I want to buy a Lenovo Thinkpad P15 workstation (laptop). I researched the subject of smart card readers, but found hardly anything up-to-date, or only found video about external smart card readers for transferring money, which did not help me at all.
The pre-configured laptop has a smart card reader. However, if I configure the basic model myself and upgrade to 512gb ssd with 16 gb ram, the model costs 40 euro less and has no smart card reader in contrast to the pre-configured model, but is identical in all other aspects as far as I could compare.
So it would be nice if someone could tell me what a smart card reader should be useful for in 2021 and what can be done with it. Is it worth saving the 40 euro and not having a smart card reader for it? Also with regard to the future / longevity? I need the laptop for university or for private use and should last a long time.
It depends on whether you can imagine needing a card reader in the future.
At work I have a few employees who have to sign papers online and they need a SmartCard and a reader for this.
Some authorities require identification with the new ID, which is then also read out via an SC reader.
Nevertheless, I would not recommend a laptop with a SC reader anyway, because the technology there's still developing pretty quickly and it can quickly happen that in 3 years, for example, there will be a new security technology for SmarCards, which is then the old reader can no longer read and then you have to buy a new external reader anyway.
Thank you that was helpful, I will save the SC reader and if I need it, buy it externally.
