Lenovo's ThinkPad laptops aren't exactly what you'd call sexy compared to the sleek slabs of aluminum that make up the MacBook Air and Dell XPS machines. But what they lack in dynamism they make up for by being truly capable laptops.
While even a high-end ThinkPad won't win any awards for great looks, in my experience they are great laptops for getting things done. And for DIYers, the new ThinkPads are becoming easier to repair, further increasing their appeal.
The latest Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 and ThinkPad T16 Gen 5, unveiled at MWC 2024 ahead of their launch in April, were developed with advice from repair gurus iFixit to make laptops easier to repair than ever.
As a result, where previously the fourth-generation ThinkPad T14 and T16 models scored a reasonable 7 out of 10 on iFixit's repairability score, the latest ThinkPads now achieved a very high score of 9 out of 10. In real-world terms, that means a laptop. that people can easily repair themselves, albeit with the right tools and parts and a reasonable level of knowledge of computer hardware.
This was achieved thanks to iFixit proposing a series of adjustments to Lenovo's design team, including the use of captive 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 communication bar, which is like a reverse notch that juts out from the top edge of the screen and holds a webcam and microphones. , all to create a screen with thinner bezels.
Replaceable ports are also in the mix, and there are QR codes so would-be DIYers can find out exactly what they're trying to replace. The motherboard has been moved for easier access to the trackpad, while the keyboard is fairly easy to replace with just a couple of screws and the use of a 'spudger'. Oh, and it looks like very little glue is used to keep the pieces in place.
And just by looking inside laptops after removing the backplates, it's much easier to spot what can be replaced, and there are few obstacles to finding the part you want to replace or repair.
While the previous generation ThinkPad T14 and T16 weren't as glued and sealed as other laptops (looking at you, my beloved MacBook Air M2), they weren't exactly friendly on the repair front. There were a lot of screws and other parts to disconnect and the RAM is soldered. So iFixit's work with Lenovo has not only produced laptops that are much more repairable than their predecessors, but they are also more sustainable and give people the right to repair their devices without requiring dedicated services.
And while Framework and its repairable modular laptops are great, it's nice to see other brands like Lenovo jumping more on the DIY repair bandwagon.
