As this is our most requested video to date, we decided to put Ben, one of the Technical Analysts here at Star Labs in front of a camera and show you a brief...
It looks like a typical, modern laptop. There’s hardly any ports on it, it uses a non removable lipo battery, and charges with a fragile USB C connector.
I want a big, swapable battery that uses 18650 cells, a robust charging connector, a full set of audio jacks, ethernet, and lots of USB A connectors. USB C connectors don’t belong on a laptop unless they are easily replaceable like on the framework laptops.
The USB C connectors are way easier to break than a large barrel jack and they wear out faster too. If the USB C port is soldered to the motherboard, then you are in for a very expensive repair.
I used to be in the laptop repair biz. The most common failure mode we saw was the barrel connector. Even ones that were detached from the motherboard like the IBM Thinkpads had.
Maybe don’t treat expensive hardware like it was made by Fisher Price? Why should consumer electronic manufacters cater to the careless at the cost of conveinence?
I’ve been using my Thinkpad that only charges over usb-c for 5 years now and the port is still like it was new. Can’t see why this is an issuse, especially that I used to have issues with some barrel port chargers and needed to replace them. On a contrary I now have charger with a plugin so simple that it’s unlikely it will break anytime soon and finding replacement charger is super easy as it is FINALLY a single standard port. I actually have 2 such chargers because of SteamDeck and they both work with both devices.
Even if the connector in my laptop broke, there’s second one that I only used few times + replacing it would be easier as it’s not a big deal to find fairly standard connector to be resoldered, and with older laptop chargers there are many different variants of proprietary connectors.
It looks like a typical, modern laptop. There’s hardly any ports on it, it uses a non removable lipo battery, and charges with a fragile USB C connector.
I want a big, swapable battery that uses 18650 cells, a robust charging connector, a full set of audio jacks, ethernet, and lots of USB A connectors. USB C connectors don’t belong on a laptop unless they are easily replaceable like on the framework laptops.
Wtf? Usb-c charging is the best thing that’s happened to laptops this decade. You’re insane to want to go back to the bad times.
The USB C connectors are way easier to break than a large barrel jack and they wear out faster too. If the USB C port is soldered to the motherboard, then you are in for a very expensive repair.
I used to be in the laptop repair biz. The most common failure mode we saw was the barrel connector. Even ones that were detached from the motherboard like the IBM Thinkpads had.
The Apple mag-connectors are pretty awesome. I’ve never owned a macbook, but I still think those are the cat’s ass.
Yup, got lucky if it was on a daughterboard but I’ve had dudes donate their broken machines when they got the solder quote.
Maybe don’t treat expensive hardware like it was made by Fisher Price? Why should consumer electronic manufacters cater to the careless at the cost of conveinence?
I’ve been using my Thinkpad that only charges over usb-c for 5 years now and the port is still like it was new. Can’t see why this is an issuse, especially that I used to have issues with some barrel port chargers and needed to replace them. On a contrary I now have charger with a plugin so simple that it’s unlikely it will break anytime soon and finding replacement charger is super easy as it is FINALLY a single standard port. I actually have 2 such chargers because of SteamDeck and they both work with both devices. Even if the connector in my laptop broke, there’s second one that I only used few times + replacing it would be easier as it’s not a big deal to find fairly standard connector to be resoldered, and with older laptop chargers there are many different variants of proprietary connectors.