Hi all, sorry i have not posted for a very long time, just been busy using my T40, but im now wanting a little more spec, so do i get a T60-61, or an X61, just for browsing and running my astronomy programmes

Matter of personal preference. All things being equal, T61 for me for faster SATA II speeds and they are popping up everywhere because a lot of large corporations around Calgary are upgrading. Price is always a consideration so if you get a sweet deal then go for it. Matter of finding the sweet spot between price and the features you want.

Is there much difference in reliability between T6x and X61?
I had the southbridge go on my T40 and it cost a fair amount to fix

Yes, at least when comparing straight Intel chipset X61vsT61. X61 has a thinner palmrest, which makes it hot to the touch on some models, and prone to cracking at the PC card slot. T61 is thicker and stronger.

X61 = 12.1" Standard 4:3
T60 = 14.1" and 15" Standard 4:3, or 15.4" Widescreen
T61 = 14.1" Standard 4:3, or 14.1" and 15.4" Widescreen
T61 has problems with the nVidia GPU models, the Intel GPU models are fine.

Thanks for the replies, the X61 is just in the lead so far, im thinking 2g core 2 duo with 3 gig ram and 80-120 HD running win 7

Two things here, from my perspective:

a) If you're looking at a standard (non-"s") X61, go for one of the later models with a Penryn CPU - T8100 or above - since they run much cooler and a few extra quid will be money well spent IMO.

b) At today's prices of SSDs, it would be a sin not to throw one in if you need just 120GB or so of storage. Install Middleton's BIOS and watch that baby fly.

My $0.02 only...

Thanks for the advice, cant seem to find any T8100 spec here in the uk, only T7300 or lower, though i have seen an HP 6910p that has the core 2 duo with T9300 that should be a real flyer, but its not an ibm, and i want to stay loyal to the thinkpads

Don't forget the R61 too. It's a little heavier and thicker than the T61, but an otherwise solid ThinkPad and might be less expensive than the T61. If you want to go a little newer, the T400/R400 or X200, which has the aesthetically pleasing touch padless palm rest, might be worth a look too.