T440s Owner´s Thread

Some regions (such as the UK and all/most of Europe) have the nVidia GT 730M option at the expense of the docking port.

 

Interesting. Thanks for the clarification.

 

The Intel HD 4400 can only support screens up to 2560x1600. I have the ultra docking station and manage to connect 3 external display using DP (2 on dock and 1 on laptop. It ran smooth and I could play three 1080 videos simultaneously with no problem. My three monitor supported a max rest of 1920x1080 though. I don't have or need 2560x1600 monitors. You can also skip the dock and get a DisplayPort mst hub that transform 1 DisplayPort into 3.

 

What realistic day-to-day battery figures is everyone seeing? Specifically interested in how the 6-cell improves things. I'd read reports of up to 10+ hours but these benchmarks never seem to pan out in real world usage.

 

Laptopmag got 14+ hours at 40% screen brightness I think.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

 

Yeah, honestly I don't get it either. We all thought that the release of the T440s was delayed so that it could launch with 8.1. Oh well, the upgrade is quite painless overall, except for the fact that the changes to DPI scaling result in blurry Chrome depending on what scaling you choose.

 

It doubles any battery life achieved with the 3-cell. 47Wh total vs. 95Wh total.

 

Does Power Manager let you see the status of both batteries, since it is not native in Win 8?

 

Not sure if this is due to installing Lenovo drivers, but on my clean install of Windows 8 I can definitely see both batteries. I'm pretty sure it worked out of the box too.

 

Is all the functionality working, eg. setting charging thresholds?

 

The blurriness you speak of is on the the laptop LCD or external panel?

 

It happens when you select independent display scaling. It does a bit of a 'hack' by scaling the contents of windows and you see it on the inbuilt LCD and any external panel. If un-choose that option, it behaves in the same way as 8.0.

 

I would not set charing thresholds on any of the newer ThinkPads. They can damage more than they help.

 

I seemed to be getting 5-6 hours with normal use on the 3-cell.

I purchased the 6-cell for work in the field and just received it last week. I had a couple days this week where I was using the computer lightly, but it basically sat open all day long away from the outlet. The first day I used it 9 hours and it still had 60% left.
This is the first full-featured laptop I've ever had that honestly has real all-day battery life.

The 45W power supply is nice and light but it does seem to struggle a bit re-charging the larger battery. I purposefully used up 80% of the total capacity yesterday (as it's pretty convenient if you never need to get the power brick out). I didn't plug it in until I started working this morning. It has pretty much taken all day to re-charge fully.

 

To be honest I don't know. Somehow the internal battery stops charging at 80% in both Windows and Linux, but if you leave it plugged in after the external charges it will fill up the internal too. I haven't tried to change this behavior.

 

Couple questions 1. How noisy is the T440s under heavy load? 2. How hot does it get under heavy load? Thanks

 

I would say moderate noise at most.

I have not found any hot spots even under my heaviest usage. Nothing more than warm even.

 

I recently did a 2+ hr wireless Netflix streaming session using the 6 cell battery, full screen brightness. When it was done, it estimated another ~5.5 hrs available.

 

ThinkPad T440s w/ touchscreen
Processor- i5-4300u
Display- 14in FHD Multitouch
Graphics- Intel HD graphics 4400
Memory- 4gb DDR3L
Hard Drive- 500gb 7200rpm
(Did not add micro hard drive)
Battery- 6 cell Additional
Wireless- ThinkPad Wireless 2x2 BGN

I plan on upgrading the memory (additional 4gb) and the hard drive to SSD (128gb) if I get the computer
What would all recommend for the RAM and the SSD?
Thanks for the help

 

Crucial RAM has proven to work and is reasonably priced.

I would suggest a larger SSD if you can at all afford it.

Doesn't it automatically configure 1 16GB micro-hard drive automatically if you choose a platter main drive? Especially if you are getting a small SSD you should get the micro-drive if it will cost you little to nothing. You can reconfigure it to use as a deep sleep partition or as the location for the swap file, saving you a lot of room on your main hard drive. If you go to 12GB of RAM, you will have 12GB eaten up by both your swap file and hibernation if you enable it. That's a huge portion of a 128GB drive.

 

I'm planning on buying almost identical config in Jan, although without touchscreen

I already have Crucial m500 240GB set ready, that I picked up in Black Friday sale on amazon for £95.99. You might want to check out Samsung 840 Evo 250GB. You will regret getting only 120-128GB.

As for RAM, again, look for Crucial, but any big brand like Corsair, Kingston, Samsung etc will do. just make sure you get the frequencies and timings right.

not sure about your needs, but I also plan to swap wifi for Intel, should it not come with one already.

 

you can take out the micro drive by selecting an ssd and then reselect the 500 gb hdd. I think the micro drive is an additional $50. is it worth getting?

 

$50 for 16gb? Definitely not. The difference between a 250gb and 500gb SSD is only $100-120 anyways. Besides, having two separate SSDs is pretty suboptimal.

The only case in which it would even remotely be worth it is if deselecting the M.2 also removed the slot as well (Lenovo has been known to do this with Ideapads). But even then, a bigger SSD is still superior to two smaller ones.

 

Yeah, if you can save money by not getting it, put that money into a bigger SSD. My suggestions only apply if the machine comes equipped with one and it will sit idle otherwise.

 

I'm coming from a ThinkPad T60. It had been a great machine, upgrading through Windows 8.1, with 15" LCD @ 1600x900 back in 2007. I had been really eager to get a replacement and I'm partial to Lenovo after such a good experience with the T60.

Well, I had looked at the Yoga 2 Pro and thought, color issues aside, for an IdeaPad, it was made really well, gorgeous screen and all, but going from a 15" to a 13.3" LCD was a bit concerning. And since I use remote desktop heavily, that 3200x1800 screen turns out to be more of a problem than a benefit because the remote session shows up unread-ably small in RDP Client. So then I looked at the ThinkPad Yoga with the 1080p display and really liked it, but with it's 12.5" display, remote desktop sessions and fonts still looked too small even at native resolution, so I decided that the TP Yoga was out also.

This brought me to the T440s. Looked like a good compromise, not a convertible, but bigger than the 13.3" ultrabooks, replaceable battery, FHD display with touch, etc. So, I pulled the trigger. My first impressions:

1. Wow, still a lot smaller than I expected even as a 14" ultrabook. Compared to my MacBook Air, it is barely wider, barely thicker, and actually less deep from front to back than the MBA. The screen is not as tall on the T440s but wider than the air, but it doesn't come across as being bigger when looking head on side by side with my MBA.
2. The LCD coating or layer on the touch screen model doesn't look all that attractive. As someone else pointed out, it reminds me a bit of a cheap, anti-glare screen protector.
3. It has some pretty substantial light bleed noticeable on black background (many have mentioned this)
4. Colors aren't as good as they should be (FHD touch screen version)
5. The trackpad seems just strange to me. The amount of travel for a click is huge and it makes a loud sound too. I don't mind that Lenovo moved the trackpoint buttons to the trackpad, but certainly they are less easy to press with the trackpads travel distance on click. It looks good until you click it and it just seems kind of clunky.

So my main concern is the LCD size. RDP sessons at 1080p are still a bit small for my eyes on this 14" LCD. I'm thinking now that a 15.6" LCD would be better, like on the T540p, but they don't have a touch screen version of that yet.

So, I just got it Tuesday and I have to decide whether to keep it or not. I'm planning to use it heavily this weekend and I'm hoping it grows on me because I want to love it, but so far, I'm a bit underwhelmed.

I'd be happy to hear anyone else's thoughts on these issues, maybe from someone who really loves their T440s to give me a pep talk!

 

Hello guys, I have ordered a T440s (with the FHD non-touch panel) nearly two months ago and I am still waiting to receive it. It seems a nice laptop with low noise and heat emissions which is very important for me. However, I read here and in other forums about construction defects. The one that concerns me the most is the screen bright spot. It will be shame for Lenovo if they have not improved the lids they are using. Has anyone of you encountered screen bright spots on the FHD non-touch screen of the T440s?

Why? Does the hardware take care of charging thresholds itself?

 

What power settings did you use? Do you enable Intel CPPC power savings?

 

Lenovo has dropped prices even further. Customer service told me to take a screenshot of the configuration in the cart and call them to get the price matched when the order invoices (presumably when the order is shipped).

 

THey sure did. I could save $50 but my laptop has not shipped/invoice has not been created yet. Spoke to someone who sent me an email telling her to send her the screenshot when the laptop ships.

Funny. I just got my refund on Thursday for my T440s that I returned on Monday. 3 day turn around for a return. That is not bad. Good job Lenovo.

 

So should I call them now or do the same thing and call them when my order gets shipped?

 

The second one.

 

You need to take a screen shot now though and save it.

 

Do you, guys, know why when I use two fingers to scroll down, sometimes it goes to the top of the page? It annoys me sometimes

 

Anyone know of a good sleeve for the 440s (without the 6cell battery) that fits it well?

 

I think I've pretty much decided on the T440s and was curious if anyone has determined what model the 256GB SSD ATA3 drive is? I noticed the difference in upgrading to it is only about $205 + tax. Is it a decent drive they put in there? Would it be better to just grab the Samsung 840 Pro 256GB off Amazon for $220 + tax.and do it myself, or worth it to just have Lenovo warranty it?

Also, can anyone attest to the quality of the 1920x1080 FHD IPS (NON-Touch) screen? Is it grainy at all or have that screen door effect, especially when viewing whites?

Any and all info is truly appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

 

$205 (assuming you're using the 25% discount) for the 256gb SSD is not so bad since it saves you the hassle of replacing the HDD. The SSD Lenovo uses is somewhat inferior, although it's not really an important difference. Note that you can get the Pro for sub $200, and many good SSDs for around $150 or even less. You do lose a backup drive if you go Lenovo's way, but that's only a $10 thing.

The FHD non-touch screen is very good. The only issue I've noticed is a noticeable backlight bleeding on completely black screens.

 

I've got this one which is a good fit (maybe 5mm excess height):

13.3" Laptop and MacBook Sleeve - LAPS-113-BLACK | Caselogic

 

I think people have reported that as an issue that goes away if you apply the UltraNav driver update.

 

Thank you Alrtep. I'm going through the Barnes and Noble doscount site with the current deal they are offering. The difference between the two models of 500GB Hybrid plus and the 256GB SSD is roughly $200 give or take a few bucks. I like the convenience of not having to switch out, but I do plan on upgrading memory myself to, so maybe its not such a big deal to get a better / cheaper drive? Do you know the mode of the SSD is? Also, I assume your FHD screen has no screen door affect? Do you know who makes that, Display ID, etc?

Thanks again!

 

If I were you, I'd just get the SSD. It takes a while to swap and reinstall everything, and there are places you could go wrong if you're not experienced in this stuff. The SSD I think is a Samsung 840, which is decent but a bit outdated.

I don't know who manufactures the screens, but I've had no screendoor effects on my screen.

 

Good point. Im pretty comfortable swapping out SSDs, memory, etc.. so thats a non-issue. Also, I plan on doing a clean install anyways, as i'll be putting on 8.1 Pro myself. Since Im already going to be opening the machine up, I wonder if its best if I just buy my OWN SSD and save a couple bucks. The intel 530 sounds decent. Id go 840 Pro, but it sounds like there are issues with the SSD when it goes to sleep. Bummer.

 

My T440s is growing on me. I'm really starting to like the FHD touch screen. My colors aren't bad... whites are nice a full brightness compared to other devices... I'm getting used to the new trackpad and with using it with trackpoint. Nice so far!

Some questions though that I'm having difficulty getting answers to, I think because the devices are too new. I have model 20AQ004GUS, i5 4300U, 4GB, 256GB SSD, FHD Touch. Questions:

1. I see the door on the right sight for SIM card, I haven't opened it up yet, but what does this model current include? Do I just need to pop a SIM card in there or do I still need to buy a WWAN Adapter and install internally? I looked online and don't see any device that definitively says it is compatible with T440s. I'm on Verizon and want LTE, so which adapter would I need if I need to buy one?

2. Does this thing have a smart card reader? I see the very thin slot on the left side and there is a symbol silk-screened next to it but I'm not sure if that's just a plug or if that's a door of some kind.

 

Another issue that has been reported by others. The machine is very quiet... but there is a perpetual low level hiss coming from the speakers that can be heard in a quiet room. Sometimes that is the only noise you can hear from an otherwise quiet machine. Turning down the volume to the lowest level or muting the sounds makes it go away.

Anyone have a solution to this? Looks like I have the latest RealTek drivers.

 

Do you have a link that shows the issues the Samsung 840 is having? I'm trying to decide which SSD to purchase for my wife's T440s (which she just ordered an hour ago). It's between these SSDs:

Amazon.com: Intel 530 Series 240GB 2.5-Inch Internal Solid State Drive (Reseller Kit) SSDSC2BW240A4K5: Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: Samsung Electronics 840 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5-Inch SATA III Single Unit Version Internal Solid State Drive MZ-7TE250BW: Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: Samsung Electronics 840 Pro Series 2.5-Inch 256 GB SATA 6GB/s Solid State Drive MZ-7PD256BW: Computers & Accessories

I'm also thinking that based upon the experience in this thread to purchase this RAM:

Amazon.com: Crucial Single 8GB DDR3 1600 MT/s (PC3-12800) Notebook Module, CT102464BF160B: Computers & Accessories


Any thoughts of opinions? Thanks all!

 

I would be happier ordering memory that either had "1.35V" or "DDR3L" in the description.

 

CT102464BF160B is 1.35V.

CT102464BF160B - 8GB, 204-pin SODIMM , DDR3 PC3-12800 from Crucial.com

 

The cost difference between the hdd and ssd models is more than what's listed. You can get rid of the 16gb cache from the hdd configuration, so the difference goes up $50 and is actually $253. And you'll pay tax on that increased price, so it's actually $270. On top of that you'll lose $35-50 the 500gb can be sold for on ebay, so it further goes up to $300+. That's a ridiculous amount to spend just to not have to upgrade it yourself.

 

Vinuneuro,

Thanks for the heads up on that... after reconfiguring the machine I noticed that as well! I'm going to grab a EVO 500GB off of eBay for $325 with shipping free... unless anyone has any other cheaper alternatives. (apparently I missed a $280 deal throuh Adoroma a few weeks ago) As long as its new, I assume Samsung should honor the 3 year warranty.

Thanks again everyone for your help!

 

That is where the smart card reader would go, but despite being listed as "standard" on the website, FHD touch models cannot be equipped with a smart card reader. I learned this the hard way when I received my machine, and after a couple discussions and escalations with the sales team, it was determined that only non-touch models w/o the m2 cache drive can have smart card readers.

 

It is more than likely just some configuration quirk of the site. You should be able to add the smartcard reader yourself if you want it along with touch. The smartcard reader kit is $84 from lenovo/ibm. FRU 04X5475. Looking at the training video it'd take just a couple min to install once the cover is off.

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