I maintain a 17 year old ThinkPad

Posted by Fred34 4/3/2025

I maintain a 17 year old ThinkPad(pilledtexts.com)

620 points | 580 commentspage 12

HexPhantom 4/3/2025|

This is a fantastic breakdown, and it nails something I think a lot of people feel but don’t always articulate: modern hardware is often objectively better, but not necessarily more resilient

zer0zzz 4/3/2025||

What is the point of a reparable upgradable machine if the components are all ancient and a used m1 MacBook with just as much ram as the maximum on a x220 costs 500 dollars?

mcbuilder 4/3/2025||

I have a stack of T40 and T60 series in my shed. All 32bit processors, but man what beautiful machines. I kinda feel like the guy with the classic Thunderbird in his garage.

Melatonic 4/3/2025|

Throw Windows 10 LTSC on those things if it can handle it ! Way lower RAM and idle consumption

RecycledEle 4/3/2025||

My coworkers understand and envy my Lenovo e570, they just wish Apple or Dell sold one like I have new at a reasonable price.

I can not fault them. I wish GM still sold the S10 pickup.

normie3000 4/3/2025||

> I continue to use my MacBook because I like using proprietary software like ... Alfred

Is this like saying you still boot Windows occasionally to use the Start menu?

anshumankmr 4/3/2025||

I have an ASUS laptop that is borderline unusable in three years, the only saving grace is the RTX 3060 which I use for gaming and occasionally ollama.

dionidium 4/3/2025||

My primary computer, the one I'm typing on right now, is a 13-year old 2012 Mac Mini.

It couldn't be more fine. It does everything I need it to do.

shanecleveland 4/3/2025||

Running a 2009 Mac Mini in a business setting. Connected to a barcode scanner within a local python development environment and communicates over a wired network. Runs 24/7 with barely an issue.

userabchn 4/3/2025|||

I use a 20 year old Dell laptop. The only problem for me is that 32bit is starting to become limiting.

nickpeterson 4/3/2025||

Now you’ve jinxed it. I’d imagine you’ll never see this response because your laptop exploded shortly after typing that comment.

gsky 4/3/2025||

My last laptop, dell 14r i3 2nd gen, retired after 12 years.

It still works fine but the processor was slowing me down. New one's i3 12gen cost me $300

cbeach 4/3/2025||

This article compares two deliberately-different platforms.

One is vertically integrated and designed for thermal performance, lightness, thinness and attractiveness.

One is modular, and sacrifices thermal performance, lightness, thinness and attractiveness in order that the user can replace their own battery / RAM / etc

IMO the latter is a false economy. Yes, you can upgrade your RAM, but what about the bus speed, and limitations of the motherboard and CPU? You end up with a Frankenstein's monster of new and old parts, which are constrained by the lowest common denominator, and only useful for basic tasks.

Apple devices have high resale value. Far better, IMO, to sell your laptop after a few years, as a cohesive, intact package that retains some residual value, and then buy a new one with wholly modern parts that make sense together.

pabs3 4/3/2025|

My X201t still works fine, only replaced it because I found newer desktops in a dumpster. Still no laptops in dumpsters though.

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