Used ThinkPad Buyer's Guide (2019)

以下正文同步自 Hacker News，版权归原站所有，已转换为易读排版。

Recommendations

If it has a traditional hard drive, replace it with a solid state drive ASAP. This goes for all computers - not just ThinkPads. Check out this guide on how to do a clean Windows install.

If there's one thing ThinkPads have variance of quality on, it is the screen. Some models practically guarantee a 'good' screen - others are a mixed bag. If you care in particular about screen quality, get either an IPS or a touchscreen model. Even better, install an IPS screen after purchase. They are typically not difficult to install, but you should see if you are comfortable with the process by looking up '<model> screen replacement' in YouTube. Note, when looking for a model with IPS or touchscreen - you can expect to pay $100+ more than the prices listed in this guide. This is normal, and in my opinion, often worth the expense.

Click on the 'x Series' headings for specs on models in that series.

With the findings regarding Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities, we still don't know which processors will be patched. It's possible that none of those in this list will be. I doubt that however, as the world essentially runs on legacy hardware - but something to keep in mind. Spectre and Meltdown in 2 minutes here.

Scroll to the end of the Guide for benchmark comparisons and other buying tips.

Want even more tips and tricks? Check out this other Buying Guide from ThinkWiki.

Resources

The first thing you should do when you get your ThinkPad is to format it and install a fresh copy of Windows (downloadable here if you have a 7/8 key, or the unit came with 8 or above) or your favorite flavor of Linux to make it run as efficiently as possible. It gets rid of any risk of viruses and unneeded bloatware that the last owner left over or preinstalled for you.

To install drivers and firmware updates quickly (In Windows), use Lenovo System Update. Windows 8 or 10? - use Lenovo Vantage instead.

Need some cool software to use on your new ThinkPad, or want to learn more about technology? Take a look at my Free Resource Directory.

Looking for the 'exploded' wallpapers? Here you go. (Thanks to u/weedboi6969, u/mingxxie, and the rest from /r/thinkpad)

xx50 series has a screen whitelist, meaning if you buy one of those cheaply with the intent to upgrade the screen to IPS, you may need to follow this guide (thanks metrotw!) to make screen brightness driver control work in Windows. This is a non-issue in Linux.

Want to configure the TrackPoint speed in Linux? Here are two tools to do exactly that. Simple Sensitivity & TPConfig. TrackPad too sensitive or fast in Linux Mint? Here's how to fix that.

Want to coreboot/mod xx30's? Use 1vyrain!

Turkish your primary language? Mustafa Gokay's blog has a Turkish translation of some of this page.

Understanding the Modern (2010-2019) ThinkPad Model Naming Convention

Format: (letter)(number 1)(number 2)(number 3)(second letter)

There are other formats, but this is the most common within the modern structure.

Letters

T - Thin-ish. Medium/standard sized laptop. 14" and 15" variants available.

X - Ultraportable. Same thickness as the T series, but with a smaller screen (12" or 13') and less expansion options in favor of weight and a Yoga (2-1, touchscreen) option.

W- The old workstation line, discontinued in 2015 in favor of the P series. Thicker and heavier than the other classes - but you gain workstation-class graphics and CPU power.

P - Same as the W, but given that they are newer, they are relatively light and thin.

X1 - Flagship mainstream ThinkPad line. They tend to be comparable to the MacBook Airs in weight and thickness.

X1 Extreme - Compared to the other X1's, the Extreme is much more comparable to the MacBook Pro in terms of weight and power. The Extreme in particular is a near perfect blend of weight, power, and durability for the traveling worker/prosumer/gamer. Battery life pays a bit for that power tradeoff. The ThinkPad P1 is the same design, but with a Xeon and Quadro rather than an i9 and GTX. The X1 Extreme is the only ThinkPad that can be considered a 'Gaming ThinkPad' - unless you consider the PCMIA/ThunderBolt options (that can be paired with external GPUs) as well.

正文由 FLUX 从来源站点 RSS 同步，内容未经改写；遇到排版缺失或需要图片、视频时请以原文为准。