Computing: Lenovo R61 – 62

Lenovo’s highly configurable Thinkpad R61 range of notebooks starts with ‘mainstream’ models at the low end and moves up to ‘performance’ machines at the top. Powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 running at 1.8GHz and sporting a 14.1-inch widescreen display, an 80GB hard disk and a gigabyte of memory, the model tested here is towards the lower end of the range.

In appearance the R61 retains the same square black looks of earlier IBM ThinkPads – boring or elegantly simple, depending on your point of view. One of the advantages of the lower end R61s is that they are slimmer and lighter than their gruntier cousins, and this model weighed in at around 2.4kg.

Lenovo describes another reliability feature as being ‘like an air-bag’ for your hard disk. This is a shock sensor that detects any sudden or severe movement and it will temporarily shut down the hard drive within milliseconds.

In theory the processor and installed memory of the machine supplied was powerful enough to run Windows Vista Business, but the performance of this R61 was disappointing at times. Windows took quite a while to load and shut down, and the machine hesitated to an irritating degree when you switched between two programs with different screen resolutions.

However, even some highly graphical games like Civilization IV and Il-2 Sturmovik ran very smoothly once they had loaded. You could also wiggle a single program window around on the screen without any ghosting effects. Performance could probably be improved by opting for another gigabyte of memory, but power users would be best advised to go for a pricier model with a faster processor and a dedicated graphics card.

The R61′s bundled software consisted mainly of security and maintenance programs, including Norton Internet Security, Diskeeper and PC Doctor 5. Lenovo has also provided its own ThinkVantage Productivity Centre, a collection of routines and shortcuts that manage functions such as connecting to a wireless network or hooking up a projector.

Lenovo describes another reliability feature as being ‘like an air-bag’ for your hard disk. This is a shock sensor that detects any sudden or severe movement and it will temporarily shut down the hard drive within milliseconds. This could potentially save your hard disk if the notebook was dropped, but for obvious reasons I didn’t test this feature.

Where the R61 really scores is as a highly functional notebook for all-round use. For example, the arrangement of USB slots (one near the right-hand corner for a mouse and two at the side near the front for USB drives) is well thought-out and the speaker and microphone slots (for a Skype headset, say) are where you want them, right at the front. Another nice touch is a keyboard lamp on the top of the lid that provides just enough light to help read the keyboard in low light conditions.

The widescreen LCD is clear and very bright for playing movies, and even though the R61 never ran hot you won’t be distracted by fan noise – this has got to be the quietest notebook I have ever encountered. Overall I reckon this R61 model would suit someone who is looking for a notebook mainly for work purposes, perhaps as a replacement for an old desktop PC. You could buy faster or more exciting laptops, but as a reliable workhorse the R61 would be hard to beat.

MICHAEL FOREMAN

Lenovo R61  From $2099

CONTACT
www.lenovo.com

SPECIFICATIONS

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T7100 1.8GHz
Display: 14.1-inch widescreen LCD
Hard disk: 80GB
Optical disk: DVD writer
USB: USB 2.0 X 3
Wireless: 802.11 wireless LAN
Readers: 4-in-1 digital media card slot
Dimensions: 335 x 260 x 27.6mm (W/D/H)
Weight: 2.4kg

PROS

Proven, well arranged design
Strong security and reliability features
Quiet and cool running

CONS

Performance sluggish at time
Quite pricey for these specs

VERDICT

A trustworthy workhouse that will probably run reliably for years

Aesthetics: 90%
Performance: 79%
Features: 85%
Functionality: 95%
Price Value: 80%

Overall 86%