Lenovo's next generation of ThinkPads have arrived and that can only mean one thing — now is the cheapest time to buy a previous-generation ThinkPad. In fact, Lenovo is taking up to 25 percent off its previous-gen ThinkPads.
But before you dive head first into Lenovo's sale there's one major detail you should know. Coupon code "SAVEXTRA5" currently takes 5 percent off any ThinkPad — new or old. In some instances, the coupon makes it so that the new ThinkPad is actually cheaper than the older model.
For instance, under Lenovo's clearance sale, the cheapest 2017-era ThinkPad X1 Carbon you can get costs $1,461.20 via coupon "SAVEXTRA5". This configuration features a 14-inch 1080p IPS LCD, 2.5GHz Core i5-7200U processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.
However, the entry level configuration of Lenovo's new ThinkPad X1 costs $1,443.05 via coupon code "SAVEXTRA5". (That's $18 less than the old model). This machine packs a 14-inch 1080p IPS LCD, 1.6GHz Core i5-8250U quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. Not only is it cheaper, but we've found that Intel's 8th-gen CPU really packs a noticeable performance boost over its predecessor.
Likewise, you can get the upgraded previous-gen ThinkPad T470 for $1,255,99 after coupon. It features a 14-inch 1080p IPS LCD, 2.6GHz Core i5-7300U CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. Or pay $101 more and get the new (entry-level) ThinkPad T480s for $1,357.55 after coupon, which has similar specs, but packs Intel's new CPU. The extra $100 is an excellent investment and well worth it if you can afford the small increase.
The bottom line is if you're buying a ThinkPad, it's worth looking at the old model and the new model before making a final buying decision.
