how does the screen of the x32 compare with the x61's? i'm currently using an x61 when i travel but the screen is too dark. i mostly read documents and check emails on this machine.

about performance, i know it would'nt match the x61 but would it compare to a t43? (its the oldest thinkpad i've used so far)

The screens on X32 and X61 should be comparable. I never found neither of them too dark, although in bright sun they won't be very usable.

When traveling, I assume you run your laptop on battery? Make sure to go into the BIOS and set the LCD brightness from "Normal" to "High". This will make sure it will be as bright on battery as on AC (a big difference in usability, IMO, although of course you pay with some battery life).

It is always possible that your particular screen has something wrong with it - maybe a worn out backlight that lost a significant portion of its brightness; hard to say without looking at it side by side with something else.

Comparing the X32 to T43, they are quite similar. They start at about the same performance level for the low-end configurations (1.6GHz CPUs), but the high-end T43s go higher (up to 2.26GHz, whereas the X32 max is 2GHz). T43 RAM is also faster (DDR2-533 vs DDR-333).

the screen is dim even when connected on ac and the brightness maxxed, whites are all yellowish. i think i should have the screen checked out. thanks for the input

this mean your screen is in need for replacement.

I can't speak for the X61 specifically, but I've owned several X60s and X32s, and the screen difference is negligible, if you can even see one.

I have an X31 and an X60s, and would agree that the screens have negligible difference, but I think it was clear that the OP had a hardware problem.

However, the biggest difference for me is the keyboard feel. The X60s keyboard feels soft and a little loose compared to that of the X31; in reality the younger machine has had far less use than the older one so it is not a 'wear and tear' issue.

long time lurker but just joined:)
if your screen is dim-ish and yellowed, you are losing blue.
try unplugging the display cable and plugging it back in. sometimes age, ect. screws up the colours and blue is usually first to show.
hope i helped.
i have 12 thinkpads so i'll be back from time to time looking for advice.

I found the x30 display much better than the x60 display but there was a long time between the comparision. The x60 display is not that good. As an example, the T40 14 inch displays are really good. And the IPS displays from the 15 inch panels with SXGA+/UXGA resolutions.