/tpg/ - ThinkPad General

Previous thread: If you're looking for purchase advice, state your budget and requirements (e.g. size and performance).
Don't buy anything OTHER THAN IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad T, X, and W/P Series if you want the Real Business Experience™

>Other business laptops are welcome in /tpg/ (Dell Latitude/Precision, HP EliteBook/ZBook).

Libreboot-compatible models:
>T60, X60; X200, T400/500; W500.
Modern models:
>X220/X230 - 12", 768p, cheap and light
>T420/T430 - 14", 900p, widely available, socketed CPU, both Coreboot-compatible (Ivy Bridge CPU support on T420); Old keyboard swap on *30 series
>T520/530; W520/530 - 15", 1080p, DTR, 32GB RAM on quadcore models, USB 3.0
>T440p/540p; W540/1 - Last Thinkpads with socketed processors, easily replaceable trackpad (W541 doesn't need trackpad replacement)
>P-Series - 15'' + 17'', 4K display, up to 64GB of RAM, Xeon CPU option. Expensive.

Why ThinkPad?
>Used machines are plentiful and cheap
>Excellent keyboards - tactile feel and quiet
>Great durability: magnesium rollcage for structural integrity, with high quality plastic body panels
>Utilitarian design: e.g. indicator LEDs, 7 row keyboard layout on older models
>Docking stations that easily turns your laptop into a desktop
>Easy to repair (most models), upgrade & maintain thanks to readily available service manuals for every model, spare parts easy & cheap to obtain
>The best TrackPoint™, great for those who type a lot or hate swiping their fingers all over a touchpad
>Excellent GNU/Linux & *BSD support

>Hardware Maintenance Manuals (HMM's) and Windows drivers for legacy devices:
download.lenovo.com/eol
>Used laptop guides by xsauc:
dankpads.com
>ThinkWiki - Info on ThinkPads & running GNU/Linux on them:
thinkwiki.org/wiki/ThinkWiki
>ThinkPad service guides w/ tutorial videos:
lenovoservicetraining.com/ (currently not working, possibly indefinitely)
>BIOS logo booru:
biosimage.booru.org/

Attached: Librebooted_Thinkpads.jpg (2355x2131, 537K)

Other urls found in this thread:

thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T530
support.lenovo.com/partslookup
twitter.com/SFWRedditVideos

x220 for 100€
y/n?

y

fuck yes dude

So I'm usually on Jow Forums but I'm looking for a new laptop. Thinkpad line looks solid trying to stay under $1000 new. Recommendations? Should I avoid the E and A series?

How do you get the newer 7mm SSDs to fit in the thinkpad's 9.5mm caddy properly??

Crucial SSDs have a spacer for this

read the OP and lurk
for that sum you can build 5 decently specc'd thinkpads and three high-end (big ssd, 16 gb ram) ones

cushion it with toilet paper or something

Used x220 I bought came without hdd caddy, so i just left ssd flopping there with no support, 3 years later it still works fine lol.

Is it possible to get a thinkpad similar to a T430 with modern or close to modern specs?

I just want the Thinkpad IO, build quality and trackpoint but dont want to feel like I'm fucked for the future.

So I am getting a stack of T520 and T530 to fix up and sell, and gonna make a nice T530 for my self, is the 1080 screen a drop in?

The newest T series ? They got thunderbolt so you're probably set for life with the amount of adapters that can support, otherwise you just get a solid io that should be similiar to older T series.

Is the best battery for the t440 the 68+(6 cell) ?

I bought the last one for 128 €, HD+ (1600x900)
it's common for newbies to fall for overpriced shit
the OS shouldn't even be listed among the specs
same goes for webcam
it's common to sell those with 4GB ram, that's irrelevant
additional 4GB DDR3 1600Mhz could be acquired for ~17€/bank (used)
>So I am getting a stack of T520 and T530 to fix up and sell
Good luck
>is the 1080 screen a drop in
thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T530
support.lenovo.com/partslookup
yes

I got a T420 for $129 or so that was perhaps only marginally shittier than that specwise. Maybe.

You decide from the ebay headline:

>Lenovo ThinkPad T420 14" Intel Core I5-2520m 2.50GHz 4GB 128GB Windows 7

180 euro is like $200something, I think that's a bit overpriced. Something should be added to that to sweeten the deal.

What is the best twist around tablet you can get like the one in the op?

I used to have one of those a long time ago and that picture really brings me back

$300 budget suggestions?

Well, I need to update my X220 bios, so i used geteltorito to convert the bios iso to an .img file and copied to an usb stick, but everytime I try to boot from this usb stick I get "Failed to load ldlinux.c32". Does anyone know what is wrong?

which thinkpad can i use as a tablet, that also has hdmi?

id like to be able to use the thinkpad as a second monitor and have some flexibility.

I think Yogas have Hdmi. Else, x220t/230t have mini DP
X61t if you want 4:3 aspect ratio
X201t, with 16:10 screens
X230t, with your typical 16:9 ratio

gay

>X61t if you want 4:3 aspect ratio
>X201t, with 16:10 screens
>X230t, with your typical 16:9 ratio

Thanks

X201t imo
>X61t has CCFL backlight and screen bubble problems, as well as a cramped keyboard layout
>X200t has a dozen screen options and at least half of them should be avoided at all costs
>X220t/X230t are filthy 1366x768
though I will say something the X230t has going for it is that you can get a backlit keyboard, which actually matters since the tablet models don't have thinklight

What would be the best option for a cheap durable 1080p laptop under 4 pounds and 14" or under (US)? I'm just autistic enough to drop in a new screen or other large part but not really interested in doing full scale frankenmods.

It feels like I have these options:

> T450s w/ FHD screen ($300)
This seems like the best idea. Up to 20gb RAM, Broadwell, seems to have the best quality screen for the price. Some are these are still under warranty, which is... kinda nice?
> x240 w/ FHD screen + x250 trackpad ($250-300)
A little more effort, a little smaller, Haswell, maxes out at 12gb memory. I think I'd rather do the T450s.
I could try to get an equivalent x250 with Broadwell, but that seems difficult.
> x230 w/ FHD or QHD and 7 row keyboard from lcdfans (I assume ~$500?)
This would be the most interesting. Best keyboard/build, Ivy Bridge i7-3520M, 16gb max, but I'm concerned about the potential issues with the screens (1080p being semi-destructive 13.3", 1440p being a battery sucker and being too detailed for 12.5", potential flicker, etc.), being kinda screwed if problems arise, and the price.

Are there any details or choices I'm missing here? Any suggestions?

Buddy is working for a company that is moving and he was hanging around IT as they where packing up and cleaning out, they are faulty but not worn out.

i'm planning to get an x200 (because libreboot) from minifree. It's going to spend a good portion of its life plugged into a 1920*1080 vga monitor playing 720p video. Will this work out?
The price is pretty high, around $400 aud.

libreboot is trash
build an AMD desktop that supports coreboot

can you elabortate on why it's trash? as far as i'm aware coreboot isn't completely free unlike libreboot

Don't listen to him, but you could save a few bucks if you buy a regular X200 and flash it yourself.

i've really considered this, however I am not confident in my ability to not screw the flashing up. along with at least knowing Leah over at minifree wont screw me over with not-as-described hardware. MAybe i'm too pessimistic about it all.

Thanks for this as well

What dou you want? What Specs?
I could sell you a shitty T40 for that price.

what happened to the old thinkpad guide?

>Libreboot-compatible models:
>T60, X60; X200, T400/500; W500.
They fucked up when introduced this trannyboot shit.

whats the last version of thinkpad you would trust (if any) before the bios malware shit went down? im looking at a x230 but the bios version is real recent

Not to computer savy leaning towards a Lenovo ThinkPad not sure which one would prefer to spend under 600. I plan to use it for Microsoft excel/word, crypto exchanges, wallets, porn, and vpns. What do you guise suggest I read the OP but am still lost.

never heard of this manufacturer
is it a good laptop?

>Under 600
If you're doing that shit you could spend 40 easy

T440

I want something that's going to last, easy to use and has the potential to more

What are the cpu upgrade options in the t430? Feeling like upgrading it later on form the standard i5 3220m, looking for a quad, any recommendations?

Is 4GB of RAM enough for Web Dev?

Double up to 8gb, you lose nothing doing that.

Also should i go for grade B? Is it that bad or not? I found a refurb T430 on ebay for 180 euro (could get cheaper deals but cant buy outside eu cuz of the fucking customs) should i go for it?

Ive looked in a bunch of dumpsters but I cant find any thinkpads. I even tried a few office buildings. Is this only in certain places?

Why isn't the T/X 61 on that list?

Is there a moderb battery or something like that that I can put on a t430s? I like it but the battery is shit.

Out of curiosity, what is the most you guys would ever pay for a W500? I hear you can do some sorcery on them to make them take Core 2 Quads.

Is getting an x220 over a t420 worth it for the mobility? I want a laptop because I need it to be portable, but maybe I'd be just fine with a t420.

Recently got a T420 (after ordeing a T410 but I'm not complaining)

Now the keyboard seems to be a french ISO one relabeled to DE, and the stickers feel pretty shite.
I was going to replace it with an ANSI US board off of aliexpress or something.

Does anyone have experience with replacing an ISO with an ANSI board or vice versa? Want to know if the thing fits before ordering.

Thinkpad X61--how well is the screen on this model?
I'm planning on buying one but want to make sure I'm not left with a bad screen. I use a T420 now and have always wanted a 4:3 aspect ratio screen. Is the screen still worthy of using?

absolute garbage
1024x768 is a pathetic fucking resolution and I laugh at all the faggots that look at that eye cancer day in day out because they were too retarded to flash coreboot on a better computer.

My first thinkpad was a t420 that I built myself. After a while, I felt like the t420 was too big for me.
I started getting envy towards the x series, so I ended up getting a x220t.
Now I love my t420 more than anything.
Get a t420.

>Does anyone have experience with replacing an ISO with an ANSI board or vice versa? Want to know if the thing fits before ordering.
I replaced my US ANSI keyboard with a weeb JP ISO keyboard. There's no reason it shouldn't fit, the only difference is some keys like "enter" are shaped and arranged differently.

This, haha.

Yeah, stop buying chink batteries and get a genuine one straight from Lenovo.

Well I'm glad you're satisfied, but I didn't ask about resolution.
I'm wondering if the screen is washed out or not. Since I'm coming from an honestly bad screen like that on the T420 I want something that looks better.
If you want a beautiful laptop you should consider an xps or a macbook; they're well known for their beautiful screens.

>I replaced my US ANSI keyboard with a weeb JP ISO keyboard. There's no reason it shouldn't fit, the only difference is some keys like "enter" are shaped and arranged differently.
Thanks mate

if you think the t420 screen is bad then a t/x61 is going to be painful.
It might as well be fucking monochrome
>t. owns T60 T61 X60
Also
>wants a better screen
>buys a decade old laptop
are you retarded?

Actually, I'm retarded, not him.
So I guess I got my answer.
Then the other option is to go for an x62 51nb mod panel then.

I'm thinking about getting a trackpad sticker for my latitude, just so I don't wear it out.
Do they feel like shit to use?
Also where the fuck would I even buy one?

Not good. X61t is a bit more acceptable, depending on how aged the CCFL backlight is. There's also a guy who makes LED conversion kits, but I wouldn't shell out the money for one for a mere 1024x768 screen. If you're gonna do that, do it with a 15" T60 with a 1400x1050 or 1600x1200 IPS screen.

Bought a used thinkpad t420. Upgraded the bios to the latest version, now I want to reinstall the OS (win 7 pro), thing is I don't have a boot disk. How do I go about reinstalling?

Is the t60 too big to be portable? I'm between that and a x220 (don't mind hardware, im gonna buy one of those modded ones with modern hardware)

I mean the 15 inch version.

Are there any guarantees that higher processors on ThinkPad models guarantee stuff like backlit keyboards and not 1366x768 displays?

Seen one I'm eyeing at 3.3Ghz but display was not mentioned, contacting seller about it, seeing if I can get the better trackpad fitted at the same time too as upgrades are offered.

T420 or T430? Any huge difference?

T440p by the way.

lack of replies should saw it all, I have a W510 and wouldn't want to go any older than this

Yeah, better processors generally correlate with better screens and a dgpu. Backlightt's a crapshoot (but you should be able to grab one online somewhere), and trackpad swaps are usually done on the buyer's end.

Try to see if you can get the unit's serial number (just ask if you can get a picture of the laptop's underside if you don't want to arouse suspicion). You can check its original configuration on Lenovo's website, although that's not infallible.

Yeah the trackpad is a long shot but having seen videos of it getting done the last thing I want is to break something just to replace the trackpad.

Keyboard mod is easy, feel comfortable doing that. Just not the trackpad, can live without that.

Good price I've got for this model, breaking point will be the display. Spending enough money on it, not getting it if there is the shitty screen.

Any of the think pads off Amazon worth it? Im looking in the 500 range and have some amazon gift cards but the majority of its refurbished with mixed reviews. I use my computers for normie stuff and the occassional game,

What's the best place to get laptop skins?
looks like there's some on ebay that fit elitebooks and thinkpads but they're like 20 bucks
that's the price of a dock...

Not really, most improvements in cpu power have been minimal since the Sandy Bridge series.

thinkpad prices on ebay.fr are so different from ebay.com
can't get good deals there

>if you think the t420 screen is bad then a t/x61 is going to be painful.
wat

I use both a FHD IPS T440p and a 1024x768 X61t (I think the screen is IPS, not entirely sure but it's okay) regularly and i think both screens are perfectly fine to use. This is coming from someone who also hated the shitty screen on the T420 which is why i sold it and got a T440p, this was before the T420 FHD mod was a thing though.

the 1366x768 is leagues above the shitty early *60 screens
You're either blind or shilling for your ebay store.

western yurop reseller here
are you looking for azerty keyboards only or are you comfortable with german and italian ones too? I usually don't bother to target/ship to france since you're all so uncomfortable with anything less french than a baguette au fromage

Is the motherboard of the x220/x230 same as their tablet version?

Finally got my T60, just set it up. Everything seems great, except the battery only gets ~2 hours of life. Where do you recommend getting a replacement battery from? I've heard bad stuff about the amazon chink batteries.

Attached: 2018-04-29-190201_1024x768_scrot.png (1024x768, 445K)

>literal 11 year old laptop
>expecting battery life

i'm looking for anything that has keys on it and if the keyboard really bothers me i could just swap it with anything else
also i think our azerty layout is trash (especially for writing code)

Where did I say I was expecting it to ship with a long battery life? I'm asking where the best place to buy a replacement is.

>expecting it to ship with a long battery life
Dude, it's 11 years old.

The T60 never got good battery life.
It especially won't with a modern OS.

You can definitely get 3-4 hours out of a good 9cell and the right hardware configuration.

Which you don't have. Two hours on that configuration sounds about right for a good battery. The ATI GPU sucks power like a whore. You'd see better results by getting an Intel iGPU motherboard.

>T60 with a gpu
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I bet you bought that piece of garbage just to fit in with all the other retards on here.
enjoy baking the motherboard in a few months.

Thank you for the clear answer.

I want a used thinkpad I can play LoL on and watch movies. Budget about 300 USD max. The cheaper the better, since I don't need it for anything else.

Recommendations?

Also, I live in Japan, should I just buy it from Mercari?

The temperature never goes over 50 so it seems fine to me. I needed a temporary backup laptop and it was the cheapest one I could find (paid under $50)

I get ~5h from a 8-cell on my X61t, still going strong. Bought it from AliExpress because everyone else is a fucking pussy about sending batteries overseas.

Just avoid "too cheap to be true" listings and you'll be fine.