I’m currently using T480. Thinking of upgrading to a second hand new-ish model.

Initially I was interested in ThinkPad L14 gen 2 or gen 3, but I’ve read that the wifi card is not upgradeable. I also read that newer models block installing SSD into the WWAN slot. I prefer having separate SSD for installing secondary OS.

Any recommendations of newer models with dual SODIMM slots, upgradeable wifi card, ability to add SSD to WWAN slot?

Thank you.

  • Nuuskis@sopuli.xyz
    3·
    1 year ago

    The T480 is literally the last good Thinkpad anybody should even consider of buying. I could write a full essay rant all the tiniest details which has been changed since 2018 but nobody would care. They even expanded the size of the bios chip from 3rd gen 8 mbit into 256 mbit in 8th series. What for? Only “modern graphical UI” was added. In 2020 lineup they worsened many bios features on purpose.

    After your T480 is dead, look for other brands. System76 is currently developing a Colorado-manufactured & designed Virgo laptop with hot swappable mechanical keys and a trackpoint. It will also have a Coreboot bios and their current lineup has these features in open source bios: https://github.com/system76/firmware-open/blob/77abfadf24c9a0c45ae042cd71d3ce7be26c846e/FEATURES.md

    I’d like to hear any other brand in the world offering the same, lol.

    • narwhalOP
      1·
      1 year ago

      I’d have to agree. I haven’t really found another laptop quite like the T480. I might just look for a secondhand i7 nvidia version for the minor upgrade haha.

      I’m actually very interested in Framework laptop. Sadly I’m pretty sure that it’s not going to be available here for quite some time.