Are Lenovo's ThinkPads Getting Worse?

writertype writes "Over the weekend, Lenovo launched the ThinkPad T431s, a ~$950 notebook with chiclet keys, no trackpad buttons, an integrated battery, and Windows 8 but no touchscreen. The T431s is also thinner and lighter than the bulletproof bento boxes we all know and love. The argument ReadWrite makes is that ThinkPads are becoming slowly, but significantly, worse. Do you agree?"

Comments

X1 Carbon

[mederbil]

Having just purchased a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon I am finding it to be fantastic. It still feels solid like my ol' T42 and it was considerably less expensive than most (but not all) ultrabooks on the market with comparable specifications.

It has an incredible keyboard (in my humble opinion) and does not look flashy which I consider to be a huge plus.

I'd say the ThinkPad series hasn't changed one bit.

Oh yeah, and they've still got a clit mouse!

Re:Selling points

[Anne Thwacks]

That is not quite the whole story. As the owner of a T21, T43p, T60 and T61p (this is written on the T61p), I have to say that Lenovo was fine at first By lately they have gone down hill.

It is very easy to switch hard disks in the older machines, and while they all have an Ubuntu disk as the default, The T43p also has a WIndows 7 disk (for testing) and the T43p has Windows XP (for embroidery machine software). The T21 also has FreeBSD. The p series have unbeatable screens T61p is 1920x1280 - great for embroidery design and pcb layout amongst other things, and a metal roll-cage (withstands people sitting on a laptop left on a chair).

Today's T series have pathetic screen resolution, and plastic roll cages :-( Its like Lenovo have hired Elop!

Incidentally, I also have a 760E, made in Scotland in 1998, which not only still runs, drivers are updated on the Lenovo website! Take that, Fujitsu (drivers not updated after 8 months for my lifebook)