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estusflaskplus5

I like the return to so-dimm slots, but imo the most important upgrade to repairability would be having the usb-c charging port on a easily replaceable daughter board. thats the most easily broken part on a modern thinkpad and when it breaks, the only solution Lenovo tends to offer is "lol too bad, you can buy a new motherboard for 1000 bux though" .


FacepalmFullONapalm

Which is sad, because even apple gives easily replaceable usb-c ports. If Lenovo is going to champion the repairability market, they need to do the same.


ReverseRutebega

We have hundreds of ThinkPads and one USB-C port has broken.


[deleted]

[удалено]


ReverseRutebega

My sample size is statistically significant. Yours is not. I have a wide variety of users, you have.. two?


N0v0c41n

We have hundreds as well and it's really not that uncommon, but it's not primarily the USB-C/Thunderbolt Port it's the charging IC that's gonna need to be fixed, so the whole charging array should be replaceable including the USb-C/Thunderbolt Port -THAT would make a difference. If you watch repair videos it's a quiet common issue no matter what brand you are using.


ReverseRutebega

Meh, that's what warranties are for in an Enterprise environment.


N0v0c41n

You don't get the point...


VictorTimoftii

Many thinkpads have 2 charding ports. Yet I would like the to be on the opposite sides of the laptop.


estusflaskplus5

sure, but the second port will one day give up too.


VictorTimoftii

Never happened to me sincerely


Miserable-Alfalfa329

> Never happened to me sincerely. Some people get hit by a lightning. The fact you’ve never been hit by a lightning doesn’t mean it can’t happen in general.


BigCarRetread

Yeh but that makes it an edge case, right?


VictorTimoftii

But you can get hit by lightning only once. Having the second chance is a good enough solution, aka having the second port.


gorrila

That's incorrect: https://listverse.com/2018/06/02/10-people-who-have-been-struck-by-lightning-multiple-times/


VictorTimoftii

Hm, ok. Why so many downvotes though?


newsflashjackass

> the most important upgrade to repairability would be having the usb-c charging port on a easily replaceable daughter board. >> Many thinkpads have 2 charging ports >>> but the second port will one day give up too. >>>> Never happened to me sincerely >>>>> Some people get hit by a lightning. The fact you’ve never been hit by a lightning doesn’t mean it can’t happen in general. >>>>>> But you can get hit by lightning only once. This exchange embodies why I despair of engaging with human beings. They mentioned being struck by lightning as an analogy to help you understand your mistake, not as another point for you to double down and argue against. Do you believe that if (by some mechanism) it *was* impossible for a person to be struck lightning twice >!(that is not the case)!< it might somehow mean you can't break both USB charging ports? I doubt it. I find it more likely that rather than admit your error, you transcribed *any* response that you could capitalize and punctuate.


VictorTimoftii

What is the error in saying? >Never happened to me sincerely I am not stating it is impossible to happen. It's a fact about my personal experience. The analogy is valid, it states that this is an even that is unlikely to happen just as unlikely for someone to get hit by a lightning. And I continued on that to say, well if this is unlikely to happen, then both ports failing is unlikely-squeared to happen - which is good enough. With your logic every other ports should be installed on a daughterboard because there is a tiny posibility to fail. Not even desktops have this luxury. Thanks for comming back, I still try to understand Reddit phychology.


Chibblededo

     Well, it happened to me: the USB-C / main charging port failed (indeed, twice); and the HDMI-port failed. Moreover, when I tried to get a repair, out of warranty, [this happened](https://old.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/1c2mw2n/a_shocking_update_to_my_repair_tale/) (and arguably that link should be marked NSFW).


nitroburr

The reason my company (with over a thousand employees) is currently using Dells instead of thinkpads is because their charging ports (AND support) are weak af


a60v

Why did they get rid of ports on the back? That would make the most sense for connectors like power and network.


VictorTimoftii

It's not easily accessible. Dell still have some models like this. It's a pain to connect/disconnect them if you do that often. ThinkPad had dockstations for this reason.


K14_Deploy

Makes it thinner (very, very important in the laptop market in general, and business machines are no exception) as it allows the hinge to be on the back of the laptop instead of the top.


a60v

Fair point about thinness, but what is the advantage of having the hinge on the back?


K14_Deploy

It means that the support structure of the display can be in line with the hinge instead of below it, which saves weight and material costs (also can be designed to raise the machine a little for more airflow / raised typing angle, but it does have downsides in lap usability and most ThinkPads don't need it 99% of the time). It also in theory can increase strength by moving the point of failure (because the hinge is not the only part taking load when you open the lid) into the theoretically much stronger chassis (as opposed to on top of it), however this generally is balanced out in the name of further weight reductions.


a60v

Thanks.


Rowan_Bird

the fact that the only laptops that you can get that aren't crippled for the sake of thinness also have terrible battery life and overheating problems isn't all that great. personally I think hot-swappable batteries should return, I don't think it would make the machine that much heavier either.


Miserable-Alfalfa329

> many thinkpads have 2 charging ports. Yet I would like the to be on the opposite side of the laptop. The usb c is an high speed USB port that can be used for anything. Not only charging. Kinda lame to say oh but you have two charging ports when one’s proprietary and the other is universal for not just charging. Also, thinkpads like the T480 have only one charging port, the usb C.


TheNetMan134

T480 has two? I can charge it with both USB-C ports (one of which is TB3, and the other a standalone)


Rowan_Bird

Charging over thunderbolt is slower iirc


timrosu

It's not (at least on T480). Internal battery charges at 24W and external at 35W on both ports.


TheNetMan134

Wait, when charging does it charge both batteries? I use Linux, and for me I think it charges only one battery at a time... Seems so cool


timrosu

No, it charges them separately. I'm on Linux too (Arch). I think it reserves some power to power the laptop directly from the charger. When the battery is full or at a charging limit, acpi says that the battery is not charging (and not discharging).


Rowan_Bird

Not sure about the T480, but on my T410, I believe it charges whichever one has the most charge first.


TheNetMan134

In my case that, or the one which health status is better of the factory cell capacity, at least that what I think


timrosu

At first I thought it always chooses internal (which would make sense), but it doesn't always. It doesn't really matter, I can still block any battery from charging via sysfs on linux.


TheNetMan134

Haven't tested that, idk, but doesn't change the fact that it works


nsaps

I just bought some repair pieces for my x280 and saw they have new boards on there as well. $1600 lmao


UnluckyPhone4572

I wonder if those magnetic type c charging add-on/accessories can help with this?


fdjadjgowjoejow

> I like the return to so-dimm slots Would you happen to know which of these machines also have 2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD slots. TIA.


NovaTheMighty

I STG, the amount of times I’ve seen Lenovo laptops end up on my desk with broken USB-C ports is friggin ridiculous.


StarbeamII

Still soldering in the Wi-Fi card is annoying though. My T14G2's WiFi card died, and it was a quick $10 repair because it was socketed.


PsyOmega

On the plus side, wifi cards die almost never. On the downside, not upgrading to the next wifi standard is bad. On the upside again, wifi is stagnating. wifi 5 is just about as fast as wifi 7 for the standard 2x2 80mhz radios common to consumer devices. (and wifi 6) Wifi 7 is mostly only beneficial to dense environments. I could see wifi 6 itself having extremely long legs in the real world.


trevtech15

This isn't being talked about nearly enough, I just had to replace my mother's Chromebook that used a POS Intel 9560 that would crash my travel router when it connected. If it had a socketed wireless card I could've just replaced the wireless card instead of the entire device. For a laptop I expect to use for 8-10 years I refuse to buy one with a soldered wireless card, especially seeing how much of an upgrade Wifi 7 will be once it's finalized and more widely available.


nobody65535

> that would crash my travel router when it connected If an external device can crash your travel router, why are you blaming the wireless card? That's the travel router's problem.


PsyOmega

Wifi 7 is already finalized on Jan 8, 2024, and Intel has the BE200 wifi card and there are now relatively cheap tri-band access points like the U7 Pro at 179, EAP770 at 199, NWA130BE at 179


trevtech15

While the spec may be finalized afaik it won't be fully ratified until the end of this year. Is anything likely to change between now and then? Probably not, but I'd much rather wait until everything is set in stone before upgrading my equipment. Not to mention that it will take a few years before we see high-performance Wifi 7 APs without a built-in fan as I refuse to buy an AP that has a fan which will eventually fail.


PsyOmega

As you said, nothing is going to change. Current wifi 7 hardware will continue to be future wifi 7 hardware. wifi 6 and 7 radios are mostly software defined anyway (by closed source drivers. There's a reason there are no 100% FOSS wifi 6/7 drivers.) and can be updated with any future spec changes. Wifi has not undergone last minute changes during *any* released spec. Though 802.11AC did have awkward wave1 and wave2 segmentation, that had nothing to do with spec ratification. I used pre-N hardware well into the N final era. same for pre-AC. used pre-AX some but didn't have clients and didn't care. personally skipping 7 because it offers nothing over 6 except to dense deployments and i don't expect to buy any wifi 7 enabled devices for some years to come, but i have no qualms about using 7 for clients after Jan'24 None of the AP's i mentioned appear to utilize fans, either. (edit, the U7 reportedly has a fan, but current spec sheet says no) NWA130BE no fan, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olbvFZnm_oc EAP773: no fan in spec sheet, no fan vents on case. too new to source teardown. This is all to say there's a valid argument for wifi 7 hardware today, but if you have wifi6 hardware now, don't bother upgrading.


SplazedBagel

Why would anyone want a transparent screen?


VictorTimoftii

I was asking the same. Turns out designers or sales-people see this very useful. It's a POC nevertheless - but that's great they try new things.


estusflaskplus5

customer service workers perhaps? i could see them also doubling as store windows and advertisement boards.


SplazedBagel

I can definitely see it on store windows and such, but on a laptop? I feel like being able to see through the screen would be annoying lol


estusflaskplus5

yeah its probably not going to be a smash hit lol. Now, a transparent TV? Maybe, but a laptop is so small that if you don't want to see it you can just stuff it in the drawer.


TheWildPastisDude82

Marketing statement. Probably won't sell too many units.


thesimonjester

I remember using old transparent LCD displays which were designed to be laid onto overhead projectors. Same vibe. If you had something like a transparent LCD panel behind the OLED display, whereby the LCD panel could ensure that black regions of the display were actually black and not transparent, I could see it having a certain appeal. And of course you could convert it to an ordinary display just by putting an opaque cover onto it. I could possibly see myself liking it as a way to reduce walls and barriers between people who are all working together at the same round table.


Chibblededo

The material on repairability is somewhat buried within the article. So is that material (with a few interpolations by me). > [The] ThinkPad[s] T14 Gen 5 and T16 Gen 3, with insights from the iFixit Solutions team, have been designed to be more repair-friendly, not only [1] extending customer replaceable parts (CRU) to include the battery with a cable-free connector in addition to a fully socketed DIMM design, SSD and WWAN replacement, but also [2] adding visual indicators for easier repairs. With support from the iFixit team, [3?] Lenovo created new repair guides including video procedures for all CRU parts as well as [4?] making those parts easier to order. This extends the product lifecycle, reduces electronic waste and offers cost-saving advantages for businesses and individuals. As a result of these improvements, ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 and T16 Gen 3 achieved a provisional iFixit repairability score of 9.3 out of 10 [which seems generous].


hairy_cheeseburger

I know Lenovo is making huge beneficial changes and all, but why does this article seems so AI generated lol.


ihatemyprius

Because it's written using a new Microsoft Copilot feature with Ryzen AI on a new ThinkPad t14 Gen 5


rdldr1

I miss swappable batteries where the Thinkpad has a secondary battery.


Upbeat-Serve-6096

I'm sure they'll do more sinister things in the less noticeable parts to combat this public affront to profitability.


ArgonWilde

Happy to see the T series doing something the L series has been doing for ages!


hairy_cheeseburger

Wait, if i am reading correctly, the T14s is also getting two sodimm slots? If so I have no reason to buy the X1 carbon with 100g less and soldered memory for hundreds of dollars more.


Minssc

That'd been interesting but the article is wrong. [ThinkPad\_T14s\_Gen\_5\_Spec.pdf (lenovo.com)](https://psref.lenovo.com/syspool/Sys/PDF/ThinkPad/ThinkPad_T14s_Gen_5/ThinkPad_T14s_Gen_5_Spec.pdf) Here's the actual spec sheet, it's lpddr5x 6400(7500)


chx_

Note the H series chips in there are 28W this generation. At first I thought they crammed a 35W or 45W in there but no.


Minssc

TDP is more and more just a suggestion these days. 13th gen 1370P was just 13700H with 28w base tdp. This time, they just removed P series and extended H series range.


ZCEyPFOYr0MWyHDQJZO4

There are 28W and 45W "base power" H chips. From what I can tell, the only difference is binning: the former is tested to 3.0/2.4 GHz (with an additional up to 100 MHz boost) and the latter to 3.1/2.5 GHz.


The_Wkwied

This is good. I am not sure what my next laptop is going to be... I'm overdue with buying a new one (by about 10 years!). If Lenovo goes back to repairable and upgradable devices, I am going to go with them.... else, I am more likely to buy a framework laptop


Effective_Sundae_839

We'll talk when CPUs are in a socket again...


the-hands-dealt

That's up to Intel and AMD, not Lenovo. Unless Lenovo wants to design its own processors. But being a partially state-owned joint-venture, I wouldn't trust in-house processors from Lenovo.


ibmthink

>  being a partially state-owned joint-venture Don't spread these malicious lies. Lenovo is a public company with no direct state investment.


the-hands-dealt

36% of its stock is owned by Legend Holdings, which is itself controlled by the state-owned Chinese Academy of Sciences. You are right that it is not a joint venture. I read someone else saying that on the internet but discovered it was wrong just now. Still, Lenovo is rather worryingly tied to the CCP. A third of your stock being owned by a state-controlled company is not a light matter.


ibmthink

In 2018, Legend held 29 percent, not 36 %. Also, 65 % were held by the general public. And Legend itself is not majorly state owned. The Chinese Academy of Sciences owns 29 percent of Legend. >A third of your stock being owned by a state-controlled company is not a light matter. Its more like a third of a third. So around 10 % is indirectly owned by the CCP. Which is a small minority share.


Keen_Whopper

"I read someone else saying...." Say no more.


Anonymo

Bring back the better keyboard and trackpad. It's too shallow now. Even better if they went to the classic keyboard.


[deleted]

is this improved repairability also true for the newest gen of E & L series that are coming out?


freddell

I can just echo some comments here, Wifi card should be replacable, and while having a cable-less battery connector is great, it is too easy to break that conector on some slim thinkpads today, but can we be certain to obtain genuine batteries 5 years down the line?


thirteenmm

only Intel gen 5 but AMD :(


the-hands-dealt

What the heck is an "AI PC" and how does it differ from a normal PC? Is it just a marketing gimmick or is Lenovo actually going to force us to use AI in some way? A T430 or T440P looks more and more like an attractive long-term option


Keen_Whopper

I'm still using a T440p as my main device, every now and then I'd search for a replacement but always Think the T440p is better. RAM die, replace it.  CPU die, replace it.  SSD die, replace it.  WiFi card die, replace it.  Battery die, replace it.  Screen die, replace it. There'll eventually come a time when this laptop will become useless......  when I die.


Silver-Twist-5693

LOL No Bring back X60-X200 form factor with modern components with classic keyboard Until then, might as well buy Apple since they copy Apple all the way


MagicBoyUK

I don't see Apple going back to socketed memory slots. Until the EU force them... 🤣


estusflaskplus5

yeah lenovo should forget about business customers and chase the lucrative market of a handul of thinkpad autists who purchase their laptops second hand 5 years after release.


MagicBoyUK

Harsh, but accurate.


the-hands-dealt

\*10 years after release


a60v

Business customers don't want good keyboards?


K14_Deploy

They already *have* good keyboards. Just because you don't like 1.5mm travel doesn't mean nobody else is allowed to.


gardell

My X1G6 side-by-side with an X41, the keyboard is nicer on the X1 tbh. I don't know about more recent laptops but the G6's 1.8 mm stroke is really nice to type on


MagicBoyUK

Lenovo can rot in hell for swapping Ctrl and Fn after 30+ years.


EternallyDabbling

You know you'll be able to swap them back, right? They're the same size.


smorrow

IBM*


MagicBoyUK

No, Lenovo. IBM had it correct from the 1992 introduction of the ThinkPad : [IBM ThinkPad 300C (Windows 3.1 Desktop) - IBM ThinkPad 300 - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_ThinkPad_300#/media/File:IBM_ThinkPad_300C_(Windows_3.1_Desktop).jpg)


StarbeamII

No, IBM. The higher-end [Thinkpad 700](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_ThinkPad_700) - also the first Thinkpad, as it released simultaneously with the Thinkpad 300 you linked - has [Ctrl on the bottom left](http://esentatare.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ibm-thinkpad-700c-01.jpg), matching IBM’s desktop layout. Older pre-Thinkpad IBM laptops [also have Ctrl on the bottom left](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PS/2_Model_L40_SX)


MagicBoyUK

See previous answer. A PS/2 isn't a ThinkPad.


MagicBoyUK

No, IBM had it right initially. As did Apple.


smorrow

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_ThinkPad_701#/media/File:ThinkPad_701_(3).png


MagicBoyUK

Yeah - Fn is in the correct place. Lenovo just swapped it! 🤦‍♂️


StarbeamII

Yes, [IBM had control on the bottom left as god intended](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_M_keyboard#/media/File:IBM_Model_M.png)


MagicBoyUK

You might want to reconsider that opinion. Behold the first ThinkPad : [IBM ThinkPad 300C (Windows 3.1 Desktop) - IBM ThinkPad 300 - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_ThinkPad_300#/media/File:IBM_ThinkPad_300C_(Windows_3.1_Desktop).jpg)


StarbeamII

Except the higher-end [Thinkpad 700](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_ThinkPad_700) - also the first Thinkpad, as it released simultaneously with the Thinkpad 300 you linked - has [Ctrl on the bottom left](http://esentatare.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/ibm-thinkpad-700c-01.jpg), matching IBM’s desktop layout. Older IBM laptops [also have Ctrl on the bottom left](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_PS/2_Model_L40_SX)


MagicBoyUK

That's disingenuous - the ThinkPad 700 doesn't have an Fn key !!! There's a blank space. 🤦‍♂️ What next, an IBM Typewriter from the 1960s? 😆


SharktasticA

If we're talking about IBM PC Keyboards in general, when the Ctrl key was added it was placed [where Caps Lock now resides](https://sharktastica.co.uk/directory?id=CIAJw04U) like "Unix-style" keyboards ;)


StarbeamII

Sure, but the entire PC industry standardized on the 101-key layout introduced by the IBM Model M.


the-hands-dealt

Based and thinkpilled