Consumer Rights Wiki

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Difference between revisions

← Older edit
VisualWikitext
Shingo (talk | contribs)
Autoconfirmed users, confirmed
458 edits
m Added more information about Lenovo.
SinexTitan (talk | contribs)
confirmed, superconfirmed
1,335 edits
category update
 
(31 intermediate revisions by 24 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
This article outlines the various anti-consumer measures used in the Lenovo X1 Carbon series of laptops. Some concepts may overlap with [[Lenovo]]'s general practices, a Chinese-American multinational technology company.
{{Incomplete}}
{{ProductLineCargo
|ArticleType=
|Category=Laptops
|Company=Lenovo
|Description=
|InProduction=Yes
|Logo=ThinkPad X1 Carbon 5th Gen.jpg
|ReleaseYear=2012
|Website=https://www.lenovo.com/us/en/d/thinkpad-x1-carbon/
}}


=== Hardware Vendor Lockout (BIOS Whitelist) ===
The '''Thinkpad X1 Carbon''' is a laptop series made by '''[[Lenovo]]''', a Chinese-American multinational technology company, advertised as portable, thin and durable, while offering "full PC power and functionality".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Compare Different ThinkPad Models {{!}} Lenovo Egypt |url=https://www.lenovo.com/eg/en/faqs/laptop-faqs/best-thinkpad-for-you/ |access-date=2025-08-22}} ([http://web.archive.org/web/20250808193521/https://www.lenovo.com/eg/en/faqs/laptop-faqs/best-thinkpad-for-you/ Archived])</ref>
Most models of the Lenovo X1 Carbon will fail to post if the user changes their WWAN broadband card to a WWAN card that is not on the Lenovo Vendor Whitelist<ref>https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/ThinkPad_mobile_Internet</ref>. If a user intends to use a WWAN card manufactured by another company, which are typically cheaper than the Lenovo factory-installed WWAN cards, the computer will not boot until the user removes the card. Evasion of these whitelists has been outlined in the ArchLinux wiki{{Citation needed}}, but success is very limited.
==Consumer-impact summary==
{{Ph-C-CIS}}


The intent behind this vendor-lockout is ambiguous, and not well-documented officially by Lenovo.  
==Incidents==
This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents related to this product line. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{PAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].


==== Resulting cost for the consumer ====
===Hardware-vendor lockout (BIOS whitelist)===


Lenovo currently charges $298 USD to install a Quectel RM520N-GL 5G Sub6 from the factory<ref name=":0" />.  
====WWAN card whitelist====
[[File:Lenovo store screenshot.png|thumb|right| Pricing options for WWAN card (Lenovo X1 Carbon gen2) <ref name=":0"> [[:File:Lenovo store screenshot.png|Screenshot or pricing options for WWAN card of Lenovo Laptop]]</ref>]]
Most models of the '''Thinkpad X1 Carbon''' will fail to post if the user changes their {{Wplink|WWAN}} broadband card to a WWAN card that is not on the '''Lenovo''' Vendor Whitelist.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=ThinkPad mobile Internet |url=https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/ThinkPad_mobile_Internet |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260405113731/https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/ThinkPad_mobile_Internet |archive-date=2026-04-05 |access-date=2026-04-05 |website=ArchWiki}}</ref> If a user intends to use a WWAN card manufactured by another company, which are typically cheaper than the '''Lenovo''' factory-installed WWAN cards, the computer will not boot until the user removes the card. Evasion of these whitelists has been outlined in the Arch Linux wiki,<ref name=":0" /> but success is very limited.
[[File:Lenovo store screenshot.png|thumb|Pricing options for a WWAN card (Lenovo X1 Carbon Gen 12)]]


Some used options of similar modems can, at the time of writing, be purchased for $150 USD<ref>[https://www.ebay.com/itm/296886818084?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=Zmer97QERgG&sssrc=2047675&ssuid=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY https://www.ebay.com/itm/296886818084]</ref>. 4G modems can be purchased for even less<ref>https://www.ebay.com/itm/196914042141</ref>.
=====Resulting cost for the consumer=====
'''Lenovo''' currently charges $298 USD to install a Quectel RM520N-GL 5G Sub6 from the factory.


== References ==
Some used options of similar modems can be purchased for less.


[[Category:Product Line]]
===Gen 10 Incidents===
 
====Repairability and upgradability====
Gen 10 laptops use soldered RAM<ref>{{Cite web |last=Iliev |first=Alex |date=14 Oct 2022 |title=Inside Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 10th Gen – disassembly and upgrade options |url=https://laptopmedia.com/highlights/inside-lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-10th-gen-disassembly-and-upgrade-options/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20251010130732/https://laptopmedia.com/highlights/inside-lenovo-thinkpad-x1-carbon-10th-gen-disassembly-and-upgrade-options/ |archive-date=10 Oct 2025 |website=laptopmedia.com}}</ref> which makes upgrading it highly difficult, requiring advanced soldering knowledge. The display and the bezels of the LCD are glued together, making replacing just the LCD without replacing the entire lid complicated.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SOLVED: How to replace the LCD screen without replacing the whole lid? - Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 10th Gen - iFixit |url=https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/772580/How+to+replace+the+LCD+screen+without+replacing+the+whole+lid |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250709023016/https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/772580/How+to+replace+the+LCD+screen+without+replacing+the+whole+lid |archive-date=9 Jul 2025 |access-date=2025-08-22}}</ref>
 
==Products==
 
*ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 (''2022'')
 
==See also==
{{Ph-C-SA}}
 
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
Retrieved from "https://consumerrights.wiki/w/Thinkpad_X1_Carbon"