Lenovo ThinkPad T410s with NVIDIA Optimus Review


Introduction


Lenovo recently celebrated the milestone of selling 60 million ThinkPad notebooks. That's a ThinkPad for every person in the United Kingdom, to put it in perspective. Moreover, the PC maker claims these things sell like electronic hotcakes, to the tune of 14 per minute.  Those are iPad sort of rates.  But Lenovo doesn't reach these types of numbers by selling outdated hardware spruced up with brushed aluminum, and clever marketing. The company targets tech-savvy business consumers and home users who want light, durable notebooks that offer extended battery life built with the latest technology.


The notebook we're reviewing today is an improvement over the original T410 we reviewed earlier this year. The latest iteration offers consumers a feature that gives it an important advantage over the majority of laptops on the market. The ThinkPad T410s is the first model from Lenovo to offer NVIDIA Optimus technology which provides users with seamless switching between discrete GPU performance and the power saving benefits associated with integrated graphics.

It features a 14 inch LED backlit screen with a native resolution of 1440 x 900, Intel Core i5 560M processor, NVIDIA NVS3100M graphics, 128GB Toshiba SSD, and a total weight under 4 lbs.  Less than an inch thick, the T410s is one of the thinnest, lightest, and most advanced 14" notebooks we've ever tested.  Without a doubt, the specs are great, but exactly how well does it perform? Keep reading to find out. 

Lenovo ThinkPad T410s Notebook
Specifications & Features
   

Model

T410s

Display

14" (1440 x 900)

CPU

Intel Core i5 560M 2.66GHz

Memory

4GB DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20 1T

Graphics

Intel HD Integrated Graphics
Nvidia NVS3100M Graphics

Storage

Toshiba 128GB SSD
THNS128GG4BAAA-N

Optical

CD-RW/DVD Burner
Matshita UJ892

Operating System

Windows 7 Home Premium x64

Wireless

Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200
802.11 a / b / g / n

Webcam

2.0 Megapixel

Ports

2 x USB 2.0
1 x eSATA/USB Combo
1 x VGA
1 x DisplayPort
1 x RJ45
32mm Express Card
Combo Microphone in / Audio out

Battery

6 Cell

Weight

3.91 lbs

Dimensions

13.3" x 9.5" x 0.83" (WxDxH)

Warranty

1 Year

Price

$1779


Lenovo ThinkPad T410S NVIDIA Optimus and Multi-Display Output Demo

The configuration we tested as configured is currently priced at $1779, though there are certainly a multitude of options to choose from or omit, which can offer a lower price point.  Our model's price tag is relatively expensive as far as notebooks are concerned, but definitely in line with ultra mobile notebook models that feature similar high-end components. It's also worth mentioning that although we listed the standard warranty at 1 year, Lenovo offers up to 4 years of coverage at an additional cost. 


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