The Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 is one of the most upgradeable 2021 ThinkPads

The Framework Laptop has recently made some headlines. With modularity and repairability, the small startup Framework aims to turn the laptop market around, which has been moving more and more towards closed systems with soldered components in recent years. This begs the question: What do the established manufacturers have to offer in this direction?

If anything, you'll probably find something in the business sector. An HP EliteBook or a Dell Latitude are typically more modular than an HP Envy or Dell Inspiron. The same is true for Lenovo - IdeaPads can usually hardly be upgraded, but ThinkPads generally can. However, a trend towards less modularity is also visible in the business sector. The Lenovo ThinkPad T-series, for example, used to be completely modular - today's ThinkPad T14 Gen 2 has part of its RAM soldered.

If you're looking for more modularity in ThinkPads today, you'll either have to resort to the ThinkPad P workstation series - which is very expensive - or the Lenovo ThinkPad L-series. The affordable cousins of the T-series have largely kept their modularity. The best example here is the ThinkPad L14 Gen 2.

This model is the most repairable of all current ThinkPad laptops with a 14-inch LCD - and also the one with the best upgradeability. With the two SO-DIMM slots, up to 64 GB of RAM can be installed, just as much as in the expensive ThinkPad X1 Extreme. At the same time, the keyboard is also easily replaceable, a feature that is no longer offered by many laptops today. The Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 AMD that we reviewed doesn't even have the Wi-Fi module soldered.

Due to its budget-model nature, users have to make some compromises in terms of features with the L14 Gen 2 - but the modular design isn't one of them.

The Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 AMD is officially listed on Lenovo's website as "coming soon". Alternatively, you can also wait for the device to be available on Amazon or newegg, for example.