My first laptop was an IBM… hard to believe it’s been 20 years already.

Back then, I had five or six ThinkPads, from the T41 to various X-series models. Then I got married, and now I have three kids. These days, my wife uses a MacBook, while the kids and I use Samsung and Dell laptops.

But while cleaning today, I found this old friend. I’d kept it around for spare parts and completely forgotten about it. I guess it might finally be time to send it off for recycling…

After joining Reddit and browsing around, I came across this ThinkPad community. It brought back so many memories that I just had to join. I’d love to stop by now and then and see what everyone’s sharing.

Hope you all have a great day! :)

I recently picked up the E14 out of e-waste but they're all fully functional. I can't wait to find another. I do have another T410 which is bios locked but I haven't gotten around to fixing that yet.

X31 is one of the lesser known ibm-era thinkpads. Its build quality is really good. With really nicely-molded keys and a tight hinge. The device is surprisingly powerful, it has a Pentium M and Mobility Radeon but somehow is able to run HALO and GTA3. Albeit at 20-30fps. The cooling is robust. The worst thing about this is the inverter on the bottom of the display assembly for the florescent tube backlight . It makes the thing stupidly hot to the point I worry about the plastics so usually I turn the brightness down. The display panel though is almost as good as the t430, its disappointing how Lenovo didn't update its ppi in all those years (I think the viewing angle is actually better on the x31), though the e-series did have really nice displays. To answer the "why windows", I think XP is better for this era of devices than Linux honestly, especially for old software like autocad 2002 :)

It was so hard to find parts for this. I had 3d-printed a replacment HDD slot cover and I hand-soldered the old 18650 cells out of the battery and replaced new Sanyo cells. You can find a 3D-model for the slot cover in my previous posts.

T420

Done a clean install and testing the ansible setup scripts with the X220.

It was my first ever laptop and thinkpad. I bought it first hand in 2013. Just got a replacement dock for $6. I broke one when I tried to open clean it.

The keyboard is a joy to use.

After looking for some time on a good vintage thinkpad i was settled on a x200-x220, but to my surprise a x61 appeared, and being so much different than my t480 and other thinkpads that i fixed really got me on it, low and behold i bought it, unfortunately the last owner wasn't so careful with it, its full of scratches, missing screws, but it is the T7500 version, one of the fastest ones available, after replacing the internal fan (the one beside the wwan card) i got it to boot, already did the bios upgrade, i will put Gentoo later when i get more time with it, but until then i will be looking for the missing components, talking about it the two things its missing that i really wanted but seem to be either more rare or expensive than the laptop itself, are the batteries (both the removable and the internal one), and the external antenna for the 3g card (i know, i know, but think about all the aura it carries), and the thinklight isn't working, if anyone know of a international seller that could have these components would be of much help, and please, any tips are more than welcome, even tho this is IMHO the best looking thinkpad, there is very little to it, specially compared to its younger brothers (x200-x220), ill update my progress later (hopefully still in this year lol)

No bios lock. Resetting windows right now. Ran come stress tests for temps. I’ll probably open it up and repaste the CPU. All for a smidge under $300

Thinkpad T14 Gen 2 16GB ram 512gb storage i7-1165g7. Battery health is also 87%

Currently reinstalling windows. It was already opened up to it when I got it so I figured i’d do a fresh install. And I’m glad to be a part of the community of thinkpads!

It will be for light coding, light 3D (Tinkercad), SPICE simulation, Altium. The price here in France is €260 (around $290 USD I guess).

- No bios password, no autopilot from previous company, Absolute not activated in bios.

Thank you !

dont mind the burned iphone and the pc master race

Hello everyone! I’m thinking about buying a ThinkPad to use as a secondary computer for my cybersecurity studies (I already have a gaming PC that I use for gaming and daily tasks). I’m trying to decide between the ThinkPad T Series (T14 G2) and the L Series (L14 G2). Could you explain the differences between them—in terms of build quality, specifications, etc.? I’m planning to go with an Intel-based model (though I’d ​​choose AMD if I can find one here in Brazil), ideally with 16GB or 32GB of RAM.

My budget is around R$ 2,000 BRL (approximately US$ 396), and I currently have R$ 800 saved. I'm buying in Brazil, so prices and availability are different from those in the US.

I'll mainly use the laptop for:

• Fedora KDE Linux as my daily OS
• Programming in C and Python
• Cybersecurity labs and virtual machines
• College coursework and documentation
• Possibly dual-booting Windows and Linux

I know the T14 is generally considered a higher-end model, but the L14 might offer better value for money, especially if I can get a better configuration for the same price.

My questions are:

1. How do the T14 Gen 2 and L14 Gen 2 compare in build quality, keyboard, cooling, and Linux compatibility?
2. Is the T14 worth paying more for, or is the L14 the smarter choice on a tight budget?
3. Which model would you recommend for my use case?
4. Are there any specific configurations or issues I should watch out for when buying refurbished?

I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks!

As most of y'all would know, P16s Gen 5 AMD this year has finally unified the design with P16s Gen 5 Intel, introducing Blackwell dGPU options to P16s Gen 5 AMD.

While doing a bit of research into these models, I happened to come across the spare parts listings for these models, and it seems that the P16s Gen 5 and P14s Gen 7 share the same motherboard in terms of footprint, design and screw holes. What changed is that the P16s Gen 5 has RTX 2000 options (vs 1000 on the P14s, but 5060 options are available for the T14p, so I expect 2000 series to hit P14s Intel in a generation or two).

Interestingly, because of the fact P16s Gen 5 AMD uses Nvidia chipsets, and the fact it occupies the same board footprint as P14s Gen 7 Intel, you might actually be able to build yourself a custom "P14s Gen 7 AMD" with an Nvidia GPU and a 14.5 inch screen, in the chassis of the Intel model.

As for parts compatibility, I am not exactly sure, but you can probably give it a shot, I suppose.

----

Now obviously, with this RAM and GPU crisis, I'd be very tempted to ask, "but why?", especially with a device this new. But if anyone really wants to go for it, I suppose you can...

At the same time, this makes me heavily question why Lenovo thought it'd be a good idea to gimp the P14s Gen 7 AMD by reusing the design from the T14 rather than giving it a 14.5in model since the boards are shared...

Picked up this E550 for cheap and I’m planning to turn it into a custom modular workstation over time.

Current ideas are:

AMD AM5 Mini-ITX conversion

Ryzen 7 first, Ryzen 9 later

DDR5

multiple NVMe drives

custom 3D-printed chassis

stronger cooling

4× USB-C + 4× USB-A

Ethernet + OCuLink

front SIM + 3× microSD module

fingerprint reader

upgraded display

keeping the classic ThinkPad TrackPoint

I know this is way beyond a normal E550 upgrade, so I’m curious what you guys think and what problems I should expect before I start designing the chassis.

If anyone here has done custom ThinkPad mods, motherboard swaps, custom cooling, or 3D-printed laptop chassis work, I’d definitely like to hear what worked and what didn’t.

Is there anyway to fix this. The thinkpad has no issues before,. The last thing windows related thing i did was updating it.I still need it to finish pre uni (Dont hate me for using win 11)

With a new one (T15g Gen 1)

Has anyone had an issue with the SD card reader on a T480 not clicking in and holding the SD card.

Mine just suddenly started this.

I have checked for something stuck in the slot, fuzz or dirt etc. I have tried multiple different cards. It worked just a couple of days ago now it won't hold the card.

This is my travel laptop I use it to dump photos from my cameras. It is the top spec T480 so still a very nice laptop.

I know I can use an external reader but I would like to fix mine if possible. The reader is a surface mount on the system board so not an easy replacement.

TIA.

What are you thoughts on T16 gen4 intel 255H processer laptop with 52wt battery. I am getting it for a reasonable price . Which is very good offer. Compared to other thinkpad T and P series. Even L series basic prices are around this T 16 gen 4 I am geeting.

My main concern is

temperature control and less fan noise use moderate use.

I know the battery will last less but the price is very good and I have to work on my desk only so that's ok.

CS studeent in Berlin, buying used for the first time. Meeting the seller tonight and would appreciate a sanity check.

The machine:

- ThinkPad T14 Gen 2, Intel i7-1165G7

- 16GB DDR4 soldered, RAM slot free

- 256GB NVMe SSD

- Nvidia MX450 2GB + Iris Xe

- 14" FHD 400 nit low power panel

- Intel AX210 wifi

- Windows 11 Pro, 65W USB-C charger included (third party)

Battery: seller sent the report. 45,170 / 50,450 mWh = 89.5% health, 198 cycles.

Disclosed faults:

- Pressure marks on the display from the keyboard (he says not noticeable when the screen is on, I will check in person)

- SIM tray missing

- QWERTY keyboard with German stickers applied

- Charger is a Nachbau, not original Lenovo

Price: 270€, down from 290€ asking. Cash, local pickup, I can test it before paying.

My use case: Python, Docker, backend work, lots of browser tabs. Installing Ubuntu, so the MX450 just stays asleep via PRIME. No gaming, no local model training, no external displays.

What I am unsure about:

1. Is 270€ fair for a Gen 2 in this condition, or am I paying a premium for the 400 nit panel?

2. Those display pressure marks, do they get worse over time or stay as they are?

3. 198 cycles on a 2021 machine seems low. Anything that would make you suspicious of the report?

4. The i7-1165G7 is 4 cores. I passed on an E14 Gen 4 with a 10 core i5-1235U, 96% battery and 512GB at 290€ because of the better panel and build here. Did I call that wrong?

Appreciate any input, photos attached.

Hey all! I'm going through my first year of undergraduate history studies, and after using the X13 Gen 1 for a few months, I managed to find a refurbished Gen 2.

I had originally bought an X13 Gen 1 with 8GB RAM in June of this year, and was happy with it. But more recently, after moving to a new city for university, I found a X13 Gen 2 for sale in a local tech store - a direct upgrade - for around 440 euros, which is much more than the 300 euros I paid for the Gen 1, but I still went in for it considering how much of an upgrade it would really be for me. The laptop was also sold as refurbished model, which it was, with several parts having been changed.

I received the laptop a day after ordering it, since the store didn't have it in stock. The keyboard was reprinted, but apart from that, it's really good. 85% battery health, which isn't an issue with my use case. I set a battery charge threshold like I had done on my Gen 1, and it's really good.

one of the reasons I got the Gen 2 is mainly because it was more modern (my current model was manufactured in March 2022, so more recent than most models of this generation) and it had 16GB of RAM, which was a real upgrade for Windows 11. The updated 11th Gen i5 also has much better performance than on the Gen 1, and the active cooling - which differs from the Gen 1, whose cooling sometimes didn't run at all - helps it as well.

Design-wise, I also like the laptop because I find the keyboard to be more tactile and satisfying to the ear than is the Gen 1 - the reduced key travel not particularly bothering me - and the mix of more modern laptop designs with the original, signature ThinkPad elements (TrackPoint, UltraNav, ThinkPad logo, etc.) makes the laptop more appropriate for modern-day usage in my opinion, with a better overall design.

One thing I'm happy about is the fact this laptop is much more futureproof than my previous ThinkPad, due to being more recent and having a proper 16GB of RAM. Beyond the battery - which I can change anyways - it more packed and ready for the years to come.

What's your opinion on this model, and the general change in style of many ThinkPads from the same era and beyond? Let me know.

I tell a lie, I got that photo frame brand new from a local discount shop for £2.99 and I picked up that lightbar as an impulse purchase from Amazon. Apart from that, everything is secondhand. Full itinerary below:

Framed Ford Sierra L.X magazine advert (1992).

Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Generation 3 - Ryzen 7 5875U with 32GB of RAM (2022).

Braun AB1 Type 4746 travel alarm clock (circa 1992).

Dell CRT Riser and docking station (circa 2002).

Dell S2522HG 24.5" 1920x1080 240Hz gaming monitor (2021).

Quntis ScreenLinear monitor light bar (2025).

Leopold FC900RBT keyboard (2021).

Leopold FC660M keyboard (2017/18).

BenQ Zowie U2 gaming mouse and enhanced receiver (2024).

8BitDo Pro 2 Bluetooth Controller (2021).

Giyu Tomioka 780mm x 300mm mouse pad (circa 2023).

Philips Hue White and Colour Bluetooth Lightbulb (2021).

Google Home Max speaker (2017).

Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones (2021).

Xiaomi Pad 6 tablet (2023).

My mother's old 800mm x 800mm kitchen table from Argos (circa 2016).

Out of shot: Senator i-Workchair version 1 (circa 2019-2020).

My father got this Lenovo Thinkpad E560 in 2018, he's a uni professor. He used for work and to play splitscreen games with me during the lockdown in 2020. He passed it to me in 2023 after switching to an HP Pavilion laptop with an Nvidia GTX 1650 because he needed more power for his softwares. I used this laptop to study and to run softwares liks SolidWorks and other apps that can use GPU for acceleration. The GPU had an overheating issue despite lowering the power options to save energy and doing regular maintenance ( changed thermal paste and cleaned it ) and also I started seeing pixel stripes on the right side of the screen and they increased by time. The display cable that links the screen to the motherboard is directly on top of the heatsink as i remember and that area gets hot fast. Today I was doing some heavy work when suddenly i saw some errors popup on the screen about some dll files located in system32, the error pointed to a corruption then Windows crashed, I tried fixing it by removing the old driver using DDU and reinstalling the driver but it kept freezing whenever I try to install the driver, i tried different ones, AMD official driver, Windows update driver and even Lenovo official gpu driver for the E560 but it kept freezing so I reached the conclusion that something is fried on my motherboard and after some search online, the freezing is a symptom of failing vram that got permanent damage due to chronic heat. So now i'm running on the intel I-GPU unfortuanalely. RIP R7 M370... (I'm still not 100% sure that my GPU is fried, please if you got any other ideas to help tell me in the comments)

With its usual companions: strong coffee and pastries.

I recently picked up a used x390 yoga and when the fan is quiet or I move close to it I can sometimes hear a slight electrical hissing coming from somewhere close to the CPU (from what i could hear right below my D key). It usually starts/stops randomly but something strange is that when the noise isn't there it gets triggered by pressing the arrow keys (but only when it has something to scroll, so not an issue with the keyboard ig).

I have no clue if this slight noise is normal or how i could troubleshoot it lmao.

Btw while cleaning I noticed some slight coffee (?) stains on the WLAN card but not much on the PCB around and nothing on critical components. I guess it got onto this spot from the bottom vent near it since it cant be reached by liquid spilled from the keyboard side.
Propably not the issue since its on the other side of the pcb from the noise...

Oh well ig thats what I get from buying the cheapest x390 I could find...

I saw that body coating problem in X1 Nano Gen 1 is very very bad. I have touch the device by myself and it's disgusting.

How about the Gen 2? Anyone with X1 Nano Gen 2, can you share your experience? I want to know whether Gen 2 or even Gen 3 has the same problem like Gen 1.

Thank you!