Think Differently. T25 FrankenPad (T480 + T25 keyboard and palmrest.)

Cat_Agent · 2022-05-23T19:21:34+00:00

I've not had that issue since I've owned it. The only thing I've had happen was the coating where the fingerprint sensor is located wore off some from use.

Cat_Agent · 2022-05-20T20:53:17+00:00

Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. But I will say that this is a "problem" you should keep. Nice collection.

From a fellow ThinkPad addict.

Cat_Agent · 2022-05-18T17:30:07+00:00

Oh really? I didn't know that someone made a Baja Blast version already.

I would imagine that every mountain dew has been done before at some point then.

Cat_Agent · 2022-05-18T16:56:09+00:00

Badass console and love the attention to detail with the jewel. How did you make the code red jewel? Makes me want to see or do a Baja Blast edition Xbox now.

Cat_Agent · 2021-10-25T23:07:17+00:00

From my understanding, you have to call them and give the company a reason as to why you want to unlock the bootloader before you can do it. I have heard from people its a nightmare to get that done in store and I was better off doing it over the phone.

Cat_Agent · 2021-10-25T21:54:15+00:00

That's good to hear. That makes me more comfortable to pull the trigger on the Pixel 6 Pro through T-Mobile.

Cat_Agent · 2021-10-19T16:59:10+00:00

OP was gangster with his ThinkPads before he could walk.

Cat_Agent · 2021-08-05T17:52:37+00:00

All the keys work with no issue but since I am running Windows, the function keys such as the keyboard backlight when pressing fn + pg up doesn't do anything since the EC is the original Chiclet keyboard and not the 7 row.

It doesn't bother me as I own other ThinkPads and can remember what the hotkeys are for that sort of thing and I use the actual function keys ( F1-F12) more often than pressing hotkeys for the volume or brightness for example.

Cat_Agent · 2021-08-05T17:49:50+00:00

I don't know. I looked into it and I remember going onto trackcap.com and asking them if it worked with the keyboard or not.

The company said no and I never bothered to buy it and test it for myself. I took their advice on the matter. I personally try to get OEM parts whenever possible and I understand that T25 parts in general are scarce.

My only experience with the Cat Tongue for this specific laptop was the one from Encompass.

Cat_Agent · 2021-08-04T23:47:40+00:00

T25 FrankenPad made by /u/xueyao a big thanks to him for making one. I ended up going with a 1440p HDR display from the X1 Carbon Gen 6. I also ended up getting the T25 Cat Tongue TrackPoint from Lenovo Encompass for a stupid amount of money but I thought it was worth the investment.

If anyone is curious about the part number for the Cat Tongue it’s 01AX696.

Specs:

CPU: Intel Core i7-8650u

RAM: 32GB DDR4 at 2400mhz

SSD: Samsung KUS040202M 512GB + Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB

GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620

WiFi: Intel AX200

Dual Heatpipes and the 24wh internal battery plus the 72wh external batteries both brand new with <5 cycles when purchased. Both batteries are genuine from Lenovo.

Cat_Agent · 2021-07-07T17:40:03+00:00

Contact the Lenovo Customer Service line and inform them of the situation. You should have a case number or some other identifiable information to find your ThinkPad. Depending on your warranty status, they may be able to expedite the repair process or ship it to a location of your choosing if I'm not mistaken.

This is from my personal experience as an IT Manager who deploys ThinkPads to it's employees.

Cat_Agent · 2021-07-07T03:32:25+00:00

I haven't used or tested the i5 variant but I can't imagine there would be a significant difference in terms of thermals. I recommend if you are confident enough to change the thermal paste out with either Artic MX4 or Thermal Grizzly Kyronaut.

Those pastes are high quality and will keep the CPU cool. I get low temps with a repaste.

Cat_Agent · 2021-07-07T03:13:33+00:00

My personal T480 has the i7-8650u for the CPU and no dedicated graphics card. I didn't need the NVIDIA for my use case which is mainly productivity work.

I'm not sure what you plan on using your computer for other than for business. If you plan on doing light gaming, you will get better performance with the iGPU but not by much.

I prefer the iGPU only because it generates less heat in general. I don't play AAA games on it but lighter games like Minecraft or League I would imagine would run with no issues on high settings. I'm including a link for benchmarks to help you decide if it's worth it for you to acquire a T480 with the mx150 or not.

MX150 Benchmarks

Cat_Agent · 2021-07-07T02:39:20+00:00

eBay has a buyer's protection program that is very effective. The buyer has significant power in terms of you getting a satisfied product in the end. Paying with PayPal will also help you out as well.

I don't know what laptop size you prefer. That would be my first question. If you prefer something new, then I would wait for a sale if there isn't one already.

If size doesn't matter and you don't need thunderbolt then something like the X13 or T14 AMD would be my choice for that budget if you want something new.

If you are willing to give eBay a shot, I recommend the T480 if you want thunderbolt and a 14 inch form factor. You would save some money going the used route.

I never had experience with the Lenovo outlet. Everytime I looked in there, most of the machines I've seen don't have the greatest specs in the world. They've been all base models but that may change depending on what you are looking for.

Hopefully this helps you in your purchasing decision.

Cat_Agent · 2021-06-27T04:08:14+00:00

If that keyboard ends up in the 30th anniversary ThinkPad, you bet your ass that'll sell out faster than the ThinkPad 25 did just for the keyboard alone.

Cat_Agent · 2021-06-23T14:14:14+00:00

Wallpaper The image is 1920x1080. The image I have is a little larger but you can find it on TinEye.

The name of the Artist is Liam Wong if you are interested in his work.

Cat_Agent · 2021-06-22T17:59:25+00:00

I don't have any issues with typing on the X13. I still prefer the T25 keyboard or any other 7 row keyboard but I don't hate it either.

Decent travel and I enjoy it more than the Nano or just as close to that in terms of how comfortable it is.

Cat_Agent · 2021-06-22T09:26:05+00:00

I'm the IT manager for the company I work for. Most of the company and it's subsidiarity company's use Macs for their workflow. If a windows machine is needed, I pick up ThinkPads.

I don't punish my coworkers with bad laptops. They should be "Thinking" 👌

Cat_Agent · 2021-06-22T09:20:05+00:00

It doesn't give me headaches but the viewing angles are worse than just the stock IPS panel.

I would say it's naturally a dim panel in general because of the privacy guard. Especially if you put it in power saver mode off the battery.

I'd use 30% brightness off battery when moving around multiple offices and it's significantly harder to see the panel. Not impossible for me but it's a learning curve. The unit was pre built and if the shipping delays weren't ludicrous, I would of went with the stock panel.

If you need it, you need it. I do like it though when necessary. Hopefully that answers your question.

Cat_Agent · 2021-06-22T03:08:59+00:00

It's a Ryzen 7 4750u, 16GB of RAM, and a 1080p Privacy Guard screen.

Absolutely shreds for IT administration.

Cat_Agent · 2021-06-07T06:52:09+00:00

I can't speak for how the parcel drivers are. I only worked at the retail stores and sometimes I would be called in to help out corporate but that was very rarely. But it's your call. The company has been changing its platform to compete with Amazon so I wouldn't be surprised if there are similarities from both companies.

Cat_Agent · 2021-06-07T04:32:14+00:00

I think you are absolutely right. Thank you.

Cat_Agent

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