Item: Lenovo Thinkpad T410s
Features: Intel Core i5 520M, Graphics integrated in processor, 4 GB RAM, Intel 80GB G2 SSD, 14" LED-backlit 1440x900 display, Thinkpad keyboard
Bottom-line
Is the T410s the best notebook made to-date? In general, yes. The only things that keep it from perfection, are a display that is adequate, but not best-in-class; and speakers that are weak. This Thinkpad is closer to perfection in spite of these compromises than any other notebook has gotten to.
Dimensions and Appearance
The T410s is specified to weigh 3.9 lbs (note that the T410 is a different and heavier notebook). It feels easily under 4 lbs, and significantly lighter than notebooks specified under 4 lbs, such as the Sony Vaio SZ160P and Lenovo U460. The difference may be the batteries, the U460 ships with an 8-cell, the T410s with a 6-cell. The U460 and the T410s are the only sub-4 lb notebooks, that have a 14" screen and latest generation Core i3/5 processors (aside from the $3k Panasonic Toughbook, which is quite an ugly notebook made for a different market). Again, the T410s feels very very light, without having to squint at a 13" screen or forego a Core i3/5 processor.
In spite of the light weight, the machine isn't likely to slip from your hands, because it has the Thinkpad line's grippy black rubberized casing, with sparkle. It looks svelte. The form factor is slim, exterior detailing is just so, the adequate set of ports is laid out nicely. Some people gripe about where some ports are located and the fact that you can see them, but some people wonder how many angels can fit on a pinhead too.
Keyboard
Enough has been written about Thinkpad and IBM keyboards, so it is enough to introduce this keyboard as another in that lineage. The keys require just that small amount of force more than the stand-alone Thinkpad Ultranav keyboards (but that could be because my Ultranav is over 5 years old). On this 14" widescreen notebook, the keys have the space to spread out, even after the speakers that are at the sides. Your wrists will thank you for the precise and ergonomic Trackpoint (shipped with a dimpled wide-head cap). There's the fingerprint reader, which I don't use, but probably should, from a security standpoint. There's the perfect keyboard lighting solution, the Thinklight - a discreetly positioned LED (next to the camera in the screen bezel at the top) that illuminates the keyboard perfectly. There is also the touchpad, which is multi-touch or whatever, but I will not discuss such absurdities.
Computing Experience
I'm running Ubuntu 10.10 on this, with Compiz as the window manager. The integrated graphics are adequate to run smoothly with this compositing manager (with all the gee-gaws such as GLX-dock, screenlets, Webilder, etc.). Videos run fine, although currently Firefox has the problem that fullscreen Youtube videos run only if Compiz is turned off. This will be fixed soon by the Linux community. Fullscreen VLC or Totem is fine. Windows 7 lived on this hard disk for only a few hours, so I can't comment on that. I do plan to put is back on as a VM (this processor has the Intel VT-d extensions).
With the Intel SSD, booting up (to the login screen) is around 10 s. Suspend works fine (from the menu selection or the keyboard buttons, or closing the lid - configurable from the power settings). Hibernate takes over a minute, which again, will be addressed soon, but with a boot-up that is so fast, I don't use that.
Battery life is around 3 hours, I'd say, there's plenty of juice left after 2 hours off the grid, and that's about as long as I've had occasion to be. The power adapter is small and light, and not much of a hassle to carry around.
Oh, the display. The resolution is great. The colors are nice, and the brightness is plenty. The colors though, aren't as vivid as some of the notebooks oriented for home use. I think business notebooks from Lenovo and Dell use non-glare screens which are better in bright lighting, and maybe outdoors. When I used the notebook outdoors (in the shade), I turned the brightness up two notches, and it was almost as good as indoors. By itself, the picture is great, just not eye-popping.
Features: Intel Core i5 520M, Graphics integrated in processor, 4 GB RAM, Intel 80GB G2 SSD, 14" LED-backlit 1440x900 display, Thinkpad keyboard
Bottom-line
Is the T410s the best notebook made to-date? In general, yes. The only things that keep it from perfection, are a display that is adequate, but not best-in-class; and speakers that are weak. This Thinkpad is closer to perfection in spite of these compromises than any other notebook has gotten to.
Dimensions and Appearance
The T410s is specified to weigh 3.9 lbs (note that the T410 is a different and heavier notebook). It feels easily under 4 lbs, and significantly lighter than notebooks specified under 4 lbs, such as the Sony Vaio SZ160P and Lenovo U460. The difference may be the batteries, the U460 ships with an 8-cell, the T410s with a 6-cell. The U460 and the T410s are the only sub-4 lb notebooks, that have a 14" screen and latest generation Core i3/5 processors (aside from the $3k Panasonic Toughbook, which is quite an ugly notebook made for a different market). Again, the T410s feels very very light, without having to squint at a 13" screen or forego a Core i3/5 processor.
In spite of the light weight, the machine isn't likely to slip from your hands, because it has the Thinkpad line's grippy black rubberized casing, with sparkle. It looks svelte. The form factor is slim, exterior detailing is just so, the adequate set of ports is laid out nicely. Some people gripe about where some ports are located and the fact that you can see them, but some people wonder how many angels can fit on a pinhead too.
Keyboard
Enough has been written about Thinkpad and IBM keyboards, so it is enough to introduce this keyboard as another in that lineage. The keys require just that small amount of force more than the stand-alone Thinkpad Ultranav keyboards (but that could be because my Ultranav is over 5 years old). On this 14" widescreen notebook, the keys have the space to spread out, even after the speakers that are at the sides. Your wrists will thank you for the precise and ergonomic Trackpoint (shipped with a dimpled wide-head cap). There's the fingerprint reader, which I don't use, but probably should, from a security standpoint. There's the perfect keyboard lighting solution, the Thinklight - a discreetly positioned LED (next to the camera in the screen bezel at the top) that illuminates the keyboard perfectly. There is also the touchpad, which is multi-touch or whatever, but I will not discuss such absurdities.
Computing Experience
I'm running Ubuntu 10.10 on this, with Compiz as the window manager. The integrated graphics are adequate to run smoothly with this compositing manager (with all the gee-gaws such as GLX-dock, screenlets, Webilder, etc.). Videos run fine, although currently Firefox has the problem that fullscreen Youtube videos run only if Compiz is turned off. This will be fixed soon by the Linux community. Fullscreen VLC or Totem is fine. Windows 7 lived on this hard disk for only a few hours, so I can't comment on that. I do plan to put is back on as a VM (this processor has the Intel VT-d extensions).
With the Intel SSD, booting up (to the login screen) is around 10 s. Suspend works fine (from the menu selection or the keyboard buttons, or closing the lid - configurable from the power settings). Hibernate takes over a minute, which again, will be addressed soon, but with a boot-up that is so fast, I don't use that.
Battery life is around 3 hours, I'd say, there's plenty of juice left after 2 hours off the grid, and that's about as long as I've had occasion to be. The power adapter is small and light, and not much of a hassle to carry around.
Oh, the display. The resolution is great. The colors are nice, and the brightness is plenty. The colors though, aren't as vivid as some of the notebooks oriented for home use. I think business notebooks from Lenovo and Dell use non-glare screens which are better in bright lighting, and maybe outdoors. When I used the notebook outdoors (in the shade), I turned the brightness up two notches, and it was almost as good as indoors. By itself, the picture is great, just not eye-popping.
