The "Thinkpad"

[Puppy]

Having 4:3, 16:10 and 16:9 machines I actually no longer insist on exact 4:3 aspect ratio. Maybe 3:2 would be better compromise (and have better availability these days) or I could live even with 16:10. Well, 16:9 is still no way.

[ZaZ]

I could live with a 14" 1500x1000 screen. I was hoping the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 would inspire more manufacturers to do the same, but that hasn't happened so far.

[Akira_Hotate]

Wow. Sparked an interesting discussion. But yeah i agree with Puppy.
ThinkPad (1992 - 2012)

I'm just curious. What type of ultra-portable notebook should I choose.
At the moment I'm using a thinkpad x301. i love it. But it getting old and I will need a replacement soon. Should I go for a mac-book air ?
Your opinion ? I do most of my work on remote sever over RDP and ssh. So I don't need that much power, just a good screen.

[brchan]

Macbooks are overpriced, and the keyboard is no where near as good as on Thinkpads, which is a deal breaker. Also, although they may look sleek, they dent and scratch easily and are more likely to be stolen. I would stick to a T420 or W520 with FHD display.

[Puppy]

At the moment I'm using a thinkpad x301. i love it. But it getting old and I will need a replacement soon. Should I go for a mac-book air ?
Your opinion ? I do most of my work on remote sever over RDP and ssh. So I don't need that much power, just a good screen.

Well, X301 had probably the worst display (no contrast) ever. It will be easy to find a better one Depends on whether you use trackpoint or not. If you can live without trackpoint take a look at Dell XPS 13. Otherwise T450s with 14" FHD IPS display is probably the "best" of current Lenovo ThinkPad production

[JonathanGennick]

[quote="PuppyDepends on whether you use trackpoint or not. If you can live without trackpoint take a look at Dell XPS 13. [/quote]

I second this. The XPS-13 deserves a spot on the short list. Also worth a look is the HP Spectre X360.

FWIW, I'm pretty happy with the keyboard on my Macbook. I wouldn't buy an Air, but the 13" Retina model is just an excellent notebook if you're looking for something small and easily portable and having a good screen.

Go Mac if battery life is paramount. Also, the Mac trackpad is still way out in front of anything the XPS-13 can offer. I'm not terribly fond of OS X though. I use the XPS-13 as my daily driver, for now.

No one model or brand will have the best of everything. That's what makes choosing so difficult sometimes.

[pianowizard]

A change in keyboard layout really doesn't take that long to get used to, unless you insist on never looking at the keyboard. Ever since I started hopping back and forth among different brands (not just for laptops but also desktop keyboards), I gave up on trying to memorize the locations of the accessory keys.

I have never criticized Lenovo for the new layout per se, but I have questioned the decision to shuffle keys around for no obvious reason. If the new layout were better than the old one, then I wouldn't have said anything, but it's not better.

I like my Gen 3 X1C, and it's working just fine for me. Thin, light, bright and clear touchscreen, doesn't run hot, long battery life. What's not to like?

I am sure it's an excellent laptop, at least much better than the awful Gen 2, but the distinction between Thinkpads and other brands has blurred in recent years. Lenovo still makes some good Thinkpads, but there are now far fewer reasons to stick with Thinkpads than there were a decade ago. In fact, I can't think of one single reason, which is why the last 21 laptops that I bought for personal use were all non-Thinkpads, though I did buy one Thinkpad X31 for my lab in early 2013. These days, I just look at specs, looks, prices, and build quality, but not brand name.

[Dekks]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkpIGar3UjI

The think-pad:
1. new design looks cheep
2. most of the screens are a crappy 1366x768 resolution
3. island keyboard is horrible
4. click-pad - enough said
5. Did I miss anything ? Please be free to add.

In my opinion thinkpad is dead. They can call it any run-of-the-mill COMPAL crap-book
I am currently using my x301 and I am afraid to what I should move when it becomes obsolete

I feel that the real laptop for work design is dead. Now they are overpriced fakebook and *****Expletives removed by Moderator***** machines. For that a smartphone is enough.

Troll season is open i guess, glad to see some of the replies. Hopefully the return of the proper button on the 2015 TP's will signify the trend to ultrabook Thinkpads is over even if it costs Lenovo some of Intel's marketing funds.

[killer]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkpIGar3UjI

The think-pad:
1. new design looks cheep
2. most of the screens are a crappy 1366x768 resolution
3. island keyboard is horrible
4. click-pad - enough said
5. Did I miss anything ? Please be free to add.

In my opinion thinkpad is dead. They can call it any run-of-the-mill COMPAL crap-book
I am currently using my x301 and I am afraid to what I should move when it becomes obsolete

I feel that the real laptop for work design is dead. Now they are overpriced fakebook and *****Expletives removed by Moderator***** machines. For that a smartphone is enough.

Troll season is open i guess, glad to see some of the replies. Hopefully the return of the proper button on the 2015 TP's will signify the trend to ultrabook Thinkpads is over even if it costs Lenovo some of Intel's marketing funds.

The troll season is in full swing.

[Akira_Hotate]

I guess I am a little bit trolling, but still. Just wondering where shroud I move next from my x301. Witch was taken from my by my GF for her studies. And now I'm stuck with my IBM x41 (the original IBM, not Lenovo). I keep it as a reminder how a laptop should be Still runs good. With an CF drive and a new battery.

I need some kind of ultra portable that is durable and rugged. Although I was wondering of getting a mac-book air. Since I like the OSX somewhat. But will probably set with x220 with an IPS screen

[sir_synthsalot]

Lenovo brought back trackpoint buttons and IPS screens are now available.

I would never buy the T440, but the T450 I would consider.

Do you think the Thinkpad is making a comeback?

[Temetka]

Lenovo brought back trackpoint buttons and IPS screens are now available.

I would never buy the T440, but the T450 I would consider.

Do you think the Thinkpad is making a comeback?

One could only hope they do.

I wish the industry would go back to16:10. 4:3 was ok, but I like widescreen, and 16:9 is just terrible for work unless you get a FHD IPS panel. Even then though...I'd still prefer a 16:10 LCD.

[theterminator93]

Believe it or not, my biggest reservation with the new T450 (aside from the keyboard, which I've just resigned myself to the fact that they won't be going back to the classic style)... is that there is no integrated optical drive available for it.

I need the ability to make images of and burn CDs and DVDs on the fly wherever I happen to be for my job, and, well... if I have to carry around another peripheral for the task, then this isn't the machine for me.

[ZaZ]

The T440 or T440p might be worth a look.

I can't even remember the last time I burned a disc. Car has a USB port and it's cheaper to back up on hard drives these days as the Blu ray discs I'd need are still expensive.

[Norway Pad]

I was a little disappointed today when I got to know that my corporate T510 will be replaced by a T540p this fall. I assumed my company had moved on to the T550 by now, but unfortunately not. So I have to live with the clickpad for 4 years. No real problem, as it stays docked in my office 90% of the time, but I might try to swap the clickpad for the newer one with trackpoint buttons. I haven't seen any reports about that being done on a T540 though, only the T440. So not sure if it will work.

[Ibthink]

@Norway Pad,
it should work. In any case, you can use a W541 palmrest, which has the same chassis design as T540p and W540 but the discrete buttons.

Edit: It seems to work with the W540: https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/W-Series-T ... 433/page/1

[Norway Pad]

Thanks! Maybe this won't be too bad after all.

[pianowizard]

I wish the industry would go back to16:10. 4:3 was ok, but I like widescreen, and 16:9 is just terrible for work unless you get a FHD IPS panel. Even then though...I'd still prefer a 16:10 LCD.

Have you tried 3:2? The Surface 3 and Surface Pro 3 use 3:2, and both are selling really well despite their relatively high prices. I hope this will convince the industry to adopt 3:2. 1920x1280 (on the Surface 3) and 2160x1440 (on the Surface Pro 3) are fantastic resolutions.

[JonathanGennick]

[quote="pianowizardHave you tried 3:2? The Surface 3 and Surface Pro 3 use 3:2, and both are selling really well despite their relatively high prices. I hope this will convince the industry to adopt 3:2. 1920x1280 (on the Surface 3) and 2160x1440 (on the Surface Pro 3) are fantastic resolutions.[/quote]

I've tried the Surface Pro 3 In stores. Good screen. Laughable, flappy keyboard. Plus there's that little loopy thing on it into the bargain to hold the pen. Sorry. But that flappy keyboard with the loopy thing is just a non-starter -- for me.

I'd be all over a laptop of that same build quality and screen ratio though.

[pianowizard]

I've tried the Surface Pro 3 In stores. Good screen. Laughable, flappy keyboard.

I have tried it as well, at a Microsoft Store. The "type cover" keyboard definitely felt different, but it didn't take me long to get used to it and start typing nearly as fast as usual (80+ words per minute). The huge size of the keys is kind of nice, too. Among lightweight detachable keyboards, it's actually one of the better ones.

But of course the main selling point is the screen ratio. When we say we wish laptops to have taller screens (as we did before your post), why settle for 16:10 when we could have 3:2.

[Saucey]

Hopefully 3:2 displays get adopted again.
Just got a Chromebook Pixel to play with and boy that thing is awesome!
WQXGA display is pretty intense, its SUPER PPI is intense at first, but beautiful as well.
No trackpoint sucks but there not being a simple 1 button page up/down, or delete is what kills me.
Originally I was curious if the screen could be modded on ThinkPads, seen a few screen panels on eBay starting at $65, now if only there was the rest of the parts that cheap too... But most likely needs the touchscreen layer as well, I know its pretty much impossible to rebond a digitizer display or Samsung G4 screen, I'm guessing the same with the Pixel.

I can deal with the glossy display, I've yet to deal with an X1 3rd gen to see the IPS toe to toe with each other.
Also when the fan starts kicking on the Pixel it gets loud, due to its 'sleek' design the fan blows out loud, probably needs thermal paste, but since the vents are nearly hidden, I am guessing it doesn't push enough air out, the backlight in the center is all jacked up because of this I am guessing.

I've had stuttering issues on that thing while watching youtube, kinda sad as the beautiful screen is limited to its CPU/GPU performance. The OS is a whole other story though, but it brought back my kick to build a website again.

[dr_st]

I was a little disappointed today when I got to know that my corporate T510 will be replaced by a T540p this fall. I assumed my company had moved on to the T550 by now, but unfortunately not. So I have to live with the clickpad for 4 years.

Try to persuade them to let you hold out with this one a little longer, so you can get the T550 when it's available. Most corporations can accommodate reasonable flexibilities with upgrades, especially if you know the right guy in the IT department to talk to.

[Norway Pad]

I work with the network guys on a daily basis, but less with the "hardware" guys. So unless there are some more issues with the T540 that I'm not aware of(?), I might chose to just go with it. If I do the Trackpad swap, it will work fine for me the few times I use it outside the office. I just need to make sure the original Trackpad goes back if the laptop is returned for some reason. Not giving that away for free..

[Utwig]

T540p is OK, except for the clickpad, bad keyboard layout (keyboard response and typing is good, only layout is bad) and no LED (caps lock, hdd, wifi,...) indicators. Also the palmrest edge annoys me but it's not really bad.

1620x2880 IPS is awesome, build is sturdy, nothing creaks or flexes. Fan is quiet, doesn't whine even during gaming. I will likely swap the clickpad on this one.

The only problem I have is it won't come from standby sometimes but I disabled standby and use hibernation instead.

Also it is heavy and since sometimes needs reset (pull battery, put it back) to powerup I also have to lug the brick. I really miss when I only carried X61 tablet while having ultrabase at work and at home.

[Norway Pad]

I was a little disappointed today when I got to know that my corporate T510 will be replaced by a T540p this fall. I assumed my company had moved on to the T550 by now, but unfortunately not.

Ok, so this is a derail, but you guys will probably have a laugh. I ordered my new laptop the "wrong" way, so I got it yesterday instead of this fall. The useless trackpad and the new design (ugh) is what it is, I knew what to expect there. But the disappointment is that they managed to buy us machines with 8GB RAM and put a 32-bit OS on them. Yes, you heard me right. Which effectively leaves half the RAM useless. I just sigh and move on. Luckily I have a good arsenal of machines at home should this one come short on RAM..

[axur-delmeria]

Which effectively leaves half the RAM useless

Actually, more than half is useless. You're going to get anywhere from 2.75 to 3.5GB maximum usable RAM.

[Norway Pad]

I think it said 3.2, yes.

[Pokrzept]

As far as i know it is both possible and legal to install 64-bit version of your OS even if it came with 32-bit one.

[micrex22]

The real problem with Lenovo is that Thinkpads can now be defined by which
features have been deleted compared to previous generations of product.
Here's a partial list:

T/W 500:
Flexview, 4:3

T420: (and perhaps earlier);
16:10
Ultrabay can no longer be removed while machine is on the dock.
You have to remove the machine and turn it over to remove the ultrabay.
Some T420 machines shipped with very poor display.

T430:
Keyboard, need I say more?

T440p, T440s:
Trackpoint buttons.
T440s now has only one ram slot open for expansion.
No slice battery for T440p
No display latch, Lenovo personnel now refer to these as "sweater catchers."
Keyboard is missing "numlock" and numeric mode for U-I-O-P-J-K-L-;-M keys
so anyone who needs to do numeric entry has to carry around a separate numeric keypad.
Expresscard slot.

W540, W541:
Very flimsy build quality compared to previous W5x0 machines.
No display latch.

They have added some interesting new features (such as PowerBridge
and IPS screens) but, overall, their product team is doing a random walk.
And, some of their decisions are just stupid - why do they only allow
42mm M2 SSDs, when longer ones would fit in many of their models?

Woah! I didn't even notice Lenovo removed the IBM integrated numpad. That numpad was introduced in the space saving Model M; it later carried on in other space saving keyboards and ultimately the ThinkPad.