Apple, Lenovo lead losers in laptop repairability analysis
Lenovo fails for not providing shoppers sufficient laptop repairability information.
Lenovo earned a failing score because, per the report, it "failed to provide the full French repairability index for 12 of the 13 models... available in both the US and France." Because the US PIRG was only able to score one device, Lenovo failed.
As such, it's possible that Lenovo laptops could be more easily repairable than its F score implies, but Lenovo makes accessing French Repairability Index scores extremely difficult. As the report notes, France has required companies to post repair scores and information about repairability since January 2021. This could be an oversight on Lenovo's part. Ars Technica reached out to the PC maker for comment and will update this story if we hear back. For what it's worth, Lenovo scored a C last year, falling behind Asus, Acer, Dell, Microsoft, and HP.
...and yet, everyone seems to recommend lenovo for linux laptops. Why??
It's true for all brands, but especially true for Lenovo - the enterprise machines are nothing like the consumer-grade crap.
A lot of people will incorrectly shorten it, and even pass it on with the error. But the advice isn't to get a Lenovo; it's to get a Thinkpad. Do not get an IdeaPad, or whatever other names they use for the cheap crap. Get a Thinkpad.
It's a similar story with HP's Omen vs Elitebook and Dell's Inspiron/Vostro vs Latitude. The enterprise line is very different in every way.
This report draws no distinction between them, as evidenced in the one section that lists models.
As for repairability, I've always found it easy to find the HMM for Thinkpads. My experience is limited, but they've also been relatively easy to disassemble and reassemble.
They’re recommended because of historical compatibility, not repairability. Also, it was because of the older thinkpads that were excellent with linux and built like tanks that gave them that reputation. Lastly, as another comment in this thread quoted, the failing score was because they were missing a french repairability index thingy, whatever that is, so not exactly a “technical” issue.
Older ones are extremely repairable, in my experience (T-440ish and older), but it does go downhill from there.
The reputation comes from before IBM sold the lenovo line off imo
