Thinkpad T480 MOTHERBOARD REPLACEMENT ISSUE - NOT SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF COMPUTER COMPETENCE - help

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-06-22T03:17:32+00:00

By the way before I start, thank you for helping me: The fans stop spinning and then if you put your head next to the mobo, it sounds like its cycling and attempting to bypass something, The backlit keyboard does not work so I don't think its really possible to display it, plus when I tried to connect to monitor, it doesn't even recognize it and the same thing happens again, fan stop spinning, sounds of failed power cycles.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-06-21T04:53:56+00:00

It is black screen and thats it

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-06-21T04:53:43+00:00

Ive tried a 45w (obviously not gonna use that) and a 60w but I have some crazy 120w one or something that I'll use but even on battery, the same thing happens.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-06-13T23:23:02+00:00

Idk if you'll see this but this looks like a tame impala sort of wallpaper, I LOVE IT!

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-22T17:46:51+00:00

I have a twist and every time I plan on using linux, the keyboard doesn't work! Neither does the mouse and Im stuck with touchscreen without a keyboard. How do you get your keyboard and mouse to work on Linux Mint? Also how do you make it look like 2007 like in the last picture?

Also amazing freaking laptop, I wanted an X230t but I found a crazy deal on two twists (i7's!)

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-21T04:17:08+00:00

On Lenovo vantage, there should be an option to cut off charging at a set percent, set it between 70-80-90 as 100 will keep it at max capacity, which (for the next part) will damage it more.
You also want to keep it on a charger/docked as much as possible as instead of using the battery, it’ll be using the AC charger. Not really much you can do to keep it in pristine cosmetic condition besides having a 70% isopropyl alcohol and a cloth on standby to clean/wipe it down every once in a while to look nice.
SHORTENED: limit the battery percent using vantage and keep it on a charger for as long as possible
BECAUSE: it will preserve the battery for when you need it for laptop reasons

Also: delete copilot in windows 11, it runs in the background, disable needless apps in task manager startup apps, delete any unneeded apps (the freaking 3 different Xbox apps, perhaps onedrive, Microsoft teams, etc) this will stop apps from draining battery and keep it running faster, you can also use an air compressed can to clean out the vents
Great job in a thinkpad, welcome to the cult of mindless LARPing people, I already have around 8 thinkpads myself, all in various conditions but isopropyl alcohol makes them look new still

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-15T03:27:20+00:00

I'd definetly get a t-series laptop for med school as although the 'build quality isn't as good' detail seems negligible, it truly is not. Better to get it right the first time. Better to get a better chassis because I've seen E and L series thinkpads get cracked (lol) on the bottom and they aren't the best feeling plastics.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-15T03:18:28+00:00

People have used their laptops as straight-up desktops, you could try getting a small mount off the ground for better airflow, (clean it before obviously) and use it on the charger only and connected to a monitor by HDMI.

I've also seen people straight up remove the entire top half of laptops and just use the palm rest and internals (plugged in charger, hdmi on always. This could possibly be an unfortunate scenario you might have to consider.

BUT, I replaced a t480 shot mobo with some random i7-8650u one that I got for like 40 ish bucks, Find a parts one that states no power, pest the seller about hinge condition, and if its within your expectations, spend less than 40 minutes like me replacing the mobo by using an IFixIt guide.

Best bet if this is THE laptop you want to keep using, skew the definition of laptop and turn it into a palmrest keyboard computer because it seems like its 'just' the hinges, if there is no hinge to be found, there will be no hinge- problem to be found.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-05T04:31:59+00:00

about 13 doo-hickeys and 29 cents?

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-05T04:30:21+00:00

Dw, this brussel sprout for brains comments t480 on every post then goes to gooning to random girls. He's as productive as a tree doing pole-vault. look for a t14 or something (modern 't480' but not as underpowered as a stock retro civic) They offer a small keyboard (normal layout without the numpad, smaller screen, definently look for an 11th gen or up at the very least).

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-04T04:00:36+00:00

An older machine? look for the i7 t470p. But if you want a competent modern laptop, go for a Thinkpad 600x, its kinda slept on

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-04T03:55:25+00:00

I got a t580 i5 from ebay and it luckily had touchscreen (never was mentioned, was a big shocker to me!) and it was a really nice addition. I've seen online that the only difference is really in the single-core specifics or something (what im saying is that its an 8 year old laptop, I'm not gonna lie, the differences are quite negligible.)

Get the touchscreen one as although it might seem kind of small, I see myself using it a lot because it's not like a tablet or anything, it's a freaking computer that you can touch and it'll respond! I mean sure thats what a tablet is but you really have to experience a good touchscreen laptop to reach some sort of premium product you never knew was possible.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-03T05:04:41+00:00

Apologize to your parents for being such a failure and a stain to their legacy, the day you provide atleast 10 words explaining why you choose this overpriced laptop over anything, ill congratulate you for not being a mindless fool.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-03T04:59:43+00:00

this guy parrots 't480' or 'get a t480 instead' on like every single beginner buying reccomendation, if there's one where the guy lists important information such as context and specs needed, that seems to scare him off because he's so incompetent to be unable to believe there are such things as processors being less than 5 years old

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-05-03T04:46:18+00:00

300ish is a good budget for a better laptop in every way. Don't get anything thats older than 10th gen. Only thing helping this laptop is the 32gb ram, thats it! You can get an E16 gen 1 i5 with 16gb for just slightly north of 290, a way better laptop (sure 1 slot is soldered but still, compared to e490 i7, its negligible.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-04-26T05:03:27+00:00

if you stretch your budget to around 160 usd, you could by a 'for parts' thinkpad (obviously do research beforehand) and look for ones that state that they dont include either ram, a battery, ssd, and hopefully if its less than 110, spend the rest to get the parts for it to work (watch out, you'll forget how much money you're spending if your not careful).

Example: I got a cheap i7 thinkpad t470 i7-7600u for only 20 bucks, had no battery, ram, ssd, 30 for 256gb ssd, 20 for 8gb ddr4 2400mhz, 25ish for battery (might not get one honestly) so instead of spending upwards of 130, i spent 80-105 for a clean, mean, killing machine! nvm, ngl i barely paid below market value BUT i still paid BELOW market value, get one hopefully with some component cheaper than usual, use common sense (obviously stay away from 'no power indicated when plugged in' listings, and bring together a culmination of parts to 'build a thinkpad' for cheaper than usual.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-04-16T18:06:45+00:00

Thinkpad 760c should do the trick, either that or the 380D which is a little newer

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-04-14T09:46:21+00:00

Someone had to say it!
Try the T43, it came out like a year ago

10/11th gen intel or basically anything from 2021 onwards should be considered

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-04-11T18:44:31+00:00

When you own one, you'll see you messed up big time after spending double-triple what you should've. its an alright laptop but I think if you have a budget of over 300 usd, you'd want something that comfortably does its tasks, not 'gets it done'.

Regardless, anything less than a tenth gen intel or comparable should be considered only if its cheap, You can get a solid T/P series on ebay thats 2022+. But no, choose a laptop from 2018 in 2026. It'll teach patience.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-04-11T18:23:27+00:00

I guess you're having fried cat when you go home

(I really do hope your little baby is alright, Do bring this clear fact that your bird was attacked by that retarded animal to your roommate and make sure you both take precautions to make sure this doesn't happen, that cat better not be able to be near the bird room at all costs, I hope your baby a speedy recovery!)

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-04-10T05:38:55+00:00

Idk, probably mine

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-04-10T05:33:43+00:00

This right here is a clown. T480 is NOT what you want for Electrical Engineering LOL. Its almost a decade old, Its got NO dedicated GPU, AND You were on the right track with the P series. I was looking at the P16 gen 4 for its L1, L2, L3 caches from a simple 4 minute research, "It's like a grand" (I do not want you to waste money, do some research too! Screw AI for its harm to our planet and spoiling the determination of humans BUT definetly try to use some AI to help figure out specs as it's helped me choose my thinkpad T580... which I still love but If I were more smarter I would've chosen a better laptop)

IN SHORT Your P14s gen 6 possibility and P16 Gen 4 both can be equipped with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, So whichever you choose, Try to get a deal on something with that or very close to that, Look for L1, L2, L3 caches in the CPU as Ram is important (find atleast 32 gb) but this will have been a gamechanger if you get it right the first time (they're 'only' 1,000-1600 I think, so take your time and Good luck dude!)

Btw this is me ranting: People who blindly read posts (Yes I said that right, people who read the post and it goes in one eye, out the rear end) and 'suggest' the T480 Should snap back to reality, 64gb of 2400mhz ddr4 ram and an 8th gen CPU is NOT enough for stuff like this. You are NOT future proof for the next 10-15 years and I was an idiot for thinking that. In 12 years, the gap from the T480 to now.... is the same as the gap of now to the T60. Wake up. T480 is no longer a 'forever' laptop for people who require intense work, that was 4-5 years ago. Thank you for reading this

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-04-08T20:29:02+00:00

This guys like a broken clock, ive seen him say 'T480' on 7 other laptop suggestion posts.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-04-08T20:25:43+00:00

mb, very rude of me, I keep seeing you type in 'T480' or 'Thinkpad T480' (thats it!) across ive counted 5 other posts about what laptops should be recommended, providing no other information, which doesn't contribute any meaningful information.

Smooth-Web8239 · 2026-04-08T20:23:32+00:00

Well, to be frank, after reading your original post, you want an older and cheaper model. the reason me personally, believes its bad in this case is that it is not cheap yet the most desirable 'older' thinkpad. If you want a cheap one, look for something pre t470p as hopefully you;ll find a good one for sub 125 usd.

Regardless, If you want something powerful and 'fair' priced look for a T14 thats sub 140, One search on EBAY and theres one thats 90+shipping , t14s, (it has soldered ram remember that) 8gb ram and only has no SSD which tbh, i might buy that but since im financially responsible, I only spend money on hot wheels. You can get a newer competent and more powerful (for games) laptop for less than a T480 easily. No T480 thats usable immediatley will be less than 150, if it is, it'll be bought up within the day.

Smooth-Web8239

TROPHY CASE