Thinkpad Ultrabook T430u

Thunderbolt is only available on one of the i7 integrated GPU model, no other T430s have that.

Swappable ultrabay, but it is not limitless, since practically no one is going to carry around or own a limitless amount of ultrabay battery. But the ThinkPad T430s 4 cells rapid charge battery is pretty good, since even under battery saver mode my T430s is requiring a recharge every 3.5 hrs. While my T430u under same usage can do 6 hours easy.

T430u can also do 16 gigs of RAM.

Higher resolution LCD on the T430s is pretty good, just that the quality of image is pretty bad (like my T420 and T420s with the same HD+ LCD).

The T430s does have one very important feature, which is the ExpressCard slot.

 

I forgot to add t430s' drain channels through the keyboard and chassis. Didn't see drain-holes on the bottom of the 'u' which was surprising. How does it address spills and such?

 

Just don't spill anything on the T430u, there is no drainage channels for liquid.

It is alright that you like the T430s (which i also own), but this thread is talking about T430u and not why T430s is a better machine than the T430u.

 

Ah, I see. You're allowed to do an extensive post comparing and opining on these two models but nobody else is allowed to similarly post or opine. Duly noted.

 

Hey lead_org,

I too will be looking forward to your "how to" -- I just pulled the trigger on a T430u today. While I opted for the default spinning hard disk + mSATA configuration, my idea is that I'd install my own (larger) SSD after I receive it. I'm curious how you moved the OS to your new SSD and whether you need to remove or alter the small mSATA "cache" drive when you install a full SSD as the laptop's primary drive.

Looking forward to your guide...

 

I apologise for not wording my sentence properly, and making my reply overtly harsh towards ThinkPad.techuser. The intention of my reply to him was really about the need to keep our topic of discussion to the T430u, and that goes equally for me too.

Obviously, if there is a need to discuss why T430s is superior, we could move the discussion to the T430s owner thread and move it out of the T430u. This will allow others whom are interested in T430u to quickly read through the important information regarding T430u, and not member's endless arguments about T430s vs T430u.

 

Fair enough. I'd just add that for those monitoring these threads trying to make buying decisions compare/contrast debates are valuable. While I'd agree a lengthy, multi-page debate should move elsewhere, IMHO the commentary here was appropriate and useful.

(sorry for the thread diversion. carry on...)

 

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Currently, the ThinkPad T430u has the thinnest lid assembly of any ThinkPad, it is even thinner than the X1 Carbon.

 

Just Ordered my T430U at $1019 CAD with everything: 128 SSD, i7, gt620M graphics, fingerprint reader, 4gb of ram. was really hard choosing between the HD4000 only model and the discrete. it was a 250 dollar price difference, but you couldnt get the i7 without getting the graphics card, so had to do it. hopeing itll be worth the money.

 

Been googling and other than lead_org's quick review I can't find any post release reviews of the T430u in the online technology press. I know it's not a new, exciting Windows 8 entry, which is sucking up the media oxygen right now, but you'd think a sub-$1,000 business-class ultrabook would be worthy of some notice and attention. Is Lenovo public relations even pitching this model? Weird.

 

great then my detailed review will be the only one on the net... )

 

When do you think you'll have it up?

 

tomorrow should be when i put up my detailed review.

 

Just got mine and I'm pretty unhappy with Windows 8. Hate that Metrosurface.. Apps just do and feel better on my Smartphone. And I feel like it requieres a lot of ram... even if I work just with a few apps and small programms at least 3 of 4 gb ram are in use.
So I was trying to install Windows 7 but have problems booting from a USB stick.

Does somebody have a tuturial or a quick advise how to configure the BIOS to install via USB? I Configured the stick on my WIN7 PC.
(I feel like I tried to disable almost everything there but nothing workd. With a pluged-in USB stick the Notebook does not do anything at all)

 

Glad I ordered mine with Win 7. I'd wanted the SSD drive but it was only available with Win8 and discrete graphics... I wanted Win7 (and integrated graphics for better battery life). As a result, I'll have to install my own SSD and figure out how to install Win7 so I may be in the same situation as you. I'll keep my eye on this thread...

On another track I just got an email this morning pushing back the expected shipping date from 11/30 to 12/26. Strangely, if I go online to Lenovo's website and configure the identical system, it estimates shipping in about a week

Edit 11/22: Lenovo just emailed me that my T430u shipped yesterday. Go figure!?

 

for the ones who have this laptop how is the fan noise? is it loud at idle?

 

I am getting mixed information on the keyboard backlit and the thinklight on the t430u. Could someone please tell me whether any or either of them are present. It will be a shame if none of them present as a standard.

 

The T430u comes standard with a ThinkLight, but Backlight is not even optional there.

 

Fan hardly comes on with the integrated graphics when you surf the internet, even when the CPU is fully stressed with the Prime95 the fan is very quite. There is no keyboard backlit, only thinklight.

 

Looking forward to it, :thumbsup:.

After the whole X1 carbon shipping debacle, I cancelled my order. I am glad I did.

I gladly sacrifice lighter weight and screen resolution for upgradeability and price.

I have been scouring over the internet for BlackFriday notebook deals, T430u is still the most attractice option for my need.

Once it is confirmed that we can upgrade the ram and storage easily, I am ready to pull the trigger.
The only questions are which T430u model and if Lenovo can ship it on time.

Has anyone in US received their T430u yet?

 

i actually already got the detailed review up (well part one of it since i still need to run some noise profile tests, but it should answer most of the burning questions you have).

 

Already have mine ordered

There are several things that bothers me though:
1. No mention of the webcam. I think it will come standard, but on the T430 and x230 it still show up even if it's standard.
2. Can't choose any wireless card other than ThinkPad a/b/g/n Wireless & Bluetooth 4.0

 

Thank you guys. I am happy there is some sort of light. My thinkpad r50e (which has started giving weird problems now) has that yellow light. The new white thinklights seem duller, but it is still really useful to have. I always have a tough time typing in the dark on any other laptop other than a thinkpad.

 

Your wireless card is the 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz version, the other wireless card option is 2.4 ghz only. When I ordered mine there was no mention of webcam either. I think it is just a standard item.

 

By "other wireless card option" do you mean the Intel Centrino Wireless-N 2230? Does Lenovo buy from intel and rebrand them their own?

Awesome job on the review by the way. For those who haven't seen it, link

 

The above picture from the Gallery shows that it comes with the webcam.

What is the estimated shipping date on your system?
Thinking of getting the basic model myself.

 

Lenovo have thinkpad bgn, thinkpad bgn + bt 4.0, intel n-2230 + bt 4.0, thinkpad abgn + bt 4.0 option. Apart from the last one others are 2.4 ghz only.

 

I ordered on the 20th of Nov, and it should be shipping the 6th of Dec if I remember correctly. Lenovo's site doesn't want to work right now so I can't check.

 

About the fan: I can confirm as well, that it's pretty quiet. The HDD is what I hear the most.. but still not a problem for me, sitting in a normal enviroment.

Regarding the issues on instaling a new OS: seems to me, that there's a BIOS problem using a USB-Stick while booting. Doing that makes the Laptop freez. I disabled all protection options in the Bios but nothing helped.
And what makes me a little bit curious is the fact that the only USB bootable options in the BIOS are:
>USB-HDD
>USB-CD
>USB-FDD ain't got any of these

nothing about a Stick....

Is there anybody with a hint?
Otherwise I have to call the support tomorrow to get some more information.

 

I ordered the same configuration but I got mine for much less through Lenovo B&N. Total after tax came to $659.08

 

lead_org, thanks for the great review.

I just ordered the Doorbuster deal one.
Discover card offers 10% cash back to sweeten the deal.

Hopefully, Lenovo gets their act together and ship it on time.

Next, looking for SSD to upgrade the storage.
If I understand correctly, I have two options:
1. Replace the existing harddrive with SATA III SSD. The downside, I will have less storage.
2. Upgrade the mSATA SSD. With this option, I can use the existing harddrive as secondary storage.

I am leaning towards the second option so I can use the existing hdd and have more space.

Which option do you recommend?
What do I need to prepare before hand to perform clean install with new mSATA SSD?

 

Dammit, should have been more patient. I should try to cancel the order.

 

@blackfield, i have taken out the 2.5 inch hdd completely, and put a 128 gigs mSATA in place, which saved around 120 grams from the weight of the laptop. But loading mSATA + normal platter hdd is the best way to go for the best of both world.

 

@lead_org Terrific T430u review. Looking forward to part 2.

 

The Problem concerning the unaccessible USB-bootdevice was my USB 3.0 Corsair Voyager Stick.
Took an old 2.0 Stick and it worked fine! :thumbsup:

 

@lead_org, Just received my t430u today. I can confirm the RAM not recognized issues you mention, I tried to replace the factory installed 4GB with 8GB and just got beeps and hangs. You mentioned a BIOS update in your review. Any thoughts on how to fix the problem? Would it be worth contacting technical support?

On the positive side, I'm very happy with everything else so far. I'm an Ubuntu user, and 12.10 worked out of the box. Oddly, the wireless card wasn't recognized when I booted into a live environment, but was detected during installation. Go figure. I also replaced the HDD with a 256GB Vertex 4 and all is going smoothly so far.

 

Just pm me about the bios issue we can discuss this and do file sharing.

 

Well, I don't believe I have met the minimum requirements for sending private messages, but I would certainly appreciate the help.

 

well, at the end of my T430u review i have listed the method of contact. So you use that to reach out to me, and i will help you out.

 

@lead_org, thinking about the mentions in your review of things this unit either shares with or is similar to the Edge products, I'd be interested in your view of whether the T430u should really be thought of as a high-end Edge product rather than a T-series product. It certainly appears to be priced, positioned and outfitted more like an Edge product.

 

That is a very good question and good proper reading of the review. As such you are rewarded with a good answer that other T430u reviewers don't know and don't care.

As far as i know (i just learned recently of this fact, and prior to writing that part of the report on design), there is one T series product that wasn't designed in house by Lenovo's 'Yamato lab' (which is where most of the Thinkpads are designed and tested since the IBM days, although it is now relocated out of Yamato to Yokohama), so that means one of the ThinkPad T series is designed and built by third parties. I also know that Edge products are not a Lenovo in house design.

I have played with the T430 and own the T430s, these machines are definitely ThinkPad through and through, so that leaves the ThinkPad T430u (could be by Foxconn?)

Also for you whom are curious look at what the highlighted bits in the picture says:

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Finally google Lenovo V490u, and prepared be wooed.
================================================

However, i like the T430u or E430u or 430u (whatever you call it) for the following reasons:

1. Good build quality, in some ways the T430u surpass the T430.
2. Price, it is cheaper than the T430 and T430s in Australia (and in some other countries).
3. Easy serviceability. You can pop off the bottom plate and keyboard within 2 to 3 minutes, by which you can access the RAM, mSATA, Wireless card, battery, Hdd bay, fan, everything you can service is within reach.
4. 3 LCD support even on Intel HD 4000.
5. Fan noise is nice and muted.

Whats not to like? well the screen resolution.

 

@afireohno and any Ubuntu/Linux users
I'm curious about your Ubuntu experience with this device.
Though it seems that everything's working, have you checked the following items known to be problematic at times?
- HD Active Protection (kernel module hdaps not loading on T430(s) and T530)
- thingerprint reader
- trackpoint: recognised and working, including keys and scrolling function
- right clicks on the touchpad being recognized as such
- (fn) special keys working, including muting and wlan off
- sleep and hibernate
- brightness control

And, did you give 12.04 a try as well? I'm asking as I'd prefer to go with an LTS release with tp kernel being available in case of any hardware headache.
Thank you very much in advance.

 

Hello JD,

How big of the 2.0 usb stick do you use? 16 GB or 32 GB?

I am considering doing the same thing with you. Glad you let us know usb 3.0 drives do not work.
Moreover, do you do any preparation work with the usb stick before creating the recovery media? Something like marking it ACTIVE in DISKPART?

Manythanks.

 

Wow that's a surprise. I read the part of your review in which you said it was similar to Edge products, but I wasn't too worried since I thought it was still designed and manufactured in the Lenovo lab. But now if it's designed and built by a third party, I'm having second thoughts about it, compared to the T430s. (I ordered the T430U last week and it still hasn't shipped).

 

Thanks for your reply and very interesting. I generally agree there's a lot to like and with these specs and price point I'd have no problem with it being labeled an Edge. But as I'm sure you've seen, I'm a stickler for truth-in-advertising. A T-series product should be just that.

I tried googling Lenovo V430u and E430u and came up empty (there were a handful on non-english E430u pages). Is there anything you can share about these? In particular, are they likely to have better screens (or touch screens), since they're likely designed for W8?

Finally, while waiting for the second part of your T430u review which should answer this, I'm wondering whether the underside temperature remains cool and 'lap usable' under most usage (other than extended high cpu stress). I infer from the lack of fan noise that this would be so, but would like confirmation.

 

Actually, you have to google "V490u", not V430u. http://translate.googleusercontent....5.html&usg=ALkJrhixU3Tz2AUvPTDnl5SsHQaWif-WUg

 

Hey Focus,
it was a 16gb stick. I simply used the "Windows 7 USB DVD download tool" to create the stick from an iso, the programm formated the stick by itself. One can't do much wrong here. Didn't do anything else.

And of course disable the BIOS settings regarding OS installation which are automatically enabled.

Be aware that you have to use an 2.0 USB stick to copy the drivers and software to start working after installing the OS -> USB 3.0 drivers have to be installed manually before use.
And very important: you do need to download Net Framework 4.0 seperatly because the driver for Intel Wifi requires Net Framework 4.0 at least
(thinking about it now.... it might be easier to use the Ethernetport for the first setup )

 

Personally speaking i do not really care about who designed and build the ThinkPad, as long as:

-Fit and Finish is good
-Have an excellent thermal management system
-Good quality LCD
-Great keyboard

I mean there is nothing in the current ThinkPad design that is super high tech, as long as you are well versed in manufacturing engineering and heat transfer mechanics, designing a ThinkPad isn't hard.

Also, i think the T430u could be done by Foxconn, which means that the technology and manufacturing process they learnt from Macbook Pro could be carried through.

But enough of my babbling, it is suffice to say that the ThinkPad T430u is an excellent laptop.

=======================================================

For those whom want to know:

The T430u fan does not kick in very often if you have an Intel 4000 GPU, and it runs very cool.

It is also very quite if you use a SSD.

I will upload a CSV file from my digital noise meter to my review when i get a chance tonight.

 

My X230 won't turn on the fan until the CPU 50C. I assume the T430u is similar in that regard?

I hate to go off topic, but I saw you on another forum when researching that odd 21:9 Dell monitor. You're everywhere.... :hi2:

 

yes the fan remains off till around 50 degrees. Since it is using a ULV in a bigger chassis with more air flow, the fan can stay off longer than the X2x0 series laptop.

Yes i am on the ThinkPad forum.