this post was submitted on 15 Aug 2023
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ThinkPad under Lenovo has also gotten much worse to the point that I don't really consider them anymore ...
Last time I looked you couldn't even buy a 2-in-1 with upgradeable memory (or RAM > 16 GB) anymore and for replacing the keyboard you now have to disassemble the entire ThinkPad. Unlike my L390 Yoga and X201 Tablet, where the RAM is slotted and where the keyboard can easily be changed by removing three screws (which is important to me, as I prefer US International over my local layout and I also value a clean keyboard when buying used). In my experience ThinkPad batteries also tend to loose capacity rather quickly? In addition we already have the second X1 Yoga with a broken hinge within three years of normal usage in my family (luckily this device has a five year warranty, so we'll see if the warranty covers it) ...
Maybe this has changed since the first L13 Yoga (haven't read about any new hardware from Lenovo since then), but these were the main reasons why I decided to buy one of the last new L390 Yogas instead of its successor and why I no longer consider ThinkPads to be more desirable than any other laptop.
is nice and I prefer it to touchpads. But I don't value it enough to still prioritise ThinkPads over other brands.
is no longer replaceable without disassembling the entire laptop (since the L13 Yoga Gen2). One of the things that made me prefer ThinkPads over the rest.
The typing experience is decent, but I could type just fine on other laptops as well.
In which way is a ThinkPad more Linux-friendly than others?
I mean, I can't even use all the hardware I bought on Linux, as the fingerprint reader doesn't have any Linux support, whereas older ThinkPads (up to the Yoga 460) had a fingerprint reader that worked great on Linux. I also haven't received a single UEFI update on Linux through fwupd (I use Fedora if that matters).
I had an inexpensive Acer non-convertible laptop (bought without an OS from the factory) and a HP ENVY x360 (bought for its beefier AMD hardware, but eventually returned after attempts to fix the faulty digitizer failed multiple times) and Linux ran just fine on them as well.
I agree that it still is an advantage that Lenovo offers HMMs and spare parts.
But if I need to disassemble the entire laptop (which is something I really want to avoid) to replace a keyboard or most components are soldered, a hardware maintenance manual for ThinkPads is of much less value to me than it used to be.
In which way are ThinkPads "superior quality" or "durable"?
That's the only form factor that's relevant to me, so that's what I evaluate. Other ThinkPads and laptops don't matter to me.
How? They use the same Intel/Broadcom/Realtek chips as everyone else.
If this is something you require, ok. But that's not something I value at all. I haven't dropped a laptop yet and don't need any certifications.
What I see is a lot of plastic cracking and breaking off with the X-series tablets (own an X201t and owned multiple X230t in the past) and new laptops starting to creak after mostly sitting on a desk for a couple of months. So overall I don't think the build quality is anything special and I believe there are laptops for the same price that hold up as well or better over time. But it isn't terrible either, it is just ok in my opinion.
I don't think I have downvoted a single comment from you, at least not in this thread.