Thinkpad R51 or T41

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Hi Michael,

You might want to rethink the resolution. If you are going to be using it all day and maybe in the evening, and SXGA resolution
might cause some eye strain. I am currently using a 17" WXGA display, and I can use it for 12 - 16 hours a day without any
problems. My backup computer is a 14.1" XGA display and I have to take regular breaks.

Now I do have to admit that my vision is not what it use to be, but I think it is something to think about even if you have good
eyes.

Ciao . . .
C.Joseph

++ Let know man judge me until . . .
he has walked the road I have . . .
in the shoes I've worn. ++

http://kalek1.home.mindspring.com


Michael Ransburg wrote:
> Hello!
>
> I'm getting a new notebook soon and it will either be a Thinkpad R51
> or Thinkpad T41 (it will definitely be an IBM Thinkpad - company has a
> contract with them). It will be my primary machine at work. I will
> take it with me for work travels every 1-3 months and plan to take it
> at home at weekends and sometimes during the week as well. Primary
> usage will be office and software development. Maybe I will attach a
> 17" TFT at work, but I would prefer to use its native display, which
> will be the 1400x1050 pixel one. There will be a docking station as
> well.
>
> So far I can see the following advantages of the R51:
> + Larger display (15" instead of 14.1")
>
> Advantages for the T41:
> + Smaller and Lighter (2.4kg instead of 3 kg)
>
> I've never used a notebook as primary machine before, so I'm open for
> any suggestions, both ergonomically and technically.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Michael

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

C.Joseph Drayton wrote:
> You might want to rethink the resolution. If you are going to be
> using it all day and maybe in the evening, and SXGA resolution
> might cause some eye strain. I am currently using a 17" WXGA
> display, and I can use it for 12 - 16 hours a day without any
> problems. My backup computer is a 14.1" XGA display and I
> have to take regular breaks.
>
> Now I do have to admit that my vision is not what it use to be,
> but I think it is something to think about even if you have
> good eyes.

C.Joseph, it's interesting that you find so much difference between your two
displays.

Is the actual resolution of your 17" WXGA display 1280 x 1024 pixels? If so,
then it has 88 pixels per inch.

An XGA display is 1024 x 768 pixels, and a 14.1" XGA has 91 pixels per inch.

If those are the correct resolutions, then your 17" display does have
slightly bigger pixels, but it's only a 3% increase. I wouldn't expect 3% to
make that much of a difference, although if you're having trouble seeing
fine detail, every bit helps.

More importantly, are you using proper vision correction? Single vision
glasses corrected for the actual distance to your display? That's probably
about 20", a bit more distant than a typical reading prescription.

If you are limping along with progressive lenses, or reading glasses
corrected for too close a distance, or (heaven forbid!) no vision correction
at all, then that is the problem right there.

I'm 52 and I can't see close detail at all. If I take off my computer
glasses, I can barely read anything on a computer screen regardless of the
resolution.

But with the proper glasses, I have absolutely no problem using my ThinkPad
A30p with its 15" 1600 x 1200 display. This display has 133 pixels per inch,
more than 50% higher density than the displays you're using (and 7% higher
density than the 14.1" 1400 x 1040 display that Michael is considering). But
I can use it with complete comfort for as long as I want, and I can see
everything with no eyestrain at all.

I've seen so many people squinting and straining to read their computer
screens, and I know exactly what the problem is. They're hitting their 40's
and doing what I did ten years ago: They've never needed glasses before, and
they don't realize they need them now.

So, my advice for both you and Michael: Get a good pair of prescription
single vision glasses corrected for the distance to your computer display
(not progressives, not bifocals, and not reading glasses). You may find that
you can use a much higher resolution than you realize, and you'll be a lot
more comfortable at whatever resolution you do use.

Also, a couple of tips for text reading comfort: On a high density display,
change Windows to the 120 DPI setting instead of the default 96 DPI (in the
Display control panel, Settings tab, Advanced button). And on any LCD
display, turn on ClearType (Display panel, Appearance tab, Effects button).

-Mike

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Other advantages for the R51(p):

DVD-RW is possible, either when you buy it or for later
Flexview screens - can see it from quite a range of angles.

Duncan.

"Michael Ransburg" <mike@unfolded.com> wrote in message
news:7562d656.0404191214.33bb7945@posting.google.com...
> Hello!
>
> I'm getting a new notebook soon and it will either be a Thinkpad R51
> or Thinkpad T41 (it will definitely be an IBM Thinkpad - company has a
> contract with them). It will be my primary machine at work. I will
> take it with me for work travels every 1-3 months and plan to take it
> at home at weekends and sometimes during the week as well. Primary
> usage will be office and software development. Maybe I will attach a
> 17" TFT at work, but I would prefer to use its native display, which
> will be the 1400x1050 pixel one. There will be a docking station as
> well.
>
> So far I can see the following advantages of the R51:
> + Larger display (15" instead of 14.1")
>
> Advantages for the T41:
> + Smaller and Lighter (2.4kg instead of 3 kg)
>
> I've never used a notebook as primary machine before, so I'm open for
> any suggestions, both ergonomically and technically.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Michael

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Duncan James Murray wrote:
> Other advantages for the R51(p):
>
> DVD-RW is possible, either when you buy it or for later
> Flexview screens - can see it from quite a range of angles.

I definitely second the recommendation of the FlexView display. My A21p and
A30p both have the same screen size and resolution, 15" 1600 x 1200, but the
A21p has a conventional TFT while the A30p is a FlexView display. It makes a
world of difference when I want to show something on the screen to someone
else, especially if they are standing and I am sitting. No more tilting the
screen back and forth to try to find an angle that's comfortable for them to
view.

-Mike

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Hhmmm.... This is interesting.

Personally, I find 16:10 wide
displays more tiring than 4:3
ones (XGA, SXGA+), which I
find in turn slightly more
tiring than 5:4 (SXGA). I
suppose side to side eye
movement takes a toll.

I find size less of a factor
than brightness, contrast and
crispness.



dk


"C.Joseph Drayton" <kalek1@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:40848b7f_1@news.athenanews.com...
> Hi Michael,
>
> You might want to rethink the resolution. If you are going to be using it
all day and maybe in the evening, and SXGA resolution
> might cause some eye strain. I am currently using a 17" WXGA display, and
I can use it for 12 - 16 hours a day without any
> problems. My backup computer is a 14.1" XGA display and I have to take
regular breaks.
>
> Now I do have to admit that my vision is not what it use to be, but I
think it is something to think about even if you have good
> eyes.
>
> Ciao . . .
> C.Joseph
>
> ++ Let know man judge me until . . .
> he has walked the road I have . . .
> in the shoes I've worn. ++
>
> http://kalek1.home.mindspring.com
>
>
> Michael Ransburg wrote:
> > Hello!
> >
> > I'm getting a new notebook soon and it will either be a Thinkpad R51
> > or Thinkpad T41 (it will definitely be an IBM Thinkpad - company has a
> > contract with them). It will be my primary machine at work. I will
> > take it with me for work travels every 1-3 months and plan to take it
> > at home at weekends and sometimes during the week as well. Primary
> > usage will be office and software development. Maybe I will attach a
> > 17" TFT at work, but I would prefer to use its native display, which
> > will be the 1400x1050 pixel one. There will be a docking station as
> > well.
> >
> > So far I can see the following advantages of the R51:
> > + Larger display (15" instead of 14.1")
> >
> > Advantages for the T41:
> > + Smaller and Lighter (2.4kg instead of 3 kg)
> >
> > I've never used a notebook as primary machine before, so I'm open for
> > any suggestions, both ergonomically and technically.
> >
> > Thanks in advance,
> > Michael

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

Dan Koren wrote:
> Personally, I find 16:10 wide
> displays more tiring than 4:3
> ones (XGA, SXGA+), which I
> find in turn slightly more
> tiring than 5:4 (SXGA). I
> suppose side to side eye
> movement takes a toll.

Yes, it's well known that excessive horizontal eye movement is tiring. This
is why nearly every magazine uses a two-column (or sometimes three-column)
layout instead of a single wide column.

The key to effective use of a wide display is not to make all your windows
wider, but to find other ways to use that width. You can put a couple of
windows side by side, or move your taskbar from the bottom of the screen to
the side.

> I find size less of a factor
> than brightness, contrast and
> crispness.

What I've observed is that people who want big, low density displays are
often avoiding getting their first pair of glasses, or are limping along
with the wrong kind of glasses instead of getting a pair of single vision
prescription glasses corrected for the distance to their computer screen. I
see it all the time when I watch people I work with. More thoughts on this
in the other message I just posted.

Of course, someone whose vision can't be corrected may need a big display
and no getting around it.

-Mike

Archived from groups: comp.sys.laptops (More info?)

I have a T40p and it's great. 14.1" sxga+ screen is no problems. Lighter
weight helps too. I have a 19" monitor at home but haven't had to use it on
my t40p. there may be some other advantages with the T41 - smaller
footprint or something.

"Michael Ransburg" <mike@unfolded.com> wrote in message
news:7562d656.0404191214.33bb7945@posting.google.com...
> Hello!
>
> I'm getting a new notebook soon and it will either be a Thinkpad R51
> or Thinkpad T41 (it will definitely be an IBM Thinkpad - company has a
> contract with them). It will be my primary machine at work. I will
> take it with me for work travels every 1-3 months and plan to take it
> at home at weekends and sometimes during the week as well. Primary
> usage will be office and software development. Maybe I will attach a
> 17" TFT at work, but I would prefer to use its native display, which
> will be the 1400x1050 pixel one. There will be a docking station as
> well.
>
> So far I can see the following advantages of the R51:
> + Larger display (15" instead of 14.1")
>
> Advantages for the T41:
> + Smaller and Lighter (2.4kg instead of 3 kg)
>
> I've never used a notebook as primary machine before, so I'm open for
> any suggestions, both ergonomically and technically.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Michael