Random bits: ThinkPad X12 Detachable

Here are some random snippets of writing from when I was researching the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable: the closest we ever got to a repairable designed competitor to the Surface Pro line.

Some context

I was looking on eBay, and I was surprised I found some certified refurbished listings from Lenovo: * i5 certified refurbished listing * i7 certified refurbished listing

The max price was around $1,600 for the Intel i7 processor version. Again, I only ever got Surface Pro devices with i5 processors and I was pretty happy. However, despite the fact one can open the X12 Detachable without ripping out a glued-in screen (I'm looking straight at you, Microsoft), I still don't recommend it.

However, if you know you're on the level of Andrew “bunnie” Huang or Edward Snowden when it comes to servicing your own electronic devices, then go for it, as Lenovo still has the X12 Detachable service manual online.

Due to this fact, the storage capacity on the SSD (most likely the smaller package NVMe drive size) isn't so crucial, and you're probably paying too much to find even a used X12 Detachable with an OEM 1TB storage drive. If the storage size really bugs you, then you can always open the device up — but I would still open the X12 Detachable with discretion and not overdo it, as just because the device is only held together with screws (and maybe some tabs).

Obviously, the X12 Detachable isn't made to be constantly disassembled like the Framework Laptop 13, but this is still infinitely better than even the Surface Pro 1.

(Some older devices similar to the X12 Detachable are the X1 Tablet line, specifically Gen 3.)

Random things

Lenovo embeds tracking suffix to end of URLs to indicate what search engine you used (and can detect DuckDuckGo or Startpage, as examples): * Lenovo Precision Pen page * Lenovo ThinkPad Universal Thunderbolt 4 Dock – US page

Lenovo's site tries to read the HTML5 Canvas property.

Lenovo's site blocks credit/debit card part of the checkout process if you use a VPN (Mullvad), so now you cannot use a VPN to make purchases from Lenovo's online site, as Mastercard Identity Check via a SMS text message.