/tpg/: ThinkPad General

Old Thread: If you're looking for purchase advice, state your budget and requirements (e.g. size and performance).
>Don't buy anything OTHER THAN IBM/Lenovo ThinkPad T, X, and W/P Series if you want the Real Business Experience™
>Other business laptops are also welcome in /tpg/ (Dell Latitude/Precision, HP EliteBook/ZBook).

Recommended IBM models:
600 series, IPS T4x or 755 series

Recommended modern models:
X220 - 12", 768p, cheap and light
T420 - 14", 900p, widely available, socketed CPU, Ivy Bridge installable w/ Coreboot
W520 - 15", 1080p, Desktop Replacement, 32GB RAM on quadcore models, USB 3.0
T440p, T540p, W540 - last ThinkPads to have replaceable CPUs, IPS displays available, chiclet
P series - reminiscent to old build quality, top-of-the-line specs, better than most current mobile workstations, but very expensive

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 (most models), upgrade & maintain thanks to readily available service manuals for every model, spare parts easy & cheap to obtain
>The best TrackPoint, great for those who type a lot or hate swiping their fingers all over a touchpad
>Excellent GNU/Linux & *BSD support

Used laptop guides by xsauc:
dankpads.com

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

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

EPP discount for new ThinkPads:
pastebin.com/JVwVGVTW

BIOS logo booru:
biosimage.booru.org/

Other urls found in this thread:

campuspoint.de/lenovocampus-thinkpad-t470-20hes2sf00.html
gigabyte.com/Support/Utility
twitter.com/SFWRedditImages

What is "ccl"?

weigh it

Why would you cut off the entire point of swapping to the dGPU?

Yes, it's worth it IMO.

campuspoint.de/lenovocampus-thinkpad-t470-20hes2sf00.html

Good or shit?

Redpill me on the P71
I want power and mobility, should I stick with it or just get some gaymen laptop?

Getting the Retro 25 tomorrow. What do I install?

I need a new battery for my T410. Are there any decent chinkshit batteries on Amazon? It has to be Amazon since I have remaining credit there.

Gentoo, duh.

>buying lenovo thinkpads after meltdown

>W520
>i7 2860QM
>8GB Ram
>Quadro 2000M
>1080p
>500gb HDD
>350€
Did I do fine?

Btw: How can I analyze the deleted contents of a HDD, with Linux?

Where do you guys find your deals? Europoor here

i want a laptop for programming, should i get X1 or T470. Is there any new thinkpads in the making for 2018?

>ebay (co.uk)
>your local auction site
>your local classifieds site
>refurbished / used computers stores

Local auction sites or ebay

Congrats, wouldn't mind having one myself along with many other folk. As for an OS, well, I'd personally say get rid of Windows 10 obviously, that machine can run Windows 7 without issues (Skylake based), you might need to make a proper USB stick with USB 3.0 and NVMe support (Gigabyte has a tool to make one using a Windows 7 ISO in a few minutes):

gigabyte.com/Support/Utility

Scroll down to the "Windows USB Installation Tool" and get that item, instructions are inside the archive.

As for Linux, who the fuck knows. Solus is gaining traction and popularity, and there's always the standbys like Arch, Gentoo (yeah yeah whatever), and so on. I'd say make sure you create the factory recovery media for that laptop (since they don't include optical media anymore, you have to burn those yourself).

Personally I'd image the storage device (SSD or NVMe, whatever) exactly as it is out of the box before I'd even go into the standard startup, save the image someplace on an external drive or whatever so you can literally make it factory fresh again at any point if you want - even after making the "factory recovery media" by burning optical discs it will NEVER EVER be factory condition again like it is when you take it out of the box, that's a one time never again state but you can make that bit-for-bit perfect image of the factory brand new condition and go back to it in a matter of minutes if so desired.

Making those recovery discs or even a USB stick (if it offers that option, I would presume it can) still won't get it back to out-of-the-box condition like a pure perfect image of the storage does.

Anyway, congrats on the get, it's a nice piece of hardware and that fucking classic keyboard is choice - the one in the T25 is even backlit unlike all the previous classic keyboards.

Scored a nice T450s here in my 3rd world country. i7, 256gb SSD, 1080p IPS, 12GB RAM, minimal wear and tear. Only $570.

What do you think? It will be my main machine for years to come, replacing my ageing T420s.

If it's what you wanted and you're happy with it for that price, what does anybody else's opinion matter?

Hackintosh it!

wut a gaffe

I have no friends so I'm desperate for validation.

??

> Windows 7
That's not 8.1

I am planning to buy one is well. Maxed-out model. It's company money so who cares. If it sucks I'll just hand it down and get something else.

Ryzen A485 when, lads? Not buying a thinkpad unless it has a Ryzen processor. Fucking Lenovo put only -30% intels in their new thinkpads. What the fuck are they thinking?!

>recommending T4x series
Too unreliable due to GPU and Southbridge solder failures.

If you want a 15" Flexview a T60 is a much better choice. More reliable and the Core 2 Duo is still very viable for daily usage.

Anyone? I'd like to order today.

That thiknpad in the OPis gorgeous, what model?

I think it says s31

Validate my poor decision!

Change your filenames jesus dude. Every thread you stick out like a sore thumb. Nobody really wants to reply to you.

I'm converting to the thinkpad religion
my budget is about $200, but I can push a little.
I currently use a Surface pro 4, can someone recommend me something comparable

Give me your Surface and I'll help you.

Try getting a X220T/230T

depends where you live. For that price I'd expect at least small SSD instead of HDD.

Hi guys. I've got a T440P and I don't understand why with win10 I have about 6-7h battery life but when I use Linux mint mate I find myself with 3-4h of battery life only... What can I do to have a better battery life in Linux?

Quad core, i5-6300U CUP and other specs in image. Is X220T like my current tablet?

use powertop

i5-6300u is not quad core. It's dual core + HT.
And x220t has very similar CPU performance as yours, just slower iGPU.

Thanks for the info,
still new to reading comp secs.
I appreciate it mate.

Sounds like a driver issue, so search for Linux drivers?

Im not the only one not changing the filenames, buddy

>I've had my t520 for a year now and I'm looking to expand my thonkpad family. The t520 I used just for uni work. I'm thinking of getting a an x230 and installing loonix for my shitbox machine.

BTW what thinkpad has all the system indicators on the inside bottom panel of the LCD?

>BTW what thinkpad has all the system indicators on the inside bottom panel of the LCD?
T/X60; 61. T400/500, W500/700, X200(t)

Thanks, friendo

what should i do to my new t420

jerk off on it

>tfw was going to get a t420 because I don't want a throttling housefire x220
>read this
So, which is it? Is t410 really built that much better? How about the t520?

>looking for the perfect laptop/tablet combo
>Yoga 260 is almost right
>except for a lot of build quality issues

Did I miss any convertible device worth looking at?

Any opinions on T440S for $200.00?

So the 6th gen X1 Carbon will be avail soon
your thoughts on it?

Thank you based Kevin

Any news on when the Ryzen powered Thinkpads will arrive?

Gonna pickup a t430 for 250 cad
Specs:
i5-3320M
8gb ram
256gb ssd
1600x900 screen
9 cell battery

Is this a good deal? Gonna be using this for a dedicated btc/eth node, torrent seedbox and a small home web server.

what is the difference between t4x0 and t4x0s? isn't the s series just a throttling thinner t4x0? or is the build quality better?

basically the s series is just slim version with shittier specs.

I started getting a message that my battery is old and may be damaged. Can thinkpad batteries swell or explode like some other brands or are there other hazards or should I just keep using it?

seems like a ruse, comparing the specs between t480 and t480s the only difference seems to be 0.2kg less for which you pay 300$ more

I've decided I'm either going t420 or t520. Performance jump from gen1 i series to gen2 is too strong.

Anyone have a 520 and can comment on it being better/worse than a 420? It just looks slightly bigger with opportunity for higher resolution

Sounds like BS to me. We have X200, X200s, T400, T500, X220, T420, T520 and T530 at work that are on "disposal" status. I went through quite a few of them to get one that is in a good condition. I finally settled with a T420 and I couldn't be happier. X220s' were literal housefire even after repaste (50C+ idle), and T520/T530 are just stupidly big. Keyboard flex is really random. Some have, some don't. You have to be lucky.

We also have T410/510, it's just too much to list and it slipped my mind. Those have cancerous performance compared to 2nd gen. Just get a T420, put in an i7-2670QM (I plan to put in a 2960XM or 2860QM for the lulz).

>get a T420, put in an i7-2670QM
Won't this tank battery life/increase heat?

Of course it will affect battery life and thermals, so only do it if you need more power.

I really want to get the t450s, it seems like a modern day X301.

Germany.
Devices like this usually go for around 600€

Did you look at the Helixes?

You can do all that on an SBC.

they get hot as fuck, dont even look

I've got an X200 and I really like the form factor and aesthetics of it and everything but it's slow as shit with the Core2Duo.
With this whole Spectre/Meltdown thing going on and no way to upgrade the CPU of my X200, i'm pretty much stuck with a slow shitty laptop.
reeeee

>x220
>50C+ idle

Sounds like there was something wrong with it.
I use it with an external fullhd monitor right now and it's at 41° brwosing the internet

So I was going to buy a Thinkpad T420. But I was able to catch a deal on a HP Elitebook 2560p.
£50 for the same specs as a T20.
i5-2540M - 4GB RAM - 500GB HDD
All I have to do is clear off the BIOS Password, which looks pretty easy on this machine.

well, i did a repaste and a full cleanup, but it was still shit. maybe i was unlucky. but then again a 2nd one had the same shitty temps

Do T420s with stock dual core i7s have heating issues vs i5s?

no they dont. issues only come with quad cores, ut then again thats expected

is a t540p that much better than a t450p? if i mostly use monitors as a work station? it seems they just improved the display between the two?

>campuspoint.de/lenovocampus-thinkpad-t470-20hes2sf00.html
>Good or shit?
Anyone please?

Please help.

we have a lot of t470 at work, they are actually good, unlike the 460

So, is it pretty much confirmed that there'll never be a Ryzen Thinkpad?

I figured it'd be talked about at CES, but no one is saying shit about Ryzen laptops at all.

Raven Ridge APUs look great and there's only one laptop that uses them. ;_;

Keyword: Consumer
I doubt a Thinkpad will be announced at CES, they are business level machines, not really consumer grade.

I'll do it, thanks

Doesn't Linux install proper driver during the os installation?

>I doubt a Thinkpad will be announced at CES, they are business level machines, not really consumer grade.
Shit, that's a good point. I need a new laptop ASAP, so I'm trying to jump on the first good Ryzen laptop, but Thinkpad would be perfect.

Is there a usual time that new Thinkpads get announced?

I think I read Q2 or Q3 for ryzen thinkpads but it's all speculations. Probably better to get T480 when they release it.

It probably used generic drivers. Look for OEM drivers instead.

What is the best means of tightening hinges on a t430?

Just jamming some steel wire or something else?

He didn't do anything wrong, why are you mean to that user?
What is the point of using a T420 or, say, an X230 today, when we are already used to laptops with boot times under 5 seconds, super high definition display, extreme multi tasking, exceptional performance?
Why would I pick an X230, its shitty screen and its gay performance for my mobile needs?
None of the whys listed in the OP seem to compensate for the antiquated hardware those sexy thiccpads offer.

Is the battery life of a t430 much better than a t420? Costs are very similar

Why aren't IBM ThinkPads from T and X series no longer recommended? They shouldn't be affected by Meltdown, right?

well if you don't see value in the "why get" points made in the op that's your own damage. price, keyboard, repairability, linux support, etc are pretty desirable

>muh performance
an i5-3320m, the most common "base" cpu in an x230 is something like 15% slower than an i5-7200u. not bad for muh screen
life is full of compromises. old thinkpad screens weren't the best, but they did their main job, to display information to your eyeballs. that's enough for some people
>5 second boot
oh no my x220 takes 10 seconds. what an awful nightmare world i suffer in better throw it in the trash

Newbie here(both regards to thinkpad and computer spec memes in general), so forgive me If my question is stupid.

I'm thinking about buying T560 (cheap compared to other thinkmemes and not one of those mini laptops with no numpad so its my first choice), but the 4gb ram scares me. Been using my toshiba L755 from 2012 but browsing multiple tabs, even watching 720p is sometimes a pain in the ass. Should I buy a one with 8gb ram instead

Found a good deal for an IBM T43, what do you think? Has anyone used this ThinkPad?

x60,x61,t60,t61 were lenovo laptops with ibm badges

what the fuck

I had a late production T42 which was manufactured by Lenovo

Pics?

I don't have a picture of the bottom, but I think it said something like "manufactured by Lenovo for IBM" on the bottom.

Worth upgrading a T420 (i5-2520M, no nvidia card) to 8GB RAM and a SSD or should i look for newer models?

Uhm... can't you take one?

SSD is a large upgrade

Had. The machine is long gone. It was originally mine but eventually I gave it to dad because the original CCFL turned pink and the replacement I got was a green-tinted piece of junk and I didn't feel like swapping it repeatedly hoping to get a usable one.

It eventually succumbed to the usual GPU solder failure and ended up in the trash. Wasn't really anything left of value with a failed motherboard, bad backlight, plastic case falling apart, etc. RIP in pieces old friend. It was my favorite laptop of all the ones I've had. With the touchpadless palm rest it was quite a beauty.

When do you guys think the Thinkpad T480 will be released?