I'm looking for 14" laptop. Lenovo ThinkPad E495 has everything I want:
- easy access to the parts inside
- Ryzen CPU
- dual channel upgradable RAM
- space for the second SSD
- LAN connector
- Windows 10 Pro

... but I've read a lot about:
- not good build quality
- problems with the keyboard
- problems with servicing (laptops return scratched, some part are even more broken)

... is that all true?

EDIT: I've found some alternative, it's HP ProBook 445R G6:
- not so easy but still easy-ish access to the parts inside
- Ryzen CPU
- dual channel upgradable RAM (but RAM is capped at 16GB, E495 has it capped at 32GB)
- space for the second SSD (but no internal drive cover included - that part needs to be bought separately)
- LAN connector
- Windows 10 Pro

...and last but not least: HP ProBook 445R G6 costs more (+10-15%) than Lenovo ThinkPad E495.

Question is: will ProBook 445R G6 be better choice than ThinkPad E495 in terms of build quality and servicing?

not sure about the returning with damaged thing and stuff you mentioned.
I use the T series of there laptops as they can take a beating and they have better built motherboards with better parts on them. I had 2 E series laptops die on me over 7 years of working on them, says a lot right there.

The keyboard on the T series has to be the best I used on any laptop next to the Microsoft surface pro book. the E series keyboard is nothing to the T series. big difference. If you do get one please save the extra money and go T

https://www.lenovo.com/ca/en/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpad-t-series/c/thinkpadt?IPromoID=LEN180455

Thinkpad T series is built to take water and dust and all kinds of abuse that the others cant really stand too.

The main problem here is: T495 cost 60% more than E495 - that's too big difference for me and makes way out of my budget. Also, when talking about some details: T495 has one RAM soldered + one RAM slot when E495 has two RAM slots (which is what I prefer to have).

If you found that many problems then I would not hesitate to look elsewhere and bypass this one.

Unfortunately it is hard to find any other laptop to have all these things I listed.
I also do not know if all these problems are true and that's why I asked a question to confirm or deny them.

Tbh, these days, I'd probably just go with an Apple. . . Macbook Pro or something. Yah, probably closed-system form-factor, but Apple's usually way ahead of the game; and, even for gaming, you experience few, if any, limitations. They also don't burn up, and shut down on you. . . excellent heat-exchange/cooling. They are also pretty resilient. Service-wise, I'd say they're really good, that's been my experience anyway.

Originally, Thinkpad was the gold standard, when it came to laptops; of course, this was when IBM was a technological gold standard; following the Lenovo acquisition, it more or less became your typical consumer-grade laptop, basically a clone of every other clone. Then there was the whole SuperFish fiasco which was really cringy. Lenovo is a large Chinese tech company with typical Chinese manufacturing and marketing quality standards.

So, if you can find a Macbook that has at least most of the things you want on a laptop, I'd highly recommend that route.

Oh, I almost forgot, Macs really retain their value pretty well, so if you ever want/need to trade up, it's probaby cheaper in the long run to go with a Mac.

From what I've read, the quality of Thinkpad models went down the toilet when the Chinese bought out the company.

Fair enough, but you will get good and bad and then still have to make a decision. Good luck.

afaik the current mobile version of Ryzen 3000 are NOT 7nm (Zen2) architecture rather than 12nm.
Maybe you have another reason to go for a mobile Ryzen, thought I mention it because Zen2 got so hyped, that everyone wants a Ryzen now.


Don't get me wrong: I got myself a (desktop) Ryzen 3700X and I dont regret it. Not even a bit :-)

Don't want old & slow intel crap full of security issues.

I've heard bad things about Ryzen on cheaper Lenovos.

As mw.834515 already mentioned, the Ryzen 3000 for laptops are based on the 2000 for desktops and the 2000 for laptops are based on the very first desktop Ryzens. To add to that, they support only low RAM speeds which is extra bad for Ryzens. If your work is light and you want to support AMD, you can buy a Ryzen based laptop but Ice Lake from Intel is way superior, also expensive, also unlikely to be found with a LAN port but maybe there are some other than ultra thin models.

Know you can have LAN over USB but do not bother unless at least USB3.

.

Me an Intel fanatic supporter?! Hardly with a very new AMD desktop.

From the past years experience, most AMD powered laptops have worst equipment than comparable Intel models (same brand and "model"). Why I really don't know...
I've seen lower res and quality monitors, smaller battery, much slower storage, worst keyboards (layout and quality) and heat problems (not the quantity itself but the location), this on consumer grade up to 1000 euros stuff. Most of this are only checked on show models, not from intensive use.
On the positive side, AMD powered laptops usually come with more RAM on low end stuff, probably because for the large majority of consumers, is the nº 1 spec to check and is cheap.

May or not be the case with the refered laptop but worth checking out.

After a fast search about your model this brings up. Some good tips there in case you buy the laptop, like disable "intelligent cooling" wich limits power usage to ~half.