Lenovo’s R-Series used to play second fiddle to the T-Series, offering cut-down features and less performance for budget-strapped businesses. The pedigree gap is now closer, and the ThinkPad R61 is a very good laptop which should certainly be considered if you don’t need the premier performance of the T-Series. The new model is more media-friendly than its predecessors too, it now has widescreen and Blu-ray options, and the inclusion of 802.11n is great for heavy wireless networking. All models in the range share the same excellent built quality, and you’ve got a choice of adding more layers of security depending on your business needs. If you can do without WWAN and cutting-edge 3D graphics, the ThinkPad R51’s build quality and manageability should give it a long lifespan and prove excellent value for money.