/tpg/-Thinkpad General

IRC: #/tpg/ on irc.rizon.net

Previous thread:
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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 SERIES if you want the Real Business Experience™

Recommended IBM models:
X60, X61, T60, T61, 860, Transnote, PC110

Recommended old models:
X200, W500

Recommended modern models:
X220 - 12", 768x1366, cheap and light
T420 - 14", 900x1600, easy to obtain, ideal size, socketed CPU, Ivy Bridge installable after Coreboot flash
T520 - 15", 1080p, Quadcore-CPUs
W520 - 15", 1080p, Desktop Replacement, 32GB RAM possible, USB 3.0

Last good models:
X230 - 12", USB 3.0, IPS option avaiable, classic keyboard installable
T440p - 14", last ThinkPad to have replacable CPUs, 1080p IPS displays avaiable
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Why ThinkPad?
>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

New guides by xsauc:
dankpads.com

ThinkWiki - Info on ThinkPads and running GNU/Linux on them:
thinkwiki.org/wiki/ThinkWiki

ThinkPad service guides w/ tutorial videos:
lenovoservicetraining.com/

ThinkPad wallpaper collection:
imgur.com/a/NlepZ

ThinkPad BIOS splash screen collection:
biosimage.booru.org/index.php

Other urls found in this thread:

p.of.je/b92dcb8a
ebay.com/itm/NEW-Orig-IBM-Lenovo-Thinkpad-T420-T420i-Lcd-Lid-Center-Latch-Left-Right-04W1603-/141534539151
twitter.com/NSFWRedditGif

Looking to buy a T420.

I'm a poorfag so I want to spend around $100.

What can I expect to get spec wise? and if I were to shell out another $100, what should I upgrade?

>What can I expect to get spec wise?
probably an i5 2520m, everything else is random

>and if I were to shell out another $100
ssd, screen, ram, 9-cell and processor in that order, however with $100 you'll probably get only the ssd and display

The T420 it's on a range of $150.

What was the first ThinkPad you used/remember?

I remember I first used an IBM ThinkPad in 5th grade but not the exact model, unfortunately. :(

There's definitely some in the $100 range if you check eBay, usually i5 2520m just like what the user above said.

just got a x220 for $90. Advertisement said it had a 124GB HDD, turns out it had a 150SSD. The screen had also been replaced.

ThinkPad T21, on the left in this picture. It has since died, as the power regulation circuit died. Apparently a not uncommon problem on these. Now it no longer boots. Still have the W530 though. It is my main laptop these days.

Since last thread's dead without any results, I'm just gonna test my luck and repost.

Anyone know how good or accurate the digitizer on the Thinkpad Yoga 12 is?
Looking to get one to replace my x220t, it's getting too dated and I've already spent so much fixing it, I'm just flat out replacing it.
Also the 1366x768 display is terrible for drawing or writing on.

Found one for $350 with an i5-5200u and 8gb of ram in great shape.

Looks like Christmas came early this year.

How does this happen? I've seen similar posts before. Will I get lucky and find a 1TB SSD in my ThinkPad?

How rare are 701s?

I'm still baffled as to how IBM managed to create near bezel-less laptops while lenovo still puts fat ass bezels.

It was a little rough around the edges, which is why I assume the screen as replaced. Not a problem though, the product was overall very clean and functioning.

I would guess this happened because the guy I bought it from on Craigslist (really nice guy) probably auctioned it or acquired it buying decommissioned or auctioned equipment from some company. I'm sure the company bought in in bulk and repaired what was broken on a couple of models. The guy probably didn't realise the equipment had been altered and I got lucky.

I emailed him about it but he doesn't really care. He's making a lot of people happy.

Has anyone managed to flash Coreboot on a T430? How is it? I'm planning to do it next month when I get all the hardware needed to do it.

I think there are a few on ebay but they still go for around a 1000 US
they're pretty rare

...

IBM should make smartphones, they'd fit right in with all these new bezel-less phones.

that aspect ratio is terrible

How do I go about making my own thinkpad x220 battery Sup Forums?

lelnovo took down the T25 driver page after leddit noticed it might have a 500nit WQHD display

Is it safe to wipe the x230 trackpad with a wet q-tip to clean it?

What Linux distro did you put on your Thinkpad?

Currently running Arch Linux

I use Ubuntu right now because I'm still a beginner at Linux. It's good. I might move to a higher level distro like Linux Mint in the future.

ubuntu

I use Elementary OS because it's pretty and I'm too lazy to learn Arch.

Windows 10

I dual boot Debian and Windows 7.

higher level means less usable its retarded

>less usable
No, higher level means you build it yourself and it ultimately ends up more useable and clean than what the babby distros give you because you made it so it only has everything you need.

What are the advantages to using straight up Debian over Ubuntu?

>UPDATE
Since no one responded I did it anyways.
DO NOT DO IT!
Even just wiping it with a small amount of water made the black color of the trackpad fade to gray. Apparently, the sticker is permeable to water and it seemed through it. Now the trackpad is glitchy.

What thinkpad should i get with a budget of $300?

Debian doesn't come with all that shit packaged with Ubuntu so you can just install what you want.

>What thinkpad should i get with a budget of $300?
With that budget you can probably find a mint x230t fully specced out with i7, 16gb ram, and 256 SSD.

six X60s

Gentoo and Ubuntu

fedora also post thinkpad screenfetches

>tfw fell for the thinkpad meme

How can i fix the broken screen hooks on my t420?

Stop buying old thinkpads, seriously, who the fuck things a recommendation for OLD computers would be legit? Just stay with the new ones, I did and I'm better than fine or well, I'm great.

Is it normal for the ThinkPad logo on the X230's palmrest to look splotchy?

its missing its clear coat layer, someone cleaned it too much. Buy new sticker, make sure the sticker is right size.

Is everything compatible with Ubuntu compatible with Debian?

antergos (to lazy to learn real arch) with xfce and i3

I haven't used one but they use wacom digitizers so i'd expect it to be very accurate. I am also thinking of getting a yoga, do you want it for drawing?

Taking the bait,
What did you buy and what's wrong

Nice samefag

What do you want?
Power or portability

Manjaro XFCE

What does this pasta do?
p.of.je/b92dcb8a

Looking to buy a cheap, used ThinkPad, and in my area there's only a T420, aT61, and a T500 (those are the ones I could find that are also in the "recommended models" list). Thoughts?

how to tighten screen hinges on a t420?Nort

I want to know this too. My T430's hinges are pretty loose.

Can get my hands on a T61P with a T7300 Core Duo, 4 GB RAM, Radeon X1300 for around $100, worth considering?

>T61p
>Radeon
What kind of sorcery is this?

Mint really isn't any higher level than Ubuntu. Some would argue it's even easier to use. If you actually want a higher level distribution that still has a graphical installer, maybe something like Debian or Fedora would fit your needs better.

This, I distro hop all the time but I always come back to Arch just because of how easy the aur is for my obscure programs. Also installing it is fun.

Come on you faggots
I never thought I could be this pissed about a tiny plastic hook

what do you mean fix, if you broke it off, you need to buy a broken display with its bezel and put your good screen in that frame which has not broken off hooks. God i miss the screen latches, fucking hate how you can just flop them open. The latches add structural rigidity to the device of which is ideal for if you drop it ever.

"ATI Mobility Radeon X1300 256 MB" apparently, can't say I know much about this.

I got a E475, the new lenovo thinkpads are pretty ok, why bother buying these dinosaurs?

Funny, my screen latches cracked off when I dropped it.

lol
>one time use.
like those Styrofoam bike helmets.

So let's say i buy a t420 for 150 euro, is there some way to get a keyboard on it with a numpad?

no, literally not big enough space for a number pad keyboard, it was before they made the palm rest size large to accommodate the new number pad keyboards. So no.

yeah it can barely play 360p youtube videos, its getting old. I had one.

Where the fuck can I get a decent thinkpad in New Zealand?

Every Ebay listing has a fucking 70$ shipping fee.

What kind of thinkpad do I need to get if i want a numpad?

anything above the 520 so either a w530 or above or a t530 or above.

fuck my mistake i forgot anything above 520 is just the new keyboard, not yet the numberpad. ANYTHING above 530 has a number pad , so w540 or t540 and above. Personally for the numpad ones i suggest a p50 or p51.

Thanks, I'll look into it

Not necessary.
You can buy replacement screen latches here
ebay.com/itm/NEW-Orig-IBM-Lenovo-Thinkpad-T420-T420i-Lcd-Lid-Center-Latch-Left-Right-04W1603-/141534539151

If you're talking hardware, it should only be a possible issue during installation. Debian installation media doesn't come with any non-free software, but it's easily enabled post installation.

Once enabled, pretty much everything should work. Although, the Debian stable release doesn't get any non-security updates, which sometimes means you get a year old drivers which don't support the latest hardware. Shouldn't be an issue for people on this particular thread.

How is Debian testing or unstable?

So Sup Forumsents, what's the official /tpg/ opinion of the retro ThinkPad? Rumor has it that its closely related to the T470

It's a piece of shit.

T470 crammed in a T420 chassis
We like thinkpads because they are cheap and durable, not for their aesthetics.

y tho
support ur argument

>NZ
shit, I imagine everything tech is even more expensive over there than in AU

Do you have gumtree(craigslist) equivalent?
We used to have a computer market type thing pop up every month that usually sold refurbished laptops and other misc things for computers. I got my first GPU and wireless mouse from one.

Good luck friend.

Because it will just have the old keyboard, a colored emblem, and maybe a thinklight. And it will be ugly probably since its based on 470.

I haven't used any Debian other than stable, but as far as I've heard from other people "testing is similar to Ubuntu and unstable breaks with updates".

I'm looking to get my first thinkpad but I still want to have Windows and have it not run like its 5 years old.

I'll consider this when it finally comes out, but I'm not looking to spend a small fortune... I might end up continuing to use my acer craptop...

Debian!

it will be modern price, so 1k atleast for base model, BUT it may be alot more and in limited numbers since it is a special edition.

Gumtree/Craiglist equivalent would be Trademe, but
>sort by lowest price first
fuck me

That website design is kanker.

What about 'auction' sites?
We have pickles and graysonline which i sometimes take a look at(mostly for servers) Postage is usually aids though and most of it is pickup only...

The problem is everything gets bought up by people that want to resell them as refurbs.

just received my x200, I thought this was going to be easy but I don't have the tools to flash libreboot. what do I need?

Is 1366x768@14" eye cancer? 112 DPI

on x220 right now, its not at all bad, perfectly fine. Good color and brightness also. Higher dpi than macbooks of the same era (2011) before retina

>cheap
Thinkpads were never cheap

I think I would rather upgrade my PC.

I decent laptop would be nice though...shame

get a w530, very powerful and cheap and look alright. Or get an x220 with a i7 2640 for 250, i use it all the time even though i have a full spec p51 and a good desktop.

see
and get out

Yes, but new Thinkpads are insanely overpriced. Always have been. Old laptops are cheaper, no matter what the brand is.

Trademe is the local 'auction' site.
There are some other similar sites, but I checked and none of them are better

Think my only option is to dig around in a couple flea markets and get lucky

I'll be looking for one with the PgUp/PgDn keyboard layout. 7 row?

Do I have to spell this out for you?


We like thinkpads because they are cheap (old) and durable, not for their aesthetics.

but they have asthetics