# ThinkPad X230

11 Hacker News commenters recommended ThinkPad X230 and 1 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 8 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** A small, well-built laptop that still handles simple everyday tasks and works well with Linux and FreeBSD. Resolution and power are limited, and battery life is poor for a 14-year-old CPU.

## Why people recommend it

- Still gets everyday tasks done (4 comments): "I still sometimes use a Thinkpad X230, and wait- a G4 PowerBook, and they are fine machines for many tasks." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46086644)) "I still love it. Sure, resolution is limited, and so is the power. But it gets the job done" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46667413)) "it makes a pretty decent around-the-house laptop. I'd rate it pretty highly" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49897329))
- Simple needs well covered (2 comments): "My needs are simple, and I think normal people (i.e. probably not most people on this site) don't have needs that are any more demanding than mine." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47062546)) "it makes a pretty decent around-the-house laptop. I'd rate it pretty highly" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49897329))
- Works with FreeBSD and Linux (2 comments): "I own these and they also work great with FreeBSD" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47707915)) "Everything works on all of them" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46102602))
- Small and well built (2 comments): "it is so small, yet so well build" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48458805)) "I love the edge on the X230" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47727592))

## What people warn about

- Poor battery life (1 comments): "a 14 year old CPU is going to have pretty terrible battery life" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47065103))
- Slower than newer laptops (1 comments): "It's fine. It's a worse computer, but not €1500 worse." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48704716))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Apple MacBook Pro](https://hackerapproved.com/p/macbook-pro.md): 928 recommend
- [Apple MacBook Neo](https://hackerapproved.com/p/macbook-neo.md): 707 recommend
- [MacBook Air](https://hackerapproved.com/p/macbook-air.md): 633 recommend
- [Apple MacBook](https://hackerapproved.com/p/apple-macbook.md): 499 recommend
- [Framework Laptop 12](https://hackerapproved.com/p/framework-laptop-12.md): 83 recommend

## Where to get it

- [See price on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Lenovo+ThinkPad+X230+laptop&tag=hackerapprove-20) (affiliate link)

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "ThinkPad X230", https://hackerapproved.com/p/thinkpad-x230/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).