Welcome to another video in the ThinkPad Buyer's Guide Series! This is the final video where we take a look at specific models, with the Core i-series ThinkPads released between 2010 and 2013! I decided to do this video in a slightly different style from the other videos, just to try something new. I hope you enjoy the video and thanks for watching!
Sebis Random Tech
Edit: I've made a new, more updated video about these laptops. This is still a good video to watch, but consider checking out my new video here: youtu.be/x-c-_A4AdSw
Welcome to another video in the ThinkPad Buyer's Guide Series! This is the final video where we take a look at specific models, with the Core i-series ThinkPads released between 2010 and 2013! I decided to do this video in a slightly different style from the other videos, just to try something new. I hope you enjoy the video and thanks for watching!
Welcome to another video in the ThinkPad Buyer's Guide Series! This is the final video where we take a look at specific models, with the Core i-series ThinkPads released between 2010 and 2013! I decided to do this video in a slightly different style from the other videos, just to try something new. I hope you enjoy the video and thanks for watching!
updated 8 years ago
Welcome to another video in the ThinkPad Buyer's Guide Series! This is the final video where we take a look at specific models, with the Core i-series ThinkPads released between 2010 and 2013! I decided to do this video in a slightly different style from the other videos, just to try something new. I hope you enjoy the video and thanks for watching!
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:25 Hardware tour
02:56 Display/specifications
03:38 Performance
05:50 Battery life
06:03 Repairability/upgrades
07:05 Comparison to used laptops
09:16 Conclusion
10:19 Outro
For those who are curious about the "FrankenPad" process including why people do it, check out my videos on the subject!
Part 1: youtube.com/watch?v=83JR4O-oTDE
Part 2: youtube.com/watch?v=EWEiXnbKJ04
Part 3: youtube.com/watch?v=c_vN0kCqxdw
Also a slight correction at 1:40 in the video, the T61 did not have an IR sensor at all, what I thought was an IR port on the 4:3 model was just a knockout. Whoops. Thanks to user zoltan87 for pointing that out!
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:24 Physical tour/information
02:34 Specifications
03:26 Operating systems
04:15 Web browsing/video streaming
05:04 Productivity/video editing/gaming
06:41 Battery life and repairability
07:36 The verdict
09:02 Final thoughts
10:13 Outro
Thank you to everyone who watches my videos even when I have nothing new to put up, it's incredible to see people still watching regardless and I hope to have some more content for you here soon! Hopefully it won't be another year...enjoy the video and thanks for watching!
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:02 Design and physical tour
03:18 Keyboard and pointing devices
04:40 Specifications
05:19 Display
06:09 Proccessor/graphics performance
07:22 Battery life
08:13 Repairability/upgrades
09:41 Conclusion
Thanks to Laptop Retrospective for helping contribute to this video! You can check out his channel here:
youtube.com/c/LaptopRetrospective/featured
0:00 Introduction
1:16 Purchasing a ThinkPad
1:35 Physical tour
4:10 Keyboard and pointing devices
5:55 Sound and webcam
6:52 Display
7:49 Performance and battery life
11:01 Repairability
12:22 Issues
16:45 Conclusion
Pretty self explanatory. Enjoy!
A very different video from my usual content, but one I felt was important to document during this station's last weekend of operation. Technically this can be considered tech, right? I wanted to highlight the importance of maintaining our transportation (road, highway, bridge, tunnel, rail, bus, etc) networks and keeping them safe, especially in a time when there are many essential workers reliant on them to get to their jobs. Here in Pittsburgh a light rail station is being permanently closed due to the degradation of infrastructure leading to the stop and the high cost of the needed repairs/upgrades to keep it open. For most it's a short blip on the radar in the grand scheme of things, but for some it's a huge loss. My hopes of the station staying open are slim, but hopefully by raising attention to this issue similar scenarios in Pittsburgh and elsewhere can be avoided in the future. No structure will last forever without the proper maintenance and support from officials, workers, and the community. As always, thanks for watching and be sure to stay tuned for more tech-related content in the near future!
A little note: Please keep the comments civil. While I refrain from discussing anything political in the video, it's easy for an issue like infrastructure funding to turn into an ugly argument given the current political climate. I would love to hear any civil discussion on this or a related topic though!
I'd also like to apologize for the low production quality of this video, the station's closure was a very short-notice thing and my proper camera did not take well to the cold weather, so I had to record everything on my phone with just the built-in microphone. I'm still pleased with the result, regardless.
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro
0:55 Background information
2:21 Reason for closing
4:44 Riders affected
7:43 Possible alternatives/replacements
9:08 Conclusion and final remarks
10:23 Vehicles passing by/ending
Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction
2:06 - Repairing a T470s
5:57 - Other easy repairs
7:11 - Locked BIOS
8:07 - When it isn't worth it
9:27 - Other good ways to save money
10:28 - Conclusion
Timecodes:
0:00 - Introduction
2:51 - T440
5:28 - T440s
6:47 - T450
7:39 - T450s
8:22 - T460
9:25 - T460s
11:36 - Honorable Mentions
13:15 - Performance, battery life, and build quality
16:28 - Conclusion
Embedded controller files:
github.com/hamishcoleman/thinkpad-ec
T430 BIOS list:
support.lenovo.com/us/en/downloads/ds029252
Guides that helped me:
instructables.com/id/ThinkPad-T430T430sX230-Classic-Keyboard-Mod
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Install_Classic_Keyboard_on_xx30_Series_ThinkPads
My second channel:
youtube.com/channel/UCUy1JQCwv7FsO2rJKxaSbCQ/videos
Models this process applies for (to my knowledge, I will update if needed):
*DOES NOT* apply for any of the glass touch screen versions (T440s touch, etc)
X230s
X240s*
T440
T440s
T450*
T450s*
T460
T460s
T470/A475
T470s
ThinkPad 25
X280/A285
T480/A485
T480s
T580
P52s
X390/395
T490/495
T490s/495s
T590
P43s
P53s
T14
T14s
T15
P1 (all generations)
X1 Carbon (2nd generation onward)
X1 Extreme (all generations)
*The xx50 generation of ThinkPads, as well as the X240, have a display whitelist that makes aftermarket replacements only run at maximum brightness if you use Windows. If you use Linux, flash the replacement screen’s EDID to trick the ThinkPad into thinking it’s a genuine xx50 panel, or flash a custom/unlocked BIOS onto the laptop, this issue can be fixed. Thankfully Lenovo realized their mistake, so the xx50 generation is the only one to have this pointless restriction.
Hello everyone! Today we're back with another ThinkPad video, this time I'm using the Middleton's BIOS to unlock my FrankenPad T601 - and upgrade it to be much more powerful! Middleton's BIOS is a special patched BIOS that unlocks some additional features in older ThinkPads, and in this video you can see how to install it on your ThinkPad! This works on the following models:
T61/T61p
X61/X61s/X61 Tablet
R61/R61i/R61e
X300
Here's some useful links to help you on your way:
Middleton's BIOS: thinkwiki.org/wiki/Middleton%27s_BIOS
T61 maintenance manual:
14.1" standard: http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/detail.page?&LegacyDocID=MIGR-67979
14.1" widescreen: http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/detail.page?&LegacyDocID=MIGR-67760
15.4" widescreen: http://support.lenovo.com/en_US/downloads/detail.page?&LegacyDocID=MIGR-67980
7-Zip: 7-zip.org
PowerISO: poweriso.com
As always I hope you guys enjoy the video! Thanks for watching!
Hello everyone! Back again with another ThinkPad video! This time we're taking a look at the W700ds, a rather unique laptop that has two screens built in! These machines are extraordinarily rare, so I'm going to find out if the high asking price and t h i c c ness of these laptops make them worthwhile. As always I hope you all enjoy the video!
Additionally, I just made a follow-up to this video talking about the thinner ThinkPads that replaced these models, feel free to check it out here!
youtube.com/watch?v=GjgKYAwMi4I
Some of the sources used for this video:
1vyrain page: https://1vyra.in/
1vyrain files: github.com/n4ru/1vyrain
T25/T480 hybrid: kitsunyan.github.io/blog/frankenpad-story.html
Wolfgang's Best Used ThinkPad: youtube.com/watch?v=621WJlMJq98
My original ThinkPad on a Budget series: youtube.com/watch?v=bOFB3QaOT6Q&t=18s
Other videos of mine:
Replacing mechanical keyboard switches:
youtube.com/watch?v=ZrBNSxbqW9g
A look at the ThinkPad T480:
youtu.be/A15FfeJq6pQ
The laptop with 2 screens: The ThinkPad W700ds:
youtube.com/watch?v=6glQCMpqH7M
Riding the outbound side: youtube.com/watch?v=MLaN3fqAoDw
Another video of the Silver Line - Library route: youtu.be/02tClPV0qeg
Took advantage of Port Authority temporarily detouring inbound rail vehicles on the Allentown line to get some videos of this otherwise unused line. It's a direct descendant of the vast streetcar network that used to branch out of Pittsburgh, and this particular line represents one of the last remnants of that network, running through the Allentown neighborhood. It's the only line that mostly runs on city streets, the Red Line has a street-running section in Beechview but the current "T" network is otherwise entirely on dedicated rights-of-way. It also has some very tight curves and steep sections (as much as a 10% grade) that combined with jointed-rail track makes for a bit of a ride.
Unfortunately the line has not had regular use since 2011 when rail service was cut and replaced with buses, and it is now only maintained as a "backup" in the event that the tunnel the trains normally go through has to be shut down for whatever reason. In this case they were dealing with complications from a landslide near the tunnel, and had inbound traffic using the old Allentown line. Nevertheless, it is still fun to see the line being used, however sporadic that use may be, since it's a fun throwback to the streetcar era with street-running trolleys. I also show a few remnants of the old streetcar network, such as maintenance sheds and unused track, that remain in place at South Hills Junction, where the other T lines converge and the Allentown line splits to go over Mount Washington.
As always thanks for watching, and stay tuned for more ThinkPad/tech videos coming soon!
Some of the guides I used for this video:
forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=126860
forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=128283
T450 Synaptics driver:
download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/mobiles/jbgc28ww.exe
T450 Alps driver:
download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/jfgh09ww.exe
For those of you with an X240:
forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=69&t=126967&p=822940
A few videos I've made about the T440p:
Touchpad swap + screen replacement - youtube.com/watch?v=vOXz-tr41KM&t=395s
CPU + storage upgrades - youtube.com/watch?v=YetQcY8gq10
Replacing a damaged display cable - youtube.com/watch?v=99ZoUIt4Zl4
Sorry for the long delay guys, I was down with a bit of the "fall university plague" as they call it and that set me back from finishing a few videos. But I'm here, I'm alive, and I'm ready to conquer some more ThinkPads!
My X230 classic keyboard upgrade video:
youtube.com/watch?v=btRFu3Wc5H8
My "Core i-series ThinkPad" video featured: youtube.com/watch?v=EisG4sOSNKw
The laptop with 2 screens: The ThinkPad W700ds:
youtube.com/watch?v=6glQCMpqH7M
Using a 11-year-old workstation in 2019:
youtube.com/watch?v=QU8SHdR8qCI
Timestamps:
1:40 Opening the battery box
2:50 Getting parts organized
13:02 Taking out the motherboard
15:45 Future plans with a MacBook
17:58 Re-pasting the CPU
31:37 Cleaning the bottom case
36:10 Putting the motherboard back in
39:28 Answering questions regarding juggling YouTube, hobbies, and school
46:00 Looking at the display assembly
50:20 Adding a fingerprint reader to the display assembly
1:05:56 Re-installing the display
1:12:06 Re-installing keyboard bezel, dealing with cable management
1:27:35 Cleaning and re-installing palmrest
1:33:50 Re-installing keyboard
1:36:48 SMOKE TEST!!!
1:42:09 Installing SSD and upgrading RAM
1:46:27 Starting up Windows, dealing with driver updates
2:03:30 Putting Ubuntu onto a flash drive
2:07:10 Briefly looking at a ThinkPad T440p
2:14:33 Introducing the ThinkPad X301
2:16:01 Booting into Ubuntu
2:18:20 Connecting to Wifi
2:24:10 Online
2:25:01 Testing YouTube and stream freeze
Hello guys! Back once again with a ThinkPad video, this time looking at the daunting task that is removing the supervisor password from an older ThinkPad. To my knowledge this works on any ThinkPad from the Ivy Bridge (T430, X230, W530, etc) series and earlier, but not newer ThinkPads. As always, thanks for watching!
Part 2 of this video:
Some useful links for people who want to do this display upgrade:
theboardroom.info/index.html
forum.thinkpads.com/viewforum.php?f=29
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/TFT_display
people.xiph.org/~xiphmont/thinkpad/led-kit.shtml
My Reddit: reddit.com/user/sebileis
My Instagram: instagram.com/therealsebisrandomtech
ThinkPad W700: youtube.com/watch?v=QU8SHdR8qCI
ThinkPad X201 AFFS upgrade: youtube.com/watch?v=PcYeIhwyju8
youtube.com/watch?v=6glQCMpqH7M
Here's a brief history, overview, and demonstration of the Lenovo ThinkPad W700, without a doubt one of the largest ThinkPads made in recent years. This was one of the most powerful laptops when it hit the market in 2008, but we're going to see how well it holds up in 2019, well past the normal lifespan of such a machine.
Building the Ultimate Retro ThinkPad:
youtube.com/watch?v=83JR4O-oTDE
Our normal programming will resume shortly. Next video will be the best used ThinkPads to buy in 2019! I promise to have it up by the end of the week, I apologize for the wait!
This video is not meant to be a be-all, end-all guide to taking apart ThinkPad Tablet displays, as every model is going to be different. However, I had read a few posts in the r/thinkpad subreddits and on the ThinkPad forums about using a ThinkPad Twist display in a X230, so I figured why not give it a go with my X230 Tablet? I haven't seen any video documentation of this process, so I figured I would try it out! As for the other X230 Tablet I showed working in the video, it will be featured as part of another video at some point in the foreseeable future.
As always thanks for watching and I hope you stick around for some more content!
ThinkPad X230 IPS upgrade video:
youtu.be/sXcs43vXOu0
ThinkPad X230 Classic Keyboard/Palmrest Swap:
youtu.be/btRFu3Wc5H8
ThinkPad X201 AFFS mod:
youtu.be/PcYeIhwyju8
Sorry about the long wait, I had meant to upload this video about a month ago but between schoolwork and getting sick I was a little sidetracked. You can kind of hear my voice is a tad weaker than usual in the narration for this video, but I'm getting better! Just got the Fall Plague like I always manage to. More videos coming soon! Thanks for watching!
ThinkPad T440p IPS upgrade + T450 touchpad:
youtube.com/watch?v=vOXz-tr41KM
ThinkPad X201 AFFS screen upgrade:
youtube.com/watch?v=PcYeIhwyju8
This forum contains the direct link to the working TrackPoint drivers:
forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=116653
ThinkPad T450 touchpad (Synaptics):
amazon.com/gp/product/B06XWB1GRR
ThinkPad T440p 1080p IPS display:
ebay.com/itm/14-1920-1080-IPS-Matte-LED-Screen-for-Lenovo-ThinkPad-T440p-20AW0046US-20AW/272547456264
The laptop with 2 screens: The ThinkPad W700ds:
youtube.com/watch?v=6glQCMpqH7M
ThinkPad X201 AFFS display mod: youtube.com/watch?v=PcYeIhwyju8
ThinkPad T430 CPU upgrade:
youtube.com/watch?v=UihM_2Pyme0
As always, thanks for watching and stay tuned for more videos!
In today's video we're looking at a Lenovo ThinkPad X201 that I bought off eBay. I'll be replacing the keyboard and palmrest, and more importantly, demonstrating how to modify the X201 to accept an AFFS display, a huge upgrade over the original TN panel.
EDIT: For those of you who are wondering, with a brand-new 9-cell battery I can get about 3-5 hours of battery life with brightness at 60% and browsing the web with 10 tabs open (YouTube, FaceBook, Reddit, etc). I'm sure with the brightness turned lower and less demanding websites (or just turning the wireless off altogether) the battery life could easily be doubled. Not bad for a power-hungry CCFL panel and first-gen Core i5!
ThinkPad X220/X230 IPS upgrade: youtube.com/watch?v=sXcs43vXOu0
ThinkPad T430 CPU upgrade:
youtube.com/watch?v=UihM_2Pyme0
Other videos you can watch:
The laptop with 2 screens: The ThinkPad W700ds:
youtube.com/watch?v=6glQCMpqH7M
IPS Display in the X220/X230:
youtube.com/watch?v=sXcs43vXOu0
Core i-series ThinkPads:
youtube.com/watch?v=EisG4sOSNKw
IBM versus Lenovo ThinkPads:
youtube.com/watch?v=yvs9aIh41sE
Link to the introduction: youtube.com/watch?v=bOFB3QaOT6Q
Link to Part 1: youtube.com/watch?v=yvs9aIh41sE
Link to Part 3: youtube.com/watch?v=EisG4sOSNKw
Link to the introduction: youtu.be/bOFB3QaOT6Q
Link to part 2: youtube.com/watch?v=8XLBB2tX074
The laptop with 2 screens: The ThinkPad W700ds:
youtube.com/watch?v=6glQCMpqH7M
Hey there everyone! Over the next few days/weeks/months I will be uploading several videos talking about what ThinkPad laptops are great models to get when you are on a budget. We are mostly going to be focusing on the 2006 - 2012 era of ThinkPads, as these laptops can be found for very cheap and are still useful laptops today. Older ThinkPads from before 2006 are simply too old to be practical anymore, and models from 2013 or newer are starting to get close to new machines that you will have to pay more for, and won't get as good of a performance per dollar ratio as others. I will discuss some newer models, but we will mainly be focusing on the aforementioned period of ThinkPad laptops. These videos will be geared more towards the average person looking for a cheap but dependable laptop, so while I will touch upon some of the modifications that can be made to these machines I will mostly be sticking to showing laptops that can be purchased fully working or won't need much work to have a reasonable daily driver. Thanks for watching, and if you want to see the next installments in this series be sure to subscribe!
Link to Part 1 of the ThinkPad extravaganza, comparing IBM ThinkPads to early Lenovo ThinkPads: youtu.be/yvs9aIh41sE
Part 2 (Core 2 Duo ThinkPads):
youtube.com/watch?v=8XLBB2tX074
Part 3 (Core i-Series ThinkPads):
youtube.com/watch?v=EisG4sOSNKw
Part 4 (The X Series):
youtube.com/watch?v=ZuXFwYP6NP0
Building the Ultimate Retro ThinkPad - Part 1:
youtube.com/watch?v=83JR4O-oTDE


