I have a 600X, and use it outside all the time to listen to music and internet radio from the built in speakers. Often I need to play it quite loudly, and it is up to the task. Here is my concern... considering buying a new X Series laptop, but have heard some opinions that the speakers are weak/not very loud. Is thst the case? If I am indoors, the 600X at maximum volume is actually too loud to be comfortable. What is your experience with the volume level on the X Series?

Leon - Welcome to the forum. No need to cross-post though.

The X40's speaker (mono) is definitely on the low side (quality and volume). I would never use it to listen to music or watch videos. It's only adequate for your typical Windows beeps and sound effects. Adding the X4 Ultrabase helps a little, but its speakers are located side-by-side in such a way that you don't really get a stereo effect from the two speakers.

Thanks! So. proud owner, what aboiut the T series?

T-Series speakers are definitely better than the X-Series speaker. But I never had a 600 series so I can't say if they're comparable.

I've had/have both. The 600x series speaker face upward... which is sometimes annoying if your hands cover the speakers. The T series has angled-downward firing speaker on the front edge. It sounds best when deflecting off of a hard surface and can be loud. If you place it on a soft surface, the sound will not be very loud. With the 600X and the T40p both on a hard table, the T40p can be both louder and better. On your lap, sitting outside in the part, the 600X will sound louder because of the upward firing speakers.

As others have said, the T series has the best speakers, less high pitched than the 600 series ones are. They provide a very nice sound which I find often provides a nice substitute for earphones or my stereo. But like others have said, it'll sound best on a hard surface, still sounds okay when it isn't though.
The X series speaker is best suited to speech, it puts out a higher pitched sound, and is reminiscent of radio quality. It also works like the T series in that it sounds best when on a desk, although it suffers a bit more when away from a desk.

Another thing I've found, with my X20 at least, they may have fixed this in later models The full sound volume is quieter than my T23, but when I plug it into the X2 ultrabase it goes up to the same level as the T23, a rather interesting and annoying quirk which lessens its suitability for mp3 playing.

FYI, the 600X is not an X series laptop. It predates the letter naming schema. IBM's original naming system was number based (in an attempt to appease the old IBM board for using a name in the first place("ThinkPad"), which was strictly not done in IBM-land.) It was originally a number sometimes followed by a letter.

For a great history of the ThinkPad (two parts and full of really cool info including how the ThinkPad got its design and name, even how the scrollpoint came about, and how it changed the laptop scene for all makers) check out:
[url=http://www.e-insite.net/eb-mag/index.asp?layout=article&articleId=CA66399&stt=00]
Part I of an article on the origins of the ThinkPad [/url]
[url=http://www.e-insite.net/eb-mag/index.asp?layout=article&articleId=CA66373&stt=00]
Part II of an article on the origins of the ThinkPad [/url]

It's hosted by Electronic Business webzine (and it requires a free registration to read-- I wish it didn't or I wish I could post it legally here since it has some really great/interesting info)