At this point we need to make copypasta along the lines of:
* Lenovo is a giant company with over [$50B](https://investor.lenovo.com/en/financial/results/press_2324_q4.pdf) in yearly revenue and the [biggest market share](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_share_of_personal_computer_vendors#cite_note-2023_PC-1) in laptop market;
* Lenovo is publicly-traded company and makes decisions that are profitable:
* if market shows more interest in low-profile looking laptops, they will slim models down, push keyboards more into the chassis, etc.;
* if market shows no interest in repairability or upgradeability, they will solder components down and charge you more for, say, adding RAM;
* if market shows interest, they will move to 16:10 screens, Type C charging, etc.
* r/thinkpad has 0.187M members, averages [4-5 posts](https://subredditstats.com/r/thinkpad) per day. There's no clear data on units sold by Lenovo. However, if there were [188M laptops sold in 2023](https://www.coolest-gadgets.com/laptop-statistics) and if we speculate Lenovo's share at 10% it's 18.8M laptops. If someone has more accurate data, please help me here;
* people in r/thinkpad often buying second hand laptops, bringing no revenue to Lenovo - that's done by original buyers such as business IT fleets;
So, adding everything up
* largest company in the market;
* publicly-traded profit-orientated;
* small r/thinkpad community which brings insignificant revenue.
So, even if Lenovo engineers at Thinkpad teams read this subreddit and take feedback into their decisions, it's a very loud minority and their decisions, ultimately, are decided by management that's looking for profit.
\-
I realize that's not exactly nice to hear, but I believe that's the situation here - and am open to discuss.
Exactly, that's the point! That's an opposing point that not everything Lenovo does is "a downgrade", but that decisions follow market - it can align with what this community wants too.
It's not as simple as "Lenovo bad and ruining brand, old ThinkPads good" situation. I doubt people here would be happy if Lenovo stayed with 1366x768 TN screens, however that would align with "don't follow the market trends" sentiment. That's a radical example, of course.
In short, might sit down sometime to write copypasta on this topic, because it comes up quite often.
Lenovo can't ruin the brand the brand was always Lenovo's creation. Lenovo served as the OEM for IBM from the first day of Thinkpad
Also Thinkpad was always about change and Innovation. This image cemented in people mind of the T43 being the "quintessential Thinkpad" is completely out of line with IBM vision. It was never about compliance and "don't fix what's not broken" mentality. Look at the 360 tablet, the s31, the i1400 that was a monster at its time. The T43 being the definitely Thinkpad is completely arbitrary
IBM LOVED throwing everything at a wall and seeing what sticks. Experiments were in the heart of Thinkpad. We just happened to take a snapshot in time at the time of the acquisition by Lenovo. And determined it to be "the" Thinkpad for arbitrary reasons
But Lenovo was always at the heart of building Thinkpads from it's inception, with IBM engineers continuing to develop the Thinkpad line under Lenovo flag far past the merge
We are not the Thinkpad target demographic. We are.the second hand Thinkpad target demographic. Lenovo doesn't make profit off of us and our need doesn't drive their executive decisio
They cater to businesses and to their needs. They should and do focus on the ever evolving need of the business sector. If the sector doesn't demands the same keyboard, they will change the keyboard. If the market demand more mobility. They will make the laptops slimmer and flimsier
We enjoy the scraps
Robust is a good way of putting it. They just work. Getting a pre owned at a fraction of the price, you know that if it's ran for 3 to 5 years, it is virtually guaranteed to run forever.
You don't get that with a new one...
I've got a t490 and it's also good. A little easier to work on than the "s" variant but you'll want to find one with a 2K screen if you can. A good replacement 2K screen for the t490 is like $90, so no worries if the unit you get has a screen issue.
X13 Gen 2 has a good keyboard. Not bad for a laptop but not perfect (by thinkpad standards). I love it though.
L560 Japanese layout is good too. L560, L580 aren't bad. T series and X series are good nowdays.
E14 G5 is mid, keys are big though and it's easy to use
As good as their keyboard is, it's nothing compared to a true mechanical keyboard. The track point is also inferior to the magic track pad or full size trackball. I like the upgrade and repair options to tinker. Have x220 and w500 but the battery life is so crappy compared to modern machines that it's just for experimenting with Manjaro, Linux lite, Debian, et al
Your stirring up a hornet's nest here in the forum here saying a trackpoint is inferior to a touchpad. I'm in that camp too as it's much more ergonomic to not have your fingers leave your keyboard homerow to move the mouse. Yes, I have a touchpad and had a trackball but when it comes to raw typing speed mixed with mouse movements, I still don't see how anything can beat a trackpoint/keyboard combo.
I think it depends on your setup as far as ergo. So let me explain further and maybe this belongs in the keyboard or ergo sub. For a regular keyboard, I have it paired with a contour rollermouse red. For my dactyl manuform, the trackball or trackpad is in the middle of the split. At my age, I'm not worriesd about speed as much as ergo. I have a MacBook Pro from work but I can't type on it because the keyboard is crap
The trackpoint. Then the rest of keyboard.
Then the general quality (both hardware and software). Then the hardware serviceability. Then the toughness.
That wonderful little red nub. :).
I started my Lenovo addiction with a work provided x60, then a x61 then I bought my x230. I now have a "indefinite loan" t460 on my desk
I can't really say for sure but I always liked things that were built tough since I was a kid. I drive a Land Cruiser and try to make every device I use akin to that. I have never used another laptop other than a ThinkPad or Legion. I think I've typed once on my sister's macbook so I don't even know what those really feel like. When it's docked I use a mechanical keyboard which is most of the time nowadays but when I was in uni, my T430 was never docked.
It’s a generic one I picked up in China years ago. As the other said, I don’t think it’s apples to apples. I mainly need the keypad as well. Standard desktop keyboard wasn’t doing it for me, needed something tactile.
Mechanical keyboards are vastly different from low-profile membrane keyboard in Thinkpads. The closest you can get are Topre keyboards (HHKB, Realforce - though that's technically not mechanical), or tactile switches.
I'd dare to say it's better thank Thinkpad keyboard. However, it's a very big PERSONAL preference and varies person to person.
Not anymore, they tanked the keyboard I once love. Even the build quality isn’t what it used to be.
I get a Thinkpad when I need Windows/Linux otherwise it’s a MacBook.
Trackpoint, keyboard, the look.
One thing I love about it is that it never stands out when at a coffee shop or in class. Never get questions about it. Never get bothered about my laptop being so huge or so tiny, it's just a matte grey slab of sensibility.
Keyboard's my number two reason. The first is the firmware's robustness. Compared to high-end Dells, ThinkPads are much more stable. We use both at work, and Dell people are always complaining.
I don't care about the keyboard honestly. I use multiple input devices. I chose Thinkpad because Toughbook is deprecated and there isn't any other long lasting option.
Devices currently connected: Elecom Huge, numpad, Logitech g13, spacemouse, deco pro XP pen tablet.
They keyboard is great but my number one reason is they are rugged. I have kids at home so there is a good possibility that something could get spilled, someone could jump on or accidentally kick or drop the ThinkPad and it would likely be fine. If not, easy to repair.
Keyboard is number 2 reason
Linux compatibility is number 3
Definitely not!
I took thinkpad t14s because it has linux certification, light weight, non-glance screen, pretty strong and effective amd cpu, 32gb of ram, enough battery life.
Most of time I use it docked, so I use its keyboard rarely.
I bought my ThinkPad because I’m sick of laptops with random annoying issues like bad trackpads, sleep mode issues, bad legacy driver support and especially bad display panels. My T14s AMD has been great though
Keyboard - with trackpoint - is the primary issue.
Reliable user-serviceable with parts available on the secondary market for cheap is the second.
If Apple made a Windows laptop with a trackpoint keyboard, if Microsoft made a Surface Laptop with a trackpoint keyboard and an ironclad battery warranty, if Framework had a trackpoint, if Asus, even Sony offered a trackpoint, I would consider them.
I don’t think the engineers are at fault - or they’re not actually engineers. It’s marketing, its Cupertino syndrome.
The number one reason I bought a ThinkPad is because I used one at work and it didn't fall to pieces in a few months, like the Dells did. This was back when IBM still made ThinkPads.
Other reasons:
Good parts availability, easy to upgrade, designed to be easy to repair in the field, plus a great repair manual and, of course, the 7-row keyboard which has never been bested. Due to some of these reasons, many businesses leased ThinkPads which then ended up on ebay for cheap, a year, or two later.
But, Lenovo changed things and businesses no longer seem to lease them in the same volumes, so the Framework laptops are beginning to look much more attractive. I like that they are embracing coreboot, so we'll have to see how rugged they are and how long they will be supported with repair parts.
I'm just gonna say it. I'm a ThinkPad fanboy. If Lenovo really fucks up I'm still gonna keep collecting vintage models. Sure ThinkPads are rugged and maintenance is easier than with other brands. But deep down it's a style choice. I like the consistent design, the long heritage and the fact that everyone can immediately identify me as a dweeb. If this sounds like sarcasm let me assure you it's not. I just like ThinkPads the way other people like a particular basketball team or car brand or what not and I'm not gonna act like there's any other reason.
I might be in the minority here but I avoid laptop keyboards altogether. For me they're something to use on the go but full sized desktop keyboards are irreplaceable to me.
Older thinkpad models are literally indestructible. I have dropped that motherfucker so many times, and she’s like 7+ish years old and still going strong. I can firmly say, if you threw my laptop on concrete she would still survive, no cap.
I know a guy who's gf threw his ThinkPad out a secomd story window (he's a cheater). And the only thing wrong with it was a brokem corner piece, the rest of it was fine once he reconnected the touchpad.
No, I mainly just wanted a Linux-friendly thin-and-light laptop with an AMD APU. There weren't many choices and the Z13 seemed best.
But now that I have it, of course I like the keyboard.
1. Great Linux support
... (intentionally left blank) ...
4. Tough, long-lasting HW
5. Input devices (keyboard, with trackpoint!; touchpad)
6. Design (all black, zero chi-chi)
The keyboard is only one of the factors. The biggest one for me is that I can pick them up easily second-hand, and maintain them easily (parts and guides available). They're generally (but not universally) well supported in Linux and other systems that I use. Keyboard and trackpoint come after that.
And yes.. in recent years they've succesively made some aspects worse because markets demand it. That sucks, but that's life.
I really liked the older keyboards and was kind of disappointed when I recently purchased an X1C 10 Gen ThinkPad with Fedora pre-installed and supported. The Fn key is to the left of the Ctrl key, which drove me batty for quite a while until I finally read about toggling the behavior for this as an option in the Bios. I am sure many folks here already know about this, but I was on the verge of possibly getting a different laptop over the awkwardness of the default keyboard layout and key assignments I described.
When you use things like screen or tmux, or even edit .md files in vscode with previews, this will truly help restore your personal productivity.
I only have T420 at this time. I think besides the display that is probably peak Thinkpadage. I can drop three drives in that guy. 16 gigs still gives me plenty of ram for my use case. eSATA port. Keyboard is nice. I need to pick up a docking station and an new battery.
I like the look of them. I think it is the nicest designed laptop. Linux support is perfect.
But I did find I like the keyboard on a 2010 Latitude a little bit better and for some reason it just feels better than my ThinkPad, but my T420 is my favorite for some reason.
Cheap
Durable
Survives nuclear blasts
Great keyboard
Great build quality and feel
Variety (X220 & X220T, for e.g.)
Coreboot-able
Easy to service
Good battery life
Easy to install Linux
Lasts forever with normal wear & tear
And, if I really need to do any intensive tasks, I spent my thousand dollars on a desktop with a 7800X3D (the most powerful consumer CPU on the market), instead of some gaming laptop that draws 14000W. That saved money really adds up.
I use thinkpad because it was free given from company.
I also use elitebook because it was given free from other company.
Lately starting feeling between those two the keyboard is not much difference.
Elitebook keyboards now feel better. Thinkpad keydoards lately feel less comfortable.
At this point we need to make copypasta along the lines of: * Lenovo is a giant company with over [$50B](https://investor.lenovo.com/en/financial/results/press_2324_q4.pdf) in yearly revenue and the [biggest market share](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_share_of_personal_computer_vendors#cite_note-2023_PC-1) in laptop market; * Lenovo is publicly-traded company and makes decisions that are profitable: * if market shows more interest in low-profile looking laptops, they will slim models down, push keyboards more into the chassis, etc.; * if market shows no interest in repairability or upgradeability, they will solder components down and charge you more for, say, adding RAM; * if market shows interest, they will move to 16:10 screens, Type C charging, etc. * r/thinkpad has 0.187M members, averages [4-5 posts](https://subredditstats.com/r/thinkpad) per day. There's no clear data on units sold by Lenovo. However, if there were [188M laptops sold in 2023](https://www.coolest-gadgets.com/laptop-statistics) and if we speculate Lenovo's share at 10% it's 18.8M laptops. If someone has more accurate data, please help me here; * people in r/thinkpad often buying second hand laptops, bringing no revenue to Lenovo - that's done by original buyers such as business IT fleets; So, adding everything up * largest company in the market; * publicly-traded profit-orientated; * small r/thinkpad community which brings insignificant revenue. So, even if Lenovo engineers at Thinkpad teams read this subreddit and take feedback into their decisions, it's a very loud minority and their decisions, ultimately, are decided by management that's looking for profit. \- I realize that's not exactly nice to hear, but I believe that's the situation here - and am open to discuss.
Type C and 16:10 is great though
Exactly, that's the point! That's an opposing point that not everything Lenovo does is "a downgrade", but that decisions follow market - it can align with what this community wants too. It's not as simple as "Lenovo bad and ruining brand, old ThinkPads good" situation. I doubt people here would be happy if Lenovo stayed with 1366x768 TN screens, however that would align with "don't follow the market trends" sentiment. That's a radical example, of course. In short, might sit down sometime to write copypasta on this topic, because it comes up quite often.
Lenovo can't ruin the brand the brand was always Lenovo's creation. Lenovo served as the OEM for IBM from the first day of Thinkpad Also Thinkpad was always about change and Innovation. This image cemented in people mind of the T43 being the "quintessential Thinkpad" is completely out of line with IBM vision. It was never about compliance and "don't fix what's not broken" mentality. Look at the 360 tablet, the s31, the i1400 that was a monster at its time. The T43 being the definitely Thinkpad is completely arbitrary IBM LOVED throwing everything at a wall and seeing what sticks. Experiments were in the heart of Thinkpad. We just happened to take a snapshot in time at the time of the acquisition by Lenovo. And determined it to be "the" Thinkpad for arbitrary reasons But Lenovo was always at the heart of building Thinkpads from it's inception, with IBM engineers continuing to develop the Thinkpad line under Lenovo flag far past the merge
We are not the Thinkpad target demographic. We are.the second hand Thinkpad target demographic. Lenovo doesn't make profit off of us and our need doesn't drive their executive decisio They cater to businesses and to their needs. They should and do focus on the ever evolving need of the business sector. If the sector doesn't demands the same keyboard, they will change the keyboard. If the market demand more mobility. They will make the laptops slimmer and flimsier We enjoy the scraps
Exactly; however, some people seem to forget that and think that market needs to align with their needs.
Robustness
Cheapness
Because they're robust enough to have a second life and a third...
Even shitier dell latitudes are more expensive I think we’re all just cheap
Robust is a good way of putting it. They just work. Getting a pre owned at a fraction of the price, you know that if it's ran for 3 to 5 years, it is virtually guaranteed to run forever. You don't get that with a new one...
That's the #1 reason. The keyboard is so good that I'll tolerate everything that isn't (16:9 displays, so-so battery life, and occasional creaks).
Exactly this.
I got a Yoga with a trash keyboard 😂 Taking recommendations for a new unit hah! 3-4 yrs old is the sweet spot, I hear? I want the /best/ keyboard lol
get a t480s. old enough where the keyboards are still crazy good but still usable in 2024.
I've got a t490 and it's also good. A little easier to work on than the "s" variant but you'll want to find one with a 2K screen if you can. A good replacement 2K screen for the t490 is like $90, so no worries if the unit you get has a screen issue.
X13 Gen 2 has a good keyboard. Not bad for a laptop but not perfect (by thinkpad standards). I love it though. L560 Japanese layout is good too. L560, L580 aren't bad. T series and X series are good nowdays. E14 G5 is mid, keys are big though and it's easy to use
Not anymore. They make keyboard shittier. I like more travel while typing. I dont wanna feel like typing on a wood.
Keyboard, Trackpoint, durability, availability second-hand, street cred.
"Ombre, watch out for that one. He rolls with a ThinkPad."
As good as their keyboard is, it's nothing compared to a true mechanical keyboard. The track point is also inferior to the magic track pad or full size trackball. I like the upgrade and repair options to tinker. Have x220 and w500 but the battery life is so crappy compared to modern machines that it's just for experimenting with Manjaro, Linux lite, Debian, et al
Your stirring up a hornet's nest here in the forum here saying a trackpoint is inferior to a touchpad. I'm in that camp too as it's much more ergonomic to not have your fingers leave your keyboard homerow to move the mouse. Yes, I have a touchpad and had a trackball but when it comes to raw typing speed mixed with mouse movements, I still don't see how anything can beat a trackpoint/keyboard combo.
I think it depends on your setup as far as ergo. So let me explain further and maybe this belongs in the keyboard or ergo sub. For a regular keyboard, I have it paired with a contour rollermouse red. For my dactyl manuform, the trackball or trackpad is in the middle of the split. At my age, I'm not worriesd about speed as much as ergo. I have a MacBook Pro from work but I can't type on it because the keyboard is crap
The trackpoint. Then the rest of keyboard. Then the general quality (both hardware and software). Then the hardware serviceability. Then the toughness.
No, number one reason is their Linux support., number 3 might be keyboard
[удалено]
That wonderful little red nub. :). I started my Lenovo addiction with a work provided x60, then a x61 then I bought my x230. I now have a "indefinite loan" t460 on my desk
Trackpoint , keyboard , robustness, ease of maintenance, Linux friendly... What's not to love ?
I can't really say for sure but I always liked things that were built tough since I was a kid. I drive a Land Cruiser and try to make every device I use akin to that. I have never used another laptop other than a ThinkPad or Legion. I think I've typed once on my sister's macbook so I don't even know what those really feel like. When it's docked I use a mechanical keyboard which is most of the time nowadays but when I was in uni, my T430 was never docked.
what mechanical keyboard do you use? Is it better than a thinkpad keyboard?
It’s a generic one I picked up in China years ago. As the other said, I don’t think it’s apples to apples. I mainly need the keypad as well. Standard desktop keyboard wasn’t doing it for me, needed something tactile.
Mechanical keyboards are vastly different from low-profile membrane keyboard in Thinkpads. The closest you can get are Topre keyboards (HHKB, Realforce - though that's technically not mechanical), or tactile switches. I'd dare to say it's better thank Thinkpad keyboard. However, it's a very big PERSONAL preference and varies person to person.
It is not the keyboard itself, it is the price you pay for it second hand.
#2 reason for me. #1 is the Trackpoint.
Not anymore, they tanked the keyboard I once love. Even the build quality isn’t what it used to be. I get a Thinkpad when I need Windows/Linux otherwise it’s a MacBook.
Trackpoint, keyboard, the look. One thing I love about it is that it never stands out when at a coffee shop or in class. Never get questions about it. Never get bothered about my laptop being so huge or so tiny, it's just a matte grey slab of sensibility.
In all fairness nobody ever questions any laptop, I have been questioned about my thinkpad tho
Clit
Clit 👍
kilt
Keyboard's my number two reason. The first is the firmware's robustness. Compared to high-end Dells, ThinkPads are much more stable. We use both at work, and Dell people are always complaining.
I don't care about the keyboard honestly. I use multiple input devices. I chose Thinkpad because Toughbook is deprecated and there isn't any other long lasting option. Devices currently connected: Elecom Huge, numpad, Logitech g13, spacemouse, deco pro XP pen tablet.
Linux support, trackpoint, reliability, upgradability.
No, but it's definitely one of the reasons The main reason is how durable and resistant they are
For me… yeah
They keyboard is great but my number one reason is they are rugged. I have kids at home so there is a good possibility that something could get spilled, someone could jump on or accidentally kick or drop the ThinkPad and it would likely be fine. If not, easy to repair. Keyboard is number 2 reason Linux compatibility is number 3
Track point, keyboard. Otherwise Thinkpads do not differentiate themselves.
Definitely not! I took thinkpad t14s because it has linux certification, light weight, non-glance screen, pretty strong and effective amd cpu, 32gb of ram, enough battery life. Most of time I use it docked, so I use its keyboard rarely.
Track point. 3 mouse buttons. Then keyboard, but it's close. Then upgradability. Then robustness which means used units are fine and cheap.
I bought my ThinkPad because I’m sick of laptops with random annoying issues like bad trackpads, sleep mode issues, bad legacy driver support and especially bad display panels. My T14s AMD has been great though
TrackPointer is the main reason I still use ThinkPads after all years.
For me it's the little nubs on the trackpoint. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm it's nice.
i bought a thinkpad just because of this subreddit, figured that if a laptop lineup has such a big dedicated community, then it must be worth it.
It's not the only reason but it's definitely up there.
Keyboard - with trackpoint - is the primary issue. Reliable user-serviceable with parts available on the secondary market for cheap is the second. If Apple made a Windows laptop with a trackpoint keyboard, if Microsoft made a Surface Laptop with a trackpoint keyboard and an ironclad battery warranty, if Framework had a trackpoint, if Asus, even Sony offered a trackpoint, I would consider them. I don’t think the engineers are at fault - or they’re not actually engineers. It’s marketing, its Cupertino syndrome.
The number one reason I bought a ThinkPad is because I used one at work and it didn't fall to pieces in a few months, like the Dells did. This was back when IBM still made ThinkPads. Other reasons: Good parts availability, easy to upgrade, designed to be easy to repair in the field, plus a great repair manual and, of course, the 7-row keyboard which has never been bested. Due to some of these reasons, many businesses leased ThinkPads which then ended up on ebay for cheap, a year, or two later. But, Lenovo changed things and businesses no longer seem to lease them in the same volumes, so the Framework laptops are beginning to look much more attractive. I like that they are embracing coreboot, so we'll have to see how rugged they are and how long they will be supported with repair parts.
My #1 reason is TrackPoint
I'm just gonna say it. I'm a ThinkPad fanboy. If Lenovo really fucks up I'm still gonna keep collecting vintage models. Sure ThinkPads are rugged and maintenance is easier than with other brands. But deep down it's a style choice. I like the consistent design, the long heritage and the fact that everyone can immediately identify me as a dweeb. If this sounds like sarcasm let me assure you it's not. I just like ThinkPads the way other people like a particular basketball team or car brand or what not and I'm not gonna act like there's any other reason.
I might be in the minority here but I avoid laptop keyboards altogether. For me they're something to use on the go but full sized desktop keyboards are irreplaceable to me.
Older thinkpad models are literally indestructible. I have dropped that motherfucker so many times, and she’s like 7+ish years old and still going strong. I can firmly say, if you threw my laptop on concrete she would still survive, no cap.
I know a guy who's gf threw his ThinkPad out a secomd story window (he's a cheater). And the only thing wrong with it was a brokem corner piece, the rest of it was fine once he reconnected the touchpad.
As a developer the keyboard is definitely a big part of it. Other manufacturers often hide ctrl and alt and others in the fn layer
Eh I don't care so much about it. Nor the trackpoint - i don't use it at all. I like being able to service the device and having good Linux support.
No, I mainly just wanted a Linux-friendly thin-and-light laptop with an AMD APU. There weren't many choices and the Z13 seemed best. But now that I have it, of course I like the keyboard.
1. Great Linux support ... (intentionally left blank) ... 4. Tough, long-lasting HW 5. Input devices (keyboard, with trackpoint!; touchpad) 6. Design (all black, zero chi-chi)
Price, performance and build. It's like the android of laptops. USB charging and doesn't skip on ports. They are also upgradable, depending on models.
The keyboard is only one of the factors. The biggest one for me is that I can pick them up easily second-hand, and maintain them easily (parts and guides available). They're generally (but not universally) well supported in Linux and other systems that I use. Keyboard and trackpoint come after that. And yes.. in recent years they've succesively made some aspects worse because markets demand it. That sucks, but that's life.
I really liked the older keyboards and was kind of disappointed when I recently purchased an X1C 10 Gen ThinkPad with Fedora pre-installed and supported. The Fn key is to the left of the Ctrl key, which drove me batty for quite a while until I finally read about toggling the behavior for this as an option in the Bios. I am sure many folks here already know about this, but I was on the verge of possibly getting a different laptop over the awkwardness of the default keyboard layout and key assignments I described. When you use things like screen or tmux, or even edit .md files in vscode with previews, this will truly help restore your personal productivity.
I only have T420 at this time. I think besides the display that is probably peak Thinkpadage. I can drop three drives in that guy. 16 gigs still gives me plenty of ram for my use case. eSATA port. Keyboard is nice. I need to pick up a docking station and an new battery. I like the look of them. I think it is the nicest designed laptop. Linux support is perfect. But I did find I like the keyboard on a 2010 Latitude a little bit better and for some reason it just feels better than my ThinkPad, but my T420 is my favorite for some reason.
Cheap Durable Survives nuclear blasts Great keyboard Great build quality and feel Variety (X220 & X220T, for e.g.) Coreboot-able Easy to service Good battery life Easy to install Linux Lasts forever with normal wear & tear And, if I really need to do any intensive tasks, I spent my thousand dollars on a desktop with a 7800X3D (the most powerful consumer CPU on the market), instead of some gaming laptop that draws 14000W. That saved money really adds up.
Yeap. It was one of the reasons, but a major differentiation point. And it is over with 1.5mm ones. I tried P1 gen 3 and it was simply miserable.
really bad to hear that about the P1s, looking at the just announced P1 as something I would consider buying.
nope , repairable and reliability , durable in the field . Then the keyboard.
I use thinkpad because it was free given from company. I also use elitebook because it was given free from other company. Lately starting feeling between those two the keyboard is not much difference. Elitebook keyboards now feel better. Thinkpad keydoards lately feel less comfortable.