[Thinkpad] Quality Control? Why I Returned My ThinkPad X1 Carbon 3 Times

[Phil Smith III]

https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-laptop-quality-control-issues,37510.html

Sad.

[RWM]

Our daughter had a similar experience, but perhaps a better overall
outcome.

She's on her third X1, though in fairness to Lenovo, each time, Lenovo
repair upgraded her to the next generation chassis, and on the most
recent occasion to a 2K HDR screen. (Original had 1920 touch, Gen 2 had
1920 non-touch.)

Fortunately, she has become very efficient at Carbonite backup-based
rebuilds.

Her thesis is being written on the most recent 3rd Gen X1 carbon. Knock
wood.

- RWM

Post by Phil Smith III
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-laptop-quality-control-issues,37510.html
Sad.
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[David Ross]

My wife's X250 went completely dead twice in the first few months of ownership; common wisdom on the Lenovo forums was that the company saved a few pennies by using an improperly shielded power connector inside. Her machine has worked fine since, though that could be in part because she babies it far in excess of what one wants to do when one buys a machine in the X series. However, this has scared me away from trading in my workhorse X201t for a newer model.

David

Our daughter had a similar experience, but perhaps a better overall outcome.
She's on her third X1, though in fairness to Lenovo, each time,
Lenovo repair upgraded her to the next generation chassis, and on
the most recent occasion to a 2K HDR screen. (Original had 1920
touch, Gen 2 had 1920 non-touch.)
Fortunately, she has become very efficient at Carbonite backup-based rebuilds.
Her thesis is being written on the most recent 3rd Gen X1 carbon. Knock wood.
- RWM
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-laptop-quality-control-issues,37510.html
Sad.
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[RWM]

I've used a thankfully, knock wood, faultless X230 for 4-5 years. As
bulletproof as the old X2* series.

- RWM

Post by David Ross
My wife's X250 went completely dead twice in the first few months of ownership; common wisdom on the Lenovo forums was that the company saved a few pennies by using an improperly shielded power connector inside. Her machine has worked fine since, though that could be in part because she babies it far in excess of what one wants to do when one buys a machine in the X series. However, this has scared me away from trading in my workhorse X201t for a newer model.
David

Our daughter had a similar experience, but perhaps a better overall outcome.
She's on her third X1, though in fairness to Lenovo, each time,
Lenovo repair upgraded her to the next generation chassis, and on
the most recent occasion to a 2K HDR screen. (Original had 1920
touch, Gen 2 had 1920 non-touch.)
Fortunately, she has become very efficient at Carbonite backup-based rebuilds.
Her thesis is being written on the most recent 3rd Gen X1 carbon. Knock wood.
- RWM
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-laptop-quality-control-issues,37510.html
Sad.
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[David Ross]

Anyone with experience with the X380 or X260 Yoga series? These are the obvious functional replacements for my X201 tablet, but my wife's X250 experience has me apprehensive.

David

Post by RWM
I've used a thankfully, knock wood, faultless X230 for 4-5 years. As
bulletproof as the old X2* series.
- RWM

Post by David Ross
My wife's X250 went completely dead twice in the first few months of ownership; common wisdom on the Lenovo forums was that the company saved a few pennies by using an improperly shielded power connector inside. Her machine has worked fine since, though that could be in part because she babies it far in excess of what one wants to do when one buys a machine in the X series. However, this has scared me away from trading in my workhorse X201t for a newer model.
David

Our daughter had a similar experience, but perhaps a better overall outcome.
She's on her third X1, though in fairness to Lenovo, each time,
Lenovo repair upgraded her to the next generation chassis, and on
the most recent occasion to a 2K HDR screen. (Original had 1920
touch, Gen 2 had 1920 non-touch.)
Fortunately, she has become very efficient at Carbonite backup-based rebuilds.
Her thesis is being written on the most recent 3rd Gen X1 carbon. Knock wood.
- RWM
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-laptop-quality-control-issues,37510.html
Sad.
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[Steven Owens]

How are the T series holding up?

Post by David Ross
My wife's X250 went completely dead twice in the first few months of ownership; common wisdom on the Lenovo forums was that the company saved a few pennies by using an improperly shielded power connector inside. Her machine has worked fine since, though that could be in part because she babies it far in excess of what one wants to do when one buys a machine in the X series. However, this has scared me away from trading in my workhorse X201t for a newer model.
David

Our daughter had a similar experience, but perhaps a better overall outcome.
She's on her third X1, though in fairness to Lenovo, each time,
Lenovo repair upgraded her to the next generation chassis, and on
the most recent occasion to a 2K HDR screen. (Original had 1920
touch, Gen 2 had 1920 non-touch.)
Fortunately, she has become very efficient at Carbonite backup-based rebuilds.
Her thesis is being written on the most recent 3rd Gen X1 carbon. Knock wood.
- RWM
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-laptop-quality-control-issues,37510.html
Sad.
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--
Prof. David A. Ross
Dept. of Mathematics, University of Hawaii
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[STeve Andre']

I'd say the T series have been very good.  I had one with infant

mortality problems but a new motherboard fixed that, about 5

years ago.  It's a good sign when I give someone a laptop and

they flee, not seeing said laptop for years.  ;-)


The new T's seem to be OK, but they have the awful chicklet

keyboards.  *sigh*


--STeve Andre'

Post by Steven Owens
How are the T series holding up?

Post by David Ross
My wife's X250 went completely dead twice in the first few months of ownership; common wisdom on the Lenovo forums was that the company saved a few pennies by using an improperly shielded power connector inside. Her machine has worked fine since, though that could be in part because she babies it far in excess of what one wants to do when one buys a machine in the X series. However, this has scared me away from trading in my workhorse X201t for a newer model.
David

Our daughter had a similar experience, but perhaps a better overall outcome.
She's on her third X1, though in fairness to Lenovo, each time,
Lenovo repair upgraded her to the next generation chassis, and on
the most recent occasion to a 2K HDR screen. (Original had 1920
touch, Gen 2 had 1920 non-touch.)
Fortunately, she has become very efficient at Carbonite backup-based rebuilds.
Her thesis is being written on the most recent 3rd Gen X1 carbon. Knock wood.
- RWM
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-laptop-quality-control-issues,37510.html
Sad.
_______________________________________________
Thinkpad mailing list

--
Prof. David A. Ross
Dept. of Mathematics, University of Hawaii
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http://stderr.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/thinkpad

[Phil Smith III]

My T450s did the same thing. Once it was after a BIOS update. Been solid since; perhaps they did an EC? When was that with the X250? Mine was late 2015/early 2016.

-----Original Message-----
From: David Ross [mailto:***@math.hawaii.edu]
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2018 6:08 PM
To: RWM <***@rwmann.com>; Phil Smith III <***@akphs.com>; ***@stderr.org
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Quality Control? Why I Returned My ThinkPad X1 Carbon 3 Times

My wife's X250 went completely dead twice in the first few months of ownership; common wisdom on the Lenovo forums was that the company saved a few pennies by using an improperly shielded power connector inside. Her machine has worked fine since, though that could be in part because she babies it far in excess of what one wants to do when one buys a machine in the X series. However, this has scared me away from trading in my workhorse X201t for a newer model.

David

Our daughter had a similar experience, but perhaps a better overall outcome.
She's on her third X1, though in fairness to Lenovo, each time,
Lenovo repair upgraded her to the next generation chassis, and on
the most recent occasion to a 2K HDR screen. (Original had 1920
touch, Gen 2 had 1920 non-touch.)
Fortunately, she has become very efficient at Carbonite backup-based rebuilds.
Her thesis is being written on the most recent 3rd Gen X1 carbon. Knock wood.
- RWM
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-laptop-quality-control-issues,37510.html
Sad.
_______________________________________________
Thinkpad mailing list

[David Ross]

Same: September 2015 and February 2016. No problems since.

David

Post by Phil Smith III
My T450s did the same thing. Once it was after a BIOS update. Been
solid since; perhaps they did an EC? When was that with the X250? Mine was late 2015/early 2016.
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2018 6:08 PM
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Quality Control? Why I Returned My ThinkPad X1 Carbon 3 Times
My wife's X250 went completely dead twice in the first few months
of ownership; common wisdom on the Lenovo forums was that the
company saved a few pennies by using an improperly shielded power
connector inside. Her machine has worked fine since, though that
could be in part because she babies it far in excess of what one
wants to do when one buys a machine in the X series. However, this
has scared me away from trading in my workhorse X201t for a newer model.
David

Our daughter had a similar experience, but perhaps a better overall outcome.
She's on her third X1, though in fairness to Lenovo, each time,
Lenovo repair upgraded her to the next generation chassis, and on
the most recent occasion to a 2K HDR screen. (Original had 1920
touch, Gen 2 had 1920 non-touch.)
Fortunately, she has become very efficient at Carbonite backup-based rebuilds.
Her thesis is being written on the most recent 3rd Gen X1 carbon. Knock wood.
- RWM
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-laptop-quality-control-issues,37510.html
Sad.
_______________________________________________
Thinkpad mailing list

[James Maugham]

I have, and regularly use, a T420, T430, a T460 and (what I'm typing on) a T530.


All have been giving me yeoman service with no faults or failures to date.


James Maugham
***@verizon.net




-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Owens <***@gmail.com>
To: David Ross <***@math.hawaii.edu>
Cc: Phil Smith III <***@akphs.com>; thinkpad <***@stderr.org>; RWM <***@rwmann.com>
Sent: Thu, Jul 26, 2018 6:28 pm
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Quality Control? Why I Returned My ThinkPad X1 Carbon 3 Times

How are the T series holding up?

[Steven Owens]

Me too, a T520 that has years on it. But I'm trying to figure out if
I should recommend a present day T series to a friend.

On Thu, Jul 26, 2018 at 7:38 PM, James Maugham

Post by James Maugham
I have, and regularly use, a T420, T430, a T460 and (what I'm typing on) a T530.
All have been giving me yeoman service with no faults or failures to date.
James Maugham
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thu, Jul 26, 2018 6:28 pm
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Quality Control? Why I Returned My ThinkPad X1 Carbon 3 Times
How are the T series holding up?

[Phil Smith III]

I've probably followed the usual path here: 600E, T2x, T3x, T4x, T6x, T400, T410, T420s, now T450s (and my wife has had 15" T-machines along much the same path).

Aside from the two brickings that my T450s had early, it's been a solid machine. I get occasional (like once a month) video driver failures, which it recovers from OK without a reboot. It's wedged solid a couple of times, and I mean a couple. Since we're using Outlook 365 (which seems to like to wedge itself) and Lync/Skype for Business, which is quite possibly the worst piece of allegedly enterprise-class software I've ever seen, I'm willing to blame them.

As I believe I've written before, I dislike the new keyboard layout, but have two T450s units, so I'm sorta used to it now. I miss the physical Wi-Fi switch occasionally (it was the quickest/easiest way to reset the connection when that goes weird), and often wish for the HDD activity light. I'm mostly used to the soft keys for volume and mute, but also would like those back. And no ThinkLight is irritating; yeah, yeah, illuminated keyboard. Not the same. But I don't care about that very often.

I do have two cracked keytops; have a new kb sitting here, haven't gotten around to installing it. What I don't know is how they got cracked--the machine isn't abused, and while I travel occasionally, it's unlikely that they got cracked from that. Actually now that I look more closely, a third keytop has a divot out of it. I think the plastic is disintegrating; prolly time to do that kb swap...anyway, that's new. Gone through dozens of keyboards, but in the past it was always keytop markings just worn off from use, or keys gone flaky from use/dirt. OTOH I guess this cracking/divot is sort of the same thing; it is almost three years old.

-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Owens [mailto:***@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2018 7:39 PM
To: James Maugham <***@verizon.net>
Cc: David Ross <***@math.hawaii.edu>; Phil Smith III <***@akphs.com>; ***@stderr.org; RWM <***@rwmann.com>
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Quality Control? Why I Returned My ThinkPad X1 Carbon 3 Times

Me too, a T520 that has years on it. But I'm trying to figure out if
I should recommend a present day T series to a friend.

On Thu, Jul 26, 2018 at 7:38 PM, James Maugham

Post by James Maugham
I have, and regularly use, a T420, T430, a T460 and (what I'm typing on) a T530.
All have been giving me yeoman service with no faults or failures to date.
James Maugham
-----Original Message-----
Sent: Thu, Jul 26, 2018 6:28 pm
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Quality Control? Why I Returned My ThinkPad X1 Carbon 3 Times
How are the T series holding up?

[James Maugham]

My poor X1 Carbon sits unused and unloved as my worsening cataracts make the WQHD (2560x1440) display very difficult to see, hopefully that will all change in October after surgery.


FWIW my Carbon is a 3rd generation machine with a Chicony keyboard that is good enough to rival my beloved, and never to be forgotten, 600X.


James Maugham
***@verizon.net




-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Owens <***@gmail.com>
To: James Maugham <***@verizon.net>
Cc: David Ross <***@math.hawaii.edu>; Phil Smith III <***@akphs.com>; thinkpad <***@stderr.org>; RWM <***@rwmann.com>
Sent: Thu, Jul 26, 2018 7:39 pm
Subject: Re: [Thinkpad] Quality Control? Why I Returned My ThinkPad X1 Carbon 3 Times

Me too, a T520 that has years on it. But I'm trying to figure out if
I should recommend a present day T series to a friend.