Mint and Laptops

[CrimsonDusk]

I use an MSI Modern 14 B11MOU. Cheap as chips and specs aren't major - but I understood Linux is more resource forgiving. Performance has never been a bothe.

[MurphCID]

because Lenovo DRMs their laptops to work only with Lenovo batteries.

Not the older ones, e.g. all my T430's have 3rd party batteries. When did this start, as in, in the future what to avoid?

Models B50-70 and B590.

That is just unacceptable! Why on earth would they do that except for vendor lock in.

[majpooper]

because Lenovo DRMs their laptops to work only with Lenovo batteries.

Not the older ones, e.g. all my T430's have 3rd party batteries. When did this start, as in, in the future what to avoid?

Same here was able to replace a Lenovo battery with a 3rd party version relatively cheaply for an old T400 a year or so ago.

The T Series seem to be pretty sturdy but I have seen some Lenovo ( IdeaPads - is that the name ? ? ? ) that looked pretty flimsy to me. Someone in my family purchased what looked to me to be a flimsy overpriced Lenovo something . . . . I kept my opinion to myself on that purchase. But, hey it came with Windows 10 ? ? 11 ? ?

[MurphCID]

I am curious about putting Linux Mint on an X1 Carbon laptop. It is very light and seems to have decent specs.

[terry_dwyer]

Dell XPS 17 9710 32GB 2TB Everything but the subwoofer works - oh and some wierd offset with the touch screen when it's attached via DPI cable to my Aaorus monitor. It came with windows 11 so I kept it but I hardly ever use windows anyway.

[antikythera]

The T Series seem to be pretty sturdy but I have seen some Lenovo ( IdeaPads - is that the name ? ? ? ) that looked pretty flimsy to me.

I've seen some flimsy IdeaPad laptops too. It's the consumer rather than business range so they aren't built as robustly to make them cheaper for people to purchase lower down the range. One in particular that makes me cringe is the IdeaPad Gaming 3 which is wrong on so many levels.

A bigger issue for me is the use of soldered in RAM in laptops. I know it's so they can make them thinner but if that soldered in RAM fails, it's time for a new laptop because the replacement mainboard costs almost the same (and if you have to pay labour for someone to do the work for you out of warranty it will work out more expensive)

[Petermint]

Lenovo bought Thinkpad from IBM and sell their own retail stuff. Their own stuff is apparently below average. Some shop owners said they would not stock the other stuff. Now there are new models that look/sound like the tough IBM derived Thinkpad but may be just an expensive version of the Lenovo cheaper designs. I find it too hard to keep track of their non Thinkpad models.

[antikythera]

I have a 2021 Legion 7 gen6 that is 100% alloy and built very well. It's the exception to the rule I believe about non-ThinkPad models but even some of the cheaper ThinkPad models leave a lot to be desired. I did due diligence before buying as I was actually after a ThinkPad P but by the time I was ready to purchase they were completely sold out of the model I wanted. The Legion 7 was near identical in terms of hardware and build materials and similarly priced. For a gaming laptop it's actually a competent work machine too, especially because of the 16:10 screen and lasts a whole day on a single charge.

[AndyMH]

A bigger issue for me is the use of soldered in RAM in laptops.

And behind that in the list, socketed CPUs. Think the last one where you could swap out the CPU was the T440p. I'd be delighted if someone told me I was wrong. I've replaced the i5 with an i7 in a couple of my T430. Can't speak for build quality other than it's excellent on my 10 year old Thinkpads, suspect cost cutting has reduced quality over the years.

[majpooper]

I have a trusty T430 (i7 16G RAM) I have been using for several (~5) years. I always thought of it as "our" travel laptop.
Now my wife wants her own laptop (she also has her own bathroom now the kids are out of the house . . . just sayin) - we both have our own PCs. So I went back to the well at Newegg and purchased a refurbished T430 i7 with 16G RAM. I was pleasantly surprised that it came with a 1Tb SSD. I can't remember for sure but I think I replaced the HDD with an SSD on my refurbished T430 - it was several years and several laptop LM installs and SSD upgrades ago. BTW I know some folks on this forum are not fans but I have never had anything but good experiences with Newegg and this time was no different .

[MurphCID]

I have a trusty T430 (i7 16G RAM) I have been using for several (~5) years. I always thought of it as "our" travel laptop.
Now my wife wants her own laptop (she also has her own bathroom now the kids are out of the house . . . just sayin) - we both have our own PCs. So I went back to the well at Newegg and purchased a refurbished T430 i7 with 16G RAM. I was pleasantly surprised that it came with a 1Tb SSD. I can't remember for sure but I think I replaced the HDD with an SSD on my refurbished T430 - it was several years and several laptop LM installs and SSD upgrades ago. BTW I know some folks on this forum are not fans but I have never had anything but good experiences with Newegg and this time was no different .

Can you use 3rd party batteries? I have decided I cannot have a laptop unless it has 16gb of Ram minimum mostly for future proofing. There are some good prices on T480s Lenovo's on Amazon as well.

[AndyMH]

Certainly can with the T430, can't speak for later thinkpads.

[Petermint]

Can you use 3rd party batteries?

Check the consumer law in your country. Australia has good protection against faults and covers returns. If the brand battery is $300 and the local 3rd party supplier is $150 and the Chinese direct price is $80, I choose the $150.

[MurphCID]

Can you use 3rd party batteries?

Check the consumer law in your country. Australia has good protection against faults and covers returns. If the brand battery is $300 and the local 3rd party supplier is $150 and the Chinese direct price is $80, I choose the $150.

Since it is the US, I have no idea, and unfortunately our laws seem designed to protect the companies...

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Can you use 3rd party batteries?

Check the consumer law in your country. Australia has good protection against faults and covers returns. If the brand battery is $300 and the local 3rd party supplier is $150 and the Chinese direct price is $80, I choose the $150.

Since it is the US, I have no idea, and unfortunately our laws seem designed to protect the companies...

Look up Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act and see how blocking aftermarket batteries is supposed to be illegal.

[MurphCID]

Check the consumer law in your country. Australia has good protection against faults and covers returns. If the brand battery is $300 and the local 3rd party supplier is $150 and the Chinese direct price is $80, I choose the $150.

Since it is the US, I have no idea, and unfortunately our laws seem designed to protect the companies...

Look up Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act and see how blocking aftermarket batteries is supposed to be illegal.

Thanks!

[majpooper]

Check the consumer law in your country. Australia has good protection against faults and covers returns. If the brand battery is $300 and the local 3rd party supplier is $150 and the Chinese direct price is $80, I choose the $150.

Since it is the US, I have no idea, and unfortunately our laws seem designed to protect the companies...

Look up Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act and see how blocking aftermarket batteries is supposed to be illegal.

Is that the "Right to Repair" legislation ?
Anyway I have definitely replaced the battery on one of my older ThinkPads with a third party battery.

[MurphCID]

Since it is the US, I have no idea, and unfortunately our laws seem designed to protect the companies...

Look up Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act and see how blocking aftermarket batteries is supposed to be illegal.

Is that the "Right to Repair" legislation ?
Anyway I have definitely replaced the battery on one of my older ThinkPads with a third party battery.

Just curious because I just ordered a renewed Lenovo T480s from Amazon in supposedly excellent condition. I was wondering about the battery since i might go get a new battery if they are available and have Best Buy Geek Squad install it.

[AndyMH]

Hmmm, had a look, ten screws to undo to replace the battery. T430, slide locking clip remove battery, that's not what I call progress. Looks like $80 for a third party battery, not many amazon reviews but not many stars. Look on the thinkpad forum and they will always say get a lenovo battery. But they are 2x to 3x the price. I've been happy with third party batteries, but my thinkpads spend most of their life plugged into a docking station.

[MurphCID]

Hmmm, had a look, ten screws to undo to replace the battery. T430, slide locking clip remove battery, that's not what I call progress. Looks like $80 for a third party battery, not many amazon reviews but not many stars. Look on the thinkpad forum and they will always say get a lenovo battery. But they are 2x to 3x the price. I've been happy with third party batteries, but my thinkpads spend most of their life plugged into a docking station.

I checked and Lenovo sells T480s batteries for $50.