this post was submitted on 12 Jun 2023
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ThinkPad

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What's the latest Thinkpad models with the most upgradeability? (lemmy.ml)
submitted 1 year ago by narwhal@lemmy.ml to c/thinkpad@lemmy.ml
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I'm currently using T480. Thinking of upgrading to a second hand new-ish model.

Initially I was interested in ThinkPad L14 gen 2 or gen 3, but I've read that the wifi card is not upgradeable. I also read that newer models block installing SSD into the WWAN slot. I prefer having separate SSD for installing secondary OS.

Any recommendations of newer models with dual SODIMM slots, upgradeable wifi card, ability to add SSD to WWAN slot?

Thank you.

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[–] Snuupy@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I've given up on new thinkpads. Here are my list of grievances from Lenovo:

  • faulty BIOS updates: I had to pay $130 to extend my warranty as Lenovo released a faulty BIOS update that bricked my P52. Bad QA.
  • poor engineering design for planned obsolescence: loose usbc ports that are soldered onto the main board so you can't replace them easily (and you have to replace the entire motherboard)
  • poor thermals: they literally design 13/14" laptops to have poor thermals to push you towards the x1e/z16/etc. lines. For example, on the T14 AMD gen1, they hard limited the CPU temps to never go above 85C via BIOS. You cannot change this with ryzenadj. It will force TDPs to stay at 11W once it hits 85C (although if you stay at 84C, you can sustain 25W TDP)
  • soldered everything (or poor build quality): they want to upcharge you out of the ass to get more RAM. Ever since after the T480, they have soldered at least one slot.
  • artificially making speakers worse on the cheaper (T/L/E) lines to entice you to buy X1/Z lines. Apple has figured this out for years.

At this point, Lenovo/ThinkPad is anti-consumer/consumer hostile. The thermals and poor software development practices are an engineering culture issue. The rip-off pricing for soldered RAM upgrades ($400 for 32GB, lol) are a ripoff. They also solder the wifi card for planned obsolescence now.

I refuse to buy any laptop that I cannot swap/upgrade both RAM slots, and cannot change the wifi card. Is it my device or Lenovo's?

I refuse to buy another thinkpad at this point. Granted, other brands (HP/Dell/Apple) are worse, but that doesn't mean this behavior is acceptable.

Personally, I'm waiting for a framework 16. I've also looked at some of those Tong Fang/Mechrevo (non soldered)/Firebat laptops but I don't know how they are long term and there is no supply chain for long term replacement parts like there is for framework.