[blatantly]

I don't think it is obvious to everyone that a 20 year old laptop had a better survival chance over the next year than a new one.

Most people think old is more fragile.

Sometimes it is though (e.g. parts for a plane need to be replaced every X hours of service)

[pazimzadeh]

at some point is it even the same laptop? I don't think the original laptop has a better chance of surviving

[darkwater]

It's not strictly THAT or ONE laptop though. It's the concept of old Thinkpad laptops in general: since there is already a big enough refurbishment market active, parts will still be produced or stored and sold, thus permitting that kind of laptop to be repaired and survive. Even if you apply the "ship of Theseus" logic, it won't matter. It won't be the same original Thinkpad, but it will still be a Thinkpad (flies like a Thinkpad, sings like a Thinkpad...)