Repair goes mega mainstream with the launch of Lenovo’s new T-series business laptops, which earned our highest honor with a 10/10 repairability score.
While easy to repair, how does durability compare so you don’t need to repair it in the first place?
While not bad like an HP consumer grade laptop, I have not heard good things about the rigidity of the frameworks. All the modularity takes away space for reinforcement and leaves more points for things to break.
The modularity might be considered almost a gimmick of recessed USB-C accessories, so I would personally be happy with a device that leaves that outside the core chassis, so long as the chassis ports are at least as modular as this ThinkPad concept. No idea if those big empty areas are a serious liability structurally or not…
Even among shitty laptops, it’s always been keyboard, screen, or charging port as the things that break, not sure structural support matters too much on those fronts. I have had boards fail, but not due to physical events.
keyboard, screen, or charging port as the things that break
That’s exactly where structural reinforcement makes a difference. Keyboard less so since usually it’s the switches that break. But ThinkPads have reinforcement not just on the chassis, but the ports too. There’s a plate about 1 inch wide on all the ports of my machine. The less all components flex the less likely things break. From simple insertion cycles to actual physical damage, it all adds up over time.
Ok, my ports break out of use, have had pretty bad luck with USB-C charging ports on the thinkpads… Never been dropped but they just stop working… Then if out of warranty I start using another USB-c port… then that breaks…
Seeing a modular USB-c port is just absolutely fantastic…
While easy to repair, how does durability compare so you don’t need to repair it in the first place?
While not bad like an HP consumer grade laptop, I have not heard good things about the rigidity of the frameworks. All the modularity takes away space for reinforcement and leaves more points for things to break.
The modularity might be considered almost a gimmick of recessed USB-C accessories, so I would personally be happy with a device that leaves that outside the core chassis, so long as the chassis ports are at least as modular as this ThinkPad concept. No idea if those big empty areas are a serious liability structurally or not…
Even among shitty laptops, it’s always been keyboard, screen, or charging port as the things that break, not sure structural support matters too much on those fronts. I have had boards fail, but not due to physical events.
That’s exactly where structural reinforcement makes a difference. Keyboard less so since usually it’s the switches that break. But ThinkPads have reinforcement not just on the chassis, but the ports too. There’s a plate about 1 inch wide on all the ports of my machine. The less all components flex the less likely things break. From simple insertion cycles to actual physical damage, it all adds up over time.
Ok, my ports break out of use, have had pretty bad luck with USB-C charging ports on the thinkpads… Never been dropped but they just stop working… Then if out of warranty I start using another USB-c port… then that breaks…
Seeing a modular USB-c port is just absolutely fantastic…