Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptops aren’t exactly what you’d call sexy when you compare them to the smooth slabs of aluminum that make up the MacBook Air and Dell XPS machines. But what they lack in pizzazz, they make up for by simply being genuinely capable laptops.
While even a high-end ThinkPad won’t win any awards for its great looks, in my experience they are excellent laptops for getting things done. And for handy do-it-yourselfers, new ThinkPads are becoming easier to repair, making them even more attractive.
The latest Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 and ThinkPad T16 Gen 5, showcased at MWC 2024 ahead of an April release, were developed with the advice of repair gurus iFixit to make the laptops easier to repair than ever before.
As a result, the fourth-generation ThinkPad T14 and T16 models once scored a reasonable 7 out of 10 for iFixit’s repairability score, while the latest ThinkPads now achieve a very high score of 9 out of 10. In practice, this means that a laptop that people can easily repair themselves, albeit with the right tools, parts and a reasonable level of computer hardware knowledge.
This was achieved by iFixit suggesting a range of adjustments to Lenovo’s design team, including the use of retaining screws to prevent them from being lost when loosened.
While I mention parts, the new T-series ThinkPads have access to the latest Intel and AMD laptop processors and Lenovo’s communications bar, which resembles an inverted notch protruding from the top edge of the screen and houses a webcam and microphones , all to ensure a screen with thinner bezels.
There are also replaceable ports in the mix, and there are QR codes so potential DIYers can figure out exactly what they are trying to replace. The motherboard has been relocated to allow easier access to the trackpad, while the keyboard is quite easy to replace with just a few screws and the use of a ‘spudger‘. Oh, and very little glue appears to have been used to hold the parts in place.
And just looking at the inside of the laptops after the backplates are removed makes it a lot easier to see what you can replace, and there’s little in the way of finding the part you want to replace or repair.
While the previous generation ThinkPad T14 and T16 weren’t nearly as glued and sealed as other laptops (check out my beloved MacBook Air M2), they weren’t exactly friendly on the repair front. Lots of screws and other bits had to be unplugged, and the RAM was soldered on. So not only has iFixit’s work with Lenovo produced laptops that are much more repairable than their predecessors, but they are also more durable and give people the right to repair their devices without the need for exclusive services.
And while Framework and its modular repairable laptops are great, it’s good to see other brands like Lenovo making more use of the DIY repair bandwagon.