IBM ThinkPad i1500 Series
IBM Type 2611/2621/2651
The ThinkPad i1500 Series were consumer multimedia laptops that were released from July 1999 through April 2000. The series underwent many revisions, and suffers from confusing model naming, which has made them a bit tricky to document.
These laptops were manufactured for IBM by Acer.
Specifications
| Spec | ThinkPad i Series 1500 (2611) | ThinkPad i Series 1500 (2621) | ThinkPad i Series 1500 (2651) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | July 1999 | October 1999 | April 2000 |
| CPU | CPU Type: Unknown Intel Mobile Celeron @366MHz | CPU Type: Unknown Intel Mobile Celeron @433 or 466MHz | CPU Type: Unknown - Intel Mobile Pentium III @500MHz - Intel Mobile Celeron @500MHz |
| Chipset | ALi Aladdin IV | Intel 440BX | |
| RAM | Type: PC66 SDRAM, 2 slots Standard: 64MB Maximum: 256MB | Type: PC100 SDRAM, 2 slots Standard: 64MB Maximum: 256MB | |
| Storage | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: Unknown Standard: 4.8GB | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: Unknown Standard: 4.8, 6.0, or 6.4GB | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: Unknown Standard: 12GB |
| Display Options | - 12.1" Active Matrix LCD @800x600 - 14.1" Active Matrix LCD @1024x768 | - 12.1" Active Matrix LCD @800x600 - 14.1" Active Matrix LCD @1024x768 - 15.0" Active Matrix LCD @1024x768 | |
| Graphics Chipset | NeoMagic MagicMedia 256AV (NM2200) VRAM: 2.5MB | ATI Rage Mobility-M VRAM: 4MB | |
| Audio | ESS Solo-1E - Stereo Speakers - Microphone | ||
| Main Battery | Lithium Ion (non-intelligent) | Lithium Ion | NiMH or Lithium Ion |
| CMOS Battery | Unknown | ||
| Power Supply | Barrel Jack | ||
| Media Drives | 3 Spindle - 3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive - 24X CD-ROM Drive | ||
| PC Cards | 2x PCMCIA/CardBus Slots (2x Type II/1x Type III) - ZoomVideo Support (upper slot) | 1x PCMCIA/CardBus Slot (Type III) - ZoomVideo Support | 1x PCMCIA/CardBus Slot (Type III) |
| Networking | 56k Modem | 56k Modem (Lucent 1646) | 56k Modem |
| Other I/O | - 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x Dock Connector - 1x USB 1.x - 1x Mic In - 1x Line In - 1x Line Out | - 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x USB 1.x - 1x Mic In - 1x Line In - 1x Line Out | |
| BIOS | IBM (Acer-based) | ||
| Pointing Device | TrackPoint | ||
Model-Specific
You can identify the sub-model via the serial number sticker. For example, "TYPE 2621-541" is a model 1541.
| Model | Date | Type | CPU | Chipset | RAM | HDD | GPU | LCD | PCMCIA | Battery | Port Repl. | ThinkLight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model 1512 | July 1999 | 2611-512 | Celeron @366MHz | ALi | PC66 | 4.8GB | NeoMagic | 12.1" | 2 slots | Lithium Ion | Yes | No |
| Model 1552 | July 1999 | 2611-552 | Celeron @366MHz | ALi | PC66 | 4.8GB | NeoMagic | 14.1" | 2 slots | Lithium Ion | Yes | No |
| Model 1540 | October 1999 | 2621-540 | Celeron @433MHz | ALi | PC66 | 4.8GB | ATI | 12.1" | 1 slot | Lithium Ion | No | No |
| Model 1560 | October 1999 | 2621-560 | Celeron @466MHz | ALi | PC66 | 6.4GB | ATI | 14.1" | 1 slot | Lithium Ion | No | Yes |
| Model 1541 | January 2000 | 2621-541 | Celeron @433MHz | ALi | PC66 | 6.0GB | ATI | 12.1" | 1 slot | Lithium Ion | No | No |
| Model 1542 | April 2000 | 2651-542 | Celeron @500MHz | Intel | PC100 | 12GB | ATI | 12.1" | 1 slot | NiMH | No | No |
| Model 1562 | April 2000 | 2651-562 | Pentium III @500MHz | Intel | PC100 | 12GB | ATI | 14.1" | 1 slot | Lithium Ion | No | Yes |
| Model 1592 | April 2000 | 2651-592 | Pentium III @500MHz | Intel | PC100 | 12GB | ATI | 15.0" | 1 slot | Lithium Ion | No | Yes |
Resources
| Link | Details |
|---|---|
 |
IBM ThinkPad i Series 1400/1500 (Type 2621/2651) Hardware Maintenance Manual |
|
IBM ThinkPad i Series 1400/1500 (Type 2611) Hardware Maintenance Manual |
 |
IBM ThinkPad i Series Personal Systems Reference (PSREF) |
Common Faults & Maintenance
Brittle Plastic & Hinge Failure
The most common fault with these laptops is problems with the display hinges. Brittle plastic and poor design can cause plastic cracks near them, which will lead to hinge failure.
In addition to hinge problems, these do not have a reputation for reliability. I hear complaints about display and motherboard failures all the time.