Some ideas about getting an used (budget) laptop for doing actual work on the way: 1. First choice is X250 or T450: I skipped T460 and T470, because you can get an T480 used for almost the same price but the performance jump is tramendous. For x250, I would go for an IPS 1366x768 screen, which is enough for mobile text work, at least an i5 and 16G RAM. Then go for an SSD and LTE card if you needed. For batteries, 24Wh + 72Wh will last 10h easily. 2. Second choice: Fujitsu E746: Fujitsu E series is known for its modual design. You can upgrade it to 32GB RAM etc.. You can also get an upgrade to 1080P display with 72% sRGB, which is awesome. There is an 77Wh battery and 28Wh ultrabay battery, but both will set at around 250€ together. You can also install an additional HDD in the ultrabay. 3. Third choice: Dell Latitude E7250: Great machine, very slim, but still has enough ports: 2 USB-A, 1 miniDP, 1 HDMI, 1 ethernet. The battery is external and can be changed easily. You should definitely go for the 1080P option. There's great upgradability on this and is very easy to be done. I've got this from my company and am using it for doing embedded development. With i5 5300U, 16GB RAM and 500GB SSD, everything is smooth as a hot knife in butter. All in all, I have some ideas to share after trying out different platforms: 1. If it's possible or not for collection / modding purposes, Haswell and newer platforms will offer a better performance / power ratio. The performance bump per watt is significant. Beside this, Intel has improved the integrated graphics in that time periode. The more powerful iGPU does help with video decoding and encoding. This will be more noticable, if you browse a lot on battery. I have a T420s with an 6-cell and ultrabay battery (77Wh in total) and it barely holds 5 hours of use. But on the newer Kaby Lake platform, my x1 yoga 2nd gen from 2017, with 43Wh usable capacity left, will run 6-7 hours with ease. The heat output of an 35W processor is substantial. 2. If you are a trackpoint guy and want to try out different brands, avoiding those models with an trackpoint but no full dedicated mouse buttons (that means LMB, RMB and the middle one for scrolling), because that will make you pain. 3. There's no real reason going for 1080P on laptops under 13 inch. And once you owned an IPS panel, you are not going back. 4. Some japanese manufactors prefer ungrounded power supplies. Since a lot of business oriented laptops have metal cases, it will cause some light shock when using on AC power. Do a double check before buying. Also, you can get a USB-PD to DC power adapter for around 10-20€ on amazon or ebay. Combining this with an USB-PD adapter will make your life and travel more easily.
This comment is chalked full of sound advice and good considerations. Fujitsu is essentially not heard of around these parts which is too bad since they have some cool gear. The older ThinkPads are nice for modularity but the competitively poor battery life as you mentioned is a drawback. Thanks for taking the time to write such an awesome comment.
Isnt it better to get a new gen laptop at this point tho? I mean something like i5 8250u,8gb of ram, 256gb ssd ajd 1080p ips screen is easy to find at a good price. I would only recommend getting a thinkpad and maybe upgrade the ram or storage. Beyond that, you re wasting money unless you really just like thinkpads and really do enjoy the older design and feel of the laptop.
@@TheAmanor123 This is what I wanted to point out. And also take even i3 8gen and newer if you are really on tight budget. These new i3s are as powerful as i7 7500U (sometimes even better) if you are only doing light tasks (having multiple docs pdfs and chromes is light task) and only doing heavy coding on remote server (Any coding that is within 100K lines of codes or not involving kernel compiling or more than 2 VMs). The hype of getting quadcore is quite exaggerated in my opinion.
I just got my x250 today and I am really happy with it. Thank you very much for your help. There were two options T440 or x250 and x250 was an easy choice.
I love these little laptops for running Linux. I even bought one for my 5 year old - he loves it. All of them run Arch Linux (with KDE Plasma 5), and they never miss a beat.
I have a couple of base model i3 x250s and really like the hardware. I decided to swap out the i3 motherboard for an i5 board and stick in 8GB of RAM and it's made a big difference. A very usable laptop for light work and it runs Ubuntu 20.04 very well indeed. A nice old machine, these. Even my remaining i3 (with 8GB of RAM) works fine.
Looks nearly identical to the fleet of X270 systems I help maintain - the keyboard removal process is just as dreadful on those too, and it's something I have to do often as our users have a nasty habit of spilling coffee on the keyboards, inevitably breaking the membrane traces or making keys very sticky. Sadly all are equipped with the base 1366x768 TN panel.
Yeah the chassis didn't change much until after the x80 era if I recall correctly. Shame about the lower end panels but business priorities tend to not be concerned with it.
I've got this as my daily driver laptop. Fantastic machine and great laptop if you need great portability, build quality, and keyboard at a low price. Mine is configured with the i5 5300U, 8GB RAM, 256GB 840 Pro/16GB Sandisk U110 (which occupies the M.2 slot, so no smartcard on mine), 1366x768 IPS non-touch running Debain w/LXDE
All things being equal, I agree that the X250 is indeed better than the X240 -- what I like most is the ability to upgrade to 16GB RAM and the improved trackpad (I don't use an external monitor but I can see how that would be a compelling feature for those that do). When I was shopping for my laptop back in March, I did see a number of X250s listed; however, they were all at least $200 more than the X240 I ended buying. Moreover, most of the X240/X250s I saw listed had the lower resolution, often with the TN panel, so the caveat I would mention to anyone looking for a used Thinkpad is to really pay attention to the display (sure, it can be upgraded but that's another expense). All that aside, what I really love about the Thinkpads is that many parts are interchangeable; for example, the external battery is compatible with the X240, X250, X260, X270, W550, W550s, P50s, L450, L460, L470, T440, T440s, T450s, T450, T460, T460p, T470p, T550, and T560!
The nice thing is, as others have mentioned, that trackpad can be swapped for the nicer one and there isn't a huge performance difference between the CPUs. Availability and cost are the biggest factors as you have rightly said. Getting the nicest screen possible is also huge; afterall you have to look at it every time you use the computer.
@@LaptopRetrospective Initially, I thought the trackpad might really bug me, but I've adapted. I also have a mouse I can use, so it's a non-issue for me. I definitely appreciate the improvements rolled out with the X250, but I still LOVE my X240 and have ZERO regrets. I'm guessing I'll probably love it even more after I switch to Linux!
@@LaptopRetrospective Yes!!!! So excited, can you tell, ha ha? I've also downloaded Zorin OS to look at; that looks even more promising than Pop!_OS, except I do like the latter's ability to encrypt the entire drive (not that I really need that, but years of using Windows has really got my back up about privacy).
Honestly there are so many to try. If you have the time to install each for a day to see which fits your style, that's the way to go. Manjaro is on my list to try on the next little while.
why i choose x250, fit for travel& mobility due to it size,double battery, can using PD charging/ powerbank 45 w,ssd m2 for other os(linux,hacintosh,etc), and upgradeable/ change sparepart with other model (docking, battery,charger)/frankenpad, the last community it self, the best upgradeable i think t440p
I upgraded the x240's trackpad. I can tell everyone, just get the x250 save your time and money. Drivers need to manual install to make it work with default windows updates. And x240 speed is slow too.
Yeah, you can swap out the x240 trackpad for sure. In the year 2020 I think we are going to see both machines in large quantities in the used market and there is a clear winner between the two.
It really depends on the price, if the difference in pricing between the two is insignificant, then definitely get the X250. However if the viewer is located in the market where an X240 would be much cheaper, then the X240 should more than enough for most users.
For fun (my daily driver is an X1 Yoga, gen 3, i7), I bought an i5 X240 that had been upgraded to the IPS FHD non-touch panel and 2 SSDs, but NO backlit keyboard. So, with some trepidation, I changed the keyboard to a backlit one (you're right, it is really a pain to do so and I don't recommend it unless one is willing to end up bricking it). Much better. I don't mind the lack of trackpad buttons, so I am postponing that upgrade. I like using the X240 due to its size. Thanks for reviewng the X250.
The size of these machines really is perfect. My daily driver is still currently my SB2 for work, but I don't think I'll ever go back to a larger computer. Thanks for sharing your harrowing tale of upgrading your keyboard.
I literally bought this immediately after watching this on Sunday, it arrived today (typing this on my X250 right now). Too tired to take off the chasis to see which screen connector I have just yet so I can get a FHD display but love that I have the option compared to my Macbook Air 11 inch which I can not do that on. I bought the X250, i5 5200u, 8gb ram and the 13-something by 7-something screen I believe its the 720p screen for £140 on ebay and it came with the dock as well which is perfect for me because I like to use a monitor when I'm working. Great little laptop. I feel like I'll get quite a few years out of this.
I had to replace the touchpad in x240 with the x250 one. Also upgraded from TN HD screen to IPS FHD screen. Very unfortunately, I had to use a non original screen. For that to work, I had to have the BIOS modified, as in Windows, the brightness control was not working, due to Lenovo's whitelist...Those whitelists are a topic of itself and need to be discussed I think...
Whitelists are a double-edged sword and often times are used to reduce the amount of official support that needs to be given to a product. Apple's closed garden platform is exactly that in a way, a giant whitelist. I should do some more reading on the subject, but you are right.
While I haven't done a video on mine, I feel like mentioning some stuff about it. 3:05 Mine has the i5-5300U 3:34 Mine has the "1920×1080 IPS Touch" display, albeit with slight light leakage issues, but that doesn't bother me as I usually use dark themes. 4:43 Mine doesn't have that, but I don't really need that anyway.
@@LaptopRetrospective I do! I wanted a X380 Yoga, but can't afford one and instead use my X250 and an external Wacom Intuos. Most X250 sold on the used market here (Singapore) had the crappy base WXGA TN panel, but I was lucky enough to find the one I found, as it's close to the configuration I would've purchased new back in the day if I could. The only differences are a Core i5 instead of i7, and no WWAN instead of having one. Well, mine had a 128 GB SSD, but I replaced it with a 500 GB SSD that's split in order to dual-boot Windows and Debian. It can't handle my video editing while having all the stuff open that I have open right now (multiple Pale Moon and Evernote windows, Twitter UWP wrapper app, TightVNC Client connected to my NAS, etc). For my video editing, I have my old custom-built desktop from 2009 that currently won't boot since I last used it in late 2017, I plan to keep on Windows 10 1703 or 1709, or an unofficial Windows 7 "lite", and I want to also move away from VideoPad and switch to Vegas Pro or Premiere Pro, but I plan to watch courses on UA-cam, Domestika, and/or Skillshare first. The only issues I'm having is that Windows keeps trying to update the UEFI while running on battery power, and that may have caused the trackpad and TrackPoint to stop working, so I'm using an external "Microsoft Modern Mobile Mouse", and once I repair it again, a Logitech M705 I use on my desktop setup (I have a ThinkPad Ultra Dock as well). I also forgot to mention that I have 2 of the 24Wh battery packs, but one has one of the two pins missing, so that one doesn't stay in as securely, however, Power Bridge is a thing, and I really hate how Lenovo killed that off and a few other hardware features on the 2018 and later models, which is shifting me towards HP Elite/Z, or Dell XPS/Latitude/Precision if I do ever want to upgrade.
I like the X250 Got it for 250$ It has a decent keyboard, trackpoint is really useful especially for reading, and it's light and compact The problem I have with it though is that the thermals are shit on mine It idles at around 47-50°C and had to disable boost to get 84°C on load, otherwise it goes up to 93°C And this is after repasting it with Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut 2 times
@@bigtruth9653 I have two X250 laptops running Linux, both with the Intel i5. Both run cool and quiet. You may need to check/replace the fans. Perhaps even just get some air in there to spray out the dust. Perhaps it's a Windows 10 thing? Not sure. I had "spinning rust" drives in both of mine when I bought them, but replaced them with 2.5 inch SSDs.
@@MnemonicCarrier fans probably I replaced the hd with a reasonably priced SSD already I did a double-check last time and did not see any buildup of dust I'll pass it thru compressed air just to be sure If that still doesn't work, the only thing I haven't tried yet is to actually replace the fan component Heard good things about the sunon fan replacement
5:40 Hello. Could I kindly ask for an explanation of why it is required to disable the battery in the BIOS? Isn't removing the cover and physically removing the battery enough?
It is. Some may forget because this laptop has two batteries to perform that step. This machine was one of the first in the series with an internal battery and it mentions this step in the hardware maintenance manual.
Correct. The actual tape used is black and sort of a cloth variety. This particular X250 has had a completely new screen installed. it originally came with the lower spec'ed TN panel.
I use a ThinkPad x250 and it's better than my recent laptops, even though yes ThinkPad x250 is a low spec laptop in this generation but still it's still able to handle many productivity scenarios like last time I edited a video using my laptop and it didn't even lag it was very useful and the color management was good. For me if you will buy this laptop go for the i5 5th gen ThinkPad x250 and 8GB of RAM I'm pretty sure it's worth it, but if you're on budget then buy the i7 5th gen which is faster than the i5, the more power it would bring is sufficient for the works you will do. Such a nice old machine if I will be the one to rate it 4.3 stars⭐!
There's rumor that the x50 platform has its wifi card whitelist removed. That means you can get AX201 on this and you will be able to use wifi 6 + bluetooth 5 for the future.
@@LaptopRetrospective hey! The top and bottom of the laptop is a lot rubbery and sticky than I thought it would be ( maybe it's just dirty since it's used) but I'm sure to polish it like new next week !
Was lucky enough to get my X250 yesterday with i5, 4gb ram, 500gb HDD but sadly with the base TN panel for 135€ in Greece. I will upgrade the RAM with an 8gb stick which I have laying around and an ssd for starter. Great little laptop and I'm impressed with its battery life.
Thank you! I think the batteries must be healthy enough. They have a wear level of 16 and 21 and with simple tasks yesterday it lasted for like 7 hours before I plugged in at 15% (just when Windows notified battery is low)
Looking around how CPUs stand today, I did the painful choice of ordering a new P14s (1400 euro for reasonable config and still have to buy a big ssd). I'm sure with a little luck it can serve me for many years to come, but it's more than double of what I originally planned to spend. But I just don't really believe I can get away with such an old cpu for really all tasks, probably Chrome already kills them. I know my i5 8350 sometimes struggles because of Teams and likes to routinely sit around 40-50% cpu when I'm not doing anything special just regular office work. :( So today I'm already no so interested in purchasing as I was a few days ago, but I couldn't help notice you had 4 cuts just to open the plastic clips and your creditcard took a beating which tells me for someone that doesn't do this for a living it's probably near impossible to open it without breaking stuff. :(
Thanks for such fast reply. After doing tons of research and buying laptops that never preform as expected, I am leaning towards the x250 and upgrading a few things. Processor, RAM, screen. Do you think it's worth it? Found an x250 for 100 locally.
The X250 is a great little portable machine with lots of battery life. You won't be able to upgrade the processor as it is soldered on so buy what you need from the start or you'll need to swap the whole motherboard.
I heared recently that between x240 and x270 theres an issue when putting pressure at ram cover, that makes RAM modules to move and makes laptop glitch. Have you met this issue before?
How good is the x250's compatibility with 3rd party batteries? I'd like one as a Linux distro hopping/hobby machine (wish me good luck, finding a decent unit at a reasonable price is almost impossible in Italy), and I'd like to use it on the go every now and then...after 5 years, I wonder if the original batteries have much juice left.
Hye I'm here using 3rd party battery. so far it's been plug and play, nothing severely problematic. Although the quality is really varied, as the first battery I've bought is having weird capacity reading and calibrating doesn't help. After refund and change seller I do get quite good 3rd party's battery
You should be able to, check the maintenance manual to ensure you get a screen that is compatible. The FRUs should be listed there and help you track down a good fit.
Can anyone help? I got one used in hood condition and for the age it seemed to perform well. As soon as I installed Office 2019 performance slowed down remarkably. I did a reset and I’m wondering has anyone else experienced this and if so what suggestions do you have for better, faster performance? Thank you!
If it's a new installation of Windows, check your CPU usage and disk usage. Assuming it isn't an HDD, you might have quite a few updates running in the background that are slowing things down.
I'm geniunely thinking of upgrading to one of these because I bought myself a cheap thinkcentre m71e so I don't really need the mobile cpu power and these units are very easy to replace thermal paste in. (x230 is awful with 100c temps on high load)
@@LaptopRetrospective web browsing or a zoom call is 70C, however I feel I can break something easily since replacing, requires you to sadly disassemble the entire laptop just to add fresh thermal paste.
Hi. I just got it under 200 bucks. Is samsung 870 ssd overkill to this pc? If not then i would add 8gigs of more ram and it’s good. I like that it has simcard slot! 👍🏻
In the middle of getting a X260 myself and from what I've read online its very similar to the X250 but with 6th gen Intel processors and DDR4 ram. I ordered a refurbished X260 with the 1080p IPS panel, i5 6300U, 8gb DDR4 ram, 240gb SSD and 3 cell battery along with internal for about $218 or so but the caveat is that it has a Japanese keyboard so I'll have to figure out how it will work when mapped to a ANSI layout or UK ISO layout which are layouts I'm more used to. ANSI layout ones came with 128gb SSD and 1366x768 (probably TN) panels for a similar price so I opted for 1080p despite the Japanese keyboard layout. What do you think about the X260? Asking as I didn't see a X260 among your Thinkpad vidoes. Sorry if that was a bit too long.
X260 is a solid unit, I just haven't seen one across my desk yet. I'm pretty sure you will be able to swap the keyboard if you wanted down the road. I agree with your call on prioritizing the specs you did.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you for the reply. I actually considered getting a replacement ANSI layout keyboard, but its not as high of a priority as getting 16gb ram and a bigger SSD so it'll have to wait and there's the matter of needing to teardown pretty much the whole thing when swapping the JP keyboard that makes me consider just sticking with it and mapping the JP keyboard to a UK one or something similar. But all the upgrades will have to wait as I just blew my budget on the X260 itself haha, though its for good reason as I need it for school since it's not practical to bring my whole desktop with me LOL.
@@LaptopRetrospective The X260 arrived, but I'll have to return it. Instead of 1080p IPS and i5 6300U that I was expecting based on the description on the listing, I got the 1366x768 TN and i5 6200U version. Feels conflicting though as it would have been a nice laptop for my budget if it were as descibed, at least initially before the listing description got changed after I complained about the mismatch of specs. I'll be still considering a ThinkPad when I get something else after I get a refund, and I do hope I will.
Great review. Weird, I got same variant. i5200U but no fingerprint scanner. Planning to add M.2 for the slot but it is pretty hard to find one for the size of the M.2 (22x42) same with the 16gb 1600mhz of ram. Since I tried playing some games to the same device and it works quite well. Specially DOTA2 low settings with max render 100% fps ranging from 45-60 fps with chrome playing in the background. Tried CS:GO, Valorant, Aura Kingdom with Low to Mid settings fps ranging from 45-60 fps as well. I have a question, should I proceed with M.2 ssd or SATA SSD to replace the HDD?
Great video.. I had some reservations about buying a second hand i5300 u but now I'll go for it .. Thank you!!...Also any suggestions to get the best out of this device and Is there a SSD in all models
Hello mate! I just watched your video and want to know: It's still worth to get one of these X250 in 2022? I'm a Systems Engineering student so I will use it to study (reading pdf's, watch some lessons on UA-cam and coding) and maybe to watch some movies. Thanks!
It's a great piece of gear if the price is right and you don't need official Windows 11 support. I have an X240 around here that still gets used for similar tasks.
That is probably going to come down to personal preference on whether you want a bigger screen and if you will be carrying it around anywhere. I prefer the 12-13" laptop. X250 has 5th gen Intel and the better Trackpad. It will also depend on what specific configurations are available in your area.
Really depends on your needs. It's a smaller screen and the colour accuracy isn't going to be top shelf depending on the display option. I'd suggest an external monitor for while working at a desk.
Hi. I am buying a renewed x250 from Amazon, your video convinced me to make the decision. I will be using modeling softwares like MATLAB and Autocad, do you think an X250 with these specs would be good: i5 5th Gen 8gb ram, 256 gb SSD, 5300u, 2.3Ghz
It should but always double check your system requirements for the versions of AutoCAD you plan on using, especially for integrated GPU. Keep in mind that those requirements increase with the complexity of the projects you might create.
@@LaptopRetrospective thank you for your instant reply. I am ordering it now, after checking the requirements. This was a great video, the delivery was great, very clear and to the point for even people like me who haven't studied these terms
@@luckylady1757 hey there. The refurbisher gave me quite a destroyed product so I had to return mine. The laptop was powerful but the refurbishment was bad. So I ended up buying the Lenovo Ideapad Flex5 with Ryzen 5. Its amazing and well prized. Suits me.
Great video, love my x250. But I have a problem, maybe someone from the community can help me. When i upgrade my PC to Windows 10, the fingerprint reader stop workig, even when i reinstall the drivers recommended by Lenovo support. I tried it with Ubuntu and it does work Ok, but with Windows it doesn't. What else can I do?
If the driver here doesn't work, maybe check your BIOS version and see if updating it doesn't improve your odds: pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-x-series-laptops/thinkpad-x250/downloads/driver-list/component?name=Fingerprint%20Reader
Hey. Okay, please hear me out. 1. Macbook Air 11.6 4gb Ram 128gb ssd for $350(usd) including shipping 2. Or thinkpad x250 which I am YET to find a good deal for and which I am yet to upgrade. which one? please help me choose lol thanks
@@LaptopRetrospective and 16 gb of ram too I've got an IPS screen and x250 palmrest w 8gb of ram. I wish I could get 16 in there but that's why I upgraded to a p53
You said that when the main battery is missing the cpu is throttling, which battery is the main (internal or external)? Also this happens even if the laptop is on charger?
Im interested to know the durability of these ultrabooks (really planning on getting one through college) , can it withstand few drops like the older models?
@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks for replying! Im pretty much a clumsy person I tend to drop things from time to time. For how high, a drop onto solid ground like concrete for about 2-3 feet.. Thanks again!!
@@LaptopRetrospective Hi!Im currently typing this on my x250.This is my first ever thinkpad and so far im reallty liking it! Thank you so much for the review! I must say that the trackpoint is much harder to navigate as I expected. I guess it will take time to get used to LOL!
Yes. The two are exactly interchangeable. All of the screws are in exactly the same place and all of the external ports line up. The internal connects (screen etc) are also the same between the two units.
Great - thanks for this review - has certainly helped! Refurbs galore out there (I'm in UK). What's your view on ram vs ssd...? Will an 8gb ram 500hdd x240 i5 outlive an 8gb 256ssd x250 i5?? I'm hoping to use this as mobile image editor and for field recording..! The graphics capabilities aren't so brilliant I've read. I'd love your thoughts on this?? :)
@@LaptopRetrospective - thanks very much! Compared to the (only slightly) older ideapad I've been using, anything would be better! I did think though that if an ssd failed the data would be unrecoverable but not with hdd...?
If a drive truly fails then you're not any further ahead with one type over the other. It's always good to have a backup of your important information.
Just got X250 with i5-5300U, 120SSD, 8GB RAM and HD IPS display as a mobile substitute for my PC. Used, modified or personalised by company (doesn't have fingerprint reader), but i don't need it anyway. Batteries (24+24Wh) are a little bit worn, but still manage to 3-4hrs UA-cam watching, and there was 90W power supply with it, so not so bad i think ;) It cost me about 150$. One thing that bothers me - I am unable to update BIOS from Windows level. Lenovo Vantage, manual instalator, and Lenovo Update - all failed. The batteries are original. I don't know how can I fix it. Any ideas, advices? ;)
@@LaptopRetrospective Yes, there is an option to cerate a bootable USB with BIOS update, but I never done this before, so just don't want to brick it ;)
Fair. If you're worried, ask yourself if you need the update. Some suggest to not worry about it unless it is going to fix a specific issue. That and if you're already looking to do a BIOS update, one really isn't riskier than the other.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks for reply, yeah that is't necessary for me to have latest BIOS version, just curious what could be a reason for such behavior. Anyway thank you again :)
That's going to depend on your system requirements and resource demands. ThinkPads generally are favoured by coders and programmers all over the world.
Based on what you're doing, so long as you're Excel sheets are not massive complex calculations you should be okay with an i3. The X250 has the nicer trackpad.
Hey, im looking for a laptop for some light schoolwork (office,pp, excel amd maybe sometimes some UA-cam or netflix) as i already have a good pc and i found a x250 i5 5200u 1366x768 ips for around 350$ on Amazon today, do you think this would be a good choice? Or should i go for the 1080p variant
No idea. It depends how they define renewed. When in doubt, ask. Many refurbishers don't touch batteries or only if they are under a certain % of original capacity.
@@LaptopRetrospective just looking for a cheap laptop the x250 is about £120 UK pounds i5 the t440p is about £20 more looking to upgrade to make it as powerful as possible with a limited budget, won't be traveling with it that much so mainly for reports and projects and surfing, none gaming
I'm a bit confused, you want to upgrade it as much as possible but you're not going to be doing anything intensive with it. Are you just looking for a project/hobby machine?
@@LaptopRetrospective yes basically, it's just to slowly upgrade over time to get it to a good spec and see how it compares to the more expensive modern laptops so looking for what would be the best for a project and end up with a good spec laptop in the end.
thank you ! your video really helped however i have a question, does this version of thinkpad can handle games that has high graphics? and eats a lot of storage too.
You're correct, the CPU differences aren't that significant. We do see some gains in integrated GPU performance and battery life, but again, nothing hugely different. This article I thought laid it out nicely: www.pcworld.com/article/2940489/the-truth-about-intels-broadwell-vs-haswell-cpu.html
NYCfactor 5600u is 2-3% more powerful than 4600u. 3-7 gen cpus are basicly have the same performance. Only 8 gen cpus use new technology so they are 60-70% faster than 3-7 gen cpus.
Lenovo X230 the better x240. (Seriously, you can source an i7 or even an aftermarket quad core motherboard, and 14900 ram runs in mine, at 2133mt/s dual channel). Clunkpad is unbelievably easy to swap out. Waiting for the xytech 11th-12th gen replacement motherboard on the X230
In terms of processing power, max 15-20% of that's what's most important. GPU, battery life and other factors murky the water a bit. I love the idea of those custom motherboards but the battery life reports are inconclusive for use as a daily driver. Perhaps one day I'll see one with my own two eyes.
I have a ThinkPad e585 that I have tricked out. But my back and side hurts carrying it in a bag. I used this video as research to get an x250. It will be delivered on the day that I leave this comment. My back will thank me.
Some ideas about getting an used (budget) laptop for doing actual work on the way:
1. First choice is X250 or T450: I skipped T460 and T470, because you can get an T480 used for almost the same price but the performance jump is tramendous. For x250, I would go for an IPS 1366x768 screen, which is enough for mobile text work, at least an i5 and 16G RAM. Then go for an SSD and LTE card if you needed. For batteries, 24Wh + 72Wh will last 10h easily.
2. Second choice: Fujitsu E746: Fujitsu E series is known for its modual design. You can upgrade it to 32GB RAM etc.. You can also get an upgrade to 1080P display with 72% sRGB, which is awesome. There is an 77Wh battery and 28Wh ultrabay battery, but both will set at around 250€ together. You can also install an additional HDD in the ultrabay.
3. Third choice: Dell Latitude E7250: Great machine, very slim, but still has enough ports: 2 USB-A, 1 miniDP, 1 HDMI, 1 ethernet. The battery is external and can be changed easily. You should definitely go for the 1080P option. There's great upgradability on this and is very easy to be done. I've got this from my company and am using it for doing embedded development. With i5 5300U, 16GB RAM and 500GB SSD, everything is smooth as a hot knife in butter.
All in all, I have some ideas to share after trying out different platforms:
1. If it's possible or not for collection / modding purposes, Haswell and newer platforms will offer a better performance / power ratio. The performance bump per watt is significant. Beside this, Intel has improved the integrated graphics in that time periode. The more powerful iGPU does help with video decoding and encoding. This will be more noticable, if you browse a lot on battery. I have a T420s with an 6-cell and ultrabay battery (77Wh in total) and it barely holds 5 hours of use. But on the newer Kaby Lake platform, my x1 yoga 2nd gen from 2017, with 43Wh usable capacity left, will run 6-7 hours with ease. The heat output of an 35W processor is substantial.
2. If you are a trackpoint guy and want to try out different brands, avoiding those models with an trackpoint but no full dedicated mouse buttons (that means LMB, RMB and the middle one for scrolling), because that will make you pain.
3. There's no real reason going for 1080P on laptops under 13 inch. And once you owned an IPS panel, you are not going back.
4. Some japanese manufactors prefer ungrounded power supplies. Since a lot of business oriented laptops have metal cases, it will cause some light shock when using on AC power. Do a double check before buying. Also, you can get a USB-PD to DC power adapter for around 10-20€ on amazon or ebay. Combining this with an USB-PD adapter will make your life and travel more easily.
This comment is chalked full of sound advice and good considerations. Fujitsu is essentially not heard of around these parts which is too bad since they have some cool gear. The older ThinkPads are nice for modularity but the competitively poor battery life as you mentioned is a drawback. Thanks for taking the time to write such an awesome comment.
E7250 and e7240 thermal heating have problem, it's design problem. Not all sets have such problems but not worth the risk unless u get it for free.
I have read that and the person that gave me the Dell I tested a few weeks ago said that it was sometimes prone to such things.
Isnt it better to get a new gen laptop at this point tho? I mean something like i5 8250u,8gb of ram, 256gb ssd ajd 1080p ips screen is easy to find at a good price. I would only recommend getting a thinkpad and maybe upgrade the ram or storage. Beyond that, you re wasting money unless you really just like thinkpads and really do enjoy the older design and feel of the laptop.
@@TheAmanor123 This is what I wanted to point out. And also take even i3 8gen and newer if you are really on tight budget. These new i3s are as powerful as i7 7500U (sometimes even better) if you are only doing light tasks (having multiple docs pdfs and chromes is light task) and only doing heavy coding on remote server (Any coding that is within 100K lines of codes or not involving kernel compiling or more than 2 VMs). The hype of getting quadcore is quite exaggerated in my opinion.
Your review helped me decided whether to buy my x250 or not...It's been 4 months since I have bought my x250 and I love it...Thank you
Thanks so much for sharing your good news report!
Mines in the mail rn!!
Nice!!
Hi i am planning to buy this. Is it fast? Only 16 ssd is getting me worried
It is fast for general use. What do you have in mind for it?
I just got my x250 today and I am really happy with it. Thank you very much for your help. There were two options T440 or x250 and x250 was an easy choice.
Nice, I'm glad you're enjoying it.
I love these little laptops for running Linux. I even bought one for my 5 year old - he loves it. All of them run Arch Linux (with KDE Plasma 5), and they never miss a beat.
That's awesome! Glad you can give them a new life.
What is arch linux
I have a couple of base model i3 x250s and really like the hardware. I decided to swap out the i3 motherboard for an i5 board and stick in 8GB of RAM and it's made a big difference. A very usable laptop for light work and it runs Ubuntu 20.04 very well indeed. A nice old machine, these. Even my remaining i3 (with 8GB of RAM) works fine.
Lots to like in a handy portable device.
Im planning to buy one of these for the compact size, connections and performance.
Looks nearly identical to the fleet of X270 systems I help maintain - the keyboard removal process is just as dreadful on those too, and it's something I have to do often as our users have a nasty habit of spilling coffee on the keyboards, inevitably breaking the membrane traces or making keys very sticky. Sadly all are equipped with the base 1366x768 TN panel.
Yeah the chassis didn't change much until after the x80 era if I recall correctly. Shame about the lower end panels but business priorities tend to not be concerned with it.
Wait, fullHD at 12" screen? Wow. I wonder how small is the icon.
But its great!
Perfectly fine. You can display scale if you want as well.
I've got this as my daily driver laptop. Fantastic machine and great laptop if you need great portability, build quality, and keyboard at a low price. Mine is configured with the i5 5300U, 8GB RAM, 256GB 840 Pro/16GB Sandisk U110 (which occupies the M.2 slot, so no smartcard on mine), 1366x768 IPS non-touch running Debain w/LXDE
Great configuration!
All things being equal, I agree that the X250 is indeed better than the X240 -- what I like most is the ability to upgrade to 16GB RAM and the improved trackpad (I don't use an external monitor but I can see how that would be a compelling feature for those that do).
When I was shopping for my laptop back in March, I did see a number of X250s listed; however, they were all at least $200 more than the X240 I ended buying. Moreover, most of the X240/X250s I saw listed had the lower resolution, often with the TN panel, so the caveat I would mention to anyone looking for a used Thinkpad is to really pay attention to the display (sure, it can be upgraded but that's another expense).
All that aside, what I really love about the Thinkpads is that many parts are interchangeable; for example, the external battery is compatible with the X240, X250, X260, X270, W550, W550s, P50s, L450, L460, L470, T440, T440s, T450s, T450, T460, T460p, T470p, T550, and T560!
The nice thing is, as others have mentioned, that trackpad can be swapped for the nicer one and there isn't a huge performance difference between the CPUs. Availability and cost are the biggest factors as you have rightly said. Getting the nicest screen possible is also huge; afterall you have to look at it every time you use the computer.
@@LaptopRetrospective Initially, I thought the trackpad might really bug me, but I've adapted. I also have a mouse I can use, so it's a non-issue for me. I definitely appreciate the improvements rolled out with the X250, but I still LOVE my X240 and have ZERO regrets. I'm guessing I'll probably love it even more after I switch to Linux!
I'm pretty confident of that. Drive arrives Monday still?
@@LaptopRetrospective Yes!!!! So excited, can you tell, ha ha? I've also downloaded Zorin OS to look at; that looks even more promising than Pop!_OS, except I do like the latter's ability to encrypt the entire drive (not that I really need that, but years of using Windows has really got my back up about privacy).
Honestly there are so many to try. If you have the time to install each for a day to see which fits your style, that's the way to go. Manjaro is on my list to try on the next little while.
why i choose x250, fit for travel& mobility due to it size,double battery, can using PD charging/ powerbank 45 w,ssd m2 for other os(linux,hacintosh,etc), and upgradeable/ change sparepart with other model (docking, battery,charger)/frankenpad, the last community it self, the best upgradeable i think t440p
Yep, lots to like.
I upgraded the x240's trackpad.
I can tell everyone, just get the x250 save your time and money.
Drivers need to manual install to make it work with default windows updates. And x240 speed is slow too.
Yeah, you can swap out the x240 trackpad for sure. In the year 2020 I think we are going to see both machines in large quantities in the used market and there is a clear winner between the two.
It really depends on the price, if the difference in pricing between the two is insignificant, then definitely get the X250. However if the viewer is located in the market where an X240 would be much cheaper, then the X240 should more than enough for most users.
Yes, agreed. Local pricing and availability are huge factors.
Well I just got the x250, really impressed!
Very nice! Hope you enjoy it.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks!
Hello, would like to ask how do you improve the graphics, videos are low quality
GPU is fixed and cannot be replaced.
For fun (my daily driver is an X1 Yoga, gen 3, i7), I bought an i5 X240 that had been upgraded to the IPS FHD non-touch panel and 2 SSDs, but NO backlit keyboard. So, with some trepidation, I changed the keyboard to a backlit one (you're right, it is really a pain to do so and I don't recommend it unless one is willing to end up bricking it). Much better. I don't mind the lack of trackpad buttons, so I am postponing that upgrade. I like using the X240 due to its size. Thanks for reviewng the X250.
The size of these machines really is perfect. My daily driver is still currently my SB2 for work, but I don't think I'll ever go back to a larger computer. Thanks for sharing your harrowing tale of upgrading your keyboard.
I literally bought this immediately after watching this on Sunday, it arrived today (typing this on my X250 right now). Too tired to take off the chasis to see which screen connector I have just yet so I can get a FHD display but love that I have the option compared to my Macbook Air 11 inch which I can not do that on. I bought the X250, i5 5200u, 8gb ram and the 13-something by 7-something screen I believe its the 720p screen for £140 on ebay and it came with the dock as well which is perfect for me because I like to use a monitor when I'm working. Great little laptop. I feel like I'll get quite a few years out of this.
You've got yourself a real winner. I hope you enjoy it.
I had to replace the touchpad in x240 with the x250 one. Also upgraded from TN HD screen to IPS FHD screen. Very unfortunately, I had to use a non original screen. For that to work, I had to have the BIOS modified, as in Windows, the brightness control was not working, due to Lenovo's whitelist...Those whitelists are a topic of itself and need to be discussed I think...
Whitelists are a double-edged sword and often times are used to reduce the amount of official support that needs to be given to a product. Apple's closed garden platform is exactly that in a way, a giant whitelist. I should do some more reading on the subject, but you are right.
I ordered one of these a few days ago, an i7-5600u model with 16GB RAM. Will have it next week. Very helpful video thanks!
Very nice, let us know what you think when it arrives.
@@LaptopRetrospective Got it, it's a 1366X768 display (unfortunately) but at least it's IPS. It's a very nice laptop and in good condition too.
Nice, the IPS is a nice screen.
I owned a thinkpad t480. I want to have x250 as a backup laptop
I think it would be a great backup or travel companion.
While I haven't done a video on mine, I feel like mentioning some stuff about it.
3:05 Mine has the i5-5300U
3:34 Mine has the "1920×1080 IPS Touch" display, albeit with slight light leakage issues, but that doesn't bother me as I usually use dark themes.
4:43 Mine doesn't have that, but I don't really need that anyway.
Very cool Kevin, do you use the touch display much?
@@LaptopRetrospective
I do! I wanted a X380 Yoga, but can't afford one and instead use my X250 and an external Wacom Intuos. Most X250 sold on the used market here (Singapore) had the crappy base WXGA TN panel, but I was lucky enough to find the one I found, as it's close to the configuration I would've purchased new back in the day if I could. The only differences are a Core i5 instead of i7, and no WWAN instead of having one.
Well, mine had a 128 GB SSD, but I replaced it with a 500 GB SSD that's split in order to dual-boot Windows and Debian. It can't handle my video editing while having all the stuff open that I have open right now (multiple Pale Moon and Evernote windows, Twitter UWP wrapper app, TightVNC Client connected to my NAS, etc). For my video editing, I have my old custom-built desktop from 2009 that currently won't boot since I last used it in late 2017, I plan to keep on Windows 10 1703 or 1709, or an unofficial Windows 7 "lite", and I want to also move away from VideoPad and switch to Vegas Pro or Premiere Pro, but I plan to watch courses on UA-cam, Domestika, and/or Skillshare first.
The only issues I'm having is that Windows keeps trying to update the UEFI while running on battery power, and that may have caused the trackpad and TrackPoint to stop working, so I'm using an external "Microsoft Modern Mobile Mouse", and once I repair it again, a Logitech M705 I use on my desktop setup (I have a ThinkPad Ultra Dock as well).
I also forgot to mention that I have 2 of the 24Wh battery packs, but one has one of the two pins missing, so that one doesn't stay in as securely, however, Power Bridge is a thing, and I really hate how Lenovo killed that off and a few other hardware features on the 2018 and later models, which is shifting me towards HP Elite/Z, or Dell XPS/Latitude/Precision if I do ever want to upgrade.
I enjoy Vegas, it's often on sale through Humble Bundle.
I have 5300U with 1920x1080 IPS non touch, I really like it
I like the X250
Got it for 250$
It has a decent keyboard, trackpoint is really useful especially for reading, and it's light and compact
The problem I have with it though is that the thermals are shit on mine
It idles at around 47-50°C and had to disable boost to get 84°C on load, otherwise it goes up to 93°C
And this is after repasting it with Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut 2 times
Nice buy, yeah it does sound a bit toasty. i5 or i7?
@@LaptopRetrospective it's an i5
Also others have the same experience as mine from what I saw so I'm not alone on the thermal issue
@@bigtruth9653 I have two X250 laptops running Linux, both with the Intel i5. Both run cool and quiet. You may need to check/replace the fans. Perhaps even just get some air in there to spray out the dust. Perhaps it's a Windows 10 thing? Not sure. I had "spinning rust" drives in both of mine when I bought them, but replaced them with 2.5 inch SSDs.
@@MnemonicCarrier fans probably
I replaced the hd with a reasonably priced SSD already
I did a double-check last time and did not see any buildup of dust
I'll pass it thru compressed air just to be sure
If that still doesn't work, the only thing I haven't tried yet is to actually replace the fan component
Heard good things about the sunon fan replacement
Love ulrabooks - so much faster startup than standard laptops and you can't get much better than a well built ThinkPad! :)
Yes indeed! I don't think I'll go back to regular laptops.
Great x250 next thinkpad series with dedicated gpu or another (old) w series
We shall see what comes my way next.
Interesting review. I have a x240. Could I install in a x250 motherboard and reuse the remaining components ?
Yes, the screw holes are in the same place. Connectors for everything are also the same from what I understand.
Yes you can use a x250 mother board in a x240 casing. I did it works perfectly.
5:40 Hello. Could I kindly ask for an explanation of why it is required to disable the battery in the BIOS? Isn't removing the cover and physically removing the battery enough?
It is. Some may forget because this laptop has two batteries to perform that step. This machine was one of the first in the series with an internal battery and it mentions this step in the hardware maintenance manual.
@@LaptopRetrospective thank you. Cheers.
The orange tape is not original. It looks like the screen assembly was replaced, maybe a warranty repair.
I've seen that tape on a lot of factory machines, so I wasn't entirely sure.
Correct. The actual tape used is black and sort of a cloth variety. This particular X250 has had a completely new screen installed. it originally came with the lower spec'ed TN panel.
Thanks a lot for this review! I just bought a mint condition X250 just yesterday looking at this rewiew!
Awesome! I hope you enjoy it.
I use a ThinkPad x250 and it's better than my recent laptops, even though yes ThinkPad x250 is a low spec laptop in this generation but still it's still able to handle many productivity scenarios like last time I edited a video using my laptop and it didn't even lag it was very useful and the color management was good. For me if you will buy this laptop go for the i5 5th gen ThinkPad x250 and 8GB of RAM I'm pretty sure it's worth it, but if you're on budget then buy the i7 5th gen which is faster than the i5, the more power it would bring is sufficient for the works you will do. Such a nice old machine if I will be the one to rate it 4.3 stars⭐!
Thanks for sharing your experience with this device!
I just got one of these today. $95 CDN plus taxes plus shipping. Came to $140 to my door :)
That's a crazy good deal. What are your plans?
@@LaptopRetrospective currently installing Ubuntu 20.10 on it.. might make it my new couch surfing / type notes machine.
I suspected Linux was involved. ;-) I love the X series. Nice a compact. It can be put anywhere.
Came Here Cause I Bought The Laptop, Hope This Is Really Good For Tasking In My Collegue 😁
BTW Very Nice Review
Thanks, I hope you enjoy your ThinkPad and it serves you well.
Dapet harga brapa om? Specs yg bgmn?
There's rumor that the x50 platform has its wifi card whitelist removed. That means you can get AX201 on this and you will be able to use wifi 6 + bluetooth 5 for the future.
Interesting to know, thanks.
@@LaptopRetrospective I think there might still be whitelists on the WWAN card and even worse, the LCD panel.
Whitelisted displays, yikes.
@@LaptopRetrospective raspberry pi SVP :)
Only 900 Likes! Seriously. You deserve more keep up the great content 👏:-)!
I'm pretty happy with 900 likes! Thanks for your support. Sharing the content is the best way to get the word out in my experience.
As a strictly mouse oriented individual, I want to thank you for dropping demand, and the price henceforth on ebay X240s.
Well I'm pretty sure I have little to no influence on the used market. :D
I hope you also review the x260
I hope one day to get the chance.
Great looking machine. Love the keyboard and even the backlit keys.
It's a nice piece of kit, no doubt about it.
I can never forgive Lenovo for dumping dual channel memory.
It is a significant compromise.
Was going to comment this. The fact that there's only one slot on these machines is a serious deal-breaker.
finally guys, watching and commenting from my thinkpad x250
Cool! What are your impressions?
@@LaptopRetrospective hey! The top and bottom of the laptop is a lot rubbery and sticky than I thought it would be ( maybe it's just dirty since it's used) but I'm sure to polish it like new next week !
Yeah, shouldn't be sticky.
bought X250 in 2021, best decision of my life
Nice!
Was lucky enough to get my X250 yesterday with i5, 4gb ram, 500gb HDD but sadly with the base TN panel for 135€ in Greece.
I will upgrade the RAM with an 8gb stick which I have laying around and an ssd for starter.
Great little laptop and I'm impressed with its battery life.
Yes, the battery life will be excellent so long as the battery health is good. Good luck on your upgrades.
Thank you! I think the batteries must be healthy enough. They have a wear level of 16 and 21 and with simple tasks yesterday it lasted for like 7 hours before I plugged in at 15% (just when Windows notified battery is low)
Awesome!
Looking around how CPUs stand today, I did the painful choice of ordering a new P14s (1400 euro for reasonable config and still have to buy a big ssd). I'm sure with a little luck it can serve me for many years to come, but it's more than double of what I originally planned to spend. But I just don't really believe I can get away with such an old cpu for really all tasks, probably Chrome already kills them. I know my i5 8350 sometimes struggles because of Teams and likes to routinely sit around 40-50% cpu when I'm not doing anything special just regular office work. :(
So today I'm already no so interested in purchasing as I was a few days ago, but I couldn't help notice you had 4 cuts just to open the plastic clips and your creditcard took a beating which tells me for someone that doesn't do this for a living it's probably near impossible to open it without breaking stuff. :(
Those credit cards have opened hundreds of laptops. Literally. The cuts are mainly because people generally don't find it interesting to watch. 😉
Hello i am between x240 and x250. There is only 30€ price difference. May i choose x250?
Go x250.
Thanks for your answer :)
You're welcome.
Is the x250 good for photo editing programs?
Depends on how important a colour accurate screen is. That will vary depending on the unit in the unit you're looking at.
Thanks for such fast reply. After doing tons of research and buying laptops that never preform as expected, I am leaning towards the x250 and upgrading a few things. Processor, RAM, screen. Do you think it's worth it? Found an x250 for 100 locally.
The X250 is a great little portable machine with lots of battery life. You won't be able to upgrade the processor as it is soldered on so buy what you need from the start or you'll need to swap the whole motherboard.
how does these compared to X260 in 2022?
Incremental improvement. No major changes beyond CPU choices.
Only the ealier models can get very cheap, as cheap as $180 for the X220 with discounts sometimes.
Prices vary a great deal by region. That is for certain.
@@LaptopRetrospective I usually go on ebay for those. From repair shops it looks like.
It's a crying shame it doesn't have the classic keyboard :(
Perhaps, but this keyboard is far from bad.
do you think this could handle basic zbrush/maya/ue4 to a reasonable level?
I'm not familar with the system requirements of those, but that would be my first stop.
I heared recently that between x240 and x270 theres an issue when putting pressure at ram cover, that makes RAM modules to move and makes laptop glitch. Have you met this issue before?
This is the first I've heard of it.
@@LaptopRetrospective found this on reddit where someone linked post titled "Freezing X270/X260/X250, Official fix(...)"
How good is the x250's compatibility with 3rd party batteries? I'd like one as a Linux distro hopping/hobby machine (wish me good luck, finding a decent unit at a reasonable price is almost impossible in Italy), and I'd like to use it on the go every now and then...after 5 years, I wonder if the original batteries have much juice left.
Third party batteries are out there. Haven't used them myself yet except for internal ones.
Hye I'm here using 3rd party battery. so far it's been plug and play, nothing severely problematic. Although the quality is really varied, as the first battery I've bought is having weird capacity reading and calibrating doesn't help. After refund and change seller I do get quite good 3rd party's battery
both support external 4k displays.
To clarify, the X240 supports it, but only at 30Hz, whereas the X250 can do it at 60Hz. Both can do 1080p at 60Hz.
Is it possible to insert an x250 motherboard into an x240 case?
Yes, it should be possible.
How about your temperatures and noise of fan?
No concerns here with either.
Can I change my TN panel to IPS one ?
You should be able to, check the maintenance manual to ensure you get a screen that is compatible. The FRUs should be listed there and help you track down a good fit.
when he said "along the back we have absolutely nothing"
i felt that
Can anyone help? I got one used in hood condition and for the age it seemed to perform well. As soon as I installed Office 2019 performance slowed down remarkably. I did a reset and I’m wondering has anyone else experienced this and if so what suggestions do you have for better, faster performance? Thank you!
If it's a new installation of Windows, check your CPU usage and disk usage. Assuming it isn't an HDD, you might have quite a few updates running in the background that are slowing things down.
How long do the batteries last (24wh+72wh) with Win's energy saving mode? I currently have a x240 with i5 4300u, pretty snappy and cheap machine!
96Wh is a lot of juice. It imagine 8 hours would be easily achieved. Anyone have any experience to share?
USING 7-8 HRS
so no express card of usb-c. k what for ?
I'm geniunely thinking of upgrading to one of these because I bought myself a cheap thinkcentre m71e so I don't really need the mobile cpu power and these units are very easy to replace thermal paste in. (x230 is awful with 100c temps on high load)
Yikes that's hot.
@@LaptopRetrospective web browsing or a zoom call is 70C, however I feel I can break something easily since replacing, requires you to sadly disassemble the entire laptop just to add fresh thermal paste.
X230 repaste isn't the worst I've ever done.
Hi. I just got it under 200 bucks. Is samsung 870 ssd overkill to this pc? If not then i would add 8gigs of more ram and it’s good. I like that it has simcard slot! 👍🏻
SSD upgrade will get you more performance over RAM.
In the middle of getting a X260 myself and from what I've read online its very similar to the X250 but with 6th gen Intel processors and DDR4 ram.
I ordered a refurbished X260 with the 1080p IPS panel, i5 6300U, 8gb DDR4 ram, 240gb SSD and 3 cell battery along with internal for about $218 or so but the caveat is that it has a Japanese keyboard so I'll have to figure out how it will work when mapped to a ANSI layout or UK ISO layout which are layouts I'm more used to. ANSI layout ones came with 128gb SSD and 1366x768 (probably TN) panels for a similar price so I opted for 1080p despite the Japanese keyboard layout.
What do you think about the X260? Asking as I didn't see a X260 among your Thinkpad vidoes.
Sorry if that was a bit too long.
X260 is a solid unit, I just haven't seen one across my desk yet. I'm pretty sure you will be able to swap the keyboard if you wanted down the road. I agree with your call on prioritizing the specs you did.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you for the reply.
I actually considered getting a replacement ANSI layout keyboard, but its not as high of a priority as getting 16gb ram and a bigger SSD so it'll have to wait and there's the matter of needing to teardown pretty much the whole thing when swapping the JP keyboard that makes me consider just sticking with it and mapping the JP keyboard to a UK one or something similar. But all the upgrades will have to wait as I just blew my budget on the X260 itself haha, though its for good reason as I need it for school since it's not practical to bring my whole desktop with me LOL.
Right on. Best of luck to your studies and your upgrades.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you
@@LaptopRetrospective The X260 arrived, but I'll have to return it.
Instead of 1080p IPS and i5 6300U that I was expecting based on the description on the listing, I got the 1366x768 TN and i5 6200U version.
Feels conflicting though as it would have been a nice laptop for my budget if it were as descibed, at least initially before the listing description got changed after I complained about the mismatch of specs.
I'll be still considering a ThinkPad when I get something else after I get a refund, and I do hope I will.
Great review. Weird, I got same variant. i5200U but no fingerprint scanner. Planning to add M.2 for the slot but it is pretty hard to find one for the size of the M.2 (22x42) same with the 16gb 1600mhz of ram. Since I tried playing some games to the same device and it works quite well. Specially DOTA2 low settings with max render 100% fps ranging from 45-60 fps with chrome playing in the background. Tried CS:GO, Valorant, Aura Kingdom with Low to Mid settings fps ranging from 45-60 fps as well. I have a question, should I proceed with M.2 ssd or SATA SSD to replace the HDD?
SATA SSD is probably fine and you'll notice the speed boost well enough.
Great video.. I had some reservations about buying a second hand i5300 u but now I'll go for it .. Thank you!!...Also any suggestions to get the best out of this device and Is there a SSD in all models
SSD would not have been standard, but it would be the biggest bang for your buck if one isn't present.
@@LaptopRetrospective so worth it or not?
Well considering SSD's are cheap and swap out with HDD, there is no reason not to get one and put in your own SSD.
X250 supports 16GB single RAM, not for X240. Just FYI in case.
Yeah the X240 caps at 8 in the single dim slot, but has 4 on board of I remember right.
@@LaptopRetrospective u r the master of thinkpad.
Far from the master but I am an eager student.
I have a question, hoe many DDR3 slots have the x250 1 or 2? It means that 8gb are the practical max ram? (Cause 16gb DDR3 stick are in the sky)
One slot only.
anyone have WWAN ericsson n5321gw on x250 ? why win10 can't connect whit my operator. Ever 0 Signal
Not sure, at least it is a supported card, presuming its working properly.
@@LaptopRetrospective now i buy a EM7345 whit an lte support. I can try the ericsson whit linux
Hello mate! I just watched your video and want to know: It's still worth to get one of these X250 in 2022? I'm a Systems Engineering student so I will use it to study (reading pdf's, watch some lessons on UA-cam and coding) and maybe to watch some movies. Thanks!
It's a great piece of gear if the price is right and you don't need official Windows 11 support. I have an X240 around here that still gets used for similar tasks.
@@LaptopRetrospective in Argentina it's like 90.000 ARS which can be converted into 305 USD. Do you think is it fair?
That isn't exactly cheap but it might be just what it costs in your area. $250 CDN is what I see them for on average.
@@LaptopRetrospective Yeah everything here is just fckd up in terms of economy. Anyway thanks you for answering, I'll subscribe 👍
Thanks for your support! Best of luck finding a computer.
Which one do you think better
Lenovo x230 with i5 3360(2,8Ghz) 141$
Or Lenovo x250 with i5 5200u (2,2Ghz) 176$?
Probably the X250. Better battery life and newer CPU and GPU.
Can I do basic 4k video editing on this laptop? On i5 or 7 model?
Depends on how to define basic and how long you're willing to wait to render projects.
Hey nice video, t440p or x250, what do you think it’s better? I’ll use it for programming.
That is probably going to come down to personal preference on whether you want a bigger screen and if you will be carrying it around anywhere. I prefer the 12-13" laptop. X250 has 5th gen Intel and the better Trackpad. It will also depend on what specific configurations are available in your area.
Where can I find 16gb modules of ddr3L?
eBay, Amazon, local classifieds.
@@LaptopRetrospective thanks
Hello, Can I change or add graphics card in lenovo thinkpad x240?? Please reply
No. It is integrated with the CPU and that is also soldered.
@@LaptopRetrospective oh, thanks for the reply
You're welcome.
This is usefull for coding or not ???
Please reply fast ...today i was going to bye.....
Yes, but always check the system requirements of your most demanding programs.
Hello sir thank you so much for the video.
I'm just wondering if i can use this exact same computer for graphic design?
Really depends on your needs. It's a smaller screen and the colour accuracy isn't going to be top shelf depending on the display option. I'd suggest an external monitor for while working at a desk.
@@LaptopRetrospective ah alright thank you so much 🙏🙏
You're most welcome. Let me know how it works out for you.
Second hand in my country this like $300 for i5 and 8gb
Yeah prices will vary from region to region.
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Hi. I am buying a renewed x250 from Amazon, your video convinced me to make the decision.
I will be using modeling softwares like MATLAB and Autocad, do you think an X250 with these specs would be good:
i5 5th Gen 8gb ram, 256 gb SSD, 5300u, 2.3Ghz
It should but always double check your system requirements for the versions of AutoCAD you plan on using, especially for integrated GPU. Keep in mind that those requirements increase with the complexity of the projects you might create.
@@LaptopRetrospective thank you for your instant reply. I am ordering it now, after checking the requirements. This was a great video, the delivery was great, very clear and to the point for even people like me who haven't studied these terms
Awesome, I'm glad it was able to help! Let me know how things go with your purchase.
@@Yarnbag2024 what version do u use for the autocad? I might buying x250 since my old laptop totally died.
@@luckylady1757 hey there. The refurbisher gave me quite a destroyed product so I had to return mine. The laptop was powerful but the refurbishment was bad. So I ended up buying the Lenovo Ideapad Flex5 with Ryzen 5. Its amazing and well prized. Suits me.
Great video, love my x250. But I have a problem, maybe someone from the community can help me.
When i upgrade my PC to Windows 10, the fingerprint reader stop workig, even when i reinstall the drivers recommended by Lenovo support. I tried it with Ubuntu and it does work Ok, but with Windows it doesn't.
What else can I do?
If the driver here doesn't work, maybe check your BIOS version and see if updating it doesn't improve your odds:
pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-x-series-laptops/thinkpad-x250/downloads/driver-list/component?name=Fingerprint%20Reader
Hey. Okay, please hear me out.
1. Macbook Air 11.6 4gb Ram 128gb ssd for $350(usd) including shipping
2. Or thinkpad x250 which I am YET to find a good deal for and which I am yet to upgrade.
which one? please help me choose lol thanks
ThinkPad X250.
@@LaptopRetrospective thank you
You're welcome.
basically, x250 is just a pre-modded x240
Nearly, just with some nicer chipsets, clickpad and external monitor support.
@@LaptopRetrospective and 16 gb of ram too I've got an IPS screen and x250 palmrest w 8gb of ram. I wish I could get 16 in there but that's why I upgraded to a p53
Nice setup!
I have x240 with i7 processor and x250 with i5 processor. Can i swap the processors. Reason for doing it is the x240 trackpad which is pain to use.
The processors are soldered on. However a X250 TrackPad can go into a X240. Not sure if you can swap the whole motherboard.
regarding bout d chassis is it fingeprint/ magnet ? is the texture of d cover is smooth or matte type ?
Not as bad as the X1 Carbons.
@@LaptopRetrospective thank you.
You're welcome.
What watch is that?
Ticwatch Pro 4 G/LTE. I have a discount code that's good until the end of 2020 if you're interested.
Is keyboard light available
Do you mean the ThinkLight or backlit keyboard?
@@LaptopRetrospective any type of keyboard light that would enable typing in the dark
@LaptopRetrospective also, is the display quality a good one? For watching videos
Backlit keyboards were optional.
Depends on the panel. Some are better than others. You can look up the PSREF for the details.
You said that when the main battery is missing the cpu is throttling, which battery is the main (internal or external)? Also this happens even if the laptop is on charger?
External, sorry I should have been clearer. It will occur even when plugged in as I understand it.
If i don't have the internal battery, will it reduce the speed?
I'm not sure if it matters if the internal battery is absent.
thanks, I have one and it is a great little machine for not so demanding tasks. you are doing great job on your channel!
Thanks so much, I really have appreciated your support.
Im interested to know the durability of these ultrabooks (really planning on getting one through college) , can it withstand few drops like the older models?
Depends on how you define your variables. A drop from how high and onto what and how many times?
@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks for replying! Im pretty much a clumsy person I tend to drop things from time to time. For how high, a drop onto solid ground like concrete for about 2-3 feet.. Thanks again!!
It will survive. Depending on how it lands parts might need some attention but I'd sooner drop a ThinkPad like this than any other Ultrabook.
@@LaptopRetrospective Hi!Im currently typing this on my x250.This is my first ever thinkpad and so far im reallty liking it! Thank you so much for the review! I must say that the trackpoint is much harder to navigate as I expected. I guess it will take time to get used to LOL!
You'll get used to it if you practice. Then you won't go back.
Will the X250 motherboard fit inside X240?
Hmmmm, you'd have to check the maintenance manual but I think it might be able to fit? I know there is a lot of parts commonality between them.
Yes. The two are exactly interchangeable. All of the screws are in exactly the same place and all of the external ports line up. The internal connects (screen etc) are also the same between the two units.
Thanks for the confirmation!
Great - thanks for this review - has certainly helped! Refurbs galore out there (I'm in UK).
What's your view on ram vs ssd...?
Will an 8gb ram 500hdd x240 i5 outlive an 8gb 256ssd x250 i5??
I'm hoping to use this as mobile image editor and for field recording..! The graphics capabilities aren't so brilliant I've read.
I'd love your thoughts on this?? :)
Take the X250 with the SSD. Better performance and better TrackPad.
@@LaptopRetrospective - thanks very much! Compared to the (only slightly) older ideapad I've been using, anything would be better! I did think though that if an ssd failed the data would be unrecoverable but not with hdd...?
If a drive truly fails then you're not any further ahead with one type over the other. It's always good to have a backup of your important information.
@@LaptopRetrospective - ok, thx - - do you think I can get away with 4gb & 256ssd in the x250? Am I able to put more ram in if I need?
8GB is a solid amount for this machine still. 4 is a bit thin.
How about noise of this laptop?
Are you referring to fan noise?
@@LaptopRetrospective sure, my one works with ssd m.2 sata and windows 10 2004 and it's a lil bit noise and annoying.
I didn't find it a bother.
Just got X250 with i5-5300U, 120SSD, 8GB RAM and HD IPS display as a mobile substitute for my PC. Used, modified or personalised by company (doesn't have fingerprint reader), but i don't need it anyway. Batteries (24+24Wh) are a little bit worn, but still manage to 3-4hrs UA-cam watching, and there was 90W power supply with it, so not so bad i think ;) It cost me about 150$. One thing that bothers me - I am unable to update BIOS from Windows level. Lenovo Vantage, manual instalator, and Lenovo Update - all failed. The batteries are original. I don't know how can I fix it. Any ideas, advices? ;)
There should be a way to create a bootable USB BIOS update still?
@@LaptopRetrospective Yes, there is an option to cerate a bootable USB with BIOS update, but I never done this before, so just don't want to brick it ;)
Fair. If you're worried, ask yourself if you need the update. Some suggest to not worry about it unless it is going to fix a specific issue. That and if you're already looking to do a BIOS update, one really isn't riskier than the other.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks for reply, yeah that is't necessary for me to have latest BIOS version, just curious what could be a reason for such behavior. Anyway thank you again :)
You're welcome!
nice video
Thanks.
Hey I just want to ask if both they are for coding like making apps or not
That's going to depend on your system requirements and resource demands. ThinkPads generally are favoured by coders and programmers all over the world.
@@LaptopRetrospective it's just for use Android studio and the laptop it's x250 i5 8g ram 500gb
If it meets the system requirements then I'd say you're golden.
@@LaptopRetrospective yeah but I think processor generation a problem for coding or not
People code on older machines than this. Lots of people comment on my T430 video about the work that they do with theirs.
Current price of this laptop
New and second hand both
You're not buying it new. 😂 As for second hand, that varies from region, specifications and condition.
should I go with x230 or x250 ? kinda hard to decide ;.;
What do you need most out of your laptop?
@@LaptopRetrospective just basic use for college: words, excel, web browsing and youtube :) Im gonna use it as my secondary device
The X250 has dual batteries and a newer CPU/GPU. The X230 is better to tinker and mod.
@@LaptopRetrospective I see, but i heard the CPU in x230 is slightly faster than the x250?
The X240 maybe in some situations by 10% but the X250 is two generations newer.
Should i3 5010u version should be purchased
Depends on your needs and requirements.
@@LaptopRetrospective
For watching youtube, ms excel/ word only, i am also considering x240 with i4200u
I5 4200u vs i3 5010u, while i3 is sightly cheaper
Based on what you're doing, so long as you're Excel sheets are not massive complex calculations you should be okay with an i3. The X250 has the nicer trackpad.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks for your reply~!
I found a x250 I5 5300U 8Ram 240 Ssd for 180€. What do you think?
Thanks for the video between
Not too shabby! Hopefully both batteries are in good shape. Easily found if needed.
@@LaptopRetrospective thnk bro. But in my country laptop prices are in the sky
Ahh sorry to hear that.
@@LaptopRetrospective great video you had made 💪💪💪💪
Thanks!
Hey, im looking for a laptop for some light schoolwork (office,pp, excel amd maybe sometimes some UA-cam or netflix) as i already have a good pc and i found a x250 i5 5200u 1366x768 ips for around 350$ on Amazon today, do you think this would be a good choice? Or should i go for the 1080p variant
The 1080p would be nice for HD content of course. The X250 is a great little machine.
@@LaptopRetrospective its a renewed model so do you think id still need to change thermal paste/ battery or it'd be fine?
No idea. It depends how they define renewed. When in doubt, ask. Many refurbishers don't touch batteries or only if they are under a certain % of original capacity.
What's better the x250 for the T420?
Two completely different machines and use cases.
@@LaptopRetrospective just looking for a cheap laptop the x250 is about £120 UK pounds i5 the t440p is about £20 more looking to upgrade to make it as powerful as possible with a limited budget, won't be traveling with it that much so mainly for reports and projects and surfing, none gaming
I'm a bit confused, you want to upgrade it as much as possible but you're not going to be doing anything intensive with it. Are you just looking for a project/hobby machine?
@@LaptopRetrospective yes basically, it's just to slowly upgrade over time to get it to a good spec and see how it compares to the more expensive modern laptops so looking for what would be the best for a project and end up with a good spec laptop in the end.
T series then, X series has soldered on components. The most moddable is the T420 and 430. 440p has some wiggle room.
thank you ! your video really helped however i have a question, does this version of thinkpad can handle games that has high graphics? and eats a lot of storage too.
This is not a gaming laptop. You can't put as large of a 2.5 inch drive in it as you like.
@@LaptopRetrospectiveMine somehow runs world of tanks at 50 fps
Good to know when passing a Thinkpad shop with cash in the pocket.
I wish such a store existed here..
x250s and x240s have pretty much the same performance cpus. so there is nothing that much better...
You're correct, the CPU differences aren't that significant. We do see some gains in integrated GPU performance and battery life, but again, nothing hugely different. This article I thought laid it out nicely: www.pcworld.com/article/2940489/the-truth-about-intels-broadwell-vs-haswell-cpu.html
@NYCfactor Would love to see any data for the i7. I believe the data I found was only the i5.
NYCfactor 5600u is 2-3% more powerful than 4600u. 3-7 gen cpus are basicly have the same performance. Only 8 gen cpus use new technology so they are 60-70% faster than 3-7 gen cpus.
I have about 50 docks for these in case you know anyone looking for one or five
Haha, noted. I have one myself for the X220.
is it suitable for x240? in case if shipping available to Indonesia send me one. much appreciated
Lenovo X230 the better x240. (Seriously, you can source an i7 or even an aftermarket quad core motherboard, and 14900 ram runs in mine, at 2133mt/s dual channel). Clunkpad is unbelievably easy to swap out. Waiting for the xytech 11th-12th gen replacement motherboard on the X230
In terms of processing power, max 15-20% of that's what's most important. GPU, battery life and other factors murky the water a bit. I love the idea of those custom motherboards but the battery life reports are inconclusive for use as a daily driver. Perhaps one day I'll see one with my own two eyes.
My bad, it's pc3-17000 ram for 2133 speed. I can't find any, I must have the last of it 🤣
L460 vs x250, which one u recommend?
Thanks
What size of laptop to do you want more?
I have a ThinkPad e585 that I have tricked out. But my back and side hurts carrying it in a bag. I used this video as research to get an x250. It will be delivered on the day that I leave this comment. My back will thank me.
That's awesome. I hope you enjoy it!