Lenovo Thinkpad Z60t By MisterBisco on Sep 23, 2007 - Updated Oct 15, 2011

As a long-time desktop user and lover, I was hesistant to buy into the world of laptop computing. With a long overseas jaunt ahead of me, though, I decided to go with the laptop option. After shopping around, I went with the Thinkpad.

In purchasing, my decision to the Thinkpad was twofold - I wanted a machine built with time-tested machinery, and I wanted a durable machine.

My experience with the Thinkpad has been good, though it has it's faults, as well. The chassis of the computer is very solid - the screen construction is strong, the latching mechanism reliable, and the keyboard is as crisp as the day it came out of the box. The hardware is built very well, too - I find the computing speed to be reasonably fast, given my hardware and software configurations. I've also fallen in love with the trackpoint mouse system, as I tend to loathe touchpads. Additionally, the embedded fingerprint reader, while definitely an accessory given my needs, is fun to show off to friends.

The draw backs of this machine, when compared to one of the more media-savvy machines, are numerous. Firstly, the screen is mediocre, at best - in the dark, there is quite a bit of light leak at the bottom and top of the screen (depending on your angle), and the matte screen quality makes colors rather drab. Additionally, the built-in speakers are just terrible. The battery life, even with the "extended life" 7-cell battery, is pedestrian at best. The body of the computer also has the tendency to get extremely hot when not fed good ventilation.

As far as software, I found Thinkpad's compulsory Thinkpad suite of software excessive and intrusive, at times. I plan on doing a full wipe of the built-in hard drive, in favor of a cleaner-running version of Windows.

All said, though, for a user who has a decent history of PC-use, I'd definitely recommend the Thinkpad. They are durable, reliable work machines.