Lenovo Thinkpad T440s Ultrabook Review
Software
When systems come loaded with software, sometimes it’s good stuff that you’re glad to see, and sometimes it’s bloatware that you can’t wait to remove. The Lenovo Thinkpad T440s has a little of both.
You can decide for yourself which apps you think are bloatware and which aren’t, but in any case the total list of apps is fairly long. There are items you frequently see such as a 30-day free trial of Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium, Kindle Reader, Evernote Touch, and Norton, as well as AccuWeather, Nitro Pro 8 PDF software, Absolute Data Protect, and cloud storage powered by SugarSync.
Lenovo Solutions Center
Lenovo also loaded a whole spate of branded software, including Companion (which gives you tips and resources on using the machine), QuickCast (for easily transferring data between devices), LenovoToast, support and settings, and ThinkVantage tools. From the toolbar in the desktop environment, you can access the Lenovo Solution Center to check and update your system’s health, and there’s also a direct link to the dedicated Lenovo section of Control Panel.
Lenovo Control Panel area
Dolby Profile, rara music with Lenovo, Zinio Reader, and a PC App store round out the list. When you launch Internet Explorer, you’ll be greeted by both an MSN start page and a special Lenovo start page that offers news; a tab for casual games; local radio streaming; and links to Lenovo products, services, support, and more.
Our review unit shipped with Windows 8 instead of Windows 8.1, and although the 8.1 upgrade is available, we opted to skip it and test as delivered. This system came heavily configured from Lenovo, and we didn’t want to affect any of the custom settings that the company created for it.
You can decide for yourself which apps you think are bloatware and which aren’t, but in any case the total list of apps is fairly long. There are items you frequently see such as a 30-day free trial of Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium, Kindle Reader, Evernote Touch, and Norton, as well as AccuWeather, Nitro Pro 8 PDF software, Absolute Data Protect, and cloud storage powered by SugarSync.
;)
Lenovo Solutions Center
Lenovo also loaded a whole spate of branded software, including Companion (which gives you tips and resources on using the machine), QuickCast (for easily transferring data between devices), LenovoToast, support and settings, and ThinkVantage tools. From the toolbar in the desktop environment, you can access the Lenovo Solution Center to check and update your system’s health, and there’s also a direct link to the dedicated Lenovo section of Control Panel.
;)
Lenovo Control Panel area
Dolby Profile, rara music with Lenovo, Zinio Reader, and a PC App store round out the list. When you launch Internet Explorer, you’ll be greeted by both an MSN start page and a special Lenovo start page that offers news; a tab for casual games; local radio streaming; and links to Lenovo products, services, support, and more.
;)
;)
Our review unit shipped with Windows 8 instead of Windows 8.1, and although the 8.1 upgrade is available, we opted to skip it and test as delivered. This system came heavily configured from Lenovo, and we didn’t want to affect any of the custom settings that the company created for it.
