IBM ThinkPad s30/s31
The ThinkPad s30 and s31 are both tiny 10.4" subnotebooks, released in 2001. They were mostly exclusive to Japan, but some with US keyboards were produced and somehow made it out in the wild. They're not super common, but they're out there. I'm not sure exactly where they were sold in the US. I've heard it thrown around that they were available to IBM employees, but this I'm unsure of. They don't appear on the American IBM website. The S Series ThinkPads are somewhat iconic among collectors, mainly due to the keyboard that extends past the rest of the laptop, and the optional glossy "Mirage Black" display cover.
The s31 is its own mystery. They're far less common than the s30, and seem nearly identical in specifications. The only difference listed in the s30/s31 Hardware Maintenance Manual is the hard drive size that they shipped with. I've heard both that the s31 was the only one available with the Mirage Black cover (which I believe is incorrect) and that the s31 was the one sold outside Japan (which also appears wrong - I've seen an s30 with a US keyboard on eBay). I'm still not sure what the difference way supposed to be.
Some s30/s31s were sold as part of the i Series, and are badged "i Series" instead of s30 or s31.
Image on the right is from solidpro - ThinkPad s30.
Specifications
| Spec | ThinkPad s30 | ThinkPad s31 |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | 2001 | |
| CPU | CPU Type: Unknown Intel Mobile Pentium III @600MHz | |
| Chipset | Unknown | |
| RAM | Type: PC100 SDRAM Standard: 128MB Maximum: 256MB | |
| Storage | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: Unknown Standard: 10 or 20GB | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: Unknown Standard: 5 or 30GB |
| Display Options | 10.4" TFT LCD @1024x768 | |
| Graphics Chipset | Silicon Motion Lynx3DM VRAM: 4MB | |
| Audio | AC97 Compatible | |
| Main Battery | Lithium Ion | |
| CMOS Battery | Unknown | |
| Power Supply | Barrel Jack | |
| Media Drives | None | |
| PC Cards | 1x PCMCIA/CardBus Slot | |
| Networking | - Modem - Ethernet | |
| Other I/O | - 1x Video Out (proprietary) - 1x CompactFlash Slot - 1x USB 1.x - 1x Headphone Out - 1x Mic In - 1x IEEE1394/FireWire (Optional?) | |
| BIOS | IBM BIOS | |
| Pointing Device | TrackPoint | |
Resources
 Service Manual |
|---|
Common Faults & Maintenance
Vinegar Syndrome
As most s30 and s31 machines originate from Japan, they're very prone to developing Vinegar Syndrome on the LCD panel.
Gallery
Images from solidpro. Thank you!
Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 03/05/2025
Update Reason: page converted to php
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