I've kept all the X260 and X270 units I could get my hands on alive, well and in heavily used circulation. It works just fine for many folks and I've successfully placed them in offices, with medical professionals or in the university settings. People are very happy with them as soon as they manage to detach themselves from trends and peer pressure. Not a single unit has created lost user data due to "optimal security settings" by itself, unlike what the current Apple or Microsoft fare is so apt to do these days. It's a shame that Windows 11 will, inevitably, change this. You can secure these machines to your own liking. You can replace the parts to snugly fit your, at times evolving, needs. With the X280, Lenovo has abandoned this path. Sad!
I just boughy this machine today to replace my old X220. With SKU number 20KES9B706, with specs : I7-8650U, Ram 8/128gb Nvme. With HD screen (i would like to have 1080p but, this is what my budget have), no fingerprint, no backlit keebs. Still on Windows 10, its okay coz i still prefer win10. Only $247 USD
Just bought one of the i5 8th gen models from a pawnshop for $250 out the door. I upgraded the panel to 1080p and added a second nvme drive and put linux on it absolutely love this thing. Its my first Thinkpad and I am now will continue to buy Thinkpads
i wanted to get a t480 for the greater port selection and socketed ram, but i managed to snag a x280 for $200 from an office sale. with 16g ram, 256g nvme, and a quad core i don’t think its a bad value. especially as a barebones t480 seems to go for the same price and i would still have to go buy all the missing parts. my dear old dad has used some variation of a t-series thinkpad before i was old enough to walk, which he presumably got from his office job. after he retired and moved houses, some shitty neighbor broke the hinge on his last one and ever since then he’s been using a terrible lenovo ideapad. in recent years the 8 gb of ram has been becoming a bottleneck for browsing/teleconferencing, not to mention the hdd/fx cpu. i imagine this thinkpad upgrade will be more than powerful enough even without the upgradability, not to mention a nice surprise.
Even linux users should consider that there is a huge performance boost when upgrading from 7th gen to 8th gen cpus, since even the fastest i7U 7th gen cpu only features two cores. My daily driver is a T570 with a 7th gen i7 and sadly, the cpu is bottlenecking in several scenarios. For example, Zoom conferences with a dual display set up, an external camera as a webcam and some light programs opened result in 70 to 80% cpu usage. Even an 8th i5U cpu would be have less problems in such a scenario.
I think you could have taken out the keyboard, to show off that this model does have an easily user replaceable keyboard, unlike the X240/X250/X260/X270 models.
Yes, you're absolutely right, I somehow forgot. 😮💨 This video from Lenovo covers it in detail for those that want to know. ruclips.net/video/fG72Zika7EQ/видео.html
imho for the price and the model year, get the T480s. It's only slightly bigger than the X280 but has better build quality, 1 soldered RAM (8GB or 16GB) + 1 free DIMM slot up to 64GB extra. Also has a full speed PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 drive, a removable/upgradable wifi card, 5G capable with the right card, and you can fit QHD or UHD panels into them for an amazing display The X280 pales in comparison once again nice video thanks for uploading it. I think it would be really worthwhile to have a section comparing it to some similar laptops of its generation in your conclusion.
Yes, the T480s is a nicer model in many areas. Depending on size and regional availability, that can be limiting. I found the s variant to be less common around here. Thanks for the feedback as well, I'll keep it in mind.
What about screen quality? I am considering a t480s vs a touch x280 (300 not screen). the t480s has 250 nit screen? Coming from an older macbook (incredible screen, even by todays standards) the low brightness of the t480s scares me…is it bad?
They keep removing all the Thinkpad features. And now that's just another one laptop. I understand that this is an ultra portable machine but still. All soldered, no updrades except SSD, shitty bottom speakers and for some reason exhaust on the right side (for what?) Also as I see even top spec touch display is pretty bad at color accuracy and viewing angles. Honestly I'm disappointed. What other options might be, dell XPS series, or just go and get the cheapest Macbook air? They also have no upgradability but at least great screens and sound.
After looking at the X390 I was worried this model would seem a bit "weird" being an ultrabook with that modern post powerbridge thinkpad design we saw with the T460s. But I have to say it looks great! Footprint looks delightfully small too. They don't make some of these units like they used to.
Looks slick, and it's a great price! But I'm still happy with my X240 :-) When I got it slightly over two years ago, I splurged on the 6-cell battery (it came with the three-cell) when Lenovo had a sale, and later I got a bigger SSD (Crucial 500GB). Including the cost of the secondhand X240, I think I've spent about $400. Thanks again for all the great advice you gave me! It's a rock-solid laptop that still meets my needs nicely.
So unless one doesn't already have a X series ThinkPad, the X280 is with exception for Windows 11 support and the lightweight design, a total downgrade. Got to say, my X240 lags a little when I have Firefox, RUclips and Discord open (yea, pretty casual desktop stuff for me) but at least I can replace its battery. That'd be a real downer for me, the lack of a built in network socket is something I could deal with since I believe you told me under another video to a previous model that classic style UltraDocks indeed exist for the X270 and X280 which obviously too feature gigabit ethernet.
I think total downgrade risks being a bit subjective from what you might be coming from and your needs as a user. Granted it doesn't have some of the same features previous generations have, I have a video potentially in the works on that.
The era of super thin laptop affected the best business laptop before.. since 2019 I stop buying newer thinkpad and I think I might be stuck on my x220.
I have owned an X270 from new and it is a great PC. Far better (IMHO) than the X280. For example, I can upgrade the RAM in the X270 as it is slotted (only one though). I would like to upgrade the panel on my X270 but replacement LCDs seem unavailable in the UK at present.
@@LaptopRetrospective Yes, they do. My X270 is an i5 model but I have upgraded the RAM to 16GB and also installed a Samsung 980 PRO SSD. It is a quick wee machine (not my daily driver) although having the FHD screen would be the icing on the cake. Should have added, my daily driver is an i7 E490 at present.
For someone who can’t afford an x1 nano, would this be a decent compromise? I need to upgrade my x200, and the tiny form factor is desirable for getting work done on my commute 1 hour each way, bus or train. Also, when it’s sunny out and I am on the train i can’t see my code when I use my macbook which is why I still use the x200. I use only Unix, no Windows for me.
I got a new x280, even though it has an i5-7300u it was only $86 for the laptop and $28 for a 512gb western digital sn730 m.2. Super snappy, pretty decent battery life, and a very nice build. Although i only realized after buying it that the ram is soldered, and it only came with 8gb. I think it's better to buy an x270 still because its more upgradeable
I still use mine almost daily! Installed Ubuntu Budgie 22.04.1 on it and it works great. I have the i7 version with 16gb ram 256gb and touchscreen. It also updated to Windows 11! The battery is the weak point. I should get a new battery though.
Ha minor update but man I'm enjoying this laptop. It's one of the smallest modern machines you can get and it's fast and light with nice battery life. I'm positive this puppy has atleast another 6 years out of it. It's so rugged yet premium feeling I love it. Like one of the carbons but smaller.
@@sohanahmed6286 on Linux with some tweaks easy 8-14 hours depending on use case. Could probably increase that if you use Windows or something like that.
@@sohanahmed6286 with brightness at 50 percent and using it for web browsing and videos I get around 5-7 hours. 2-3 while playing light games. Isnt great but its really small with a smaller battery so its acceptable.
thanks for the review. I just bought an X280, just thought i'd dump my some of my main thoughts here, incase you were thinking to get one as well: - Get the version with the 8th gen chip, these are supported by windows 11, so they have a little more longevity. They are also quad core compared to the 7th gen's dual core. - no battery bridge system, but can charge via a powerbank - user-replaceable components are - non-removable battery, NVMe drive
A question that might give you some new ideas: What's the best used Yoga ThinkPad to buy today? The thing is, since we're buying a Yoga ThinkPad, we should be prepared for: no classic keyboard, limited upgradability and a tiny pen What then, can we demand in choosing them? Good screen color performance for drawing? Good or adequate CPU/Graphics performance for Photoshop and such? Mobile network capabilities? Lift-and-lock or not?
just got mine for 190 ish dollar with a broken speaker that i fixed right away and now the laptop is solid and reliable. but is there a way to fix a usb port? mine just stop working.
Soldered RAM just completely kills this thing for me. I could get an 8th gen i7 with the touchscreen 1080p screen right now for 350 CAD.....buuuut 8GB RAM. Moving on. I can't describe how much I loathe soldered RAM.
Hey, i am thinking about getting a x280 with an i5 gen 8 paired with 8gb ram and 512gb ssd, is this laptop good for coding, is it very loud? And waht about the keyboard is it good?
ThinkPads are known for their keyboards, no worries there. It doesn't really make any noise unless you put it under heavy load. As for the specs vs "coding" that will vary on the task but I suspect unless it is very processor intensive, it will serve you well.
Great video once again. I am a big fan of Thinkpads just for changing or updating parts. I migrated to linux from Windows and never looked back. Thinkpads run awesome with variety of linux distros, and I feel more secure. Do you know of a good source for refurbished Thinkpads or business laptops coming off lease in Canada? Thanks, Dean.
Do you find the display to be 'colourful'? I've read 2 reviews and they both contradict each other with one saying it's dull colour wise and the other says it's colourful.
It could have been the display type or a differing of opinion. What somebody means when they say that is going to be subjective. Some people have access to a colorimeter and can measure it.
@@LaptopRetrospective it was the FHD IPS touchscreen version for both reviews - just wanted to know your thoughts before I pull the trigger having just had a TN panel, anything IPS should be much more colourful I'm thinking.
The X230 is still a very loved machine and very usable. Windows 11 native support isn't possible due to the TPM module but I still use an X220 around the home.
I've heard conflicting reports in battery life for these machines. It really depends on how much you have these machines doing. They aren't as power efficient as newer models, so all day battery isn't something I personally expect with how I run my X220.
@@LaptopRetrospective and im sorry if i ask too much question My X230 can sometimes display battery error message (like the machine reject the battery) but im already bypass them iirc Does it means my bypassing fails in general? And should i do another bypass method to pass the battery whitelist?
No worries. I've never had to deal with the battery bypass issue. I know some older third party batteries have that issue but I've also seen third party batteries work without any modding.
@@LaptopRetrospective awesome if so! My one in particular has the best keyboard of any chicklet ThinkPad I've typed on, the rubber domes are stiffer and more tactile than usual, beats the pants off of my OG Yoga
There is a deal in my area for a used one in pretty much mint condition for 340 EUR: i5-8350, FHD, 16gb, 512gb, backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader and facial recognition camera. I have a 2nd ssd that I could put into WWAN Slot for dual-boot with Zorin OS (I love that Linux distro) and a 512gb micro SD for additional storage. I already own x250 (typing on it) and x270. Both great machines bought on the cheap for 200EUR and 300EUR, respectively. Does it make sense to add x280 to my collection or better wait few years and snatch perhaps x13 gen 2 when corporations and various business start off-loading them into the secondary market?
The X280 is the last of an era. After it you have the X390 and then the X13. If there are any features you love on the X250 and X270 you want to keep using for a while, it would make sense to pick it up.
@@LaptopRetrospective I used to own T480s which I gave to my sister after she had a screen failure in her MacBook pro. She's way happier using thinkpad. I love those machines as they run almost seamlessly on Linux distros which is way snappier than windows. Since I do home office on the road now I picked up X270 mainly due to its versatility; usbc for both charging and data transfer, small footprint, nice fingerprint reader, upgradeability, dual boot. Great laptop. X250 I keep as a back up yet I amazed how great it runs on Linux despite being an 8 year old model. Well, x390 would be my choice as it's basically x280 but with 13.3 screen, however, WWAN slot is unusable for a 2nd nvme drive so not interested. X13 Gen 1 is basically x390 but can dual boot. Gen 2 looks very premium but don't know how I'd feel about reduced keyboard travel time. For sure 16x10 screen to have is great. I'll sleep on x280. I'm really tempted to snatch it.
I think I'm gonna skip on it. It doesn't make much sense upgrading from 2 core to 4 core cpu when I know that with ryzen 7 in x13 gen 1 I can get 8 cores and with gen 3 intel offers already 10 cores. In the next 3 to 4 years there'll be a lot of gen 2 and gen 3 landing on the secondary market. In the meantime x250 and x270 meet my needs perfectly. Besides, I have already spent some cash upgrading them up and want to enjoy fully utilizing them. They are both great Linux machines. After I've discovered Zorin OS I've totally forgotten about Windows. Btw, my work laptop is dell 5320 (yoga style) and I have to say it's i5-1145g cpu is nothing special. The laptop suffers from poor cooling - either is it is dell's design fault or cpu sucks or it's my company's bloatware or all above.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you for the reply, I bought a x280 (16gb ram) for 200 euros, it seems that it's in mint condition, battery has 12 cycles on it, but the fan is very noisy to the point I feel it might be the reason it was sold for that amount, I'm gonna try and get a new fan from ebay or smt. Thanks again, T
Was just about to grab a Chromebook on sale but this looks perfect. Refurrbs are < $200 right now which makes these perfect as a slightly disposable laptop. Rapid charge sounds awesome for my use case. Just want something to bring around with me alongside my corporate laptop for my side hustles when traveling and visiting family/friends.
@@LaptopRetrospective even better. Found a Dell 5290 for $170 with the same specs with the keyboard cover. Essentially a Surface. Incredible how cheap business tech gets after a couple of years.
I'm actually selling my 11th generation i7 laptop to move to a x280 purely because it has USB-C charging, Thunderbolt, and more IO (well, that and the cheap price for performance). I picked up a i7 8650u/16GB/512GB NVMe model for $180 and for a college student like me, being able to recharge from a power bank between classes is very convenient. Plus, the i7 8650u is no slouch and I think it will serve my use case perfectly. I've heard great things about the keyboard and trackpoint, and from my previous experience with a T440p, I think the x280 will be incredible. Good to see Lenovo has moved away from the flat trackpad with no physical left/right/scroll buttons - I had to replace the stock T440p trackpad because it was so horrible to use.
@@LaptopRetrospective I have a Galaxy Book Flex2 Alpha with an i7 1165g7, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD I'm moving away from. It's a good laptop, but even though it has USB-C, for whatever reason Samsung didn't implement USB-C charging. I'm also not a huge fan of the trackpad on it in comparison with other laptops.
I've been using my X280 for a few days and I am so happy with it. I bought it on eBay and was totally unaware I'd be getting one of the max specced versions (backlit keyboard, fingerprint sensor, infrared camera, 1080p touchscreen IPS). I installed Fedora 38 on it and the battery life is better than the 11th Gen Galaxy Book I used before which was super surprising. I can't say enough about the quality of the screen. It gets very bright and colors pop. The 12.5" screen combined with 1080p is a perfect match. I'm getting used to the TrackPoint but might swap the trackpad with an X1G6 glass one - looks like it is compatible with the X280 and would be a nice modification. Best of all, I only paid $200 for it!!!
I feel like the form factor is almost identical to the newer X1 Nano. I originally bought an X1 Nano and had to send it back due to horrid coil whine issues, which led me to buy the Galaxy Book in the first place.
They absolutely neutered the port selection compared to the X270. I was thinking of getting a X280 for lugging around as a travel machine asking with my cameras but this means I'll have to go X270.
Maybe he means that the battery live is slowly decrease over time we use it. It could be decrease by using laptop and charging it at the the same time. I have seen this before, from someone laptop. Their battery jump from 100% into 20% in 2-3 hours Sorry for my bad English :-(
@@LaptopRetrospective 8th gen are supported with windows 11 right? Also thanks I'm planning to get this laptop with 8gb ram and 256ssd if anything doesn't go wrong it will be mine 🤞🏿😁
guys.. may i know if you can setting the battery to stop charge at 75%-95%? i plan to use as desktop replacement, hook up external monitor and other acc.. so i keep plug in the power adaptor.. my xps got the battery swollen..
@@LaptopRetrospective hii.. i bring to office, plug it 8am to 4pm then bring home.. at home some time i use it at weekend.. also plug the adaptor.. 😅😅😅
I picked mine up about a year ago for ~£180 (300 CAD), it’s a pretty decked out one with 1080p, 16GB RAM and an i7. Someone had pilfered the NVME SSD and fitted a 256gb m.2 but this was easy and cheap to swap for a 512GB NVME again and it’s really been a wonderful laptop long term, still super snappy
Daily work with teleconferencing and lots of tabs that seem to slow a dual core to a crawl, very occasional bit of software development, great battery life and it’s super snappy!
I've kept all the X260 and X270 units I could get my hands on alive, well and in heavily used circulation. It works just fine for many folks and I've successfully placed them in offices, with medical professionals or in the university settings. People are very happy with them as soon as they manage to detach themselves from trends and peer pressure. Not a single unit has created lost user data due to "optimal security settings" by itself, unlike what the current Apple or Microsoft fare is so apt to do these days.
It's a shame that Windows 11 will, inevitably, change this.
You can secure these machines to your own liking. You can replace the parts to snugly fit your, at times evolving, needs. With the X280, Lenovo has abandoned this path. Sad!
Run Linux on them, problem solved
Linux is a great solution if it meets your needs.
I just boughy this machine today to replace my old X220. With SKU number 20KES9B706, with specs : I7-8650U, Ram 8/128gb Nvme. With HD screen (i would like to have 1080p but, this is what my budget have), no fingerprint, no backlit keebs. Still on Windows 10, its okay coz i still prefer win10. Only $247 USD
Not bad, hope it works hard for you!
It's a good screen the 720 version?
I'd try my best to get a 1080 screen.
@@LaptopRetrospective thanks
Just bought one of the i5 8th gen models from a pawnshop for $250 out the door. I upgraded the panel to 1080p and added a second nvme drive and put linux on it absolutely love this thing. Its my first Thinkpad and I am now will continue to buy Thinkpads
Nice find and great upgrading.
@mjmolby still rocking it?
@@ShadmanAhmmed yes I am, still a great little machine
was the upgrading process difficult?
@@mjmolby hey I got it just a week ago and I’m loving it!
i wanted to get a t480 for the greater port selection and socketed ram, but i managed to snag a x280 for $200 from an office sale. with 16g ram, 256g nvme, and a quad core i don’t think its a bad value. especially as a barebones t480 seems to go for the same price and i would still have to go buy all the missing parts.
my dear old dad has used some variation of a t-series thinkpad before i was old enough to walk, which he presumably got from his office job. after he retired and moved houses, some shitty neighbor broke the hinge on his last one and ever since then he’s been using a terrible lenovo ideapad. in recent years the 8 gb of ram has been becoming a bottleneck for browsing/teleconferencing, not to mention the hdd/fx cpu. i imagine this thinkpad upgrade will be more than powerful enough even without the upgradability, not to mention a nice surprise.
The used market is a fun place to buy because of the deals you don't expect!
Even linux users should consider that there is a huge performance boost when upgrading from 7th gen to 8th gen cpus, since even the fastest i7U 7th gen cpu only features two cores. My daily driver is a T570 with a 7th gen i7 and sadly, the cpu is bottlenecking in several scenarios. For example, Zoom conferences with a dual display set up, an external camera as a webcam and some light programs opened result in 70 to 80% cpu usage. Even an 8th i5U cpu would be have less problems in such a scenario.
Yeah, CPU architecture is more than just speed, it's about what we use our machines for and how the computer handles them.
For some reason zoom was a big cpu eater on linux in my experience. I didnt get this issue when I booted into windoows
I think you could have taken out the keyboard, to show off that this model does have an easily user replaceable keyboard, unlike the X240/X250/X260/X270 models.
Yes, you're absolutely right, I somehow forgot. 😮💨 This video from Lenovo covers it in detail for those that want to know.
ruclips.net/video/fG72Zika7EQ/видео.html
imho for the price and the model year, get the T480s. It's only slightly bigger than the X280 but has better build quality, 1 soldered RAM (8GB or 16GB) + 1 free DIMM slot up to 64GB extra. Also has a full speed PCIe 3.0 x4 M.2 drive, a removable/upgradable wifi card, 5G capable with the right card, and you can fit QHD or UHD panels into them for an amazing display
The X280 pales in comparison
once again nice video thanks for uploading it. I think it would be really worthwhile to have a section comparing it to some similar laptops of its generation in your conclusion.
Yes, the T480s is a nicer model in many areas. Depending on size and regional availability, that can be limiting. I found the s variant to be less common around here. Thanks for the feedback as well, I'll keep it in mind.
What about screen quality? I am considering a t480s vs a touch x280 (300 not screen). the t480s has 250 nit screen? Coming from an older macbook (incredible screen, even by todays standards) the low brightness of the t480s scares me…is it bad?
They keep removing all the Thinkpad features. And now that's just another one laptop.
I understand that this is an ultra portable machine but still. All soldered, no updrades except SSD, shitty bottom speakers and for some reason exhaust on the right side (for what?)
Also as I see even top spec touch display is pretty bad at color accuracy and viewing angles. Honestly I'm disappointed.
What other options might be, dell XPS series, or just go and get the cheapest Macbook air? They also have no upgradability but at least great screens and sound.
The X280 occupies some middle space that makes it not a good fit for everyone. Thankfully the variety of models helps combat the problem.
After looking at the X390 I was worried this model would seem a bit "weird" being an ultrabook with that modern post powerbridge thinkpad design we saw with the T460s. But I have to say it looks great! Footprint looks delightfully small too. They don't make some of these units like they used to.
True, it is an interesting machine that laid the groundwork for the X13 series.
Looks slick, and it's a great price! But I'm still happy with my X240 :-)
When I got it slightly over two years ago, I splurged on the 6-cell battery (it came with the three-cell) when Lenovo had a sale, and later I got a bigger SSD (Crucial 500GB). Including the cost of the secondhand X240, I think I've spent about $400.
Thanks again for all the great advice you gave me! It's a rock-solid laptop that still meets my needs nicely.
The X240 might not have the best trackpad out of the box but that is easily fixed. Still love that PowerBridge system.
@@LaptopRetrospective I was too lazy to fix that, but did end up getting a mouse to use at home :-)
So unless one doesn't already have a X series ThinkPad, the X280 is with exception for Windows 11 support and the lightweight design, a total downgrade.
Got to say, my X240 lags a little when I have Firefox, RUclips and Discord open (yea, pretty casual desktop stuff for me) but at least I can replace its battery.
That'd be a real downer for me, the lack of a built in network socket is something I could deal with since I believe you told me under another video to a previous model that classic style UltraDocks indeed exist for the X270 and X280 which obviously too feature gigabit ethernet.
I think total downgrade risks being a bit subjective from what you might be coming from and your needs as a user. Granted it doesn't have some of the same features previous generations have, I have a video potentially in the works on that.
is this good for programming? From a beginner looking for a budget friendly reliable laptop in 2023. Thanks
It will be budget friendly, depending on your needs it should be able to handle some programming tasks. Check your system requirements.
i bought one for 147 eur but it's only the tn panel version
TN isn't amazing but better than what they used to be.
I'm considering getting one of these as like a daily backpack laptop. I won't be running windows though. It's basically spyware at this point.
Hope you find a good deal. 👍
Too thin! No ehternet port is terrible. Love your thinkpad reviews!!!
Thanks for watching. I know many people that not having that ethernet port is a deal breaker.
The era of super thin laptop affected the best business laptop before.. since 2019 I stop buying newer thinkpad and I think I might be stuck on my x220.
To each their own. I love my X220 and X1 Nano for different reasons. 👍
Hello. Is FHD really that crucial on a 12.5" screen?
You'll notice it, especially if you do any work that requires colour accuracy.
is this going to be your daily driver? i really like my T460s i7 but I could be talked into a x280 if you're giving one away.
Haha, my daily driver remains the X1 Nano.
@@LaptopRetrospective I need a docking station and at least two monitors
I think nearly all ThinkPads have these two boxes ticked. 😁
Is it good for penetration testing? Cybersecurity courses etc?
I have owned an X270 from new and it is a great PC. Far better (IMHO) than the X280. For example, I can upgrade the RAM in the X270 as it is slotted (only one though). I would like to upgrade the panel on my X270 but replacement LCDs seem unavailable in the UK at present.
Yeah the X270 is very nice indeed. They still have PowerBridge on those as well right?
@@LaptopRetrospective Yes, they do. My X270 is an i5 model but I have upgraded the RAM to 16GB and also installed a Samsung 980 PRO SSD. It is a quick wee machine (not my daily driver) although having the FHD screen would be the icing on the cake. Should have added, my daily driver is an i7 E490 at present.
look on aliexpress you can upgrade the panel to anything you like as long as the dimensions are right and it's eDP (as 99% of modern panels are)
For someone who can’t afford an x1 nano, would this be a decent compromise? I need to upgrade my x200, and the tiny form factor is desirable for getting work done on my commute 1 hour each way, bus or train. Also, when it’s sunny out and I am on the train i can’t see my code when I use my macbook which is why I still use the x200. I use only Unix, no Windows for me.
This would be a pretty big upgrade from an X200, no question.
I got a new x280, even though it has an i5-7300u it was only $86 for the laptop and $28 for a 512gb western digital sn730 m.2. Super snappy, pretty decent battery life, and a very nice build. Although i only realized after buying it that the ram is soldered, and it only came with 8gb. I think it's better to buy an x270 still because its more upgradeable
It will always depend on the needs of the end user.
I still use mine almost daily! Installed Ubuntu Budgie 22.04.1 on it and it works great. I have the i7 version with 16gb ram 256gb and touchscreen. It also updated to Windows 11! The battery is the weak point. I should get a new battery though.
That's a nice piece of gear!
how long does the battery last for you? Im looking to get 3-5 hours on avg, hoping thats the case at least.
If the batteries aren't worn down, should be fine.
Ha minor update but man I'm enjoying this laptop. It's one of the smallest modern machines you can get and it's fast and light with nice battery life. I'm positive this puppy has atleast another 6 years out of it. It's so rugged yet premium feeling I love it. Like one of the carbons but smaller.
Excellent, glad it is working well for you.
How much battery time u get now?
@@sohanahmed6286 on Linux with some tweaks easy 8-14 hours depending on use case. Could probably increase that if you use Windows or something like that.
@@sohanahmed6286 with brightness at 50 percent and using it for web browsing and videos I get around 5-7 hours. 2-3 while playing light games. Isnt great but its really small with a smaller battery so its acceptable.
I just bought a refurbished one to use it for some Linux shenanigans. I'm curious how it will turn out 🤔
I suspect you'll enjoy it. 😎
Great and informative video! Can you explain the difference between 20KE and 20KF ? TIA !
Base configurations mainly and production dates. For further details check the PSREF and Hardware Maintenance Manual.
thanks for the review. I just bought an X280, just thought i'd dump my some of my main thoughts here, incase you were thinking to get one as well:
- Get the version with the 8th gen chip, these are supported by windows 11, so they have a little more longevity. They are also quad core compared to the 7th gen's dual core.
- no battery bridge system, but can charge via a powerbank
- user-replaceable components are - non-removable battery, NVMe drive
Yes, getting the 8th Gen is a must.
I can't decide between the x270 and the x280...its helll on earth
You want Windows 11 support with no fuss? X280.
@@LaptopRetrospective I want archLinux support xD
@asdfgenrespasstasdf Probably fine with either but the X280 will have the better CPU regardless.
A question that might give you some new ideas:
What's the best used Yoga ThinkPad to buy today?
The thing is, since we're buying a Yoga ThinkPad, we should be prepared for: no classic keyboard, limited upgradability and a tiny pen
What then, can we demand in choosing them? Good screen color performance for drawing? Good or adequate CPU/Graphics performance for Photoshop and such? Mobile network capabilities? Lift-and-lock or not?
I don't have as much experience with the Yoga line. The form factor and durability are two of their top traits. They can take a real beating.
Which is better this or the t480?
I think many people would prefer the T480. Better port selection, slightly better upgradability, bigger battery/PowerBridge, etc.
@@LaptopRetrospective also, possibility to do a 7-row keyboard mod :)) from the T25
just got mine for 190 ish dollar with a broken speaker that i fixed right away and now the laptop is solid and reliable.
but is there a way to fix a usb port? mine just stop working.
Since USB ports are soldered to the main board generally, you'll need to find an identical part and do some soldering.
@@LaptopRetrospective thanks for the advice
Soldered RAM just completely kills this thing for me. I could get an 8th gen i7 with the touchscreen 1080p screen right now for 350 CAD.....buuuut 8GB RAM. Moving on. I can't describe how much I loathe soldered RAM.
An i7 with only 8GB of RAM seems short anyway. 😂
@@LaptopRetrospective For sure. With my workload it's basically a non-starter.
I hear you on that.
Hey, i am thinking about getting a x280 with an i5 gen 8 paired with 8gb ram and 512gb ssd, is this laptop good for coding, is it very loud? And waht about the keyboard is it good?
ThinkPads are known for their keyboards, no worries there. It doesn't really make any noise unless you put it under heavy load. As for the specs vs "coding" that will vary on the task but I suspect unless it is very processor intensive, it will serve you well.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you very much!
@thetechguy1847 no problem.
Now this laptop's price dropped down to x230's prices in like 2021
The beauty of the used market.
How's the keyboard on this compared to x1c6 mate
Comparable, it is a ThinkPad keyboard after all.
Great video once again. I am a big fan of Thinkpads just for changing or updating parts. I migrated to linux from Windows and never looked back. Thinkpads run awesome with variety of linux distros, and I feel more secure. Do you know of a good source
for refurbished Thinkpads or business laptops coming off lease in Canada?
Thanks, Dean.
I know of a few places that have them from time to time. What part of Canada are you located?
Thanks, just bought one, can't wait to get it. Trying to find a way to swap the touchpad to a glass one.
Let us know how it goes.
Do you find the display to be 'colourful'? I've read 2 reviews and they both contradict each other with one saying it's dull colour wise and the other says it's colourful.
It could have been the display type or a differing of opinion. What somebody means when they say that is going to be subjective. Some people have access to a colorimeter and can measure it.
@@LaptopRetrospective it was the FHD IPS touchscreen version for both reviews - just wanted to know your thoughts before I pull the trigger having just had a TN panel, anything IPS should be much more colourful I'm thinking.
Yes, IPS will give more vibrant colours vs a TN panel.
Can you make some "refreshment" about X230 in 2022
I want to see if people still use it in these days, remembering it is a 10years machine too
The X230 is still a very loved machine and very usable. Windows 11 native support isn't possible due to the TPM module but I still use an X220 around the home.
@@LaptopRetrospective
What about battery life? Is it still considerably "fair" or "worse" in normal use case (i.e typing, browsing, and some VM's)?
I've heard conflicting reports in battery life for these machines. It really depends on how much you have these machines doing. They aren't as power efficient as newer models, so all day battery isn't something I personally expect with how I run my X220.
@@LaptopRetrospective and im sorry if i ask too much question
My X230 can sometimes display battery error message (like the machine reject the battery) but im already bypass them iirc
Does it means my bypassing fails in general? And should i do another bypass method to pass the battery whitelist?
No worries. I've never had to deal with the battery bypass issue. I know some older third party batteries have that issue but I've also seen third party batteries work without any modding.
the XX80 line is golden, first ultrabook quad cores while being cheap. The X380 Yoga is such a versatile good machine for cheap!
Perhaps one day I'll see one on my teardown bench.
@@LaptopRetrospective awesome if so! My one in particular has the best keyboard of any chicklet ThinkPad I've typed on, the rubber domes are stiffer and more tactile than usual, beats the pants off of my OG Yoga
@@robinrai4973 I've been trying to replace mine and no other keyboard comes close.. maybe I should just buy another
One of the challenges is all the different companies that actually manufacture the keyboard and the slight differences that exist.
@@LaptopRetrospective Yep, learnt it the hard way with my old Yoga, replaced the UK keyboard with a US one and it was far mushier
There is a deal in my area for a used one in pretty much mint condition for 340 EUR: i5-8350, FHD, 16gb, 512gb, backlit keyboard, fingerprint reader and facial recognition camera. I have a 2nd ssd that I could put into WWAN Slot for dual-boot with Zorin OS (I love that Linux distro) and a 512gb micro SD for additional storage. I already own x250 (typing on it) and x270. Both great machines bought on the cheap for 200EUR and 300EUR, respectively. Does it make sense to add x280 to my collection or better wait few years and snatch perhaps x13 gen 2 when corporations and various business start off-loading them into the secondary market?
The X280 is the last of an era. After it you have the X390 and then the X13. If there are any features you love on the X250 and X270 you want to keep using for a while, it would make sense to pick it up.
@@LaptopRetrospective I used to own T480s which I gave to my sister after she had a screen failure in her MacBook pro. She's way happier using thinkpad. I love those machines as they run almost seamlessly on Linux distros which is way snappier than windows. Since I do home office on the road now I picked up X270 mainly due to its versatility; usbc for both charging and data transfer, small footprint, nice fingerprint reader, upgradeability, dual boot. Great laptop. X250 I keep as a back up yet I amazed how great it runs on Linux despite being an 8 year old model. Well, x390 would be my choice as it's basically x280 but with 13.3 screen, however, WWAN slot is unusable for a 2nd nvme drive so not interested. X13 Gen 1 is basically x390 but can dual boot. Gen 2 looks very premium but don't know how I'd feel about reduced keyboard travel time. For sure 16x10 screen to have is great. I'll sleep on x280. I'm really tempted to snatch it.
Let us know what you decide. 👍
I think I'm gonna skip on it. It doesn't make much sense upgrading from 2 core to 4 core cpu when I know that with ryzen 7 in x13 gen 1 I can get 8 cores and with gen 3 intel offers already 10 cores. In the next 3 to 4 years there'll be a lot of gen 2 and gen 3 landing on the secondary market. In the meantime x250 and x270 meet my needs perfectly. Besides, I have already spent some cash upgrading them up and want to enjoy fully utilizing them. They are both great Linux machines. After I've discovered Zorin OS I've totally forgotten about Windows. Btw, my work laptop is dell 5320 (yoga style) and I have to say it's i5-1145g cpu is nothing special. The laptop suffers from poor cooling - either is it is dell's design fault or cpu sucks or it's my company's bloatware or all above.
Makes sense!
Hi there, how's the fan noise on the x280 with high usage, is it high pitched? Kind regards T
Pitch is tricky because some people hear frequencies others don't. I didn't notice anything unpleasant.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you for the reply, I bought a x280 (16gb ram) for 200 euros, it seems that it's in mint condition, battery has 12 cycles on it, but the fan is very noisy to the point I feel it might be the reason it was sold for that amount, I'm gonna try and get a new fan from ebay or smt. Thanks again, T
Is this under idle or light operation? Is it doing any system updates at the time?
Found one of these for approx 350CAD
Cool, what specs?
Was just about to grab a Chromebook on sale but this looks perfect. Refurrbs are < $200 right now which makes these perfect as a slightly disposable laptop. Rapid charge sounds awesome for my use case.
Just want something to bring around with me alongside my corporate laptop for my side hustles when traveling and visiting family/friends.
I'd take a refurbished ThinkPad over a Chromebook in nearly every situation.
@@LaptopRetrospective even better. Found a Dell 5290 for $170 with the same specs with the keyboard cover. Essentially a Surface. Incredible how cheap business tech gets after a couple of years.
Yes it is!
I'm actually selling my 11th generation i7 laptop to move to a x280 purely because it has USB-C charging, Thunderbolt, and more IO (well, that and the cheap price for performance). I picked up a i7 8650u/16GB/512GB NVMe model for $180 and for a college student like me, being able to recharge from a power bank between classes is very convenient. Plus, the i7 8650u is no slouch and I think it will serve my use case perfectly. I've heard great things about the keyboard and trackpoint, and from my previous experience with a T440p, I think the x280 will be incredible. Good to see Lenovo has moved away from the flat trackpad with no physical left/right/scroll buttons - I had to replace the stock T440p trackpad because it was so horrible to use.
You have me curious, what are you selling to move to this?
@@LaptopRetrospective I have a Galaxy Book Flex2 Alpha with an i7 1165g7, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD I'm moving away from. It's a good laptop, but even though it has USB-C, for whatever reason Samsung didn't implement USB-C charging. I'm also not a huge fan of the trackpad on it in comparison with other laptops.
@csbrink Sound reasons to change in my books.
I've been using my X280 for a few days and I am so happy with it. I bought it on eBay and was totally unaware I'd be getting one of the max specced versions (backlit keyboard, fingerprint sensor, infrared camera, 1080p touchscreen IPS). I installed Fedora 38 on it and the battery life is better than the 11th Gen Galaxy Book I used before which was super surprising. I can't say enough about the quality of the screen. It gets very bright and colors pop. The 12.5" screen combined with 1080p is a perfect match. I'm getting used to the TrackPoint but might swap the trackpad with an X1G6 glass one - looks like it is compatible with the X280 and would be a nice modification. Best of all, I only paid $200 for it!!!
I feel like the form factor is almost identical to the newer X1 Nano. I originally bought an X1 Nano and had to send it back due to horrid coil whine issues, which led me to buy the Galaxy Book in the first place.
They absolutely neutered the port selection compared to the X270. I was thinking of getting a X280 for lugging around as a travel machine asking with my cameras but this means I'll have to go X270.
Choosing gear is a more personal experience than it used to be. I hear what you're saying that some ports are essential for certain work.
Thank you very much for this channel and your videos.
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment! Glad to be of service.
I want to buy one but i am scared about the battery life…
What are you scared about?
Maybe he means that the battery live is slowly decrease over time we use it. It could be decrease by using laptop and charging it at the the same time. I have seen this before, from someone laptop. Their battery jump from 100% into 20% in 2-3 hours
Sorry for my bad English :-(
How do I enter the BIOS? Thank you 280x
I believe you just hit enter when prompted to interrupt regular start up. Nothing fancy.
What should i choose between this and a t470?
Take the 8th Gen Intel machine. No question.
@@LaptopRetrospective 8th gen are supported with windows 11 right? Also thanks I'm planning to get this laptop with 8gb ram and 256ssd if anything doesn't go wrong it will be mine 🤞🏿😁
Correct, you have that TPM 2.0 chip Windows 11 needs and quad core CPUs. Massive upgrade.
@@LaptopRetrospective thanks
You're welcome!
So the ram is soldered on?
Correct.
Ssd type gen 3 or gen 4 ?
Details should be in the PSREF in the description.
Very good review .
Thanks!
guys.. may i know if you can setting the battery to stop charge at 75%-95%? i plan to use as desktop replacement, hook up external monitor and other acc.. so i keep plug in the power adaptor.. my xps got the battery swollen..
If it's living on a desk, why not get a desktop unit?
@@LaptopRetrospective hii.. i bring to office, plug it 8am to 4pm then bring home.. at home some time i use it at weekend.. also plug the adaptor.. 😅😅😅
You need a ThinkStation Nano or something. 😂
@@LaptopRetrospective hahahha.. i work only office works.. nothing special.. but when urgent need open data right away.. hehehhehe
i heard lenovo vantage can do this but not sure if it works on older model.. or people said x270 better as it have removable battey
Thanks
You're welcome. 👍 Hope it was useful.
wowowowowowow
I picked mine up about a year ago for ~£180 (300 CAD), it’s a pretty decked out one with 1080p, 16GB RAM and an i7. Someone had pilfered the NVME SSD and fitted a 256gb m.2 but this was easy and cheap to swap for a 512GB NVME again and it’s really been a wonderful laptop long term, still super snappy
Excellent! What do you use it for?
Daily work with teleconferencing and lots of tabs that seem to slow a dual core to a crawl, very occasional bit of software development, great battery life and it’s super snappy!
Awesome!
2nd like and 2nd comment
No less important, spread the word!
@@LaptopRetrospective yeah!
Will skip this. Don't like dongles.
Your call. There's a ThinkPad out there for everyone.
I am thinking to upgrade my ram from 8gb to 16gb can i do it ?
Yes.