Core 2 Duo Processor L7300 1.4GHz, 1GB RAM
When you look at the latest ultraportable ThinkPad, it would seem that little has changed since we gave the Editors' Choice to the ThinkPad X60s last year. The ThinkPad X61s features largely the same design as its predecessor--it still lacks a built-in optical drive--but adds a low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor and Intel's latest Centrino Pro platform, plus new security and power-management features. The end result is a laptop that doesn't take up much room in a laptop bag and yet still packs plenty of performance oomph as well as a screen and keyboard that are comfortable for working long stretches away from the desk. (If you must have an ultraportable with an optical drive, look to competitors' laptops, such as the Fujitsu LifeBook P7230 and the Sony VAIO VGN-TX56GN--though both those models feature smaller screens.) About the only area where the ThinkPad X61s doesn't match its predecessor is battery life: Whereas a year ago the ThinkPad X60s had the longest battery life we'd ever measured, the ThinkPad X61s posted a battery life that was still longer than average, but not chart-topping. Nevertheless, we'd gladly trade endless battery and the built-in optical drive for the ThinkPad X61s's great balance of comfort, performance, and portability.
The ThinkPad X61s is virtually identical in design to its predecessor. While the lightest ThinkPad X61s configuration weighs a spritely 1.32kg, our test unit, which included the "ultralight" display option but also a weighty extended battery, weighed 1.54kg (the extended battery also adds 25.4mm of depth and 7.6mm of thickness at the back). By comparison, both the Fujitsu LifeBook P7230 and the Sony VAIO VGN-TX56GN weigh less than 1.36kg and incorporate optical drives, though they feature single-core processors and smaller displays. Though it's clearly not the smallest laptop on the market, the ThinkPad X61s is one of the smallest Core 2 Duo options we've seen and is definitely compact enough to carry every day.
While most manufacturers have converted their ultraportable lines to wide-screen displays, Lenovo has outfitted the ThinkPad X61s with a lightweight 12.1-inch standard-aspect (4:3) screen. While we've definitely come to love a wide-aspect ratio (16:9), we also appreciate that the ThinkPad X61s offers a bit more screen real estate than, for example, the 10.6-inch wide-screen Fujitsu LifeBook P7230, while keeping a smaller design than the 12.1-inch wide-screen Toshiba Satellite U205. The display on the ThinkPad X61s is remarkably bright (222 cd/m² in our Labs measurement); its 1,024 x 768 native resolution doesn't exactly send shivers down the spine, but it does suffice. The screen's matte finish minimizes reflections, making it a winner for typical office productivity work.
Though most ultraportables sacrifice key size to fit a smaller case, the ThinkPad X61s' keys are large and very comfortable for extended typing. Our only complaint is that the right-side Alt and Ctrl keys are a bit narrow--annoying if you're accustomed to using shortcuts. As with all ThinkPads, the X61s includes a red TrackPoint pointing stick--there is no touch pad--and three mouse buttons (the center acts as a scroll button). Above the keyboard are basic volume controls as well as the very helpful blue ThinkVantage button, which launches a suite of system maintenance, power management, connectivity, and other utilities. Tucked beneath the lip of the lid is a nifty light that illuminates the keyboard in dim environments. A fingerprint reader below the keyboard lets you securely log in to Windows and your company network with just the swipe of a finger. Companies that need even more security can take advantage of the ThinkPad's new 32-bit hard-drive password protection as well as the option to disable the laptop's input and output ports to prevent the transfer of data.
By virtue of its slender case, the Lenovo ThinkPad X61s has just the basic ports and connections to keep business travelers productive on the road. Worth noting: The ThinkPad X61s lacks a built-in optical drive, so you'll have to purchase the X6 UltraBase dock (which would bring our review unit's price up by S$417.98 (US$274.01)) in order to get a DVD burner. This may be a deal breaker for some, but we actually like having the option of paring down our system to the bare essentials for travel, particularly given how rarely we actually use a disc drive. Like many business laptops, the ThinkPad X61s includes a convenient hardware on/off switch for its Wi-Fi radio.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X61s we tested included a low-voltage Core 2 Duo L7500 1.60GHz processor built on Intel's latest Centrino Pro platform. It also runs Windows Vista Business, though companies who haven't yet made the switch to Microsoft's latest operating system can choose Windows XP for the same price. We were pleased with the ThinkPad X61s performance on our lab's application benchmarks, where it kept pace or finished slightly ahead of systems with normal-voltage Core 2 Duo processors and Intel's previous-generation platform. Unsurprisingly, the ThinkPad X61s largely outpaced its ultraportable competition, the Sony VAIO VGN-TX56GN and Fujitsu LifeBook P7230, both of which are built on Core Solo processors. For business users who multitask heavily or spend a lot of time working with Microsoft Office applications, the ThinkPad X61s provides dual-core performance in a lightweight, compact package.
Our Lenovo ThinkPad X61s included an eight-cell high-capacity battery that extends 1 inch off the back of the machine; this battery added S$375.98 (US$247.01) to the price, and we think it's worth it. On our taxing DVD battery drain test, the ThinkPad X61s lasted an impressive 3 hours 9 minutes (you can expect to go a little longer if you're usage is largely office productivity applications). That wasn't quite enough to top the remarkable 4 hours 54 minutes battery life achieved by the Sony VAIO VGN-TX56GN (which included a smaller, LED-backlit display and a single-core processor), but the ThinkPad X61s did outlast the Fujitsu LifeBook P7230 by over 36 minutes. Lenovo has also bundled the ThinkPad X61s with its new BatteryStretch software, which lets you micromanage power settings and may help you squeeze a few more minutes out of the battery.
The laptop comes with three-year international carry-in warranty at the Lenovo service center. The system battery, however, has only a one-year carry-in warranty. For Singapore users, an alternative to making a trip to the service center is to send it via the postal service for free during the warranty period. On Lenovo's support Web site, you can register your warranty after which the site will automatically detect your machine configuration and offer the appropriate support. A knowledge database is available for simple troubleshooting. Updated drivers, manuals and software upgrades can be downloaded as well. If the issue requires a professional assistance, a telephone helpline is available during working hours from Monday to Friday which will dispatch a technician onsite if required.
When you look at the latest ultraportable ThinkPad, it would seem that little has changed since we gave the Editors' Choice to the ThinkPad X60s last year. The ThinkPad X61s features largely the same design as its predecessor--it still lacks a built-in optical drive--but adds a low-voltage Core 2 Duo processor and Intel's latest Centrino Pro platform, plus new security and power-management features. The end result is a laptop that doesn't take up much room in a laptop bag and yet still packs plenty of performance oomph as well as a screen and keyboard that are comfortable for working long stretches away from the desk. (If you must have an ultraportable with an optical drive, look to competitors' laptops, such as the Fujitsu LifeBook P7230 and the Sony VAIO VGN-TX56GN--though both those models feature smaller screens.) About the only area where the ThinkPad X61s doesn't match its predecessor is battery life: Whereas a year ago the ThinkPad X60s had the longest battery life we'd ever measured, the ThinkPad X61s posted a battery life that was still longer than average, but not chart-topping. Nevertheless, we'd gladly trade endless battery and the built-in optical drive for the ThinkPad X61s's great balance of comfort, performance, and portability.
Design of the Lenovo ThinkPad X61s Notebook PC
The ThinkPad X61s is virtually identical in design to its predecessor. While the lightest ThinkPad X61s configuration weighs a spritely 1.32kg, our test unit, which included the "ultralight" display option but also a weighty extended battery, weighed 1.54kg (the extended battery also adds 25.4mm of depth and 7.6mm of thickness at the back). By comparison, both the Fujitsu LifeBook P7230 and the Sony VAIO VGN-TX56GN weigh less than 1.36kg and incorporate optical drives, though they feature single-core processors and smaller displays. Though it's clearly not the smallest laptop on the market, the ThinkPad X61s is one of the smallest Core 2 Duo options we've seen and is definitely compact enough to carry every day.
While most manufacturers have converted their ultraportable lines to wide-screen displays, Lenovo has outfitted the ThinkPad X61s with a lightweight 12.1-inch standard-aspect (4:3) screen. While we've definitely come to love a wide-aspect ratio (16:9), we also appreciate that the ThinkPad X61s offers a bit more screen real estate than, for example, the 10.6-inch wide-screen Fujitsu LifeBook P7230, while keeping a smaller design than the 12.1-inch wide-screen Toshiba Satellite U205. The display on the ThinkPad X61s is remarkably bright (222 cd/m² in our Labs measurement); its 1,024 x 768 native resolution doesn't exactly send shivers down the spine, but it does suffice. The screen's matte finish minimizes reflections, making it a winner for typical office productivity work.
Features of the Lenovo ThinkPad X61s Notebook PC
Though most ultraportables sacrifice key size to fit a smaller case, the ThinkPad X61s' keys are large and very comfortable for extended typing. Our only complaint is that the right-side Alt and Ctrl keys are a bit narrow--annoying if you're accustomed to using shortcuts. As with all ThinkPads, the X61s includes a red TrackPoint pointing stick--there is no touch pad--and three mouse buttons (the center acts as a scroll button). Above the keyboard are basic volume controls as well as the very helpful blue ThinkVantage button, which launches a suite of system maintenance, power management, connectivity, and other utilities. Tucked beneath the lip of the lid is a nifty light that illuminates the keyboard in dim environments. A fingerprint reader below the keyboard lets you securely log in to Windows and your company network with just the swipe of a finger. Companies that need even more security can take advantage of the ThinkPad's new 32-bit hard-drive password protection as well as the option to disable the laptop's input and output ports to prevent the transfer of data.
By virtue of its slender case, the Lenovo ThinkPad X61s has just the basic ports and connections to keep business travelers productive on the road. Worth noting: The ThinkPad X61s lacks a built-in optical drive, so you'll have to purchase the X6 UltraBase dock (which would bring our review unit's price up by S$417.98 (US$274.01)) in order to get a DVD burner. This may be a deal breaker for some, but we actually like having the option of paring down our system to the bare essentials for travel, particularly given how rarely we actually use a disc drive. Like many business laptops, the ThinkPad X61s includes a convenient hardware on/off switch for its Wi-Fi radio.
Performance And Battery Life of the Lenovo ThinkPad X61s Notebook PC
The Lenovo ThinkPad X61s we tested included a low-voltage Core 2 Duo L7500 1.60GHz processor built on Intel's latest Centrino Pro platform. It also runs Windows Vista Business, though companies who haven't yet made the switch to Microsoft's latest operating system can choose Windows XP for the same price. We were pleased with the ThinkPad X61s performance on our lab's application benchmarks, where it kept pace or finished slightly ahead of systems with normal-voltage Core 2 Duo processors and Intel's previous-generation platform. Unsurprisingly, the ThinkPad X61s largely outpaced its ultraportable competition, the Sony VAIO VGN-TX56GN and Fujitsu LifeBook P7230, both of which are built on Core Solo processors. For business users who multitask heavily or spend a lot of time working with Microsoft Office applications, the ThinkPad X61s provides dual-core performance in a lightweight, compact package.
Our Lenovo ThinkPad X61s included an eight-cell high-capacity battery that extends 1 inch off the back of the machine; this battery added S$375.98 (US$247.01) to the price, and we think it's worth it. On our taxing DVD battery drain test, the ThinkPad X61s lasted an impressive 3 hours 9 minutes (you can expect to go a little longer if you're usage is largely office productivity applications). That wasn't quite enough to top the remarkable 4 hours 54 minutes battery life achieved by the Sony VAIO VGN-TX56GN (which included a smaller, LED-backlit display and a single-core processor), but the ThinkPad X61s did outlast the Fujitsu LifeBook P7230 by over 36 minutes. Lenovo has also bundled the ThinkPad X61s with its new BatteryStretch software, which lets you micromanage power settings and may help you squeeze a few more minutes out of the battery.
Service And Support for the Lenovo ThinkPad X61s Notebook PC
The laptop comes with three-year international carry-in warranty at the Lenovo service center. The system battery, however, has only a one-year carry-in warranty. For Singapore users, an alternative to making a trip to the service center is to send it via the postal service for free during the warranty period. On Lenovo's support Web site, you can register your warranty after which the site will automatically detect your machine configuration and offer the appropriate support. A knowledge database is available for simple troubleshooting. Updated drivers, manuals and software upgrades can be downloaded as well. If the issue requires a professional assistance, a telephone helpline is available during working hours from Monday to Friday which will dispatch a technician onsite if required.
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