[4][5] Z series would however eventually get merged with T60 and result in a new widescreen model (15.4" only, however) being announced in November of 2006, effectively invalidating its existence.

Reviewers praised them for their design, including the new Titanium lid, as well as performance with the then-current Dothan architecture Pentium M and, for the Z60m, Mobility Radeon X600 graphics.

[5][7][8] The cost reduced Z61e was also announced then, using the chassis of the Z61m, although lacks a trackpad, dedicated graphics, among other features, as with the R60e to the R60[4] The new Z61m and Z61t were also quite well received, although NOTEBOOKCHECK noted that the Z61m was oversized,[9] while a user on the ThinkPads forum pointed out that the Z61t was smaller than the 14.1" widescreen T61 (and thus a T60 of that size, if it were to exist).

It introduced a higher resolution 1920x1200 screen, ATI FirePro V5200, and came with the option of newer Core 2 Duo CPUs right from the start.

The Z61t wouldn't get properly replaced until the 9th of May, 2007, when the 14.1" widescreen T61 was announced, based on an updated architecture.