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Coincidentally I just bought a ThinkPad X230T this past weekend and it's powered on next to me at this moment! It runs great. I actually bought a couple, and

Coincidentally I just bought a ThinkPad X230T this past weekend and it's powered on next to me at this moment! It runs great. I actually bought a couple, and a regular X230. Such nice machines, and very repairable. I am observing the fate of modern computing and trying to get a few easily-repairable machines to hopefully last a long time, rather than weird difficult-to-repair stuff. I have absolutely zero interest in brand new machines that are increasingly locked down with impossible-to-repair and "you don't really own this computer" features. The X230 was having some weird power/sensor issue so I ordered a replacement motherboard for like $40 CAD in case it dies. It could be years before I need it, but like, this stuff costs peanuts and I am so much more comfortable using a computer I know I can easily maintain (and has excellent performance to boot).

GhettoComputers 5y ago
I highly suggest you return them since the upkeep is very expensive. The repairs for screens is ridiculous, the batteries are horrible (the x220 has more longevity since the bios is DRM free), the cards are on a whitelist (only approved ones allowed). It is so bad I have some that are in disrepair until I can find parts for them again. The x240 to x270 will have modern parts that are cheap, the batteries internal and external are under $30, the screen aren't almost/more than the price of the same laptop. The TN screens on the x230 may not break, but you won't be happy using them, and to modify it with modern parts needs an expensive $60 screen adapter, and you can't control the backlight. The x250 is the best since there is no wifi whitelist, unofficial screens are fine in linux, the trackpad is good by default, and the battery market is so good sometimes they give you 2 6 cells instead of one, whereas the x230 ones are now going for $80.
- amatecha 5y ago
  Ah yeah, luckily the X230T I will mostly only use plugged in. I do agree, the energy efficiency (and battery cost) is one criticism of mine. That said, I'm not too worried about WLAN allowlist since I can supposedly remove that with 1vyrain (same with battery allowlist), if I even cared about it. Same with displays, the TN in the X230 is pretty sub-par but totally fine for me. Yeah, for now stuff is pretty easily available here, but I wonder how long that will last. Lots of people selling these machines for parts, so I can totally hoard some extra stuff if I want to... haha
  - GhettoComputers 5y ago
    With the cheaper batteries it’s still only an ok usage if you already have it. Official batteries will cost the same as the unofficial ones for these older devices and the screens remain expensive, and there aren’t any good IPS ones. If you don’t care about it being used as a laptop you can replace them with screens that are larger in size, but it won’t close properly anymore. I personally never looked back since the x250 was better in every way, the default screen is IPS.

GhettoComputers 5y ago

I highly suggest you return them since the upkeep is very expensive. The repairs for screens is ridiculous, the batteries are horrible (the x220 has more longevity since the bios is DRM free), the cards are on a whitelist (only approved ones allowed). It is so bad I have some that are in disrepair until I can find parts for them again. The x240 to x270 will have modern parts that are cheap, the batteries internal and external are under $30, the screen aren't almost/more than the price of the same laptop. The TN screens on the x230 may not break, but you won't be happy using them, and to modify it with modern parts needs an expensive $60 screen adapter, and you can't control the backlight. The x250 is the best since there is no wifi whitelist, unofficial screens are fine in linux, the trackpad is good by default, and the battery market is so good sometimes they give you 2 6 cells instead of one, whereas the x230 ones are now going for $80.

amatecha 5y ago
Ah yeah, luckily the X230T I will mostly only use plugged in. I do agree, the energy efficiency (and battery cost) is one criticism of mine. That said, I'm not too worried about WLAN allowlist since I can supposedly remove that with 1vyrain (same with battery allowlist), if I even cared about it. Same with displays, the TN in the X230 is pretty sub-par but totally fine for me. Yeah, for now stuff is pretty easily available here, but I wonder how long that will last. Lots of people selling these machines for parts, so I can totally hoard some extra stuff if I want to... haha
- GhettoComputers 5y ago
  With the cheaper batteries it’s still only an ok usage if you already have it. Official batteries will cost the same as the unofficial ones for these older devices and the screens remain expensive, and there aren’t any good IPS ones. If you don’t care about it being used as a laptop you can replace them with screens that are larger in size, but it won’t close properly anymore. I personally never looked back since the x250 was better in every way, the default screen is IPS.