Product Notes: Lenovo ThinkPad T410s

January 7, 2010

In January 2010, Lenovo announced the ThinkPad T410s 14.1-inch widescreen, which is based on Intel's Calpella notebook platform. The ThinkPad T410s supplants the ThinkPad T400s and is a significant update.

Design and Changes

The ThinkPad T410s retains much of the same basic design of the previous generation ThinkPad T400s 14.1-inch widescreen notebook. The ThinkPad T400s weighs approximately 3.9 pounds with a travel weight (which includes power adaptor) of about 4.8 pounds.

The biggest single change for the ThinkPad T410s is the addition of a discrete video card option. This changes ISC's designation for this model line from a lightweight notebook with a large screen (true of the ThinkPad T400s) to a true mid-weight notebook, but one that is about a pound less than almost all of its 14-inch competition.

The ThinkPad T410s is optimized for videoconferencing use with dual noise cancelling microphones, low light sensitive cameras with auto white balancing, and a lighted microphone mute switch on the keyboard.

The ThinkPad T410s is EPEAT Gold-compliant and Energy Star 5.0-certified.

Ordering Notes

Several notes when ordering a ThinkPad T410s:

1. The T410 uses the same power supplies and Series 3 docking solutions that the ThinkPad T400s used.
2. All models of the T410s include Arrandale versions of Intel's recently introduced Core i5 processor.
3. Having at least 3.0 GB RAM is essential for the optimal functionality of a modern mid-weight notebook.
4. Though solid state drives are available with the T410s, Information Systems & Computing (ISC) does not believe that they are an appropriate choice for many mid-weight notebook users because the cost and size trade-offs are too great. ISC expects this assessment to continue changing throughout calendar year 2010.
5. ISC strongly suggests purchasing the T410s with a discrete video card. All models of the T410s with a discrete video card support NVIDIA's hybrid graphics, which allows switching between discrete and integrated video for performance and battery life considerations.
6. As with any mid-weight notebook, ISC suggests that LSPs consider purchasing an extra AC power adapter for the T410s. Providers also may wish to consider Lenovo's range of peripheral accessories, such as port replicators and mini docks.
7. Connectivity options for the T410s include 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Gobi multi-vendor WWAN connectivity, and Bluetooth 2.1. After a seven year development process, the 802.11n standard was finalized in September 2009, so currently shipping 802.11n products may not work correctly without a firmware update. ISC believes that Bluetooth is a relevant protocol for most notebook users and that WWAN connectivity is useful for many "road warriors".

See ISC's Notebook Purchasing Guide for more configuration hints.

ISC sees the ThinkPad T410s as one of the best mid-weight notebooks available in early 2010. The University's Computer Connection will have at least one T410 configuration available to order as soon as possible.

ThinkPad T410s graphic courtesy of Lenovo

--John Mulhern III, Lead for Client Technologies, ISC Technology Support Services (January 7, 2010)