Previous thread: >>54710455
IRC: #/tpg/ on irc.rizon.net
Other business laptops are also welcome in /tpg/ (e.g. Dell Latitude/Precision, HP EliteBook/ZBook).
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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
----
Why ThinkPad? (also applies to other business laptops)
>Used machines are plentiful and cheap.
>Excellent keyboards - tactile feel and quiet.
>Great durability: chassis uses a magnesium rollcage for structural integrity, with high quality plastic body panels.
>Utilitarian design: e.g. indicator LEDs, 7 row keyboard layout on older models.
>Docking stations that easily turns your laptop into a desktop.
>Easy to repair, upgrade and maintain thanks to readily available service manuals for every model. Spare parts are easy and cheap to obtain.
>The best trackpoint (that red thing in 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
New guides by xsauc:
http://www.dankpads.com
EPP discount for new ThinkPads (USA & Canada only, usually 15%+ off):
http://pastebin.com/DujvzEzU
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/
ThinkPad wallpaper collection:
https://imgur.com/a/NlepZ
Im going to Uni next year, and need a small laptop, i was thinking of a 2nd hand/refurb x1 carbon. i dont want to spend anything over £500 ($750), and need it for work with office, and casual gaming (e.g. Fifa, WoW)
>>54738189
If you just intend to use it for Uni, you could save a lot of money by getting an X220 with an IPS panel.
>>54738189
1st or 3rd gen X1Cs are /tpg/ approved. I don't know about gaming performance. 2nd gens are eschewed for some reason I can't remember.
>>54738239
>2nd gens are eschewed for some reason I can't remember.
I think that's the one with the weird as fuck dynamic function row
That shit would be cool as hell if the user could completely customize it themselves, but unfortunately it's locked down to just a few options on a per-program basis
>>54738288
>I think that's the one with the weird as fuck dynamic function row
That and it's the one with no physical trackpad buttons
Trackpads where the entire thing is clickable is the worst meme and I'm glad it's dead now
>>54738239
>>54738288
http://www.macrumors.com/2016/05/23/macbook-pro-2016-oled-display-touch-bar/
>While long overlooked, the MacBook line is the brightest spot for Apple’s 2016 rollouts. This is particularly true of the two new MacBook Pro models, to be introduced in 4Q16, as they will have a thinner and lighter form factor, Touch ID, use OLED display touch bar (to replace physical function keys, located above the keyboard) and adopt USB- C / Thunderbolt 3.
If you can't innovate, imitate.
Thinkpads in space
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhGydridbEA
>>54738324
kek. You can't make this shit up.
>>54738324
>apple
So that's a no for the user customizing it themselves too
Hey guys. Just wanting to ask a short few questions.
I already have a T400 maxed out. I love it but the GPU can be a little underpowered for some bad webpages (Facebook etc). Does anyone know any way to lower the load on the GPU on these pages? It just lags a little bit so it's still usable.
I'm also a huge fan of little laptops and 4:3 screens. I've been looking at getting an SVGA X61t, but I'm not sure if it'll still be usable. As long as it can run browsers and word editors etc. it'd be fine. Can any X61t users tell me what it's like? I kind of need to run Windows for the work I do.
Thanks.
>>54738343
No, I'm certain they will expose some sort of API so programs can change the function bar for different needs (think internet browsers having refresh, back/forward shortcuts).
It's got a higher chance of having 3rd party software support than what was shown in the X1C
>>54738357
Disable Flash
>>54738327
>>54738370
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nasa-ships-hp-zbook-workstations-international-space-jari-h%C3%A4m%C3%A4l%C3%A4inen
They are being replaced with ZBooks
>>54738357
disable window compositing
>>54738390
>https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/nasa-ships-hp-zbook-workstations-international-space-jari-h%C3%A4m%C3%A4l%C3%A4inen
:(
At least we were there first
So I finally spilled soda on my T420, disassembled it and cleaned it, only a bit had gotten on the expresscard/SD slots
So I cleaned it, reassembled and now it won't turn on, though I do get the 3 battery blinks when I connect the AC, and it also blinks 3 times if I try to power it on, it also seems to charge the battery
Is the motherboard fried? Or something might be shorting?
It was working after the spill, but I disconnected the AC and the battery pretty soon
>>54738408
Can't complain, they are excellent machines given the fact that Lenovo truly fucked up in the last few years.
>>54738408
>>54738408
>NASA selected the HP ZBook 15 (Gen 2) mobile workstation as the next generation of laptops that will be deployed on the International Space Station in March of 2016 replacing the HP EliteBook 8570w mobile workstations that are currently in use aboard the ISS.
Didn't know they used elitebooks before
>>54738239
Yeah, it was the x1 carbon 1st gen i was looking at
Correct me if I'm wrong but there's no need for an IPS screen unless you work as a designer or an autist.
>>54739135
there's no need for a laptop either desu
>>54739135
As a person who works very hard at having eyes, I can assure you it's necessary.
>>54739135
It's not NECESSARY but it's nice as fuck to be able to sit down and watch a movie without having to fuck with your screen to get the right angle where darks are actually dark and not brighter than lighter parts
Guys. Recently got a T440p with the fucking atrocious TN HD panel. Upgraded the screen with a 1080p IPS and am enjoying.
Problem being that I bought this to replace the X301 I had been using for the past two years, screen got cracked by circumstances beyond my control and it was near impossible finding a replacement for it. I found that it was the perfect size and weight to carry around with me, where as the T440p is nearly double the weight and volume. I don't mind all that much because I've recently gotten rid of the desktop and use it as my main machine at home.
I just want a replacement for my X301 to take places, I've been thinking maybe an X220-X240
considering the praise they receive here, as this thing needs to hold up to road trips I take.
What do you all think?
Anyone tell me what thinkpad would play black ops and some of the older battlefield titles at decent fps?
>buy thinkpad
>breaks within a week
Never again
>>54739910
Have you tried stop being a wimp?
T440p is plenty small and light.
>>54739421
This.
The viewing angles alone justify IPS.
>>54735392
Whoever was the last person to service this is a faggot.
I'm mad.
Just ordered an upgrade kit for my T420s. Still need a screen. Anyone who knows a seller who doesn't sell counterfeit screens (preferably in Europe)
Currently thinking about getting an x230 and modding the x220 keyboard in. Had anyone successfully been able to do this and gotten all the keys to work?
289 cycles and still holding up like a boss
>>54741573
The X220 keyboard will physically fit in the X230 chassis, but the problem is the key mapping in the BIOS is very different. While the letters work fine, a lot of the function and keyboard shortcut keys have been moved around or removed from the X230, which presents it's own set of problems. If you're willing to live with it, I personally wouldn't, then you can put the X220 keyboard in. If you really dislike it that much, I'd say don't buy the X230 and instead buy a X220. There's little difference between the two, other than USB 3.0, and you might put a few bucks in your pocket.
>>54742021
>>54741573
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Install_Classic_Keyboard_on_xx30_Series_ThinkPads
>>54742021
I thought it was just a few keyboard combinations that didn't work if you flashed the custom EC?
>>54741091
that's just stock lenovo paste
How well does the X220 handle gaming? Want it for CSGO and WoW.
>>54742102
It can probably handle CSGO and WoW on pretty low settings, the HD3000 is kinda shit. If you're gonna game I would suggest getting a X230 instead since the HD4000 is leaps ahead of the HD3000
>>54742133
Well my bughestb udget for a laptop is $300 right now due to financial troubles, the refurb X220's are hte perfect price for me.
>>54742174
http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Lenovo-ThinkPad-X230-Laptopt-Intel-Core-i5-2-60GHz-4GB-RAM-320GB-HDD-/231926890311?hash=item35ffeb7f47:g:V5UAAOSwMVFXIacm
Throw in some more RAM and you're good to go
>>54742133
>CSGO
maybe, and then I say maybe, on the lowest resolution with all settings set to the lowest as possible but it runs atrocious on my T420s i5-2540M reaching only 40 FPS with everything on low 720p. CS1.6 looks and runs better though.
I have no idea about WoW, but I do know that Diablo II runs fantastic! :D
You can emulate older 2D games on it (it can easily run DS games)
Also indie platformers run well, things like Risk of Rain and Shovelknight run smoothly.
It's just not made for 3D games.
>>54742211
The T420s has HD3000 which is shit, the HD4000 is slightly less shit (but still shit) so if he turns down the graphics way down it should be playable. It won't be the best experience but it would be playable
why is the cheapest screen on the x220 such ass??
>>54742408
>why are cheap display panels from 2011 bad
gee, I don't know
>>54742408
Because it's TN?
>>54742021
I already have an x220, but I want to make the best possible 'pad with the classic keyboard. I've read about putting custom mappings in the BIOS/microcontroller but it's not clear if it fully works
>>54742442
Your keyboard uses a small controller which tells the computer what key you pressed. The input from the keyboard is different between the older and the newer keyboard so not all keys work. The solution is to flash custom firmware to the controller which tells the correct keys from the newer style keyboard.
From what I understand to flash the controller you download the correct ISO for your computer and boot it.
>>54741117
>counterfeit screens
Would an X220 be sufficient for making games?
>>54742535
>There are some sellers selling fake screens on ebay!!!! Please be aware!!!! You are responsible for finding the genuine screen yourself.
This comes from the guy form who I bought the upgrade kit: http://www.ebay.com/itm/231927575647
Sorry if "counterfeit" isn't the same as "fake", English isn't my first language
>>54742880
For 2D games? Absolutely.
For 3D games? Well, I suppose you could if you kept your models very simple. But you'd run into issues with the X220's screen size. I've tried using blender on it, and it's very cramped.
Speaking of X220 tablets though, recently one came up in my area. I was wondering what a good price would be, and if anyone could share any experiences they've had with it.
Is 2.4 kg too much for a laptop?
>>54743134
For manlets, it is.
>>54743134
Don't be a bitch.
>>54743163
>All that copper in the G40 heatsink
Feels good.
>>54737842
anyone mind sharing their tlp settings?
i got 5 hours on a 9 cell which has the capacity of a 6 cell kek
link me an ebay thinkpad meeting this criteria plz
15.6"+
1920x1080
ips panel
8-16gb ram
i5 2.5ghz+
ssd 128gb+
>700usd
>>54739421
>>54739270
>>54740469
You guys know the viewing angles on a good TN are not sufficiently worse than IPS, right? The AUO screens you can get on the W series are, in many respects, even better than IPS.
>>54744795
T560?
>>54745232
I was gonna say the same, at $700, his budget really isn't that tight.
going into CS and thinking about getting a x220. will the small screen res be a hinderance?
>>54745275
No, you'll be in class a short amount of time and when you're not in class you can hook the thinkpad up to a monitor which bumps the res up as high as 1080p. The resolution on the X220 screen is fine.
I have an X201 running Windows 10 and I just got an ExpressCard USB 3.0 adapter in the mail. I tried installing all the drivers on the included CD and the drive will power USB peripherals when plugged in, but they aren't detected in Windows. It doesn't appear that the ExpressCard slot is recognized at all.
Are there drivers for Windows 10 somewhere that I can download? My Google-fu is showing that maybe it's just not an option to use the ExpressCard slot with anything newer than XP?
Just pulled the trigger lads, my x220 is on it's way.
So I just got my hands on a 390x.
Should I keep Windows 98 on it or install lubuntu?
>>54745232
how bad would i be if i went with e560 because budget
>>54745658
No, it's consumer crap, you're better of getting a toshiba satellite than that.
>>54745275
A bit small for shit like Eclipse or whatever but if you can get away with vim or Notepad++ it's perfectly adequate
>>54745009
>The AUO screens you can get on the W series are, in many respects, even better than IPS.
I have one, and no, it's still a very significant difference
>You guys know the viewing angles on a good TN are not sufficiently worse than IPS, right?
Also, most Thinkpad TN panels ARE significantly worse than IPS (the T420/T430's especially)
>>54745326
Could be the expresscard slot itself needs a driver. Anything showing up as unknown device in device manager?
>>54745009
>viewing angles on a good TN
Well there you go, most thinkpads have bad TNs
Thinking about ordering an X230 with the 1080p mod and sticking the X220 keyboard in it as well.
https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=43820633263&toSite=main
I gotta use a taobao agent and this is probably gonna cost at least $600
Thoughts?
>>54746299
I don't see any unknown devices in device manager, but I also don't see anything explicitly labelled as the ExpressCard slot. I also can't seem to find an ExpressCard slot driver online anywhere. Lenovo's website just tells me that XP/7 support ExpressCard out of the box.
>>54738357
>X61t
I have one and it runs wonderfully. My gf actually uses it as her main PC and has been doing all her uni work on it.
Only problem is the one I have not only has bubble screen but a cracked screen too. I planned to replace or fix it but I have been a lazy fuck these last couple years.
Why are there no high resolution options for the newer X series thinkpads? I wanted to upgrade but I would end up with screens smaller than my SXGA+ screen.
>>54746440
Isn't the listed price just two hundred odd though?
>the Libretto is now over 20 years old
>the last quality thinkpad is now over 11 years old
>high-quality portable computers lasted only 9 years
I'm not convinced a market doesn't exist for such devices.
What should I put in my T420's expansion slot?
are hard drives feasible? video card adapters?
Any $500 AUD or less thinkpad with a 1080p+ screen?
>>54747136
>Why are there no high resolution options
they're "business" laptops
this means a lot of contracts with institutions that don't have screen quality anywhere on the requirement list
>>54747601
>I'm not convinced a market doesn't exist for such devices.
It's too small to be profitable. Computer hardware has grown to be so cheap that overall quality can decrease since the end consumer is not spending large sums like they were a decade ago. Shorter upgrade cycle means lower build quality.
I'm a CS/Math student in uni looking for a laptop for programming when I'm at school during the day (I have a desktop at home, where I am at night). Looking to spend less that $500 and was thinking about getting a T430 off Craigslist for $340 and not going for a T420 due to the slightly less powerful CPU. What do you guys think, is this a wise option or is there another laptop you'd recommend?
>>54747136
Nigga 1080p on a 12 inch screen is plenty, how the fuck you gonna read anything if it's any higher?
>>54748024
Either will suit you well
I recommend doing the T420->T430 keyboard swap, the classic keyboard is just an absolute joy to type on
Just make damn sure you get 1600x900 and not 1366x768, you will hate yourself if you try to use any IDEs on the latter
Personally I'd look for a T520 or T530 for dat sweet sweet 1080p but that's up to you
>>54748034
When I say newer I mean like 200+ series. They are all like 800 or lower.
>>54748062
They've had 1080p option since X240
So My x230 is on the way, it has only 4g ram. Is it ddr3-1600 the max power I can go for?
>>54741117
Anyone? I don't want to end up with a 1080p TN panel
>>54748081
How often do you see people getting x240+ models on here? The buyers guide stops at x240 as the upper end.
>>54738324
there's no way that that's true
at the very worst it will be lie the 12" macbooks autistic keyboard
Anyone here selling a w530 by chance?
>>54748081
>X240
that's not really what the thread is about
>>54745658
You might as well buy some rope while you're at it.
>>54749396
Is the E460 equally shit? Found a nice deal for one.
>>54749125
t. 1366x768 cuck
>>54747640
USB 3.0
It's cheap and can be useful, otherwise eGPU but that is somewhat more expensive
>>54749766
Yes. The whole edge series is consumer crap.
Bought an X230T; didn't have any real problems with it until I discovered that the wifi card only has bgn and that the whitelist isn't so easily surpassable. Do *30 users here know if it is possible to get around the whitelist after all that isn't hard modding?
Anyone with a X200, what size battery do you have and what's your battery life like?
Looking for either a 6 or 9 cell because I got a shitty 3 cell with 37% wear that last less than an hour under normal load.
>>54751197
I've got a 9 cell 10.8 volt chinkshit battery. Holds up to 86% charge after about 3 months of use, gets maybe 6-7 hours.
I am about to buy a used t420, what things should I ask check before going with it?
This is going to be an impossible decision. T510 has the 1600x900 NVIDIA, but the T410 is probably gonna have better battery for the same reason.
Hey, guys. I have an X220 with its factory 4gb ram and hard drive.
I tried running a VN called World End Economica, but my X220 started running loud as fuck with the fan blaring. I have no cooling issues and can even run a game called Kingdom on steam with no noticeable issues like that.
Is it just this particular VN? Is it VNs ran through steam? Anyone here who's a faggot like me run VNs on their X220? What minimum requirements for videogames do you guys look for to play on your thinkpads to not run into heating issues?
>>54751677
If my opinion matters; get the T510.
>>54749978
>1366x768
nice try faggot, currently posting this from my 1080p T420s
>>54751720
This makes me think that they did something to the version on steam. You should see temps around 60-70 on the CPU doing something as light as that.
>>54744795
There are a number of w530 around right now that fit this requirement. 180gb SSDs. I just picked up a pimped 530 for exactly you're budget, but am RIP due to exchange rates.
>>54752335
I'm going to download a VN outside of steam and a similar spec game through steam to compare the temperatures to what I had with World End.
>>54752335
>>54752469
I tried Ys Origin through steam and Planetarian outside of it to compare. I don't know what they did for World End to run as hot as it did.
>>54737842
What do you guys think about the Thinkpad 13?
>>54737842
I'd like to replace my Elitebook 8540p and upgrade to an ultraportable/ultrabook. I don't want to spend more than $600 USD and I'm fine with refurb or used.
Currently cant decide between 12.5 inch and 14 inch models. What I'm considering now
>T440s
>X240
>Latitude 7440
>Latitude 7240/50
Whichever laptop I get it should be 1080p and preferably the i7
>>54753526
Get any of the latitudes of the haswell era if that's what gen you want, that clickpad is ass.
>>54753551
are you talking about the new trackpad they put on the thinkpad x40 models? heard that was finniky
>>54753603
Yes, it's garbage, really ruined otherwise nice laptops, it was so bad, they went back to buttons.
>>54744795
T520 will cover all that except IPS
However, its 1080p panel option is probably one of the best TN panels out there, for what it's worth, definitely miles better than the T420's shit screen>>54744795
T530 is slightly faster with USB3 for a bit more dosh
>>54748641
>>54749125
Well then don't say newer if you don't actually mean newer, faggot. X220 is almost 5 years old.
>>54748938
Craigslist and ebay senpai.
>>54753822
lurk moar
>mfw almost ultimate poorfag thinkpad """desktop"""
>dont need more ram
>dock and dual 1680x1050 monitors
>msata boot ssd
>gaymer meme mouse (g600)
>ibm RT3200 TKL trackpoint keyboard
>stock seagate might die soon
>tfw the seller of the 1tb hdd i bought might have fucked up (havent recieved it yet but he sent an email) and sent me a 5200rpm one instead of a 7200rpm one
>>54754068
>gaymer meme mouse (g600)
Hands down the best mouse I've ever had, so good that I bought a couple extra when they went on sale. Been using the first one for a few years now..
But yeah, nice setup dude
>>54754239
I just wish it wasnt a pain to configure on linux. I have an old windows laptop so its not really an issue, but still. Its nice to have a numpad and browser shortcuts on my left hand though.
>>54747960
>Shorter upgrade cycle means lower build quality.
this is p true desu
Where can I get an X220 Tablet multitouch screen. Ive been only able to find the LCD without touch.
What do you guys think of this?
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/anzeigen/s-detailansicht.html?adId=452658732
Good deal?
>>54754794
I bought mine off eBay.
mmmm
>>54754846
Ive been searching but have only found lcd without touch
>>54754264
Ah, yeah I've never tried that, don't use a mouse for my laptops.. But that sucks to hear, been thinking about dual booting my desktop
I checked the Thinkwiki and didn't see anything so I thought I'd ask:
Are there any common problems that I should be aware of before purchasing an X220?
Any britbongs selling a T420 or X220 at all?
Upgraded my T420S to 8GB RAM and also got my new IPS FHD panel in the mail. Cannot install it yet though, still need to receive the mod kit.
>>54737842
I'm a Thinkpad noob.
Why are the 2nd gen i-CPU Thinkpads better than the newer ones?
>>54755333
>newer ones have chiclet keyboards.
>The only major improvements in CPU are in power saving since sandy bridge.
>Build quality lessens after **30 iirc
>the **40 trackpad shit
You get the best power/price ratio at the **20 currently though the **30s are good as well if you arent a keyboard memer.
>>54755445
Thanks m8.
>got a T420 almost a week ago
>spend a good few minutes in bed browsing around before getting up now
Comfy.
>>54755571
>in bed listening to music
>using the thinklight to read a book
>can do this all day without a charger because dual 9 cell batteries
>>54755211
nope, everything working here on Manjaro Net w/ i3wm
hey /tpg/
i like big ass laptops, and ive also been itching to play some not-so-old games like gta V and similar. i'm in college and i really can't make a desktop work.
note: i also code in c and do photoshop etc. so power is welcome.
if i get a good samsung evo ssd or similar, will a w520 be good enough, or should i shell out extra for a w530 for that 3rd gen i7 3.6gHz? would i even notice? i was looking at a t530 but the price difference isnt worth the drop in performance from what i can tell.
i also heard that the 3rd gen i7 has better battery efficiency but i don't know if thats true. i don't want a computer that will max out at 4hrs battery life on a 9 cell.
thanks for any advice. also: my x201t is still kicking strong after my refurb a year ago so thanks for the help back then, love the thing.
>>54755943
i am going to get a w520/w530 with a quadro k2000 probably, main reason the t530 looks like a bad option. (doesnt come with it or anything near as powerful if you dont know)
>>54755943
>laptop to play GTAV
This is a bad idea, m8. Really just get a nice portable laptop like the X220 and save up for a desktop. It becomes a lot more inexpensive in the long run.
Just got a X61s. Which distro should I put on it?
>>54756286
Manjaro
>>54756286
Gentoo
>>54755333
Nehalem's HD Graphics have an oddball framebuffer that sometimes bugs out for me with DRI, and does not work with OS X. Sandy have all been fine and use slightly less power thanks to the shrunken die.
>>54756517
I'll try this. Thanks.
>>54756570
I can't meme hard enough to try gentoo, and even if I could, it is too much work for something that doesn't appear better than the alternatives.
>>54754569
>Hardware barely improves other than Intel HD graphics between 2011 and 2013
>People replace shit more often
>Build strength plummets
>People replace shit more often because of shit build quality
Best Buy ruined everything
>>54754794
What'll you use the finger touch X220 for? I bought one for drawing and the digitizer sucked and sometimes lost connection to the pen for no reason. The display had nice glass and the hinge was solid. But the 1366*768 was squashed and ill-fit for work, and the display had horrid ghosting/light "leaks". I ended up feeling like a sucker and getting a full refund.
>>54751677
I got a T510 for my mom with similar specs, that screen is fucking gorgeous.
Ok, tpg, I need a new laptop. I'm currently jobless, so buying will have to wait till job, but I want to start looking now. My requirements are 8Gb+ of ram, a somewhat modern processor (i5 or i7 [Yes, I could use the threading, but I will also be getting a new desktop so not as important]), 64 bit architecture. My bags can carry up to a 19 in wide. I'd like 8+ hours ideally under lite load (YouTube, documents, web, lite gaming).
Since I'm tired of shit consumer laptops, I'm going to go with more business models such as TPs. Please suggest.
>>54756974
I suggest you go to the very first post in the thread and read the links. After that, you might try sucking a few cocks for cash.
Who else X220 here?
I'm having fucking weird temperature issues, especially when gaming.
Please tell me yours.
I honestly cant figure out why my temperatures are so nuts, I perfectly pasted this thing, or at least I did on the CPU, the other chip (southbridge or gpu? not sure) wouldnt properly meet with the heatsink despite my efforts so that might be whats causing the heat
>>54756247
"no"
i specifically said that
a) i like big laptops
b) gaming is one of several reasons i want a powerful laptop. i mainly want it for my classes and some spare time rendering nonsense.
c) desktop wont work, for many reasons. (ive moved twice in the past 6 months and i actually already have a good set up, its just in storage rn.) wtf would i be saving anyway? i can get a w520 for only about $100 more than an x220 and besides
d) i already have a mega portable x201t that works damn well for all my portability needs.
thanks for the shitty answer wtf. anyone actually know anything about w series performance from w520 vs w530 instead of
>gayming on a laptop hurr
rhetoric?
>>54757144
Turbo boost is a bitch. Turn it off and you shouldn't go over 90 anymore. Install TPFC and force the fan on while gaming, Thinkpad fan defaults are pretty dumb. Using an eGPU setup would probably bring temps down too, since you'd be moving the GPU load out of the machine. That's a bit of a costly solution, though, and it obviously isn't particularly portable.
>>54757233
>Turbo boost is a bitch
Glad im not the only guy who doesnt like it enabled, I see it as being cool of youve got great cooling, and want more clock speed, but on thinkpads, it's too much.
>>54757233
>>54757285
>Turbo boost is a bitch. Turn it off
Read an article that says if you change max cpu state to 99% it stops turbo boost from kicking in
does that work or should i disable it in bios?
Can't do it right now doing a huge transfer from the ssd to the physical hard drive.
>Install TPFC
I'll look into it, hopefully it has fan curves
>Using an eGPU setup
Don't you have to run that from the express card? And doesn't running it from the express card totally butcher the bandwidth of the GPU?
I have a t61 and I get around 1.5 hours of battery life. Is this normal or should I get a replacement?
On another note, is an SSD in a t61 worth it?
>>54757680
sounds like the batteries capacity has gone far below the design capacity. you can get software to check what percentage of the design capacity you have available, but that depends on your OS.
if it's <50% you should probably get a new battery.
>>54757843
I'm running xubuntu right now but I think I am going to switch back to arch. I can't seem to fix the screen tearing.
>>54757680
I'm assuming this is a 9-cell, so yeah, you're less than 50% of what you should be getting. Replace the battery.
Yes, even a cheap SSD is a major improvement. Install Middleton BIOS if you haven't already for SATAII speeds.
Also here's a good resource on everything T61: http://t61.wikispaces.com/home
>>54757889
install tlp and and runsudo tlp stat | grep mWh...
then divide the last_full_capacity value by the design_capacity value...
post results.
>>54758031
>>54757843
Alright cool thanks. Is there a brand you could suggest for replacement batteries? The Lenovo ones are incredibly expensive.
>>54758050
again, if it's <50%...
>>54758050
>>54758073
energy_full_design is reading 47520 and energy_full is 38320 which is like 81%. Huh.
>>54758119
what the fuck. my 6 cell has 67% and I get 5 hours of bat. you better configure tlp man, 1.5hr is shit
>>54758149
Huh that's strange
>>54758183
try googling xfce battery tweaks and configure tlp, you should be able to get much more than 1.5 hr.
how many cells is the battery?
>>54758210
I think it's a 9 cell. It's the one that sticks out the back.
>>54758230
yeah... don't get a new bat just yet
>>54758230
ok I'm going to bed, good luck with that m8
>>54758288
>>54758335
Alright then
>>54756286
OpenBSD
>>54757031
I've read the buyer guide and the other links. They don't have enough information to tell shit from mud. As such, you unsurprisingly are a faggot.
>>54757031
Second, last thread when I spesificly asked "What does /tpg/ think of (link to specific BIN Ebay page)?" No one commented at all.
What happens to the read/write LED when you put an SSD?
>>54758588
shit flashes fast as fuck
>>54755312
I really, really want to do the 1080p swap with my T420s. The 900p screen is horrible. What FHD screen did you get?
>>54757144
Did the other chip have a thick white pad between it and the heatsink? If so, you can't do anything with thermal paste with that. Just leave the pad in place and use the thermal paste on the CPU only.
>>54758670
He's not kidding. Flashes so fast the LED almost doesn't have time to fully illuminate.
My x230 power button has stopped working. The mechanism underneath it has stopped it springing out. What do? I’ve managed to turn it on and edit the BIOS to boot from AC plug, but I would like for the button to be working. What should I do ?
i just bought a B+/A- quality used thinkpad t420 for $140 with free shipping.
how bad did i get ripped off? resolution only goes up to 1368x768...
>>54758531
>ask a question
>no one responds
>ask it again
>someone tells you to do more research
>get upset
Can you guess what will happen when you ask your question a third time?
Here you can compare specs.
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Hardware_Specifications
Read all of this.
http://www.dankpads.com
You probably want a W530 because "muh gaymes." If you're getting a desktop, you are better off not looking into a thinkpad right now and just focusing on the desktop. It will be cheaper and play your games better.
>>54759340
Sounds like a good deal famalam.
>>54759334
I think I will just get a replacement keyboard anyway. It should be fine to switch from a US layout to a UK keyboard layout?
>>54759340
That's an okay price for a 420. You can replace the screen with something higher res if you want.
>>54748053
What screen can I swap for the default HD?
>>54758053
copypasta:
Battery tiers:
>FREE BATTERY IF ELIGIBLE - https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/documents/hf004122
>New geunine lenovo - most expensive but more durable and dependable compared to the chinese counterparts. If money is no object, buy new.
>Used/refurbished genuine Lenovo - on a budget, these have all the benefits of new batteries, just with some wear. Only buy used batteries from sellers that will screencap battery stats (charged vs original design capacity, cycle count) so you know what you're getting. Usually price is on-par with high quality third party batteries.
>High quality 3rd party battery - anker & denaq both use jap/korean 18650 cells and are thus known to wear well. Worth considering at this price point. Some models (XX30 and up) will not charge 3rd party batteries, so avoid outright.
>New chinese batteries - reviews are mixed but most use sub-par cells and electronics. They may die unexpectedly or wear much faster than genuine lenovo batteries. Others seem to work fine. There are a million brands and batches out there, so there's no way to tell which is better than another, if they are.
>used chinese or unknown capacity used lenovo - reconsider your life choices that led you to this destitute position
>>54759340
Pretty good price. Quite a few people have put a 900p alienware screen in their 420, so if the 768p screen bothers you there is always that option.
![s-l1600[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/KNFrQnX.jpg "s-l1600[1].jpg")
So I have this T520 with an i5 CPU, model 4242-w68.
I need to replace the fan and the heatsink that attaches to it. Can I just get ANY fan and heatsink that is listed as being for the T520, or do I need to find the right FRU somehow?
Thanks for your time.
If I bought a 9 cell battery for my X230, Would my 65 watt AC adapter be fine charging it?
>>54759870
There should be two different heatsinks, one for dedicated graphics models and one for integrated. You'll have to get the one that matches what you've got.
>>54759893
Why not? It's just a bigger battery...
>>54759894
Makes sense. Thanks.
>>54759870
first search the FRU if you can't find one, search for T520 heatsink and look at the pictures to find one which matches yours
and ebay is going to be your best bet at finding spares.
>>54759911
Idk I saw somewhere online that it might like fry the battery in the long run..
>>54760019
Cool. Will do that. Thank fuck Thinkpads are so easy to open.
2540m for £25 or 2640m for £50?
not too sure if the extra 1mb of cache, and 200mhz is worth it
>>54760097
they are until you need to change a motherboard, as then you have to completely rip apart models with rollcages, it took me 2 hours to sort out my T420.
Of all the ThinkPads in the X220 and T420 generation which ones besides the X220 had an IPS display option? I might want something bigger than 12" but I need that IPS.
>>54761571
Only X220 and X220 Tablet have IPS in that generation, but the W520's 1080p screen is extremely good, even if it is TN. If you want IPS on a bigger Thinkpad, you either have to go further back to the T60, mod one into a T420s, or go forward to a T440p/s.
>>54759442
Still neither answer my questions. Still your a faggot.
>>54761832
>not being a faggot
you're never going to make it here
>>54761937
That is the joke..
Which 900p screen should I get for my T420?
Also, are there any IPS screens for said model?
>>54745326
OP of this post here, I got ahold of the restore media for an X201 and went back to Windows 7. This fixed the problem I was having with the ExpressCard slot and now that's fully recognized and working.
However, I cannot get the integrated wifi adapter to work. I've tried installing all the drivers from Lenovo, toggling software settings, everything, but I cannot get the internal wifi adapter to even be recognized by Windows. I plugged in a USB wifi adapter and that works, but the Lenovo Access Connections software doesn't even recognize that, only Windows itself allows me to connect to my wifi via the USB adapter.
Anyone have any suggestions? Some people on Lenovo support forums suggest resetting the CMOS battery but fuck taking apart the laptop if I don't absolutely have to.
>>54758744
I got the AU Optronics B140HAN01.2.
>>54755943
>>54757226
bump for any help or experiences to relay
>>54758588
Stays on at half brightness for me (due to strobing so fast the eye cant keep up I guess)
Just got a stock T420, but the Windows install is fresh (no drivers or anything)
What's the essential Thinkpad software/drivers I should get? The list on the Lenovo website is huge, I don't know what is worth getting or not
I've been thinking about pulling the trigger on this one - a proper netbook I can travel with / take to class that isn't one of those damn flippy tablet things.
It's also new and not refurbished.
>>54753822
Those are newer. They are the newest that are relevant. Newer is a relative term. x220 etc are a fair bit newer than the x60 and x61 that were popular before.
>>54763814
y tho
>bought 4 thinkpads in one week
I think I have an addiction. But, how can I pass up these GREAT VALUE deals?
>>54758490
Lurk moar
>>54764267
It's shit, buy an X220 instead
>>54764291
Makes me feel less guilty for buying 2 new Thinkpads, bringing my total to 5.
>>54764937
Well this makes my total 5. I had an x61t and this week I was thinking it was time to upgrade.
Bam, bought 4 new thinkpads.
Could the T60 have ever possibly come it a configuration with 15" 4:3 and Intel graphics?
I'm not sure if i'm wasting my time or not, but I do want libreboot flexview.
>>54753801
Is 1920x1080 IPS available, if one wants to buy it later?
>>54755295
There are loads on eBay...
>>54757226
Wew
You sure sound like a little bitch. Anon have you a legit response. Chill out.
>>54764955
So which ones did you buy?
I currently own a X60S, T61, T420S, T520 and my X201 should arrive next week.
>>54765976
x220 without hdd or charger. Already arrived and has 4gb ram on a single chip, so, that is nice.
x230 without hdd or charger and untested battery
x220 with all the trimmings and a dual-language keyboard
x201 with the trimmings, new battery and a dual-language keyboard
I got really excited about the keyboards cause they are English-Korean and I cannot touch type Korean, so, I am usually mashing around knowing that the key I want is somewhere in a general area. Should help reduce my slow typing time in Korean.
There are another 4 I am the highest bidder on at the moment but I have lowball bids so should be outbid for most of them in the last couple hours. Might end up with another one or two in the next couple days.
>>54766082
Nice, my daily driver is a T420 with a Korean keyboard, they must be somewhat common.
May I ask what the appeal is in collecting such recent models? Most people go after the old and obscure.
>>54766135
I am not even a collector, I just got too excited about the DEALS. Originally I got the x220 parts version with the plan to build it up and use that, then I saw the x230 and figured I would bid on that and get whichever I won, but then I won both. While waiting I saw the x220 with SSD and shit already in it and bid on that because it was in better status and I wanted something to give my gf who is a bit more superficial than me. Then I bid on the x201 because I dunno, I was too far gone to stop now and did not think I would get the x220 and I really wanted at least one dual-language keyboard.
I figure I will make up the x230 (probably try switch the keyboard with the x220) for myself. Give an x220 to my gf. Give the x201 to my gf's family (Korean). I did try to collect x61/x61t once, but it seemed like after deciding to do that the first one I bought was the last one anyone was willing to sell. Kept checking ebay and gumtree (local craigslist equivalent) for weeks and then less regularly for a couple months and nobody put any up.
>>54766233
You know you could have purchased one really nice machine instead.
>>54766274
Thinkpads are really nice machines. That's why we're here.
>>54766302
One really nice thinkpad then.
>>54766274
They are really nice machines. All told I have spent $425.
>>54766322
Perhaps, I dunno what I would have gotten though.
Thinkpad X260
>i7-6600U
>Works with kernel 4.5+ t. ArchWiki
>16GB DDR4
>512GB SATA SSD
>21.4 hours battery life (3-cell 23.2Wh + 6-cell 72WH)
>12.5" FHD IPS screen, 300 nits
>1.3kg/2.9lbs without bigger battery (assuming maybe a few hundred grams more with bigger battery)
>RJ45
>3x USB 3
>Intel AC WiFi
>$1,375.50 from Lenovo's store
Any reason not to consider this? Seems like a great device, apart from the lack of PCIE SSD
Few months ago I've spilt lots of water onto my t420. After few days of drying it with rice in warm place It didn't want to boot properly. The screen received power and some system diodes were flashing like power button.
I've tried to turn in on again a few times in a couple weeks time but nothing happened.
For laughs I've tried to launch it today and guess what happened, it worked! My SSD won't start, though, it blue screens but the Windows can recognize itself and even offers system restoration options(which dont help).
My questions are these:
Do any of you have similar experience with drowned and the restored thinkpads? Should I be aware of some problems that might occur?
Should I run any tests for my hardware? I have a spare HDD in case my SSD is dead now but I don't know how to check it.
>>54765386
I think so, but even if you can't find any such models, the 15" motherboard is exactly the same as the 14" one. It just uses a detachable extension board to reach the Ultrabay and SATA port. Swapping the board would be trivial.
I bought my W530 late 2012, and it would often crash when unplugging the adapter. A year or so later I had a tech look at it and apparently the power circuitry was fucked from the beginning, so they stuck a T530 mobo in and it's been working fine ever since.
Has anyone else had issues with their W530?
>>54766686
with epp discount?
Currently looking at a x220 for office stuff mostly
Currently on a T61 but since I do most of my stuff on google drive/in the browser it's pretty laggy when I have 2 tabs open. Will the increase in power be enough to ensure smooth browsing even with a lot of tabs open.
Any significant difference from the i5 to the i7 variant?
I know I should get a x220 over a w520 because I want something mobile with a good battery but I can't get over the big beefy ThinkPad look.
I'm torn between comfy cute mobile ThinkPad and big mean ThinkPad.
>>54767414
I've heard the W520 actually has quite good battery life, considering its size and power. Gets something like 5 or 6 hours on a 9cell.
Could a t420 quad core with 8 gigs of ram run Doom 2016 with an egpu?
What about a x230? I kind of want to build a desktop, but also kind of want to just get more thinkpads.
Guys I'm buying a used X220 today off of Craigslist.
Othere than the obvious (screen defects, battery charge, locked bios, broken wifi card, stuck keys) what should I watch out for when buying?
>What did you check when you bought yours?
>>54767355
Negligible difference in performance (even in games) because so few programs implement hypethreading. i7 is a meme.
>>54768071
I'm a madman man of the dice and buy everything off of eBay. I've gotten good at judging the quality of an item through blurry dark eBay pictures.
>>54768071
try not to get shanked
>just realized I can turn my eGPU on and off simply by pressing FN+F7
This just gets better and better.
>>54768071
Ask where they got it and why they are getting rid of it. Also check the latch/locking mechanism when you close it, that's one of the most common problems. Meet in a public place.
>>54768308
What is your setup and what is the newest game you can run?
>>54768617
T601F with Advanced Dock containing an R7 240. Newest game I've tried to run would be Legend of Grimrock 2, but it chokes like a bitch at the forest and becomes unplayable no matter how low I turn down the settings. Newest game I've been able to run playably would be Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon.
What's a good ThinkPad for $500 dollars?
>>54769926
Loaded W520.
My uncle built mine my first laptop and it had one of those
>>54769934
It's hard looking for it in new condition. Are there any other similar ones?
Does anyone also prefer using the trackpoint instead of a mouse? Feels good to always have 2 hands hovering above the keyboard.
Disabling the touchpad (when I have one) is also one of the first things I do on a freshly installed ThinkPad.
Can I use any 1600MHz SO-DIMM RAM with a X230 or do I have to use PC3-10600?
>>54769926
Build a T601F
>~$60 for base 15" T60
>~$75 for sacrificial 14" 4:3 T61
>~$25 for T9300 CPU
>~$100 for 8GB DDR2
>$80 for SXGA Flexview screen (skip if your T60 already has one)
>$100 for SSD
Spend your remaining ~$60 on a nice bag, a new battery if you need it, an Ultrabay HDD caddy, other miscellaneous accessories. Enjoy the greatest Thinkpad of all time.
>>54770042
You won't be getting any new Thinkpad worth owning with only $500. Rev up that ebay account.
