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ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

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Re: ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

#41

Post by 1996 »

mhb wrote: post #35
wilhil wrote: post #23

Is there really a market for modding a 7+ year old laptop? I know thinkpads used to be great (And some still are), but, I just don't get the point in trying to give more life to something so so old - most likely ~3rd-4th gen intel.

I'd be happy to buy a replacement battery for my X220 from a non-sketchy source if I knew it had new, matched cells and wasn't going to explode.

If you have sources for X61 batteries tell me!

I left a good one in it while docked but unplugged, the dock apparently killed the battery.

I'm pondering whether changing the 16550 cells make senses

Re: ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

#42

Post by jsjohnst »

jsilence wrote: post #15
numpad0 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

NVMe is somehow better in random access performance. Also ThinkPads before X240 has no space to accommodate M.2/NVMe as those machines predates the standard. Personally I wish(ed) if there were 2.5” shaped GPU than SSD though

A decent GPU in this format would be awesome! Especially since the X220 series can accomodate a 2.5' SSD as well as an m.2 SATA SSD already.

> A decent GPU in this format would be awesome!

Good luck with finding a decent GPU that small, let alone with power and thermal profile to support being in an expresscard slot.

Re: ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

#43

Post by zoomablemind »

Nicely looking idea. Not sure about the benefit though. SSD can be fitted in ThinkPad in several ways already 1) swap internal HDD 2) use the optical drivebay, needs a caddy 3) attach M2 SSD instead of WWAN card (this option is slower) 4) attach externally via eSATA (with adapter cable)

All of the options above are bootable (not sure about eSATA, but can test).

One more option is nice, of course, though not sure that booting off ExpressCard SSD could be directly supported by the BIOS.

In my experience, the most demanded mod was HDMI adapter for DisplayPort, just to attach an occasional larger screen/TV.

Re: ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

#44

Post by culturestate »

JorgeGT wrote: post #39
culturestate wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think it's a commercial part - if you look closely at the photo of the first prototype, the left side of the sled shows some distinct lines that look like FDM layers. It also seems like the maker is producing these in small batches in his home lab, so 3D printing makes sense. That said, the CAD model of v2 seems to show some kind of ejector or retention mechanism (in green, again on the left) which could be t…

A lot of people are integrating FDM or other AM techniques into their production, so it doesn't meant it will be home-produced. You can order small batches from Stratasys, 3D Systems or any of the other big manufacturers and you get reliable parts with good tolerances and post-treatment etc., without committing to with injection molding.

That's true! I think next-gen manufacturing is actually one of the most interesting areas of research going right now.

In this case, though, I meant commercial part more like "generic component that you could buy from fifty random aliexpress suppliers" rather than simply "part produced commercially."

Re: ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

#45

Post by wpietri »

yjftsjthsd-h wrote: post #4

That's a slightly odd name for a store with only one product. Hope to see more in the future:)

Absolutely. What I'd really love to see is a way to put their non-chicklet keyboard in more modern bodies. That's essentially what the anniversary model, the Thinkpad 25 was.

Re: ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

#46

Post by wpietri »

jankotek wrote: post #29
wilhil wrote: post #23

Is there really a market for modding a 7+ year old laptop? I know thinkpads used to be great (And some still are), but, I just don't get the point in trying to give more life to something so so old - most likely ~3rd-4th gen intel.

There is viable market (it has customers). But I would say it is just nostalgia. Some people even say it is not real ThinkPad unless it was made by IBM (pre 2006).

For me it's definitely not just nostalgia. I type this on my X220t, which was released in 2011; it hangs around my house as the general-browsing-and-social-media machine.

I love the keyboard and trackpoint, and older Thinkpads are rugged in a way that new models have apparently given up on. I bought the Thinkpad 25, which was basically a 2017 mid-range laptop with the old keyboard. It's adequate, but flimsier and less reliable.

Re: ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

#47

Post by Y-Bopinator »

zoomablemind wrote: post #43

Nicely looking idea. Not sure about the benefit though. SSD can be fitted in ThinkPad in several ways already 1) swap internal HDD 2) use the optical drivebay, needs a caddy 3) attach M2 SSD instead of WWAN card (this option is slower) 4) attach externally via eSATA (with adapter cable) All of the options above are bootable (not sure about eSATA, but can test). One more option is nice, of course, though not sure that…

DisplayPort and HDMI are two different competing standards.

Re: ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

#48

Post by chaz6 »

Does anyone know how to get in touch with the project founder? Kickstarter does not seem to provide any way. I would like a two pack, with one of each size, but right now you have to choose one or the other.

Re: ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

#49

Post by jagger27 »

wpietri wrote: post #45
yjftsjthsd-h wrote: post #4

That's a slightly odd name for a store with only one product. Hope to see more in the future:)

Absolutely. What I'd really love to see is a way to put their non-chicklet keyboard in more modern bodies. That's essentially what the anniversary model, the Thinkpad 25 was.

I’m still upset that the 25 had a 16:9 display.

Re: ThinkPad Mods, Done Right

#50

Post by Scene_Cast2 »

Unrelated story. Back in the day, I got myself a T510. It was a tinkerer's dream - heck, I even learned how to hand-solder SMD on it.

Besides the standard mods (swapping the screen and upgrading to the W-series heatsink), I noticed that there was a spare spot on the PCB that looked like it was made for some component. Looking up the teardown of the more professional variant, turns out that it was missing a connector for a mini-PCIE slot. An ebay hunt and hours with a soldering iron later, I had a seemingly-working miniPCIe slot. Didn't really have a use for it though, other than bragging rights.

I eventually killed that laptop by bricking the BIOS, and then ruining the motherboard while trying to resolder the SPI BIOS chip.

Now, I have a 701CS lying around. Been trying to find the right hardware to restomod it.

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