3 ms·

I wonder why Lenovo doesn't lean into this. Clearly there is a market for people wanting this kind of machine to the extent they are jumping through hoops for

I wonder why Lenovo doesn't lean into this. Clearly there is a market for people wanting this kind of machine to the extent they are jumping through hoops for it. I have a maxed out T470P (stock) and it's a cracking little machine and while the keyboard is by modern standards excellent that's because the bar shifted, it's still not as nice as the one on my old R50 was.

intopieces 8y ago
I suspect that their primary market is corporations, who have the resources to repair Lenovo's newest models or else have contracts for replacement.
efficax 8y ago
Lenovo knows about the love for the retro Thinkpads, and even tried to take advantage of it: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-t-series/ThinkPad-25/p/22TP2TTTP25 https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-t-ser... It was a decent showing, but not what I wanted (an X60 form factor with a 4k 4:3 screen)
- systemBuilder 8y ago
  A friend of mine who loves thinkpads bought two of those T25 anniversary models (2017). Sadly the only thing that was ThinkPad about that model is the keyboard. The CPU was a meh i5-7200. The motherboard was stupidly designed and the power switch had to come up through a hole in the keyboard. That's not how T4x/T6x series thinkpads work. Also there was no thinklight. Overall what they did was bring back the keyboard and then quit.
chx 8y ago
Hell if I know. On various forums we have raised the idea but I guess it just doesn't get through they should run a Kickstarter for the classic keyboard in the, say, successor of the T490 (because the 10nm is going to be a huge change so ppl want to buy that more). If successful, Lenovo adds this option while people front the cost of creating it -- new plastic mould for the palmrest etc -- and get a discount code they can put in when ordering the new machine with the classic keyboard. All this takes very little effort from Lenovo -- all their backend system needs is a batch entry of discount codes. They don't need to ship anything separately and if the Kickstarter fails, they spent very little money.

intopieces 8y ago

I suspect that their primary market is corporations, who have the resources to repair Lenovo's newest models or else have contracts for replacement.

efficax 8y ago

Lenovo knows about the love for the retro Thinkpads, and even tried to take advantage of it: https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-t-series/ThinkPad-25/p/22TP2TTTP25 https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-t-ser... It was a decent showing, but not what I wanted (an X60 form factor with a 4k 4:3 screen)

systemBuilder 8y ago
A friend of mine who loves thinkpads bought two of those T25 anniversary models (2017). Sadly the only thing that was ThinkPad about that model is the keyboard. The CPU was a meh i5-7200. The motherboard was stupidly designed and the power switch had to come up through a hole in the keyboard. That's not how T4x/T6x series thinkpads work. Also there was no thinklight. Overall what they did was bring back the keyboard and then quit.

chx 8y ago

Hell if I know. On various forums we have raised the idea but I guess it just doesn't get through they should run a Kickstarter for the classic keyboard in the, say, successor of the T490 (because the 10nm is going to be a huge change so ppl want to buy that more). If successful, Lenovo adds this option while people front the cost of creating it -- new plastic mould for the palmrest etc -- and get a discount code they can put in when ordering the new machine with the classic keyboard. All this takes very little effort from Lenovo -- all their backend system needs is a batch entry of discount codes. They don't need to ship anything separately and if the Kickstarter fails, they spent very little money.