This is a bit of a selfish post, but I don’t think I’m the only one out there interested in this. I’m in the market for a more recent laptop, my most recent laptop is from 2017, and boy have I been burned in the past by laptops that look good on paper, but end up being pretty disappointing in their design and upgradability. I don’t need a high powered machine, but what I do want is the ability to increase or replace ram, storage, etc. These aren’t usually hard to find, but I do feel like finding a laptop with those upgradable components while also being well designed is a bit more difficult to come by.
I am currently having a blast upgrading my extremely old IBM X31 (2003, mine since 2006) and in opening it up it’s just a joy to see things laid out in an easy to maintain, accessible, and efficient (functionally and with respect to maintenance) manner. There are minimal shortcuts made to handle thermal characteristics, vents are placed where cool air should be brought in instead of just someplace convenient, and ram and other components are easy to replace.
Surely there have been some laptops made in the last 5 years that also have these characteristics, but in my research it’s real hard to find out which ones they are. So my question to you Lemmings who often take apart and maintain laptops, what would you consider to be the best designed laptops for longevity and maintenance that have come out recently?
Framework makes it their point but also charges for it. Some big make laptops also allow to upgrade parts.
But lets not forget Linux specific laptops. They generally allow upgrading ram and storage. Slimbook even sold me a newer (but also new) keyboard when mine gave up after 5 years or so. Most parts seem to be available still.
Some brands to look for in this group are Tuxedo, bto, slimbook, starbook. Clevo might work too.
Framework is the only correct answer here.
Framework laptops are about as upgradable as you’re ever going to get. The 16 now even has a video card upgrade.
Most current Gen. thinkpads have fully upgradable ram. The T4XX/14 series had half soldered ram until a year or two ago. SSDs have basically always been replaceable.
They’re also very easy to work on since it’s only a couple of screws and you have full access to the inside of the machine. Those older thinkpads were nightmares if you had to take the whole mobo out. Even MacBooks were easier.
Thinkpads are what you want to look for. You can get a refurbished one from eBay or Amazon Renewed for $300 and they almost all have upgradable storage and RAM, as well as having the rest of the parts being easier to replace than a consumer laptop.
The T14 series is the one to look at.