Lenovo ThinkPad X240: Refresh of the X Series

Today we take a look at the first big refresh that came to the ThinkPad X series. Come and take a look! Before disassembly, be sure to disable the internal battery in the BIOS, I forgot to show that step. Or you can disconnect it the old fashioned way. (Out of sequence in the video. )
/ laptopretrospe1
teespring.com/stores/laptop-r...
laptopretrospective.com/
Maintenance Manual:
download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub...
Keyboard Removal Video from Lenovo:
support.lenovo.com/ca/en/vide...
Looking for one yourself? Check eBay and your local classifieds. Amazon also has a series of parts and machines. By purchasing from the links below, as an Amazon and eBay Affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases that goes to supporting the channel.
eBay:
rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-532...
Amazon.com amzn.to/32O90Og
Amazon.ca amzn.to/2YbDSVx
Timestamps (Special thanks to Jack Coe)
0:00 Introduction
0:38 Specifications
3:25 Disassembly
11:45 Other notes / more specs
14:10 Port Selection
16:14 The Display
17:10 Conclusions
If you are looking for the latest and greatest version of this laptop, I suggest heading over to Lenovo's website to see what they have been up to recently. As a member of the Lenovo Affiliate Program, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through this link.
Lenovo Canada
lenovo.vzew.net/5XBWL (General)
lenovo.vzew.net/P2ZLR (ThinkPad)
Lenovo USA
lenovo.vzew.net/BXEK5B (General)
lenovo.vzew.net/zagjz0 (ThinkPad)

[@donotatme]

I have an X240 as a daily driver for school etc, rocking the i7, 8GB RAM, the HD screen with touch functionality and a 512GB 850 Evo SSD. It's actually very speedy and even does some simple gaming too :D

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yep, it isn't a bad machine, especially kitted out like that.

[@tasmanmayers1212]

Bought a refurb one of these 2 years ago to use as a Linux machine, swapped the hard drive for an SSD and still going strong today. Hands down the best computer I've ever owned. Real shame the new models don't have removable batteries.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Well not easily removable anyway.

[@comicsans1689]

The X220 and X230 with keyboard swap are much better. The X220 has a better keyboard, touchpad, and easier access to RAM and the hard drive (though the X240 is not bad in this regard). The X230 with a keyboard swap has all of the advantages of the X220, but has a more powerful processor than the X240. The X240 is only better for battery life.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yep, really depends if you need that 10-15% performance or the battery life. Trade-offs are the name of the game in this era.

[@comicsans1689]

@@LaptopRetrospective Good point. In my use cases, I want better performance because the batteries in old Thinkpads were never great to begin with. I can definitely understand why people need better battery life, but it sucks that you have to live with the some of Lenovo's other poor design choices like the keyboard to get that.

[@alastorlol502]

@@comicsans1689 And power consumption not to mention thinness and weight.

[@VittorioCorasaniti]

Bought one of these just a month ago: mint conditions, i5, 8gb, ssd, 2 batteries, ips display, wwan...LOVE IT. Probably the best laptop I've ever had, maybe not the most powerful, but the best. Sturdy, nice old fashioned looking and very very portable with the 3cell battery. Keyboard is AWESOME, you would type on it 24h. I got also a 40A2 docking station, the icing on the cake. The only one thing which I'm not comfortable with, is the touchpad (but you can switch it for a x250's one). Thank you ever so much, you helped me doing the right decision.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Glad to be of help Vittorio and stoked to hear you have a machine you love.

[@spaniardsrk5108]

my son has knocked this laptop off of my desk a few times, and it's still working like new. These things are very well made, mines has taken lots of abuse, but cometically still looks pristine.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Hope your floor is okay where it landed. 😂

[@daveys]

I’ve just bought one of these, great little machine. Runs Win10 Pro 64bit fine.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Sure does and lots of battery life as well.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Good choice!

[@joshua4302]

Laptop Retrospective na unfortunately my battery is completely dead. Both batteries hold up to an hour (max / just for Word). Replacement batteries are quite expensive for this laptop and I think that it is not worth it (since I got this laptop for free) Otherwise I love this laptop. Unfortunately I broke one little cable (at the hinge) which is attached to the webcam, Lid sensor and that glowing dot. But a replacement cable is on its way

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Look at it this way, what you didn't pay can go into mods and upgrades.

[@joshua4302]

Laptop Retrospective exactly. That was my idea too. I have thrown in an SSD and now I‘m getting this new cable. But spending 40€ for a battery is too much. I will keep an eye on the battery price though incase I can get a good deal

[@aihsanasl]

Before starting to remove the screws of back cover you should deactivate the internal battery from the BIOS.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yep, it is a good practice for sure. Just to be safe.

[@michellelee7585]

how do you do that?

[@CL-it3zy]

how do u deactivate internal battery?

[@joshhardin666]

@@CL-it3zy you power on the machine, go into the bios (f1) and one of the bios settings is "disable internal battery" - select it, say yes, and the computer will power off with the onboard battery disabled.

[@chadubaldo6174]

How about when you on it again??

[@mannkeithc]

I went for a 2nd hand X250, because it's chipset has support for a single 16GB memory module and they reintroduced the dedicated track pad buttons. What I like about both the X240 and X250 is you can fit up to three physical drives into the chassis. You have the 2.5 inch drive bay that will take either a SATA III HDD or SSD, your i.e. 1st drive. You can then fit a 2nd M.2 2242 SSD in the mobile WAN card position (viz. 2nd NGFF socket. 1st NGFF socket accommodates the Wi-Fi card), and you can also fit a 3rd NGFF socket / bracket under the battery in place of the smart card reader, and install a third M.2 SSD (provide single sided board) into this position. I noticed the X240 being reviewed in your video had this bracket fitted and probably has the original 16GB SSD fitted that was an optional cache drive for the HDD to improve read write access performance. My X250 has two SSDs fitted. A 128 GB drive in the 2.5 inch bay with Windows 10 loaded and a 128 GB M.2 2242 in the 3rd NGFF socket adaptor with Ubuntu 18.04 loaded. I have a mobile WAN card fitted in the 2nd NGFF slot, hence no third drive in my machine. My X250 has an i7 5600U processor with 1366 x 768 IPS display, so great performing machine. I really love the device, especially it's portability and build quality.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Thanks for the information about the drive configurations, very helpful.

[@8secondsofsexy]

This is very helpful. Thank you so much. Can't wait for my x240 to arrive!

[@J276]

Drops ThinkPad: cracks floor Drops MacBook: cracks screen.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

One is designed to be dropped. One is meant to drop jaws. You buy what you value.

[@VelvetVoyant]

ThinkPads are awesome! I have a T520 and an X220i hooked up to a monitor and they're running very well and still going strong. I don't buy into the trash mentality of doing yearly upgrades. ThinkPads are probably the only laptops (the older ones, anyway) that are worth the cost and are very durable. Don't think I'm going to need to upgrade for several long years to come. They don't make laptops like these, anymore. Great video.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Glad you enjoyed the video and your ThinkPads Mikey.

[@ZekeGraal]

T520 gang! Mine has the Nvidia card in it, which gives it a nice kick!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Sure can.

[@Pajamaamaama]

Got one as grad student in CS earlier in 2018. It's what I do all my work on, though I ssh into our super server to run hard tasks

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Nice. How's it holding up?

[@ZekeGraal]

Managed to snag a X240 with the i7-4600U for a good price recently. It will be my newest ThinkPad. Can't wait for it to get here. Another one for the collection! Looking forward to the battery life. Not lugging the charger home on the weekend to my hometown will be nice! Thanks for the video, I will miss being able to swap the keyboards and ultranavs out easily, but like you said, all the core guts are right there under the panel, so it's no big deal.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yep. There are some features lost, that is true, but compared against the average laptop it is still a contender.

[@AtariXcore]

I'm watching this on an X240, i5 vPro, 8gb ram, SSD. In 2022 and it works just fine for a general purpose laptop. My desktop is an i5 and with a SSD boots in no time and does everything just fine. AND this is going on well over 6 years old now.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

The X240 here still gets daily use. 👍

[@TallyHoTech]

Man those Think Pads are tough. Great video

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Cheers, they are really cool machines to look at too. Thanks for the kind words.

[@neverstopz9045]

a review and a teardown? thank you thank you thank you

[@LaptopRetrospective]

My pleasure.

[@TheKirbot]

The 40 series seems like a real sweet spot for affordable thinkpads right now. As long as you don't mind using (or replacing) the funky touchpad.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Fair assessment.

[@fordcomputers2997]

Nice to see people still looking at older ThinkPads in 2018, makes me wish I didn't have to retire mine so early

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Which one are you looking to retire and why?

[@fordcomputers2997]

@@LaptopRetrospective I retired my old T430 due to thermal issues and loud fans and replaced it with a Q3 W530. I really like the W530 as it ran quieter and the K2000m was a much nicer GPU than the T430's NVS5400m furnace of a GPU. The W530 started giving me graphics issues and has issues with its touch pad and fingerprint reader. Whilst I don't game on my laptop usually, there are times when I want to play a quick game of something, only basic 2D games would run reliably. Simple e sports titles like rocket league would instantly crash the computer with or without a blue screen only seconds after launch, minecraft would run for about an hour and then crash, and to top it all off the fingerprint reader didn't work at all and the touch pad was iffy. I replaced the W530 with a Dell Precision M6700 which has been serving me well without a hitch, and I plan to put a 3940XM and Quadro K5000m in there, which should run nicely.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Nice. Always good to hear the histories people have with these machines.

[@michalwiktorow2188]

I can say that I grabbed used one, for nearly 300 bucks, it's nicely built. It has one draw-back: single channel RAM (max: 8GiGs not 16). For pros: 'bridge-battery' (two li-poly, no sticking back) near 6h use with 45% wear level (this means 10h with new batteries). Second pros: ULV cpu - less heat, more stability. I think that considering current ULV: like 8650U - then this would be a beast! But still this is for my work that is 'grab-&-go' and don't worry about it. I can carelessly travel with it :), and take notes - another pros: keyboard.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

My "field correspondant" is learning those very things this week.

[@TheRailroad99]

Yes. I do like the drainage holes! It's little details like that which make up a good thinkpad. Also this has a bad trackpad (no dedicated trackpoint buttons)

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I too miss the buttons but it's still not the worst out there.

[@connormchugh1385]

Interesting that the hard drive bracket was held in by a torx screw. On both of my X250's (which are almost identical internally) it's held in with a standard phillips head screw.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Must have learned their lesson.

[@indiananupam5715]

Another awesome video brother👍

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@xanpagebrown]

thanks, has definitely persuaded me to consider this machine

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Glad to be of help.

[@filippozar8424]

Okay before watching I just wanna say that I've bought a used x240 6 months ago and I'm loving it with 8 gigs of ram, ssd, ips screen and backlit keyboard. I use it for coding and regular pc work (downloading stuff, transfering files etc.). The only thing I would like is somehow having a bit lower idle temps (it sits at about 40 with arctic mx-4), but otherwise an epic laptop for the money.

[@filippozar8424]

Also, I did the keyboard and touchpad replacement alone with a youtube tutorial and it took some time but isn't that hard as long as you keep organised and tidy. All in all a nice laptop but it sometimes does get its fans spun up when I do something more demanding in python or watch videos.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Thanks for the comments!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Interesting. I'll be on the lookout when the fans spin.

[@filippozar8424]

Laptop Retrospective it could be my linux distro though, I didn't really mess with the fan curve, and also, some people have reported that my thermal paste (the mx-4) isn't really all that good for laptops because they get hotter than pcs which can dry out the paste. Still, a great laptop, but I'm on a lookout for the x250 if I manage to find as good a deal as I grabbed my x240 for. Thanks for the vid I completely agree with everything you said 😉👍🏿

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Cheers. Thanks for the comments. That paste dried out over time.

[@matthieujoly]

Just got one of the I5-4300u version for a very reasonable price… I've discovered with a surprise the second battery, and also replace the removable one (44€) which was "only" let me 3h... which is more of battery than the laptop I'm usually using at work (brand-new ones also !!). Installed linuxmint in parallel with win10 pro that was already re-installed by is previous owner. Currently writing the comment on the machine with Linux Mint. This is a great machine, the battery life with the new one is quite long (more than 16 hours!), using this as my "daily driver" while not @home and when I do need to use a laptop. As this is a small machine, always got it in my bag pack. I've just ordered a 8gb memory module to replace the 4gb that are now inside, and, thanks to your video, I do know now how to remove the cover properly (and also disconnect the internal battery as I've also read in the comment, prior to any intervention inside the machine !!).

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Awesome story, glad it found a home with you. They are great machines.

[@epic_clint]

The drive bracket does not need to be removed. The plastic tabs just pop into the screw holes on the side of the drive. That is also a M.2 slot by the WIFI. And the WAN card that was optional for these that can go there is the Sierra EM7345. Just in case some one needed....

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Thanks for the fact check Clint. Appreciate you taking the time

[@epic_clint]

Sorry. I wasn't trying to fact check. Just providing some info people might want with. I'm with you. These things are awesome. Some where I have a gaming laptop that is collecting dust while I use this daily. You still taught me stuff I didn't know.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

No problem! I don't see fact checking as a bad thing at all. Sorry if it has a negative meaning in some circles. The more we share, the more we know!

[@hawkeye454]

Can't wait! Watching this on an X230.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Nice. Hope you fact check me on my vs video.

[@adilberkani9763]

Watching on a X220 :'(

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I love my X220.

[@6sicSIX]

Watching on an x230 with an x220 keyboard and 1080p LCD :)

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Nice!

[@hb9145]

Fantastic little GNU/Linux-computer as well. Great battery life.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Very true. Doesn't do too bad on Windows 10 either.

[@HuntaKiller91]

The 12" form factor is almost perfect imho Considering i can buy this outright for $120-150 depending on the specs is mind-blowing

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I love the 12-13" sized machines. Light and handy.

[@Ashkimbo]

There's also the option for a card reader FRU on this model - most people wouldn't use this in their personal life, but you can replace it with an NGFF adaptor so you can have yet another hard drive or network card in here.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yeah I've read that as well.

[@europeansovietunion7372]

My netbook is falling appart (literally: it losses pieces of plastic every time I open it!) I might get this one as replacement, thanks for the review.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It's a great choice. It won't disappoint.

[@acehighsg]

Very nice. Watching this on X220 :D

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Nice. Good taste.

[@gianniferru1947]

Subscribed 👍🏻 very informative video

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Thank you for your support. Glad you liked the video.

[@peterge98]

Bought one 6 months ago. Installed arch linux. Dont regret

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Very nice! What are you doing with it?

[@peterge98]

@@LaptopRetrospective Im using it for school. I bought it with the 72WH battery and it lasts about 10 hours!!! So light office work and web browsing, but i installed a few games too. And i even run a windows10 vm, with 4gb ram total, and it was able to handle it :)

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Nice setup and glad to hear about your battery acquisition.

[@dondona4321]

@@peterge98 any idea how save the internal battery while I'am using only ac power?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Not sure I understand your question.

[@internetcitizen7673]

This laptop is great! I have the i7-4600U, 8GB DDR3 and chucked in a 240GB SSD and this machine flys! 10/10. Video was great for deciding weather to purchase, came to £200 in the end ($260 ish)

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Glad I was able to help! Enjoy.

[@__agent3]

I'll be getting the core i5 8gb this week, cost up about £110 !

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@__agent3 very nice!

[@__agent3]

@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you :D

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@__agent3 Enjoy!

[@ayyget]

Hello, great video on X240. May I ask you questions, can the Wi-Fi card on the ThinkPad X240 be replaced by Wi-Fi 6 card i.e. Intel AX200? And if money doesn't consider, which one will you prefer, X250 or X240? I'm going to buy it refurbished and the 2 laptops has similar price but different aspect on trackpad. Thank you for your answer.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Go with the X250 of the price is similar. Newer CPU, better Trackpad. Regarding WiFi cards, you'll need to see what is on the manufacturer whitelist or be prepared to learn about BIOS hardware flashing.

[@adrianfox9099]

Is there such a thing as a right click menu key (other than using the touch pad)? Some laptops have this but the IMP EC key next to AltGr on mine does a screen shot instead (French keyboard using Linux Mint) It's just that I find it tricky to right click for menus with the touchpad except in the extreme right corners of the pad.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I'd replace the TrackPad with the X250 one. Best solution. 😉

[@michaelmyers4484]

I have this very laptop in front of me after 'upgrading' from my old x230. I have to say, both battery life and the ability to install 16 GB of RAM in dual channel config were better on the x230. The old, separate buttons for the Trackpoint are also infinitely better on the x230. The screen is much better on the x240, though (I had the 1366x768 version of the x230, my x240 has FullHD). All in all, I consider the x240 a downgrade, especially because of the 8GB RAM limit. I don't understand their decision to put in a single RAM slot. Not at all. Successor models should never provide less features than their predecessors, see iPhone headphone jack disaster.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

The x240 tried some different things and is clear from the models that came after that they learned some lessons. When is coated, it isn't so great. Treated on its own merits, it's a good machine.

[@adiabriganjarutama6144]

the "downgrade" parts its not just about the ram, using U processor, missing drainage hole for antispill keyboard, missing thinklight, in my opinion - im using X240 only for a few weeks, cant stand with it and decide to go back to my lovely X230 after - avoid this X240, if you wanna upgrade from X230, straight go to X250 is much better option.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I hope one day to get a x250 on the teardown table and find out.

[@jamesbrown9524]

I just purchased an X240 thinkpad no Touch and I am wondering how hard would it be to put in a touch screen in place of one of these that does not have touch screen?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I'm not sure it's possible. The maintenance manual states completely different display assemblies so you'd be looking at a top case replacement to start.

[@neerajbg]

I have a L 440 and it works just great. Think pads are just great irrespective which one it is . Planning to buy another one may be x 250 / 60

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Great choices.

[@neerajbg]

However it all depends on the decent deal. Actually my L 440 is i7 4480mq. I Love this machine as it's really thunder fast. I bought it few months back for 300 USD with 8 GB RAM. After using this machine I am in love with thinkpads and looking for a nicer deal under 400 . I think a 6th gen i5 will be fair enough , perform equal of 4th gen i7 , as my primary work is php and Python programming, don't use games or video. What do u suggest, i5 5th gen better over i7 4th gen.

[@JPOFett]

just bought a x240 on eBay to replace my old dell latitude e6410. Can't wait until Saturday to try it out

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Very exciting! Let me know what you think.

[@maximmus7080]

So how the laptop?

[@JPOFett]

@@maximmus7080 After using it for a few hours I can say this . 1 the battery life is great. 2 the weight and size is perfect. 3 its fast with an ssd. 4 it feels solid 5 Its a thinkpad 6 Its good for light games

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Sounds like solid conclusion to me.

[@TimothyBrian97]

Hey in 2019 better getting lenovo x250 or dell latitude e7250 ? They both have 8gb ram + ssd installed thx

[@LaptopRetrospective]

ThinkPads are generally built to a higher standard than Dell Latitude machines.

[@emmarowley1096]

Laptop Retrospective wow thanks for that useful information

[@LaptopRetrospective]

You're welcome. The Latitude isn't a bad machine but ThinkPads go through considerable testing to get that name.

[@miskoma3882]

Woot another thinkpad vid

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yep and not the last.

[@chadubaldo6174]

Im planning to buy a 2nd hand x240 . Can the processor, ram and Operating system make a difference (upgradeable) from the stock specification? Just to ensure if the unit is legit . It tells that year 2016model (drivers up to date). Thanks .asap Also Can it run autocad in 3D model??

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Only thing you're upgrading is RAM, max is 12 GB. 4 on board and one slot. System requirements for your AutoCAD version?

[@1234djmonroe]

Does a FHD IPS display work for my x240 i5 4300u by just straight swapping it with my 1366x768 lcd display? I was planning on upgrading my display due to having white spots on some part

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Should be fine. Check the FRU for the display in the maintenance manual for the correct part.

[@deelan_]

I'd honestly go for a x250 in 2019. It's absolutely the same considering looks and features, while having a newer Intel Processor generation (Broadwell) and also returned the Buttons for the Trackpoint.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

As I mentioned in your other comment, while this is true, cost and availability are two key factors for older laptops. Thankfully the buttons for the TrackPoint can be installed into the X240 at low cost.

[@deelan_]

@@LaptopRetrospective I just noticed while looking for a X series laptop on ebay (My friend has got the x240 and he recommended it to me) that x240s and x250s are similarily priced there. I bought a x250 for myself with an 120GB SSD WWAN the Fingerprint scanner and a smart card reader for just 230€ and I saw x240 with same features but worse specs for the same price

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Nice catch. Sometimes this happens. Knowledge is helpful. Enjoy your ThinkPad!

[@replicant8532]

x250 is a killer deal right now. I bought i5-5300U, 8GB RAM 128GB SSD option for 150$! I got it with a single large battery which I'm going to sell and managed to score small external battery and internal battery with 98% capacity for 25$ total! I'm thinking of replacing screen for FHD IPS but it's not something I need that badly. I guess I'll replace it with X270 in 2 years :)

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Nice buy!

[@masokys]

Hey, it might be too late but is it real deal for me to buy this X240 with i7-4300U and 500 GB HDD in 2019? I just an econ stud who use stats apps like Stata & R, Office apps plus doing some designing in Corel X8. Thanks in advance.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It's still a good buy for the right price.

[@francissaanane5874]

i have bought at least 5 x240 in the last 4 months, i5, 8GB, 256GB SSD. they work very well.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@francissaanane5874 that's quite a few. What are you doing with them?

[@ChrisD__]

Thinking about upgrading from a 2016 Acer Cloudbook 14 to one of these. It sort of similar to take apart, but the face-plate *isn't plastic welded to the aluminum frame.*

[@LaptopRetrospective]

That would be a noticeable upgrade.

[@ChrisD__]

@@LaptopRetrospective For sure! I appreciate the quick reply! XD

[@LaptopRetrospective]

You're welcome!

[@ondrejjaluvka6766]

Hi, nice review full of usefull info. Are you planing to continue with its succesor? x250 thx

[@LaptopRetrospective]

If I get the chance to handle one, of course I will. I am limited to what I can lend, borrow or buy for a cheap price. The newer ones are still fairly expensive and the channel doesn't have the income to flat out buy every machine features.

[@jazzbumsmike]

You mentioned that the i3 was for a more budget friendly version. Wasn't there also a rationale for businesses to use the i3 to maximize battery life?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Fair points to be sure. Thanks for sharing that angle.

[@juanignacioaschura9437]

I know, old comment, but: It was more for budget, anyways AFAIK the i3 models were almost never offered to corporate customers, instead offered to end consumers (in some models under the "i" suffix, like the X230i or X220i). Lenovo would rather you go for an L-series ThinkPad if you wanted a better leasing deal. (The E-series is consumer-oriented as well).

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Interesting stuff, thanks for sharing.

[@MrLolmango]

my X240 is making fan noises , it isn’t whirring noises but stutters , any fix? it sounded really strained and it’s fairly new so I don’t really understand why it’s happening , help will be appreciated

[@LaptopRetrospective]

The fan is new I presume since the laptop wouldn't be. It sounds like a drop of sewing machine oil on the bearings might help or it might need to be swapped.

[@MrLolmango]

@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you for the prompt advice ! I was really clueless so this’ll help lots !

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Good luck. Thankfully the fan is a part that can be found at a reasonable price.

[@nikkaerana8570]

Hi! I'm planning on buying a refurbished x240 i7 and upgrade it to 480 ssd. Just wondering if i can still use it to play games like League of Legends among other things of course. Cheers!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Check your system requirements. It only has an integrated GPU and U series processor.

[@grahamr6545]

I think I might have to upgrade my Lenovo Edge E130 to one of these..

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Would be a nice step up. Let me know what you decide.

[@yingxiangyao5323]

I would go for something like Dell Latitude E7240, which has 12 inch form factor but has 2 ram slots (16GB max), 2xmSATA slots and the laptop is still very compact and easily servicable.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Don't often get to tear down Dells. Will keep an eye out.

[@yes_man_lol]

Please remember to check your e7240 when you are buying it. There are tons of complaints of e7240 and e7250 overheat easily.

[@nahbruhwhat]

I'm considering getting one of these 12" laptops. What's you guys take on screen resolution vs the small size of the screen? I see colleagues with insane 4k on miniature displays which just does not make sense. I run Linux and scaling UIs is something I don't want to spend my time on. The choices seem to be between 1366x vs 1920x.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

1920 is just fine unless you're doing some pixel accurate design work. Will be nicer on your battery as well.

[@nahbruhwhat]

@@LaptopRetrospective thanks for your answer. I actually meant the 1920 compared to the 1366 on the little 12 display of the x series.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@nahbruhwhat Gotcha. The HD IPS screens are the cat's meow.

[@Georgeoforce]

Perhaps the difference in screw type in the hard disk drive is down to security reasons? Protecting user data by making it harder to remove?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I suspect that's correct but it seems pretty low level.

[@wnewbury4]

I got a x240 from ebay for $60. At that price, I like it a lot. No buttons on the touchpad, just like my newer chromebook. Not fast, but fast enough for me. Stays cool compared to my x220 or T430. Far from perfect but it suits me.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Glad you have one and you're enjoying it. 👍

[@danp1975]

Thanks for the detailed review! Still a good buy in 2021? I'm looking for a dedicated linux laptop.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yep, I'd seek out the X250 with the nicer TrackPad. You can swap it yourself but if both are available and similiar price, go up one.

[@danp1975]

@@LaptopRetrospective thanks for the quick reply! I must admit that I disable the touch/track pad as it's the track point or mouse only for me!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Gotcha, in that case it would just be a slightly newer CPU and GPU. That would be it.

[@johnmuggah7407]

Do these support 1000mbps and 5ghz WiFi? Looking for some for technicians to test WiFi speeds up to 1Gb.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

5GHz WiFi, yes even with the stock card. Pretty sure your Ethernet port is 1000 rated.

[@krazykat64]

Thanks for the comprehensive overview. Thinking about picking one of these off eBay for a portable Linux machine. Do you think this would still be a good purchase for that purpose at this point in time?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Absolutely.

[@krazykat64]

@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks for your prompt reply. Found what appears to have been a "fleet vehicle" (aka business issue unit) for a little over $100 shipped. It's a bit ugly, but if everything is in working order as described I should be able to upgrade the ram and go to town. :)

[@krazykat64]

Well, I did end up getting the machine I was looking at on eBay. It was in much better cosmetic condition than the pictures had indicated. I immediately bumped it up to 8gb of RAM and stuck an SSD in it. Installed Xubuntu and it absolutely flies despite the U series CPU. Should be getting a new internal battery next week and as it stands I see no reason why I shouldn’t get at least another 3-4 years out of it. Very pleased.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@krazykat64 so excited for you. A lot of people didn't like the U processor bit the 10% loss of processing power from the previous generation was well worth the trade we got in battery life. Now just swap out the trackpad for the three button version. Very cheap and is an awesome mod.

[@krazykat64]

@@LaptopRetrospective Strangely enough, as much as folks complain about that trackpad, I haven't had an issue with it. I suspect most who dislike it probably have previously developed muscle memory from the three button that made using the "slab" unpleasant. I had no such muscle memory and therefore came at it without without preconception, thus making it less frustrating for me. Just a theory. 🤷‍♂️

[@soloccidit]

I am a student currently and live at home where I have a gaming desktop, but I need something portable and light for taking to class for notes, writing essays, watching some videos in between classes, etc. I am currently using my dad’s surface pro 3 he is lending me until I can afford my own laptop. Would you say the x240 would be a good choice, or is there something else you would recommend? Thought I’d also mention I am on a pretty tight budget, probably 450-500 USD at the absolute most. I am absolutely fine with buying on eBay and servicing the machine myself too.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

X240 is great with its dual battery system. Many prefer the x230 because it is slightly more powerful but it sounds like you want battery over power in your situation. Unit is easy to service minus the keyboard.

[@conmannicknameleroy3493]

I got an x240 for 220 bucks off of newegg refurbished with an i5 and 8gb of ram

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Nice. Was the unit in good condition?

[@conmannicknameleroy3493]

@@LaptopRetrospective yea not many scratches good battery and nice thermals I also dropped the voltage a small amount.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Very cool. Sounds like they might be a good place to recommend.

[@Ravik-no6wx]

I heard that previous version (x230) had additional m2 slot for second drive, how things are going with that machine? :v

[@LaptopRetrospective]

X230 had an mSATA slot, don't recall m.2

[@sunnymas2656]

I ordered a T 440 P - (yes "P") - Its a huge step forward, to have an more amazing computer. Specially, because its the P Version. Its converted to a 256 GB SSD, and whole used laptop in A condition for totally $ 260 with 12 month warranty from a professional dealer here in germany. I want to advance it, from 4 GB to 8 GB RAM - no big deal. Its bigger and heavier as the other 440ies, but overall more, and a bigger working maschine.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Very cool. Hope you enjoy it.

[@sunnymas2656]

@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks. I kept all my wishes for my next laptop, and made NO compromises. And crossed my price limit only 10 % more. So I found and decide for the T 440 P. I don´t want to think too long, and want to choose. No choice = no computer. But if you made a choice pro computer, you get it really.

[@levig-man4103]

I work with T440P (local) and X240 (mobile) . I really like that you can use the Dock for both pc‘s . Nice Feature .

[@syousufimam]

Would you share the dealer details? Even I am looking for a similar laptop.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Best buys are going to be local. Always try nearby before going online.

[@internetcitizen7673]

My ThinkPad X240 uses the same screw as the rest on the drive bay. It is a UK version though so I'm not sure if that's different?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Could just be what parts somebody had when they were last working on it?

[@internetcitizen7673]

Yeah, it was a refurb.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@internetcitizen7673 maybe someone with good sense swapped it out. 😁

[@MsHackthat]

Fun fact. In windows 11, you have a built in fingerprint reader software to work with that fingerprint scanner. It works great! I had a l440 that works fine with it.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Good to know!

[@kyeibrobbey2039]

my fingerprint hasn't been working on Windows 11. Any tips on how to get it working again will be much appreciated

[@miskoma3882]

So im pretty happy with myself. Managed to get a x230 for 77 bucks. Only downside is that its missing the ram cover and the included hdd was doa( but both r easy fixes)

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Very nice. Did you get it with the backlit keyboard?

[@miskoma3882]

Yup

[@RyanFoster2013]

It's really nice with the backlit keyboard. Now for 16GB ram and an IPS panel 😂

[@aurumrs6557]

I am not good at all at computer tech, but if i buy a thinkpad x240 with 128gb SSD can i give it more gb because 128gb isn't enough for me and i found a limited offer that i can buy a thinkpad x240 very very cheap! Please respond with very clear and easy understandable because of my little knowledge?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yes, this is possible. The maintenance manual in the description of the x240 video walks through the process with clear instructions and pictures. They were meant to be taken apart and serviced. 😁

[@aurumrs6557]

To be honest i am not going to deal with that i will just send to a professional and let him deal with that. Just wanted to be sure that i can not be limited with just 128gb. Thank you!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@aurumrs6557 up to you of course, it can be done though and easily. Good luck!

[@M20x]

X240 have BIOS whitelist unlike X250 and onwards. This will be a problem if you are trying to use non-original parts (i.e lcd panel). I have confirmed this myself. I have X240 and X250 (both with latest BIOS) running W10. I tried installing both of them with a same non-original FHD panel (NV125FH), the brightness function only works with the X250. Also X240 have fn-key not working problem when updated to latest BIOS. My X240 got it, some people in Lenovo forum also confirmed it. I recommend getting a X250 instead of X240.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

As you go up the tradeoffs get more extreme.

[@AntonyBril]

nice video, do you happen to know if the internal battery is dead will it affect the external by draining it?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It won't. One battery will not charge the other afaik.

[@AntonyBril]

@@LaptopRetrospective alright ,i ordered one after getting ''convinced'' :D after watching your video, paid 200 euros and it was advertised as A- 8gb of ram and 128ssd but it didn't specify if it was configured with the second battery,do you think that was a fair price?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Price sounds about right!

[@patrickweaver1015]

I just bought a nice like new x260 from ebay a couple of weeks ago. Really liking it. THinking about buying another one like it for my wife. My x260 came with 512 ssd and 8 gigs of memory and I5 cpu. Will going to the x240 be a big step backwards?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

What are the specs of the x260?

[@TrentonMatthews]

Laptop Retrospective Just so there is no ‘gap” in answers to questions, here’s said X260 specifications: www.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-x/ThinkPad-X260/p/22TP2TX2600

[@theguyinthefunnyhat]

I got an x240 on Ebay with a non-backlit keyboard. I ended up fitting a backlit keyboard myself and it was a nightmare. It's a great laptop. Though, my battery clips broke. Twice. I had to replace the back panel twice because the battery kept falling out.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yeah, keyboard isn't fun. Curious about the battery clips giving you so much trouble.

[@epic_clint]

The little clips that are on the bottom that slide over to release the battery? Yeah those falling off are very, very common. Like its probably one of the few certainties in life like taxes and death. We are in the process of phasing the x230s to x250s out this year out of large medical company. They are great devices though. I have one myself. They just hit our end of life policy.

[@tonytv11]

can this laptop handle adobe premiere or other editing software? thanks! You're awesome!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It would run, the question would be how well and if I had to guess, not very, at least for complex projects. It is a U series cpu and there is only integrated graphics. So keep those things in mind. Hope that helps.

[@GasPipeJimmy]

Can I request an X250 review? Loving this entire Lenovo series. Thanks!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

If I get the chance to borrow one I will. Are there significant differences between it and the x240?

[@GasPipeJimmy]

Not owning either I’m uncertain other than I hear that they fixed a few things wrong with the X240 and the processor power was supposedly much better, but that might just be people talking-up their particular Lenovo model. I have two X220’s and really like them. My daily driver has the infamous broken seam in the lid, so I bought a new lid from China and I’m going to swap it out. That’s my only complaint about the X220, well, that and a soldered in processor, but they all do anymore.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yes, one had to be careful of the mythical qualities given to since ThinkPads. I love my X220. I've documented the mods I've done on this channel. One day I hope to swap the panel to IPS.

[@GasPipeJimmy]

Laptop Retrospective The IPS panel is wonderful and a worthwhile mod to any X220 in daily use. I swear by them. Those IPS panels make so much of a positive difference.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I don't doubt it. Guessing you have one in at least one of your machines?

[@Kreln1221]

Why no mention of the dock connecter on the bottom, or the three docks available for this model?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

EDIT: Whoops, wrong video. Honestly on this video, given its age, I probably straight up forgot. It was one of my earlier ones.

[@Kreln1221]

@@LaptopRetrospective I just got an Ultra Dock for a friend's X240, and one thing about it has me worried..., the fact that it'll completely block all of the ventilation ports on the bottom of the laptop... I saw that you used a Mini Dock on another Lenovo unit... Do you feel that these docks noticeably increase internal temperatures, especially when running CPU/GPU intensive applications?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Hmmm. It would restrict the airflow somewhat but I wouldn't think it would block it entirely. I haven't personally experienced significant performance loss from using a docking station that I recall.

[@jackf1684]

These U series really took a hit in performance. I bought a T440 a while back with the i7-4600U and running UserBenchMark it yielded the same, if not worse, scores and FPS compared to an X230 with the i5-3320M. But using it was pleasant, I liked the keyboard, the two batteries, the form factor, and glowing I in Thinkpad were little things that I liked. I had the "better" 900p display but without touch which was a bummer, the touch variants are rare on eBay I guess. Still good machines and I shouldn't bash them because of their minor-ish decrease in performance. Though, the real bad machine in the 40 series thinkpad was the W540/W541. The build quality wasn't as good, notebookcheck notes "audible contact with the internal components by resting your hands on the palmrest." The only thing changed with the W541 was I think some new processor, and trackpad buttons on the top.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yeah the U series took on average a 10-12% hit in exchange for better battery performance as that was becoming a more popular feature at the time. Overall I'm not the biggest fan of the 40 era, mainly due to the trackpad style.

[@jackf1684]

@@LaptopRetrospective Same with that trackpad. During the very brief *3 days* (I returned it on ebay because the usb ports didn't work properly) I owned a T440, I couldn't drag and move something, I could do it but it wasn't easy and it felt like a clunkpad, I liked the distance it moved when you clicked but not the clunk or the rattling every time you even touched it. At least it had gestures.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Yep, my experience is similar.

[@rajeshsharma79]

Is this supports Windows 10 or 11? and how portable it is when we compare with 11.6" laptops?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Very portable. It supports Window 10 officially, Windows 11 can be loaded on it unofficially.

[@rajeshsharma79]

@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks for quick response. Very useful.

[@SuperPrissy]

Do you think this is suitable for game development? Very informative vid btw. Thanks for sharing.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

What are your system requirements?

[@SuperPrissy]

@@LaptopRetrospectivequad-core 2.5GHZ CPU, 8GB RAM or higher

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@SuperPrissy Well you're not going to get proper quad core performance.

[@lacarpetaraiz]

Hi! I'm a software engineering student and want a light/good battery machine to run Linux at school. Don't have a lot of money. You guys recommend a x240 for me?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

X240 has loads of battery. It or the x250 would be a good find.

[@lacarpetaraiz]

Already got one. Thank you very much!!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Awesome. How do you like it?

[@MuhammadFaisal-zm5wq]

Hey! I found one with an i5 4300u, ips 1366x768, 8gb ram x240 for about 150. Is this a good deal?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

That USD? Sounds good to me.

[@swaytv.]

Im getting the x240 i7 4600u do you think this would be great for video editing and light gaming

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Depending on the complexity of your projects and games. Remember you have no dedicated graphics card.

[@swaytv.]

@@LaptopRetrospective im looking foward in 1080p video editing in adobe premiere pro

[@LaptopRetrospective]

You might want to read this article I found on the Adobe forums. forums.adobe.com/thread/2006163

[@sialraya]

X240 (i5) or a X230 (i7) Both used, both 8gb ram. Planning to swap either one to a 256gb SSD.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Both great machines depending on what you do.

[@sialraya]

@@LaptopRetrospective photo and video editing,... sometimes on the go. Need something portable, can take a bit of beating, 4-6 hours battery life...and easy to connect to WiFi/hotspot on the go? Do both of them have that draining hole for water spillage?? Thx

[@LaptopRetrospective]

X230 i7 would be my choice. Extra power, has the drainage system and battery isn't as big of a deal for you as power it seems.

[@sialraya]

@@LaptopRetrospective you are awesome! Gonna get some me some 240/500 GB SSD Any other suggestions to look out for/help with my needs??

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It can take a secondary mSATA SSD if you really want storage. It's SATA 2 speeds though. Beyond that, get the machine first, use it, then decide what is missing and go from there. They are a great machine to tinker with, lots to do to them.

[@zachgiacalone3445]

If it's possible, Can you do a review on a ThinkPad T440p?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

If I get the chance, I will.

[@kirkeasterson3019]

@@LaptopRetrospective I've been considering selling my T440p to get an x240. I put in a 1920x1080 IPS screen and the T540 trackpad. It's quite nice but I wanted something a bit smaller. Any interest?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Interesting. I'd have to check my budget for the channel as I probably wouldn't end up with it in constant use. Let me know what you were hoping to get.

[@serhiirudenko6183]

So yep, looks like a nice machine, but not sure I'd get it for myself since I like to use a trackpoint, and I heard this one without dedicated buttons is nooooot the best one. By the way I don't think this internal layout is a bad thing. Yes, you need a full disassemble to replace a keyboard, but access to a heatsink for cleaning is very easy. On the other hand on older machines it needs to remove a motherboard to do it. And I much often clean the heatsink than change a keyboard (never changed it, lol) on my T430. Now thinking to get something smaller and lighter, maybe x250... But anyway watched this video, nice one, thanks!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Thank you. You can swap out the trackpad.

[@serhiirudenko6183]

@@LaptopRetrospective Hmm didn't know that they can be swapped. But anyway I find x250 on a local site for a good price. Maybe will get it.

[@elhabibaachari5560]

I like your voice relaxing 😌

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Thanks for the complement! Glad I could add to the relaxation we all could use right now.

[@MsHackthat]

Can i use this to edit videos. I don't want to build or use pc, I just want a small laptop.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It would be able to handle some small to moderate sized 1080p projects more or less depending on the CPU. More complex projects will give you longer render times.

[@darrenexcell]

I've got an opportunity to buy one of these that will come with Windows 7 Pro installed. What might I expect in terms of functionality and impact on battery life if I upgrade it to Windows 10? Should I do the upgrade, or would I be better served leaving it as is? I really want the machine to be a long battery life typer and web browser. Really enjoying your videos on these ThinkPads, thanks for your work and effort!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Mine runs Windows 10 and does great. The dual battery makes it a monster in battery life.

[@darrenexcell]

Thanks for the feedback! I'll strongly consider it

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It loves Linux too if you're just web browsing.

[@rajeshsharma79]

@@LaptopRetrospective Very helpful for me. Thank you.

[@theanhuce]

so i should buy x240 or dell 7240, i working office and moving a lot

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I can only speak to the x240 as it's the one I'm using. But that build quality and dual battery would tempt me.

[@aelghawi66]

the dell preferably, the x240 isnt as powerful

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Fair assessment, depending on needs.

[@erikasulbaran8583]

I'm about to get one for work, I have to do some basic photoshop, go into meetings in Zoom and sharing my screen. It is refurbished, it has 4GB RAM and 360 HDD i5 4300u with 2.90 Ghz. Is it a good idea?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

The RAM is pretty low, so I'd be prepared to upgrade that. The HDD should be replaced with an SSD in my opinion for the massive jump on performance. Lastly, if colour accuracy is critical for your work, I'd suggest an external display if it isn't the top tier panel. Keep an eye out for X250's as well.

[@erikasulbaran8583]

@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you!!! You rock.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Happy to help!

[@xxgg]

Can replacement OEM Lenovo internal battery still be purchased?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

From Lenovo? Maybe if they have old stock, but be prepared to pay for it. Third party is the most cost effective.

[@smellybanana6634]

I really hope i get your reply I want to get this unit for some daily usage, watching KZbin and movies, as well as doing some essays on it Also some light casual gaming Am i making the right choice?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

You won't be disappointed. The battery life is amazing. The x250 is great too. Better trackpad. What games?

[@smellybanana6634]

Just some old gen games Mostly ps2 and ps3 games

[@smellybanana6634]

You see im a college student and on a tight budget

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@smellybanana6634 emulation can be resource demanding. Your milage may vary.

[@smellybanana6634]

@@LaptopRetrospective thanks for the replies Keep up the good work

[@tedarmavan]

Even X240 shows us as Thinkpad fan, here is no reason to buy consumer-class laptop at same price, despite I'm not considering X240 as my ThinkPad wish...rather look at T440 instead.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

The X240 might not be the most loved ThinkPad, but as you say, it is still a lot more impressive than most consumer-grade units. Spoiled by high standards. :-)

[@Karkat]

I've been thinking about getting a HP EliteBook 820 G2 for stuff like light gaming, but then I stumbled on this. Which should I get?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

No experience with the HP Elitebook...yet.

[@Karkat]

@@LaptopRetrospective I think I'm going to try out the thinkpad. The i7-4600U in the thinkpad is slightly stronger than the i5-5300U.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Good luck!

[@patrickmediodia1952]

Do you think this can handle andriod studio with 8gb ram and 240gb ssd?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

What are the system requirements for that program?

[@patrickmediodia1952]

@@LaptopRetrospective Microsoft® Windows® 7/8/10 (32- or 64-bit) 3 GB RAM minimum, 8 GB RAM recommended; plus 1 GB for the Android Emulator 2 GB of available disk space minimum, 4 GB Recommended (500 MB for IDE + 1.5 GB for Android SDK and emulator system image) 1280 x 800 minimum screen resolution In terms of processor none is really listed.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Then I'd say you're probably good to go.

[@robinrai4973]

I wisht the non thinkpads were built this well, my Y50 fell apart and is now held together with epoxy!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I know a few machines like that.

[@alvinherrera619]

Which one has the best hd display? Because I'm just using it forr watching movies KZbin and netflix hope you can help me guys please! 😔 X230 x240 t420 t430 t520

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Each of these have multiple factory display options, let alone aftermarket solutions.

[@joy-of-diy]

Hey man, what are your thoughts on the latitude e7240. What about this vs x240

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It competed against the ThinkPad S440 at the time it was released. To me, they are in two separate classes. If the X240 meets your needs, then I think you will find it better built and considerably more durable. Reviewers at the time pointed out a few too many flex points. Haven't had one on the teardown table to directly compare, but I'm happy with the X240.

[@joy-of-diy]

@@LaptopRetrospective appreciate your quick response mate. Cheers!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@joy-of-diy you're welcome!

[@AgungPrasetyoWibowo]

Hi, i'm from Indonesia. I like about this x240 review. I hope you can review thinkpad t450s too. Thank you.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

If I get the chance, sure.

Do you recommend it for illustrators or photoshop as well?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It is a U series processor so bear in mind the limitations they bring.

[@dimitris470]

The biggest limitation might be the 8GB memory limit if you are working with very large files

[@xcharles1]

What's the maximum RAM that this system allows? I've read 8gig.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It is 12GB. 4 is soldered on and up to 8 can be installed in its single slot. I just did mine actually.

[@dixiemaspaitella345]

@@LaptopRetrospective hi there, did you mean the 4gb soldered ram is already soldered on the machine when we buy it or we have to purchase the 4gb ram again? Thank you and anyway, you did a great review video!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Correct. All machines come with 4 soldered on.

[@MotorDanko]

i use this laptop as a daily driver

[@SuperSamsosa]

Fellows, how is your experience with only 8 Gb. This restriction to me is a big let down and reason why I might keep my Thinkpad X220 over the X240. What do you say?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Max is 12GB if I recall correctly. 4 on board plus 8 in the slot.

[@claudiaw9246]

Great news: I just bought a ThinkPad X240 from a local seller for only $200 Cdn! i5-4300U processor, 8GB RAM, 320GB HDD, fingerprint scanner, backlit keyboard. It was listed as having a touchscreen display, so I knew it was IPS (which I'd really wanted) and simply assumed the resolution was 1366x768. Imagine my delight when I discovered it was 1920x1080! It's running 64-bit Windows 10 Pro, and is really snappy. It was the seller's work machine, and must've been top of the line back in 2014. The original asking price was $220 and it was listed in great condition, which it is except for some cosmetic damage; there are two deep, 0.5cmx3.0cm scrapes on the lid and I must've looked a little dismayed when I noticed those, because he immediately offered me a $20 discount even though I hadn't even thought about negotiating the price. I noticed the fan kicking even when I wasn't doing anything CPU-intensive, but installing TPFanControl fixed that problem. I'm okay with the lack of physical buttons on the trackpad, because the top click areas are quite responsive, unlike the bottom ones, which are spongy. As a big TrackPoint fan, I'm mostly using the former so it's only a minor irritant. The keyboard is a dream and I was so happy to discover it has the optional backlight. Overall, I am SUPER pleased. Thanks again for all your advice -- it was absolutely invaluable in helping me find a fantastic ultrabook for a bargain price!

[@LaptopRetrospective]

That's awesome! Is that drive an SSD? That would be the first upgrade I'd do to get even more performance. I'm glad you were able to find one and I'm happy I was able to help. The nice thing about a cosmetic imperfection is it stops you from babying it. 😉

[@claudiaw9246]

@@LaptopRetrospective So true about the cosmetic damage, ha ha! Plus I already feel like I've owned the X240 for years, it's so awesome and comfortable to use. The listing just said 320GB HD, so I just assumed it was HDD because of the size and because SDD would've been crazy expensive six years ago. However, Windows loads so quickly that it might very well be SSD. Or maybe one of those hybrid drives. I forgot to mention: I haven't had the chance to test the battery life yet -- after yesterday's weird exchange with that other seller, the only question I asked about this laptop was whether the supervisor password was enabled in the BIOS -- but given the age of the laptop, I'm guessing this is something I will have to replace sooner, rather than later. The removable battery it came with is the 3-cell. I like that it's flush with the bottom of the laptop, but I am tempted to replace it with a 6-cell (fresh from the factory, with the internal battery, 3-cell 23.5Wh=8.7h, 6-cell 47.5Wh=13.1h, 6-cell 72Wh=17.4). If it's not too hard or expensive to do, I'd also like to replace the internal battery.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@@claudiaw9246 Internal battery is easy to replace and I have the 6 cell on mine. You can get it from Lenovo or BattDepot, those are my guys and they have a warehouse near your area.

[@claudiaw9246]

@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks for the tip, I will look into that! In the meantime, it charges impressively quickly thanks to Lenovo's RapidCharge technology. It's downright astonishing how this older laptop puts most modern laptops to shame, both in terms of functionality as well as build quality. I still can't get over how much I LOVE this laptop.

[@claudiaw9246]

@@LaptopRetrospective Do you remember the brand and Wh of the battery you got? Did you go for the 72Wh? Did you also replace the internal battery? (You said it was easy to do, but not whether you'd done it. The six-cell battery on its own must last about eight or nine hours, which is excellent.) How long does the charge last now?

[@krakena.f542]

Is it possible to change that i3 for an i5 or i7 , more powerful ?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

No. CPU is soldered.