Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon vs ThinkPad T490 (2020)

Lenovo has announced two new models of its popular ThinkPad line, both the X1 Carbon and T490. Even though they are very similar in design, there are some significant changes to help make these laptops more powerful than ever before.

The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon and T490 will both be available in 2020. The specs haven’t been announced yet, but we know the price is going to be at least $2,000 USD. What do you think? Let us know!

The “Lenovo T490” is a laptop that will be released in 2020. It has an excellent battery life, and it can be configured to meet the needs of any user.

We put the Lenovo ThinkPad T490 to the test and compared it against the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon in terms of performance, display quality, portability, price, battery life, and more.

The rankings with test results can be seen above, while detailed reports on each Lenovo ThinkPad Laptop can be found below.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon comes in first (2020)

Best computing power for use in the office and for editing
Fans that are silent and have a colorful show
Keyboard is quite comfy.

More costly than the ThinkPad T490

With the X1 Carbon, Lenovo hopes to maintain the ThinkPad history in the Ultrabook configuration. A flat casing that can withstand daily usage, as well as contemporary technologies and lengthy runtimes, should persuade the target audience in businesses. The Ultrabook for business customers performs well in tests.

Carbon is a material that not only sports automobile drivers consider, but also a design that goes with it. However, don’t expect too much from the ThinkPad X1 with the same moniker if you’re looking for a carbon appearance.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon seems to be just that: a ThinkPad. Those who don’t notice the Ultrabook’s low case height will have a hard time distinguishing it from previous ThinkPads, particularly the T-series. This does not have to be a disadvantage, particularly in huge corporations where a homogeneous appearance is the norm.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s display lid haptics are similar to those of the well-known T-ThinkPads. ThinkPad is a brand of mobile computers that has been available since 1992. Since 2005, Lenovo has owned the ThinkPads, which were formerly owned by IBM.

At normal laptop tables, the T4x and T6x series, particularly early versions, have an almost mythical reputation. Lenovo refers to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon as a “legend,” claiming that it took 20 years to create.

Features

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon comes with a variety of of equipment options, starting with a Core i5 processor. Even though our test device has a Core i5 tag on it, the processor inside is a Core i7-3667U. This is the most powerful engine presently available for the X1. In the test device, the CPU has access to 8 GByte DDR3 SDRAM. In terms of remote maintenance, the X1 ThinkPads utilize Intel’s vPro technology.

In terms of display, the X1 Carbon comes standard with a 14-inch HD display (1366 x 768 pixels). For an extra $115, you can have a 14-inch display with HD+ quality. Both variants include an LED backlight and function with a resolution of 1600 x 900 pixels. Our Core i7 test model already has an HD+ monitor as standard.

In the display frame of all models is an integrated webcam (720p). On all versions, Intel’s HD Graphics 4000 is in charge of operating the display unit. External display devices may be connected to the X1 Carbon through a Mini-DisplayPort. The Ultrabook does not come with a matching adaptor; Lenovo sells one for approximately $25.

Solid state disks are the only mass storage option for the Ultrabook, according to Lenovo. The storage capacity begins at 128 GBytes and goes up to 256 GBytes. SSDs from various manufacturers are included in the program, as they are in other Ultrabooks. Our test device has a SanDisk 256 GByte SSD, however Lenovo also has 240 GByte Intel SSDs available.

With an Intel Centrino module, our test equipment interacts via WiFi using the 802.11a/g/n standard. Furthermore, the Ultrabook uses Bluetooth 4.0 to interact wirelessly. In the test setup, the X1 also has an Ericsson mobile broadband solution.

There isn’t an Ethernet port on the Ultrabook. On Amazon, you can acquire a Lenovo USB 2.0 ethernet adapter for $15 if you want a stable network connection. In relation to USB: The appropriate connections offered by the X1 Carbon are reasonably apparent; this is likely owing to the small casing (331 x 18.8 x 226 mm).

Connecting peripherals is possible through one USB 2.0 port and one USB 3.0 connection. The remainder of the interface’s narrative is short: an SD card reader and a combination audio port round out the package. The Ultrabook has a fingerprint sensor, among other security features.

On our test device, Windows 7 Professional was installed. Lenovo now provides two versions of Windows 8: Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8. In the pre-installed Windows 8 Pro, downgrade privileges to Windows 7 may be employed if required. The battery capacity of the X1 Carbon is little about 46 Wh. The test equipment has a 90 watt adaptor that is claimed to allow for rapid battery charging.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon starts at roughly $1400, and the Core i7 variant we tested costs around $1650 on Amazon. The pricing includes a three-year standard warranty. On the following business day, an upgrade to a four-year on-site service costs roughly $115.

Display

Our test gadget has a 14-inch display with HD+ resolution. It has a resolution of 1600 × 900 pixels and an LED backlight. Lenovo also has models with HD resolution (1366 x 768 pixels), however we suggest the HD+ resolution here since the vertical resolution of 768 pixels isn’t ideal for daily use.

The display of the X1 Carbon has a brightness of 300 cd/m2 according to the info sheet. The maximum brightness of our test device is 322 cd/m2, which is a very acceptable result. You may even operate outside in pleasant weather conditions thanks to the superb anti-reflective coating.

The test display performs well in terms of lighting uniformity — at least in the higher corners, which are normally extremely visible to the observer.

Here, we only see minor percentage differences in the single digits, and that is practically unheard of. The bottom corners can’t quite keep up with that; the highest percentage in one corner is 14%, which is typical for the class.

Touchpad & Keyboard

Handling: The X1 Carbon keyboard might be mistaken for a ThinkPad keyboard even without the slanted ThinkPad branding in the right corner. Those coming from other ThinkPad keyboards will have no trouble adjusting.

Designers will surely have a hurdle with ultrabook keyboards. Despite the flat casing, a decent stroke and stop are required – the whole thing should generally be a visual feature. In testing, we’ve had the opportunity to try everything from typing on a glass panel to mushy chiclet keys. Even while keyboards are always a question of personal preference, particularly with speed typewriters, every little defect is rapidly exposed.

And the Lenovo X1 Carbon does a lot of things right, including a nice stroke, ample stroke, and solid support. We went from conventional ThinkPads and laptops to the X1 on a regular basis throughout our testing, and the changeover was always smooth. High writing rates are possible without difficulty. The excellent orientation assistance on the F and J keys, as well as the keyboard lighting, will delight less accurate users. Lenovo has removed the pause key, like it did in previous ThinkPads, and replaced it with a Fn key combination.

ThinkPads have a long history of using a trackpoint and a touchpad together. The trackpoint is often difficult for switchers, but experienced ThinkPad users will love the control aspect. The huge TouchPad accomplishes its job effectively and accurately – something that should come as no surprise, yet it doesn’t.

The Lenovo X1 Carbon is officially listed as weighing 2.99 pounds, although our scale reads 2.97 pounds. This is a nice outcome for a business ultrabook since it fits. Together, the power supply and cable weigh 0.98 lbs, which is above average for an Ultrabook.

This is likewise true of the power supply’s proportions, which undoubtedly contribute something. However, when considering battery life and, in particular, charging time, you may have to tolerate this, but more on that later.

Performance

Our test device, an Intel Core i7-3667U, has the most powerful motorization for the X1 Carbon right now. A Core i7, even though it has a “U” in its designation, is presently extremely well suited for contemporary application situations.

A TDP of 17 watts is specified for this CPU. This CPU has a base clock rate of 2 GHz and can go up to 3.2 GHz in turbo mode. The CPU, when combined with the 8 GByte DDR3 SDRAM, allows for quick acceleration.

We utilized BAPCo’s benchmark program SYSmark2012 on Windows 7, which is an application benchmark that is meant to imitate the behavior of business users. We utilized 15 distinct programs to depict various situations. Several programs are often open at the same time, and the apps may also run in the background. Office Productivity, Media Creation, Web Development, Data/Financial Analysis, 3D Modeling, and System Management are among the scenarios included in the package.

With our test notebook, we get a score of 134 on SYSmark2012. And it is a commendable outcome. As an example: A normal laptop with a Core i5 M-class processor receives a score of 125. You’ll find a related summary in the BAPCo if you wish to compare the outcome with a variety of setups.

SanDisk’s solid state disk (SD5SG2256G1052E) adds to the system’s overall performance. In terms of graphics performance, Intel’s HD Graphics 4000 performs well, scoring over 5200 3DMarks in 3DMark06. As an example: Ultrabooks with Core i5-U CPUs often score a few hundred points lower in 3DMark.

Design

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon seems to be significantly less brittle than many other ultrabooks when compared side by side. The carbon in the X1 refers to a carbon fiber reinforced top side as well as a safety frame. For numerous years of commercial usage, the case may be relied upon.

The display cover is rigid in torsion and largely impervious to pressure from above. The hinges are the ideal balance of light and substantial duty. During a bumpier train trip, you may also work cleanly here. However, daily testing hasn’t found why the display can be fully expanded to the horizontal position. Positive: The radio connections may be disconnected using a sliding switch on the case side.

When switching from mains to battery power, we found a worrying feature of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon: the screen darkens temporarily after detaching the power adapter, exactly as it did in the past when changing hybrid graphics drivers. The impact was also seen on a colleague’s X1 that was utilized as a comparison.

Data carriers are likewise not included in the ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s standard delivery, but may be created using pre-installed software. Tools that are appropriate: In some ways, the ThinkVantage tools have established the standard for notebooks and continue to do so. Meanwhile, the breadth is rather broad, and given Windows’ continued evolution, one would ask whether something less wouldn’t be more in certain cases.

Life of the battery

Due to their shape, ultrabooks often have a lesser battery capacity than traditional notebooks. The battery of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is little about 46 Wh. In the ultrabook community, this is a rather typical size. The data sheet for the ultrabook claims a battery life of up to 8.2 hours.

We decide on a somewhat longer maximum duration of eight hours and 20 minutes, but in a mode that is heavily chopped for economy. We choose the most energy-efficient option, disable all wireless connections, and dim the lights as much as possible. During our test, we use a hardware instrument to enter text (auto saving is turned on) till the battery dies. The laptop has a maximum power consumption of 5.2 watts, which is an excellent performance.

The BAPCo MobileMark2012 battery life test covers two scenarios: “Office Productivity” and “Media Creation.” The new benchmark edition, like its predecessor, employs a variety of real-world applications. Work breaks are included in the benchmarking method.

During the test, a WiFi connection is also operational. Due to the program, the section “Media Creation” puts a bit greater strain on the notebook than “Office Productivity.” In Office Productivity, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon lasts six hours and 21 minutes, while in “Media Creation,” it lasts 304 minutes. This matches our actual experience fairly well: around six hours of genuine mobile work were primarily in it.

Those on the go who need extra performance from their Ultrabook may do so for up to 100 minutes. We put it through its paces at maximum brightness, as well as stressing the CPU, graphics card, and SSD. In relation to the weight: In this stress test, the laptop simply draws attention acoustically. Overall, it’s one of the quietest Ultrabooks to have passed our test thus far.

The 90 watt adaptor described earlier, for example, allows for rapid battery charging, which Lenovo calls Rapid Charge. After 88 minutes, the battery in the test gadget was completely charged again. Lenovo further claims that just 35 minutes, 80 percent of the charging capacity is already accessible.

Verdict

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s combination of business applicability and light weight ultrabook fits the ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s requirements to a great degree, and we recommend it. There are more stylish Ultrabooks available, but their filigree covers are seldom trusted for regular professional usage.

The X1 Carbon has an entirely different firmness while being very light at 2.97 pounds. The tested version’s display is nice, the keyboard is excellent, and the runtimes are reasonable. These aren’t unimportant details for a professional travel companion, after all.

Yes, there are flaws: the ThinkVantage tools have lost their nimbus and seem to be a little overburdened in certain areas. The normal 90 watt power supply unit charges quickly, but the baggage still has a noticeable humming noise.

We’d have to go through the interfaces all over again, not to mention the adapter fees. But that’s what you’d expect from a premium product elsewhere, and the device’s pricing is similarly expensive.

Finally, some well-intentioned counsel for ThinkPad owners: If you’re not eligible for an Ultrabook upgrade because to rotation or price constraints, stay away from the X1 Carbon. Because of its strong performance in the test, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is ranked #1 above the ThinkPad T490.

Lenovo ThinkPad T490 is ranked second (2020)

Excellent display quality and compatibility with Linux
a lower cost than the ThinkPad X1 Carbon
SSD storage space that is large and speedy

Loudspeakers that aren’t working and fans that are making a lot of noise

This is a classic. The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 is a 14-inch mobile workstation that reflects Lenovo’s historic T-Series product range. Here, quality, features, and dependability are very essential, and they are specifically designed to the business sector.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 is the most recent edition of Lenovo’s popular 14-inch T-series laptops. A favorite here has always been the successful mix of quality, interface choices, configuration possibilities, dependability, and mobility. The ThinkPad keyboard is a standout quality element that considerably adds to the overall picture thus far.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T490, like practically every new model generation, isn’t without modifications. The slimmer and lighter casing asks a lot of compromises from the user when compared to the Lenovo ThinkPad T480. Prospective customers will have to do without the flexible battery bridge technology, switch to the smaller MicroSD memory card format, and live with partly soldered RAM, for example.

Lenovo’s online store now has a starting price of $700. The client receives an Intel Core i5-8265U processor with integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, 8 GB DDR4 RAM, a 256 GB solid-state drive, and a FullHD IPS display in exchange.

On the other hand, the test gadget on Amazon would set you back $900 (button above). However, an Intel Core i7-8565U processor, a dedicated Nvidia Geforce MX 250 graphics card, 16 GB DDR4 RAM, a 1 TB solid-state drive, and a 14-inch WQHD display are already included.

Ports & Design

The Lenovo ThinkPad’s particular casing attributes should be shown by twelve military requirements (MIL-STD-810G) and 200 quality tests. In reality, it’s difficult to detect any flaws in the test gadget. The wrist rest is rock-solid, the keyboard is secure, the display bezel can only be turned a little with force, and the display hinges keep the screen in place.

Only the bottom display frame may be pushed through between the widely separated hinges. In practice, however, this should have no detrimental implications.

Lenovo does not associate the business 14-inch’s above-average stability and torsional rigidity with its high weight. The 3.24 pound weight isn’t world-record-breaking, but it’s surprisingly feasible given the equipment and performance.

According to the data sheet, the model versions with a FullHD/touch display (about 3.42 pounds) or PrivacyGuard display (3.68 lbs) are somewhat heavier.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 does not have any separate maintenance flaps on the bottom, which is in accordance with current trends, but the Chinese manufacturer is still conservative when it comes to user replacement and upgrade work. You may discover information about which components (Customer Replacable Units) you can get your hands on in the hardware maintenance handbook. As is customary, you should familiarize yourself with the current warranty terms ahead of time.

By the way, the Lenovo ThinkPad T490 is only available in ThinkPad black. The business classic has been squeezed for a silver-colored variation, which is also available in several E or X series versions.

The widely diverse interface equipment is a unique aspect of the less strictly positioned ThinkPad product lines. HDMI 1.4b, 2 x USB 3.1 Gen.1 type A, 1 x USB 3.1 Gen.1 type C, a 3.5 mm jack connector, Ethernet, a MicroSD memory card reader, and a Thunderbolt 3 docking port (incl. DisplayPort, charging, 40 Gbps) are all standard.

On request or depending on the configuration, the Lenovo Thinkpad T490 additionally has a smart card reader, NFC, an infrared camera with facial recognition, an LTE internet modem with GPS locating function, a fingerprint reader, or the practical camera cover, ThinkShutter.

Lenovo’s online store allows you to customize your ThinkPad to your liking. Individual component surcharges are rather minimal, allowing for a relatively low-cost bespoke configuration ex works.

Lenovo has basically fixed the interface placement issue. The docking port and Ethernet connection are on the sides, far to the back, and the distances between the interfaces are often large. External drives that utilize a USB Y-cable (such as a DVD burner) have a harder time connecting here since the two USB type A ports are on different sides.

In the test device, the performance of the built-in interfaces is generally excellent. USB 3.1 Gen.1 can transfer data at up to 446 MB/s, whereas Sandisk’s Extreme 900 Portable SSD (USB 3.1 Gen.2) can transfer data at up to 765 MB/s through Thunderbolt 3. Here, real Thunderbolt 3 drives should be able to give significantly faster transfer rates.

The memory card reader, which is now incorporated into the smaller MicroSD format, nevertheless uses the UHS-I standard to transmit data. As with the Lenovo ThinkPad T580, faster UHS-II memory cards are slowed down as a result. During the test, the Genesys Logic device reads at speeds of up to 94 MB/s.

In addition to AC-WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0 for wireless interfaces, the test equipment may employ a Fibocom mobile LTE broadband module. The SIM slot is built inside a drawer at the back and can be easily filled from the outside.

Sound

Only a few multimedia elements are available on the two 2-watt loudspeakers. They obviously identify themselves as belonging in a more businesslike, less demanding office setting. For online chores or some background music, the dominant highs with a little of middle and bass give adequate audio quality, but external solutions for presentations, movies, or evaluating audio recordings should be swiftly replaced. Boxes or headphones, for example, may be linked through USB, 3.5 mm connector, or Bluetooth.

The test device seems to be unsuitable for real-time audio activities with the driver and BIOS versions installed/available at the time of testing.

After 1:40 minutes of use, the gadget has already recorded latencies of over 3,503 seconds. This is significantly in excess of the 1,000-second limit. Crackling sounds, synchronization issues, and dropouts are all possible here. Disabling the obvious suspects, such as network or battery components, has no effect.

Interested parties must either conduct a more thorough investigation or wait for driver or BIOS upgrades.

Safety

The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 comes with a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 and Opal 2.0-compliant solid state drives, in addition to the normal password security at the BIOS and system level. An infrared camera for facial identification (Windows Hello), a fingerprint reader, NFC, and a smart card reader are also included on the test device.

For physical protection against theft, the Lenovo ThinkPad T490 has a cable lock on the right side of the casing, and the camera may be securely closed with the ThinkShutter sliding cover. Not every model version has all of the security measures.

Touchpad & Keyboard

A high-quality keyboard is still included with the Lenovo ThinkPad T490. Not only regular writers should feel at ease here at first, with a precise pressure point, medium stroke, sturdy support, and mild stroke noise.

In contrast to many rivals, the keys are laid out in a comfortable 19 mm grid, and even the arrow keys aren’t crammed into one line.

The layout follows the ThinkPad tradition, with switched FN and Ctrl keys and a bottom-mounted pushbutton. If required, the FN and Ctrl key assignments may be altered in the BIOS or using the Lenovo Vantage utility. The keyboard illumination has two brightness settings and aids in letter recognition in low-light situations.

This equipment detail, like the predecessor, is not included in the regular scope of supply and may be absent in certain model configurations.

In exchange, the red trackpoint, which is a ThinkPad hallmark, is always included. Aside from the appearance, the practical value is also appealing. After a little practice, the mouse cursor can be moved rapidly and accurately over the desktop, making it a useful alternative to the touchpad.

The 100 x 68 mm touchpad, on the other hand, frustrates the test device with its relatively controlled functioning. The gliding properties are fantastic, and the mouse keys built into the touchpad operate flawlessly, but the mouse pointer often skips over the target in an uncontrollable manner, resulting in inaccurate input.

While the bouncing is more evident at native resolution, it is significantly less noticeable with a screen scaling of 150 percent. The newest Synaptics driver is installed on the test device. Because none of the ThinkPads tested thus far have showed anything close to similar behavior on the touchpad, this is considered as a test device feature in this situation.