Previous thread: >>52157236
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/P 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 & Canada only, usually 15%+ off):
http://pastebin.com/wumE7L2f
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/
First.
Waiting on my new T420 to show up. The 1600x900 panel best be worth it. The X220 I use to have was a eye sore to watch porn on.
>>52194672
>watching porn
out of the club
>>52194672
>1600x900 panel best be worth it
>1600x900
>TN
>Worth it
ATTENTION /G/ I NEED YOUR URGENT HELP
I can get the T430 with following specs:
i7-3632qm CPU, 16GB 1600MHz RAM, NVS 5400m 1GB GPU, 180GB Intel 520 SSD, 2TB Samshit HDD in hdd ultrabay caddy (replaceable dvd reader is included), GOBI3000 WWAN module, Intel 6300 wifi card, BT 4.0, 1600x900 screen, 9cell battery (new) and 90W PSU.
It costs $600 and I'm not sure I should pull the trigger.
Should I?
>>52194688
lets be real here
>>52194705
over priced as fuck
>>52194705
lel are you fucking kidding me
Does ANYONE use an eGPU on their chinkpads here?
I need to know your experience with them.
>>52194705
I'd do it if I had the cash
Then again, I'm buying a '96 F150 for $500
>>52194672
>T420 panel
>Worth it
Shoulda gotten a T520 familia, enjoy your ~150:1 contrast ratio
Best/most powerful thinkpad for under $100? Just want a machine to watch movies, browse webs, and learn Linux.
Experiencing an old thinkpad seems pretty cool.
>>52195352
I managed to get a T510 for $95 with 900p screen and dedicated graphics in near-perfect condition, but that was a really lucky deal as well as a gamble as the seller didn't specify anything. You'll probably have to go back to at least the --00 generation if you want to know what you're getting while staying under $100.
>>52195352
>>52195515
Also if you settle for a 60 series do not get one with nVidia graphics
Reposting a question from the previous thread:
Did someone here happen to have some experience with Thinkpad Helix (1st gen)? I'm considering buying the i7 version for 900$ but I'm concerned by the smaller stylus (than in X tablet series). I want to use it for taking notes (I'm currently using X201T) and I wonder if it will be comfy for ~6 hours use daily.
Are those good computers or just a meme?
Trying to find a T440 (or T440s) with 1080p IPS screen and backlit keyboard but these seem impossible to get in the UK. Anyone here got a source?
>>52195691
Just meme, don't buy them. (More for me)
The thinkpad I got had a sort of skin, I peeled it off and revealed to have some markings, is it common for this to be a thing? Also where do I buy these sort of skins that go on the shell of the shell of the computer, since the one I peeled off got all torn up.
>>52195849
Found the place where the person I bought it from must have gotten theirs, it was the brushed steel one. It picked up dust quite easily.
http://www.skinit.com/device-skins/laptop-skins/lenovo/lenovo-t420-skins
>>52195849
Post pictures. Some people have covered their thinkpad's lid and palmrest with carbon fiber wrap, most usually to cover scratches or cracks.
I tried to do the same but ended up ordering a new palmrest instead.
>>52195030
Wow!
>>52195352
Any core 2 duo T/R series with 4GB ram and 2.2GHz or greater processor should be good.
I recommend ZorinOS or Ubuntu Studio.
Can play 1080p off an SD card on my X61T
>>52195353
Personally it's not a big difference. But I'm not a girl and I work out + usually have a backpack so it's fine.
If you're a little bitch, it might be too much but honestly you'll probably be fine.
>>52195920
sorry for the shitty picture, nothing wrong with the inside. Just some marks on the body. I'll probably end up buying a solid color skin and putting it on.
>>52195920
here's another.
>>52196095
>>52196015
Looks pretty mint, congrats. I wouldn't defile it with a cover.
>>52195920
that's hideous
I'm probably updating my X61 to an X220 this year. I've looked at a few reviews, but none of them have tried disabling the HT and Turbo Boost options.
Can they be disabled? Do they lead to longer battery life and less heat?
>>52195968
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=371499515038&alt=web
How is this one?
>>52196512
I can only speak about my T410, which is just one gen behind but it can disabled under BIOS settings.
Turbo Boost for some reason is disabled under the power manager software in the fan behavior options.
Cheers.
I currently have a T420 with all the bells and whistles but am looking for something newer with better battery life etc. Is there anything worth getting new from Lelnovo compared to say Dell XPS? Seems they've gone down hill since the Tx30 series.
>>52196646
Does your battery life increase with HT disabled? Does the CPU run less hot?
>>52196669
I think mine lacks it but disabling turbo boost decreased the temps by a solid 5C which is a lot.
>>52196742
Good to hear, thanks for the info. I live in a tropical shithole so everything is constantly on the brink of overheating.
Is there any custom bios for the T420?
>>52196762
I do live in the tropics as well. If you are still not happy with your temps you can use thinkpad fan control for a manual setting; the default fan profile is not very agressive to favor reduced noise.
>>52196742
disabling turbo can reduce temps up to 10C.
In Windows you can disable it by setting max processor state at 99%
>>52197387
I think I disabled mine under the lenovo power manager, if the fans are set to maximum performance then turbo boost is enabled, which is weird.
Guys, I want to get a thinkpad at the end of the month. I'll be using it to produce music, so I want a large screen, fast processor, ssd, and preferably an illuminated keyboard. What's my best bet? Want to spend £500. Thanks in advance!
>>52197503
a T520? if you need more power and resolution one of the W series.
Thinklight is love.
>>52197545
Thanks anon, these look good. I was looking at t420's but these look better, and about £200 on eBay?!
>>52195094
enjoy your screen door effect
>>52197603
With a 1366x768 panel, maybe. 1600x900 or 1920x1080, nope.
>>52197601
Be wary of the resolution of the panels. The higher the better.
My t410 has the 1440x900 (the equivalent of the T420's 1600x900 panel) and its decent for ableton live since I only mix, but a producer could certainly use the real state of the 1080p panel which is only found in the T520 and the W series.
>>52197503
T520 and up, get one with a QM i7 and 1920x1080 screen. Or upgrade to these on your own if you feel like it, the required parts are easily available and the procedure is more tedious than difficult.
>>52197685
Wow, thanks for the advice anon. I'm definitely thinking w520. I will be using ableton, which needs a big screen. Maybe something like this?
>>52197746
Thanks anon, advice taken. I'm really not great at building computers so I'd prefer to buy it as it will be used.>>52197746
>>52197820
Looks good, you might be able to find it cheaper though. If you don't need the GPU you should also look into T520, as GPU is the only difference between these two machines.
Same screen, same CPU options.
https://support.lenovo.com/documents/pd015761
>>52197820
Looks a bit expensive since it only has 4gb of ram but you should check the suggested prices in the OP's post.
It looks like it has the 1080p panel but you should verify that, and if it is in mint condition you should go for it.
>>52197923
>>52197928
Thanks so much for your advice anons, really helpful and its much appreciated.
>>52197820
>>52197928
>>52197980
Depends if it's the 1000M or 2000M
>>52198001
I take it i'd want the 2000m?>>52198001
How is the screen in the T520? I heard it is actually very good. The 1600x900 that is
>>52198182
T520 owner with a 1600x900 panel here.
It's a decent, usable screen. Viewing angles aren't great, but they're not bad enough to be annoying during normal use. Colours are okay too.
I wouldn't say that it's particularly impressive, but it's closer to what you get from a mediocre TN desktop monitor than what you usually get from shitty laptop panels.
So basically, I'm looking for a t520 with i7qm, 2.2ghz ^4g ram, ssd, 16×19, 15.6" screen. Sounds pretty good, doesn't it?! Anything else I should look for? An anon said something about it bring 1000m or 2000m, what does that mean? Sorry, that's a new one on me.
>>52198275
Thanks anon
Is this a good purchase? Would plan on upgrades. Or will it do a Nvidia shit out on me?
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=281899636081&alt=web
>>52198412
1000/2000m is the nvidia discrete graphics card model
>>52198412
>An anon said something about it bring 1000m or 2000m, what does that mean?
That is referring to GPU options on the W520.
https://support.lenovo.com/documents/pd015362
2000M is better than 1000M, and they're both better than the GPU in T520. I was a little wrong in my post here >>52197923 - W520 has options for more RAM and some speedier CPUs.
You can use the links in both posts to compare the various options on both models and decide which one to look for from there.
>>52198562
I got ya>>52198509
Thanks very much guys
>>52195584
Bumping, Helix 1st gen y/n?
>>52194631
asd
>>52198858
>>52198999
I don't see it mentioned at all in these threads so better stick with the tried and true. A Tblazeit.
>>52196622
I think its a bit pricey, the screen and spec are ok, but i paid $100 with HDD and AC Adapter.
>>52198858
I haven't played with a helix but I was greatly disappointed with the Twist/S230.
Helix is better spec'd though, X1C3 works good enough for me, not as powerful as a T430 though.
>>52196512
Both can be disabled.
I run my X220 with HT disabled and get maybe 2-3 hours extra battery life on a good day. It cuts power consumption by perhaps 2 watts.
>>52199907
Wow, that's way more than I expected. Thanks for the info.
>tfw you've browsing ebay for months and just cant decide weather to get a x220, t420 or a t520
>>52199964
Unless you intend to retrofit a T420 with a better display using one of those custom kits, go with X220 or T520.
T420's factory screens are both complete trash tier.
Who /dell/ here?
>dell latitude e4200
>3gb ram and 64gb ssd
I brought this one (for 141$) because nobody was selling ThinkPads in my area and I don't want to order online.
It's OK, I guess, runs Linux very nicely. Looks more sexy than a ThinkPad too tbqh.
The battery only lasts one and half hour after all powersavings tho, but I don't want to shell out extra money for a battery and laptop is connected to power most of the time anyway.
>>52200112
>$141 USD for the equivalent of a X200s, but even slower
you got utterly ripped off
>>52199406
>>52199111
Alright, thanks. The problem is I need a device for taking notes and coding with battery that would last around 8 hours. Guess I'll buy it and return if it's no good.
It's the i7 8GB RAM version with 256GB SSD, in a good condiction (the seller says there is a very little dent on the bottom of the keyboard part, can't see it clearly in the photos); the seller also claims these are refurbished or stock surplus or something. What hurts is the price of 900$ for a device based on an outdated CPU (it's the 3667U model), but I couldn't find anything better (or actually, anything that would suit my needs; they always forget to make a nice comfy place for the pen to rest in).
>tfw reapplied thermal paste
>tfw turned of turbo boost and temps + power usage dropped
>tfw ssd
>tfw still shit-tier resolution
Should I cop one of these t61?
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=401048435902&alt=web
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=281899636081&alt=web
>>52201049
Get an x220 tablet, or any x-series tablet. Fits all your needs for ~$400 or less. Use the rest $500 for batteries if needed, or any upgrades, beer, dinner with a girl.
>>52201673
lol, are you the fag who said the same thing except the guy was getting money from his parents?
>>52201613
The first one is fine, i dont know if the trackpoint left click is bad so yeah, good reason to use that, the right one has retarded shipping pricing.
You local to San Diego? I nice T400 I could sell ya for $60.
>>52202875
How much would you charge for shipping to Orlando?
>>52202875
I'm local to Seattle but I'm living all the way in Charleston right now. I'd love to take it off your hands though. That sounds a lot nicer than the t61
>>52202875
Yeah I'm that guy. You get so much better value with an X series tablet than that Helix shit.
You can get so much girlfriend with the remaining money. You can also buy some chocolates for your grandma or feed steaks to your dog for a month.
>>52200112
are you in USA? if so you got royally fucked. its like a $80 laptop tops, less if sold through craigslist.
>>52203278
>not joining the cat master race
>>52203278
Other things you could do with money
Down payment for a new car
Pay bills
Pay insurance for car
Buy a sex toy
Rent a hooker for a few hours (not recommended)
Pay for a college course that will get you some kind of certification in a tech field
Really, though, I have to agree that an X series Thinkpad would be better than a helix
>>52200112
Dell Latitude E5420 with 8 GB ram and 128 GB SSD, now can run for 6 hours straight (just recelled it recently). Although the build isn't as good as its E6000 cousin.
Also which Thinkpad has the best screen (resolution, view angle, colour etc..)?
Can OP stop recommending the X220 and the T420? They're pretty stupidly outdated. The only people that actually buy these are falling for a meme.
>>52203321
Fuck you bro
Posted from my X61 T
>>52203303
Both can be very amazing pets.
>>52203316
Or get TWO X220t's so you can multitask.
>>52203321
I actually got one because it was really well priced (T420)
I had the money, it was available the day I wanted it, and it was available for immediate pick up
No regrets. The only laptop I ever owned with a better screen was a Sony Vaio with a touch screen.
I had to adjust to not touching the screen for everything though.
>Then I got a touchscreen computer for the fiancee and had to readjust myself to not touching the screen after I set it up for her
>>52203321
Fuck you bro
Posted from my T410 16:10 black edition
>>52203342
I posted >>52203321 from my R61. Fuck yourself in the ass forever faggot. The 60/61 are still a way better value than the SB is, which is because SB has never been a good value.
>>52203366
>he bought a 410
lol
>>52203378
Fair enough then. I thought you were saying anything as old/older than x220 was worthless.
>>52203399
...I'm saying anything past 61 is worthless.
>>52203321
What would you recommend instead of the X220 then, in terms of form factor, price, and a decent keyboard?
Serious question. I personally haven't found a comfier setup for programming/writing.
>>52200112
E6220 here. Really wish I got an x220.
>>52203418
Yeah I got you now.
>>52203420
X61 is $50 and the same performance with a better build quality and better keyboard. You people are falling for a fucking meme with this x220/t420 garbage.
Nabbed a Latitude D630 for $20 with free shipping from Goodwill. No hard drive...which is fine because I have a SSD... Just a little pet I can dick around and see all about this new thing.
Ricing...
>>52203392
Damned if I hadn't. It is really good.
>Aspect ratio that respects your integrity
>No Lenovo logo on the lid
>Military speccy
Check'd, M8.
>>52203467
or you just buy a 61 which is much better
>>52203446
>4:3
I'll stick with my memepad desu senpai
>>52203486
Could be nice, I'm not denying that but I'm not in the US and this was all I could get.
Is the build quality much better?
>>52203569
>much better
It is.
>>52203614
Too bad about SATA1 though, I bet it still responds fast with an SSD.
>>52200112
lol nope. The SSD is nice but that's only worth about $35-45 ... soo you basically bought a Core 2 Duo machine with dead battery for $100.
I paid $40 shipped for a similarly-specced dell (no HDD, 20% batt) but mine came with a first-gen i5
YOU GOT KUCKED
>>52203744
Please mind your language.
>>52203651
61 models can use Middleton BIOS to enable SATA2, if I remember correctly
>>52203911
Whoa that's pretty awesome. How much battery life can you expect with a new battery?
>>52203446
>C2D
I'll keep my T420. I like my i5 and nVidia graphics
>>52194631
Is a thinkpad x220 with an i5 (whichever one was the 2.5ghz one for sandy bridge, I forget), 4gb of RAM, and a 120 gb ssd for $220 worth it?
>>52204002
>he plays games on a laptop
>he plays games at all
cuck must be your middle name
>>52204005
no.
>>52204005
It's not even worth $150
>>52204005
T420 blaze it faggots
>>52204107
have fun overpaying echochamber fuckboi
>>52203342
Fuck yeah brother.
>>52203426
>no trackpoint
Dear god.
>>52203236
>>52203249
Welp.
Its going to go on eBay sometime next week... so it would be a Large Flat Rate box, or some box I will make up from cardboard to fit it with nice and snug.
>>52203418
I'd argue a T60 can do good.
But anything from 2001 to 2007 isn't worth that much.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/262203179050?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1559.l2649
>>52204650
>>52203249 here, I look forward to scouting for it. If I haven't impulse bought a t61
>>52204030
No, it's Jesus
But seriously, it isn't about the games. I just like having options. The only game I played on this thing since the day I bought it was the Alpha for Slime Rancher. I just couldn't resist it.
>>52204650
Seems neat... If I spot it I might grab it.
>>52204766
>It's not about the games
>It's about the options... the options of playing games
>>52204812
I actually am horrible and run MPV with the dGPU
>>52203321
Fuck you cunt
Posted from my recently acquired X220
>>52206654
You have been well and truly memed.
You should've got the Dell XPS 13 with a non-shitty bezel.
>>52206732
>XPS
>dell
you best be trollin
I'm a novelist and a Thinkpad freak.
Just gave away my T60p and thinking about what to replace it with for coffee shop writing: another T60p, or a T520?
CPU speed is irrelevant, as all I do is word processing. But I wonder if the T520's better screen is worth the price premium over the T60p? (Also, does the T520 use the same charger as a T60 generation machine? I have a ton of those chargers around...)
Also, the Bill Morrow Thinkpads forum is pretty nice.
>>52201613
Make sure your T61 doesn't have the Nvidia bug. Most Ebay T61s have early manifestations of Nvidia death.
>>52206771
Fuck off, stupid chinkboy. Enjoy your superfish and other chinese backdoors.
Dell is the only way to go these days.
>>52203911
You are correct. My T61 has that mod.
>>52206908
Tell me some budget laptop for students. Thinkpads are fucking expensive.
>>52206865
Quite a big gap between the two. I guess it depends on how comfy you find 4:3. If it's one of those UXGA things which you want to settle in with, then you'll never be happy with anything else. Otherwise, a T520 with 1920x1080 panel would do nicely if you're willing to fork out (really if you're making a comparison to the UXGA T60p, the 1080p panel is the only one which could compare). From then on it's a battle of whether you want it or not. You get some more horizontal working room with the 1080p panel and a brighter backlight, but it's not an AFFS or IPS panel
And yes the charger plug is the same. They only really changed it to the rectangular and some other shit after Ivy Bridge
>>52208902
Used ThinkPads from ebay :3c
Otherwise you'll run into the same brick wall with every other business lineup anyway
I had a x61. Ran linux nice but the screen was way to small and the backlight and screen angle was so shit. Also the battery life was shit with just the standard 4cell battery. Sold it for abit more then i paid for it and got a very cheap dell xps 13 l322x. Way better
>>52208902
Latitudes from Dell outlet. You get a nice 40-50% off code and then try to return it and they give you another 10% off. Bought a touchscreen i7 E7250 early this year for $550 before taxes, and all the cash back.
What does /tpg/ think of this deal?
Thinkpad T520 - $350USD
i5-2450M, 4 GB RAM, 320GB HDD.
Worth it?
>>52209568
same specs in my x220 + x220 and i got mine for 218$ , you can do better, search more.
>>52209568
There's a few in actual stores here in Melbourne, Australia with i5, Nvidia Graphics for $295AUD ($215US)
You should be able to do much better than $350US.
>>52209722
It was a refurb job which is why the cost was higher. I'll keep looking, thanks Anon.
>>52209785
Happen to know roughly how much the i5 x230/x240s are going for in Melbourne?
>>52209839
Nope. Don't really care about the newer ones. I think JB-Hifi in the CBD is still trying to sell the outdated X1 Carbon 2G (with the touch panel F-keys) for $2000, fucking ridiculous.
>>52209891
JB, You've done it again.
Thanks anyway.
>>52194631
Wow /g/ keep pushing this chinkpad meme?
I fell for it once, but never again.
>t61p
>weight a ton and a half
>power brick was litteraly like a brick
>battery last one hour max
>screen had very low brightness
>restpalms plastic cracks after some months
>hinges became lose
>nvidia chip shitted itself after a year
into the trash it went
Keep buying this ancient used cumstained garbage, if you want to be cucked.
>>52209785
Elizabeth street? I have the day off tomorrow and might have a look. I probably won't buy anything I already have a top spec T420 with my own adjustments.
>>52210467
nigger, if youre a faggot and dont want to walk around with a heavy computer, dont buy a heavy computer. stop beinng a fucking retard, and just buy a thinkpad that fits your needs.
My fucking cat decided to piss all over my 'new' x220, what do?
>>52210905
Skin the cat.
>>52210943
I want to prioritise the thinkpad first, that's next on my list.
>>52210905
turn it off, remove battery, keyboard, try to clean the piss from electronics parts then buy a new keyboard. I once spilled soy sauce on my Latitude, which destroyed the keyboard, the power board and the ethernet board. I bought the replacement parts from ebay/taobao for 25$ and fixed it later.
>>52210984
The lid was closed... I can't see or smell anything around the keyboard. It seems like the only residue is on the ethernet port and the yellow USB port.
I've left it on top of a dehumidifier for the moment, is it worth doing this still do you think?
>>52210836
the weight was only one point
>>52211016
try to open it to see if there is piss on any electronics component. I neglected that part and my power board was fried.
>>52210905
clean with 90+% isopropyl alcohol
Are the graphics in the t530 significantly better than the t520?
I mean the integrated chip.
>>52194631
I'm so lost around all the 9cell batteries for my T400.
Price goes from 26$ (Image) to 170$ for the Lenovo one.
Which one should I buy ?
Tfw I got the 1366x768 t420 instead of the 1600x900 version
Tfw I tried to dual boot osx Yosemite and Windows 10 but couldn't get clover or any other bootloader to install correctly
>>52211934
>hackintosh on a thinkpad
lol why
just get a desktop hackintosh if you really want one
>>52211673
want ot know this.
>>5221167if you want to be sure it's 100% genuine, then buy the lenovo
if you dont have any problems with chinkshit,. then get a relatively cheap battery. i believe somebody in the last thread posted like a big guide on buying batteries
>>52211673
>>52212026
Me too
>>52211673
At those insane prices I'd just suck it up and get chinkshit. You won't be getting exceptional battery life out of a T400 anyway.
My 4 year old T420 came with a battery with 31 charge cycles. Felt good man.
>>52212359
How to check the charge cycles.
>>52212394
sudo tlp stat
has anyone succeded to upgrade the display panel of the t420 with the newer FHD panels of the T440s series?
I've looked for the LVDS eDP adapter but could find one. Only the adapter board for the t420s, which is still out of stock.
Or is the t420 version still in development?!
>>52209163
Awesome. Many many thanks. I love the 4:3 and UXGA. My current stopgap laptop is a fully loaded X61. As you might have guessed, for a writer (of text, not technical documentation), vertical working space is more important than horizontal. (But I'm not one of those buttfucks who flips his 27" LCD vertical.)
T60 owner here.
It's equipped with two audio jacks (mic and headphones) but I cannot get these working for the life of me.
Is there something I missed? USB headphones work because they form their own soundcard.
>>52213106
for what it's worth, the one time i tried plugging headphones into the headphone jack (instead of using usb headphones) on my t60, it sounded tin-can terrible, like something going over a 1975 transatlantic call to latvia and back.
>>52194975
From monitoring the threads, seems like nobody on /tpg/ does. Lame
>>52213106
If you've disabled the modem, the audio won't work on Windows.
>>52212894
How would a t61 be for writing?
>>52194975
I do for sure! I mainly use a X230 with the GTS 450, but it works on just about all of my TPs.
Any questions?
Just got a replacement keyboard for my T420 and while I can tell it's not quite the same as genuine quality (the key printing is slightly different and the texture on the power button bar is slightly different) it feels like the old keyboard but new, so I've got no complaints.
Thanks, random Chinese guy from Shenzhen.
>>52213905
Should have gotten an used NMB keyboard. Anti-bacterial coating plus the best feel.
Always search for the FRU instead of T420 keyboard.
>>52213785
how well does it work, how long did it take to make/set up?
>>52214061
Took a week for the board to ship from china, 10 seconds to plug in the PSU, 20 seconds to plug in the GPU an hook it up to the power, and 5 mins to download and install the drivers. Then it just worked out of the box.
>>52214061
Oh, and it works just as well as you would expect an outdated GPU running over PCIe 1x could work.
>>52194975
Yes. Works out of the box after driver installs. Mounted the card and pcb an an Ahmed box. Using a dell SFF power supply for it, Xbox huge.
T520 for $200
Yay or nay?
>>52194631
any suggestions for a distro for an x220, tips to improve battery life?
I am writing this on a X200 (which replaced my X61), so I guess since
>>52194631
>Other business laptops are also welcome in /tpg/ (e.g. Dell Latitude/Precision, HP EliteBook/ZBook).
I can ask here for the following help:
Unfortunaltely the X200 is getting 2slow4me, and I need somthing new. But I cant just get an X220, since its 16:9, and the 16:10 screen on my X200 is already too small, compared to the X61 before it (while the machine itself is bigger, and the X220 is even bigger than the X200).
I played around with various thinkpads, and the only things worth getting, are the X1carbon (but only the ones with the unfucked keyboard) and the T440s (only with trackpad swap) and T450s.
But all three options are currently still at macbook prices, and so I might as well just get a macbook and have a good screen.
But what about the HP Elitebook 840 G1?
Could get one for about 900 eurobucks with a dock.
spec wise, it looks really good (apart from the shitty 1600:900 screen and a three cell battery). Designwise it looks rather shitty, but so do the new thinkpads. Hows the quality, repairability, and keyboard?
For 900€, I need to use it for about 6 to 7 years, I f i want to spend the same amount of money per year than I did for my other machines. Will it be good for that long?
>>52200112
E7250 mustard race rapporting in
A-anyone else here just wants to get a comfy x20 or an x40 for messing with old-school linux distros and reading pdfs and papers on it at home from bed?
>tfw I will never found one under 50 USD
>>52209457
Where do you get that code?
>>52216830
I got an x61s for 40 usd
>>52216906
good
How would a T420 do with simple photo editing tasks in PS? And InDesign?
>>52217079
No, get a macbook pro if you are going to be using ps a lot
>>52216906
I got a stack of 5 'x61's for $80.
>>52217224
X61s is rarer than X61
Used Lenovo T61 user, here. I'm still occasionally getting the "hardware malfunction" crash when I try to do too much at once. If it outright dies, is this something that can be repaired, or is it a matter of just getting a new one since 90% of a Thinkpad's parts are soldered together? Serious question, relatively new to laptops.
>>52217285
i'd take a pass on the slower cpu though
>>52217774
>T61
>Worth repairing
Didn't read the guide before buying, did you?
>>52195840
Any other pics in the same style?
This x200 with the artemide lamp is the only fashionable picture of a thinkpad I find.
>tfw audible laughter when I pull out my X230 in the lecture hall
Anyone else know this feel?
>>52217774
Checked for overheat?
>>52217992
>x230
why, that's a nice model, do you live in USA?
land of the free
home of the Apple
europoor here, we don't discriminate people from their laptops, only skin color
My T420 arrived today. Turns out it has 1366x768 instead of 900p, how did I manage fuck this up goddamnit. I could swear I saw it in the specs. What have I done, hold me
What is the best sub-13" enterprise laptop for under $500?
>>52209568
Average deal. Not bad. Get it if you're impatient or if it looks brand fucking new
>>52211582
They're the same in real world performance
>>52218603
Can't you just upgrade it? Sucks tho, I can't stand that res desu.
The w520 looks so comfy imo
>>52218603
Return that shit nigga
>>52219616
I paid relatively much for it because europoor, don't want to pay even more ;_; I guess I'll have to
anyone have a working hackintosh on their x220 dankpad?
>>52220640
I've seen some folks in these threads doing it. I think you end up replacing your wifi card if you want wifi of course.
Would an x201 tablet make a good programming computer? I was planning on throwing linux mint on there, or just lubuntu, and use it to work on my C and C++
>>52221149
Oh and I would be getting it for $100 because the guy selling it wanted to hold onto the hard drive, but I have an SSD sitting around.
>>52221176
For sure. I would get one in a heartbeat. I have a T410 which is from the same gen and it rocks.
My X220 loses wifi after recovering from sleep. I haven't found any other solution than reboot. I'm running arch and netctl. Has anyone else had the same problem?
>>52221430
restart wlan
i have a z470, where is the ideapad thread??
>>52221631
>sell shitty ideapad
>acquire awesome memepad
>come back to this thread
>>52221430
>he fell for the arch meme
>asking for tech support
the only reason it seems like so many people use arch is that they make up a disproportionate percentage of "plz fix my shit" threads.
If you're not l33t enough to even fix a basic issue like that then why the fuck are you using l33tOS in the first place?
>>52221987
What's wrong with ideapads, the ones I'm seeing are cheaper with better specs...
>>52221523
Doesn't help. I've also tried restarting ip link and netctl-auto via systemctl.
So I just got an X301 for $50 off of a friend who was trying to sell it for his dad. (Worked at a hospital and got it alongside a macbook pro so he never used the X). Got Linux Mint running on it, any ideas how I can improve the battery life?
Found a t420 for 250cad (180usd)
> i5 2520m
> 120gb ssd (doesn't care much I got a 250gb Evo ssd)
> 4gb ram (got another stick)
Does that seems like a fair price? I'm going to check it tomorrow, anything I should look for?
>>52222026
build quality is shit. usb ports, keys, ac plugs.. it all dies way sooner than thinkpads.
>>52222162
Palmrest cracks, lack of rubber feet and most importantly the resolution. You want the 1600x900 but if it is in mint condition you can replace the panel later yourself.
>>52222196
How soon is sooner, will it last my next 3 year at uni?
>>52222320
Barely. Odds are your power plug will stop acting funny before then. That's particularly shitty in ideapads.
>>52222159
Also what should I do in terms of upgrading? Its only got 3GB RAM and a wimpy 60GB HDD.
>>52222351
Get an SSD, maximum RAM is 8GB.
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X301
>>52222282
OK thank you, unfortunately I think the panel is a not the 900p, I will change it if it's really bad.
Also I have an option for a x220 if I find the t420 too big for my need, any thing specific for that one or do I check the same points?
>>52222347
Thanks for your input, this was the machine I was looking at:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VHO9C5C/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3U1TALXID4TWG&coliid=I3NO6VRZTY5354&psc=1
Seems like to good to be true, the tough thing is, is finding a budget laptop that will still run relatively quickly.
>>52222351
Due to age, the battery life will still be mediocre despite the ULV processor. But I guess you could just do the typical power savings stuff. Besides that though, stick a cheap SSD in. Adding more memory (caps out at 8GB afaik) isn't going to be of much benefit to you anyway and heavy multitasking which the processor won't take to very kindly will rape the battery life anyway
But it's still a fun machine I guess due to its aesthetics
Also check if the battery is a 3 cell or 6 cell. The 3 cell will have quite shit battery life but it's up to you to gamble around on ebay
>>52222399
>>52222446
Thanks. Do you think a single stick of 8 will work? A lot of people go 2x4 but I have a leftover stick of 8 from an MSI gaming laptop not in use.
>>52222407
Yeah check for the same points, the thinkwiki lists all possible hardware configurations for your desired model. The x220 only comes with the low res panel but since the screen is small it is ok, plus I believe it's not prone to palmrest cracking.
Check if there is any rubber missing, the ones that are in the screen bezel specially.
>>52222492
I think it will, in single channel mode. Slower but nothing worth worrying over.
Honestly I'm doing good (for my laptop anyways) with my old EliteBook 8440p running Linux Lite GNU/Linux.
>>52222026
Bitchin' CPU doesn't help you when the charge port fails
>>52222439
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Refurbished-Lenovo-Black-14-T420-Laptop-PC-with-Intel-Core-i5-2520M-Processor-12GB-Memory-750GB-Hard-Drive-and-Windows-7-Professional-64-Bit/46461745
>>52222351
Definitely take it to 4 GB RAM, 6 GB is nice too, 8 GB is probably overkill unless you do VMs or editing. Currently got 4GB in my x200 running Lubuntu and I basically never crack 1 GB including cache. Sitting on 500 MB used + 300 MB cache right now with ~30 tabs open in firecux
Put a $45 128 GB Sandisk SSD in. I cheaped out and went with a $30 60 GB ebay special but /tpg/ yelled at me, whatever it's just a shitpost station.
>>52222675
I already have an 8GB stick, dont care if its super overkill. I found this SSD, worth? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5WM3N85128 Im willing to buy a used one though.
Got a yoga 15. Love it. Ram easily expandable, ssd easy to upgrade, runs Linux like a champ, even dumb touchscreen. Fuck y'all.
>>52222729
>http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA5WM3N85128
>Sata2 SSD
$100 bucks! no way man, that shit sucks. Get a Samsung 850 evo or a Sandisk Ultra 2.
>>52222675
>ebay special but /tpg/ yelled at me
why? are used ssds a nono?? pls no bully
>>52222766
I was just looking for something on the cheap considering I wont really be using this as a DD, but Ill look into SATA3 drives.
>>52222785
Failure risk, firmware shenanigans, not much savings. Just hunt for a sake and buy new.
>>52222810
Daily driver or not you are spending on shit while the better stuff is cheaper, faster and more reliable.
Good SSDs are Sandisk (perhaps not the SSD plus, too budget class) the Samsungs, the Intels and the Crucials.
>>52222832
Yea this is the first time I am actually buying an SSD for a laptop. (My MSI had one built in, and I never bothered with one on my ASUS). Had no idea the gap between S2 and S3
>>52222872
Not that much for i/o operations, more about sequential read and write but get newer SSD because of reliability.
>>52222785
>>52222826
It was new, from "Kingdian" brand. The listing had a good "truthiness" quotient to it, they posted actual benchmark specs under a bunch of conditions instead of just saying "up to 6 GB/s " or something like some do. The listing also said "3 year warranty" (although good luck collecting on that at the 2yr mark, lol. I'm limited to SATA II by my chipset but this thing supposedly can do SATA III. My benchmark results are pretty much in line with maxed out SATA II and my X200 cold boots in 20 seconds so I'm happy.
It works great for my needs. I probably wouldn't go chinkshit for a 250 GB+ one that's more of an "investment".
My next SSD is likely to be a $45 128 GB Sandisk just like the one I put in my $RELATIVE's X201.
>>52222872
er mah gerd. this post reminded me that i have an SSD sitting around not doing anything. my memepad is arriving in a week so i guess im about to have a really sick x200 :/
>>52223192
X200 + Linux + SSD is super comfy, desu
Did you order a new battery yet? These machines started shipping in 2008 so you can pretty much assume it's DOA, regardless of what the seller says. I can vouch for the ~$36 NEW OEM 9-cell on ebay. X200 and X201 share batteries, docks, and chargers which is pretty nice if you feel like upgrading at some point.
>>52223251
I haven't but I plan to get a 9cell eventually. The seller says its been refurbished so I want to see what I can squeeze out of it first. also the plan is to put linux on it. i have my install disk ready
Can get a x240 with i5/4GB and 16GB SSD/500GB HDD for €400. Plus touchpad and FHD screen upgrade ($140) that is about €520. Worth it? Leaves the room to upgrade battery, SSD and RAM.
The older X models are too thick and hot for me.
>>52222196
>>52222347
Could just be an anecdotal experience, but the Y580 I bought for university back in 2012 has been a stellar performer. Build quality is far better than most consumer-grade and even some "business" laptops I've come across, and the feature set is impressive. 1080p display, Blu-Ray drive, GTX 660M (which is beginning to show its age, admittedly), 8 gigs DDR3 RAM, 1 TB HDD, a keyboard that's better than the T440, all for about $1,100 new. It's pretty hard to beat that value proposition.
Now, I admit I haven't moved the computer around much. It sat in my cramped dorm room and then my cramped apartment for most of its life, and I only ever took it off my desk when I needed to study for exams and when I went home for weekends or holidays. I use a beat-to-shit T400 as my portable machine (despite the fact that it probably weighs more with the 9-cell), and I have to admit the overall package on that is way more polished. But as a desktop replacement, and depending on your needs, the Ideapad is pretty solid for the price, and it even does Linux decently enough.
Personally, I think the Ideapad line gets shit on more than it deserves. The real travesty is Lenovo continues to borrow cues and features from the Ideapad for use in the Thinkpad, rather than the other way around.
![rainy_days_sunglasses[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/JrlZDT6.jpg "rainy_days_sunglasses[1].jpg")
>picked up 3 x301's today
>"the lights come on when you press the power button, but nothing happens on the screen"
>$20/piece
>take out the CMOS battery
>put it back in 5 minutes later
>3 working x301's that look like they've been used for 15 minutes each
>mfw
got core duo T2300 in my thinkpad t60. laptop itself is nice, 2GB of ram, new battery, ssd. but even for stuff like heavier websites or youtube it's showing it's age.
could get T7200 for dirt cheap, will it be supported by all t60s or do i need to check if mobo/bios or other shit like that is compatible?
>>52224361
nah, too expensive, 300 is a good deal.
>>52224459
Wow...
Nice, very nice, the best Core 2 Duo ThinkPad I've typed on.
>>52222731
I wonder if you could use the 3D camera somehow, would be neat.
>>52217774
Maybe you need to redo the thermal paste, otherwise it might be a faulty GPU, but you should get graphical errors first.
Could be bad RAM.
>>52216830
Good luck.
I do want to get an X20 series with their ultradocks, they come with a floppy drive and a CD ultrabay, neato as it was pulled since the X30.
Got an X31 with an AFFS mod from a forum member, I got to use it...
Now in my school we got a thinkpad as computer and before the summer we can buy the computer IF we want to keep it. Should i do this or not? I've never liked the computer for build quality but the performance is pretty good and i like it and if i get a nice price on which would be priced as used, should i then buy it or not? I dont have a lsptop, just a PC.
why anyone would use a memepad over an apple is beyond me
quit being a retart and just buy the better laptop lol. quit dumpster diving for your tech, /g/
>>52224672
depends on which thinkpad it is and how much you have to pay.
>>52224682
lol
>>52224682
Keep it up Anon. We'd be stuck on a path of obsolescence without you.
>>52224702
I think it is called X131, it got sticky mousepad which i hate and i would buy a wireless mouse for but the actuall PC is also pretty cheap i think but i would maybe pay around 100? Maybe lower.
