I would like to buy myself a second hand and install Linux on it. I was looking into ThinkPad T14 gen1 or gen2 devices because of their maintainability and repairability. I found one where I live with a Ryzen processor but it has the wrong keyboard. How easy and expensive would it be to swap this with US English? Are there any good alternatives to the ThinkPads? I fancy the X1 but don’t like the fact that I cannot change or swap anything on it. The T14 looks very bulky and unattractive but at least can have the RAM upgraded and the battery changed.

I fancy the Framework laptops, but don’t want to spend so much on a laptop. Especially the latest 16 inch with Ryzen AI CPUs.

The T14 G1 is at least cheap, like 350€ with the 400 nits low power display and the battery is at 99%. I guess with tlp installed and autocpugfreq I can get 5-6 hours out of it.

  • merde alors@sh.itjust.works
    2·
    22 hours ago

    but it has the wrong keyboard

    you can also either manually reconfigure keys or just choose your habitual keyboard layout and ignore the markings (that’s what i do. How often do you look at your keyboard anyway?)

    • filister@lemmy.worldOP
      41·
      22 hours ago

      In the night I do look every now and then, plus if I need some special symbol, it is much better if you have it on the keyboard instead of googling

      • j4yt33@feddit.org
        3·
        17 hours ago

        I’ve gone from German layout to UK layout to US, I definitely understand the pain of remembering where which symbol is. Apart from that I have to say, with a bit of practice your brain will adapt pretty quickly, there isn’t that much difference between the “standard” layouts anyway

      • merde alors@sh.itjust.works
        2·
        22 hours ago

        i don’t know why you got downVoted for writing about your preferences 🤷

        i have my permanent marker for those “special symbols” i rarely use and never learn :)