Previous thread: >>51684241
Other business laptops are also welcome in /tpg/ (e.g. Dell Latitude/Precision, HP EliteBook/ZBook).
If you're looking for purchase advice, READ THE BUYERS GUIDE FIRST. Then post, stating budget and requirements (e.g. size and performance).
Don't buy anything OTHER THAN T, X AND W SERIES if you want the Real ThinkPad Experience™
Recommended models:
T420 - 14", normal size
X220 - 12.5", lightweight
----
No news.
----
Why ThinkPad? (also applies to other business laptops)
>They’re really cheap when you buy a used one.
>Keyboards feel excellent while typing (yes, even the newer ones).
>Great durability thanks to the inclusion of rollcages and use of glass fiber reinforced plastic for the chassis. The keyboard is splash proof and spilled liquids will drain out.
>Utilitarian design - e.g. indicator LEDs, 7 row keyboard layout on older models.
>Docking solutions that easily turns your laptop into a desktop.
>Easy to repair, upgrade and maintain thanks to readily available service manuals for almost every model. Spare parts are easy and cheap to obtain.
>The best trackpoint (that red thing on the middle of the keyboard). Great for those who type a lot or hate swiping their fingers all over a touchpad.
>Excellent GNU/Linux & *BSD support.
----
Used ThinkPad Buyers Guide:
http://ktgee.net/tpg
EPP discount for new ThinkPads (USA only, usually 15%+ off):
http://pastebin.com/TdZByAXS
ThinkWiki - Info on ThinkPads and running GNU/Linux on them:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/ThinkWiki
ThinkPad service guides w/ tutorial videos:
https://www.lenovoservicetraining.com/
If anyone has Lenovo Solution Center installed, UNINSTALL IT NOW
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/294607
"Launching the Lenovo Solution Center creates a process called LSCTaskService, which runs with SYSTEM privileges. This process runs an HTTP daemon on port 55555, which allows HTTP GET and POST requests to execute methods in the LSCController.dll module. This component includes a number of unsafe methods, including RunInstaller, which is designed to execute arbitrary code from the %APPDATA%\LSC\Local Store directory. This directory is created for each user that logs in to an affected system. The user can write to this directory, regardless of whether the account has administrative privileges on the system. This vulnerability can allow a standard local user to execute arbitrary code with SYSTEM privileges."
>tl;dr: visiting a webpage with Lenovo Solution Center can result in your machine being completely compromised
Just picked up a t420 with a 1600x900 display, 9cell battery, and a 4200M Quadro, with 4 GB of ram (upgraded to 12 with a spare 8 GB stick) and a 320GB hard drive, which i upgraded to 1 tb. All of this for $95 off of e-bay. Feels great!
>>51721101
>1 TB HDD
I'd rather have a SSD.
Does anyone with Sandy Bridge or earlier Thinkpads have issues with Flash being a gigantic processor hog?
The 2720QM in my W520 is running around 35% when just watching run-of-the-mill 480p videos, and it struggles with anything 720p and above. No issues decoding 720p or 1080p videos, even in VLC. I've got the Quadro 1000M card. Meanwhile, my desktop with an AMD FX-8320 and an R9 270X (about a year and a half old now) doesn't seem to be having any problems. But fuck me dead, it shouldn't take an octacore processor and a massive dual-slot video card to make sure fucking flash can run fine.
>>51721196
I should clarify: there are no issues decoding non-flash videos stored on a hard drive. HTML5 seems to be working fine too.
Got a x230 with an i5, 8GB RAM and 320GB, IPS screen and looking like new, without charger.
For 220€.
Strangely, the Windows Pro version it comes with is Win8 32 bit.
Good catch?
>>51721322
>32-bit Windows
>8 GB RAM
Who the fuck makes these decisions?
>>51721322
In what waters were you fishing anyway?
>>51721394
Strange as fuck, I know.
The thinkpad is swedish, you never know with those guys.
>>51721507
Ebay.
>>51721139
The only SSD I have on hand is a shitty 64 GB one from a few years back.
>>51720881
I was just gonna ask is there any drivers that I should bother downloading that windows botnet didn't automatically do for me already? The only thing I found that doesn't work so far is the tablet physical buttons and the mic mute button on my new x220t
can someone explain to me how to set the finger print part on the X220i
>>51721196
google the symptoms and see if anyone else has this problem?
Have a T530 that I acquired for free. i7, 128GB SSD boot, 256GB SSD in the ultrabay, 16GB ram, and the dedicated GPU. Two things:
I'm considering getting the back-lit keyboard, as this build omitted it. Should I play the EBAY lottery and hope for the best, or should I reference the FRU part number and just order direct from Lenovo? Also, anyone have any experience with the back-lit option on a T530 or similar? Worth it, or ThinkLight mater race?
2. Internal mSATA SSD worth? I have no investment in this machine other than the Ultrabay adapter carriage for it's second SSD.
Overall, this thing is a goddamn gem, and other than my desktop, it's my daily driver. Especially since it was free.
>>51721101
>HD+ display and 8GB RAM
you scored pretty well
>>51721589
Maybe it was set up with 2 or 3 GB originally with a 32bit windows install when it came from factory
>these computers have the same specs, why is this one cheaper? Ill buy it!
Probably had a 32bit iso and didn't know it during reinstall.
>>51722307
I wouldn't go for the eBay lottery unless you are looking for parts machine via machine type but it would suck if the keyboard had gotten swapped.
Since you got an SSD in the ultrabay, fuck it get a third!
The backlit keyboard is much more useful than the ThinkLight.
It depends what OS you have, because my Win7 T60p didn't like to turn off the display on the LCD and it would be bothersome to use thinklight on for reading books because the screen would be too bright.
whereas the X1C3 running mint will let me turn off the display.
I forget which other laptops I had where it worked
RIP ThinkLight
>>51721101
Damn. Meanwhile I'm eyeing this for like $175 more (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lenovo-T420-Core-i5-2-5-GHZ-4gb-160GB-SSD-Windows-7-Pro-Grade-A-/262176097948?hash=item3d0ae9c69c:g:r7EAAOSwpdpVbkiz) I guess I should go for an auction instead?...
>>51721322
Enjoy your shit keyboard
http://www.benl.ebay.be/itm/252171957426?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Is this a good deal
>>51722566
>these computers have the same specs, why is this one cheaper? Ill buy it!
W-what?
What do you anons think is the best convertible laptop/tablet for a CS student? I've been looking at the x230t but I'm not sure if it's gonna be too outdated or if the digitizer is going to be good for taking notes in math classes
Does anyone with a W520 have issues waking from sleep? My computer is fine if it's only in sleep mode for 30 minutes or less, but after that it will refuse to wake up. The fan will spin, but the sleep LED will still be illuminated. I'm wondering if it has something to do with the colorimeter.
>>51723078
Bitch please.
>>51722712
Too pricey
"good battery health" can be a 2 hour battery to a 6 hour one, so unless they have the Wh life thats 5/6th from the original I would be dissapointed.
>>51723243
Sometimes it may just be missing a fingerpoint reader or backlight.
Its funny to see 32bit T420's on sale from Lenovo.
>>51723252
Outdated?
It should be working fine for Windows 10.
The digitizer should be good, it might depend on the program.
The default program for Windows 7 sucked when I used it on my X61T, but I have piss drunk punk writing.
The Twist S230 had poor performance, its underclocked processor sucked.
Maybe you want a refurb Yoga 12, 14 or 15 from eBay.
>>51723078
I will thank you.
>>51723339
It comes with everything, fingerprint reader, webcam, etc. Only things lacking are the backlit keyboard and the charger.
I think the cheap price (for european standards anyway) were due to the lack of charger, I think.
>>51723375
Oh, and the battery is a 9-cell by the way.
>>51723375
I'd say thats a pretty good deal.
I paid a bit less from a M$ authorized refurbisher, but yeah that is a pretty damn good deal, I bought a bulk of four X230 with 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, 2.4GHz CPUs, I rolled the dice on them being IPS and good condition battery.
Two were IPS, I sold the IPS models for $350 and the TN for $280 iirc.
>>51723593
how much did you paid the bulk of 4? What's the profit margin?
>>51723252
The tablet versions have lower battery life.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Orig-IBM-Lenovo-T420-T420i-T420S-French-FR-keyboard-45N2152-45N2082-45N2222-/111584306907?hash=item19faf166db
Will I have any problem putting this in my T420s, swapping some keycaps and setting it as Latin American layout? Can I just swap the keycaps around to make it a normal qwerty?
Basically I fucked up, I was cleaning all the food crumbles and cat fur between the keys and broke the middle trackpoint button and lost the rubber things beneath the trackpoint mouse buttons.
>>51723689
Can't you just find the FRU for the hue version?
>>51723657
I paid shy of $780 after taxes
The profit margin was shit, it ended up like $60 per laptop after fees...
-_-
I paid $600 for a T420, T510, T430 and T430s
I sold the T430s locally to a bitcoin bro who was all about pirating off his 4G LTE Note 2
T420 sold for $240 before fees, $180? for T510, T430 for $232.
Shitty for a business, meh for a hobby.
>>51723798
yeah definitely as a hobby. I flipped two thinkpad for about $150 in profit and i'm not paying taxes on those haha....NSA probably listening to this right now.
>>51723749
Nowhere to be found.
just bought an x220 off ebay for just shy of £120. Was supposed to be a 4GB RAM, 320GB HDD, i5 machine.
I think they fucked up and send me one with a 128gb MSata SSD and 8gb RAM.
I got lucky, just ordered a 9 cell battery for it. Does anyone know if I can use a Slice battery with the 9 cell and if so how long is the battery life roughly?
>>51723904
Yeah, I'm probably fucked, but gotta try anyways.
right now I'm going to hope to sell 6 X1C2 i7 motherboards for $50 each, paid a little over $150 for em, a few might make more.
>>51723943
https://support.lenovo.com/gb/en/docs/MIGR-77125
literally took seconds to find on page 136
>>51724037
yet the product codes for purchase are nowhere to be found with the exception of some half broken mexican page
>>51724220
what fru do you want to buy
>tfw 2TB HDD and 500GB mSATA SSD in x220t
>>51720837
How is the T420 1600 x 900 screen to the hp elitebooks 8460P WVA 1600 x 900?
Also, how is the T420 1366 x 768 screen compared to the elitebooks 8460P 1366 x 768 screen.
I'm leaning towards the 8460p, but convince me otherwise. Especially since the 8460p has dedicated graphics. Thanks!
>>51724431
Hell yeah m80, everyone loves lower speeds and extra storage on a fucking laptop.
>>51723284
How many RAM modules do you have? I was having issues with my W520 as well, it would wake from sleep but I'd get a BSOD shortly thereafter. I had two 4GB modules, both of which were installed in the slots under the keyboard. I rearranged them so that one was in the bottom keyboard slot and the other was in the left-hand slot of the bottom memory door. We had dual-core units at work and this is the setup they used, so I just did the same for the quad core (which I presume you have). For some reason this solved the issue.
I have no clue why it worked, maybe someone else can shed light on the issue.
>>51725024
Sometimes RAM gets loose, possibly all it needed was to be reseated. Dumb but it happened to my friend's desktop that is stationary.
Did you run memtest on it?
>>51725112
I can't remember if I ran memtest or not but I would be surprised if I didn't. This happened at least a year ago, I just remembered the solution because I was at wit's end trying to solve the issue.
It's hard to find a x220 with IPS and a SSD for a non-autistic price on eBay
now i keep watching youtube videos about thinkpads
fuck you guys
>>51720837
>GNU/Linux
http://nask.co/see/8Is9gmuwnx
>>51726869
You should maybe get one. Get the big one. It's fuckhueg.
Is there any screen mod for the x230?
>>51726869
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXsDfuVctFk
here's a good one if you haven't seen it already
>>51724734
Anybody know?
Also, I can get a thinkpad for $95, pretty rough condition, no power adapter or hard drive cover. Where can I get both? Or at least tell me a decent price for both. Also, what is the average price for a t420 battery? Thanks.
>>51727768
You can get almost any parts you need on ebay for a reasonable price. Go for genuine whenever possible, knockoffs are cheaper but they don't last as long. I got a knockoff charger with my T60 and it was shit. The cord length from the laptop to the brick was ridiculously short and it broke after a year of use. Never again.
Make sure you do the math to see if you're actually going to save money by buying a fixer-upper instead of a better-maintained unit. I was considering a T420 in absolute shit shape for like $80 but it was totally barebones and the cost to get it fully functional again came out to ~$150 if I supplied my own RAM, HDD, and didn't replace the damaged chassis. I looked around a bit more and found a fully-equipped unit in better condition for $180 and went with that instead.
>doing hoodrat shit with my dankpad
Almost time to pack up and head back to civilization, feels bad man
I'm looking for a replacement IPS screen for my x220. There's been a big pressure spot on mine for years and I'm tired of looking at it.
Which vendor is best for replacement ThinkPad parts?
>>51728297
The cheapest listing on eBay
It's all the same shit anon.
I just wanna see a T430 and X230 in person. Only then will I be able to decide which to get.
>>51728342
Do you value portability or screen real estate more
That's the only question you need to answer.
>>51720881
>day in the life of a windows user
smug.jpg
Just got given two T42 oldpads that have been sitting around for however long at my parent's place.
One seems to have a number of things to fix but the other work fine.
what do?
>>51728062
Yeah. It's working, but it was in complete trash condition. I didn't get it.
Now I'm wondering. T420 or 8460p. Ugh the choices.
>>51728414
Do any of them have a screen resolution higher than 1024x768?
I have one that my friend gave to me when my HP craptop died in second year university (two months out of warranty of course). Aside from the shitty XGA resolution it's a great laptop, and the build quality is unreal. Absolutely destroys anything made after the T60; the build tolerances make the T420 look like a bag of shit-covered nails in comparison. I still use it to this day for Brood War LAN parties, but man, dat resolution is so limiting.
Is this the best there is?
http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=GB-P35XV37&c=CJ
>>51728645
DELETE THIS
>>51727744
Well at least if I get struck by lighting, my porn will be safe.
>>51724001
is it lucrative to sell laptop motherboard, particularly new laptop boards?
Anyone here familiar with Coreboot? I'm considering installing it on my T60, I'm kind of worried about compiling from source and flashing a shitty build because they don't seem to offer any sort of "stable" release. Any major downsides to Coreboot? Specifically with the T60?
>>51728958
Downside is that the NSA will no longer keep you company in your bios
>>51726612
>>51726612
if you did what price are you willing to pay? or what i'm trying to say is what is a good price in your opinion for a x220 with ips and ssd? Let's throw in 8gb as well.
>>51724431
What do you people use all that storage for? I didn't even reach 50% on a 256gb ssd after 3 years of usage
>>51724431
> Sata II ssd speeds
Kek
Does anyone know how to get the volume keys working on the T420s in a fresh minimal install of Debian?
Thanks
>>51729090
> knows about nothing but continuous speeds
Kek
>>51729057
Korean Autism Educational Moving Pictures
>>51728366
Probably screen real estate but will the shitty screen ruin it either way? It's why id like to see it in person but idk. I already have a desktop pc but ill probably be programming from the laptop and the x230 might be too small but maybe not.
>>51728958
>>51728958
Check your hardware compatibilty. You might be able to flash libreboot, which has stable releases available.
>>51728631
No such luck. The resolution is certainly isn't favourable but it should be livable.The speed is still a killer though because it almost feels like it's been downgraded with how slow it's going, so what kind of performance do you think I could see out of it with a few upgrades? or would it just be cheaper to go with something else?
This is my first real experience with a Thinkpad other than using it
>>51725024
>>51725112
I found what the problem is, it seems to be bad RAM. When I took one of the modules out, the machine would come out of sleep just fine, even after a few hours. When I reintroduced it, the same problem occurred. When I used it as the only module, the problem occurred again. So it seems like I have one good 8GB SODIMM and one bad 8GB SODIMM.
Guess I'm going to have to go ask for a discount from the seller now...
>>51729186
Do you Bob your head around like a maniac while using a laptop? Do multiple people frequently need to crowd around your screen from many different viewing angles?
If not, the TN panel is fine. An IPS would be nicer but the TN is fine.
>>51728985
I'm not really sure, most of the time people here say how they found one with all that for like $200, but I've never seen anything close to that yet. They seem to be more $350-600. I probably wouldn't pay more than 400
>>51729348
No luck on that, my T60's LCD panel isn't supported by libreboot, it's one of the 1024x768 ones. Apparently it works if I leave the proprietary blobs in, but all the installation guides on the net for the T60 are specifically for libreboot.
>>51729057
Movies, gaymes, hoarding wallpapers, and weird porn.
>>51728342
I would of let anyone try the ones I had, but they are gone and I can only think 1 anon and 2 TPF members who are in San Diego.
>Asia specific 235 aside X300
>>51728631
What sucks about the T4x models is that, you'll need a discrete board to do a panel upgrade, and when you do, you'll need to get the correct LCD cable for it.
R5x are more picky about cables as well, not swapable like the Z/R/T6x series.
>>51728940
Hard to define that it is new unless you are Lenovo or its still in its packaging.
That being said, at my recycler job we have gotten new items that we will open to inspect and they are sold as new old stock or new open box.
The problem with new mobos is that less people probably broke them, and they are on warranty if anything.
>>51729862
What are you using to flash onto libreboot?
>>51730593
T60 doesn't need a beagleboard to flash it, only need one if you fuck it up and brick it.
I bought a used x200 battery, after having some problems with a chinkshit one.
The main "problem" so to speak is that it only holds 62% of OEM capacity (58 Wh full vs 93 Wh OEM).
The seller accepts unconditional returns for 14 days, but I'd have to pay shipping. I paid $23 for it.
I was expecting more like 75-80 % capacity, or at least 70%. At this point the 9 cell only has the capacity of a 6-cell, despite the fact that it bulges out, adds weight to the laptop, and throws off the center of gravity.
My dream battery would be something along the lines of an OEM 4-cell with 3400 mAh Panasonics, but I don't want to spend the $150 for a new one and I don't have access to a spot welder even if I could find a used one to fix up.
Would you keep the battery? Return it and try to find a better one? What would *you* buy? If you have links to ebay items in the <$50 range I'd be interested, as it looks like I'll have to increase my budget a bit.
>>51730894
i only buy brand new oem batteries because i am not retarded
>>51731227
> well look at mr. moneybags here
That's cool, I guess. So you order them direct from lenovo at $150 a pop? What model do you have?
http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:show-category-with-items?category-id=D65CF46CB0DB412FA2E56C552E0D8A38
I guess I wouldn't really think twice about it for a new $1000+ laptop, there's a bit of a mental block at spending that kind of dough on a core2duo.
Was kind of hoping for a Deus Ex Machina to swoop in and recommend me either a verified good brand of chink batteries or a seller with proven low-cycle batteries or something.
I guess this what I get for buying into the meme
>>51731459
>$150
I got a 9 cell for my x230 off amazon for 80
desu senpai desu senpai you shouldn't be buying anything but garbage chink batteries for your garbage old c2d laptops unless you get lucky on ebay. the lowest i paid was 20 dollars for 3 t4* batteries still sealed in oem packaging
just carry an adapter with you like i did
>>51730894
https://support.lenovo.com/gb/en/documents/hf004122
you might get lucky
>>51728631
>T42
>build quality
heh
Make sure you don't pick it up by the corners, otherwise you'll crack the GPU.
>>51731625
>tfw not lucky
>>51731625
>https://support.lenovo.com/gb/en/documents/hf004122
Bought it used without a battery. Maybe I got lucky though and this one or the other used battery I've got on the way is included.
I'd heard of the recall but hadn't considered that it might cover these used ones though, thx dude
>>51729516
I would personally not use the T42 on a daily basis, it's just far too slow to accomplish anything meaningful. It was getting to the point of being obsolete when I got mine in 2011, nowadays it's useless for anything other than 720p 8-bit Chinese Cartoons. It doesn't even play well with 10-bit.
>>51730593
I was briefly thinking about upgrading the diaplay but decided against it because... no point, really.
>>51731640
I picked it up by the corners all the time in the 2 years I used it. No issues.
>>51730894
>>51731774
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Lenovo-Thinkpad-X200-X201-Battery-8700mah-10-8V-94Wh-45N1170-42T4695-/231757875221
>$34 bucks for a new Lenovo 9 cell
>>51731811
Those feedback ratings worry me.
>>51731937
Seller seems to shift huge volume -> higher chance of getting bad feedback, also they've been around for 18 years now so they can't be that bad.
Ebay always sides with the buyer so you'd be fine.
>>51731625
not lucky :^(
My guess is the resellers would check every battery that comes into their possession, but it was worth a shot. Got to slip in a cheap shot about Superfish into the "why aren't you using the automated tool" part though, worth it.
>>51731811
Well, $43 shipped (commiefornia sales tax), but I ordered it anyways. I'm almost a bit suspicious - they have "more than 10" available, at less than a third of lenovo's price? If it's a fake it's a good one, as all the branding is in order and it actually has a serial number on it, unlike many of the other sellers with "new genuine" batteries.
Best case scenario it's the OEM factory in china just #YOLOing and running a ghost shift, crossing my fingers.
Worst case scenario I get my nuts blown off :^)
What's the deal with Thinkpad IPS panels that only display 60% SRGB?
Are they 6-bit panels with dithering or do they have horrendous backlighting?
x230t owner here.
Best laptop i have ever owned.
Sadly these models were never sale on europe, so i had to get this thing from US and it cost me fortune is taxes.
Positive things:
Parts! I could buy keyboard whit correct layout whitout any mess!
Easy access to removable hardware.
Screen and it's features. Best "transformer" in the market. Atleast in my eyes.
+++much much more
Negative things:
Touch errors from time to time. (Frame making connection to digilizer?)
Thermal transfer components hard to access.
Some other minor things.
>>51731459
Eh, you didn't research it enough or watch my boring ebay buying guide video.
I should redo that...
>>51731640
Probably had a 14" model
>>51731937
>shit load of sells
>almost two decades
>implying eBay wasn't crazy as shit years back
For fucks sake, if the buyer bought the wrong item and returns it, they'll get a negative feedback and/or get a point taken demon from 100%
>>51732128
Probably
>vague answer for a vague question
IPS displays have been on ThinkPads since 2001, but yeah, HP dream color displays are better for the most part
>>51732323
I don't see any videos listed in the OP or on ktgee?
Only started coming to this thread after buying into the meme, put in some lowball ebay bids from a local seller and was surprised to actually win them.
Didn't realize how much of a hassle new batteries would be. Never had any problems with replacement batteries for other, less popular consumershit laptops. I guess the demand isn't really there so not much incentive to counterfeit some random toshitba.
>>51732138
You think it would be decent for programming on the go? I have a main desktop, but for school a X230 sounds like it would be good but I worry about the screen not being big enough.
>>51732482
>>51732482
Screen size and portability are in direct opposition. There's no magical origami laptop with a 17 inch screen that folds into a macbook air when you stash it in your bag.
>are you even smart enough to program
>>51720837
So I want a ThinkPad that's libreboot compatible, which leaves the x200, the t400, and the t500. Leaning towards a T series for the screen size, between the T200 and the T400, which generally had the better panels? And is there a significant difference in the build quality between the two models? I can find both models in my area for $100-150 on craigslist but these guys are just bulk selling laptops on there, not really indicating much about the specs. I want an IPS panel if possible. Is eBay possibly better?
>>51732441
Just buy third party, fuck it.
My contributions aren't really posted by the dude who does /tpg/
Maybe I should bug the ktgee dude to put up my timeline?
>>51732603
Unless you're getting an x series tablet, none of those ThinkPads will have an IPS display.
T500 WSXGA+ panel might be good and WUXGA have been good
Just depends if you get the better panel manufacturer
>stoke of luck
At least with eBay those who feel like putting detailed info and machine type info can be more trusted
>also fuck craigslist sellers who post 20 ads with all caps and annoying shit
>>51732637
That timeline is very useful. I forgot to save it last time I saw it.
>also leaves me intensely curious about the japan-only models
>>51732482
Decent atleast.
For me 12,5" is perfect screensize for device that travels whit me all day.
On the other side x230 (t) only has 1366x768 panel, so you wont be having massive boards open at once.
>>51732672
Might have to consider an x200 then. I'd take panel display quality over a few inches honestly.
>>51732672
Do you happen to have model numbers for the good panels on hand? A few of these sellers are listing them at least, 2055-7LU for the WSXGA+ panel, etc. Would like to know the WUXGA one.
Out of curiosity, what are the differences between the R-series and T-series of ThinkPads?
>>51732751
Going off this: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Custom_BIOS , both my x200 and my two t60 's support libreboot.
I just bought into the meme so I'm not super advanced, but I can tell you my impressions.
Of the three, I find myself using the x200 almost exclusively.
Weight/portability:
I tend to use laptops on my actual lap, and the x200 is very easy to pick up one-handed by the corner when it's open. I have a desktop at work and don't believe in taking anything home with me, so my x200 is just a home comfort machine. The ability to throw it around without a thought is very nice. I *can* pick up and hold the t60 in many of the same ways but it's much more deliberate and/or I feel like I need two hands when moving it around.
It also passed the skateboard test today, which is that I could skate the mile or so to and from the skatepark without feeling bogged down at all. Haven't skateboard tested one of the T60 's yet, but I'm not really expecting it will feel as comfortable.
If you typically use your laptop sitting on a desk then this section is probably not as important.
>>51733113
oh, well according to this: http://libreboot.org/docs/hcl/index.html#supported_t60_list both my t60s are incompatible because they have the ATI x1400 . Oh well.
I wrote up some other stuff but the gist of it is that the t60 has a poor vertical viewing angle that makes it difficult to read my taskbar at the top of the screen sometimes. Additionally it is much dimmer than my x200 panel. I find the brightness and readability of my x200's screen worth the tradeoff in resolution.
Black levels/backlight bleed are my only real complaints about the x200 screen, and those things are only really noticeable on blank loading screens etc. Other than that I don't get any sort of feeling of "cheapness" out of it like I do from some cheap acer 768p notebooks I've tried.
>>51732686
I need to update it, especially some of the Exx1, S4xx.
Been setting it back a lot, detailed view and in depth will come soon after holiday
>>51732751
Well some tablets have PVA displays, actually I am unsure if they are IPS, maybe AFFS
>>51732830
Offhand I don't
http://sm.krelay.de/tp/index.php?type=2055
Just find in page 1920 and it will bring up the WUXGA variants for the T500
You may find a W500 a bit easier
Although I haven't had a WUXGA panel, I did swap LCDs from T60 and T61s to T400 and 500's.
The panels work but the LCD cables are different for the T4/500
>>51732873
R series had less features, though some can be optimized as a T series counterpart, T series was top of the line, R was budget and similar
Definitely not shit tier as an E series, but way better than an L series
On the bottom they used toughened plastic that was thick rather than the thinner magnesium frame.
Autists here believe R series is shit, but quite a bit enthusiasts believe the R series is just as rugged or even more than a T version.
With that said, R3x and R4x were made by Acer
I think the guys did mobo swaps with R5x due to chassis flex.
I had a 14" widescreen R61 that I loved, shit was a tank and great to type on, just like my 14" 4:3 T60p.
Idk it felt better than T61/T400/500, I guess due to the slightly thicker chassis.
Maybe it was the key caps but I didn't prefer NMB like everyone else.
Also there is so IPS R60, avoid that 15" 4:3 chassis, it's odd.
>>51724431
>hdd
>in a laptop
just no.
>>51733403
>tfw adapter finally came in so I could pop the mSATA SSD that was lying around in my laptop
>tfw thinkpad design and keyboard is really good but not the elder god it is descended from
waar koop ik een denkpad voor een goeie prijs
>>51734898
Get the joint out of your mouth, max.
>>51732323
Were 14" T42 units less prone to the GPU bullshit than the 15"?
>>51734896
Selectric is the fucking King. Model M fags don't even know how inferior their experience is compared to this.
x220, with ips, i5 2.5, 8gb, 120 m.2 ssd, 300 hdd, webcam, fingerprint thing and brand new condition, no sign of wear... for $200 muricunt bucks! How I do?
>>51735293
Gyatdayum, you've got the boss hog there. It is one sexy keystroke, like the triggerpull on a kalash. At least the model M tried, everything else is either bad or awful.
>>51735777
I paid ~$550 for a similar setup, but that's import tax and middleman salary for me
>>51720837
Probably a /sqt/ question, but it's /tpg/ related too:
i'm going to buy used x200, what am i supposed to find inside the box other than the laptop and the psu?
>>51735969
Hopefully whatever accessories they feel like getting rid of and a sketchy diskette cause it was originally a massive brick of foam with two black boxes and some shit you weren't going to read inside.
You have to choose between an outdated model and maybe managing to upgrade the processor or a newer model with a smaller 16:9 screen.
The keyboards are average, comparable to mac keyboards but with lower quality plastic that turns shiny with age (yes, even the older ones). The traditional key shape isn't much of an advantage. It just adds extra places for dirt to build up. They have a lot of keys, though.
Durability should not be confused with invincibility. While the laptop will function, the plastic will be cracked and sharp, the screen hinges may cease to function (tablet models), and the battery and lid latches can fail. The internals will survive, but they would also survive in most other semi-rigid laptops (ie: old macbook pros with the thicker metal). Your HDD would probably die in a mac due to a lack of shock-absorbing plastic, though.
LEDs can be annoying and duplicate functionality already provided by your OS. Good for desktop minimalists, bad for people that prefer info-rich indicators on their desktops over simple blinking lights.
Docking solutions add ports, not performance.
Probably one of the most annoying laptops to disassemble due to the multitude of screws necessitated by a multi-part plastic/metal design that's also durable. Consider what you intend to repair or replace before waxing poetic about this. Component placement also borders on the retarded. Varies by model. ALL models have a whitelist in the BIOS that prevents the computer from booting if an "unauthorized" device is used. SOME models have fixes, including librebroken^Wlibreboot.
Linux users used to fucking with xorg.conf will find dell trackpoints comparable. HP trackpoints are shit, though.
Terrible GNU/Linux and *BSD support due to most models limited to intel wireless NICs that need proprietary blobs (see: BIOS)
All recent models ship with intel vpro, also known as out-of-band botnet. Use at your own risk.
Poor cooling. No, really. Thinkpads get hot as fuck
think, then buy
>>51736124
>Poor cooling.
Yeah, they get screaming fucking hot when you try to play games, but it keeps your fingers warm on cold and lonely nights and does it quietly.
>>51729090
>>51729146
>kek
Go back to /b/, kid.
>>51736202
More like your lap
The lower part needs more vents. Plastic is bad at dissipating heat.
>>51736238
You some little kek pucciboi? You can't handle the raw power in your lap? Step it the fuck up kouhai.
Hi /tpg/,
I need an X series with an IPS screen. What's the best I can do for a budget of $750? Do any X series come in resolutions > 1366 x 768 without touch enabled?
Thanks bb
>>51736668
x220
x230
x240
x250
yes u fag
>>51729106
If you're gonna install a DE it will probably configure it (gnome at least). If not then you can usexorg-xevto find out what is associated with the volume keys and use those to set up keybinds in some keybinding program
I'm trying to sell a T430 on Craigslist and I have some guy asking me for the machine serial number. I have no problem giving out the machine type but I am not sure about revealing the S/N. What should I tell him?
>>51736949
give him the s/n
there's nothing he could do with it
>>51735891
>like the triggerpull on a kalash
sexy is the last word i would use to describe the trigger on an ak
>>51737094
You can't debate that Thinkpads are the AK of the computer world, though
>>51736679
Don't bully
I'm new to this
>>51736992
Warranty fraud or something?
At the doc office. They're using a latitude e7440. Looks pretty nice. Any thoughts on these ? I'm pretty sold on the t530 but I'm still considering others.
>>51737220
>>51733176
You can replace the X200 screen with an AFFS one from a certain Gateway convertible. Much better contrast and viewing angles. Costs $60 for a matte one or $30 for a glossy one you'll have to remove the digitizer from.
>>51737263
well he could book a service call, but the serial no on his machine wouldn't match would it
>>51736124
At least Thinkpad chargers have strain reliefs and don't cost 80-150 dollars.
I do agree with you about the LEDs, why does the wifi one need to be constantly blinking every time the radio is turned on?
>>51737487
>At least Thinkpad chargers have strain reliefs and don't cost 80-150 dollars.
http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:item.detail?hide_menu_area=true&GroupID=460&Code=0A36227
http://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/web/LenovoPortal/en_US/catalog.workflow:item.detail?hide_menu_area=true&GroupID=460&Code=0B46994
>>51736124
>Thinkpads get hot as fuck
When will this meme end?
Use it for what it was meant for and it won't.
>>51736679
Looks like I have to pay about a grand for what I want - http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/x-series/x250/
gen 4 i5, 8 gigs ram, 12.5in IPS screen in 1620x1080
Feels like a bit much? I don't mind saving the extra to get a laptop I can live with for a while but it feels like I should be able to do this for $750 and that $850 model is pretty trash imo
>>51735777
Where did you buy it from?
>>51736992
I once had someone report a PS3 I was selling as stolen by using the serial number I gave them. They tried to use the police to get the fucking thing for free and get me charged for theft under $5000. Thankfully I had already registered the unit with Sony years before the guy filed his report and he ended up being charged with fraud. But had I not taken the time to register I would have been fucked.
>>51737929
Bought it off a friend.
>>51738190
Glad you didn't get butt ram in jail, anon. That's great to hear. Good to see the fraud guy got what he deserved.
alright fuckos what's the best 16:9 thinkpad I can get for less than 100bux?
>>51738505
why the fuck you want 16:9?
>>51738539
For watching movies and playing shooters, retard
>>51738478
It was a fucking Indian, I should have known. I never do business with Indians now as a general rule. But yeah, I can see why people would be wary of providing their serial numbers if they truly were paranoid.
>>51738539
chinese cartoons, not having to look at a horrible 16:10 display, etc
>>51738658
>shooters on a sub $100 thinkpad
>>51738505
a t420 or x220 that's missing its charger, battery and hard drive would be your best bet
>>51737921
EPP discount:
https://shop.lenovo.com/SEUILibrary/controller/e/perksoffer/StdAffinityPortal/en_US/Lenovo:EnterStdAffinity?sexpired=1&requested-affinity-cmd=StdAffinity:Home&affinity=perksoffer&home=perksoffer
Password:
FLEN*2V
>>51738710
>horrible 16:10 display
Does a T520 with Nvidia NVS 4200M exist? I can only find them on T420s
>>51738877
>yfw decent 16:10
>>51738776
>http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/x-series/x250/
Oh my. Thank you anon
Are EPP discounts always available?
>>51738936
>decent 16:10
>at the expense of literally everything else
>>51738937
Yes.
>>51739018
>Stable UNIX
>PCIe SSD
Could be worse.
>>51738936
>>51739018
What's decent about it? That it is IPS? That it becomes a mirror when you take it outside? That the machines have poor quality control? Enjoy your first $600 visit to the genius bar.
>>51739107
If you're a consumer and not a corporate account, Lenovo will treat you like shit.
At least with the Mac if it's fucked out of the box you can walk in to an Apple store and get a replacement.
>>51739154
You are saying that Lenovo computers don't come with any warranty? Care to exemplify?
>>51738658
OCD Much?
>>51738710
OCD much?
>>51739208
The ease of dealing with Apple as a normal consumer is one of the reasons why people buy Macs, like it or not.
If you work in IT and have contacts with your vendors (e.g. Lenovo/Dell/HP) getting support is easier. A normal person has to usually run about with shitty support teams until their case is resolved.
>>51739107
Yes, the fact that it's 16:10 (already rare to nonexistent for new laptops) and IPS (not rare, but a "premium upgrade" in most cases).
Personally I go against the /tpg/ grain in that I like glossy screens. Not everybody has significant direct sunlight outdoor computing needs.
Literally everything else about it is trash though and I agree with you about that. I would never buy a mac.
>>51739213
>>51739244
OCD much?
>>51739290
I can handle that, besides, it's not like Lenovo computers have as high failure rates like Apple does.
>>51739328
16:10 is great, I couldn't read any PDF file with my 16:9 computer. Adding that my T410 is also matte, I can actually do research or whatever outdoors.
While IPS panels are pretty colors and little color distortion, they are made for people that are indoors. Neckbeards and hipsters.
Real men do research on a thinkpad while skating.
>>51739364
http://www.consumerreports.org/laptops/laptop-reliability-by-year
top kek
Is there a model of thinkpad i can play World of Warcraft decently on????
i got keked /g/ The order said it was a 1600x900 resolution but its only 1366x768....otherwise im loving my t430 so far, only $210 and it's basically new minus a few scratches and sticker gunk that came off right away
>>51739463
What is this data and how is it aggregated? A percent of what? Failure across all laptops? What defines failure?
Reeks of bias
>>51739544
>consumer reports
They are the guys who called Apple out on their shit with the iPhone 4, so it's hardly like it's the verge polling their readers.
>>51739544
It's worth noting that the failure rate only applies to computers that actually made it to RMA. Macs tend to have insane bills associated with them because of apple's warranty limitations and people don't get them fixed.
>>51739606
>Consumer Reports noted that Apple's notebooks were more expensive to repair than Windows PCs when they did go south, with a third costing $300 or more, more than three times the repair cost of an average Windows notebook.
>$300
What the fuck, I'd send it to Louis Rossmann if it was out of warranty, at least you'd get a rant filled video on how shit Apple is out of it.
>>51739463
>Sign in or subscribe today to access the full article and get 24/7 access to expert Ratings, buying advice, product recommendations and much more!
Wow more like top scientists right?! No wonder, a money-whore site shilling in the disguise of science.
>>51739606
See this is what I was sort of figuring, or some definition like "failure includes models that aren't serviced at a Genius Bar" or whatever
>>51739643
Notice how every other brand is more or less the same while apple is the only one different.
Shill different.
>>51739655
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Reports
>tl;dr
>you pay a subscription to their magazine so they can buy stuff to test
>they don't accept free samples
it's the whole premise of their business model
>>51739683
>Manufacturers always have the same reliability
Honestly I think it should be broken down it down in to consumer and business laptops as well.
>>51739730
A business model that can profit enormously if they decide to interpret a product according to a donor's request. Right?
I'm not saying that they are full corrupt, I don't know, but the Apple shill-force is strong in them.
>>51739797
>A business model that can profit enormously if they decide to interpret a product according to a donor's request. Right?
>'Consumer Reports'
>Consumers pay a subscription to the website/magazine so that Consumer Reports can go out to buy products off the shelf to test
>'Tech review website'
>They get given hardware to test by manufacturers
Guess which one is likely to be influenced by manufacturers.
>>51739851
Both can. No matter the way Consumer Reports buys their toilet paper or testing units, be it by subscription or donations; they have such a power that anyone that wants some good word of mouth for their product can just privately donate some money to some higher up.
Reason of my speculation is because Apple can't be number 1 in reliability.
>>51739643
Fuck those failure rates on the Windows side are nuts. I would defend Lenovo's Thinkpad at the expense of their consumer lines but then I remember shit like the T61p.
>>51739643
>>51740024
Considering all those PC manufacturers make shitty $200 budget laptops that break down after a few months while apple's shit is all in the $1000-$2000 range, I'd expect a whole lot better than merely half the failure rates of even the worst PCs.
>>51739935
read:
>>51740194
it's most likely skewed from all the budget trash
>>51739671
How it works is, more or less, you get your shit sent in or take it to a licensed repair shop like I work at. Most products have decent warranties and it gets covered for free or cheap. Everything that can go wrong on an apple is exactly 350 dollars and rarely is it under warranty. The only people sending anything in or taking it to the genius bar have the extended protection plan or some massive business license. There aren't but so many graphic designers in the world and most of them are freelance and would rather buy a new one than wait on an RMA.
Thus you have why macs are reported to have a lower failure rate. Most never make it to rma.
>>51740472
Right, so why is Consumer report not taking into consideration that Apple only has like 3 models and the rest like 20?
They are fucking shills, omiting factings is still considered telling lies.
thinkpad came with the wrong resolution, if i decide to replace the screen and upgrade to a higher resolution would linux detect it or is there some fancy shenanigans you need to do with linux if you replace hardware?
>>51740926
>At the top of the list for Windows product lines are: Gateway’s NV (13 percent) and LT (14 percent); the Samsung ATIV Book (14 percent); Lenovo ThinkPads (15 percent); and the Dell XPS line (15 percent).
>Reliability isn't necessarily related to how much money you spend on a laptop. HP’s premium ENVY line is near the bottom, with a 20 percent failure rate, while the company's less-costly Pavilion line fares better, at 16 percent.
>Lenovo's Y Series has the highest failure rate at 23 percent.
>>51740888
I don't know man.
If I had a $500 laptop and it broke after 2 years I would just buy a new one.
I bought an X201 for about $115 on Ebay. No OS, but had a battery and HDD. It's been the best decision of my college career. You can program and watch twitch and use it for school.
It's been so nice. do it its worth it.
>>51740926
>Lenovo's Y Series has the highest failure rate at 23 percent
As expected from budget gaming laptops with budget cooling systems and extremely powerful hardware. So glad I got rid of my Y500 before it died completely.
>>51739517
Complain to eBay and get it for free if it's the wrong resolution.
Coming from a T61 and just picked up a x230 (not here yet). Should I just go ahead and pick up a x220 keyboard or is there a greater than 50% chance I'll actually like the new lenovo chiclets? I know I'll be giving up the backlight and there's no thinklight (RIP).
Also, are the -CTO machine types a 100% mixed bag when it comes to TN/IPS panels?
>>51742374
x230 has thinklight.
>>51741152
anyone?
>>51742476
Just verified, and you made my day. <3
So I just receive bed a new thinpad I ordered from eBay. 170$ for a W510.Did I do ok? i7, 8 gigs of ram, touchscreen 1080p display and it's in brand new condition.
>>51742787
You didnt receive a new thinkpad and there is NO WAY a W510 EVER came with a touchscreen.
Also, its got a first gen i7, thats quite obsolete(6 years).
>>51742787
get some real meat bro
>>51742787
fucking costco
>>51742787
>>51742855
tfw all the hot dogs in the world won't fill the emptiness in your soul
>>51742823
It has a touchscreen, google it. Got an older 1 gig GPU and a proper 1080p screen.
>>51742706
should just werk
>>51742823
End of 2010, so not six years old yet. Also was a good machine at the time 2000+ dollar price tag at launch.
>>51742855
Costco's polish is good stuff actually, all high grade beef. They sell it at a loss to get customers.
>>51742938
You can try and convince yourself thats its good, but its still 2010 era.
i5 CPU's since ivy bridge have been beating those i7's.
I just wouldnt buy it because it was meant to be a workstation. The GPU really needs to be relevant for that to be true.
Otherwise just get something much smaller/thinner that will do what you need.
Its like driving a smog era V8 truck vs driving a newer smaller suv that will be more efficient and do everything the truck will.
>>51742823
>there is NO WAY a W510 EVER came with a touchscreen.
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:W510
>One of the following TFT displays:
>15.6" TFT display with 1920x1080 (FHD) resolution with LED backlight Multi Touch
You tried.
>>51742787
lol a mobile Haswell i3 would be faster
>>51743042
Yeah I was wrong about that. For 2010 that was not the norm at all. Especially for a workstation.
>>51743002
I don't care about the size, actually love big bulky stuff. Not saying it's great, just couldn't find anything near as good for under 300 bucks on black Friday.
Even with a 256gb Intel ssd it's still well under 300. Was it really a bad buy?
>>51743080
>just couldn't find anything near as good for under 300 bucks on black Friday.
Then you did not look.
Cowboom had convertible 1080p touchscreen asus laptops for under $300.
haswell i7, nvidia 840m, 8gb ram, IPS, 1 tb hybrid drive.
I mean, for $170 thats about as good as you could expect to do, its not a bad deal but I just wouldn't buy something that old. The GPU is worthless so I dont see the point in the entire machine.
>>51743126
Damn, never even heard of cowbloom. Checked my usual newegg, amazon and paper ads. Guess I'm not up on the times these days.
>>51743126
I also like thinkpads. I figure if it cost over 2 grand at launch it must have good build quality.
>>51743159
Yeah, they sometimes have excellent deals.
But then again for $170 you made the money stretch as far as it could. that laptop for that money is an excellent deal if it comes with an SSD.
Just save up for something better now.
>>51743178
Yes, it has excellent build quality. Enjoy it till you need something better. But there's a reason its cheap, old tech. If you can live with that then more power to yah.
Just dont expect to play recent AAA games on it.
>>51737220
where can I get wooden furniture for my T400?
>>51743225
No, lol I bought the ssd, 70 bucks on BF, back to 110 now though. Figured Intel was a good brand and it has a 5 yr warrenty.
>>51743225
>mfw I just got a t410
>mfw it stays cool all the time
>mfw it has more than enough processing power for my needs with the base i5
No games 'round these parts. Just ordered an NMB keyboard and an SSD. Next year I'll get a 9-cell battery and an ultrabay caddy.
>>51743225
I have a 8350 with an r9 290 for games, I wouldn't even expect this old gpu to play skyrim.
>>51742787
those costco hot dogs are a fucking steal
I got myself a costco gift card to get me in the door, and pay with cash. There is one next to where I work and I just go in to buy lunch.
cant beat those prices, on any of the menu items
>>51743359
Then you should ask yourself, why did I buy a "desktop replacement" laptop with an ancient GPU.
There is no optimus, no breaks on the rape train. Mobility is highly compromised.
>>51743390
I travel a lot, but I don't mind weight because I just throw it in my car. I just a need a good, fast machine for web browsing with ridiculously high tab counts and a video player.
>>51743377
Protip: you don't need a membership for the food court.
>thread being derailed by fat murricans talking about shit food
>>51743556
Kirkland polish sausages aren't shit food, m8.
>>51720837
First time posting from my first thinkpad, my x201 that arrived in the mail today.
Very statisfied with it except for one thing: the colors are fucking awful. I'm not sure if it's something I can fix with settings or if I'm just boned, everything looks washed out and slightly yellowish. Using Arch Linux in case that matters. Any hints? I did some googling but couldn't find anything conclusive.
>>51720837
Does anyone have that picture saved where the guy was complaining someones project to watercool a W520? They where complaining about how there where not many left, and then someone made an image sarcastically comparing this persons complaining about the death of the thinkpads to the mass extermination of the buffalo in America?
The title was something along the lines of "mass thinkpad extermination," "thinkpad extinction" or "thinkpad genocide" or something.
If you can find it, post your paypal, and I will tip you $1 or something.
Just received my t420 with a shorty 320 gb hd. I have a sdd handy, but how do I reinstall the windows that it came with on the sdd? Got no dvd, only the activation key it came with.
>>51744077
Torrent an ISO, just don't use any activator that comes with it.
That's why I always keep a Windows 7 DVD, I even got one that has all the versions of 7 but it's in Spanish.
About to pull the trigger on a T520 for €376 (incl shipping). It's the only T520 I can find that comes with an Nvidia NVS 4200M. Should I just do it or should I wait for a better deal?
What do you guys think of the T440s? Used it at work a few times and seemed better than my shitty macbook from 2008 (got it last year for compatibility during my freelance IT days). Should I get the T440s? What about the T450? I looked at that and it sounds pretty nice.
>>51744069
bumping for general interest.
>>51743841
Post a picture?
>>51744149
Neither, get the T450s. It is the best of both of those laptops put together.
Paid $30 for this did I get a good deal b?
>>51744189
What is it? Looks like a L series, but it has the newer keyboard, so I would say for $30 you did pretty good.
>>51743592
poutine is a good deal
>>51744069
>>51744159
I got this one.
Post your thinkpads!
>>51744176
Anything in specific I should upgrade on it? I have a desktop, but during school and work I use my laptop a lot. Mostly programming and CAD (I will probably do most of that on my desktop though, so I at least have the power to do it). Other than that it's Netflix with the gf and typing papers and YouTube.
>>51744208
By L I meant E series.
>>51744164
Same configs on both. On the picture the ThinkPad looks better but irl the monitor is way better
>>51744235
lel someone saved my pic
Is that hinge on the left fucked?
>>51744235
So this is what an autistics persons laptop looks like...
