TPM021 - X300 (feat. Laptop Retrospective)

TPM021 - ThinkPad X300 (feat. Laptop Retrospective)

We’re kicking off the year 2026 with the most important ThinkPad
Lenovo has probably ever built: the X300. It is
the first notebook that Lenovo designed from scratch after
acquiring IBM’s notebook divison in 2005. Together with
Thomas Rogers, best known for his YouTube
channel Laptop Retrospective, we’ll deep dive
into the device history including its design phase and prototype.


During CES 2026 Lenovo introduced two new
ThinkPads: X9 15p Aura Edition and X1
Carbon Gen 14.
Shownotes

Video of this conversation: https://youtu.be/SAIyHSIyjLg

Feedback and announcements

ThinkPad 360PE: https://thinkpad-museum.de/collection/360pe/

ThinkPad 755CDV:
https://thinkpad-museum.de/collection/755cdv/

News

Notebookcheck - Going after MacBook Pro instead of the Air:
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15p launches with SD card reader and Core
Ultra X9:
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Going-after-MacBook-Pro-instead-of-the-Air-Lenovo-ThinkPad-X9-15p-launches-with-SD-card-reader-and-Core-Ultra-X9.1195927.0.html

Notebookcheck - Repairability revolution: New Lenovo ThinkPad
X1 Carbon Gen 14 comes with modular keyboard & USB-C ports:
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Repairability-revolution-New-Lenovo-ThinkPad-X1-Carbon-Gen-14-comes-with-modular-keyboard-USB-C-ports.1195928.0.html

Guest introduction

Laptop Retrospective: https://laptopretrospective.com/

YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LaptopRetrospective

ThinkWiki - T430u: www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T430u

ThinkWiki - 701c:
https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:701C

ThinkWiki - 550BJ:
https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:550BJ

MacDat - 550BJ:
https://www.macdat.net/laptops/ibm/thinkpad/550bj.php

Laptop Retrospective - Lenovo Skylight:
https://laptopretrospective.com/laptops/notes-on-the-lenovo-skylight-an-extended-look/

ThinkPad X300 interviews

Lenovo ThinkPad X300 Episode 1 - Raison d’être (ft. David
Hill): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mr1kGIQw1Iw

Lenovo ThinkPad X300 Episode 2 - Design (ft. David Hill):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jW8KHU2PUU

Lenovo ThinkPad X300 Episode 3 - The X300:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBsdz1zH65c

Lenovo ThinkPad X300 Episode 4 - Reception (ft. David Hill):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3_Q_1YRV0rw

Lenovo ThinkPad X300 Episode 5 - Legacy (ft. David Hill):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoURBgFu7kw

The Importance of the X300:
https://laptopretrospective.com/laptops/the-importance-of-the-thinkpad-x300/

Hardware information

Gizmodo - Ultralight Lenovo X300 Series Thinkpad Leaked:
https://gizmodo.com/ultralight-lenovo-x300-series-thinkpad-leaked-346797

ThinkWiki - X300:
https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X300

ThinkWiki - X301:
https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X301

EveryMac - Apple MacBook Air “Core 2 Duo” 1.6§ (Original)
Specs:
https://everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook-air/specs/macbook-air-core-2-duo-1.6-13-specs.html

ThinkPad S70 Kodachi Prototype:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIU0zkGZkx0

ThinkNext Design by David Hill (has also design documents
about the T25): https://thinknextdesign.com/

Notebookcheck - X300 Review:
https://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Lenovo-Thinkpad-X300-Notebook.9852.0.html

Advertisements

MacBook Air Envelope Ad: https://youtu.be/3Ywa_EynjC8

Lenovo X300: https://youtu.be/_hnOCUkbix0

Lenovo ThinkPad T61 vs. Boule Kugel:
https://youtu.be/kQqMKkv69I4

Successors

ThinkWiki - X301:
https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X301

ThinkWiki - X1: https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X1

ThinkWiki - X1 Carbon:
https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:X1_Carbon

ThinkWiki - T400s:
https://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T400s

Image sources

X300 commercial:
https://archive.org/details/manualzilla-id-7157136/mode/2up

S70 Prototype: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIU0zkGZkx0

MacBook Air (Gen 1):
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MacBook_Air_black.png

Lenovo X300 Advertisement: https://youtu.be/_hnOCUkbix0

Kontakt

E-Mail: podcast@thinkpad-museum.de

Webseite: https://thinkpad-museum.de/

Mastodon: https://podcasts.social/@thinkpadmuseum

Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#thinkpadmuseum:matrix.org

Unterstützen: https://ko-fi.com/stdevel

Spenden: https://thinkpad-museum.de/wishlist/