cursed P51 motherboard plays a tune and doesn't post

https://redd.it/1cpmdko
@r_thinkpad

what’s the thickest thinkpad ever

i really want to put a mini pc (kind of like optimums thinnest pc) inside of a super thick thinkpad, i’d have to carve out all of the insides but i think it would be possible, anyone know the thickest one? i could even keep a docking station under it which i could also hollow out for more space

https://redd.it/1cpol24
@r_thinkpad

Are there IPS displays for T410?

Hi everyone I'm new to this sub! Is there any way to put an IPS panel in a T410? After reading around I've read something about a conversion board being necessary for other models, but I am having trouble with finding if this mod would be possible for this model.

Thank you!

https://redd.it/1cppftb
@r_thinkpad

P1 Gen 6 32gb ram 1TB ssd 2000 Ada 2560x1600 display
https://redd.it/1cprutw
@r_thinkpad

My First Thinkpad: $50 T480

https://preview.redd.it/b3tz1u54ivzc1.png?width=603&format=png&auto=webp&s=1a3944c4905b9ef35126a51daa9ba172c3f5adfd

Fedora Linux ft. Kirby plushes

https://preview.redd.it/xckop3d9ivzc1.png?width=603&format=png&auto=webp&s=0f76eb5c126d458232321a8d77ed2ba17c8deb23

This is my first ever thinkpad took around 2 weeks looking around on ebay looking for something really cheap for school.

Has a 286 GB SSD and an Intel i5-8350U and 16GB of ram


https://redd.it/1cpt113
@r_thinkpad

2024 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga debuts with Intel Meteor Lake-U processor
https://www.notebookcheck.net/2024-Lenovo-ThinkPad-X1-Yoga-debuts-with-Intel-Meteor-Lake-U-processor.836344.0.html

https://redd.it/1cpsn8r
@r_thinkpad

Help Choosing a used ThinkPad

I’m going to university next year for engineering, and wondering if anyone could advise me on choosing a good used ThinkPad! Probably will buy from EBay or local used laptop store. For me, all the info and models is overwhelming because I know very little about laptops in general.

Ideally, I would like:

16 gb ram Fairly portable, would be bringing it to and from university each day

Ok battery life, I could plug it in throughout the day

Capable of running CAD programs, web browsing, coding, without an issue

Able to last me through the four years of university

Budget is ≈ $850 CAD/$625 USD

I’ll be buying a used iPad most likely, for taking digital notes, but would be open to a touchscreen laptop as well

Not sure what kind of processor to look for

Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

https://redd.it/1cpuq3b
@r_thinkpad

Is it reasonable to put a t480 motherboard, into a T25?

I would like to buy a T25,
Japanese backlit keyboard
T25 palm wrest
T25 lid
and move all my t480 parts over into these things. Is this possible? Would the keyboard easily connect to t480?
The only reason I want to do this is I have the cool color logo on the lid and palm wrest...

Also, my t480 has a fingerprint scanner

https://redd.it/1cptldx
@r_thinkpad

LAPTOP FOR VA RECO

Hi. I’m planning to start my VA career. Can you guys suggest me a good laptop for this?

https://redd.it/1cpxoqp
@r_thinkpad

lf suggestions under $350

looking for:

cool t25 looking keyboard

small trackpad unpreferably

14in or under

preferably upgradeable

https://redd.it/1cpxh1y
@r_thinkpad

T480 or X1 Carbon 8th Gen for daily?

Hello!

Looking for general recommendations. I have a refurbished T480 as a personal use laptop, but I might be able to obtain my work laptop (the X1 Carbon 8th Gen) via buyout. Both are running well so far.

I mainly plan on doing word processing, internet browsing, geek creativity stuff, and light (older GOG) gaming. Sadly, Windows 11 would be the name of the game, though likely using the Stardock suite for customization. I'll hook that one up with a 2TB Samsung SSD.

Both have their equivalent of the i5 processor, so the X1 wins in that regard. However, I can upgrade the RAM further with the T480 (both presently have 16 gigs). The SD card slot in the T480 is nice, yet the fingerprint reader on the Carbon could lead to ease of access. I do really like the battery life of the T480, but the build quality on the X1 is also a chef's kiss.

The other laptop, that would not be a daily driver, will end up getting Linux installed on it. I'm not sure which version - I'm still pretty green with Linux, having mostly experienced it with my Steam Deck (which is where I do my heavy gaming).

If more info is needed to best advise me, let me know. Thanks much!

https://redd.it/1cq0abm
@r_thinkpad

Can't install windows on x201

https://redd.it/1cq02sb
@r_thinkpad

Good Deal on L450?

I’ve been searching on and off for a, compact (13-14 inch), light and relatively thin laptop for school, work and some light gaming with pretty decent battery life (aiming for around 7 hours minimum). I have done a bit of searching and have come across suggestions for the T480 which for reference is about 250$ used where I am. However I recently found a used L450 for only 50$, I don’t know much about the L450 so was wondering if it would suit my needs.

I do have a beefy gaming of and gaming laptop but find that my laptop doesn’t get much use as it’s too big and heavy to lug around. I am an industrial designer and work with programs like Fusion360, Blender, Visual Studio Code and Figma, but I’m completely fine with rendering on my home PC. In terms of gaming I tend to play games like Warframe, Minecraft (some mods) , Trove, Fallout New Vegas and Rocket league. Overall it’s not supposed to replace my gaming PC, but I’d like to have the option to play some games (not too picky about graphics as long as it’s playable).

So was wondering If I should jump on this 50$ L450 and if so what I should know about it before purchase and potential upgrade paths, or if I should just get another Thinkpad. (I’m also open to using Linux :D)

https://redd.it/1cq1old
@r_thinkpad

Will Fibocom FM190W-GL M.2 WWAN module work in T14s Gen4 AMD?

I have a T14s Gen 4 AMD with a factory-installed Quectel EM05-G, 4G LTE CAT4, M.2 card. I would like to upgrade this to a 5G module and have shortlisted the Fibocom FM190W-GL, which I can obtain from China for around USD 100.

I want to know if the BIOS will block bootup due to unauthorized hardware upgrades?

https://redd.it/1cq2yz8
@r_thinkpad

The Ultimate ThinkPad T480 Buying Guide

Introduction
I spent a lot of time shopping for T480 Thinkpads, upgraded some of them and flipped a few. I haven't found a post like this and since it's probably one of the more popular models, I figured I'd make this buying guide for anyone looking to buy/upgrade a T480. Ideally, this would be the only resource you'll need. Suggestions on improving this guide are welcome!

Why the T480?
It was released in 2018 making it not as old a model as others. Most of them feature an 8th Gen Intel CPU which is quite decent and supports Windows 11 officially. It is the last model to feature an internal battery plus an external hot swappable battery. It has a generous amount of upgradability options.

tl;dr
Display: All of them are IPS. Stay away from 1366×768.
Storage: Two slots. NVMe in the main slot is preferrable. Second slot is upgradable with a 2242 WWAN.
CPU: Get the i5-8250U, i5-8350U, i7-8550U, or i7-8650U.
RAM: Up to 64GB (2×32GB). Easily and cheaply upgradable.
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620. Some models have the GeForce MX150 which gives a nice slight bump in performance.
Battery: Internal + External hot swappable. 24Wh external makes the laptop thin. 72Wh protrudes out but gives about 8-9 hours of office work. 48Wh not worth it.
Misc: Keyboard can be backlit or not. WiFi can be upgraded but not that necessary. Make sure both charging ports work and display does not have too bad keyboard marks on it.

Display
Luckily, the T480 has never had a TN panel so you’re guaranteed to get an IPS panel. However, a select few only have a 1366×768 resolution so make sure to check this. The most common screen is 1920×1080. Some models did have a 2560×1440 screen. In my opinion, 1080p on a 14“ screen is perfectly fine but this is highly personal. Someone did a 4K upgrade which I think is overkill on 14“ but it’s definitely cool, so if it sounds interesting, here’s the original post: https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/s8yf8a/comment/htje9kq/
Some models feature a touchscreen which is only available in 1080p. I haven’t had a chance to use one but users report lower brightness than the non-touch variants. It’s up to you to decide whether you prefer to trade the touch optionality for a decrease in maximum brightness. However, I found that if you really want to have a dedicated GPU, it is more common to find one in the touchscreen models.

Storage
There are two slots for storage.
\~1) Main\~
This will either be equipped with a SATA SSD or a NVMe SSD. Obviously, it is better to get the NVMe variant. There is a way to convert from SATA to NVMe using a caddy but usually, you get no cost savings over getting a NVMe right away. Depending on the seller, it can be difficult to determine what king of SSD is in a particular model just from the listing info and you might need to contact the seller to find out.
\~2) WWAN\~
There is a WWAN slot for a 2242 NVMe. If you’re getting a stock T480, this slot is never occupied so it’s up to you to put one in. Keep in mind that you need a B-key SSD. Nowadays, it is quite difficult to find a 2242 NVMe with a B-key. It is much more common to find a 2230. But you can get an 2230 to 2242 adapter and fit a 2230 just fine.

CPU
There are 7 different CPUs that you might encounter in a T480 and three of them are to be avoided. Unfortunately, the CPU is one of the few things that cannot be exchanged on the T480.
i5-7200U
i5-7300U
i3-8130U
i5-8250U
i5-8350U
i7-8550U
i7-8650U
Stay away from the 7200U, 7300U, and 8130U. The first two are really not great and additionally if you want to run Windows 11, it is not officially supported on the 7th Gen. A workaround to make a bootable media using Rufus will work but you're always running a risk of a future official update bricking your system. Although the 8130U is an 8th Gen, it’s still dual-core and not very powerful. The 8250U, 8350U, 8550U, and 8650U are all quad-core and if benchmarks

are anything to go by, they are pretty similar in performance:
https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/3042vs3150vs3064vs3070/Intel-i5-8250U-vs-Intel-i5-8350U-vs-Intel-i7-8550U-vs-Intel-i7-8650U
The i7-8650U should theoretically be the best CPU you can find in the T480.

RAM
There are two RAM slots on the T480 and usually only one will be occupied. The T480 suppots up to 64GB of RAM (2x32GB). Most often, you'll find a model with either 8GB or 16GB of RAM. This should not be a deal breaker since RAM can be exchanged quite easily and relatively cheaply but obviously it's better to get 16GB because a $40 investment into a second RAM stick will get you 32GB of RAM in total. However, if you're looking to run 64GB of RAM, it's actually better for you to get an 8GB model (since it's going to be cheaper) over the 16GB because you'll need to remove the original RAM altogether anyway.
You’re looking for SO-DIMM DDR4 2400MHz sticks (provided you didn’t get the 7th Gen CPUs where you can only get up to 2133MHz). Many users including me have a good experience with the Crucial RAM sticks: https://www.amazon.com/Crucial-Single-PC4-19200-SODIMM-260-Pin/dp/B019FRBHZ0?th=1

GPU
Every T480 comes with Intel UHD Graphics 620. Don’t expect much gaming from this. You’ll be able to run older games on low settings. However, some models did come with the GeForce MX150. It is not really a powerhorse of any kind but if you plan to play games, edit videos, do 3D modelling, or anything GPU related, it will definitely help a bit in giving you that slight bump in performance. I was actually quite pleasantly surprised with how much gaming I was able to do on it. Plus all models with the MX150 automatically have the double heat sink so you’ll get improved cooling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87ceKHuB0qY

Battery
Most models feature a 24Wh internal battery and a 24Wh, 48Wh, or a 72Wh external battery. You will most often find listings with the 24Wh external battery. Both internal and external batteries are something that can be very easily and relatively cheaply bought online. The 24Wh battery sits flush with the bottom of the laptop so if you need it to be slick and thin (e.g., when travelling), this is a good option. The 72Wh battery protrudes downwards and lifts the back of the laptop slightly (which can improve cooling I assume). Don’t bother with the 48Wh battery since its headspace is exactly the same as the 72Wh one but with 2/3 of the capacity. You can expect about 8-9 hours of office work with the 72Wh battery. There is a very detailed post on batteries here: https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/9hqb7w/t480\_external\_batteries/

Misc
\~Keyboard\~
Some models feature a backlit keyboard. If that’s something you’d like, make sure the model you’re buying has it. There are two backlight intensities, the lower intensity seems to draw much less power than the higher one while still being usable.
There are three manufacturers of keyboards for the T480: LiteOn, Chicony, and Darfon with the LiteOn being regarded as the most comfortable to write on. However, this is something you’ll usually never find out in advance from an online listing. But it’s something you can replace in the future if you wish.

\~WiFi\~
You can upgrade your WiFi card in the M.2 2230 slot to an Intel AX210 which has WiFi 6E 802.11ax and Bluetooth 5.3: https://www.amazon.com/OKN-AX210NGW-Bluetooth-Wireless-Ultra-Low/dp/B08MJLPZPL
Apparently, you can get much better WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity with this as the stock card only gives you 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.1. I haven’t personally done this upgrade myself as I find

that the stock card performs good enough for me.

\~Charging ports\~
If you can inspect the laptop in person, make sure to check that both USB-C ports work properly and supply charge without issues.

\~Keyboard marks on the display\~
Some used ThinkPads may have keyboard marks on the display that can be ever so slight or rather heavy. These can sometimes be cleaned with IPA but it’s better to look out for this. Unfortunately, it is not difficult to photograph the laptop without making them visible even when they are present.

\~vPro\~
Do I need vPro? If you're not a sysadmin, you don't need it.

Upgrades
This is a very good video detailing how to open up the bottom and upgrade the SSD, RAM, and internal battery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HEAU71Jp1g
Here is a video on adding a second SSD (WWAN): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vkk9GoAFAmM
If your model didn’t have an MX150 and therefore the improved heatsink, this video outlines how to do the upgrade: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUECUZi1NMk
If you’d like to upgrade your keyboard (e.g., to a LiteOn) here is a video detailing the process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ilni8Em7rsg

Optimization for gaming
Here is a great guide on how to get the most out of your T480 with the dedicated MX150 GPU: https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/m7yfb0/t480mx150\_max\_dgpu\_temp\_increase\_and\_gaming/

https://redd.it/1cq3u2u
@r_thinkpad

X280 Sim slot?

I want to purchase an x280.

I often work on my laptop outdoors, so wireless with a sim card is a must for me.

The x280 seems to support sim card.

But some models don't have a sim slot?

Most of the ones I've seen on ebay have a sim slot, but the part number 20KF0020US says it doesn't have a simslot. (The seller doesn't answer my question about the sim slot)

Does the x280 (FHD Touch, i7 8th, 8GB RAM ) model not support a SIM card?

If it doesn't have a SIM tray to hold a SIM card, can I add one myself?

Additionally, will the display touch and SIM ccard work perfectly in a fedora 39 environment?


https://redd.it/1cq4pgx
@r_thinkpad