Lenovo T530 Owner's Thread

^^^ "Unfortunately, the flagship T-series which is now the T430 and T530, do not have any kind of screen upgrade option."

Well, the T530, just like the W530, does have "FHD 1920x1080 96% color gamut" screen upgrade.

For the purpose of that review, the T530 is identical to the W530.

Also, they refer to the X230 ( "W530, T430 and X230 lined up from left to right in order of size") but show pictures of the X220. The screens might be the same, but that's sloppy reporting.

 

as mention here, T430 with display upgrade isn't same as w530! As far as I know the only difference between T430 and T530 is 14" and 15.6" display. so it can be true about T530 too.

 

^^^ I've been using T/W510, T/W520, T/W530 with FHD 1920x1080 screen upgrade. I've also replaced a few FHD screens myself. I mean, real experience.

 

Hey Kaso, I recently ordered T530 with the lowest screen resolution and was thinking of upgrading the screen myself after I read this forum-
http://forum.notebookreview.com/lenovo-ibm/678477-upgrade-hd-fhd-using-b156hw01-v-4-a.html

I was still wondering that since the high-res high color gamut screen has been discontinued, do you have any idea if there will be any other screen which serves the similar purpose and still in production. I mean, an IPS display with the FHD resolution will be worth unscrewing the laptop.

 

IPS FHD screen? The replacement would be complicated by the cable. Right now, the same 40-pin flat cable is used across 3 screen options.

V.4 discontinued? Still available for purchase at this time. (Check this guide if you intend to do the replacement.)

 

I had ordered myT530 on the night of Aug 8th. How long does the order stay in "Released to manufacturing" stage?

The estimated shipping date is 19th August. Does it really take that long for production?

 

the t530 with quad core comes with the 130w power adapter? could someone verify this? i dont want the giant 130!

 

I ordered mine on 7/28, and its estimated shipping date was 8/6. It was "released to manufacturing" during this whole time, and it wasn't until 8/7 that it turned into "in production." My estimated ship time is now 8/9. Today is 8/10, and it's still "in production." Ughh

This is my current experience and I'm sure it varies for everyone. I hope your laptop gets to you quicker than mine.

 

Yup, on a Quad Core you're ending up with the 135W power pack. On a dual core, the fastest being the i7-3520, you can use either the 60 or the 90W

The laptop is 5.6 pounds by itself and...

60w is 0.6 pound for a total of 6.2 pounds in your traveling bag
90W is 0.8, total 6.4
135W is 1.8 for a total of 7.4 pounds !

 

A deal breaker for me...

I'm waiting for the X1C and the T430U otherwise I'll go for the T530 i7-3520 with the 1080 screen and make the SSD/RAM upgrade myself for a fraction of the cost.

I need CPU power (T530) but the touchpad (X1C, 430u), the weight (X1C, 430u) and screen (X1C, T530) carry more importance.

In 5 years, after a Vaio SZ-450N, a Dell Precision 6600 and Vostro 3700 I am ready to move to Lenovo if they deliver.
I returned the Samsung Series 9 13" and the Dell E6530 for many reasons and the touchpad and keyboard sucks on the new Sony Z and S.

 

no way am i carrying around that 135w adapter.i was going to order....but not anymore. thanks for your help, im glad i found this forum. i canceled my order for the new dell xps 15 as well.

 

Well, I overlooked the XPS 13, 14, 15, Sony T, ASUS Zenbook, HP Folio and Mac series for the same unique reason (that might appear silly to you...) :

The PgUp and PgDn button are not present, obvious or require Fn key. You see, I spend most of my time in Excel and make extensive use of right CTRL+PgUp/PgDn to switch between tabs at lighting speed. Not mentioning CTRL+C/V/X/Z and the Alt series.

Other HP, Lenovo non-Thinkpad or L and the Fujitsu family were ignored mostly for lacking the backlit keyboard. A key feature for planes flights and TV family room in the evenings.

A keyboard with a num pad would be awesome on a light laptop (IE Sony S) but I am getting into the idea of forgetting it for sake of transportation. I can always get a bluetooth calculator :


SMK-Link - Bluetooth Calculator Keypad - 8050689

 

I signed up to post a similar story to yours. I ordered a T530 (3720QM + 1080p) on 7/23, and originally the estimated shipping date was 8/2. It didn't go in production until about 8/4. Now estimated shipping date is 8/10 but no update on their website yet.

They did respond fairly quick to the two emails I sent asking about the status. I really don't need the laptop for another 2 weeks, but I really hope it's not DOA or I'll be missing a laptop for the first few weeks of fall. I just hate having all the extra accessories taunting me! Although their ordering/shipping process leaves a lot to be desired, most people seem very happy with their thinkpads.

 

I guess I have been trying to tolerate my ALWAYS ON fan with high sound ONLY ON AC for quite a while on my T530 with 3720QM but I cannot anymore. I was just saying that this is the tax one has to pay for a more powerful quad-core CPU but it is really annoying in a quite environment. I am always in air conditioned places where the temp is low but the fan is still running all the time. I tried different option in power manager with no luck. Does anyone support this? How about the T530 and other ThinkPads with only dual-core CPU and Intel HD4000? I personally believe it is not about the CPU but mainly the dGPU that has to come with the Quad-Core CPU especially that the machine is quiet on battery when the dGPU is being rarely used and also when the processor is throttled. I guess I am totally confused and frustrated with the issue.Any advise will be appreciated.

 

SpeedFan - Access temperature sensor in your computer

I use Speedfan and it should help you tweaking the cooling fan. Override the systems defaults and set the minimum fan speed to your tase by closely monitorong the temperature.

Worse come to worse, you'll get to know which component trigger the fan !

 

Thanks for the advice but I am not an expert user and I would not use any of these third-party controllers of the fan or the processor. Are you saying that you are also suffering from the same issue with your ThinkPad. Would you please provide your model, processor, and graphics card?

 

Nope, I am buying a T530 if the X1C is not to my taste. I would probably go with the fastest non Quad core processor like the i7 3520 to avoid the 135W big power brick that is a net extra pound.

The Speedfan I use with my Dell Vostro 3700. The fan was switching on and off every 6 seconds... Speedfan is pretty easy to use. I set the speed to be minimum 60% or 2920 rpm, barely audible but more than enough it never go higher (see below).

If unsure to overide anything, I would suggest to use it just to see what is "heating on" and monitor temperature without tweaking anything (see below) :

 

Is the 135w power adapter really that obnoxiously large? Could anyone comment on this?

 

Here :

ThinkPad 135W AC Adapter - US / Canada / LA Line Cord | 55Y9317 | Lenovo | (US)

 

I have a question about the HD+ display on the T530. How is the quality of this display in general and specifically compared to the HD+ on the T430(s)? Does it have any bluish discoloration or any apparent pixels or other issues?

 

Will you get the 90W or 65W adapter then with the dual-core i7 CPU and what is the diffference between them?

 

See it by yourself. Go online, customize your T530...

For a i7 Dual Core, scroll down, Lenovo give you option between a 65 or a 90W
For selecting a i7 Quad Core, scroll down, Lenovo "force" a 135W

I'll go for the i7 3520 and a 65W

 

But why do they offer the 90W adapter then? I talked to a rep and she said that ti charges the battery faster and also the 65W may not be enough if you connects lots of peripherals.

 

Just get 90w, it's not that much bigger/heavier and it will have all your bases covered.

 

Yup good point.

0.2 pound of difference.

 

That's right. I guess I will get the 90W then. I am actually getting this for my wife instead of T430s as neither me nor her is convinced with the display on the T430(s). The only question remaining is that I also have T530 but with 3720QM and it is dead quiet all the time whether on battery or AC (with disabling the NVIDIA). The only time I get fan noise is when I connect it to my external display through the DP in the docking station when the fan gets very high and does not rest at all even at idle times. My understanding is that this happens due to the use of the NVIDIA and I can see that in the GPU activity as it is the only time an activity happens with the NVIDIA and causes this issue. If my understanding and observations are true. Would a dual-core i7 with Intel HD4000 only eliminate this problem completely since the DP will be connected through the Intel HD4000?

 

If your needs can be served by a dual-core i5 or i7 with integrated HD 4000, go for it. A T530 like that will be cool and quiet.

(BTW, I always recommend the FHD screen. If you opt for the HD+, I just want to add that its quality is better than the T430 HD+.)

 

Thanks, Kaso for your advice. My needs will be perfectly fine with even the dual-core i5 but I just wanted to bullet-proof the machine with going far to the quad-core i7 but I guess I will be still satisfied with the dual-core i7.

Regarding the display, I do not have a good eye sight and I really wanted to get the HD+ but I was not sure how it will look especially that I am picky with colors (though it is not job-related) and the crispness of the text and images. Also, I get annoyed if the panel has any bluish discoloration. I went for the FHD as you recommend and I will just live with it especially that I mostly use the machine on the docking station whether at home or in the office but I still would love to be happy when I look at my FHD display whenever I am working on the go. The money is not an issue so I paid for the FHD but hopefully, I will not regret it because of the tiny font. Does the FHD really have more significant quality than the HD+? Does anyone have pictures or videos comparing the 2 side by side for T530 or W530 (since it is the same display)? I just do not want to feel guilty that I am hurting my eyes with the FHD if the HD+ could be be almost as god as the FHD?

 

With the FHD, you set 125% magnification in Windows and in the browser (Chrome in my case). Texts and icons will look quite nice: not "tiny" as most people would fear; everything, including images, appears smooth and well-defined.

Regarding screen quality, let me put it this way: the HD, HD+ and FHD screens are all very good on the T/W530 (versus the dull and "griddy" screens on the T430, for example). From a small sample of systems I've seen at work and at home, I would say I like them all: brightness, contrast and color reproduction are well above average. The FHD is certainly best, but I think you will be happy with the HD+ if you opt for the latter.

 

I already have the FHD in my T530 and she wants the same but I am sure she will complain later about the tiny fonts but anyway, it's her call. I tried what you mentioned regarding resizing fonts but the problem is that the text in the Windows titles and menus look weird if you do that. Any work around that? I judt do not want to keep adjusting too many things if it is a big hassle. If there is a way I can get the same exact sizes that I would get in every single aspect on the HD+ but on the FHD, that would be achieving my dream.

Also, is there any bluish tinge on the HD+ just out of curiosity if you have seen it.

 

I don't seem to have that "weirdness problem" on my FHD screen with Windows 125% magnification, a piece of it is shown below:

​

Anyhow, since my eyes are not your eyes, and you feel uncomfortable, I think you should avoid the FHD.

No, from the HD+ screens that I have seen. But, YMMV.

 

I bought my T60 in early 2007 and it has served me well. Still performs pretty much just like it did when new after over 5 years of heavy use. I did replace the battery, the heat-sink, maxed out the ram and put an SSD in it. I began considering a new machine. At first I thought I would want a X1 Carbon, but after careful consideration, I have decided on a T530. I wanted the bigger screen, it didn't weigh much more than my T60, and it can take a lot more ram. It will probably run cooler than my T60, since the ati card runs a bit hot.

I hope I am as happy with a new one as I have been with an old one. I really like how easy they make it to switch out components on Thinkpads, and I hope that continues to be true.

 

I think you will be happy with a T530. If you don't regularly do graphics-intensive work, I recommend opting for Intel integrated GPU: the HD 4000 is quite capable -- plus, the system will run cool and quiet. Also, I recommend considering either the HD+ or FHD screen option.

Oh yes, the new ThinkPad can be maintained/upgraded quite easily.

 

Kaso, I second your opinion about the T530 that it is a good machine and with the Intel HD4000 only even with dual-core i7, it is really a cool and quiet machine. I also checked the HD+ display vs the FHD display I currenly have and the HD+ on this machine is completely different from the mediocre display Lenovo provides on the T430(s). It is an above average display and for someone like me with bad eye sight, one should go for it and save his eyes and also his money ($200 less than the FHD) especially if you are not doing graphics and need very accurate colors or if you are connected to an external display most of the time. The HD+ display on the T530 is basically a good deal but never get the HD only display.

 

Now that is a useful advice for any potential buyer. Not having to go for the premium screen is a $200 savings, thanks.

 

I'm looking at getting the quad core I7 as most of my work would be at my desk / docked. If I do go mobile, is it possible to clock it down so that it runs cooler / uses less power? It looks like the video (optimus) may do so, but would like to clock down the cpu as well.
Thanks!

 

What will you be using this computer for?

 

My T530 is finally shipped! I should get it by Thursday if there are no hiccups. It's been a long month.
Also, i notice a lot of people stick some RAM into their new laptop immediately. How much of an improvement is this upgrade if any? I'm also new to SSDs and how much they speed up a computer. If someone would so kindly point out some deals on both of these upgrades?

 

Enjoy your big love story. Hope you will not break up one day!

 

This 4GB RAM stick will work for you.

Regarding SSD upgrade, there are 2 approaches. If you want to keep your optical drive, you can add an mSATA SSD to the WWAN PCIe slot (under the keyboard) and make that SSD the boot/OS/apps drive while keeping the stock HDD for data storage. For this approach, consider this mSATA drive.

Alternatively, you can buy an UltraBay drive caddy adapter (like this one). For this approach, consider this SATA drive, which is 7mm in height. Now, you decide whether to keep the stock HDD in the primary bay, or to put the new SATA SSD in the primary bay and move the stock HDD in the caddy adapter.

Finally, you can either do a clean Windows 7 installation or restore the stock image on the new SSD.

There is a lot to consider. If you are new to all this, consider upgrading the RAM and use the HDD for a while before deciding to upgrade to SSD.

 

Hey guys, i'm getting this laptop with 4gb.. Can I add 8gb in the memory slot (unpaired). I need alot of memory for my work

 

Yes. Both sticks, 4GB + 8GB, will run together nicely. (That's what I've got one one machine.)

 

Hey Guys,

I am considering purchasing a t530 but have a few questions about them:

1) How bad is the loose battery issue that I have read about. Does it cause you any concerns? Do you think they will address it?

2) I really like FHD screens but I am wondering if it is worth the extra $250? I have read over at notebookcheck that the colors seem unnatural even after they calibrated it. If you have the FHD screen, what do you like or dislike about it? Are you glad you spent the extra$

3) I have read some about keyboard flex and some issues with keys coming loose. Is this a major issue or is it isolated?

4) Are there any other issues that you have found since getting yours? I am looking to replace my 6 year old Asus and I am hoping to get the same use out of my next Laptop.

5) What has been your experience with Lenovo's service?

BTW my last TP was a 365xd, which still works! Thanks for any help or input.

 

I have a T520. There is no loose battery. The HD display just sucks. I replaced it with a FHD display and it is much better. You can order one for around 150 USD and do it all yourself, but that will void your warranty. The FHD display should be similar to the one of the T530. It does flicker when you dim the brightness. It even flickers on fullest brightness. But that is true for most LED panels.

I am thinking about moving to the X1 Carbon from my T520: http://forum.notebookreview.com/thinkpad-edge-x1-x100e-x120e-sl-l/684689-t520-against-x1-carbon.html

 

After using my new T530 for a while I just wanted to chime and say that I love this machine. It's so dang quiet that I can't even tell that it's on. It's cool, even with having a gazillion browser windows open, running Lightroom, etc. It's fast.

My only tiny complaint is just the change that I knew I was going to have going from the Dell 1555 and that's having the arrow keys/page up/down in a different spot for me. Plus having them so tiny, as big as my little fingernail. But I'll get used to it.

I calibrated the screen with Spyder Pro 4 and then installed a color manager for Firefox. The screen is beautiful and working on my photos is a joy.

I don't know if the quiet and running cool are because I swapped out the HD for an SSD (then installed a larger HD in the optical drive, removed the optical drive and put it in a bay for an external optical) but I haven't had any of the issues others have complained about.

Nice little laptop.

 

I prefer the keys and the layout of the "old" keyboard. Yeah, that FHD screen is beautiful, isn't it? If you don't push 'em crazy hard, the T510, T520 and T530 are all cool and quiet.

 

I'm curious as to what is considered pushing it too hard. I always assumed what I asked out of a system with photo editing was asking a lot.

(Now if I could just figure out/understand the color calibration I'm trying to do.)

 

When the CPU and the discrete GPU are pushed to their maximum states (doing complex computations and rendering dynamic scenes in graphics-intensive games, for examples), they consume a lot of energy and produces a lot of heat. The fan kicks in to cool the heat pipe and to blow the hot air out through the vents. That's when the system is hot and noisy.

During normal operations, the T530 is cool and quiet, partly due to design. My usage is the same on the T520 and the Dell XPS 15 L502X, but the latter tends to be noisier: the fan kicks in too often and it runs noisily. Not all fans are designed and operated equally intelligently.

Typing on your T530 is a breeze: you don't need a 64-bit Ivy Bridge processor for that! Editing photos on your T530 is not "asking a lot." Playing Flash video clips is much more taxing. (I hate Flash.)

 

Thanks, Kaso.

I hate Flash too!

 

I got mine a couple of days back. Wow, there are 109 processes running in this machine. Lenovo had installed a lot of junk on a business class machine.

The HD+ screen is good, the contrast is great. But some colors are off. Blues have the purple tint, and the greens and reds are faded. The speakers have very low volume, even at the maximum level. The build quality is not that great, I can see some gaps in the bottom part of the display bezel. The keys look too much protruded from the keyboard, so the backlight is visible from the bottom of the keys, and it looks ugly. The functions keys look weird to me, when viewed from the front of the keys. They are not flat.