Updated Lenovo ThinkPad T400 Review Discussion

by Kevin O'Brien

The T400 ThinkPad is the much-loved 14.1" business notebook sold by Lenovo. Since our last review of this notebook Lenovo has added a new high-brightness screen option as well as quietly updated the keyboard structure to hopefully limit some of the flex we noted in our first review. Let's see how well this screen works in an active outdoor setting and most importantly find out if the flexing keyboard has been fixed. Read on to find out what we think about the newest generation of the T400.

Read the full content of this Article: Updated Lenovo ThinkPad T400 Review

Related Articles:

• Lenovo ThinkPad T400 Review

 

i love thinkpads

 

Just wondering about keyboard flex. Is this really an issue for laptops? Do you have to put all your weight on the KB? Is this even an issue in day to day use?

Ive never had any flex issues with any of mine; i had a Toshiba M100, VAIO TZ and now Dell SXPS16.

 

Depending on the keyboard it can feel like a trampoline under harder typing pressure. It just feels better to have a solid keyboard surface that doesn't flex under almost any condition.

 

Nice review! How does the new high nit screen compares to the old LED WXGA+ screen?

 

give me a usable thinklight

 

Wow - This really looks like a nice refresh of the T400 - Better keyboard and better display - but no WXGA+?

 

As of right now, WXGA+ resolution is still available with the CCFL backlight. Don't know if the LED backlight will be offered again, but sure glad I snagged one!

 

Not as bright but the quality was similar. Both panels had fairly good color reproduction with the old LED panel being warmer/yellower and the high nit panel being cooler/bluer.

 

I didn't know they offered the T400 with an WXGA+ LED display...I'm definitely gonna watch for it's return!

 

They used to!

I snagged a WXGA+ screen too. I waited a little over a month for mine. It was a little terrifying, because shortly after I ordered, the LED WXGA+ screen vanished as an option.

I hope they bring it back for people who love high res. 1280x800 isn't bad either, and probably gentler on the eyes. 1440x900 on the screen looks pretty small, but certainly usable.

I gotta check out undermy keyboard and see if I have that support, because mine doesn't feel mushy at all.

 

do whites actually look pretty white or are they bluish?

 

Every Lenovo Gets that Editors Choice crown....this one is a deserving one though. IT has good build and features for the money.

 

To me everything on notebooks I review looks blue. My primary notebook is yellow in comparison so when my eyes first hit notebooks they look all crazy blue or purple (Sony TZ). I would have to say this one was less blue than most though.

 

Excellent review thanks, its really good to know that Lenovo listened to customer feedback and updated the T400.

 

Poor people that bought the first T400!

I would be angry to buy a computer and then find out a few short months later that they completely updated it, because they realized that they screwed up

Sorry... I will only buy quality, not Lenovo

Notebook Review is sending the wrong message by giving this an Editor's Choice Award

This company screwed over customers - and for that they get an award?

It is a slap in the face to all original buyers of the T400. Good one NBR!

 

People over lenovo forum are still saying that the keyboard issue hasn't been completely solved yet, customers are still receiving their thinkpads with original flexy keyboards: http://forums.lenovo.com/lnv/board/...thread.id=10061&view=by_date_ascending&page=1

 

Uh oh, that's very bad news (if it's true that Lenovo still sends out T400's like that (model: extra flexy).
I'll keep an eye on that Lenovo forum thread.

 

Interesting that they would rather add a bracing plate than revert to the T61 keyboard. Perhaps they have a large inventory of the newer keyboards that they need to use up.

The WXGA high-nit display looks nice. It'd probably be even better if you could get a shot of it being used outside at maximum brightness, like in the original T400 review.

I can't believe Lenovo didn't fix the Thinklight issue on the T400. Doesn't even seem to be a complicated fix, and yet it seems like a major slipup.

 

That's what the video is for.

 

You have no idea what you’re talking about. I bought one of the earlier T400 models and I’m EXTREMELY pleased with it. Yes, it has some minor shortcomings and they screwed up on the keyboard, but they also sent me a replacement T61 NMB to make amends. In addition, it is normal for manufacturers to update their products and improve things in hardware refreshes.

This is one of the best notebooks dollar for dollar—now go back to your hole please.

 

Seconded...

 

The only physical change to T400 (besides the new screen option) was a metal plate. The original configuration was very good, and was still an excellent notebook even with its flexing. It had an excellent screen, 10+ hours of battery life, reasonable starting price, and a durable chassis. They switched the keyboard part number and caused some problems but worked to correct it.

What would have made you happy? Lenovo not listening to public opinion and sticking with the same configuration forever? I think your logic is flawed, Lenovo HAD to do something to fix the problem, there was no reason not to. Trying to solve the problem was the better option. Lenovo had also mentioned they were working with customers who had the flexing problem and sending them the older keyboard free of charge (which in itself would fix the problem).

In short, old notebook with its flaws was excellent and got our award. New notebook is just as excellent and had its main flaw mostly corrected, why should it not get our award again.

Regarding the keyboard and not switching back to the old style. I want to say it probably comes down to cost. Everyone is feeling the crunch of the current economy, and if Lenovo can use parts that cost less to manufacturer and still get close to the same end result why not go that route?

 

Because it's not the same thing. Why off your long time customers who worship your keyboard for a few bucks?

 

Because they thought they had done it in a way where no one would notice. The plastic keys stayed the same, hinges, and membrane are all very similar, the only main change was the backing plate. Technically it could be made out of tinfoil if the support under it was solid enough. First round they struck out against the more picky users, second round they worked to add more support. Who knows maybe third time is a charm if enough people still want the old one back.

 

Serves me right for not watching the great video
Thanks for the comprehensive update, Kevin!

 

The issue on the Thinklight to me it's seems everytime a new T successor comes out the positioning of the Thinklight is worse than its previous generation.
My T42p and T30 TL was illuminating all the keyboard, the one on my T61 only illuminates the center part of the keyboard (standard screen). A shame they did not redisigned the TL positioning.
I would be looking to buy a new Thinkpad for famly usage but don't think the T400 is worth it, I mean it have little details, let's hope the T401 have the issue on the keyboard and the light resolved.

Id like my T61 to be able to use 25w processors, but that's the price I had to pay to own the last T-series standard screen., I;m still desiring in the future a Flexview LED SXGA+ Thinkpad that would be like the pinnacle on Thinkpads heritage.

 

is it that this machine gets hot when gaming? i mean, this t400 doesn't have dedicated graphics, so i wonder if this section isn't a leftover of the previous article.

nice review update. answers many questions i had on the product update many in the forums quibbled about.

 

I know the designers would make no compromises and use all the best materials given the chance. Of course, management and the guys responsible for the profit margins keep that in check, even if it's something that adds a $1 to the cost it's a big deal to them.

It's notebooks like the X301 in which cost is no concern and the designers are allowed to run wild where you'll see their true design abilities at work.

Anyway, I think both Lenovo and Dell are doing an exemplary job of listening to customers of late, and Lenovo is one of the first to take action in adjusting the design of a model already in production. They did offer the keyboard update to existing T400 owners. Honestly, Lenovo has a very tough and demanding customer base that are understandably a hard crowd to please every time, but they value their loyalty and repeat business and so they go out of their way where they can. Name another company in which customers obsess over which keyboard manufacturer was used to produce the keyboard and will go out of their way to make sure their unit has that keyboard, and replace it if it does not.

 

Uhh because it's cheap and i don't care if chinese companies like Lenovo have problems in current economy, why should the customer pay for cheap solutions?

If you cared about your own people you wouldn't buy anything that said Made In China.

 

Because a ThinkPad's keyboard is its signature feature.

 

Looking on ordering one of these in the next day or two, but I'm having a hard time trying to decide which screen option to go for. I currently use a
19" lcd at home at 1440x900, but on this 14" screen I'm unsure of whether or not I'd actually like the 1440x900. Anyone have any thoughts between these 2 options:

14.1 WXGA+ TFT, w/ CCFL Backlight

14.1 WXGA TFT High Nit, w/ LED Backlight

I'm assuming that the new panel is the High Nit, and not the basic one the laptop ships with?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.....

 

Yes it is the High Nit.

 

Does anyone know if the T400 with these revisions are now available in Canada? I can tell they have the HN w/ LED BL on it, but are they also fixing the keyboard flex issue?

I was actually looking at the T500 with an LED BL on the screen, but the keyboard flexing issue has me thinking T400. It seems as if all Lenovo T series now have a ship time of 4 weeks+ if you want an English US keyboard - could it be related to the changes they are making?

 

Temperature differences between both versions were negligible. Both systems warmed up at the same rate while gaming or doing stressful tasks. In fact the integrated graphics model was a degree or 2 above the dedicated model, but it was still within the range of error.

The hurt is passed around to everyone in every economy. My money flows to who has the best products, be it Miller Welder based out of WI, VW in Germany, Sony in Japan, Lenovo in China, or Izzabella's Pizza down the street from my house. Each of those companies listed have employees in the United States who get a percentage of the money I pay into the product that covers groceries, daycare, schooling, mortgage payments... whatever.

On that topic show me one computer brand that is 100% USA in labor and parts.

 

My T400 has dedicated graphics and when I'm playing games it doesn't get that hot. The max CPU temp it gets is 57C and the GPU doesn't even get to 80C.

 

Man, jedisolo, I love your config. Can you RAID0 in the T400 Ultra Bay II?

 

I'm glad to see Lenovo stepping up it's game on the already near-perfect T400 series. I'm strongly considering replacing my Precision M2400 with a new T400. There will be some comprises, I'm sure, but the added screen brightness and further reinforced chassis does make it very tempting.

Thanks for the review, Kevin.

 

I don't think it's supported by the T400 BIOS, although I could be wrong.

 

Chiming in about the flex: I found that there is a Tad more when using the Ultrabay HD than with the cd drive. Not much, but its there...

 

The last time I went into the bios I didn't see an option about RAID O for the Ultra Bay II. The samsung drive is fast enough anyway. I have the original keyboard on my T400 and the keyboard feels fine to me.

 

I have both the original keyboard, and the nonflexy one which I got free from lenovo if you complain about it. Personally I haven't noticed a difference in typing. Even with the original keyboards you have to be a VERY heavy typer to notice any flex.

 

any chance you could add some images of this panel displaying something with alot of color? or perhaps maybe just post them in this thread. Really hard to determine how good this panel is color wise from those pictures of the desktop.

thanks!

 

I will grab a picture of it side by side with my T60 using the picture below. Picking this since I used it in the original review.

 

Kevin, if at all possible could you do a side by side comparison of that image with a T400 with the WXGA+ w/LED BL screen from your original review? My institution is currently looking at purchasing a large number of T400s, and we probably will be choosing between a 2.4 P8600 processor and the WXGA high-nit screen or a 2.53 T9400 with the older WXGA+ w/LED. Thanks for the thorough reviews!

 

thanks! Do you have an ips panel on your t60?

 

I can overlay the pictures to show a good comparison with the colors balanced so my T60 looks the same on both.

Yup, SXGA+ IPS.

 

Exactly!
Thats why I am waiting for solid keyboard to make a comeback.

 

Drum roll please..... took a while, sorry about the delay

I left the photos unedited besides cropping. For future reference I dont want to worry about editing to look correct on my screen changing the way the screen looks in real life.

The screen on the left is the IPS T60, screen on the right is the high nit T400. Brightness is set to max on the T60 and about 40% or so on the T400 to match.

 

thanks, that looks very nice and is very helpful!

i gotta say tho, that IPS panel looks absolutely beautiful. They really need to offer it again.