[Thinkpad] 14" ThinkPad?

[Andrew Webber]

Notwithstanding my lack of success preparing a new SSD for installation on one of my old machines, we're in the market for a new ThinkPad. (I haven't been able to pursue the SSD issue for a while, but I'll get back to it).

It seems the mainstream is now 14" and choices are the X1 Carbon and the various T470 models. We also looked at the 25 which is listed at not a huge upcharge for similar specs, but while the others seem to be 30% off for BF, the 25 is not discounted. The X1 seems too much a closed system but maybe it doesn't matter in practice?

My only mandatory is minimum FHD display, though I think I want to end up with 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD, fingerprint scanner, SD reader, etc. Not sure about touch, it seems dumb on a non-tablet but we use it occasionally on our new Dell.

All 5 devices seem to offer that but with a trade-off. T470 only goes to FHD though it has touch. X1 has soldered memory so I have to buy from Lenovo (and max 16) and no removable battery. T470p has some bad reviews critical of battery life, need a bigger battery, and no Thunderbolt (don't know if I need it but I'm sure I will), also 4lb weight. T470s seems the best compromise though I've seen criticism of the keyboard for being shallower.

There isn't a big difference in cost (except 25, for lack of discount). Is there some factor I'm overlooking (or getting wrong)? Any recommendations?

Thanks!

=aw

[Thorsten Jaekel]

go with the X1. The WQHD screen is great (no touch available with this
screen, only with FHD). It has good battery life - If you are concerned
about the fixed battery, you can get a warranty option that includes
exchange of the battery. The battery can be exchanged, but it needs to
be done by a Lenovo technician. - and is VERY portable. The 5th gen
models are even smaller than the previous ones due to narrower screen
frames. If you think you might need more than 500GB SSD storage in the
future, get the 1TB option. Since it is NVMe PCIe, it cannot be cloned,
and there is only one slot. AFAIK, exchanging the SSD later means
starting from scratch.

TJ

[Andrew Webber]

"you can get a warranty option that includes exchange of the battery. The battery can be exchanged, but it needs to

be done by a Lenovo technician."

I saw a battery option under warranties, is it for 1yr or for life of extended warranty? And I get these batteries (T470s and X1) aren't swappable, but are they hard to replace? I did the cooling fan on my X220 and wouldn't want that kind of experience for just a battery. Is this experience easier on either T470s vs X1?

"Since it is NVMe PCIe, it cannot be cloned, and there is only one slot. AFAIK, exchanging the SSD later means starting from scratch."

Does this mean there's no USB-NVMe PCIe adapter or something that I could use to hook up either a new blank device, or the old one?

Could I do an image (or full) backup with backup software and restore to a new bigger drive? If the answer's completely "no", that sounds pretty significant.

Thanks!
=aw

[David Ross]

Hi Andrew,

Post by Andrew Webber
I saw a battery option under warranties, is it for 1yr or for life
of extended warranty? And I get these batteries (T470s and X1)
aren't swappable, but are they hard to replace? I did the cooling
fan on my X220 and wouldn't want that kind of experience for just a
battery. Is this experience easier on either T470s vs X1?

I think the "non-user-serviceable" internal battery on the X1 is like the "non-user-serviceable" internal battery on the X240/X250 (though flatter), which is quite easy to replace; it is fully accessible once you open the case. The cooling fan (and even things like the keyboard on the newer machines) is quite hard by comparison.

David

[Andrew Webber]

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[Phil Smith III]

Andrew Webber wrote about a new ThinkPad.

I have two T450s machines. One is high-end, from work: full-up everything,
high-res touchscreen, 20GB RAM, etc. The other I got used when my T420s
died. Both are OK machines: not as nice as the T420s, though the touchscreen
I do use enough to miss it occasionally on the other machine.

Not sure this helps you much/any, though!