Lenovo ThinkPad T430u review
Has great potential as a business Ultrabook, but its sharp and uncomfortable keyboard tray makes this one to avoid
Specifications
14 in 1,366×768 display, 1.9kg, 1.7GHz Intel Core i5-3317U, 4.00GB RAM, 500GB disk, Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
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The Lenovo ThinkPad T430u is the Ultrabook version of Lenovo’s popular T range of business notebooks. It looks almost identical to its significantly more expensive cousin the T420, but the slim T430u stands just 21mm thick and weighs 1.9kg. It isn’t the lightest Ultrabook we’ve ever seen, but it is portable, and its soft touch finish complements its business-orientated design.
Our review sample came with a dual-core Intel Core i5-3317U processor that runs at 1.7GHz (although it can Turbo Boost up to 2.6GHz within certain thermal conditions), 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard disk. The T430U managed to score a respectable 44 overall in our multimedia benchmark tests, which is lower than we expect from an Ultrabook at this price.
Its integrated Intel HD Graphics 4000 chipset provides the graphics, and the T430u was just about capable of playing Dirt Showdown on High Quality settings and a 720p resolution, averaging 16.6 fps in our benchmark tests. You may get away with playing some modern 3D games, but you’ll really have to reduce the display settings to get a playable frame rate.
Excellent viewing angles and a matt finish make the screen ideal for work
The T430u has maximum resolution of 1,366×768, and its 14in display lets you make the most of it. The T430u also has superb viewing angles, with 180-degree screen tilt to help you find the perfect working position no matter where you are. Its matt finish posed no problems with reflections either, but it did make the screen slightly dimmer overall, which meant colours were often not very bright or vivid.
Basic Specifications | |
---|---|
Rating | *** |
Processor | Intel Core i5-3317U |
Processor clock speed | 1.7GHz |
Memory | 4.00GB |
Memory slots | 2 |
Memory slots free | 2 |
Maximum memory | 8GB |
Size | 21x340x216mm |
Weight | 1.9kg |
Sound | Dolby Home Theater |
Pointing device | touchpad and touchstick |
Display | |
Viewable size | 14 in |
Native resolution | 1,366×768 |
Graphics Processor | Intel HD Graphics 4000 |
Graphics/video ports | HDMI |
Graphics Memory | 280MB |
Storage | |
Total storage capacity | 500GB |
Optical drive type | none |
Ports and Expansion | |
USB ports | 2 |
Bluetooth | yes |
Wired network ports | 1x 10/100/1000 |
Wireless networking support | 802.11n |
PC Card slots | N/A |
Supported memory cards | SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC |
Other ports | 2x USB3, 3.5mm audio jack, mini DisplayPort |
Miscellaneous | |
Carrying case | No |
Operating system | Windows 7 Professional 64-bit |
Operating system restore option | restore partition |
Software included | N/A |
Optional extras | N/A |
Buying Information | |
Warranty | one year RTB |
Price | £896 |
Details | www.lenovo.co.uk |
Supplier | http://www.lambda-tek.com |