T430 Owner's Thread

Interesting. So SATA link power management then, I assume, is referring to the power used by the link itself?

If so, then yeah, I agree that having an SSD doesn't mean that should be disabled. I'll enable that and update my blog post.

Thanks, and thanks even more for your correction

 

I haven't done a proper writeup yet, but I can add a few observations to Burntsushi's post. SSD and 500Gb drive, 16Gb memory.

* Ubuntu 12.04 mostly Just Works. Sleep mode, graphics, ACPI, Mic, USB 3, VGA out - you name it, it runs fine (with one notable caveat, below). I haven't configured the NVIDIA card yet, I never use a card reader and I have no camera so I don't know about them.

* Ivy Bridge is brand-spanking new, so there's bound to be a few glitches. In the case of Ubuntu, the Intel drivers for the current kernel can lock up the machine, depending on what you are doing. I noticed that the new Macs have the same issue (they get the same drivers from Intel after all); in their case it's something Chrome does that triggers the bug. Solution for now is to install the 3.4 kernel.

* I get 5 hours with a 6-cell battery and screen at 80%. I played around with Powertop but none of the tweaks really improve battery life significantly; Ubuntu implements most of them already.

* (Somewhat) optional: if you have an SSD, you want to tell the system to use TRIM on it: add "relatime,discard" to the parameters in /etc/fstab. I think ubuntu actually uses relatime by default for SSD drives but you might as well set it explicitly. Oh, and you might want to set it for a normal HD as well, to lessen drive activity.

Also, set disk scheduler to noop for much better throughput — that is, leave it to the SD to manage itself. Put the following at the end of your /etc/rc.local:

echo noop > /sys/block/sda/queue/scheduler


But as I said, mostly it all just works with little need to do anything.

 

No I didnt need the shim. I did however end up getting my sound cord nicked. The wire somehow got above one of the screw holes when putting back together and when retaking it apart I noticed the wire was stretched and exposed slightly. I had no electrical tape on me to just touch it up but will an exposed sound wire cause any damage? As for the processor it works great with the ssd. I would recommend the upgrade and the heat doesnt seem to be a problem. battery life doesnt seem to be effected much either but then again I havent done much testing.

 

I have the 430 with I5 3rd gen cpu / 4gb ram / and 500gb HDD. I would like to get more battery life out of this machine and was wondering if anyone recommends getting a 9 cell or ultrabay battery. Thanks!

 

If you want the most battery life you can get , order the 9 cell slice and the 9 cell primary battery as well. Boost battery life significantly

 

I was wondering if anyone knew if there is a dvd burner for the lenovo t430. Not an external but one that i will fit in original media bay.

 

Correct. Personally I'd only disable AHCI ALPM (or rather set the policy to something other than min_power) if I was planning on hot-plugging or if I was trying to work around a bug.

In a laptop -- especially something like the X2x0 series -- I'd go for the power savings, no question.

 

Yes. In addition to the official FRUs, pretty much any 12.7mm SATA laptop bay drive should work (for example: New TS-L633 Compatible with HL GSA-T50L HP GT20L GT30L DVD-RW SATA Burner 12.7mm | eBay)

 

Thanks rob, I am definately going to purchase that. Most people dont really use the dvd rw drive much but I love it haha. There isnt a blu ray rw drive you could recommend is there (hopefully a decent price)?? If not I will probably purchase the one you listed

 

Does anyone else's T430 screen bezel cover feel loose? Mine feels uber loose and makes noise every time I open and close the lid on it.. This is definitely not Lenovo quality and its starting to REALLY bother me.

 

I was curious if anyone could tell me their gpu idle temps and gpu temps under load for both their hd 4000 and nvidia gpu. Speedfan says the gpu temp is 40C when idling and I was curious how that is relative to the hd3000 temps and such. Also, the nvidia temps at idle should be almost 0 correct since its not in use?

 

If you mean the front screen bezel you can just pull it out and readjust if needed by applying firm pressure for the clips to snap it. When you look around from sides there should be no gaps otherwise it’s not installed on properly. Use the T430 Hardware Maintenance Manual if you need some reference.

 

I actually checked that, and was able to easily pull off the bezel... After reseating it, the problem still pervded

this is definitely a sub-standard bezel/lid combination and I think I am going to have Lenovo fix it.

 

It shouldn't make noises at all, the bezel on my T420 which should be the same as the T430 is pretty solid all round so yeah it looks like you need to check up with support to see if they can have a look over.

 

Yea the bezel should be nice and snug. You probably have a defective bezel where a clip comes to far out, or the back plate which the edge clips onto doesnt make the right contact with the clips.

I did a clean install of windows and I was curious if the mute microphone button has a driver or something because when I press on it the light doesnt come on nor mute the microphone period. The mute sound led light comes on but not the microphone led. I thought it was hardware failure from me removing the keyboard but when I start the computer the mute microphone light and the mute sound both light up for a few seconds. It doesnt kill me to have that not working but I paid a 1000 bucks for this so I might as well have a working mute microphone button.

 

Umm correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the GPU integrated onto the CPU die now? I believe that's the northbridge/southbridge you're talking about.

 

Lenovo ThinkPad T430S Teardown - YouTube

 

No idea, sorry. Just be aware that you might have to replace (or Dremel ) the bezel on the replacement drive....

 

Yes, they are both in one Package since 2010 already.

 

To my surprise, the laptop I ordered at about 3:30 on Tuesday shipped today already.

Price came out to be $1165 after tax. Here are the specs:

Processor- Intel Core i5-3360M
Win7 Home premium 64 bit
HD+ (1600x900) display
NVS 5400M Dedicated GPU
4gb ram (I am going to buy more aftermarket to save money)
Backlit Keyboard
720p HD Camera and Mic
320gb HDD (I have a samsung 830 series 256gb SSD waiting to go in)
6 cell battery
90W adapter
Intel 6300 Ultimate N Wireless card
3 year base warrenty


I am wondering if anyone can tell me how the weight of a Ultrabay hdd caddy like this one will compare to the weight of the dvd drive?

 

About 1/3. Then it becomes a bit heavier with the HDD installed.

Hope your new T430 will serve you well.

 

Hey! I am currently trying to decide between T430 and T530.

ThinkPad T530: Intel® CoreTM i5-3210M 2.50GHz, Ivy Bridge, 4GB, 500GB, nVidia NVS 5400M 1GB, Microsoft Windows 7 Professional, 6 Cell battery
ThinkPad T430: Intel® CoreTM i5-3210M 2.50GHz, Ivy Bridge, 4GB, 500GB, Intel® HD Graphics, Microsoft Windows 7 Professional, 9 Cell battery

So, the main differences:

Size&weight: T430 wins
Video: T530 wins
Battery: T430 wins
Price: T430 is 7% cheaper.

Now, i carry my laptop arround very much and battery life is quite important, but i could replace the 6Cell battery from t530 with a 9cell one. I use the laptop mainly for ssh-ing into servers and heavy testing of operating systems in vmware.

If i were to buy it now, i`d go for t430, but i still have some doubts.

My questions are:

> Can i replace the internal hdd from T430 with any regular ssd? I already have a corsair force 3 ssd laying around. Will it fit inside or will i need a smaller form factor ssd?

> Will there be any difference for me if i do not have the 5400M nvidia card? I do not play games. I watch movies and i would like them to be HD.


After buying, the laptop will get more RAM, (only 1333MHz DDR3 available in my country so ram will have to wait), a ssd (60GB at the moment of buying and bigger later), and a tray to replace the optical drive with the 7200RPM drive.

So? T430 + ram/ssd = T530. ( in terms of price )

Which would you recommend?


PS1: t530 is in stock and t430 is not with no way of knowing when i would be able to buy it.
PS2: I own a Dell Inspiron 1501 which is currently laying around and now I am using a T500. I would love to reduce weight by buying a smaller notebook, but still i do not want to ditch performance.

 

@danutHD

First of all, both the T430 and T530 have basically the same Battery life. In the past 15" Notebook may have lasted shorter, but today even a 17" Notebook can last up to 30 hours depending on CPU, Battery etc.

Also 15 inchers used to be stronger in the old days, but nowadays you get the same Performance in both.

1: Yes, you can use any SSD with SATA Interface

2: The NVIDIA should give you better picture quality and perhaps even viewing angles. Since the T530 Screen is superior anyway it won't make a difference though.

If you watch movies I'd get the T530 in your place, due to the better screen. (get the FHD one!). But if weight is an Issue then go for the T430.

 

A graphics card can influence the viewing angles of a display? Upgrading to a better graphics card improves the quality of a lousy screen?

 

I think some T430 owners reported that, it can only fit 7mm hard drives. Since I don't own a T430, you should probably wait for a confirmation from actual T430 owners.

 

Yes, look:

Lenovo ThinkPad T410 Review

Under the Screen section there are two T410. One with NVIDIA, one with Intel Graphics, and you can easily tell that he NVIDIA T410 has better viewing angles.

 

Not necessarily... The two LCDs could have been made by two different companies. AUO, LG and Samsung make LCDs for Lenovo, and they all make screens for same models... What you are seeing in this case is a combination of different resolution screens and/or different screen manufacturers in that review. But, the major point is that the video card has nothing to do with viewing angles!

 

Worth repeating.

 

Sigh. Bought the T430 yesterday only to discover the B&N discount rose dramatically. I'll call Lenovo tomorrow and see if I can cancel that order.

What do you guys think of your laptops so far?

 

Another option is to request for a price match. Call Lenovo and speak to a post-sale agent, they will tell you what to do. Basically you just need to send them a screen capture of the cheaper cart (must be the exact same configuration as your original order though.

 

Cancelled mine today, you should do it immediately if you want a full refund before the order ships

Plus, in another thread people said that they received additional 10-15% off with e-mail coupons when you subscribe, you should also check that thread.

 

Well after reading more i have decided to go for T530 with i5, 4GB of ram and one slot free, dGPU, 500GB HDD and a 6 Cell Battery. It costs 1 524 USD.

Unfortunately, in my country I cannot order a Lenovo notebook configured as I wish and I must buy only preconfigured. As a result I will be upgrading to more RAM, change the OD to a HDD and add a SSD.

I hope that I have made a good decision.

 

In US dollars , how much did everyone in this forum pay for their t430 and their upgrades. I was curious to see how much that barnes and noble discount compared to the school discounts and earlier promotions.

For i3 2370 ,hd+ screen, nvs 5400 1gb, 4gb ram, centrino 6300n , 500gb 5200rpm, 6 cell , fingerprint reader, smart card and express card slot totaled to 1050 after taxes. Was I able to use the barnes and noble discount with the student discount? I hope I didnt cheat myself

 

I just did that. Thanks for the advice!

 

Just ordered a T430s(with Enhanced Graphics) today.
Without any further customization, it should be $824.25 with the Barnes & Noble eCoupon.
I upgraded the CPU to the best possible i7-3520M for $190 and the screen resolution to 1600*900 for $50.
I also added camera microphone set for $30 and 4 in 1 card reader for $10.
It sums up to $1,034.25 before tax. The tax is approximately $50.
Hope it helps with your decision!

 

Where do you find the barnes and noble ecoupon???. I figure I could call up post sales as you did and see what I could do. If I just got the laptop in last week you think its to late to try and get some money back?

 

When I configure your model with my school discount it comes to 1103.20 .... I really need to figure this barnes and noble coupon code out haha. It may only be a 70 difference but to a college kid that 70 seems like a ton, especially since I have been saving for this laptop for a while. Hope you can get back to me soon and thanks!!!

 

Barnes and Noble Gold | Lenovo | (US)

 

I figured I'd reply to your PM in the thread since it might help other people.

First, go to Barnes and Noble Gold | Lenovo | (US)
and just create a free account. It's very simple and easy. Then, just sign in to that link and you'll have access to the lower prices.

In regards to the price-match, I just called Lenovo (~5 minute wait time) and talked to a representative. I told him I would like a price match, and he gave me his email address and told me to send a screenshot of the newer, cheaper shopping cart and order details, which I sent to him.

After I sent a pasted image to him, I sent him a follow-up message to confirm if he received it. This morning, I got a response saying that he, oddly enough, didn't get an image. So, this time I gave him the imgur URL and attached the image file. I'm not sure how they'll lower the price retroactively though. I'll post an update later.

 

bradyboyy88, where did you get your i7-3612qm from and how much did you pay? I am seeing some ridiculously high prices on it.

 

Anyone have any idea what the weight difference would be between a T430 with graphics card, ssd, 9 cell battery, etc vs a T430s with integrated graphics, ssd, ultrabay battery, etc.

I'm not too sure which one I should go for. I like the 430s for Thunderbolt but no good upgrade for graphics card whereas the 430 has the 9 cell battery for great usage time plus a dedicated 5400m.

 

You can check the Lenovo Systems Reference PDF for the weight of various combinations.

http://www.lenovo.com/psref/pdf/tabook.pdf

 

I bit:

2342CTO ThinkPad T430 - 1 Year Depot Topseller Warranty
Processor Intel Core i5-3210M Processor (3M Cache, up to 3.10 GHz) - upgrading to i7-3612qm

Operating system Genuine Windows 7 Professional (64 bit) - Will be upgraded to my Ultimate 64bit package

Display type 14.0" HD+ (1600 x 900) LED Backlit AntiGlare Display,
System graphics NVIDIA NVS 5400M Graphics with Optimus Technology, 1GB DDR3 Memory

Total memory 4 GB PC3-12800 DDR3 (1 DIMM) - Will be upgraded to 8GB
Keyboard Keyboard Backlit - US English
Pointing device UltraNav with Fingerprint Reader
Camera 720p HD Camera with Microphone
Hard drive 500GB Hard Disk Drive, 7200rpm - adding mSata
Ultrabay DVD Recordable

System expansion slots - Express Card Slot & 4-in-1 Card Reader & Smart Card Reader

Battery 9 Cell Li-Ion TWL 70++
Power cord 90W AC Adapter - US (2pin)
Bluetooth Bluetooth 4.0 with Antenna
Integrated WiFi wireless LAN adapters - Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 AGN

45K5984 2YR Onsite + 2YR ThinkPad Protection

433835U Mini Dock Plus Series 3 with USB 3.0 - 170W (US/Can/LA)

Total: $1,175.78 Shipped!!

 

A few questions for you if you don't mind?
If you are upgrading your cpu to the quad anyway, why didn't you just save the money and stick with the base i3? Also, why did you spend the extra $50 to get professional if you are upgrading to ultimate anyway?

 

CPU upgrade is not going to happen right away as the qm is a little pricey. As for the OS, Professional was the only option provided when selecting OS's.

 

I paid 260 for it

 

DVD Recordable drive means that the t430 cannot burn dvds only read them correct?

 

DVD Recordable means that it can burn DVD media as well. A DVD Reader (or ROM drive) can only read the DVD media.

 

Mind if you share where you got it from? is it a QS (qualification sample) or an ES (engineering sample, also known as Extra Special)?

 

Could someone please look at their 4GB stick that comes standard and let me know what the manufacturer and the sticker specs are? Specifically looking for CAS and voltage. I am buying another 4GB stick to put in when mine arrives and want to make sure I match specs. Thanks!