ThinkPads

Plenty of different ThinkPad models in different price classes:
https://www.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/c/LAPTOPS
Though their keyboards are considered to be consistently among best of their price class.

Also higher end models are certainly designed for durability.
Once even saw one ThinkPad T being carried from upper edge of display...
Typical consumer laptop would likely fall completely apart very fast from that.

And I don't think any other big brand allows user to configure laptops.

Also there's no premium in everything.
Just today received my 8550U/16GB/WQHD Dolby Vision HDR display X1 Yoga bought with 15% BlackFriday-CyberMonday discount and any kind close to similar configuration convertible would certainly cost more from other makers.
In case of overhyped Microsoft their disposable design Surface Book would have only craptacular 1 year warranty.
 
I would say they are very competitively priced with fantastic build quality. A friend of mine was the UK BDM for Lenovo Workstations inc the P series Thinkpad. I had no issues telling him that the Lenovo products I had purchased previously(Consumer) were plasticky junk with terrible support. I was given the opportunity to purchase a Thinkpad T Series 14" laptop and I took it. It is fantastic! minimal bloatware, slim, light, robust and a very nice all round experience. They are mil-spec so are extremely tough for their size and weight. I would definitely consider any of the Thinkpad range against any alternatives on the market.

You might want to check out the latest Unbox Therapy video on the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon as it reiterates most of the points I have made.
 
I am a massive fan of Thinkpads and own two (also used to own one years ago). Not all Thinkpads are equal. The T and X series are their higher end versions. They are business grade laptops so in most cases won't look fashionable like a consumer laptop. The lower spec ones also have lower grade displays because they are designed to be bought in bulk by businesses. That's improving with newer Thinkpads though.

But the T and X are mostly built to a high quality. If you placed one next to a Macbook, Dell XPS or Surfacebook you may get the impression that the svelt Macbook, etc, is the better quality but that's a falacy. They look great but are not built well. The Thinkpad T and X are usually built very well and designed to take knocks.

Thinkpads are also designed to be user repairable and upgradeable. That has changed a little with newer models unfortunately. But they are still better in that respect than consumer laptops.

They also have a massive cult following. Take a look at thr Thinkpad subreddit.

Also... Best keyboard on a laptop and the trackpoint which many (but not all) love.
 
Hades said:
Thinkpads are also designed to be user repairable and upgradeable. That has changed a little with newer models unfortunately. But they are still better in that respect than consumer laptops.
Click to expand...
Part replaceability is really down to size.
In more compact models there simply isn't any room for memory slots etc.
But even those still have easy to open bottom cover for cleaning cooling and changing M.2 drive, main battery and BIOS battery.

And those made for not the most compact size have full traditional expandabiltiy/part replaceability.
Non-s T480 and T580 even have two batteries, internal 24Wh and traditional external allowing swapping battery on the fly without interrupting work.
 
Random Guy Esq. said:
This machine is now top of my want list. Could you offer up a mini-review when you get the chance, please? Would be interested in your thoughts.
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With sauna evening yesterday haven't really yet had much spare time to look at it.

But compared to my old T500 it's sure really light and slim, while being mechanically very sturdy feeling.
Also while not same as perfect smooth and solid rear of normal tablet, those retracting keys simply crush sticking out keys of all other convertibles.
And good ThinkPad keyboard is there with actually useful size arrow keys.
Can't understand what designers are thinking (that consumers suck at thinking?) with those crippled size up/down keys of, well, most laptops.

Also 2x both USB-A and (Thunderbolt) USB-C ports, with also HDMI out is in high end of more compact laptops.
Though RJ45 is non-standard mini connector needing adapter cable. (and there's only micro-SD reader and in rear, though very fast USH-II)

Unlike in T-serie and likely in most high end business laptops (of any maker) display is, typically for touch screens, glossy.
Though it's not the most reflective one, which seems to be feature of Gorilla Mirrors err Glass displays.
And HDR display has high max brightness which helps in seeing image in brighter illuminated environment. (of course at expense of higher battery draw)
But certainly thinking about getting some anti-glare/reflection filter.
Though wouldn't want to compromise image quality much, so Photodon MXH looks interesting.
I guess I'll order some samples after Christmas.


Anyway there are plenty of reviews online
Notebookcheck has quite comprehensive review with lots of measurements.
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Lenov...50U-HDR-WQHD-Convertible-Review.289922.0.html
These contain good amount of clear pictures.
https://www.neowin.net/news/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-yoga-review-its-still-the-best-convertible/
https://www.neowin.net/news/lenovo-...-dolby-vision-unboxing-and-first-impressions/
https://www.neowin.net/news/lenovo-...-dolby-vision-review-its-the-best-of-the-best

From youtube reviews I would consider this one of the most thorough:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4kC3lkfw_A
After this most what search finds turn to usual unboxing stuff:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kgtxKnxhpw
 
I buy and sell ex-business laptops on eBay. Lenovo come out on top most of the time, with Dell a close second. Occasionally they produce the odd lemon (X240 with its junk touchpad, for example)
 
Depends on the range. The T/X/P/W series are high quality, well made with good support. The lower end kit, I'd avoid. Our social workers can't break them in normal use which is pretty much the ultimate seal of approval. They trialled some Dell tablets a couple years ago, we pretty much had to give the local Dell engineer a desk he was in that often. You might pay a little more than other brands, but as soon as you start getting downtime and knock on support costs for flimsy kit then the little bit extra makes sense long term.

ThinkPads might not be sexy and follow the latest fashionable looks (are we still on no bezels this week?) but there's something to the squared-off black monolith thing they've had going on for 25 years.
 
I've always had a ThinkPad for work even when work didn't provide a laptop, all the way back to the first Core CPUs. The X1 Carbon is sexy af
 
Big fan of Thinkpads myself and currently own four of them (one for sale in the MM as it happens).

2x X230s, 1 X250 and 1 X260. They are fantastic little work horses. I have owned a T430 in the past as well.
 
I've always used them at work. T42, T43, T60, T400, T420, X220 and lately a P50s.

Recently acquired a refurbished T540p for at home, then immediately replaced the useless Trackpad with one from a W541...
 
MagicBoy said:
Depends on the range. The T/X/P/W series are high quality, well made with good support. The lower end kit, I'd avoid. Our social workers can't break them in normal use which is pretty much the ultimate seal of approval. They trialled some Dell tablets a couple years ago, we pretty much had to give the local Dell engineer a desk he was in that often. You might pay a little more than other brands, but as soon as you start getting downtime and knock on support costs for flimsy kit then the little bit extra makes sense long term.

ThinkPads might not be sexy and follow the latest fashionable looks (are we still on no bezels this week?) but there's something to the squared-off black monolith thing they've had going on for 25 years.
Click to expand...
When checking new laptop candidates got the impression that Lenovo seems to be more conservative than others in pushing weight down.
That certainly helps keeping durability when everything isn't grinded down to minimum thickness.

And that fashion of very thin or pretty much no bezels on displays is certainly going to reduce durability.
Can see cracks in display bezel of older laptops starting to become more common in future.
 
I've never seen display bezel damage on a ThinkPad that wasn't due to misuse. Same with the hinges.

One of the other things I've learned from social workers - give them a smaller, thinner laptop and they use the extra space in their bags to carry even more paperwork!
 
Thinkpads are great. Been using x series for years. Currently using an x1 carbon.

I’ve used them ever since working for a construction company and seeing how much abuse they take and conditions states they still work in.
 
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