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I changed/replaced a bunch of things in my ThinkPad T14 without any issues, it's very easy, it is clearly made to open up and update. I wouldn't dare to do that

I changed/replaced a bunch of things in my ThinkPad T14 without any issues, it's very easy, it is clearly made to open up and update. I wouldn't dare to do that with my MacBook Pro.

tlavoie 1y ago
That "made to open up and update" aspect is exactly why I switched when my 2013 (Retina) MBP crapped out. I had just spent $300 CAD to replace the battery, which involved the glued-together mess of battery, top case, keyboard and trackpad. So when the charging circuit died on motherboard right after, I was not keen to spend much more to just get back to baseline. They wouldn't even countenance the idea of my giving them more money, so that I could get a board with more soldered-on RAM. Switched to a P50 with twice as much RAM, and that's just one socket of four. Since upgraded to the max, with bigger SSD, it's still a beast. Compare with Apple's use of glue and special screws, when Lenovo provides detailed service manuals on its web site.
- LtWorf 1y ago
  A disk broke in my thinkpad under warranty. I told them I preferred to change it myself because I needed the computer. They just sent the new disk and I did it by myself.
  - tlavoie 1y ago
    Right? That’s awesome. With a spare bay, I got an adapter for my Mac-specific SSD, so still have that working in a not-dead, fixable device.
teaearlgraycold 1y ago
I normally use an M3 MacBook Air, but I still have my T430 from college and I love how upgradable and hackable it is. What I've done so far: * Maxed out the RAM to 16GB (using lower voltage DIMMs to increase battery life) * Swapped to a larger 9 cell battery * Upgraded the CPU (and thermal paste) from a 2 core/4 thread i5 to a 4 core/8 thread i7 * Flashed a custom BIOS to remove the WiFi card whitelist and installed an Intel 7260 WiFi AC + Bluetooth card * Replaced the stock 1600x900 TN panel with a 1920x1080 IPS display * Replaced the barrel charging port with a USB-C connector (requires a 20v USB PD power supply, but those aren't super rare or expensive) * Replaced the HDD with an SSD * Replaced the optical drive and a 2.5" drive enclosure and installed a second SSD Future projects: * Flash Coreboot * Upgrade to a faster i7 * Upgrade to a 1440p IPS panel * Swap to a T420 keyboard
- RunSet 1y ago
  https://github.com/n4ru/1vyrain https://github.com/n4ru/1vyrain

I changed/replaced a bunch of things in my ThinkPad T14 without any issues, it's very easy, it is clearly made to open up and update. I wouldn't dare to do that with my MacBook Pro.

tlavoie 1y ago

That "made to open up and update" aspect is exactly why I switched when my 2013 (Retina) MBP crapped out. I had just spent $300 CAD to replace the battery, which involved the glued-together mess of battery, top case, keyboard and trackpad. So when the charging circuit died on motherboard right after, I was not keen to spend much more to just get back to baseline. They wouldn't even countenance the idea of my giving them more money, so that I could get a board with more soldered-on RAM. Switched to a P50 with twice as much RAM, and that's just one socket of four. Since upgraded to the max, with bigger SSD, it's still a beast. Compare with Apple's use of glue and special screws, when Lenovo provides detailed service manuals on its web site.

LtWorf 1y ago
A disk broke in my thinkpad under warranty. I told them I preferred to change it myself because I needed the computer. They just sent the new disk and I did it by myself.
- tlavoie 1y ago
  Right? That’s awesome. With a spare bay, I got an adapter for my Mac-specific SSD, so still have that working in a not-dead, fixable device.

teaearlgraycold 1y ago

I normally use an M3 MacBook Air, but I still have my T430 from college and I love how upgradable and hackable it is. What I've done so far: * Maxed out the RAM to 16GB (using lower voltage DIMMs to increase battery life) * Swapped to a larger 9 cell battery * Upgraded the CPU (and thermal paste) from a 2 core/4 thread i5 to a 4 core/8 thread i7 * Flashed a custom BIOS to remove the WiFi card whitelist and installed an Intel 7260 WiFi AC + Bluetooth card * Replaced the stock 1600x900 TN panel with a 1920x1080 IPS display * Replaced the barrel charging port with a USB-C connector (requires a 20v USB PD power supply, but those aren't super rare or expensive) * Replaced the HDD with an SSD * Replaced the optical drive and a 2.5" drive enclosure and installed a second SSD Future projects: * Flash Coreboot * Upgrade to a faster i7 * Upgrade to a 1440p IPS panel * Swap to a T420 keyboard

RunSet 1y ago
https://github.com/n4ru/1vyrain https://github.com/n4ru/1vyrain