ThinkPads are great. They’re sturdy, no-nonsense designs with solid keyboards. They’re laptops for people who want laptops instead of glorified tablets. That might be why they’re expensive and rarely go on sale… but if you’re okay with a slightly outdated model, you can get a great ThinkPad T14 for just $335.99 on eBay/Newegg right now.
The T-series is the workhorse of the ThinkPad line, and the 14-inch T14 is one of its best sellers. This version is a refurbished T14 G3, first released in late 2024. It’s packing a 12th-generation Core i5 processor, which is definitely on the lower end now since it relies on slower DDR4 RAM. But speaking of RAM, it has 16GB, which is the minimum I would recommend for Windows 11. The 256GB of storage is also a little anemic, but can be upgraded easily with another M.2 drive.
On the plus side, the 1200p screen is touch-enabled, a rare coin for work laptops. It’s also loaded with ports: double USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, double USB-A, HDMI, and—glory be!—an Ethernet port. The webcam has a dedicated privacy shutter and the keyboard (complete with that iconic TrackPoint nub) is the best in the business. The integrated graphics aren’t great for gaming but should handle simple fare like Minecraft just fine.
This is a refurbished laptop being sold by Newegg, with a one-year warranty (great!) from Allstate (less great). At a list price of $419.99 plus a 20 percent off FAVEFINDS20 coupon code from eBay, that brings the final price down to $335.99. For comparison, a new model of this laptop (albeit without the touchscreen but with more storage) is going for $800 on Amazon at the time of writing.
I think this is a fantastic deal if you’re looking to get a laptop for standard browsing, video, and writing, without needing any extra dongles or docks. ThinkPads are also a lot tougher than most designs, as they’re meant to be taken on business trips constantly. (I once managed to revive a T-420 after my dog used it for, ahem, personal relief.)
But get an order in quick if you’re in the market. Stock for refurbished models of a two-year-old design can’t be very high.
Get this refurbished ThinkPad T14 with 16GB of RAM for $336