Typically go for the model coming off business leases, with the slim T model or 13" X model being very popular and well built. The X1 series tends to have cooling issues, so I’d avoid them without a lot of research into the specific model. The P series tends to get run harder, so I’d be a bit hesitant there as well. It seems a lot of companies extended to a 4 or even 5 year lifecycle, so normally I’d be saying to start looking for the T14s g1, of which the AMD models started being very good. But you’d probably be looking more towards the T480s and T490s, still, and I think you’ll probably want to stick with Intel for those. But if you find a good deal on a T14s, particular the AMD model, I’d say jump on it.

In recent models, target the 400nit low power IPS screens. Avoid the 500nit privacy guard screen, which basically behaves like a TN panel as far as viewing angles. The 300nit screen has color reproduction and uniformity issues, but I do have one on my work T14s g3, and it’s not horrible. I have the 400nit on my P14s g4, and it is substantially better.

Thinkpads aren’t as upgradable as they used to be, so be mindful of the RAM in particular.

Also none of the 500 nit privacy guard, and the 400 nit low power is generally much preferable to the 300 nit. Not just for brightness, but color reproduction and uniformity are far better.

I believe the T480s and T490s are in the sweet spot right now. Most companies seem to be moving to 4 or 5 year lifecycles, so we don’t seem to be seeing many T14s g1 coming off lease yet.

There’s way too much emphasis on a few songs from each artist that seem to make them more money, or are otherwise pushed by the record companies. AI or not, if it gets me deeper tracks in my daily mixes and artist radios, I’ll pay the extra for that and lossless.

standard policy where the actual measured size can’t be more than an inch off the stated size

Yes please, I’m so tired trying to guess if this 33 is a 34, 35, or 36.

I agree completely. Technology has been making us more efficient for all of human history, and at an absolutely absurd pace since the transistor. We don’t see the benefit, we see more work for less, and live a degrading quality of life in favor of increasingly empty convenience.

I really don’t see the problem with honesty in product marketing, aside from the fact that it should be 100% and not limited to artificial meat products. That said, a ban doesn’t seem like the best idea, because it limits your ability to describe the product. How do you describe artificial spare ribs concisely, without being able to say the words “spare” and “ribs” together?

And just because artificial meat isn’t indistinguishable from the real thing at the moment doesn’t mean:

1. Manufacturers aren’t dressing up the packaging in a way that makes it difficult to tell the difference. And not even necessarily in order to be deceitful, but rather to make it look appealing, and get more people to try it.
2. When you’re tired, and hungry, and just want to get back home from a shopping trip, you accidentally choose the wrong package because the identifiers don’t stand out sufficiently. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve accidentally bought something with artificial sweetener, after staring right at the two options, and registering that I don’t want the one.

I wish we could just get past the loud, over the top design language of literally everything. Every time I leave the house, it’s an assault on my senses, everywhere I turn.

Time to invest in coffee.

Wisconsin stands in solidarity.

I think I’ve seen this one before…

We had a Mac 128k growing up. I’ve flirted with the ecosystem since, but really don’t enjoy their software and walled garden. From an engineering standpoint, my M1 Macbook Air 2020 is pretty much everything I want aside from the keyboard. But damn if I can’t wait to get back to Linux.

Beats the hell out of IDE.