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In the relative scheme of things, ThinkPads are easier to repair/upgrade than other computers, but still colossally wasteful compared to desktops and many non-c

In the relative scheme of things, ThinkPads are easier to repair/upgrade than other computers, but still colossally wasteful compared to desktops and many non-computer devices. There's no way to take an old ThinkPad and add anything to the motherboard without replacing it entirely. Today's devices have even more forced-obsolescence, wtih DRM-locked BIOSes to stop upgrading components, NVidia Tegra processors won't even let you upgrade the OS. With the ubiquity of copyright enforcement, devices are increasingly forced to comply with remote deletion of copyrighted works. OpenWRT may soon become illegal under FCC rules.

_emacsomancer_ 8y ago
The T-series can have the CPU upgraded at least. I'm not convinced they're any more wasteful than desktops, which will need upgraded motherboards after some time. Also, compared to non-computer electronic devices, I'd say ThinkPads fare well. Microwaves don't last 10 years anymore, for example.
- Lukas_Skywalker 8y ago
  I have long been looking for notebooks where the CPU can be upgraded. Do you have any specific model/manufacturing year where this is possible?
  - _emacsomancer_ 8y ago
    T430, W530 at least. See, https://medium.com/@n4ru/the-definitive-t430-modding-guide-3dff3f6a8e2e https://medium.com/@n4ru/the-definitive-t430-modding-guide-3... , for instance.
- notthemessiah 8y ago
  My point is that if something goes wrong as things often do with laptops, it's very difficult to replace it when it's all on one motherboard. I've got an old Thinkpad which is a beast and mostly works, but it has a problem where the power supply stops occasionally and beeps at me. If it were a desktop I could simply replace the PSU, which is modular and standardized. Such is not the case with laptops, and there's very little interoperability except for some components. Since the golden era of ThinkPads, most machines have gotten more and more disposable and locked-down, with soldered-on memory and other longevity compromises to reach a smaller form factor.

_emacsomancer_ 8y ago

The T-series can have the CPU upgraded at least. I'm not convinced they're any more wasteful than desktops, which will need upgraded motherboards after some time. Also, compared to non-computer electronic devices, I'd say ThinkPads fare well. Microwaves don't last 10 years anymore, for example.

Lukas_Skywalker 8y ago
I have long been looking for notebooks where the CPU can be upgraded. Do you have any specific model/manufacturing year where this is possible?
- _emacsomancer_ 8y ago
  T430, W530 at least. See, https://medium.com/@n4ru/the-definitive-t430-modding-guide-3dff3f6a8e2e https://medium.com/@n4ru/the-definitive-t430-modding-guide-3... , for instance.
notthemessiah 8y ago
My point is that if something goes wrong as things often do with laptops, it's very difficult to replace it when it's all on one motherboard. I've got an old Thinkpad which is a beast and mostly works, but it has a problem where the power supply stops occasionally and beeps at me. If it were a desktop I could simply replace the PSU, which is modular and standardized. Such is not the case with laptops, and there's very little interoperability except for some components. Since the golden era of ThinkPads, most machines have gotten more and more disposable and locked-down, with soldered-on memory and other longevity compromises to reach a smaller form factor.