/tpg/ - ThinkPad General

Previous thread: 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", ultraportable
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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.
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Used ThinkPad buyers guide:
ktgee.net/tpg

xsauc buyers guide:
dankpads.com

EPP discount for new ThinkPads (USA & Canada only, usually 15%+ off):
pastebin.com/ULHCY5ch

Helpful links and resources (Wiki, lookup tools and wallpapers):
pastebin.com/DYjEnVq1

Other urls found in this thread:

amazon.fr/gp/product/B004YJLV9M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
typing-speed-test.aoeu.eu/
gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html
twitter.com/NSFWRedditVideo

first for eGPU dankpad

>tfw T530 takes a minute and half to start up.
>no make that 2 minutes, it's still going at it.
Can't wait to get an SSD.

I started a new job today and almost creamed my pants as they gave me a T540p, together with a Lenovo keyboard and mouse.

I am even more excited as my T430 is being delivered tomorrow and I was getting second thoughts about the chiclet keyboards after reading so many negative opinions on them, but I found it very comfortable to type in. I'm even more excited about it now, can't wait to give my T61 some rest.

Also, can't believe I finally started a /tpg/ thread, this day can't stop getting awesomer!

1080p T420? How?

by using a monitor

He mentioned an eGPU, so maybe he has a screen connected.

How the fuck do i screenshot on my hp Elitebook 8440p?
Also headphone and microphone jack dont work after i replaced the motherboard.
And when i ran Rkill it said:
>Checking Windows Service Integrity:

> * TBS [Missing Service]

you press function and whatever key says print screen
and did you install the audio drivers?

Do Thinkpads like the T430, T530 and such use 2,5 hard drives/ssds?

Going to receive my i5 x220 tomorrow. I hope I wont be posting in "memes you fell for" threads soon after. I'm pretty hyped about being able to receive my shitty 2in1 celeron windows tablet with a capable mobile linux machine that I can actually use for development after work.

I have a FHD E540 with i7 and 12gb ram for work, so I will probably notice a difference, but it will be leagues better than the shitty windows hybrid I have now

7mm drives.
I think the T430s supports mSATA but not the non s, dunno about the T530.

I'm this guy, and I've been thinking. Do you think an ssd will fix this issue of very long boot times, or is there some other problem perhaps? Only thing I can think of is that the CPU is throttling due to heat, but I plan on repasting anyway.

Thanks man. Dumb question but I want to be sure.

...yes
pretty much every laptop that uses a hard drive (except for some older ultra portables) will use a 2.5" drive if it has a hard drive.
honestly as long as you have a decent hard drive or an ssd you probably won't notice much of a difference unless you do some really 3d intensive stuff

>honestly as long as you have a decent hard drive or an ssd you probably won't notice much of a difference unless you do some really 3d intensive stuff

Sounds almost too good to be true. This will be great. I won't be needing 3d at all, just enough horsepower to drive an IDE and some servers, something my current "sofa laptop" is really struggling with.

I'm hyped about the keyboard and unsure if I can cope with the 1366* display.

>unless you do some really 3d intensive stuff
I always wonder why no one here every mentions compiling. Compiling is very cpu intensive and there must be programmers on Sup Forums right?

unless you have a REALLY bad computer, or you are programming so fucking huge application compiling shouldn't take longer than a few seconds.
and cpu performance is probably the least noticeable difference between the x220 and the e450 (assuming that it's also a dualcore + ht)
sandy bridge to broadwell is about a 20% difference at best.
so going from 5 seconds to compile to 6 seconds won't really be that noticeable unless you directly compare them.
also at that point hard drive will be your bottle neck, even if it's an ssd

>unless you have a REALLY bad computer, or you are programming so fucking huge application compiling shouldn't take longer than a few seconds.
lel you've never tried android development then. A clean build of Clover takes about 60s on my i7 4790. It was way worse before, like 2-3 minutes on an older cpu.
Or just shit like compiling ffmpeg or other big programs takes up a lot of time too, and a faster cpu definitely helps.

Ordered this for a student use, did I do well ?
amazon.fr/gp/product/B004YJLV9M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2 questions, the TPFanControl wiki mentions the "disengaged" mode as possibly dangerous, I find it's the only way to keep my memepad under 85 even when gaming, obviously it's preferrable to replace a fan than a computer but wondering how much truth there is to that statement.

The other is, is it normal for there to be such a difference in temps from one core to the other? I figure being in such a tight space the temp would be the same accross the entire die, or maybe I reapplied thermal paste wrong.

Any cooling tips you can think of? Like putting the computer on coins like stands.

you did ok, not great but ok. some small upgrades like more ram and a ssd are always there to make it better

Did you pay 269€ + shipping as well or is that the next best price left?

not like I was going for the highest, I only need a small laptop that can survive scholarship, I'll have a desktop for everything else.

the price was 250 when I bought it.

i got mine used, for about 170 from a refurb store

Not that user, but isn't that a little too much? Why do you figure the compile times are so long? I can't imagine Clover being too big. I've never developed for android, only x86 really

Android uses gradle, and it's just really fucking slow. They're working on it so it's getting better. Before instant run and incremental compiling you had to basically recompile the whole project each run. Clover is not a special with the compile times.

What's a business model laptop that's 1 or 2 steps better than the HP Elitebook 8470p?

I'm looking to spend around ~$350 on eBay. Would highly appreciate an answer.

Nice

(pls respond)

well the HP is a 14" ivy bridge, so an equivalent ThinkPad would be the T430. All *30 would be from the same generation as well.

If you want something newer and better than look at *40, *50, *60.

How do you get a recovery disk if you don't have a recovery partition? I can't seem to find a link for a download. I've been thinking of reinstalling windows, if only because it takes several minutes to boot. But will an ssd make a reinstall unnecessary?

Thinkpad p70 is arriving in 5 days!!!

$2,000

i7-6700q

M3000M

1tb NVMe SSD (Extra $800)

Did I do alright?

(pls clap)

I just bought a T430 off eBay for $150. Is there anything I should check when it arrives to make sure it's in good working order?

I was planning on cracking it open, putting a new HD in, and replacing the thermal paste.

>17"
Why not just carry a desktop around

Is this good for 175 USD (I'm from Europe)?
>T420
>HD+ 1600x900
>i5-2520M
>4GB RAM
>320GB HDD
>DVD Drive
>a/b/g/n WiFi
>New battery

You should check your white privilege

If I wasn't forced to buy a 16:9 screen, I would love to buy a 14" laptop.

If laptops let you use them in portrait mode, I would jump on buying a small one. I just can't use a tiny screen.

Also, 17" is just mobile enough to carry to school everyday in a laptop case. The screen real estate is worth it.

How the fuck can you use excel on a 12" 16:9 laptop?

What do you think? I will use this for work and college. Programing, writing, research and a bit more. No gaming, no 3D.

My purchase:
Refurbished Thinkpad T420 i5 2,5Ghz 4Gb 320Gb 1600x900

Upgrade:
Samsung SSD 850 PRO 254Gb
+4Gb
Toshiba H200 1Tb
Battery 9 cel 7800mAh
qobobo USB 3.0 Express Card

OS: Debian

My first thinkpad and not sure what to expect. Should I do something else? something different?

Looks good, but you're going to pay customs.

Checked

Very nice. SSD is most important upgrade. Battery too. Probably can get away with 4gb ram.

Also, what's debian?

You sound like you can type without looking at the keyboard.

How did you learn how to do that? How do I get faster? I keep mixing up keys, and have to really slow with numbers.

I'm buying Local

...

What kind of improvement will an ssd entail?

I got this refurbished X220 with a new 9 cell battery, new keyboard and a warranty for ~420€.
Did I fuck up?

...

nah. Debian X220 masterrace based af senpai

> have $150
> T420
> spinnning disk and shit battery

should i get a ssd or a new battery?

they should start issuing "Sup Forums has validated my purchase" certificates

All in all though the P70 is a respectable workstation for its pricepoint minus the typical Gookovo complaints

ssd will save on battery

depends on if you use the battery a lot or not.
if you use it a lot I'd say battery, otherwise get an SSD.

Few questions about the x200
>Any good cases that'll protect it that aren't also bags? I don't want it to get scratched in my bag but I don't want to carry a laptop bag seperately.
>Is the ultra dock (or whatever it's called) even worth it?
>Where can I get a good cheap 9 cell that isn't exploding chinashit? Any chance of there being other batteries that make it last longer than the 9 cell?

amazon basics laptop sleeve
dock is worth it if you have a desk with a monitor. get it used on ebay.
oem batteries are oem batteries. there is no super sekret place to get them drastically cheaper.
slice batteries.

Can the 1366* screen in a e540 be upgraded to the fhd version? They are both available for this model, but perhaps I'm too naive?

Don't get an E version, you'll regret it.
Upgrading the screen should be possible, as it is possible with any other Thinkpad as well.

Spin drives on laptops are notorious for crashing. They aren't meant to be portable.

1) SSD will not crash from being moved (like a laptop should be).

2) SSD is fast

3) less battery use than spinners

How would this help?

How do I learn how to type faster without looking at the keyboard?

I'm really slow, and make a lot of mistakes, and can't type the numbers or symbols fast.

I can type faster by looking at the keyboard and using random fingers to tap the keys.

Get both. Even if ssd is small/weak, it'll save you trouble when your spinner crashes.

What's wrong with e and L versions?

theyre lower tier

consumer line with Thinkpad logo slapped on them
Gookovo style marketing

practice. Lots of practice.
typing-speed-test.aoeu.eu/

I already have one, it has served me well for 2 years with an i7, SSD and 16gb ram. I got the full HD version, of course. The TN panel is the only thing that really annoys me, but I haven't built up the courage to buy an IPS panel from laptopscreen and replace it.

A friend of mine is willing to sell his e545 with a 1366* screen and that might be a cheap replacement for her dying old acer piece of shit, but I can't let her use that display with a straight face.

So maybe I could swap the displays as I upgrade mine.

>How do I learn how to type faster without looking at the keyboard?
don't bother
you will get good eventually

just keep proper finger placement in mind and force yourself to stick to it

What's the best distro to run on a T430? I've been thinking of dual booting on the one I ordered.
I've got a fair amount of experience in the Linux command line (I administrate a few Ubuntu servers), but I've never really dealt with desktop Linux.
Any suggestions?

*her being my girlfriend that I completely failed to mention beforehand. Her notebook is falling apart and I'm looking for a decent but dirt cheap alternative

Dualboot as in Windows 10 + GNU/Linux?
Better be careful then, Windows 10 anniversary update just nuked non Windows partitions of some people.

Also I recommend Debian + Gnome.

Also, what effect would full disk encryption with something like LUKS have on battery life?

The laptop I ordered off eBay (allegedly) has a Windows 7 Ultimate key. If it's legit, I'll probably go Win7 + GNU/Linux
The only thing I really need Windows for is Photoshop and a few other programs for Uni

Yeah, but what are they really missing?

They have the great thinkpad keyboard.

What more do you need?

Also, what do you guys do to prevent people from stealing or getting into your laptops?

Do any of you guys use the fingerprint readers for security?

google the model number of the display you imbecile

I wouldn't worry about it.

No but I use a 13 character password.

>>They have the great thinkpad keyboard.
chiclet shit
>>What more do you need?
something that doesn't resemble a walmart laptop, has proper port selection, decent screen
>fingerprint
>security
it's fine in certain configurations in multifactor authentications. otherwise it's a joke

>Do any of you guys use the fingerprint readers for security?
no. biometerics is bullshit. can you change your fingerprint, ever? no.

>they cost less but are just as good.

suit yourself.

>noko sage
You're an idiot if you thought this was necessary.

Insignificant if any.
Elementary without paying.

What ssds do you guys have in your thinkpads?
So many options can't seem to decide.

you can get SATA II drives a bit cheaper if you have an old model that doesn't support SATA III.

Yeah I know but I'm asking for my t430

In the ktgee guide, it says that $170 is a good price for t420.

Which specs does that ideally refer to?

I've found one at that price with
I5
4gb ram
320gb hdd
Win7pro
1600x900

Getting the 9 cell 44++ for my x220 what your guy's experience with the battery life ?

a ssd increases it

I'm having a 9 cell battery on my X220.
Battery life is depending on screen luminosity around 8 hours.

I'm trying to figure out if I should spend a few hundred bucks on a newer Thinkpad, or a little bit of money upgrading my current one. It's an older T61, C2D T7300, 3GB DDR, Quadro NVS 140M (which surprisingly has not burnt down the house yet)

It's fine for 99% of what I use it for, only qualm is I can't watch a 1080p movie on my external monitor while typing up a paper for school. I was thinking of getting an SSD, replacing the trackpad, and taking the thing apart to clean out the fans and replace the thermal paste.

You guys think I should go that route or spend $300-400 on a newer thinkpad? I honestly can't decide.

Just went from a MacBook to a Thinkpad. I'm loving it so far but i can't seem to turn backlight off like on a Mac. When i max the brightness slider it's just very dim.

Am I doing something wrong?

That's a software problem not the thinkpad

different computers have different brightness you dingus

Troll'd

I know, but I thought that I maybe missed a driver or something.

So there is no way to turn the backlight full off? Kinda annoying when giving a presentation in a dark room.

Google bro

Usually it's Fn + spacebar

>So there is no way to turn the backlight full off? Kinda annoying when giving a presentation in a dark room.

Yes you can set brightness you imbecile. Fn Home/End

Doesn't work.

Yes and that does work. It just doesn't kill the backlight entirely like i want it to do.

Why the fuck do you guys use Linux and Gentoo and Debian and other shit that's not windows or mac?

What's the benefit?

How do I learn how to type numbers and symbols fast without looking!!!

Teach me how to be a cool Sup Forumsuy!

Fn-F7

gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html

FN Five-Seven?

>Why the fuck do you guys use Linux and Gentoo and Debian and other shit that's not windows or mac?

I use Debian on my X220 ecause Windows just sucks for programming (which is something I do with it) an for being used w/o a keyboad
>
>What's the benefit?

Having an OS that doesn't suck or takes away control from the user
>
>How do I learn how to type numbers and symbols fast without looking!!!

practice
>
>Teach me how to be a cool Sup Forumsuy!

install gentoo

mouse*

I thought the Gentoo guy was Steve Wozniak not Rick Stallman.

Does he understand how the economy works? Who would pay programmers if it was all free?

Any good modules for the bay of a T400? It doesn't accept SSDs and I don't need any legacy ports.