The Lenovo ThinkPad T420 14-inch screen laptop is one of the latest additions to the iconic ThinkPad lineup of business laptops. While the ThinkPad T420 is positioned as a business laptop, I’ve always been a fan of ThinkPads for use in an education setting as well. ThinkPads are built to be durable and give reliable performance, both of these qualities are important to a student who has to lug a laptop all over campus and use it to do work in various settings and conditions. While there isn’t anything flashy regarding the design of the ThinkPad T420, it does have everything you need in a laptop for simply getting work done. This review of the ThinkPad T420 will focus on the strength of the laptop as a work tool in an education setting and not so much on performance and benchmark numbers, though rest assured with the inclusion of the latest Intel Sandy Bridge processor technology it’s no slouch in the horse power department.
Before getting started it’s important to go over the specs of the ThinkPad T420 under review that was configured and purchased from Lenovo.com:
- Processor: Intel Core i3-2310M (2.10 GHz, dual core, 3MB cache)
- OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Premium 64-bit
- Screen: 14.0” HD+ (1600 x 900) LED backlit display
- Graphics: Intel Integrated HD Graphics 3000
- Memory: 2GB PC3-10600 DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz
- Storage: 250GB Hard Drive (5400 RPM)
- Battery: 6-cell Lithium Ion
- Wireless: Intel Wireless N1000 (802.11 b/g/n)
- Ports: 2 USB 2.0, 1 USB 2.0/eSATA combo, 4-in-1 media card reader, Display Port, 34mm Express Card slot, Ethernet port (LAN)
- Battery Life: 6 hours
- Weight: 4.8lbs
- Dimensions: 13.4-inches x 9.05-inches x 1.18 – 1.20 inches
- Optical Drive: Multi Burner DVD/CD
Lenovo ThinkPad T420 Buying Experience and Packaging
I bought the ThinkPad T420 direct from Lenovo.com. The configured laptop is actually a T420i, essentially the T420i is the most basic entry level spec T420 with a lower price to match, but it still has the same quality build and design as any other T420. Because my configuration is mostly basic, except for the screen which I upgraded to the HD+ 1600 x 900 resolution, the price was held below $1,000. The final price after a 10% off coupon active at the time was $782.10 before taxes. That’s an amazing price for such a high quality laptop, and for me all the expensive upgrades such as the fastest processor available just didn’t make sense – I’m willing to bet that’s true for most students configuring this laptop.
The purchase experience from Lenovo.com was fairly smooth, after placing the order I got an order acknowledgement email and then several days later a notification the laptop had shipped. The email notifications were pretty basic and didn’t actually contain any mention of what I had bought, but you could click a link to see your order summary that did. The online experience you get when buying from HP.com is much better, Lenovo.com recently redesigned their site and it’s slick but ironically pretty hard to navigate and then the email order updates are far from slick looking, they consist of badly formatted text emails with odd spacing and no graphics.
The actual delivery and packaging was flawless, the box that arrived was nicely taped and not covered with so many packaging stickers you’d think it had just toured the world with multiple stops (I got that with a recent HP purchase). The ThinkPad T420 was snugly secured inside along with the 6-cell battery, power cord and getting started package, warranty guide and other documentation. Below you can see everything you get in the box and then the process of piecing the laptop together so it’s ready to use!
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ThinkPad T420 Design
The basic cosmetic design of the ThinkPad hasn’t changed a whole lot since the line was introduced almost two decades ago – that being black and boxy. This is fine, get the design right the first time and you don’t have to mess with it later. Now, there have of course been changes in terms of dimensions and features, laptops are wider and thinner these days thanks to the advent of wide-HD resolution screens and new technologies that provide for ever smaller components and therefore less laptop thickness needed to house the “guts”. Internally there’s a lot of changes of course, but externally the ThinkPad T420 looks the part of a professional business laptop and from 30-feet away you probably couldn’t distinguish it from the ThinkPad T23 made 10-years ago.
The stickers on the lower left side of the laptop are easily peeled off and once removed you have a clean all black finish laptop. The metal hinges provide an appealing industrial and rugged look while also serving to give a durable feel to the lid opening and closing experience.
The blue Enter button is nice to have as it makes that often used key really stand out, this is probably more useful for the hunt and peck typist who have to look to find keys though.
The TouchPad is large and nicely textured, I found it easy to use but since I’m a trackpoint fan myself I used that method to push the cursor around the screen. For those unfamiliar, the red nub in the middle of the keyboard you see is the trackpoint stick and probably the most iconic design touch the ThinkPad has. It’s not a ThinkPad unless it’s black with a red nub in the middle! Notice the red stripes on the mouse buttons as well, again this is a nice design touch that makes finding the buttons a little easier than if they were all black.
The finish on the ThinkPad T420 case lid is nice and easy to grip, it’s a slightly rubberized feel that prevents slipping from the hands. No shiny and glossy lid here, it’s a 100% matte finish that helps to reduce the amount of greasy fingerprints that show up, though you will still of course get that.
The build quality of the ThinkPad T420 is one of the most important features, it features a magnesium alloy internal chassis to hold everything together and protect the internal components. The outer case is made of a rigid plastic and the underside is made of a glass reinforced plastic to provide extra protection there. The keyboard is spill proof so that if you spill a liquid it is carried safely out of the bottom of the laptop. The hinges are very stiff and as you can see thick and rugged so there is no worry of the screen getting wobbly and flopping closed. A latch on the lid keeps the lid securely closed. Overall this is one of the best built laptops for the price and designed to stand the rigors of campus.
Lenovo ThinkPad T420 Weight and Size
A laptop intended for school use needs to be portable and easy to slip into a backpack. The ThinkPad T420 weighs in at 4.8lbs without the power adapter, when you add in the weight of the power adapter it’s about 5.5lbs total carry weight. Considering the battery life comes close to six hours (see battery life section later on) you can probably get away with not carrying the charger around with you to keep weight down. Once you get over 5lbs you start to feel the weight of textbooks combined with a laptop if you’re doing a lot of walking.
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The ThinkPad T420 is definitely not the thinnest laptop out there at about 1.20 inches thick from front to back, but it’s still thin enough to easily slip into your backpack and thinner than your average sized science textbook. The width is quite wide at 13.4-inches, this is to accommodate the new and wider 16:9 aspect ratio screen (previously it was 16:10). Laptops now use the same screen technology and resolutions as the TV in your living room, so their overall shape is a much wider rectangle than they used to be.
Lenovo ThinkPad T420 Performance
When configuring the T420 I purposely went for the lowest end components to keep the price down and because I knew that for my needs, which doesn’t involve any gaming or use of other 3D applications, the basic selections would be just fine. The Intel Core i3-2310m processor this laptop is equipped with is the entry level processor for Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge processor family (the second generation of “Core i” processors). The Core i3-2310m clocks in at 2.0GHz of clock speed and is dual core. You can get up to an Intel Core i7-2620m 2.70GHz processor and at the time of this writing that’s a $190 upgrade feature. I only configured 2GB of RAM in the T420 due to the fact Lenovo was overcharging for an upgrade to 4GB (+$80), I will be buying another 2GB from NewEgg.com for much cheaper than $80 to bring the total to 4GB as this is definitely an Achilles heel for overall performance. I went with the standard 250GB 5400RPM hard drive instead of splurging on the very expensive upgrade to an SSD (+$400). Having an SSD would certainly help performance but can only be justified for those with money to spare and a penchant for wanting fast boot times and file loads that a SSD is so good at.
I use a laptop for writing, web development, multimedia (YouTube, DVDs etc.), Skype and a few other utilities. In other words, my usage pattern is fairly standard compared to other students, my most egregious use of resources is having several browser tabs open at the same time which can tend to eat up memory. The T420 as configured had no issues performing fast under all usage conditions. HD video on YouTube played back flawlessly and opening programs was always snappy. Even if you have some graphics intensive applications the integrated Intel 3000 HD graphics are quite capable, much better than Intel integrated graphics of a couple of years ago, you can get away with doing some light gaming using the Integrated graphics without problem.
All that said, if you know your usage demands will be more than mine you have the ability to make some nice component upgrades and have a very fast T420 configuration – it’ll just cost you!
For those that prefer some raw numbers, I ran a couple of benchmarks to get scores. Remember, this was with only 2GB of memory on board and the scores will surely go up with just a $25 2GB memory upgrade.
PCMark Vantage Version 1.0.2.0
Windows Experience Index
Lenovo ThinkPad T420 Battery Life
Battery life is probably one of the most important features to students. If you’re like me and get hives watching the battery meter tick down to 0% as you sit stranded doing work far from any power outlet you can appreciate a long lasting battery. I’m happy to report that the T420 offers a very comfortable battery life of 5-hours under normal usage and screen at 2/3 brightness, and if you’re a road warrior that doesn’t mind dimming the screen way down and doing work then you can easily top 6-hours. I pulled the plug and dimmed the brightness to level 5 of 15, left wireless on and let the computer idle and after 6 hours and 2 minutes it went into hibernation when battery life was worn down to 5%. If five hours of sustained battery isn’t enough for you, there’s a couple of options to get longer battery life. You can upgrade to a larger 9-cell battery that should give you around 7.5 hours of battery life, or remove the optical drive and use a 3-cell bay battery in place of it for another couple of hours of battery life.
Lenovo ThinkPad T420 Keyboard
The legendary keyboard is the main reason a lot of people will only buy a ThinkPad laptop. The ThinkPad T420 keyboard is of course the same as it ever was on former ThinkPads, each key feels individual with just the right amount of travel and feedback. The texture of the keys is great, the finish is matte and prevents fingers from slipping and hides dirt well. The keyboard is very firm and no sag can be found. Honestly everything is pretty much perfect about the keyboard, my only wish is that there were an option for a backlit keyboard as I really love the ability to easily read key lettering in dark rooms. The included “ThinkLight”, a light in the top of the lid that can be turned on to illuminate the keyboard, does not do an adequate job of illuminating the entire keyboard area.
Lenovo ThinkPad T420 TouchPad and TrackPoint
You have two options of how to move the cursor around the screen built into the T420, either touchpad or trackpoint. I favor the trackpoint as it prevents the need of having to lift your hands from the keyboard to move the cursor to another location. The trackpoint has a red rubber cover on it for easy grip and the sensitivity can be adjusted using built-in software. For those more used to a touchpad you will find the one included on the T420 is easy to use due to its textured surface and decent size. It’s not as good as say the huge Apple MacBook Pro touchpad, but that uses an integrated mouse button approach while Lenovo always favors having obvious and dedicated buttons.
Lenovo ThinkPad T420 Screen
One nice thing about the ThinkPad T420 is that you have a couple of screen resolution options. I really like being able to fit as much on my screen as I can by having a high-resolution so I went for the 1600 x 900 upgrade instead of the 1366 x 768 standard resolution, it means smaller text and icons but my eyes are still young enough to tolerate that. So the high resolution is appreciated, but outside of that the screen itself is fairly standard in the world of laptops. The brightness is very good, it’s more than bright enough at the highest setting to use in any type of indoor setting. It is not bright enough to use outdoors in the sun, you need a specialized (and expensive) laptop to do that. If you look at the screen straight on the colors are vivid and true, but adjusting the vertical angle of the screen away from perpendicular to your eyes will mean the colors start to invert and simply not look right. A demonstration of the viewing angles can be seen in the below pictures.
 ThinkPad T420 default wallpaper |
 Viewing straight on |
 Screen tilted back view |
 Screen tilted forward view |
Overall what you see above is typical of any laptop that does not have an IPS screen. The ThinkPad X220 actually offers an IPS screen if you really dig being able to view a screen from any angle and seeing the same colors. The Apple iPad is another example of a consumer device that has an IPS screen.
Lenovo ThinkPad T420 ports
The number of ports offered on the T420 is excellent, the only thing missing is an HDMI port, instead you get a DisplayPort as that’s more standard in business devices than the more consumer oriented HDMI port. Here’s a run down of the ports you get and where they are located:
ThinkPad T420 left side: VGA monitor out port, Gigabit Ethernet LAN port, DisplayPort, USB 2.0 port
ThinkPad T420 right side: headphone/microphone port, ExpressCard 34mm slot, 4-in-1 media card reader, USB 2.0/eSata combo port
ThinkPad T420 back: IEEE-1394 (FireWire) port, USB 2.0 port always-on powered port (vertically aligned), power jack
ThinkPad T420 front side: No ports here, just the screen latch
Some people may also be disappointed not to have the latest USB 3.0 included, but to be honest, since you have eSata as a way to quickly move data to external devices the need for USB 3.0 is reduced.
ThinkPad T420 Speakers and Audio
The speakers for the T420 are located on either side of the keyboard. They serve just fine for watching DVD movies and streaming audio, though as you’d expect the bass isn’t all that great. There’s a headphone jack on the right side toward the front and I recommend plugging in a set of decent headphones to get the best audio experience.
Lenovo ThinkPad T420 Conclusion
The ThinkPad T420 or T420i is a great option as a college laptop. It has the battery life, usability and build quality it takes to get work done around campus. The option of configuring either a budget level laptop of around $800 or high-end laptop configuration of $1,400+ is great and allows you to design a laptop that fits your needs, but still get the same build and design quality no matter what you include. I like the fact the option for a higher resolution screen is present, for those of us that find we can do work more efficiently using two windows open at once on the screen you will appreciate the 1600 x 900 resolution screen. Overall a thumbs up on buying the T420 that is a worthy successor to the previous ThinkPad T410 and improves on an already great line of laptops.
Related Articles:
Where to Buy:
The ThinkPad T420 and T420i can be configured and purchased at Lenovo.com:
This review convinced me to get a Thinkpad T420i. Thank you! Great review.
hi
i am looking for some review of T-420i because there is a big discount with $670 you can get a 4g memory and i5 processor. i still hesitate, but after reading your review, i decide to buy it now even thought i have a Macbook pro. but sometimes i have to use windows for programming. thank you!
Nice choice ning and a great price on that configuration, hope you enjoy the ThinkPad T420i!
Nice review but still I have a doubt what is the diference between business laptop and home laptops any changes in keyboard this week iam going to buy t420i can you give a replay I have now dellstudio iam searching for a good laptop I saw dell xps and T420 which is best….thank you
I just went to Lenovo site and their ThinkPad T420 looks very different. It’s thinner than your pics show, they say is “under 4 lbs” and it has most of the ports on the back not on the sides as yours show. What gives?
@Daniel, you must have been looking at the ThinkPad T420s:
http://shop.lenovo.com/us/notebooks/thinkpad/t-series/t420s
It’s a slimmer, lighter and more expensive version of the T420 and as you mention it does have different port layout.
A really good review. Absolutely wonderful to read it. I am a student and I am planning to buy a T420, with high end specification for my research analysis work. To reduce weight further, I was thinking if it is possible to remove the DVD drive and close the bay with a casing (if it is available anywhere). I do not mind carrying the charger around. Do you have any idea if that is possible?
Thanks Ashish. I think what you’re looking for is what Lenovo calls a “Travel cover”. You can call them up and ask for the part or it looks like people are selling them on eBay for around $10: http://cgi.ebay.com/UltraBay-Blank-Travel-Cover-62P4331-thinkpad-T410i-X200-/170515706576?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27b38732d0
Can you help me with this. May I know the T420′s box size?
Sure, the shipping box size for the ThinkPad T420 is 18.5″ x 4.33″ x 13.0″ (width x depth x height). A total of 17,061 cubic centimeters / 1,041 cubic inches.
Be careful with Intel Wireless N1000. It does not work properly on some Linux distros like Fedora. I am really looking forward to the next kernel release to see if it has been fixed the bug…So far working on Ubuntu
For those of you still interested in using Intel wireless on a Linux OS, Fedora supports the Intel Wireless Advanced-N 6205 option very well. Upgrading the wireless card only cost me an extra $16 after the discounts I had.
As always, beware the Thinkpad b/g/n! Reception and driver support in Linux is horrendous.
Hi, I’m just asking this out of curiousity..where do you get all the money to afford all of these laptops??
Lots of credit card debt of course. Kidding. After a few months I sell laptops that have been reviewed on eBay and use the proceeds to purchase another laptop to review.
Would you consider the T420 to be the best student laptop if you were to recommend one laptop that a student shall buy? If not, what would it be?
Eric, I do belive the T420 is a great option as a laptop for students, but there’s no one size fits all and since everyone has personal tastes, preferences and different needs as a student it’s impossible to say every student should just get the T420. For instance, some people say the ThinkPad T420 looks too boring and has no style, but if you dig a professional business look then you might actually like the design. I think students that are prudent and go for function over form will like the T420 though.
Ok, but, if YOU were to choose 1 laptop to recommend to students for school, what laptop would it be? Forget about the students’ preferences, I’m talking about what YOU would choose. Which laptop would it be?
Well I like the T420 a lot, but assuming money were no concern I think I’d pay more and get the T420s because I’m a sucker for thin and light but still want a 14″ screen. If I didn’t have $1,000+ to spend on a laptop I’d go with the T420 and enjoy the extra battery life it gets over the T420s.
Is there any way that I could still redeem a free xbox 360 if I buy a lenovo laptop that is over $700?
Scott, Lenovo.com isn’t participating in the Free XBox 360 program, so there’s no way to qualify for that. You could buy a Lenovo laptop from Amazon.com, Microsoft Store or Best Buy and get a free XBox 360 through the programs those retailers are doing but I don’t believe any of those places carry the T420.
I got the Thinkpad T420 after reading your review and I am really happy. It’s durable and looks and feels like a tank. Thanks for the helpful review!
That’s awesome Surya, glad to hear the T420 is working out and you liked the review!
Excellent review. Was trying to decide between a thin-and-light T420i and the ultraportable X220i for my military use (I’m an Army Reserve officer). Thanks for the great analysis.
My X220i is on the way, in part thanks to your excellent review of the T420.
hey Andrew, that’s awesome, I think the X220i will serve you well. It’s just as powerful as the T420 so you’re not making any sacrifices in terms of performance there. And thanks for your service to this great country of ours!
Hi, I just received my t420 in the mail, and after playing around with it, there is a noticeable amount of flex to it. For example, if i push down on the space to the left of the red mouse buttons, the whole surrounding area and part of the keyboard flexes. The keyboard also flexes when I push on the A or S keys. Should I be worried or exchange this? Thanks.
hey Kyle, a small amount of flex is normal for any laptop, if you push hard enough you’ll definitely get that. It’s when the keyboard sinks or has a mushy feeling you need to worry. It’s not likely that a laptop would be manufactured and the tray beneath the keyboard be forgotten but extreme mushiness of the keyboard would be a symptom of that. If it’s just a small amount of flex, I wouldn’t worry though.
Good to know. Thank you.
Hi, I would like to know – what is flex?
I got a brand new Lenovo T420 and see that while I am typing the focus automatically goes where the mouse pointer is pointing ? Has anyone experienced to this ? any solution? Thanks.
Generally when people speak of flex on a laptop they’re referring to a lack of firmness in the keyboard or the palm rest area, if the laptop is built with quality materials and designed right you shouldn’t be able to push down and notice the keyboard or palm rest sink down, or “flex down” if you will. It becomes a major worry if you get flex in the keyboard or palm rests simply by typing.
I made one big review Lenovo T420 vs Dell Latitude E6420 vs HP Elitebook 8460p
http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=et&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.laptopid.ee%2Fkasulikku
Original is here http://www.laptopid.ee/kasulikku
i noticed there are small raised bumps on the surface of the touchpad? and that image gives a very uncomfortable feeling when i visualize when my fingers are moving on that touchpad..
do those raised bumps make it all weird and ticklish when you are moving the cursor?
i never felt it before so i have no idea how its gonna feel so plz tell me what you think about feel on that
I actually like the textured bumpy surface, it helps you to find the touchpad with your fingers without having to look at the keyboard. It also prevents any slipping of the finger and gives finer control of the cursor. It definitely does not tickle or feel weird.
Hi, I am currently saving up to buy this Thinkpad T420. I’m planning to replace my single core laptop which just doesn’t do any justice for me. I did hear that this laptop has a really nice keyboard to type on, but I was wondering… Is the keyboard comfortable for a really fast touch typist, say around 80 wpm? Another task that I’m planning to put on this laptop, is music processing. Probably going to use Reason 5.0 or Adobe Audition.. Do you think this laptop would handle music creativity well?
Sincerely Will
Hi Will, the T420 keyboard is excellent, I find it especially good for accurate typing which at the end of the day can increase your WPM. The keys are not as light touch as some other laptops, it requires a bit of a push, but I can type faster on a ThinkPad keyboard than any other I have used. As far as running audio editing software, you’ll definitely have no issues running that, even if you go with the most affordable Intel Core i3 processor it will run smoothly on the T420. My favorite processor is the Core i5-2410m if you can afford that upgrade. Good luck!
Hello,
Thanks for the helpful review. I am still debating between getting the Thinkpad E420 and the Thinkpad T420 (I read both your reviews on these). I know the T420 is supposedly more durable and would likely last longer. But both have basically the same specifications (4 gigs of ram, I5 processor ect) but the T420 is $200 more. Money is factor in my decision, but at the same time I don’t want to get something that will break quickly and then regret it. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks!
Lenore, if you’re price sensitive and the price you’re looking at is under $1,000 and there’s a $200 difference then you have to consider that’s a 20% price difference, which is pretty big. The one big thing I like about the T420 over the E420 is that you can upgrade to a higher resolution screen on the T420 (1440 x 900 resolution). If you don’t care about the screen resolution, prefer the standard 1366 x 768 resolution or simply don’t know what I’m talking about then the E420 screen resolution will be fine. While the T420 does have a better overall build quality, if you’re careful with your technology gadgets (carry them properly, don’t drop and bump them) then the E420 will still be fine and last a long time so long as you take care of it. The E420 is also slightly lighter than the T420, so if weight is an important factor then there’s a small benefit there. Also consider that the E420 has HDMI while the T420 does not, many prefer that also.
Hi.
I read a lot about fannoise problems concerning the t420s and t420.
Do you have any experiences with regard to noise and heat on this model?
Thank you.
Hi!
From the pictures, I only see one microphone/headphone jack. What should I do if my mic headset needs two jacks?
Windy, you could us a headphone dual jack adapter, cost is around $2:
http://www.amazon.com/DX-AD103-Dual-Mini-Headphone-Jack/dp/B004DE19JU