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| Lenovo R61 |
This Lenovo ThinkPad R61 14.1-inch laptop provides the power
and performance you need to stay productive and entertained no matter where you
roam. This laptop's 1.5 GHz processor and 2GB DDR2 memory helps you breeze
through applications.
This notebook is my first notebook and will be used mostly for university studies, casual gaming, office work, web surfing and some mathematics programming. I was not looking for a gaming notebook so I chose the Intel X3100 graphics card as it provides more than enough power to satisfy Vista’s graphics requirements. Furthermore, the integrated graphics allows the notebook to remain much cooler than my friend’s T60p (ATI FireGL 5200) and last much longer on Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 battery despite its mere 4-cell battery (compared to the T60p’s 9-cell).
This notebook is my first notebook and will be used mostly for university studies, casual gaming, office work, web surfing and some mathematics programming. I was not looking for a gaming notebook so I chose the Intel X3100 graphics card as it provides more than enough power to satisfy Vista’s graphics requirements. Furthermore, the integrated graphics allows the notebook to remain much cooler than my friend’s T60p (ATI FireGL 5200) and last much longer on Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 battery despite its mere 4-cell battery (compared to the T60p’s 9-cell).
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| Lenovo R61 |
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| Lenovo R61 |
Lenovo hasn't released the configuration details for the R61
yet, but we do know there will be numerous hard drive options (our review unit
included a faster and more expensive 7,200rpm drive), your choice of Santa Rosa
CPUs, including the T7100, the T7300, the T7500, or the T7700, and even an
optional Blu-ray drive, which should add around $400 to the system's cost.
Until now, the R-Series has stuck with a standard screen. After all, the ThinkPad Z Series anchors Lenovo's widescreen department, and the T-Series went wide soon after the Z-Series launched. The ThinkPad R61 signifies the convergence between the R-Series and the Z-Series (ThinkPad Z61m and ThinkPad Z60t), which Lenovo will begin phasing out at the end of this year. With the R61, you can choose between a 14-inch or a 15.4-inch widescreen. My review unit came with a brightly lit 14-inch screen with 1,440-by-900 resolution. You can bump the resolution down to 1,280-by-800, which doesn't do justice to the screen, or upgrade to both a 15.4-inch screen and a 1,680-by-1,050 resolution to enhance your multimedia experience. Lenovo is still reluctant to add a glossy screen, which, although it would add more contrast and pop to your photos and videos, can also cause substantial glare.
A special strength of the R61 is that it is possible to enhance the battery runtime. E.g, there is a 6600 MAh Dell Inspiron I1564 battery available, which is able to increase the runtime by about 50%. Furthermore, using an Ultra bay battery with a capacity of 2700 MAh makes a further clear improvement possible.
Measuring 13.2 x 9.3 x 1.5 inches, the ThinkPad R61-14W is noticeably thinner than past models and weighs just 5.4 pounds, which makes it easy to tote to and from the office. While we love the spacious, ergonomic keyboard, those with large mitts will find the touchpad a bit on the small side. An integrated pointing stick provides another means of cursor control. Above the keyboard are dedicated volume keys, the power button, and a handy Think Vantage launch key for tweaking system settings. A 1.3-megapixel webcam above the display provided decent, if unspectacular, visuals.
Besides being spill-proof, the R61's full-size keyboard feels more solid than most, with firm, roomy keys that make it easy to type on for long stretches. We also like the variety of navigation options on the R61. In addition to a smallish touch pad and two actuation buttons, you get two additional mouse buttons, a scroll button, and a tactile rubber pointing stick set into the keyboard. At the top edge of the keyboard are dedicated volume controls, a mute button, and the Think Vantage launch button, which offers one-touch system backup and recovery from crashes or viruses, as well as access to security features, networking options, system-maintenance utilities, and software updates. (This convenient feature is a big selling point for those who want to avoid the hassles of tech support). While you won't find any dedicated media controls on the R61, the keyboard does have highlighted function keys for controlling DVDs, music, and photos. For added security, an integrated fingerprint reader is built into the wrist rest below the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 AC adapter.
The R61 was one of them. R-Series ThinkPad's were considered more of a value notebook than anything. People who could not afford the pricey T-Series ThinkPad's would get an R-Series instead. The new R61 features a 14.1-inch widescreen display, Core 2 Duo processor, wireless antenna built into the lid, and a thinner and lighter design weighting in at just 5.5lbs. Let's see if the R61 can breathe new life into the R-Series.
An integrated fingerprint reader, located in the right palm rest, makes log-ins a breeze once you set it up. You can hot-swap devices - the dual-layer DVD drive or an extra Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 battery, among others - in and out of the right-side modular bay with one hand. On-screen documentation and system recovery utilities are just a button press away, with the Lenovo ThinkPad R61.
Comprehensive access to settings and features is provided by a range of proprietary Lenovo software. Hardware hot keys make them easy to use and usability is flawless. Security is also easy to manage with a fingerprint scanner that lets you protect essential data without the need for passwords. A light above the screen can be used to illuminate the keyboard in dark conditions.
Lenovo’s latest ThinkPad is the first-ever widescreen model in the R-Series line. Pitched squarely at the corporate market for running mainstream applications (for premier performance you’ll still want the T-Series), the ThinkPad R61 (from £580 ex. VAT) also boasts an all-new Top Cover Roll Cage, improved cooling system, enhanced wireless connectivity, as well as longer battery life. It also comes pre-installed with Vista Business. Is this the best ThinkPad ever? Not quite, but the R61 is still an excellent all-round business workhorse and has helped raise the profile of the R-Series. Lenovo’s R-Series used to play second fiddle to the T-Series, offering cut-down features and less performance for budget-strapped businesses. The pedigree gap is now closer, and the ThinkPad R61 is a very good laptop which should certainly be considered if you don’t need the premier performance of the T-Series.
The Lenovo ThinkPad R61 Notebook is a stellar choice for a thin-and-light notebook computer, and this particular model has an excellent purpose as a home usage machine, so you'll be able to get more done in your home office.
Storage is a bit disappointing on the ThinkPad R61. The 80GB hard drive is about normal for such a low cost laptop computer system. Most notebooks come equipped standard with a dual layer DVD burner, but Lenovo has chosen to include a CD-RW/DVD combo burner instead. Sure, it can playback DVDs and burn CDs but that cuts out an important feature most consumers would like to have.
The first-rate keyboard includes both a touchpad and an eraser head nub, as well as dedicated Internet forward and back buttons. An integrated fingerprint reader, located in the right palm rest, makes log-ins a breeze once you set it up. You can hot-swap devices--the dual-layer DVD drive or an extra HP Pro Book 5310m battery, among others--in and out of the right-side modular bay with one hand. On-screen documentation and system recovery utilities are just a button press away.
Unlike most notebooks in the group, the ThinkPad has only 1GB of RAM, so it fell behind in our memory-intensive image-editing and multitasking tests. Its Core 2 Duo T7100 did better in our video-encoding test, which depends more on processor speed than RAM.
The Lenovo ThinkPad R61 comes with a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 processor, 2GB of DDR2 memory, an 80GB hard drive, CD-RW/DVD combo drive, and integrated 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN. The Lenovo ThinkPad platform is designed for businesses that are focused on affordable pricing coupled with top-level performance. Professionals that require a reliable workhorse PC will find the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 adapter to be a good fit with their IT strategy. Businesses looking for a reliable, managed, network ready PC that is ideally suited for office applications such as e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets and Web browsing, will find the Lenovo ThinkPad to be an excellent solution. Whether you are in marketing, finance, sales or shipping, the Lenovo ThinkPad R61 stands ready to tackle your application and get the job done.
Specifications:
Until now, the R-Series has stuck with a standard screen. After all, the ThinkPad Z Series anchors Lenovo's widescreen department, and the T-Series went wide soon after the Z-Series launched. The ThinkPad R61 signifies the convergence between the R-Series and the Z-Series (ThinkPad Z61m and ThinkPad Z60t), which Lenovo will begin phasing out at the end of this year. With the R61, you can choose between a 14-inch or a 15.4-inch widescreen. My review unit came with a brightly lit 14-inch screen with 1,440-by-900 resolution. You can bump the resolution down to 1,280-by-800, which doesn't do justice to the screen, or upgrade to both a 15.4-inch screen and a 1,680-by-1,050 resolution to enhance your multimedia experience. Lenovo is still reluctant to add a glossy screen, which, although it would add more contrast and pop to your photos and videos, can also cause substantial glare.
A special strength of the R61 is that it is possible to enhance the battery runtime. E.g, there is a 6600 MAh Dell Inspiron I1564 battery available, which is able to increase the runtime by about 50%. Furthermore, using an Ultra bay battery with a capacity of 2700 MAh makes a further clear improvement possible.
Measuring 13.2 x 9.3 x 1.5 inches, the ThinkPad R61-14W is noticeably thinner than past models and weighs just 5.4 pounds, which makes it easy to tote to and from the office. While we love the spacious, ergonomic keyboard, those with large mitts will find the touchpad a bit on the small side. An integrated pointing stick provides another means of cursor control. Above the keyboard are dedicated volume keys, the power button, and a handy Think Vantage launch key for tweaking system settings. A 1.3-megapixel webcam above the display provided decent, if unspectacular, visuals.
Besides being spill-proof, the R61's full-size keyboard feels more solid than most, with firm, roomy keys that make it easy to type on for long stretches. We also like the variety of navigation options on the R61. In addition to a smallish touch pad and two actuation buttons, you get two additional mouse buttons, a scroll button, and a tactile rubber pointing stick set into the keyboard. At the top edge of the keyboard are dedicated volume controls, a mute button, and the Think Vantage launch button, which offers one-touch system backup and recovery from crashes or viruses, as well as access to security features, networking options, system-maintenance utilities, and software updates. (This convenient feature is a big selling point for those who want to avoid the hassles of tech support). While you won't find any dedicated media controls on the R61, the keyboard does have highlighted function keys for controlling DVDs, music, and photos. For added security, an integrated fingerprint reader is built into the wrist rest below the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 AC adapter.
The R61 was one of them. R-Series ThinkPad's were considered more of a value notebook than anything. People who could not afford the pricey T-Series ThinkPad's would get an R-Series instead. The new R61 features a 14.1-inch widescreen display, Core 2 Duo processor, wireless antenna built into the lid, and a thinner and lighter design weighting in at just 5.5lbs. Let's see if the R61 can breathe new life into the R-Series.
An integrated fingerprint reader, located in the right palm rest, makes log-ins a breeze once you set it up. You can hot-swap devices - the dual-layer DVD drive or an extra Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 battery, among others - in and out of the right-side modular bay with one hand. On-screen documentation and system recovery utilities are just a button press away, with the Lenovo ThinkPad R61.
Comprehensive access to settings and features is provided by a range of proprietary Lenovo software. Hardware hot keys make them easy to use and usability is flawless. Security is also easy to manage with a fingerprint scanner that lets you protect essential data without the need for passwords. A light above the screen can be used to illuminate the keyboard in dark conditions.
Lenovo’s latest ThinkPad is the first-ever widescreen model in the R-Series line. Pitched squarely at the corporate market for running mainstream applications (for premier performance you’ll still want the T-Series), the ThinkPad R61 (from £580 ex. VAT) also boasts an all-new Top Cover Roll Cage, improved cooling system, enhanced wireless connectivity, as well as longer battery life. It also comes pre-installed with Vista Business. Is this the best ThinkPad ever? Not quite, but the R61 is still an excellent all-round business workhorse and has helped raise the profile of the R-Series. Lenovo’s R-Series used to play second fiddle to the T-Series, offering cut-down features and less performance for budget-strapped businesses. The pedigree gap is now closer, and the ThinkPad R61 is a very good laptop which should certainly be considered if you don’t need the premier performance of the T-Series.
The Lenovo ThinkPad R61 Notebook is a stellar choice for a thin-and-light notebook computer, and this particular model has an excellent purpose as a home usage machine, so you'll be able to get more done in your home office.
Storage is a bit disappointing on the ThinkPad R61. The 80GB hard drive is about normal for such a low cost laptop computer system. Most notebooks come equipped standard with a dual layer DVD burner, but Lenovo has chosen to include a CD-RW/DVD combo burner instead. Sure, it can playback DVDs and burn CDs but that cuts out an important feature most consumers would like to have.
The first-rate keyboard includes both a touchpad and an eraser head nub, as well as dedicated Internet forward and back buttons. An integrated fingerprint reader, located in the right palm rest, makes log-ins a breeze once you set it up. You can hot-swap devices--the dual-layer DVD drive or an extra HP Pro Book 5310m battery, among others--in and out of the right-side modular bay with one hand. On-screen documentation and system recovery utilities are just a button press away.
Unlike most notebooks in the group, the ThinkPad has only 1GB of RAM, so it fell behind in our memory-intensive image-editing and multitasking tests. Its Core 2 Duo T7100 did better in our video-encoding test, which depends more on processor speed than RAM.
The Lenovo ThinkPad R61 comes with a 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300 processor, 2GB of DDR2 memory, an 80GB hard drive, CD-RW/DVD combo drive, and integrated 802.11a/b/g Wireless LAN. The Lenovo ThinkPad platform is designed for businesses that are focused on affordable pricing coupled with top-level performance. Professionals that require a reliable workhorse PC will find the Lenovo ThinkPad Edge E520 adapter to be a good fit with their IT strategy. Businesses looking for a reliable, managed, network ready PC that is ideally suited for office applications such as e-mail, word processing, spreadsheets and Web browsing, will find the Lenovo ThinkPad to be an excellent solution. Whether you are in marketing, finance, sales or shipping, the Lenovo ThinkPad R61 stands ready to tackle your application and get the job done.
Specifications:
- Processor: Intel T7300 Core 2 Duo (2.0GHz, 800MHz FSB, 4MB Cache)
- Chipset: Intel Mobile 965 Express chipset (Crestline)
- Graphics: Intel X3100 (Integrated graphics card)
- Operating System: Windows Vista Business 64-bit
- Display: 14.1” WXGA+ 1440 x 900
- Hard Drive: 120GB 5400RPM
- Memory: 1GB (1 x 1GB, 1 slot open), up to 4GB max
- Ports: 3 USB 2.0, Ethernet, Modem, Monitor out, Headphone OUT, Microphone IN
- Slots: 1 PC Card Slot, 1 Express Card slot
- Optical Drive: Ultra-bay DVD Recordable DL (8x)
- Interfaces: Bluetooth, Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG LAN, Fingerprint scanner, ThinkPad light
- Dimensions: 13.2" x 9.3" x 1.20 - 1.37" (335mm x 237mm x 30.0 - 34.9mm)
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