compaq nw8240 seem to be faster than the X60....... and the Compaq "only" have a 2G of memory....... weird. Oh maybe it is because the Compaq have a Linux distro in it?