T430s owners'/would-be owners' thread.

Again thanks for reply I appreciate it!

PES 2012 Recomended System requirements

CPU: Processor Intel Core2 Duo 2.0GHz or equivalent
RAM: 2GB
GFX: NVidia GeForce 7900 / AMD ATI Radeon HD2600
GXF RAM: 512MB of RAM, Pixel shader 3.0, DirectX 9.0c compatible video card

I believe the requirement is pretty low so T430s NVS 5200M could play it in high quality without problem?? (well I know it is not a gaming gpu)

And for Ideapad, it's true that I found it more interesting as the spec is simply higher and cheaper. My current C2D is a Dell Inspiron, it runs without any problem but it also looks cheap and the fan becomes loud and hot sometimes. video steaming sometimes lag probably due to the Intel 3000 i am not sure

plus I am using Dell 2412M monitor I wanna experience its DP connecting to the T430s

Seems T430s, T430U, and S430 one of them will be my option.

 

T430s is already out! I just bought a T420s a month ago...

 

Any one experience something like this??? --->
If I can't connect the NVS 5200M to the monitor, I will rather choose the ThinkPad X230 (i7-3520M) as it is cheaper with a Premium monitor (is it IPS?) ...

 

I disagree with this statement. You can have your opinion that the HD+ is not bad, but I can definitely tell you that after working with various models of business-class Thinkpads for years on end that the HD+ is not equal to a standard display for a T series (T420 has the same screen as T430). With it's overly-bluish tint, and washed out over-contrast appearance T430s' screen is sub-par in comparison to the display on the T410. The T410 has the typical bad black levels but ok viewing angles. I would say that this 3 year-old display is far more common of what a standard Thinkpad screen should be than the "Walmart" quality T420/430 screen.

 

I don't know about T series, I can only compare it to the 770Z, X31 and X201, and they are definitely in the same ballpark. I guess I missed the generation where they actually improved on the screen quality.

I've seen my fair share of Dell laptops and desktop monitors, and while viewing angles are definitely some of the worst I've seen, it doesn't suffer from any light leakage, washed-out contrast or excessive tint like some monitors do.

It could be because T430s screens are coming from different manufacturers that people are having so many different opinions, but my Samsung screen definitely isn't that bad. It's not the greatest screen ever, nor can it compare to an IPS screen, but I don't think that's really an issue.

 

The NVS5200M chip on the 430s isn't wired to any display adapters. Everything goes through the HD4000, this also limits the maximum number of external displays you can drive (I believe it's two + internal), this has been answered many times before, a quick search would have revealed so.

 

is that mean if I connect t430s to a external monitor via DP, the NVS 5200M is not running?

 

http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/g5de28ww.txt

 

Hey guys, I seriously need some help. I tried to install a new Intel 6300 wifi card, but once I put it in and booted it up, it hit the unauthorized screen, and then it started burning and smoking. I flipped it over and ripped the card out, but now the old card isn't working either. Am I going to need to get the whole motherboard replaced?

 

Sorry to hear that. Many such cards on the flea market are factory-rejects or built for different regions that may be incompatible with your notebook. The burning of your new card has damaged the connector. Unless you settle with a nano USB WiFi dongle, you need to get the mobo replaced.

 

Its a brand new computer, no way am I going to not get this fixed. I have the 3 year TPP + NBD onsite service, so I think I should be covered. Do you know if this type of damage is covered, or am I about to sacrifice a paycheck for a new mobo?

 

Just put the original in there and play dumb.

 

After spending a lot of time reading both this thread and the T430 thread, I just ordered a T430s.

The obvious weakness of the T430s is the battery life and perhaps heat, due to the smaller enclosure.

I will be upgrading the ram (2x4GB) and would like to know if 1.35v ram increases battery life and if ram with a "heat spreader" is beneficial in the T430s. The ram sticks in the T430s are next to each other whereas the ram sticks in the T430 are separated, so is heat relating to ram an issue in the T430s?

Any suggestions as which ram works well in the T430s (especially 1.5v) would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

Anyone know if I ordered a T430s with no fingerprint reader if they use bezel that has nothing or do they insert a "blank" fingerprint reader.

I read on the X230 thread they insert a blank and it looks weird.

Also if, down the road, I wanted to add the NVidia GPU, could I?

I have no need today but I would like to know if I have the option should the need arise.

 

I didn't download On Screen Display and I can see the popup bar showing levels for volume/brightness. Not sure exactly what OSD driver is for but I'm sure the website can tell you more.

Anyone know how useful Dolby Home Theater is? I personally never use my native laptop speakers as they are always plugged in to speakers/otherwise headphones while on the go. Is it safe to disable cause its always running as Dolby Profile Selector in task manager (18k memory)...Also, any reason why RealTek HD Audio Manager and HD Audio Background process are both running? Can I disable one ?

 

There is no "blank" fingerprinter reader if you don't get it. The bezel is completely smooth where the fingerprint reader would have been.

And no, you can't add an Nvidia GPU down the road, since it's soldered onto the motherboard. The HD 4000 is on par with the NVS 5200M, so getting it is somewhat moot if you are a gamer.

 

Should have said ( especially 1.35v)

 

regarding Ram
Sorry that this question could have asked before in here...

I plan to buy a Kingston 8GM 1600mhz Ram for the T430s, will there be any problem?
As I have never owned thinkpad before, I am not sure if there is any restriction that Lenovo set for their laptop...

or buy a Lenovo Ram is a must?!

Thank you!

 

Does anyone else's thinkpad flicker black for a couple seconds when loading up the desktop? This has been happening since I just installed my ssd earlier today...

And also, do you guys usually install programs onto your ssd or hdd? I initially installed everything on my hdd but I ran into some issues with file recognizing. I'm planning on reformatting everything again tomorrow...Any tips on file management on the hdd would help as well!

 

Yeah, going to throw the original in and play dumb, have the tech come out with a new mobo on Monday. I'll let you know how the service is.

My desktop likes to load from display being off really bright, waits a few seconds, and then drops down to what its supposed to be. Annoying, but not a big deal. It only happens when the screen goes off or something.

I have a 256GB SSD, so...

 

@Nrbelex --------I'm not sure how to ask this, but I noticed with your setup that you went with an i5 processor instead of the i7 and was wondering why as most seem to have purchased the S w/ the i7. Did you purchase w/ the nvidea chip? I was thinking about the i5 with intel 4000 graphics card and using the extra $$ to upgrade the ram and the ssd, as I originally ordered the i7 and changed my mind. How is your battery life and usage in general? Thanks in advance.

To anyone interested,a little FYI when ordering a system through lenovo....when I canceled the order the sales rep provide me with a quote and said it was good for 2 weeks including the 30% off. So if you're undecided as I was, then get a quote and think about it until you're ready to pull the trigger.

 

The marginal increase you get in the clock speed didn't seem worth the amount they were charging, pure and simple. I also stuck with the HD4000 since I don't game much and the discrete card doesn't seem to offer much over the integrated.

 

Thank nrbelex for the response and input..just noticed your name and link to your website. Great pics and great eye for capturing a moment in time. are you editing your photos with the 430s?

 

For anyone who's interested, I went through the Starter Edition of Diablo III in 1366x768 highest settings with v-sync and software AA, and it ran at a steady 30 fps, with the occasional drop to 20 fps when the screen gets too crowded (lowering the shadows quality helps without any noticeable loss of quality, though).

I'm pleasantly surprised since online benchmarks reported much lower framerates (even with the desktop version of Ivy Bridge i7), and that's about the only game I care about.

 

Has anyone of you that have the T430s with I7 and Thunderbolt successfully connected their Mini-DP to an HDMI monitor or TV ?
For me the TV detect that there is something on that port but the T430s is not sending any signal and does not seen the external monitor.

On the other hand the same setup on T530 with I5 with no Thunderbolt works fine (Same mDP-to-HDMI connector and cable).
I am wondering if I am missing a software switch somewhere or it is just a bug.

Thanks.

 

I bought 8GB (2x4GB) of Kingston RAM and it works perfectly. There are no restrictions to other RAM modules except the specifications: 204 pin DDR3 SO-DIMM 1600 Mhz (PC3 12800).

 

Thanks for reply!

1. I understand 204 pin, DDR3, and 1600Mhz, but what is PC3 12800? Is this mentioned in the packaging of Ram???
2. and if I use that 4GB comes with T430s, plus one 8GB Kingston, would it be a problem???

 

- DDR3 and PC3-12800 are basically the same thing; DDR3 is the standard name, while PC3-12800 is the module name, but they refer to the same thing.

- Yes, it hurts performance to have modules of different capacity because the controller can't operate in dual channel mode in this case. The HD 4000 is especially sensible to this, as some benchmarks have reported a 25% difference in performance.

 

PC3 12800 means that peak transfer rate is 12800 MB/s.

DDR3 SDRAM - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia​

4+8 should work but I am not sure what happens to dual-channel operation in that case. It depends on the modules and motherboard.

Multi-channel memory architecture - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia​

 

Just in case anyone is interested, the mobo swap went well, was all done in about 1.5 hours, everything works like a charm.

 

It went well but that was unethical to play dumb!

 

Maybe, but if their warranty covers dropping the whole laptop on the ground, I would feel cheated if it didn't cover a modification that's pretty much encouraged.

 

i have a question about the T430s - i7 w/ thunderbolt connecting to TV
see this link - T430s mini-DP to HDMI - Lenovo Community

is anyone here have problem connecting to their HDTV using mini-DP -> miniDP/ HDMI adapter -> HMDI ??

people claim that i5 T430s w/ no Thunderbolt works fine w/ samsung TV but not in Sony ....

 

so should I get the 1.35v or 1.5v ram??

I don't have much knowledge about this...

 

OHH.... looks like I am answering myself.

I called up Lenovo they said only i7 will have the thunderbolt, but user has to set up in the BIOS when they want to switch it between mDP and thunderbolt... anyone experienced this??

I never own a mac, is this the same as the macbook? they have to set it in BIOS too when user want to switch the usage of port???

 

It's a bit of a gray area, but since the TPP does cover power surges, I also think that your issue should be covered by the warranty.

The website mentions that damages to third-party hardware is not covered, but not that damages by third-party hardware aren't. Besides, you have no way to be sure that the issue didn't came from the motherboard initially.

 

Well, page 37 of the T430s user's guide states that "If you connect a Mini DisplayPort compatible device to the Thunderbolt connector, it generates Mini DisplayPort signals automatically" :

http://www.lenovo.com/shop/americas/content/user_guides/t430s_ug_en.pdf

 

ok. it tells user is no need to set the BIOS before using the thunderbolt.

But would using adapter cause problem when connecting to TV?
like T430s -> mDP -> adapter -> HDMI cable -> TV

 

I know somehow now it's the good timing to buy the 16GB ram (8+8)...

But when do I really need that many ram? what will be improve if i have 16GB ram?
or
when will that many ram become useful? or is it most of the time only using 4-8 Gb ram?

Sorry for such question as I have never use more than 4GB ram...

 

It was me that posted original question on the Lenovo forum and here. And I have already tried to turn off/on Thunderbolt in the BIOS but it did not help at the time.
On my T430s with I7 and TB I do not have any problem connecting to a DP monitor but it does not want to talk to a HDMI or DVI TV or Monitor.
On the other hand my T530 with I5 and no TB has no problem connecting using the same connectors and cable.

 

If you need to ask the question of when you will need that much ram, you probably don't need it

16GB is useful if you intend to run several virtual machines at the same time. Under normal use 8GB is more than sufficient.
While 16GB is relative inexpensive these days, the downside is increased power consumption and therefore shorter battery life.

 

what if I want to run multiple softwares/ applications at the same time...
like while i am playing game in one monitor, I like to web browsing in another monitor... and maybe watching movies + web ... etc...

will 16gb ram better than 8gb ram?

 

so did you figure it out?
Lamtd in this forum provide me an instruction from Lenovo they claim that the dp/ tb will switch autoly. Does this work in your situation?

Also I am curious since there is only 1 DP port, how to do use TB when you are connected to a external monitor? Unplugged and plug in again?

 

Again: if you have to ask, no.

In theory, more RAM is better. But realistically, I doubt you will see much improvement from going from 8 to 16 GB of RAM.

Personally I'd put the money towards a good SSD. From that you *will* see an improvement.

 

No, I have not found a way to make my T430s with TB to work with an HDMI connection. If works fine with a DP monitor.
I have tried all the possible combination of connectors and setting, it just does not want to send video signal through HDMI.

I think that TB protocol multiplex pcie and displayport so 1 connector can do both and autodetect. There is a wikipedia page on it.

Hopefully it is just a software issue.

 

T430s is now offering nvidia for i7 should i get it as its $330 upgrade? is it worth it?

 

No it's not worth it. It's because the nvs 5200m is only little better than the intel hd4000, you may better off using the $330 for a ssd.

Unless u reli need the i7, and intend to do cad drawing , $330 is too expensive for this upgrade

 

After much searching I have decided to upgrade to 8GB of ram with the Samsung 1.35v from Amazon (Samsung MV-3T4G3D/US, kit - 2x4GB).

Can anyone confirm that this ram is compatible with the Lenovo Thinkpad T430s. Is the "smaller size" of the sticks an issue?

Thank you.

 

Hello,

I still have a few questions before ordering a t430s (After reading all your comments, I think the screen quality will not be a problem for me).


T430s configuration,
Ref : 2353CTO

• Intel Core i7-3520M (4M Cache, 2.90 GHz)
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• LED 14.0" HD+ (1600 x 900)
• Intel HD Graphics 4000
• 8 GB DDR3 - 1600MHz (2 DIMM)
• Finger print reader
• 320 GB, 7200 tpm
• DVD reader
• 6 cells Li-Ion - 81+
• 3 cells Ultrabay - 43
• Bluetooth 4.0
• Intel Centrino Ultimate-N 6300 (3x3 AGN)
• ThinkPad 14" sleeve

Prices:

• The configuration global price is 1330€ (1670$) so quite expensive compare to the US prices ( I included the french state taxe of 19.6%) .
• Upgrade from I5 to I7 --> 178€ (224$).
• Upgrade from 4 to 8GB of Ram -> 43€ (54$).
• Upgrade from advanced Wireless card to ultimate --> 24€ (30$)
• I can get the 16GB corsair vengeance SODIMM 1600Mhz kit for 128€ (161$).
• And the samsung ssd 830 256GB for 223€( 280$).

About battery consumption:

• Is there a huge difference between having 8 or 16 GB of RAM (in terms of battery consumption)?
• Will I save a lot of power by keeping a I5 instead of this I7 ?
• does the Ultimate wireless card consumme a lot more than the advanced one ?
• Is there any difference between using 5GB of ram of a 2*4GB kit and 5GB of ram of a 8*2 kit in term of battery comsuption?

I apologized for my english and I will be really thankfull for your answers

Thank you very much.


ps : I could also get an ASUS Zenbook Prime UX31A-R4003V for 1370€ ( 4GB of RAM,IPS screen and 1920*1080 but not upgradable and I am not sure about the overall quality and product life duration...At the moment the x1 carbon is not available in france and it looks like it will be really expensive (over 2k€))

 

Has the possibility of fitting a X1C LCD on this rig been eliminated? I read something about it, but I can't seem to find the thread.