I don't use them any more, but I've owned three before. I used them for all the general-use stuff one would normally use a laptop for, I suppose. Not gaming, and not use as a fixed server. Stuff I like:

• Some models have a three-physical-button Synaptics trackpad, which is rare and something that I prefer; Linux makes good use of three buttons, and I prefer physical buttons. The trackpad is also smaller, and I don't brush it with my hands when using the keyboard, unlike my current laptop, an InfinityBook from Tuxedo Computers. For me, this is the major point I like

if I could get the trackpad on other laptops, I'd be a lot more favorable towards that laptop.

• They have had dual-battery systems with large batteries before, which lets one buy larger batteries and optionally hot-swap more in. There are only a few laptops that can do this. I believe that some Panasonic Toughbooks can also do this, but they are much more expensive.

• They have sturdy physical construction, never had them hit durability problems.

• I personally like the case aesthetic, which works in a professional environment.

• The keyboard layout on the 14" laptops is something that I like, close to standard desktops, but most laptops look something like this today

a lot of laptops had some weird layouts back when.

Some negatives or neutral points:

• My experience has been that the Thinkpad screens, at least on the models I've used, have not been terribly bright. You can always turn down a bright screen for dark environments, but if you want to use a laptop in bright light, having the option to crank it up is awfully nice.

• I don't use the nipple mouse. For some people, this is a major selling point for the laptop, as few laptops have them. It doesn't hurt me either (other than what it costs for the hardware), but It doesn't help me; I'd rather use the trackpad.

In general, I don't really like the direction that Lenovo has taken them more recently, which has been to make them cheaper but to move away from distinctive things like the three physical buttons on many of the models. And given US-China relations going downhill, I'm less-inclined to get a laptop from a Chinese manufacturer.