I'm a student in Malta looking for a reliable laptop for school that will ideally last me at least 5 years.
I've narrowed my choices down to three laptops:
- ThinkPad T14 Gen 2 AMD — Ryzen 5 PRO 5650U, preferably 16GB RAM
- ThinkPad T14 Gen 3 AMD — Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U, preferably 16GB RAM
- Framework Laptop 12 DIY — Intel Core i3-1315U, 16GB RAM
My original budget was €400 including shipping, but I'm considering whether spending significantly more on a Framework would be worthwhile in the long run.
My priorities:
- Repairability: I want to be able to replace components myself rather than buy another laptop when something breaks.
- Longevity: Ideally, I'd like to keep the laptop for 5–7 years or longer.
- Linux compatibility: I'm planning to use CachyOS or another Arch-based distribution, although I'm also interested in experimenting with FreeBSD.
- Battery life: I'll be commuting to school and need something that can last through several hours of classes.
- Performance: Mostly Obsidian, PDFs, browsing, programming, studying and occasional light gaming.
- Portability: I'll be carrying it to school almost every day.
- Cost: I'm happy to buy used or refurbished, including laptops missing an SSD or charger, provided there is no significant exterior damage or serious motherboard issue.
The T14 Gen 2 AMD appeals to me because it's relatively affordable and still has upgradeable RAM and Wi-Fi.
The T14 Gen 3 AMD offers better performance, integrated graphics and a 16:10 display, but the soldered RAM and Wi-Fi concern me.
The Framework 12 seems like the best choice for repairability and future upgrades, but a complete DIY configuration would cost substantially more than a used ThinkPad.
My questions:
Is the Framework's repairability worth paying roughly twice as much as a used T14?
Between the T14 Gen 2 and Gen 3 AMD, which would you choose for long-term reliability?
How easy and affordable is it to find replacement parts for these ThinkPads?
Which has the best Linux compatibility, particularly with CachyOS or Arch?
Are there any known problems with these models that I should look out for when buying used?
Would you recommend another laptop with better repairability and value?
I'm also open to doing basic repairs and upgrades myself.
I'd appreciate advice from people who have owned these laptops, particularly regarding long-term durability, battery life and the actual cost of maintaining them.
Thanks!