Refreshing my Lenovo X1 Carbon Laptop
As mentioned previously, back in September I bought a computer to replace my vintage but beloved desktop computer. At the time, I was concerned about the prospect of higher prices driven by new tariffs. Also, I saw a good deal on a configuration that was suitable.
The Lenovo P14s that I bought is a laptop, technically a mobile workstation, but to be used in a desktop role. Compared to the X1 Carbon, it’s a chunky beast, so it’s largely deskbound. That’s where I really need the more powerful system.
That means that my Lenovo X1 Carbon (Gen 7 from 2019) will remain my primary laptop for a while longer. I have an investment in accessories that are not all transferable to another laptop. As it was a very nice computer when originally purchased, it’s useful life can be significantly extended with only some minor updates.
1. Battery
After six years the battery performance has significantly degraded. Happily, replacing the battery is both simple and affordable. An after-market replacement battery was under $40. Installation took under 30 minutes.
It’s interesting to see that this battery is noted as being compatible with the X1 Carbon 2019 LTE model. That’s the very one I have. It’s not obvious how the optional LTE radio impacts the battery. It likely has something to do with the LTE antennas.
2. Storage
The X1 Carbon originally came with a 256 GB NVMe SSD. That’s a little on the skimpy side, so I upgraded it to a 1 TB model when the prices reached an attractive level.
As long as I make sensible use of the Dropbox Selective Sync feature I don’t need any more massive storage.
I used Macrium Reflect to make a full image of the old dive, copying that to the new one. Then put the old drive into a USB external housing for utility use.
3. Display
I have yet to upgrade the display. Over time, the backlight of these LCD panels get dimmer. That might motivate replacement.
Back when I bought the X1, 4K displays were too costly and power hungry, so I opted for a 1920×1080 non-touch display. I see that a replacement display is around $80. That’s not too bad. I may yet do that.
In truth, I’d like to to replace the lid as well as the display. One of our cats has a habit of chewing on plastic. He nibbled on the corners of the lid one time when I left the laptop sitting open on the dining room table.
4. Feet
I was compelled to replace the laptop’s feet. Yes, the feet! The little rubber nubs fitted to the underside that keep it from slipping around on a hard surface. The original feet had been abraded away, such that it wasn’t very stable on a table. Replacement feet are cheap and relatively easy to install.
It’s worth noting that the original feet flow through holes in the case. To replace them, you really must take off the bottom and cut away the little blobs that hold the feet in place. The replacement feet are held in place by 3M VHB adhesive.
5. Keyboard
In the past, when I travelled a lot for work, my laptop was more heavily used. The keyboard wear was often significant. So, after a few years I’d replace the keyboard. That was quite often the most significant part of the refresh process.
I see that a replacement keyboard for this X1 Carbon is around $40. I’m not sure that is necessary in this case. The original keyboard isn’t showing over signs of wear and tear. The lettering on the keys is not at all degraded.
Summary
As I’ve noted over many years on this blog, it only takes a little effort to brush up an older laptop, extending it’s useful lifespan. This is especially true since magnetic hard drives have given way to solid state disks (SSDs.)
We are admonished to reduce, reuse and recycle. I think this fits into that ethos. We do what we can do extend the useful service life of our computers, and repurpose them into utility roles when they are eventually remove from mainline service.
When time allows, my old desktop (i7-5775C, 16 GB, nVidia GPU, SATA storage) will become the host for the Blue Iris surveillance software that records our security cameras. The Airtop-PC supports four 2.5 inch SATA drives, which means more storage for video. The added CPU/GPU power will allow me to experiment some some more advanced things, like license plate recognition.