ThinkPads 2025

Metadata

This is the markdown transcript for a presentation held on November 20th. You can find the writeup in PDF format here.

Video Recording

About Me

• Ethan Wong
• Contact: ewong@anl.gov
• Post Baccalaureate Appointee
  • High-performance computing
  • Distributed systems¹
  • Systems performance
  • Concurrency and parallelism
• Personal Interests
  • NixOS user
  • FOSS contributor
  • Homelabber
  • VR enthusiast
  • Rhythm game enjoyer
• Ex-LUG president

ThinkPads?

What?

So. I have a bit of a problem...

I own too many ThinkPads.

What are ThinkPads?

Definition

ThinkPads are a line of business laptops manufactured by Lenovo². They have been in production since 1992!

Why?

Why? Why are these laptops so special?

• They’re ubiquitous!
  • Businesses buy these in droves
  • Built to be reliable and repairable for its lifespan
  • Businesses offload these in droves :3
    • Cheap!!!!
    • and easy to find good condition liquidations...
• Linux support is first-class
• They’re durable!

Repairability

ThinkPads, particularly older generations, are extremely repairable.

• Socketed CPUs
• Socketed RAM
• Replaceable SSDs/CD drives/HDDs
• Replaceable WiFi cards
• Hot-swap keyboard
  • screen
  • trackpad
• Detachable battery!

Quality of Life

In addition...

• Good port selection!
  • USB-A
  • DisplayPort/HDMI
  • SD Card
  • Ethernet
  • VGA
  • Serial
• IMO the best keyboard in any laptop
• TrackPoint

History by Example

Pre-Lenovo

Up until 2005, IBM manufactured ThinkPads as part of their PC hardware division.

Then, IBM sold their PC hardware division to Lenovo, who has been producing ThinkPads since.

New(-er) Generations

Showcase!

Hardware Modding

Modding

• Older models can flash a custom BIOS³
• 1080p screen mod
• Keyboard swaps
• Trackpad swaps
• Custom motherboards (and even entire machines!)
  • Chinese modders (51nb) have developed custom motherboards with new Intel CPUs for old-generation ThinkPads

Procurement

https://www.ebay.com

Closing Remarks

Thank you!

I’ll stick around to chat afterwards...

Officers

The information in this presentation will be made available on the LUG website!
https://lug.cs.uic.edu

Join the LUG Discord!

November 20, 2025