Lenovo Thinkpad T410 Owner's Lounge

So, you're recommending I download and install the latest driver from Intel rather than use Lenovo's driver? I'm guessing the Lenovo Software Updater will try to revert it back to Lenovo's driver.

 

I just got my T410 yesterday and I really like it. I am going to be a freshmen at Carnegie Mellon University this fall for electrical and computer engineering. Since this computer needs to last me 4 years I maxed everything out. I bought the ram and Momentus XT drive from newegg.

i7 620m 2.66ghz
WXGA+ 1440x900
8gb ram
nvs 3100 512mb
Seagate Momentus XT 500gb
intel ultimate 6300 wifi
bluetooth
9 cell

Initial Impressioins

Build Quality/Screen:: I like the no-nonsense build. It seems very study and utilitarian. I feel like I will actually get more work done using this laptop and won't get distracted as easily. I like how pretty much everything is accessible. The hard drive bay is easy to access, the ram is easy enough to access, and I like that you can swap out the DVD drive for a second hard drive. The screen is ok too. It's not fantastic and I might prefer a glossy screen, but as long as you don't need the best image quality it should be fine.


Keyboard/Touchpad: I have to say the keyboard is the nicest notebook keyboard I have ever used and it probably beats every desktop keyboard I have ever used. It is just fun to type. The touchpad works well too, but it freezes every once and a while when using the multitouch gestures. I like two-finger scrolling but I might have to disable it.

One thing to note is that the fan does sound sort of like a jet engine revving up. It is not very loud but it sound sounds the same way as an engine. It makes a faint whine sound that reminds me of being on an airplane. It doesn't bother me though.

All-in-all, it's a great laptop.

 

You'll say that right up until the moment you have to use a glossy screen in some place that has the light coming from overhead.

 

Webcam on the T410 won't shoot video. Any help?

 

Agree 100% ^^^
Just like you I am in the minority of people who actually have no complaints about the T410 matte screen.

Also Marlinspike, if I PM you my email ID would you mind sending me your LCD color profile (gamma, contrats etc...)

On a different note, I should be getting my T410s sometime next week and its going to have windows XP preloaded on it. I plan on doing a clean install of windows 7 ultimate. My question is, will I lose the "enhanced experience" BIOS optimizations which allow for fast boot up and shut down times once I do a clean install and if I do is there anyway to get it back? (I am not the most tech savy so pardon me if this is an ignorant question) Thanks.

 

Also I don't know if anyone would be able to help me out with this but the T410s I bought, model number 2901-A4U, comes with a 80GB SSD. I've been all over the internet trying to find out which brand that SSD might be but have failed. Anyone have any idea?

 

It is likely to be an Intel X-18M but I do not know that for a fact.

 

That is my guess as well and I will be happy camper if it is!!!

 

I don't have an SSD but i'm guessing Everest should be able to tell you the details.

Computer Diagnostics & Network Audits Software | Lavalys.com

It comes with a 30 days funtional trial so should serve your purpose

On a side note does any one know if Lenovo uses the same WXGA+ LCD's in the t410 and the t410s?

Thanks!

 

I realize that the Windows Experience Index is not a perfect tool to measure actual performance but it will allow me to compare things.

As such I would like to ask if someone who has a T410 with an I7-620 and the NVIDIA (512MB preferred, but I will take the ones for the 256MB) post their scores.

My current machine (in signature)has:
Processor - 6.4
Memory - 6.4
Graphics - 4.7
Gaming graphics - 5.7
Hard disk - 5.9
(it is a corsair p128 ssd and sometimes it scores 6.9, but today it showed 5.9 with no change in drivers...)

Thanks in advance.

 

Perhaps not the comparison you are looking for, but here are the WEI scores on my X201 (Specs in signature):
(I don't have the T410 with me today.)
X201
CPU: 6.8
Mem: 5.9
Aero: 4.3
Gaming: 5.1
Disk: 5.9

The HDD is a Seagate Momentus 7200.4 (the original drive it came with)

You are right about the WEI not being a good benchmark. Although the i7-720qm gets a processor rating 7.0 or 7.1, many CPU benchmarks show it with lower scores than the i7-620m. This may be due to the AES New Instructions which is enabled in the 620m but not in the 720qm. Hence, any benchmark using encryption will favor the 620m.

 

As I don't use the Lenovo Software Updater, I can't comment on whether it will downgrade the drivers. I doubt it, but the Intel ones work fine. Their performance is a little better than the Lenovo drivers, and believe it or not, they can play not only 1080p video perfectly, but even 4k video examples.

These are the best examples of HD flash video I've seen:

YouTube - 4k Video file playlist

If you want to find out what a 4k video is, read this:

YouTube Blog: What's bigger than 1080p? 4K video comes to YouTube

Playing these files is a true test of HD video playback ability. Not that anyone needs to playback 4k video, but it shows how far past 1080p the Intel HD can play.

 

Yes, I'm amazed at the new Intel HD. For integrated graphics, it is pretty powerful. I can't play the newest games with it, of course, but older games like Half-Life 2 or CounterStrike Source will play smoothly on high detail. I read where the new GPU (GMA 5700MHD) is roughly twice as powerful as it's predecessor (GMA 4500MHD) that came with the Core2 Duo machines. Plus, the new Core i(x) processors have a new architecture with the memory controller right on the die and the Intel HD is tied into the CPU and the GPU can be overclocked, as needed.

 

Hey guys. I can't seem to find some information on the T410 that I was looking for. Can any owner help me out if possible? Just about to pull the trigger on one thanks.

-Has changing battery threshold (when to stop charging the battery) reappeared on the T410? I believe prior to power manager 3.12 it didn't exist.

-Switchable graphics does not exist at all? So if I choose the NVS 3100M I'm stuck using it permanently right?
*How high do you think my settings in starcraft 2 would be when using this card? Canada only offers the 3100M with 256MB (no 512MB option).

-Is the fan actually high pitched? Doesn't really bother me but when doing simple web browsing is it loud?

That's all! I'd really appreciate your help gentlemen.

 

Yes

No switchable graphics on T410.

No idea. I'm kind of hoping that it will run on the Intel HD ok.

It's not high pitched to me, but it's not quiet. It runs continuously, generally at the same continuous level. To me, it sounds like high speed moving air. You can more hear the air than the fan if that makes sense.

If you really push the laptop it speeds up. If you really really really push the laptop, it has an even faster RPM, but that requires 100% CPU+GPU for 20 mins or so.

The fan never stops, even from power on when cold. You can use a tool to override the BIOS fan speed and make it quieter, but IMHO it is not loud enough to warrant that.

 

The NVS 3100m isn't for gaming. The drivers are optimized for business programs and graphics. The card isn't designed to handle the 3D motion in games, it just doesn't have the shaders, piplelines, etc. That's why I wasn't willing to shell out more money for it -- and also because the integrated Intel HD is really very good for integrated graphics. I can play older games like Half-Life 2 on high detail and it runs smoothly. But if you want a gaming laptop, look at the IdeaPad Y560 or Y460.

The fan on my T410 is very quiet, even when the machine is stressed. And yes, I can customize the battery charging thresholds in Power Manager. I don't think you can get switchable graphics in the T410 -- maybe with the T410s or the T510.

 

Honestly there's no reason why it shouldn't perform just as well as the equivalent mobile GeForce GPU (320M? Not 100% sure.) It's not going to be a great gaming GPU but the whole "it's for business therefore it sucks for games" argument makes no sense. That being said, I don't know why manufacturers stopped putting the most powerful discrete graphics solutions they could get their hands on into their business models. I don't want a goofy-looking IdeaPad, Dell XPS, or HP Envy. I don't want to pay for style and lose the ability to have a docking station. The nVidia FX380M works fine in the HP8440w, so why can't Lenovo build a W410?

 

It's the DRIVERS for the card. They're optimized for business graphics, not gaming. So yes, it does make sense. You could try the drivers for the 320M or whatever the equivalent card is, but they probably won't install since the model name of the card is different. The hardware ID in it's BIOS won't match the driver and Windows won't install it. You might be able to "force feed" the driver via Device Manager and override the "unsigned drivers" warning, but that can yield unpredictable results.

 

Check out laptopvideo2go.com. They hack the drivers so they can install on other systems/cards. I'm not an expert and have not done it myself, but I know it's possible. YMMV.

As for why they don't use the latest and greatest in business laptops... the target market is (unsurprisingly) businesses. They are more concerned with things like battery life than getting the fastest graphics.

 

And they might want to have a GPU which is true and tested and which support is readily available for as opposed to a newer card with many unknowns and no known fixes if a problem arises.
Downtime for a business professional is far more costly than downtime for a gamer.

 

There are corporate users who need more graphics power than something like an NVS3100m offers (and there are more powerful solutions out there). However, everything with more power (mobile workstations) seems to be an a 15+" screen form factor which defeats most of the purpose of a notebook, which is to be portable. The only exception is the excessively-widescreen HP 8440w.

 

realwarder, raydabruce. Thank you for your responses so far. Dropping a thousand on anything is a tough choice and this information helps me greatly. Your description on the cpu fan being "moving air" is a very accurate example - may I ask whether or not tpfancontrol works on your machine? When simply web browsing, what speed is the fan running at? Speed 1 (1900 rpm) or Speed 2? What temperature do you see the CPU at?

I'm one of those crazy/extremely sensitive to noise people. I was pondering whether or not to get a T410s, but owners on this forum say the dedicated video card is absolutely useless and even playing strategy games will cause the thing to choke every single minute. Not sure what to do but hopefully that doesn't occur on the T410.

 

You can edit tpfancontrol to keep your CPU temperature at whatever you want. It comes with a 'smart' mode that I guess keeps the temperature in a range that the tpfancontrol dev thinks is acceptable (and it may be, I have no idea). When I used this setting, my T410 was basically silent, unless playing a game.

I ended up uninstalling tpfancontrol since at times I'd accidentally turn it off, which meant the fans weren't coming on at all.

I don't even notice fan noise now using the stock temperature controls. It's also probably better for my laptop in the long run..

 

Can you adjust the sensitivity of the touchpad?

 

Yes you can via Windows Mouse Properties.

 

I absolutely HATE the Touchpad on the T410.

The bump texture is way too rough for my liking. Especially working with a lot of graphics in my presentations.

The two finger/three finger functions is none responsive many times.

I would love to see a return to the flat/smooth type touchpads. I revert to my Asus laptop when I require using a lot of touchpad action.

 

I revert to my Bluetooth mouse when I require a lot of touchpad action. On any touchpad.

To me, touchpads have never been great on any PC.

 

Hey guys,

I am about to go to college and I desperately need a new laptop. the T410 has caught my attention and I was wondering will it be worth to buy. I need it to run recording software (reaper), basic college applications, watch movies and very light gaming (SNES, N64 emulators and maybe Left for Dead 2). Will the t410 be suitable for those tasks?

 

Yes, the T410 would perform quite well for those tasks. You should probably look at discrete graphics configurations with Core i5 CPU options.

 

What determines battery life? My T410i gets about 2.5hrs while surfing on a 6-cell.
According to HP Pavilion dm4 Review - Battery Life, Wi-Fi, Greenness, Instant-On, the dm4 with i5-20m and Intel HD gets 4:56.

According to Lenovo ThinkPad T410 Review - Battery Life, Wi-Fi, Green Testing, the Lenovo T410 with 6-cell (i5-520m) gets 3:53.

According to Lenovo ThinkPad T410s Review - Performance, Graphics, Battery, & Wi-Fi, the Lenovo T410s with 6-cell (i5-520m) gets 4:08.

According to HP EliteBook 8440w Review - Performance, Battery Life, & Wi-Fi, the HP 8440w with 6-cell (i7-620m) gets 3:43.

According to HP EliteBook 8440p Review - Battery, Wi-Fi, Configurations, & Verdict, the Hp 8440p with 6-cell (i5-520) gets 4:41.

It's about an hour difference between some notebooks. Some are ~4. Some are ~5. Why such a big difference? They all use i5 with TDP of 35w.. where is the power going?

 

anyone know where the card reader is located on the T410s?

 

T410s have switchable graphic. your T410 batt life is correct because yours do not have switchable graphic and your wifi draws a lot of power. I also not sure how to resolve this batt issue. I also need help here.

 

I think your needs will be nicely met with an X201. I had a T410 and it was a great laptop but too big and bulky for me. The X201 will leave you room on your classroom desk for other things and is very light for carrying around all day. I got a 4-cell battery for mine just to make it as light as possible (it came with the 9-cell but I usually carry the AC adapter which is also light).

 

Hey guys,
where do you go to find part numbers if you want to order a part?

 

Is this good configuration? Any coupons to lower the price? Appreciate your help.

ThinkPad T410 - 1 Year Depot Warranty
Edit
Ships within 9 bus. days**

$1,584.00
Intel Core i7-620M Processor (2.66GHz, 4MB L3, 1066MHz FSB)1
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 3212
14.1 WXGA+ TFT, w/ LED Backlight (WWAN antenna)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 5700MHD - AMT
4 GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz SODIMM Memory (1 DIMM)8
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
320 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm4
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA)5
4 cell Li-Ion Battery60
Bluetooth w/ antenna
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN)10
Integrated Mobile Broadband - Upgradable65
2516: 1 Year Depot Warranty - TopSeller7

 

abhiku,
I think thats a little too much for something without discreet graphics but then it does have an i7......No.... changed my mind, I still think its too much.

 

So what do you recommend configuration wise?

Also what's the main difference between 410 and 410s? SSD and touch screen? What is 410i?

Does it come with enhanced experience or something?

Looked again at the configuration. There are 3 options.


System graphics Help me decide
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 5700MHD - AMT [subtract $100.00]
NVIDIA NVS 3100m Graphics 256MB DDR3 with AMT
NVIDIA NVS 3100m Graphics 512MB DDR3 with AMT [add $25.00]

 

abhiku,
First of all, what do you mainly intend do with your machine? If you are going to be gaming or doing graphics work, CAD etc then you want to go with the discreet graphics option. Mind you though even with the NVIDIA discreet graphics gaming is a subpar experience according to many on this forum.
If you are going to be doing none of the above go with the Intel graphics. It is more than capable of playing 1080p (HD) videos and even some light gaming.
EDIT: The common consensus on this forum is that the Intel graphics is vastly improved over previous Intel integrated graphics. It can easily handle older games like WoW etc but things get ugly when playing newer titles.

Other question I have for you is do you really need the i7? You maybe aware of this but the i7 is still a dual core processor (NOT quad core) just clocked higher than the i5 series of processors. If you are going to run a lot of processor intensive applications and really think you need all that extra grunt then go for the i7. If not save some money, get more battery life, produce less heat and go with an i5.

 

The T410s is a slimmer, lighter version of the T410. Both the T410 and the T410s can be customized with a SSD but, only the T410s can be customized with the touchscreen.
The T410i is the entry level T410 with a core i3 processor.
Enhanced Experience involves optimizations/tweaks lenovo has done in conjunction with Microsoft to make sure windows 7 boots and runs faster, run more efficiently on Lenovo machines. In reality its more of a marketing gimmick according to many.

EDIT: Honestly, IMHO if you are willing to spend $1500+ go for the T410s. I used to own a T410 and currently own a T410s (Both with Intel integrated graphics) and the T410s is just stunning. Don't get me wrong the T410 is a lovely laptop too but the light weight and the slimmer profile just can't be beaten.

 

Thanks Miliranga for the advice!

This laptop is for my wife. She will be doing mostly office, mail, powerpoint, and accounting work. I will go with 410s w/intel graphics.

I think there was coupon for 410s that expires 7/21

 

in the center on the left, i think the pictures on lenovo's website shows you
http://www.lenovo.com/shop/americas...books/ThinkPad/T-Series/gallery/T400s_10L.jpg where 13 is
it says t400s but they're essentially the same

 

Where I can find pictures of T410 front vs T410s front? I want to compare the thickness etc. and look.

I tried on google and can't find images that I can compare the thickness and look of T410 and T410s. Right now I'm in between T410 and T410s

Is this config good? This maching is for general work, no gaming, no designing etc...

I'm getting this around $1100+Tax..Pls. advice

Intel Core i7-620M Processor (2.66GHz, 4MB L3, 1066MHz FSB)1
Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 6412
14.1 WXGA+ TFT, w/ LED Backlight (WWAN antenna)
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 5700MHD - AMT
4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)8
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
500 GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm4
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA)5
6 cell 2.6Ah Li-Ion Battery - Dual Mode60
Bluetooth w/ antenna
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN)10
Integrated Mobile Broadband - Upgradable65
2516: 1 Year Depot Warranty - TopSeller7

 

Is this for a T410 or a T410s? If its for a T410s thats a pretty good price. For a T410...ok...
Do you really need that core i7? Its overkill for your purposes. Everything else looks good.
Check this link out for pictures. These pictures are for the T400 vs T400s but they serve the purpose.

 

Sorry I forgot to post model no. The above price is for T410.

My budget is around $1100-$1200. I can get T410s but there is no option to have 7200RPM HDD. SSD sizes are only 80, 128GB. I need to have around 200GB space.

If I chose 250GB HD 5200RPM option then I can't choose i5-540 processor.

I like to have atleast i5-540 processor if I'm not going with 620 Any recommendations to upgrade the processor or add the HDD?

Also if I go with Gobi 2000 3G mobile BB, can I put my Tmobile SIM and use existing data plan for internet.

Thanks

 

Get whatever CPU you need and then the cheapest hard drive. Buy that hard drive/SSD that you want online, and install it yourself. Sell the old drive or keep it for a spare.

 

Does anyone have any comments (positive or negative) about the textured touchpad? I know Synaptics seems to make high quality touchpads (the one in my Compaq Evo N620c is great), but I've never tried a touchpad with a texture like the T410 has.

On an unrelated topic, can anyone speak to the 3D performance of the T410s with the switchable graphics option? I assume the discrete graphics processor is the same NVS3100m found in the standard T410, but I'm not 100% sure. I do play some games, but I like the slim form factor of the T410s. If I can expect the same level of performance as the fullsize notebook I may consider it worth the extra money for the slimmer model.

 

Can you point me to directions how to install after market HDD or SSD in T410s?

I will buy 7200rpm HD or SSD and install later on.

How's the price looking for T410s?


ThinkPad T410s - 1 Year Depot Warranty
Edit
$1173 + TAX

Intel® Core™ i5-520M Processor (2.40GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB)
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 32
14.1 WXGA+ TFT, w/ LED Backlight
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator HD, Intel Core i5-520M Processor (2.40GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz FSB)
4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
250 GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm - Low Halogen
DVD Recordable 8x Max Dual Layer, Ultrabay Slim (Serial ATA)
6 cell Li-Ion Battery
Bluetooth w/ antenna
Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN)
Integrated Mobile Broadband - Upgradable
2901: 1 Year Depot Warranty - TopSeller

 

That's pretty good. Get Windows 7 Pro 64. I'm pretty sure it's a $0 upgrade.

 

Lenovo Support & downloads - Hardware Maintenance Manual - ThinkPad T400s, T410s and T410si

this should show you how to install and remove a hdd from the T410s.

 

That is indeed a good price for a good config. Mine is identical except for the 80GB Intel SSD, Intel Centrino N 6200, and 3 year warranty. I would recommend adding the 5 in 1 card reader. I think its only like $10 more and it might come in handy. To add it later on (which is what I did) it costs $50.
Are you buying it from the Lenovo SPP site?
Swapping the HDD is a breeze. Its just one screw to unscrew. You'll have fun doing it.