The good: Solid performance, thanks to the latest Core 2 Duo processor; extremely portable design; excellent keyboard; fingerprint reader; easy-to-use ThinkVantage utility; lengthy battery life with optional extended battery.

The bad: Lacks built-in optical drive; standard-aspect display feels outdated.

The bottom line: The ThinkPad X61s provides excellent dual-core performance in a lightweight, compact package that's still comfortable to use.

Read full review of the ThinkPad X61s »

By Michelle Thatcher
Jul 10, 2007

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.

Editors' note : This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.com. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some of other products in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia. Please check directly with your local distributor for details.

Design
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.

	The ThinkPad X series' enduring design. (Click for larger image)

Features
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$417.90 (US$301.71)) 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.

Rate It Now

Rating guidelines

ThinkPad X61s (Core 2 Duo Processor L7300 1.4GHz, 1GB RAM)

Rate this product:
1 - Abysmal 2 - Terrible 3 - Poor 4 - Mediocre 5 - Average 6 - Good 7 - Very good 8 - Excellent 9 - Spectacular 10 - Perfect

Need help? Read our guidelines for what each number rating represents.

Submit your opinion

User Reviews

More Products To Consider

• Most Popular

• Upcoming

Latest Downloads

 

What's Hot