This does not bother me much. Such complaints have been there for every model, just different. I haven't seen a Thinkpad (except maybe X30x?) where someone hasn't complained about build quality. BIOS things typically do get resolved. I still remember the T60 BIOS version that broke USB peripherals during boot. It was fixed. The TOLUD issue that broke eGPU on X220 also got fixed, sort-of, I think.Puppy wrote: ↑Tue Jun 06, 2017 1:32 pmThere are also several complains on Reddit about T470 build quality and BIOS basic functionality issues.
Some things get better, others get worse, but overall the package remains acceptable. Except for the keyboard. The 6-row, to me, is no longer acceptable. Similarly, no trackpoint (or one without fully functional 3 buttons) would not be acceptable. No mechanical dock? Borderline (esp. since Thunderbolt docking is a viable option). No Ultrabay / Wired LAN? I guess even that would not be a deal breaker.
Like you said, it's mostly a "want", not a "need" thing. With a "classic Thinkpad keyboard" I would still feel it's a unique enough model for me to want to own. But other have different important criteria, and they are all legitimate.