Seeking laptop recommendations
August 1, 2024 4:21 PM   Subscribe

I have relatively simple needs. The computer will be used for research (I often have a few dozens open tabs), simple website development, streaming movies, and a typical mix of routine tasks and programs. No games.

I posted basically the same question 6.5 years ago and I LOVED the Lenovo ThinkPad T430 you all recommended until it died a couple of years ago (it was fast and problem-free until the power jack failed). Since then I've been using an Acer convertible - not thrilled with the Acer, but the convertible feature is nice. (Nice, but not essential.)

Budget $500-600 max.

Recommendations?
posted by she's not there to Computers & Internet (10 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: Get a later-gen secondhand Thinkpad T series for half your budget or less. If you still have your T430, spend some of the leftover amount on a docking station, which will supply a secondary power jack and let you use your T430 when docked.
posted by trig at 4:46 PM on August 1, 2024 [1 favorite]


Best answer: I am also on Team Used Thinkpad. Using a T440 w/ 8 gig RAM at a cafe and it's a champ. The T560 has 16 gig Ram and is more fun, at home on my desk. I like to have 2 working laptops because stuff happens and I need one for work, the other is mostly used for streaming media. That T410 from your previous post only died this spring in a power surge.

The dock is a great idea to revive your Thinkpad.

You can get Windows and Office online for pretty cheap if you want to change the OS, and I have enjoyed having Office for some nice features.
posted by theora55 at 6:25 PM on August 1, 2024


Response by poster: The t430 is gone, unfortunately.

I'm certainly partial to refurbished Lenovos - any thoughts about their convertibles?
posted by she's not there at 11:17 PM on August 1, 2024


Best answer: In relation to Thinkpads and how they relate to laptop recommendations questions like this - you might like "How ThinkPads Became The Internet's Favorite Laptop" - They make the point that the "last great Thinkpad" is considered to be the 2018 T480 - released a year after your previous question here. Lots of refurbished options well within your price range.
posted by rongorongo at 11:41 PM on August 1, 2024


Best answer: nth-ing: Lenovo ThinkPad, getting a refurb for best value.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 8:54 AM on August 2, 2024


any thoughts about their convertibles?

No personal experience. My vague impression is that they're less solid than the business Thinkpad lines (primarily the T series) - not all Thinkpads are equal, and definitely not all Lenovos.
posted by trig at 2:24 PM on August 2, 2024


I have a Lenovo Flex convertible laptop and am happy with it. Mine is a few (4 or so?) years old, but was not a daily driver so it's "new-ish" relatively speaking. It has a 14" screen - you may prefer a different size. I like it as a laptop, have used it infrequently in tablet mode but liked it when I did. I have an "easel" stand and plans to use it for drawing / media editing programs in tablet mode eventually. It does _not_ have the little button in the middle of the keyboard that Thinkpads used to have for moving the cursor around when mouseless, it has a trackpad. I don't like trackpads so bought a wireless mouse to use when in laptop mode; and because I want to draw I bought a 'fine point' stylus to use in tablet mode.
posted by TimHare at 9:28 PM on August 2, 2024


the little button in the middle of the keyboard that Thinkpads used to have for moving the cursor around

That's a TrackPoint and Thinkpads still have it, but non-Thinkpad Lenovos don't.

Aside on Thinkpad stuff that can be relevant for potential buyers:

Lenovo was a computer maker that acquired IBM's personal computer business, including Thinkpads, and it still keeps the Thinkpad line separate from its other laptops. Thinkpads are mostly aimed at the business market rather than entertainment-heavy uses, and their specs and build priorities reflect that.

Different series within the Thinkpad line also have different priorities. When people talk about Thinkpads being super solid and long-lived, that's usually about the T and maybe to a lesser extent X and P series.
posted by trig at 2:42 AM on August 3, 2024


I use a 2014 MacBook Air for basically this use profile and I'm pretty happy with it. Used ones should be well under a grand. The folks suggesting Lenovos aren't wrong though, I've never had a portable Lenovo I wasn't super happy with.
posted by signsofrain at 9:20 PM on August 3, 2024


Response by poster: Thank to all for taking the time to reply.

I've ordered another Lenovo - the t480.

And now I'm wondering why people spend so much more for laptops. (I understand, of course, that gamers and those creating music and videos have greater needs than most of us.)
posted by she's not there at 12:12 AM on August 6, 2024 [1 favorite]


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