Lenovo ThinkPad T480 14" vs Lenovo ThinkPad T490 14"

The Lenovo ThinkPad T480, released in 2018, and the Lenovo ThinkPad T490, launched in 2019, represent consecutive generations of Lenovo's 14-inch business laptop series. While both are designed for productivity-focused users and run on the Windows operating system, the T490 introduced a more streamlined chassis and updated internal components, whereas the T480 maintained a focus on modularity and user-upgradability.

When evaluating the longevity of these devices, several design and update cycle factors come into play.

• Release Timeline: The ThinkPad T480 was released in 2018, with the T490 following in 2019. This one-year difference means the T490 generally benefits from an additional year of potential software support and security updates from its manufacturer, extending its usable life slightly longer.
• Battery Design: A key differentiator is the T480's 'Bridge Battery' system, featuring both an internal and an external hot-swappable battery. This design allows users to replace the external battery without powering down the laptop, offering flexibility for extended use and simplifying battery replacements. The T490, in contrast, moved to a single, integrated internal battery, making battery replacement a more involved process.
• Repairability and Upgradability: Both models are generally considered repairable, a hallmark of the ThinkPad line. The T480 offers two accessible RAM slots, allowing for up to 64GB of memory, providing more headroom for future software demands. The T490 features some soldered RAM (8GB or 16GB) with one additional SO-DIMM slot, limiting total memory to 40GB or 48GB, which might impact its long-term upgradability for memory-intensive tasks. The T480 also includes a 2.5-inch drive bay and can utilize the WWAN slot for a second NVMe drive, offering more storage flexibility. Both models have passed MIL-STD 810G durability tests, indicating a robust build quality designed to withstand various environmental conditions.

The performance capabilities of the ThinkPad T480 and T490 cater to demanding business environments, with notable differences in their core components and configurations.

• Processor Capabilities: The ThinkPad T480 typically features 8th generation Intel Core processors. The ThinkPad T490, being a newer model, offers a choice between 8th generation 'Whiskey Lake' or, in some configurations, 10th generation Intel Core processors. This generational leap in the T490 can translate to slightly improved efficiency and responsiveness for everyday tasks, faster application loading, and smoother multitasking, particularly with more demanding software.
• Multitasking and Memory: The T480 provides greater flexibility with two user-accessible RAM slots, supporting up to 32GB of DDR4 memory, with some users reporting successful upgrades to 64GB. The T490 comes with a portion of its RAM soldered directly to the motherboard (either 8GB or 16GB), complemented by a single SO-DIMM slot for expansion, capping total memory at 40GB or 48GB.
• Storage and Responsiveness: For storage, the T480 could be configured with either traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SSDs). The T490 primarily utilizes faster NVMe PCIe solid-state drives, contributing to quicker boot times, faster application launches, and a more responsive overall user experience.
• Graphics Performance: Both laptops primarily rely on integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 for visual processing, which is suitable for general office use, video playback, and light photo editing. Certain configurations of the T490 also offered an optional NVIDIA GeForce MX250 dedicated graphics card, providing a modest boost for more graphically intensive tasks.

The visual experience on these laptops varies, particularly concerning display technology and available options.

• Display Technology and Resolution: Both the ThinkPad T480 and T490 offered various 14-inch display options, including HD (1366x768), Full HD (1920x1080) IPS, and WQHD (2560x1440) IPS panels.
• Brightness and Clarity: Standard Full HD panels on the T480 typically offered brightness levels around 250 nits. The T490 expanded these choices, notably introducing a low-power Full HD panel designed for extended battery life, offering up to 400 nits of brightness, and a WQHD Dolby Vision HDR IPS panel with up to 500 nits and improved color accuracy.
• Design and Viewing Experience: The T490 features noticeably slimmer bezels around the display compared to the T480, contributing to a more modern appearance and a slightly more compact footprint.
• Specialized Options: The T490 also introduced specialized display options such as a PrivacyGuard screen, which limits viewing angles to protect sensitive information from onlookers.

For communication and media consumption, both laptops provide essential audiovisual capabilities with some distinctions.

• Webcam Quality: Both the T480 and T490 typically feature a 720p HD webcam, suitable for standard video conferencing.
• Microphone Performance: Both models include dual-array microphones, designed to capture clear audio for calls and recordings.
• Speaker Output: The T490 introduced user-facing dual 2-watt speakers with Dolby Audio Premium, which generally offers a more direct and improved sound experience for media consumption and video calls compared to the T480's downward-firing speakers.
• Privacy and Security: The T490 often includes a physical ThinkShutter privacy slider for the webcam, offering an easy way to ensure privacy. Additionally, the T490 had an optional IR camera for facial recognition, enhancing login security.