So, I spilled coffee on my laptop and accidentally killed it. My mother always told me that all addictions eventually take a toll on you, but I never imagined it would happen this way. I hope to repair the laptop myself in the near future. It served me well for 5 years, and perhaps it was time to replace it.

However, I really don’t like the current laptop market, it makes me sad. Not being able to upgrade or repair my tools myself is a big factor in my buying decisions, and in the last few years, it seems manufacturers have forgotten how to make real tools. Instead, they focus on features that patch lackluster hardware with software gimmicks.

Recently, a good friend of mine bought a refurbished ThinkPad T14S Gen 1 at a decent price. It was in really good condition, decent, and performed well for daily programming tasks. Now that I’m in the market for a laptop, it might be worth giving it a shot.

But why would I buy a 4-year-old used laptop if it’s neither new nor has the best performance? Well, I don’t really need power on the go. For the most part, I use lightweight Linux distros and SSH into my desktop PC (which stays at home and also runs on Linux) to code in Neovim and run simulations. All my gaming needs (when they exist) are met at home when it’s time to relax before going to bed.

But what if someday I needed that power? Isn’t it better to buy a “better” and more expensive computer to future-proof? I’ve done this in the past and always regretted it. Buying stuff based on a future that I’m not even sure will exist, rather than focusing on my current needs, has always left me with some regret. I’ve bought powerful laptops before, only to rarely use them, and I got tired of it.

So, I looked for a refurbished ThinkPad and found an Intel T14 Gen 2 at a reasonable price, with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and some important ports (for me) like Thunderbolt 4 and USB-C charging. The cherry on top was that it was in excellent condition. It’s not the most upgradeable ThinkPad out there, but it checked most of my boxes and came from the same seller my friend bought his from. It seemed too good to be true; it even had slightly better specs than my dead laptop. So, where was the catch?

Well, there actually wasn’t one. Since ThinkPads are business laptops, many companies buy them in bulk, assign them to employees, and after a few years, retrieve them. Other companies then buy, refurbish, and resell them. That’s how the business works for the most part. Additionally, ThinkPads are known for being extremely well-built and durable.

So, I bought it. When it arrived, I swapped out the SSD for a better 1TB one I already had lying around and repasted the CPU. The whole process took about 10 minutes. Then I installed Arch Linux (btw) with KDE Plasma, and well… it runs great!

The keyboard is good and easily replaceable in case I spill coffee again. I can repaste the CPU if needed. The 16GB of RAM are soldered to the motherboard, but there’s at least one slot for expansion. The SSD is also easy to replace, and most components you’d typically want to swap out seem to disassemble without much effort.

Ultimately, opting for a refurbished ThinkPad turned out to be the a good decision. It aligns with my practical needs, offering reliability, enough repairability, and good performance without overshooting. Instead of wasting money on features and power I might never use, I invested in a tool that works for me today. Plus, knowing I can easily repair or upgrade some components down the line gives me peace of mind. It’s a reminder that sometimes, simplicity and practicality are all you really need—especially when the market pushes you to want more than necessary.

Through this experience, I discovered the refurbished laptop market, which I had never considered before—especially the ThinkPad market, which seems to have developed a cult following at this point. After seeing the quality and value in buying a used machine, I realize that it’s a great option for those who simply want a tool that gets the job done. It’s a reminder that focusing on simplicity and practicality often outweighs chasing after the latest and greatest features I might never fully use. And if I ever kill my laptop again by accident, at least I won’t be as angry since it didn’t cost me a fortune in the first place.

I hope I never have to post an “I killed my ThinkPad” story in the near future.