I picked a used Lenovo ThinkPad over a new Dell Inspiron and got roasted for it

My boss told me I was crazy for buying a 3 year old ThinkPad T480 for $350 instead of a brand new Dell Inspiron for $600 last month. I needed something that could survive a drop off my workbench and handle some Linux testing. The ThinkPad took a coffee spill last week and I just pulled the keyboard, dried it out, and it fired right back up. The guy next to me with the Dell already has a cracked hinge. Has anyone else found older business laptops way tougher than new consumer ones?

2 comments

2 Comments

hannahw301mo ago

That coffee spill story is wild, I've seen laptops just give up after a single drop of water.

king.stella1mo ago

Oh man, @hannahw30 you're right but I bet the real issue is what people do AFTER the spill. Most folks panic and keep pressing keys trying to shut it down, which just pushes the liquid deeper into the circuits. I've seen people blow on it like it's a game cartridge or put it in rice, which does nothing for corrosion that's already happening inside. The acid in coffee actually eats away at the solder joints over time, so even if it boots up the next day you're on borrowed time. Taking the battery out immediately and tilting it to let stuff drain out is the only move that actually helps.