T440s Owner´s Thread

I used the 8gb module from crucial and that exact same ssd. You should be good to go with those.

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Hi tirukaly. Make sure you add additional ram (4 or 8gb) if you plan on gaming. The extra stick puts the HD 4400 in dual channel mode and I'd estimate from my experience a 20-40% performance improvement at 1600x900 resolution. I get 30fps in guild wars 2 and diablo 3, and 40 or so in ck2 and eu4.

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Nice, good to hear. Thanks for the info.
Hm, with everyone getting 8GB sticks, it's making me want to invest a little more on that extra 4GB...might jump to an 8GB haha

When replacing the SSD, do I have to take that silver wrapping off the original HDD and use it to cover the new SSD? Does it block heat or can I just forget about it?

 

An update: received my replacement 8GB memory module from Crucial yesterday and installed. No more BSODs, and no memory errors. A nice cool 12GB of total RAM now

No, that's not necessary. I took off the snap-on plastic spacer from the hard drive and snapped it on my Crucial M500 drive, then slid it in and replaced the single screw holding the drive down.

 

My T440s arrived today. I got a Touch HDD / 4GB RAM model, and plan on upgrading the RAM and to a SSD in a couple weeks (after I make sure there are no issues with it where I would need the warranty/make sure I want to keep it).

Initial thoughts:

It is dense. It feels heavier than it really is. That's the best way I can describe it. My wife has an older Thinkpad (T430 IIRC) and I did a side by side comparison. Even though hers is heavier, it feels like mine is (when holding horizontal). This isn't something you are going to accidentally throw over your shoulder. I'm surprised how big of a difference in feel compared to an X1 Carbon I picked up once (though I'm not sure that had the battery on it). I don't have a problem with the weight, just surprised me.

On the flip side, it feels really well built. I can see why people say the bottom is difficult to take off.

I like the screen. Except the glossiness. I knew that it was semi-gloss, but I'm disappointed in how much reflection there is. The true test will be tomorrow at the office.

It's gonna take some time to get used to the keyboard (I'm coming from a 4 year old Dell Studio 1555)

Windows 8 is going to take more time to get used to than I thought. But part of this might be the bloatware Lenovo put on it. I have a Surface 2, and while that is a slightly different operating system, the desktop just feels really different, as does the Metro interface to some degree. I might need to try and figure out how to do a clean install of just Windows without the bloatware crap, or figure out what all the bloatware is that is causing it to feel disjointed and ditch it.

It feels slow. I'm sure this is at least partially due to the HDD though. My Dell has a SSD in it (which will go in the T440s in a couple weeks).

 

Thank you, optomechanical.
To everyone: I can't find any review on T440s+GT730m model. Mayhaps it would be better to buy this configuration in my case? Does discrete videocard affects battery life greately? Can I switch it off in BIOS? I also heard that there may be some problems with linux drivers. Is that true?
Thanks a lot!

 

I see, guess I'll just keep the wrapping on it and use it as an external HDD.
Currently debating whether to go the extra step and get the 8GB of RAM...do you think the extra $30 is worth bringing the T440s to maximum potential RAM? I do light image editing and video muxing sometimes, also run a lot of tabs on my browser while doing other things haha

My friend has an X1 Carbon and I was really surprised at how light it was. I don't expect my T440s to be as light (same configuration/upgrades in mind as you), but I'm pretty sure I'll be fine considering its going to be <4lb.

The touch-screen models all come with AUO screens right? Also, do you plan to change the color profile?

I'm curious about the bloatware as well...is there any list/details of all the bloatware that Lenovo preinstalls the laptops with? Or better yet, a list of useless bloatware that should be uninstalled? I already plan to uninstall all of the trial version software that comes with it, but dunno much about the Lenovo software...

There's some mention on the GT730M in this review. It's a shame it's not offered in the US =/

 

Trust me, I know how it feels. I don't really need a discrete videocard, but here in Russia there is no way to buy T440s with FHD screen AND without GT730m.

 

I'll probably change the color profile. But at this point I'm at "get what I need on it and make sure I want to keep it" stage, so I'll probably mess with that after the SSD is in. Not sure which screen I have (haven't tried looking for the info yet).

I do like how dim the screen can get. Unlike most people who want to get the screen really bright, I always feel like I'm shining a flashlight in my face, so I keep it pretty dim. On my Dell I have it at the lowest setting, and still think it is too bright. Haven't noticed that problem yet with the T440s.

As for the bloatware, I'm not sure if there is a list. I did find this website Lenovo Thinkpad T440s Ultrabook Review - HotHardware that kinda mentions what software is on it.

One question for everyone. It comes with Norton. Does this software still slow the computer down like crazy? I haven't used it in a few years.

 

You might want to call or chat a sales representative, they may be able to make a custom order for you. I dunno if it's the same in Russia, but on the US Lenovo page, there is no way to take off the fingerprint reader. I chatted with a sales representative to see whether it's possible to take it off, and they said that they could make a custom order for me without the fingerprint reader and subtract $20 from the total (decided against it in the end).

I see, looking forward to your opinions on the T440s as you use it~

 

It uses the nVidia Optimus tech which means that the laptop normally runs on Intel graphics and only enables the nVidia chip if specific programs like games are used. You can configure all that in the control panel and there is an icon in the tray that tells you if the chip is active or not. In other words, you miss nothing by going with the dGPU model but you gain the extra power if you need it. When the chip is disabled, battery life is exactly the same as in models without dGPU.

Haven't tried Linux on mine yet but as far as I know you can just stick to the Intel graphics and never install any nVidia drivers. Looking at T440p forums might be helpful because the model with GT730M chip is much more common than in T440s.

 

Just got my T440s and when I unplug the laptop and go to battery the screen goes black and then comes back and I get a bad flicker on the desktop. Anyone seen this? Why does plugging the laptop in cause the screen to reset?

 

Will the T440s with i7 and 8 gb RAM be able to handle light gaming such as DOTA 2 on decent settings?

 

When two finger scrolling and lifting your finger of the touchpad, it will remain stuck on scrolling so when you switch to moving the cursor, it will continue scrolling instead of moving the cursor. It was annoying enough that I stopped using two finger scrolling and stuck to the trackpoint.

 

Hi drock_in_nc. I'm pretty sure this is caused by a setting called "Display Refresh Rate Switching". You can turn it off in the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel... right click on the desktop, click Graphics Properties, click Power, then go to the On Battery tab. Set Display Refresh Rate Switching to Off. For me, that setting stopped the screen from going black and coming back when plugging the power in or out.

 

I just realized this, but if hibernate/30-day standby copies the amount of RAM you have to the drive, doesn't this wear out the hard drive every time you close the lid? Or is it an insignificant amount and I shouldn't be worried about it?

Considering the fact that sleep drains battery at 1~2% per hour, I might just disable hibernate and go with sleep.

 

I have had my machine for a little over a week now and I am really impressed. I am coming from a 4 year old Acer so I fully expected to be this impressed. After fixing the initial issues with a keyboard that didn't work at all I have 2 other issues.

The 'b' key is very loud and clacky, I'm wondering if this is the the rubber pad that covers the connection underneath it, popping somehow everytime the key is pressed.

The wifi is very slow. I am only getting 2.4mb/s when transfering large files on internal network. This is using linux, I have tried the disabling N and that did seem to help some on g networks, but hurt on others. Its either very slow or terribly slow, I have seen transfer rates as low as 3kb/s when downloading packages. Also tried disabling power save on the wifi card and that had no effect. Any ideas on the wireless slowness would be very appreciated.

 

I'm guessing you went with the default wifi adapter instead of the Intel 7260AC? The default wifi adapter has poor compatibility with linux and is pretty bad with windows as well.

I believe you can get the intel 7260AC adapter from ebay and install it yourself, but be sure to get the exact part number which will work with the T440s.

 

Ah hah, I left out a critical piece of info. I do have the 7260AC adapter, for $30 it seemed like the right decision. All the changes I mentioned were made through module settings (n disable) or the 'iw' command (power save). The 2 networks I've tried don't have the best routers in the world, one is a 2 year old N based Netgear and the other is a juniper G based firewall/router combo from 2010. I believe there is a lot of interference on the N based Netgear one, and plan to try a different channel. Even still, my old laptop didn't have these horrendous speed issues on either network.

 

In that case I'm not sure what the problem could be. I have the same adapter and I'm running Manjaro linux. Haven't noticed any issues in the last ~2 months. At home I'm connected to a 5ghz network, but I've used it in a lot of other places without problems.

Which distro/kernel are you on? Could it be an older kernel that's causing the problems for you? Anything showing up in logs?

 

A quick update on my thoughts after a few days. Overall it is still pluses and negatives, but again I'm not sure how much of this is the laptop and how much is Windows 8.

- I'm using the touch screen way more than I expected in desktop mode. I'm surprised by how much. About the only issue with this is that I'm occasionally zooming in or out somehow with just one finger. I have no idea why, but basically sometimes when I go to use my finger to scroll (like on a pdf) I'll end up changing magnification. No idea if there is a way to fix this or not.

- Somehow, the semi-gloss screen seemed to be much better at work dealing with reflections than I figured it would. It basically seems like since the screen must be dimmed somewhat by the coating, I've got the brightness turned up higher to compensate, and this is knocking down the distraction from the glare. Or maybe it just wasn't as sunny as it seemed that day. Or the massive amount of fingerprints on the screen is making it more matte.

- I'm adjusting to the weight pretty quickly. And I really notice how much thinner it is than my current/old laptop when I slide it in my bag. Nice.

- I think I'm finally starting to understand why people b*$&h about the lack of a start menu. When I think of my day to day usage I rarely use the start menu in Windows 7. Almost every program I use is either started automatically when I open a file, or I have a shortcut key to open it. However, when I'm trying to do things I rarely do, that's when I really want the start menu. I know that in theory I can search for it, but in some situations, such as all the typical setup stuff when dealing with a new computer, searching becomes difficult because I might not know the correct terminology to search under. Luckily, you can find the start menu (sorta) via the file manager.

- I've had some odd situations where the OS seems to get bogged down/stuck for a few seconds. Or something weird happens (like click on the windows icon to go to the metro screen, and I get a solid background color with no apps. Weird). Not sure what is causing this, if it is an OS issue, or just the hardware (HDD, 4GB RAM).

- My biggest problem so far is for some reason I cannot get internet access via our work public wifi. Wifi works in other locations with no problem, just not at work. Still trying to figure that one out. I've managed to get access at work with a Win7 PC, Windows Phone 8, and Surface 2, but not this thing. I appear to be able to connect to the router, just have no internet connection.

- This isn't really related to the laptop, but I also have Office 2013 that my wife got through a work program. I hate that it installs all the office programs, instead of just the ones I want. And I can't figure out a way to change it.

-The trackpad is taking some getting used to. Particularly right clicking. Luckily this isn't something I do alot (other when troubleshooting and trying to set up a new computer. Sigh...)

 

Sounds like you prefer to tap for left click. In that case, try tapping with two fingers for right click. You might have to enable it first in mouse properties. I got used to it very quickly and now get irritated when I use another laptop and it doesn't work.

 

That's how I have it set up right now. I think it is just a matter of getting used to it.

I also think I figured out why/how I'm randomly zooming in webpages and pdfs. I think my finger is just barely tapping twice as I bring it to the screen. Hence 2 taps to magnify. Any idea if there is a way to turn this gesture off?

 

Has anyone taken off the EnergyStar and Intel stickers off of their T440s? I plan to take them off, but will decide against it if there is a discoloration where the sticker used to be.

 

I've taken them both off, always immediately do so on my laptops. There's no discoloration, and the small amount of sticky residue can be removed with a bit of rubbing alcohol. In fact, if you leave the stickers on for years, that could cause some discoloration.

 

Ah I see. Guess I'll take them off after I test the T440s for a day or two after it comes in. Thanks for the info.

 

Users in the x1 carbon thread ( http://forum.notebookreview.com/thi...-x1-carbon-gen-2-haswell-108.html#post9615916) report that removing the (anti glare) screen protector on the touch models results in a crisper display.

Anyone who has tried this on the T440s? I'm tempted to peel off a corner and see if it makes a difference...

 

After reading that thread, I'm curious about this too.

1. Are the same effects seen when peeling off the film on the T440s?
2. Does peeling off the matte film significantly increase screen glare (indoors and outdoors)?

My current laptop has a glossy screen and I really dislike the screen glare it gives me sometimes (one of the reasons why the T440s appealed to me). If the T440s can retain it's anti-glare ~75% and increase it's crispness in display, I may opt to peel the film off.

 

Another reason I'm tempted is that the screen is a real dust magnet.. has to be cleaned 1-2 times a day. Removing the protector helps with that too. Scared of doing any irreversible damage to the screen though.. or leaving sticky patches on it.

 

I had a similiar problem (it was not a public, but a private (WPA2) network) some weeks ago and it was the Intel Wireless Driver fault.
What I've done: I've uninstalled the Intel Wireless Manager (I can't remeber the exact name of it) and I've rebooted the machine and everythings worked again.
Maybe you could try out this work-around.

 

Thanks for the reply, was away from the site for a day.

I am on Arch linux using the latest kernel, Arch usually has teh latest stuff. I believe it is 3.14 now. I have looked in the journalctl log and all I am seeing is the connection auth and ip assignment, etc. Normal stuff. I'll update when I get to the bottom of it.

 

Thanks. I'll try that on Monday.

 

Hey guys,

I just received my t440s last week and have noticed a peculiar issue. I use a microsoft wireless usb mouse and sometimes it would stop working out of nowhere. I checked the mouse's battery and tried re-plugging in the usb receiver however it wouldn't work unless I restarted the laptop. This happened twice in a week, the second time this happened, I tried plugging in an usb flash drive and also external hard drive into the three usb ports and the drives did not boot and were not read. This is all in high performance with the laptop plugged in. My conclusion is that at certain times, my three usb ports somehow shut down or don't work.

I checked device manager and found that all the usb drivers were already updated.

Does anyone have a solution for this? Do the usb ports go to sleep to conserve power or something these days? Or do I just have a faulty unit.. I want to fix this issue before I install 4 gbs of ram and a samsung evo ssd.

 

i know chrome is a memory hog but i have 8gb installed and i've been getting system warnings of running on low memory when i have chrome opened and playing cs:go. this is ridiculous. might have to get an 8gb module now.

 

The Intel graphics drivers have an issue where they consume all of the virtual memory on the system... Resulting in that error message where windows wants to shut down programs. Intel acknowledges it here

https://communities.intel.com/thread/49139

Apparently they're working on a fix.

I also noticed it would balloon my page file to 30gb so I set it to a fixed size.

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So my T440s is having a strange set of issues. If I leave it idle (running, not sleeping) for hours at a time (overnight) the tile screen gets very sluggish and freezes. I will click, say, on the news tile, and nothing happens. it just freezes. CTL-ALT-DEL doesn't even work. The mouse cursor is jittery and laggy. Eventually, after ~1 minute, it will un-freeze and re-draw the tiles, similar to Windows taskbar rebooting. The only real solution is a reboot.

Also, my wifi seems to flake out if the machine has been on for over 24 hrs (yellow exclamation point over wifi when my access point works fine with every other device in the house).

Windows 8.1 or the hardware? Which is to blame here?

 

I have exactly the same problem (but only if my laptop is connected to a external monitor). Strange...

 

I am experiencing a problem where the fingerprint scanner doesn't work if I put the laptop to sleep using Fn+4. If I put it to sleep by closing the display or by using the power button, it will work. Does anyone have this problem?

 

Definitely software. I have the same problem sometimes.

 

Isn't Fn+F4 the hotkey to mute the microphone? In any case, in Device Manager, disable "Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power" and see if that fixes your problem.

 

That is why I said Fn+4. not F4. I tried that a while ago and I still have the problem.

 

I wonder, how bad is FHD Touch-screen in comparison with a regular FHD AUO? Some people say it's a bit dimmer. What about angles?

 

Pretty sure that the Touch-screen versions all come with AUO and IPS, so doubt there will be much difference between the screens.

 

Just finished successful installation of 4gb of ram and a Samsung evo 840 into my t440s,

Does any know whether we need to turn off schedule optimization, which is accessed via administrative tools->defragment and optimize your drives in control panel for windows 8.1?

I searched the internet and have been reading conflicting reports. According to microsoft it only sends trim commands to the ssd and is okay? Defragging SSDs a default?

But according to this guy it does defrag the ssd cause of a bug and should be turned off? Why Windows 8 and 8.1 defragment your SSD and how you can avoid this – Вадим Стеркин

Thoughts? What did you guys do?

 

2 quick questions:

1. I understand that the functions keys are defaulted to media keys and I can use them as normal function keys by holding Fn or enabling Fn Lock (Fn+Esc), but is there a way to reverse that? I'll likely be using the normal function keys most of the time, and it may get annoying seeing the green light always on. I essentially want the function keys to work as normal function keys, but use them as media keys when I hold Fn or enable Fn Lock.

2. Is there a way to turn the touchpad on/off through a shortcut? I know some laptops have a function key command to quickly turn it on/off but can't seem to find anything on the T440s. I'll likely be using a mouse often and keep the touchpad off, but in the case that I want to take my T440s out of my bag and quickly search something, I'd like to be able to turn on the touchpad through a simple key stroke.

 

Decided to give the T440s a second chance. Hopefully this time it will have less hardware issues than every laptop I have purchased over the duration of my lifetime put together.

Loved the unit, but it had so many hardware defects that is was just silly that they would send a consumer this unit before inspecting it. 1 dead pixel out of the box, another dead pixel when I had it for 3 days, screen was rather poor quality for an IPS display (bought the touch this time since I need that AUO panel!), plastic was bent and deformed out of the box, screw was missing for the bottom of the unit out of the box, clips were broken out of the box, some batteries would not function with the unit so I had to run the unit on AC power (internal battery was fine), and they sent me the incorrect battery and the incorrect HDD.

I feel like there was nothing else they could possible screw up on!

Here's to a second chance!

 

Whether this model "coil whine" problem? For example latest dell laptops has this problem (xps 15 late 2013 (9530), xps 13 late 2013, latitude e7440). I looked to e7440, good rival to t440s, but it also has that problem ( Latitude E7440 - Loud Processing Noises - Laptop General Hardware Forum - Laptop - Dell Community ).

 

If you had to do it all again, would you go t440s/p, or another brand? My last Lenovo wad an x61s. I'm now in need of a buisness laptop with power, marathon battery life, and reliability.

I'm an international traveler, with 20hr plane rides, and I also use buisness programs like cummins insite scanning software for work. The Lenovo with hot swap batteries is hard to argue against. But I want to do my Samsung 840 Evo drive into this unit. Wondering if that's fixed.

I'm in between the s or p for graphics. I am unsure if integrated 4400 Intel will cover me. The alternative is a Zbook 14. It trades a slightly less desirable keyboard fior a very nice screen and it and rock solid reliable.

Don't worry, in this thread im looking for bias, by all means sing praises and love for Lenovo to the high heavens in going to ask zbookers too.

 

I think the Samsung drive problem was with the 840 Pro (I could be wrong). There was a recent (last month or so) firmware update that went out that supposedly fixes this, though I haven't dropped the drive into my T440s yet to check. I'm still trying to figure out if I want to keep the T440s, or swap it out for a Carbon X1. I'm leaning towards keeping the T440s.

 

1. No permanent option for this. =( Fn-Lock is the only way.
2. Not sure if there's a hotkey for this. The only way I know of is to disable it through the mouse settings in Control Panel.