mycapsules/_posts/older/2008-08-26-thinkpad-x61t-build-and-design.md

---
layout: post
title: Thinkpad X61T -- build & design
created: 1219726583
categories:
- tablet pc
- review
---
<p>When you take a look at Thinkpad series, they all are similar. That's really the point of this design--simply the best. There is no fancy stuff or wow factor for folks around, but if you give it a shot, you will know this plain design has fulfilled with magnesium alloy and pretty study plastic, give this system a strength. You will find no flex anywhere in this machine, even on the screen. </p>
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<p><img height="180" alt="Thinkpad X61 Tablet" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/SNV10118_thumb.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/SNV10121.jpg" target="_blank"><img height="180" alt="Thinkpad X61 Tablet" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/SNV10121_thumb.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a></p>  <p>Well, to whom you are new to Tablet PC; you may like to know what is really a distinct between notebook and Tablet PC. It's mostly the screen that matters. For Tablet PC, you will have an active digitizer, mostly from Wacom, and swivel screen so that you could put your machine into tablet mode.</p>  <p>Actually there are 3 types of Tablet PC available: -</p>  <ol>   <li>Slate Tablet PC -- this doesn't have keyboard attached. </li>    <li>Convertible Tablet PC -- this is what Thinkpad X61 Tablet is; like notebook, but can change to tablet mode. </li>    <li>Hybrid Tablet PC -- there is only a few on the market, e.g. HP TC1100. The thing is you could detach the screen from the keyboard completely to use the same way as slate one. Plus, you can attach a keyboard whenever you want touch-type, faster way to input your information. </li> </ol>  <p>Now, you may get the idea and you probably are the same as me which I don't think Slate Tablet PC could fulfil my needs. As a result, I got the convertible one as you see.</p>  <p>Well, the main thing which concerns me a lot before buying tablet PC is the hinge. Instead of 2 hinges at least to support the screen, tablet PC has only 1 and it provides swivel screen capability also. When I first got Thinkpad X61T, I did feel it was a bit fragile since the screen could be tilted a bit on both left &amp; right side. However, from almost-full-year heavy usage, I haven't seen any sign of wear. Which is a good news here. Therefore, it's just the matter of design that couldn't do more sturdy in term of feeling.</p>  <p><strong>Views</strong></p>  <p><img height="180" alt="X61t" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/SNV10133_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="X61t" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/SNV10132_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="X61t - screen" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/SNV10130.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="X61t - tablet mode" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/SNV10125_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="X61t - Tablet mode w/ CD case" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/IMG_0247_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" />&#160;<img height="180" alt="X61t in-hand" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/image_27.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> </p>  <p>Yes, as the photos shown above. You can write while in notebook mode, but it's just not that comfortable since the screen is not solid at that point; you'd better put it in tablet mode or just have some help from CD case--to have a comfortable angle to write.</p>  <p><img height="180" alt="IMG_0178" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/IMG_0178_thumb.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/IMG_0179.jpg"><img height="180" alt="IMG_0179" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/IMG_0179_thumb.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></a></p>  <p>It's really simple black-box design. There is nothing changed much from the predecessors.</p>  <p>&#160;<img height="180" alt="x61t - outside LED status" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/IMG_0171_1.jpg" width="240" border="0" /> <img height="180" alt="x61t - LED status" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/IMG_0188_2.jpg" width="240" border="0" /></p>  <p>This is the basic Thinkpad feature. You will be able to know whether your machine is sleep or not with only a glance. Even though the lid is closed or opened

 <img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" title="Dell Latitude XT (top), Thinkpad X61T, HP tx2500z (bottom): adapter" alt="Dell Latitude XT (top), Thinkpad X61T, HP tx2500z (bottom): adapter" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/adapter-3.jpg" width="200" border="0" /> <img style="border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-bottom: 0px" height="150" alt="Dell Latitude XT (top), Thinkpad X61T, HP tx2500z (bottom): adapter" title="Dell Latitude XT (top), Thinkpad X61T, HP tx2500z (bottom): adapter" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/11/dell-xt-1/thumb/adapter-4.jpg" width="200" border="0" />

<p>The adapter is just normal size as anyone expected.</p>


  <p><strong>Audio-related</strong></p>

  <p><img style="margin: 0px 5px 0px 0px" height="165" alt="X61T - speaker" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2008/08/x61t-1/IMG_0182_1.jpg" width="220" align="left" border="0" />This area probably is the less significant things on any notebook/tablet PC especially on small machine (&lt;13&quot; screen.) The mono speaker you see on the right places on the bottom of the machine around center of palm rest. On the maximum volume, you will be able to hear clearly if and only if you are in quiet environment. With AC on (or fan on), you will barely hear a sound--only mosquito noise you will hear. Although that's fortunate, it is not up to my expectations. If it's only a bit louder, I won't complain.</p>  <p>The built-in microphone is on the screen side. Its sensitivity is great, on the other end will be able to hear anything you said normally, but sometimes you will get an strange noise [like when microphone is close to speaker] when making a VoIP call. It's annoying sometimes, but acceptable. Odd things I found is <em>microphone jack</em> is not working as it should. In other words, when I plugged my microphone firmly, it didn't work. I had to loose it a little, then it would work. I still have no clue either this is the defective or the strange jack itself. I tried with several microphones which work flawlessly on another machine; the results were the same. However, I don't have time to send to repair center anytime soon. Probably right before warranty is about the expire, that will be the time.</p>  

<em>For spec & performance</em>, please [go on](/review/thinkpad-x61t/2)