10 Best Refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad Laptop Deals in 2023

Like the Dell Latitude, the Lenovo ThinkPad is a business-grade laptop with robust build quality for unrivaled durability and high-end features for top-notch performance.

ThinkPad laptops are classified into different categories to cater to different types of users. The T Series is Lenovo’s flagship ThinkPad category. 

T Series laptops are incredibly powerful, highly reliable, and durable. They are professional workhorses typically used by governments and corporations. 

The X1 Series category features premium ThinkPad laptops with top-end, peak-performance features in a sleek, ultralightweight design. 

I have an X1 Series, refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. It has Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. And it’s the best laptop I’ve ever owned!

Other ThinkPad categories include the compact X Series, the P Series with a discrete graphics card, and the affordable L Series and E Series laptops. 

Here are my recommendations for the best refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad laptops, including the T Series, X1 Series, and X Series models.

It also includes resourceful insights and tips on choosing the right ThinkPad for your needs, including writing, blogging, school, coding, IT professionals, etc.

Refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad	Processor	RAM	Storage	Display	Battery	Operating System	Best For:	Price
Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Gen 6	Intel Core i5-8350U Quad-Core	16GB	256GB (Up to 512GB) SSD	14-inch FHD IPS	Up to 10 Hours	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit	Best Overall	Under $400, Check Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad T490	Intel Core i7-8665U Quad-Core	16GB (Up to 32GB)	512GB SSD	14-inch FHD IPS (Touchscreen Available)	Up to 7 Hours	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit	Best Value for Money	About $400, Check Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad T460	Intel Core i5-6300U Dual-Core	16GB	1TB SSD	14-inch FHD IPS Anti-Glare	Up to 5 Hours	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit	Best Low-Budget	Slightly Over $200, Check Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad T470	Intel Core i5-7300U Dual-Core	16GB	256GB SSD	14-inch FHD IPS	Up to 5 Hours	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit	Best Under $250	Under $250, Check Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s	Intel Core i5-6300U Dual-Core	8GB	256GB SSD	14-inch FHD IPS Anti-Glare	Up to 7 Hours	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit	Best Under $200	Under $200, Check Amazon
Lenovo Thinkpad X270	Intel Core i5-6200U Dual-Core	8GB	256GB SSD	12.5-Inch HD (1366 x 768)	Up to Hours	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit	Alternative Under $200	Under $200, Check Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e Gen 5	Intel Pentium N5030	8GB	256GB (Up to 512GB) SSD	11.6-inch HD (1366 x 768) 2-in-1 IPS Touchscreen	Up to 5 Hours	Windows 11 Home	Best for Students	Under $400, Check Amazon
Lenovo Thinkpad T14	Intel Core i5 10310U with vPro Quad-Core	16GB DDR4	512GB NVMe PCIe SSD	14-inch FHD LED LCD	Up to 10 Hours	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit	Best for Programming, Video Editing, & Business	Within the $500 Range, Check Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 2)	Intel Core i7-7600U Dual-Core	16GB	512GB NVMe PCIe M. 2 SSD	14″ LED LCD FHD 2-in-1 Touchscreen	Up to 9 Hours	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit	Best for Remote Work	About $500, Check Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad T480s	Intel Core i7-8650U Quad-Core	16GB (Up to 24GB)	512GB SSD	14-inch FHD Anti-Glare	Up to 7 Hours	Windows 10 Pro 64-bit	Best Core i7, 16GB, 512GB Under $350	Under $350, Check Amazon

1. Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Gen 6 – Overall Best Refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad

The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Gen 6 is an ultrapowerful business-grade laptop with an Intel Core i7 8th Gen processor, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD.

It’s also available with 512GB SSD for a few extra dollars! Like all X1 Carbon ThinkPads, this laptop is ultralightweight and portable. It weighs under 2.5lb!

This refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon has undergone 100% software and hardware reconditioning. It’s in excellent condition and looks and works like a brand-new one!

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Pros:

• A robust build-design for durability!
• It’s in excellent condition for reliability. 
• A bright 14.0″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display!
• It has two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3 ports. 
• A powerful Core i7 8th Gen processor. 
• It has built-in Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4.1. 
• A large 16GB memory for multitasking. 
• It has superior built-in speakers and a microphone. 
• The keyboard offers a comfy typing experience. 
• It has built-in RapidCharge technology. 
• An integrated fingerprint reader for security. 
• It’s a great value that sells at under $400. 

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Cons:

• It’s not a touchscreen. 

The refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon Gen 6 is ultraportable but powerful and feature-rich! It looks and performs like a new model, making it a great bargain for most users, including remote workers, students, programmers, and light gaming!

2. Lenovo ThinkPad T490 – Best Refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad for Value for Your Money!

At pricing that’s way about $400, the refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T490 is truly a great value for money! It has up to an Intel Core i5-8665U, 32GB RAM, and 512GB SSD.

Like the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, this laptop was originally built for serious business professionals. It is powerful enough to handle just about any task!

The build quality is excellent for reliability and durability, and its overall performance is smooth. This refurbished laptop looks and works just like a new one!

Lenovo ThinkPad T490 Pros:

• A military-grade build design for unrivaled reliability and durability!
• It comes with Windows 10 Pro, but you can upgrade to Windows 11. 
• It has plenty of connectivity options, including ThunderBolt 3.
• The Full HD IPS display has excellent brightness in natural light!
• It has built-in Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 5.0 technology. 
• You get a large 16GB memory and 512 GB of SSD storage at a bargain!
• It also comes with an integrated fingerprint reader for security. 

Lenovo ThinkPad T490 Cons:

• It’s not a touchscreen. 

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T490 has undergone certified refurbishment to restore its top-notch working performance. It works just like a new model!

3. Lenovo ThinkPad T460 – Best Low-Budget Refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad

At pricing within the $200 range, the Lenovo ThinkPad T460 stands out among the best low-budget refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad! It’s a 14-inch ultrabook with an Intel Core i5-6300U dual-core processor, 8GB RAM, and a massive 1TB of SSD storage!

1TB is a lot of storage! It’s perhaps the highest you can get in such an ultraportable laptop. You also get the integrated Intel HD graphics 520 for document editing, graphics design, light video editing, media playback, etc.

One unique feature of the refurbished ThinkPad T460 is the Power Bridge Technology. It combines an internal battery with an external hot-swappable battery. You get more flexibility and super long battery life!

Lenovo ThinkPad T460 Pros:

• A thin and ultralight build design for portability!
• It has a military-grade build quality for durability.
• It’s fast, reliable, and has a battery that lasts a long time. 
• A powerful Intel Core i5-6300U Dual-Core processor.
• You get a large 1TB (1024GB) of SSD storage. 
• It has three USB 3.0 Type-A with speeds up to 5Gbps.
• It has built-in Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4.1. 
• A built-in fingerprint reader for security. 
• T460 is upgradeable with more RAM and SSD.
• The battery is removable for easy replacement!
• You can easily replace the Windows OS with a Linux distro.

Lenovo ThinkPad T460 Cons:

• It’s not a touchscreen. 
• The Core i5 isn’t enough for intensive video editing!
• The keyboard is subpar compared to the T490. 

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T460 has been reconditioned to look and work like a brand-new model! It’s ultralightweight for portability with powerful features for performance. This laptop best suits writers, bloggers, IT, and coders!

4. Lenovo ThinkPad T470 – Best Refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad Under $250

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T470 is in the same class as the ThinkPad T460. The T470 features a more powerful Intel Core i5-7300U dual-core with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage!

T470 is an A-grade refurbished model. So it’s in excellent working condition for top-notch performance and looks like a new model. The overall build quality is superb, with a rugged finish for durability. 

Lenovo ThinkPad T470 Pros:

• A rugged build-design for durability!
• An ultrafast USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3 port. 
• The 14-inch IPS display is impressively bright! 
• It has built-in Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 4.1. 
• The built-in speakers have stunning sound quality!
• T470 is upgradeable with more RAM and SSD!
• You can easily replace the battery for more life!
• It perfectly suits IT and programming users!
• You can easily replace the Windows OS with a Linux distro. 

Lenovo ThinkPad T470 Cons:

• It’s not a touchscreen. 
• The 256GB SSD storage could be better!
• You should replace the battery for 7+ hours of battery life!

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T470 has been reconditioned to look and work like a new model. It has fully serviceable parts. You can upgrade the memory, get a new SSD, replace the battery, and even add a discrete WiFi card!

5. Lenovo ThinkPad T460s – Best Refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad Under $200

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T460s belongs to the same generation as the T460 model I recommended above.

But the T460s is much thinner and lighter. Its battery doesn’t pop out; you must remove the screws to access it!

At pricing under $200, it’s one of the cheapest ThinkPads you can get! Yet it’s still a powerful laptop with a powerful Intel Core i5-6300U dual-core processor, 8GB RAM, 256GB of storage, and a backlit keyboard. 

Lenovo ThinkPad T460s Pros:

• A rugged build-quality for durability!
• It’s passed 8 MIL-STD 810 tests for ruggedness. 
• A sleek, ultrathin design for portability.
• It has a comfy backlit keyboard with nice key travel.   
• It has a fingerprint reader for security. 
• It has 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1. 
• It’s easier to open and service/upgrade it. 
• The backlit keyboard is easily replaceable. 

Lenovo ThinkPad T460s Cons:

• It only comes with 256GB of SSD storage. 
• It’s not a touchscreen. 

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T460s is well-built for reliability and durability. It has undergone thorough reconditioning to look and work like a brand-new one. It’s affordable but powerful enough for writers, bloggers, and even Python coders!

6. Lenovo Thinkpad X270 – Alternative Refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad Under $200

The refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad X270 has a super compact form factor with a 12.5-inch display with 1366 x 768 resolution. Yet, it’s still a powerful laptop with an Intel Core i5-6200U processor, 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. 

You still get the excellent Lenovo ThinkPad backlit keyboard with nice key travel. It can make the perfect companion for writers and bloggers who do a lot of traveling and backpacking – the digital nomad laptop lifestyle on a budget!

Lenovo Thinkpad X270 Pros:

• A robust build-quality for durability!
• It’s super compact and lightweight for portability.
• It has built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.1.
• It has two batteries: a removable one and an internal one.  
• You can replace the external battery with a more powerful 6-cell battery. 
• It has an impressive ThinkPad keyboard with nice key travel.
• The memory and storage are easily upgradeable. 
• It has a built-in fingerprint reader for security. 

Lenovo Thinkpad X270 Cons:

• A sub-par display quality with low brightness!

The refurbished Thinkpad X270 has a compact but rugged design. But it still features a powerful processor, 8GB memory, and 256GB storage, making it the best refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad under $200 laptop for writers, bloggers, and creators!

7. Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e Gen 5 – Best Refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad for Students

The Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga 11e has stood the test of time as one of the best cheap laptops for students. It’s a 2-in-1 touchscreen laptop with tablet mode. 

My favorite feature about this little but powerful machine is its rugged, water-resistant design. It’s built to withstand the harsh school environment. 

This refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e Gen 5 has an Intel Pentium N5030, 8GB RAM, up to 512GB SSD storage, and Windows 11 Home comes pre-installed!

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e Gen 5 Pros:

• A robust build-design for durability!
• It has a convenient 2-in-1 touchscreen design with a tent mode. 
• It has an ultralightweight and portable build quality to fit inside a small backpack. 
• It’s tested against 12 military-grade requirements for ruggedness!
• It has passed over 200 durability tests for long-lasting performance.
• A tactile, water-resistant backlit keyboard with nice key travel. 
• Intel Wireless-AC 9260 2×2 AC (WiFi 5) & Bluetooth 5.1 or above!
• It’s built to withstand drops from up to 3 feet! 

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e Gen 5 Cons:

• A Core i5 processor would have been better! 

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 11e Gen 5 is built for students looking for durable build quality and top-notch performance in the same laptop!

Most students will find the USB 3.1 Type-C port super convenient. It is built for versatility, including power delivery, DisplayPort, and ultrafast data transfer.

8. Lenovo Thinkpad T14 – Best Refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad for Business, Programming, & Video Editing

The refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad T14 is an extremely powerful machine that comes in mint condition. In fact, you can’t tell it apart from a brand-new model!

It has an Intel Core i5 10310U processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB NVMe SSD storage. An exceptional combination for most performance-intensive uses!

My favorite feature is the lightning-fast Thunderbolt 3 port that will appeal to video editors, entrepreneurs, gamers, programmers, and many other users!

Lenovo Thinkpad T14 Pros:

• A robust build design for durability and long-lasting performance.
• The 10th Gen Core i5 processor is built for performance-intense use! 
• Built-in productivity-enhancing features like Modern Standby!
• It has top-rated professional, integrated Intel UHD graphics. 
• Thunderbolt 3, blazing fast WiFi 6, and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity. 

Lenovo Thinkpad T14 Cons:

• This specific variation is not a touchscreen, but there is a touchscreen model that costs slightly more!

The refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad T14 suits you if you want high processing power, a lightning-fast Thunderbolt 3 port, and the iconic Lenovo Thinkpad keyboard!

The Thunderbolt 3 and USB Type-C provide multi-use versatility, including power delivery, display port, and data transfer. I recommend getting the  ThinkPad Universal Thunderbolt 4 Dock to get the most out of these ports!

9. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 2) – Best 2-in-1 Refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad for Remote Working

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 2) is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop with a sturdy chassis and built-in features for performance-intense workflows!

It has a Core i7-7600U processor, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports. A powerful combination for performance-intensive computing!

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 2) Pros:

• A rugged build-design for durability!
• A decent battery life for a refurbished laptop, plus quick charging. 
• A 2-in-1 design to be used as a tablet or traditional laptop.
• It doesn’t get hot or loud, even under heavy loads!
• WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 4.1. 
• An ultra-lightweight and thin design for portability. 
• A minimalist, modern look and feel!
• It includes a Lenovo Digitizer Pen. 

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 2) Cons:

• It’s a fingerprint magnet! 
• It requires a dongle for ethernet. 

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 2) suits remote working professionals and people who want the versatility of the two Thunderbolt 3 ports and 2-in-1 laptop and tablet design!

10. Lenovo ThinkPad T480s – Best Refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD for Under $350

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T480s is an updated version of the T460s. T480s is a business laptop with a powerful 8th Gen Intel Core i7 Quad-Core CPU!

The base model comes with a 16GB RAM + 512GB SSD with the option to get it in a 24GB RAM + 512GB SSD configuration for under $400, which is a great deal! 

Lenovo ThinkPad T480s Pros:

• An ultralightweight, thin, and rugged build design.
• Like all ThinkPads, it’s built for reliability and durability.  
• A high processing power with a 24GB memory option. 
• It has enhanced security options to suit business use!
• Wi-Fi 2×2 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.1 connectivity. 
• The matte display has excellent brightness outdoors! 
• It perfectly suits more remote working professionals!

Lenovo ThinkPad T480s Cons:

• It’s not a touchscreen. 

The refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad T480s has powerful features for performance-intensive tasks, including a Thunderbolt 3 port for lighting-fast data transfer, display port, and quick charging. 

Best Refurbished Lenovo Thinkpad Laptops: FAQs + Answers!

1. Is it Worth Buying a Refurbished ThinkPad?

Yes, refurbished ThinkPad laptops are 100% worth buying, especially when you get them from a reputable reseller like the Amazon Renewed Premium Deals.

These business-grade laptops are certified reconditioned, so they look and work like brand-new Lenovo ThinkPads. They are cheaper, reliably powerful, and durable!

2. What is the Price of a Lenovo Laptop with 16GB RAM?

A good Lenovo laptop with 16GB RAM costs over $999 when you get it brand-new. But a refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad 17, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD in mint condition costs under $400.

3. Why are ThinkPads So Expensive Now?

Lenovo ThinkPads are expensive for their robust built quality with the latest processors, RAM, GPU, SSD, and security features to provide high performance.

These business-grade laptops are made with high-quality materials, including carbon fiber, to withstand demanding performance-intensive daily uses for years!

4. Is it Okay to Get a Refurbished Laptop?

Yes, most refurbished laptops, especially MacBook Pro, Dell Latitude, and Lenovo ThinkPad, have been thoroughly tested and certified reconditioned to perform just like new ones!

5. What is the Disadvantage of a Refurbished Laptop?

Honestly, the main disadvantage of a refurbished laptop is poor battery life. For example, my refurbished Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon provides about 4 hours of battery, which is sub-par!

Some refurbished laptop brands like MacBook Pro will provide better battery life, but you can’t compare with a new one. The other disadvantage is minor cosmetic imperfections in some units!