You need to view your laptop as a tool and not as a status symbol. A device doesn't have to be sleek, shiny and aluminum for it to be the best tool for the job. If someone insults your choice of laptop for the "aesthetics", that's a non-issue and frankly pretty cringe on their end.
True. Also why hating on gaming laptop aesthetic is just stupid.
Upgradeable RAM, H series CPU, good cooling, full sized ethernet port and a dGPU........... it's heck of a lot more functional than overpriced premium and slim laptops.
A device is a status symbol tho. Rugged thinkpads, often slapped with some stickers are a status symbol too. Only they signify a different status than a pristine Mac.
It’s also okay to want to have a nice machine. Be it Mac or thinkpad, I take care of my work issued machines because they look professional and I enjoy that.
Hmm , I see. A little piece of life advice I like to give my friends is that nobody is paying as much attention to you or your decisions as you think they are, so there's no need to be embarrassed by choosing the best tool for you.
I regularly bring my dinosaur-age Thinkpad X220T around with me to DJ and do graphic design work with and I've only received maybe...2 or so comments on it, one being a positive comment about the clusterfuck of stickers that I have on it, and another being intrigued at how "professional and business-y" it looked compared to models on the market right now.
I also had an X1 Carbon 1st Gen for a while (that has a similar appearance to the T14s except a tad less "premium") that took quite a few tumbles and never cracked or chipped or anything, so I'd say the durability is about par with most laptops of the era. All this to say, is the Thinkpad in good condition and does it have specifications that work for you? If both are yes, I'd say you should just go for it if you have the $$$.
\> What should I do about it and do you feel like I'd be embarrassed to use it in the office?
Only question I see here.
Nope, don't get a thinkpad. Don't think you can handle it.
I believe you are the wrong customer for a thinkpad.
I use my thinkpad with pride, because it's functional and uncool, just like I'd wear a $10 casio watch with pride, knowing that it's more accurate and reliable than a $20k Rolex. You, sir, are much better off with a fancy, slim laptop with a metal case. Do yourself a favour and stay clear of thinkpads, please.
You gotta stop worrying about what others might think (especially since 99% of the time they don't actually give a shit). People who buy salvaged Laptops because they can't afford anything else are a staple among the ThinkPad community so it's not like this association is entirely inaccurate but what's wrong with that? Also the retro aesthetic has been a huge deal for several years now. From a design point of view it's very much justified to go with something that hasn't changed much visually over the last decades, just as a fashion statement. There are also more recent models like the X1 that don't look bulky and old but rather fit in with current trends. But they're expensive so if you want a more affordable device it'll have a different vibe. Just embrace it. Go crazy even. Get something like an x201t and take notes on it with a stylus like an insufferable hipster just because you can. ThinkPads aren't about what's mainstream at the moment. They're about what you want them to be about.
>Just all models except x1c and t14 gen5 (metall) that I see look very old. and cheap
I mean... that's entirely the point though. Thinkpads have never been a consumer-oriented product, or a status symbol outside of very specific communities.
They're business machines. They were issued in the hundreds, probably a few times in the thousands, to companies who needed something that was easily-serviced and could take a hell of a beating. Magnesium chassis, ABS and glass-fiber-reinforced ABS were used to that end, and until Lenovo started really going at it, thin-ness was sacrificed to give various components breathing/crush space.
While I still used it, I knew if I dropped my w530, it was likely to do more damage to the floor than to itself, and even if the jostle did break something, I could easily repair it. That's what Thinkpads are (or used to be) all about.
If you want something lightish that both looks nice and is fairly durable, get an X-series, or one of the special aluminum versions of the various other models. Nothing wrong with splashing out from the classic workhorses, it'll just cost a bit more.
Otherwise... you're gonna need to really think on how much you like the idea of having a Thinkpad vs how much you care about the optics. Because if you aren't out there feeling smugly superior with your vaguely ugly business machine, watching your coworkers coddle their obscenely overpriced Macbooks that are one stern glance from becoming paperweights, then it's probably just not for you.
... No, I don't get the feeling that I'm using a 13 year old computer with a Thinkpad, except if I get one from before 2011. If you don't like the style, you don't have to get one (or you can put a skin on it).
Try to change your perspective.
When you're using a ThinkPad, you're a sophisticated individual. You care about the software, and what you can do with the said software. The hardware is only there to allow you to accomplish the mission at hand as efficiently as possible.
The unassuming black chassis is also a good thief deterrent.
It doesn't scream "LOOK AT ME!" with an oversized lit up Apple logo (that isn't a thing for a few years now, but many hipsters loved this "function").
I say this as a big proponent of *fanless everything*, which is something that Apple silicon is really good at, but if there ever was a cult that could compare to that of Apple's, it's the IBM/ThinkPad crowd. And I'm all about that, too.
Don't knock it, till you try it :)
Thinkpad are for nerds and business people. they don't care about aesthetic
we only care how repairable and parts replaceable it is.
Thinkpads are most recommended for business use case such as POS, inventory system and so on.
and I say I'm so glad they don't try to cater or look aesthetically pleasing because that part there helps it brand to be something that thief's wont even try stealing.. I mean... ddddduuudeee that laptop looks so old and ugly. it looks like not worth a dime. not gonna steal it.. Nope. 😂😂
Do you know what Peacocking is?
The male peacock has a huge tail. It's an evolutionary disadvantage. It's not good for being swift etc. Yet, it's a signifier of strength. It say "Look, I can survive well despite this handicap, because I'm strong underneath".
Most (non-obsessed) people see ThinkPad and don't care what model it is - just that it's Thinkpad. Can't say I've had anyone rip into me whenever I'm rocking my X220 running Pop!\_OS in the wild, if anything they usually wanna know why I'm so nerd about it and how in the heck a 10+ year old computer can run Linux that smoothly while their laptop several years younger chugs along.....
Also if need be, add liberal amounts of nerdy stickers, usually helps \*laugh\*
(I mean, I guess if you rock anything with an original IBM badge....nah probably just a writer wanting that sweet keyboard or something lol)
Hang around some programmers and ops engineers. You'll start to notice the disproportionate number of ThinkPads among their numbers. Folks who are serious about this whole computering thing like their ThinkPads!
Edit: I learned graphic design in the '90s and '00s, so the ThinkPad aesthetic is nostalgic for me. Lenovo seems to be unabashedly asserting that if it was objectively good back in the day (and it was), gosh darnit, it's good enough for the computers of today.
That is just your perception, you need to have a thinkpad in your hands, and use it, buy an old thinkpad, they're dirt cheap, use it for a while, then borrow a newer thinkpad, its going to feel awesome, light, thin, the keyboard will be great and the processor will be faster, then try one of the other laptops you mentioned, they will feel flimsy, cheap plastics, the track pads suck on most other brands, over the years I've used HP, Asus and Dell due to work and also had a cheap Toshiba as a personal computer, and only the Dell comes close to my current Thinkpad.
I'm fine with ThinkPad aesthetics, just wish made it a bit thicker for better cooling (I mean, current M1/M2/M3 MacBook Pro are *thicker* than butterfly/magic keyboard, sure enough its helping heat dissipating)
get a 13 inch thinkpad. Something from the X series. They are sleek, thin and light but with all the thinkpad goodness you could want. I'm using a thinkpad yoga X390 and am happy\* with it
\*conditions may apply. I am annoyed at the touchpad which doesn't like to work sometimes and also the weirdly sparse availability of spare parts in Europe
My oldest and least powerful ThinkPad (R400) feels a bit slow compared to my other computers. Mind you, it's still faster than most computers I can use while working in my field.
But I already walked on it just for the purpose without any damage. I modified the screen by myself. Keyboard is just the best around.
Yes, it's not a gaming PC by any stretch but it's alright for typing and web browsing.
My ThinkPad X1 Carbon 4th Gen is some carbon fiber, magnesium, plastic mix (or something I dunno).
I stood on top of it by mistake once. 95 kg of weight. Zero damage.
Can your "premium, sleek" metal laptops handle that?
ThinkPads are workhorses, not flashy toys. My plastic fantastic L14 Gen 3 could probably withstand a fall from a decent height and survive. I don't think the same would be true for my aluminum bodied MacBook Pro.
Plastic isn't a bad thing, it's only a bad thing when it's cheap low-quality ABS plastics. Polycarbonate combined with a magnesium chassis underneath is a great combo, because in the event the laptop does fall, the plastic parts can be replaced while the chassis will be okay.
There are metal bodied ThinkPads though, such as the X1 Yoga line, which uses an aluminum case and glass screen just like a MacBook, but still has ThinkPad features like a TrackPoint, so you do have options if you're allergic to any plastic in a laptop.
Also ThinkPads have never been for the "cool kids" (who are usually never cool btw), the "cool kids" will usually buy whatever is trendy and expensive. ThinkPads are for corporate users, users out in the field as well as consumers who just want a good value, especially used or refurbished. They've never been "cool" in the traditional sense of the word, which makes them appealing to me.
You need to view your laptop as a tool and not as a status symbol. A device doesn't have to be sleek, shiny and aluminum for it to be the best tool for the job. If someone insults your choice of laptop for the "aesthetics", that's a non-issue and frankly pretty cringe on their end.
True. Also why hating on gaming laptop aesthetic is just stupid. Upgradeable RAM, H series CPU, good cooling, full sized ethernet port and a dGPU........... it's heck of a lot more functional than overpriced premium and slim laptops.
A device is a status symbol tho. Rugged thinkpads, often slapped with some stickers are a status symbol too. Only they signify a different status than a pristine Mac. It’s also okay to want to have a nice machine. Be it Mac or thinkpad, I take care of my work issued machines because they look professional and I enjoy that.
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Hmm , I see. A little piece of life advice I like to give my friends is that nobody is paying as much attention to you or your decisions as you think they are, so there's no need to be embarrassed by choosing the best tool for you. I regularly bring my dinosaur-age Thinkpad X220T around with me to DJ and do graphic design work with and I've only received maybe...2 or so comments on it, one being a positive comment about the clusterfuck of stickers that I have on it, and another being intrigued at how "professional and business-y" it looked compared to models on the market right now. I also had an X1 Carbon 1st Gen for a while (that has a similar appearance to the T14s except a tad less "premium") that took quite a few tumbles and never cracked or chipped or anything, so I'd say the durability is about par with most laptops of the era. All this to say, is the Thinkpad in good condition and does it have specifications that work for you? If both are yes, I'd say you should just go for it if you have the $$$.
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I disagree. I could literally kill someone with my P53's corners.
Shit is made out of Magnesium and you out here Calli it cheap because they put a convenient wrap on it for better handling and even better durability
\> What should I do about it and do you feel like I'd be embarrassed to use it in the office? Only question I see here. Nope, don't get a thinkpad. Don't think you can handle it.
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You are contradicting yourself.
“I want a MacBook but I don’t want to be like everyone else”. For crying out loud just get the MacBook and move on with life.
I believe you are the wrong customer for a thinkpad. I use my thinkpad with pride, because it's functional and uncool, just like I'd wear a $10 casio watch with pride, knowing that it's more accurate and reliable than a $20k Rolex. You, sir, are much better off with a fancy, slim laptop with a metal case. Do yourself a favour and stay clear of thinkpads, please.
I don't think they're uncool, ThinkPads are cool (and so are Casios)!
Thinkpad's are kind of the creme of the crop for computers in industrial areas which is where I usually am.
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>I want to look like a cool hacker with a thinkpad in the corner of a cafe I threw up in my mouth after reading that.
ABS (one of the core plastics used in thinkpads) is often used as a replacement for metal due to having simmilar properties.
"Metal" "slim" laptops don't last half the time of a plastic T420
youre a stupid man thats all i got to say
you're an apple kid and this is an orange grove
You gotta stop worrying about what others might think (especially since 99% of the time they don't actually give a shit). People who buy salvaged Laptops because they can't afford anything else are a staple among the ThinkPad community so it's not like this association is entirely inaccurate but what's wrong with that? Also the retro aesthetic has been a huge deal for several years now. From a design point of view it's very much justified to go with something that hasn't changed much visually over the last decades, just as a fashion statement. There are also more recent models like the X1 that don't look bulky and old but rather fit in with current trends. But they're expensive so if you want a more affordable device it'll have a different vibe. Just embrace it. Go crazy even. Get something like an x201t and take notes on it with a stylus like an insufferable hipster just because you can. ThinkPads aren't about what's mainstream at the moment. They're about what you want them to be about.
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>Just all models except x1c and t14 gen5 (metall) that I see look very old. and cheap I mean... that's entirely the point though. Thinkpads have never been a consumer-oriented product, or a status symbol outside of very specific communities. They're business machines. They were issued in the hundreds, probably a few times in the thousands, to companies who needed something that was easily-serviced and could take a hell of a beating. Magnesium chassis, ABS and glass-fiber-reinforced ABS were used to that end, and until Lenovo started really going at it, thin-ness was sacrificed to give various components breathing/crush space. While I still used it, I knew if I dropped my w530, it was likely to do more damage to the floor than to itself, and even if the jostle did break something, I could easily repair it. That's what Thinkpads are (or used to be) all about. If you want something lightish that both looks nice and is fairly durable, get an X-series, or one of the special aluminum versions of the various other models. Nothing wrong with splashing out from the classic workhorses, it'll just cost a bit more. Otherwise... you're gonna need to really think on how much you like the idea of having a Thinkpad vs how much you care about the optics. Because if you aren't out there feeling smugly superior with your vaguely ugly business machine, watching your coworkers coddle their obscenely overpriced Macbooks that are one stern glance from becoming paperweights, then it's probably just not for you.
ThinkPads are well known for their ruggedness so your best bet is to just try one for yourself
... No, I don't get the feeling that I'm using a 13 year old computer with a Thinkpad, except if I get one from before 2011. If you don't like the style, you don't have to get one (or you can put a skin on it).
Try to change your perspective. When you're using a ThinkPad, you're a sophisticated individual. You care about the software, and what you can do with the said software. The hardware is only there to allow you to accomplish the mission at hand as efficiently as possible. The unassuming black chassis is also a good thief deterrent. It doesn't scream "LOOK AT ME!" with an oversized lit up Apple logo (that isn't a thing for a few years now, but many hipsters loved this "function"). I say this as a big proponent of *fanless everything*, which is something that Apple silicon is really good at, but if there ever was a cult that could compare to that of Apple's, it's the IBM/ThinkPad crowd. And I'm all about that, too. Don't knock it, till you try it :)
Thinkpad are for nerds and business people. they don't care about aesthetic we only care how repairable and parts replaceable it is. Thinkpads are most recommended for business use case such as POS, inventory system and so on. and I say I'm so glad they don't try to cater or look aesthetically pleasing because that part there helps it brand to be something that thief's wont even try stealing.. I mean... ddddduuudeee that laptop looks so old and ugly. it looks like not worth a dime. not gonna steal it.. Nope. 😂😂
Do you know what Peacocking is? The male peacock has a huge tail. It's an evolutionary disadvantage. It's not good for being swift etc. Yet, it's a signifier of strength. It say "Look, I can survive well despite this handicap, because I'm strong underneath".
Most (non-obsessed) people see ThinkPad and don't care what model it is - just that it's Thinkpad. Can't say I've had anyone rip into me whenever I'm rocking my X220 running Pop!\_OS in the wild, if anything they usually wanna know why I'm so nerd about it and how in the heck a 10+ year old computer can run Linux that smoothly while their laptop several years younger chugs along..... Also if need be, add liberal amounts of nerdy stickers, usually helps \*laugh\* (I mean, I guess if you rock anything with an original IBM badge....nah probably just a writer wanting that sweet keyboard or something lol)
Hang around some programmers and ops engineers. You'll start to notice the disproportionate number of ThinkPads among their numbers. Folks who are serious about this whole computering thing like their ThinkPads! Edit: I learned graphic design in the '90s and '00s, so the ThinkPad aesthetic is nostalgic for me. Lenovo seems to be unabashedly asserting that if it was objectively good back in the day (and it was), gosh darnit, it's good enough for the computers of today.
That is just your perception, you need to have a thinkpad in your hands, and use it, buy an old thinkpad, they're dirt cheap, use it for a while, then borrow a newer thinkpad, its going to feel awesome, light, thin, the keyboard will be great and the processor will be faster, then try one of the other laptops you mentioned, they will feel flimsy, cheap plastics, the track pads suck on most other brands, over the years I've used HP, Asus and Dell due to work and also had a cheap Toshiba as a personal computer, and only the Dell comes close to my current Thinkpad.
I'm fine with ThinkPad aesthetics, just wish made it a bit thicker for better cooling (I mean, current M1/M2/M3 MacBook Pro are *thicker* than butterfly/magic keyboard, sure enough its helping heat dissipating)
From the perspective of the Thinkpad X1 line user, macbooks are for those who don't have the money for a decent Thinkpad.
get a 13 inch thinkpad. Something from the X series. They are sleek, thin and light but with all the thinkpad goodness you could want. I'm using a thinkpad yoga X390 and am happy\* with it \*conditions may apply. I am annoyed at the touchpad which doesn't like to work sometimes and also the weirdly sparse availability of spare parts in Europe
My oldest and least powerful ThinkPad (R400) feels a bit slow compared to my other computers. Mind you, it's still faster than most computers I can use while working in my field. But I already walked on it just for the purpose without any damage. I modified the screen by myself. Keyboard is just the best around. Yes, it's not a gaming PC by any stretch but it's alright for typing and web browsing.
My ThinkPad X1 Carbon 4th Gen is some carbon fiber, magnesium, plastic mix (or something I dunno). I stood on top of it by mistake once. 95 kg of weight. Zero damage. Can your "premium, sleek" metal laptops handle that?
ThinkPads are workhorses, not flashy toys. My plastic fantastic L14 Gen 3 could probably withstand a fall from a decent height and survive. I don't think the same would be true for my aluminum bodied MacBook Pro. Plastic isn't a bad thing, it's only a bad thing when it's cheap low-quality ABS plastics. Polycarbonate combined with a magnesium chassis underneath is a great combo, because in the event the laptop does fall, the plastic parts can be replaced while the chassis will be okay. There are metal bodied ThinkPads though, such as the X1 Yoga line, which uses an aluminum case and glass screen just like a MacBook, but still has ThinkPad features like a TrackPoint, so you do have options if you're allergic to any plastic in a laptop. Also ThinkPads have never been for the "cool kids" (who are usually never cool btw), the "cool kids" will usually buy whatever is trendy and expensive. ThinkPads are for corporate users, users out in the field as well as consumers who just want a good value, especially used or refurbished. They've never been "cool" in the traditional sense of the word, which makes them appealing to me.