Previous thread: 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).
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); Quad Core Compatible, Old keyboard swap on *30 series >T520/530; W520/530 - 15", 1080p, DTR, 32GB RAM on quadcore models, USB 3.0 >T440s - best price/performance ultra portable >T440p/540p; W540/1 - Last Thinkpads with socketed processors, easily replaceable trackpad (W541 doesn't need trackpad replacement)
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
Could desecrate that thinkpad in the image and shove a pi in there ez.
Tyler Rogers
Do thinkpads have secure hardware?
Liam Wright
I have both a T420 and a W510. The W510, which I don't use anymore has an i7 in it. Can I upgrade my T420 by replicing its i5 with the W510s i7?
Parker Clark
how do I libreboot x200t? The tablet version seems to have different instructions and I am pretty new
Hunter Fisher
why arent you using your W510?
Xavier Brooks
>accidentally step on my T530 because I'm a retard >it doesn't break and still works fine because it's a Thinkpad not a fagbook >still, it leaves a bright patch in the middle of the screen that will trigger my OCD >I can get a replacement one that is also 1080p for 60 bucks, but then I will feel that I'm overinvesting into it Someone just kill me.
Samuel Rogers
>T400 >hangs at some point during boot >hard reset >boots fine
Any thinkpad tablety type I can do a libre bios on without having to open it up?
Gabriel Kelly
Keep the old screen. It's not damage, it's a BATTLE SCAR.
Justin Campbell
I find it too big and clunky. I compared the two CPUs and apparently my i5 is better anyway. I did transfer RAM to my T420 though, upgraded it to 12GiB from 8GiB.
I wish I had gotten the X201 instead. Then this would have been a good pretext to order the chink 3k screen and put it into my laptop.
Dylan Lewis
you can only do that if you add the X210 mobo as well.
Isaac Sanders
The X60 Tablet can be librebooted just through software, but it's quite old.
Matthew Howard
Thoughts on the T450s? I work in 2D animation which isn't the most graphically intensive field but it requires a decent amount of processing power. I'm looking to get rid of my custom built PC and I'm not really looking to get a gaming laptop since I'll just fucking play games on it anyway,
Would you say this model would be substantial for this kind of field? Think Photoshop level intensive work.
Cameron Jackson
It is also desirable to me, but I wish they replaced the VGA port with Thunderbolt 3. I feel it's hard for me to shillout my neetbucks at a modern motherboard that lacks modern connectivity.
Lucas Russell
don't worry, thunderbolt will be deprecated soon enouh
William Morgan
Yeah, but muh egpu
Charles Ortiz
Seems to me that the T440s is actually a better bang for the buck. I should have read the OP.
Angel Price
Is there a way to get HDMI or Display Port out of it? I've seen docks for older ones which would remedy my only issue with an older device
Dominic Bennett
>big and clunky pussy the screen alone is worth it
Thoughts on L380 Yoga for uni? I'd like a 13" although not mandatory >good specs >upgradable >in theory more durable than other ultrabooks but still portable >display seems to be better than L/T series >convertible, if needed >affordable price
Jack Moore
so just replace it? how the fuck are you putting up that shit tier 1600x900 basically monochrome display when you have a god tier one just sitting there?
The X240 with a shitty listing I took a chance on is in fantastic condition and came with the i7-4600U. Screen is the dogshit 720p panel, but that's easy enough to swap out. Seems like it needs a repaste, so I'll just dissemble it fully once the new screen and X250 touchpad I just ordered arrive.
Wyatt Nguyen
>T440s - best price/performance ultra portable The X230 is cheaper and has an older but faster CPU than the T440s.
Sebastian Stewart
X201 for exactly $100. Is this a good deal? I've never bought a ThinkPad before. Is Libreboot compatible with it (X200 is)? Is it a good laptop?
take it this way I'd love a x201 and would happily pay $100 for it spent more for less on thinkpads before
It's new enough to be usable but old enough to have loads of nice features. Currently I have a x230 but after spending some time programming on my x61 I really like some of the (even) older designs
Grayson Edwards
4+4 is dual channel, which is substantially faster than single channel.
Josiah Miller
ty bud
Luis White
What is the fastest GPU that can be used on an X230 eGPU setup before it's no longer worth it/possible?
Andrew Lee
Probably an RX580 before you start seeing severe diminishing returns.
I'm gonna buy a t440s for around £150, is that a good deal, also any advice on this one about future upgrades etc?
Blake Harris
sorry lad meant to say goddess
John Lewis
Thank you for removing the racist language from the OP.
Adrian Nguyen
Should I replace the broken motherboard of my x201 or just give up and get a x220?
Hunter Martinez
Got an x230 on the way and I'm fucking excited, boys. Probably the last model ThinkPad to be released to have a genuinely great design.
Samuel Carter
I know I'm gonna get shit for this but I got the X1 Carbon 2018. I've been using my X220 since December 2011 and it's time is long past. I'll repurpose the X220 as a full Linux machine while dual booting Windows and GNU/Linux on the X1.
Won't I have to change the LCD panel too if I do this?
Carter Flores
What's in the pic
Henry Perez
degenerate
Jeremiah Evans
I just sidegraded from an X220 to an X240, too much shit soldered on the Carbons for my liking. I also like to wait 4-5 years after release for BIOS updates to roll out. This has the added benefit of saving me a significant amount of money.
Joshua Reed
no. You *can*, you don't have to.
Elijah Harris
Can someone just write an easy list of Thinkpads with replaceable CPU:s?
Needs to be at least Core i5/i7 generation, not core2duo
Is a Thinkpad with a Core i7 3610QM and 8GB ram good enough to be a streaming pc?
Christian Sullivan
>try to find a decent thinkpad >every fucking site has fucked up search filters >i cant be bothered to sift through i5s to see if they are dual core or not, if the hdd has the right fucking platter speed, I need a thinkpad with a 1080p screen, 4 cores and hyper threading, at least 500GB of storage (HDD must be 7200 RPM), and dedicated graphics equal to or better than a Nvidia MX150, all for $800 or less. Spoonfeed me
check out blog.vimuser.org/littleleah.html There's a lot of small problems that wont let it work on new hardware, that link outlines them. It's a little in depth but really interesting if you wanna go balls deep into learning how your thinkpad workds.
basically an X200 with an LED screen and a better igpu. check out blog.vimuser.org/littleleah.html for libreboot compatibility and how to install it.
Connor Jones
Theres a bunch of quad core, high graphic models that can also be librebooted for muh freedumbs so you can have your cake and eat it too check out blog.vimuser.org/littleleah.html for the list
Owen Anderson
Is the performance difference between the x220 and x230 substantial in any way? I've been reading that the older processor in the x220 is actually faster than the x230 which makes me more willing to compromise the lack of usb 3.0 and get the x220 instead. (Need that keyboard).
Adrian Ross
>le funni nsfw url this isnt reddit, is it supposed to make me cringe from disgust or pure boredom? Im experiencing the latter. I would have expected more oomph.
Grayson Taylor
WTF
Andrew Hill
Well I have a T420s with a i5-2520m, X230 with a i5-3320M, T450 with a i5-4300u, the T420s is probably the fastest of the bunch.
Elijah Jenkins
Dam I'm gunna cum if that's true
Caleb Diaz
lmao what the fuck have you been reading
Andrew Parker
Why would you choose a ThinkPad over a Macbook? Can you list your reasons?
Price (especially used) Is actually durable (both normal wear and tear and accidents) More upgradable Generally can be disassembled with common tools User-replaceable battery Actually manages to maintain reasonable temperatures
Lucas Jenkins
what is libreboot? why should i install it? i have a t500
Joshua Turner
Source on OP's pic? Went digging for a minute and couldn't find anything
I once dropped my t420, audio jack broke, it was even in my backpack, I love the thing
then the fucking hinge screw slots just broke out of the plastic, goodbye hinges (this happened on a random day).
then I bought a t440p, a key broke.
idk if I'm just unlucky
but I'm starting to think they're not so rugged as one might think
Josiah James
Which of these is the best buy for 300 dollarydoos?
Want: best processor, most fast Don't care about: ram or hdd (will upgrade myself)
Lincoln Sanders
at that pricepoint, why not go for ebay instead?
Alexander Young
t440p, definitely, once you get over the trackpad, this shit is boss, plus docks and accessories are compatible with latest models, so if you go for an upgrade in the future it won't be much of a pain
Brandon Jones
>but I'm starting to think they're not so rugged as one might think haha, you fell for the meme. Did you also install gentoo?
Hunter Green
>a key broke Happens on a thinkpad: $20 keyboard from ebay Happens on a modern macbook: good luck, the keyboard is riveted to the case
Carson Russell
Firstly because ebay dickbutts be askin for twice what their shitty old janky lappys be worth, and secondly because I don't want the hassle. This way I get one that's clean and working.