Lenovo ThinkPad T400

The design of the Lenovo ThinkPadT400 has changed a bit since previous generation ThinkPads. The changes are subtle to the untrained eye, but they are there. The right side is now gently sloped similar to what can be found on the older T4x series, where the sides angle inward instead of dropping off flat. The first clue about this is the optical drive bezel which sports a nice beveled edge. The rubber feet have also been slightly tweaked, now feeling softer, and you get an additional springy nub on the bottom of the notebook. Getting past the minor case design changes, the style of this ThinkPad is every bit as boring as all ThinkPads preceding it. We have the same paint, same rubbery texture, and we still have our ThinkPad logo.

Upgrade and expansion is a step harder than most notebooks, but still very simple. To gain access to all user-replaceable parts, you simply remove five screws and carefully remove the palmrest and keyboard. Here you gain access to an open WWAN slot, another for Turbo Memory or UWB, two DDR3 memory slots, and your wireless card. At this stage you can also see the processor and heatsink, but a few additional items must be removed before you can lift those items out. Although this setup does seem like Lenovo is trying discourage the user from upgrading parts, Lenovo fully allows owners to handle upgrading or adding components to their notebook without voiding the warranty. That said, advanced component replacement, such as removing the processor, might void a warranty. The hard drive is the only item accessible from the outside of the case (besides the battery) and is easily removed with a single screw.

Build quality is very similar to the previous generation ThinkPad T61, with all of its strengths and weaknesses. Fit and finish are great with most parts, but you still have a good amount of battery wiggle in the back, as well as the cheaper feeling plastic LCD lid. This configuration offered both PC Card and ExpressCard/54 slots, so it included the spring loaded dust flap. This is different from the T400 we reviewed last year that had a blank card instead of the flap since it was equipped with a SD card reader taking one of the slots. The flap adds support on the left side of the palmrest, so unlike the other T400 this model is rock solid on the left.

Our T400 configuration included an Intel Core 2 Duo P8600 processor, 3GB of RAM, Intel X4500 integrated graphics, and a 7200rpm hard drive. For day-to-day activities such as browsing the web, typing a document, or watching a movie the system performed flawlessly with barely any lag. The 7200rpm drive kept processes moving along smoothly with its faster transfer speeds and shorter seek times. Unlike models with the ATI 3470 Hybrid graphics, this T400 was not destined to game. It is capable of playing older games with tweaking, or newer games if they are not 3D intensive. While a ThinkPad might not be the first choice for a multimedia notebook, the T400 easily handles the load of 720 or 1080P HD movies. Video output is limited to VGA from the T400, or DVI through the advanced docking stations.

The high brightness display option on the updated T400 looks excellent and doesn’t take a huge bite out of your battery under normal activities. With most high brightness screens the power consumption is high even at lower brightness settings and what we found with the T400 is the impact on the battery is minimal at worst. On the 6-cell battery we managed 5 hours and 58 minutes of battery life, right on the mark with the previous T400 that used hybrid graphics. The updated keyboard support is my favorite change, knowing that Lenovo listened to feedback from users and improved the design. Overall, if you are in the market for a business notebook that is usable in direct sunlight, the T400 with the high nit screen option is the way to go.