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Lenovo ThinkPad T450s Ultrabook Review

Let the games begin! Equipped with an Nvidia GeForce 940M, the ThinkPad T450s can cope with 3D applications and games - and that for a relatively low extra charge. Thanks to a 96 Wh battery capacity, record-breaking runtimes should be possible.

For the original German review, see here.

Not every business laptop is made exclusively for office applications. The user often wishes for a stronger graphics solution when programs with higher graphic demand or even games are to be executed. Manufacturers, such as Lenovo, have recognized this wish, and offer appropriate configurations with additional dedicated GPUs.

In this review, we will re-examine the recently reviewed ThinkPad T450s, which is now configured with a Core i5 processor and GeForce 940M graphics from Nvidia. The screen (14-inch, Full HD IPS) and memory configuration (12 GB of RAM) are the same as in our first review sample. Only the installed SSD is smaller with 256 GB rather than 360 GB. With a purchase price of approximately 1300 Euros (~$1450), it is 100 Euros (~$111) cheaper than the i7-model. An identical configuration, without a GeForce GPU costs about 80 Euros (~$90) less.

The quoted prices do not include an operating system and are only valid within the frameworks of Lenovo's Campus program, which is open among others, to pupils, students and teachers. Unfortunately, the manufacturer demands a few hundred Euros/Dollars more for comparable standard models.

Price overview Education models:

ThinkPad T450s (20BWS03E00)

ThinkPad T450s (20BWS1UT00) ThinkPad T450s (20BWS03F00)

Core i5 5200U

Core i5 5200U Core i7 5600U

12 GB RAM

12 GB RAM 12 GB RAM

500 GB (SSHD)

256 GB (SSD) 360 GB (SSD)

HD Graphics 5500

Nvidia GeForce 940M (1 GB) HD Graphics 5500

IPS screen, 1920 x 1080 pixels

IPS screen, 1920 x 1080 pixels IPS screen, 1920 x 1080 pixels

no WWAN/OS

no WWAN/OS no WWAN/OS

starts at 1190 Euros

starts at 1300 Euros starts at 1400 Euros

Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 (ThinkPad T450s Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-5200U 2 x 2.2 - 2.7 GHz, Broadwell
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce 940M - 1024 MB VRAM, Core: 980 MHz, Memory: 1000 MHz, DDR3 memory, ForceWare 350.12, Optimus
Memory
12 GB 
, 8 GB DDR3L-1600 + 4 GB on-board, 1 of 1 banks filled
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, LP140WF3-SPD1, IPS screen, LED backlight, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Broadwell-U PCH-LP (Premium)
Storage
Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN256HCHP, 256 GB 
, 2.5-inch hard drive, 205 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Broadwell PCH-LP - High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm headset jack, Card Reader: 4-in-1 (MMC, SD, SDHC, SDXC), 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor
Networking
Intel Ethernet Connection I218-V (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 7265 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 34 x 331 x 226 ( = 1.34 x 13.03 x 8.9 in)
Battery
96 Wh Lithium-Polymer, 24 Wh internal + 72 Wh removable
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 8.1 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 megapixels
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: stereo (2x 2 W), Keyboard: chiclet, 65-watt power supply, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
1.78 kg ( = 62.79 oz / 3.92 pounds), Power Supply: 235 g ( = 8.29 oz / 0.52 pounds)
Price
1350 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Special Features of the Review Sample

We will not re-examine the casing, connectivity, wireless options or input devices here, since we have dealt extensively with these points in our first review of the T450s. However, we would like to point out two special features of the present device:

Firstly, the GeForce model of the ThinkPad does not have a SmartCard reader or docking port - it cannot be said with absolute certainty whether this is a technical limitation or product policy strategy. Secondly, we would like to note that the standard 24 Wh battery has been replaced with the optional 72 Wh model (plus 50 Euros; ~$56) in this test. Together with the internal 24 Wh secondary battery, the total capacity increases from 48 Wh to 96 Wh. However, the bulky 6-cell model lifts the laptop's rear by about one centimeter (~0.4 in), and boosts its weight by almost 200 grams (~7 oz).

(Screenshots show the ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00; see text for differences)

Display

Viewing angles: ThinkPad T450s (FHD-IPS)
Viewing angles: ThinkPad T450s (FHD-IPS)

Although the screen is identical to the model in our first review sample (LG LP140WF3-SPD1), we re-assessed the brightness and contrast to determine possible production fluctuations. Our new sample now reaches rates of 281 cd/m² and 1007:1 rather than 268 cd/m² and 1110:1 - these minor tolerances can be viewed as normal. Therefore, the quality of the Full HD IPS screen that Lenovo has selected belongs categorically to the premium range, and scores with a decent color reproduction, extremely generous viewing angles, and unrestricted outdoor suitability. Again, we would refer to our previous test report for further details.

283
cd/m²
288
cd/m²
282
cd/m²
282
cd/m²
288
cd/m²
281
cd/m²
278
cd/m²
272
cd/m²
275
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LP140WF3-SPD1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 288 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 281 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 94 %
Center on Battery: 288 cd/m²
Contrast: 1007:1 (Black: 0.286 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.35 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 3.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
54.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
61.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
83.8% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.68
ColorChecker (pre-calibration)
ColorChecker (pre-calibration)
Saturation Sweeps (pre-calibration)
Saturation Sweeps (pre-calibration)
Grayscale (pre-calibration)
Grayscale (pre-calibration)
ColorChecker (post-calibration)
ColorChecker (post-calibration)
Saturation Sweeps (post-calibration)
Saturation Sweeps (post-calibration)
Grayscale (post-calibration)
Grayscale (post-calibration)

Outdoors (lightly overcast)

Performance

2.7 GHz maximum Turbo clock rate
2.7 GHz maximum Turbo clock rate

The Core i5-5200U is a member of Intel's latest 14-nanometer "Broadwell" generation. It features two CPU cores with Hyperthreading, which clock at 2.2 to 2.7 GHz (2 cores: 2.5 GHz). Therefore, their maximum frequency is approximately 15% lower than that of the Core i7-5600U, which also has a slightly larger L3 cache of 4 rather than 3 MB. Being ULV models, both are specified with a TDP of 15 watts, although the Core i5 will probably be somewhat more energy efficient in practice due to its lower clock rates.

The HD Graphics 5500 processor-integrated graphics core in our review sample is only enabled for basic office and multimedia purposes. The dedicated GeForce 940M takes care of more sophisticated 3D calculations. Graphics switching is automatic - Nvidia's Optimus technology automatically enables the suitable graphics unit, which usually functions quite reliably. Naturally it is possible to intervene manually, and assign single programs (or all applications globally) to a specified GPU.

Disregarding the utilization of expensive 16 GB modules, our review sample already has the maximum memory configuration of 12 GB of RAM (4 GB on-board, 8 GB inserted). A somewhat aggravating limitation - rivals such as the EliteBook 840 G2 can be upgraded by up to 16 GB thanks to two DIMM slots. At least the T450s has an empty M.2 slot in case the capacity of the 256 GB, 2.5-inch SSD is exhausted at some point.

System information: Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00

Processor

Ideal Turbo Boost utilization in single...
Ideal Turbo Boost utilization in single...
...and Multithreading
...and Multithreading

Thanks to the ideal utilization of the Turbo Boost headroom (in both AC and battery mode), the Core i5-5200U  achieves exactly the performance level we had predicted. It only lags behind the considerably more expensive Core i7-5600U by about 15%. Lenovo also has alternative configurations with a Core i5-5300U in their lineup, which in terms of price and performance are positioned roughly between these two models.

Owners of the former T440s model  considering upgrading to the latest T450s should be prepared for marginal performance gains of 10 to 20%. In some cases, the even older ThinkPad T430s is faster because the manufacturer had installed standard voltage CPUs from the 35-watt category. This highlights the trend that has been changing the entire laptop world for some years - new devices are not getting stronger, but increasingly more compact, economic and enduring.

Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U
1.28 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U
1.51 Points +18%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U
1.35 Points +5%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U
1.26 Points -2%
Toshiba Tecra Z40t
Intel Core i5-4310U
1.28 Points 0%
Lenovo Thinkpad T440s
Intel Core i7-4600U
1.42 Points +11%
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U
2.77 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U
3.31 Points +19%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U
3.07 Points +11%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U
2.81 Points +1%
Toshiba Tecra Z40t
Intel Core i5-4310U
2.9 Points +5%
Lenovo Thinkpad T440s
Intel Core i7-4600U
2.75 Points -1%
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U
111 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U
130 Points +17%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U
117 Points +5%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U
109 Points -2%
Lenovo Thinkpad T440s
Intel Core i7-4600U
119 Points +7%
CPU Multi 64Bit (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U
255 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U
302 Points +18%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U
280 Points +10%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U
259 Points +2%
Lenovo Thinkpad T440s
Intel Core i7-4600U
235 Points -8%
X264 HD Benchmark 4.0
Pass 1 (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U
86.6 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U
102.4 fps +18%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U
92.1 fps +6%
Toshiba Tecra Z40t
Intel Core i5-4310U
86.8 fps 0%
Pass 2 (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U
16.19 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U
18.72 fps +16%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U
17.51 fps +8%
Toshiba Tecra Z40t
Intel Core i5-4310U
16.9 fps +4%
TrueCrypt
AES Mean 100MB (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U
1.5 GB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U
1.9 GB/s +27%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U
1.6 GB/s +7%
Toshiba Tecra Z40t
Intel Core i5-4310U
1.6 GB/s +7%
Twofish Mean 100MB (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U
0.242 GB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U
0.303 GB/s +25%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U
0.263 GB/s +9%
Toshiba Tecra Z40t
Intel Core i5-4310U
0.247 GB/s +2%
Serpent Mean 100MB (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U
0.14 GB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U
0.175 GB/s +25%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U
0.153 GB/s +9%
Toshiba Tecra Z40t
Intel Core i5-4310U
0.143 GB/s +2%
Cinebench R10 Shading 64Bit
5583 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 64Bit
11244 Points
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single CPUs 64Bit
5424 Points
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
5487
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
8625
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4155
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.28 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
22.83 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
2.77 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
30.98 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
255 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
111 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Help

Storage Device

AS-SSD benchmark
AS-SSD benchmark

The 2.5-inch SSD in our review sample is not from Intel but from the storage device giant Samsung. The PM871 is a relatively new OEM model that is closely related to the consumer drives of the 850 Evo series. Consequently, the PM871 is also based on stacked 3D NAND cells that provide advantages over the previous, planar TLC flash in both reliability and speed.

Apart from a minor weakness in sequential write - the PM871 apparently has been slowed down compared to the 850 Evo (perhaps for efficiency reasons) - the SSD shows its best side in our benchmarks and is one of the fastest models currently on the market. However, it cannot be completely ruled out that Lenovo relies on several suppliers and installed 256 GB SSDs from other manufacturers.

Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN256HCHP
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP
Dell Latitude E7450
Samsung SSD PM851 mSATA 128 GB
AS SSD
-40%
-5%
-26%
Seq Read
503
489.6
-3%
506
1%
467.2
-7%
Seq Write
285.2
264.5
-7%
247.3
-13%
116.8
-59%
4K Read
33.27
22.19
-33%
27.37
-18%
26.57
-20%
4K Write
84.6
14.61
-83%
107.1
27%
91.9
9%
4K-64 Read
380
210.1
-45%
371.1
-2%
313.2
-18%
4K-64 Write
272.3
83.5
-69%
208.7
-23%
106.3
-61%
Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN256HCHP
Transfer Rate Minimum: 420.2 MB/s
Transfer Rate Maximum: 436.4 MB/s
Transfer Rate Average: 430.7 MB/s
Access Time: 0.1 ms
Burst Rate: 202 MB/s
CPU Usage: 2.2 %

System Performance

Even without an i7 processor, the T450s is a high-performance office device. Not only does it cope with standard routine applications, but also deals with many high-requirement programs at a satisfactory speed. Only excessive multitasking or extremely CPU-heavy software pushes the dual-core CPU to its limits. However, the higher clock of an i7-5600U would only help conditionally here. Fortunately, Lenovo has an alternative ThinkPad T440p with quad-core CPUs in its lineup for this user group.

Interestingly, sometimes our i5 model outperforms the previously tested i7 configuration in PCMark. The higher performance of Samsung's SSD is reflected in this benchmark. The OpenCL power of the GeForce 940M should also have a part in PCMark 8.

PCMark 7 - Score (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN256HCHP
4995 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
4797 Points -4%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 mSATA 128 GB
4650 Points -7%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP
4139 Points -17%
Toshiba Tecra Z40t
Intel Core i5-4310U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2686 Points -46%
Lenovo Thinkpad T440s
Intel Core i7-4600U, Samsung SSD 840 250GB MZ7TD2560/0L9
5022 Points +1%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN256HCHP
3128 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
3270 Points +5%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 mSATA 128 GB
2932 Points -6%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP
2936 Points -6%
Creative Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN256HCHP
3945 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
3613 Points -8%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 mSATA 128 GB
3459 Points -12%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP
3139 Points -20%
Work Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN256HCHP
4097 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
4394 Points +7%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 mSATA 128 GB
4002 Points -2%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U, Samsung SSD PM851 256 GB MZ7TE256HMHP
4044 Points -1%
Storage Score (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, Samsung SSD PM871 MZ7LN256HCHP
4971 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel SSD Pro 2500 Series SSDSC2BF360A5L
4857 Points -2%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Samsung SSD PM851 mSATA 128 GB
4894 Points -2%
PCMark 7 Score
4995 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3128 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
3945 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4097 points
Help

Graphics Card

Graphics switching solution
Graphics switching solution

Nvidia's GeForce 940M is based on the same GM108 Maxwell chip as the older GeForce 840M. Therefore, the technical specifications - 384 Shader units, 24 TMUs, 64-bit memory interface - have not changed; the manufacturer has only marginally increased the base and boost frequencies.

Lenovo clocks the GeForce 940M quite conservatively, and completely omits the Boost mode beyond that. We deem the 1 GB DDR3 memory (2000 MHz effective clock) to be quite low. For example, this limit is soon reached when multiple pictures are opened simultaneously in Photoshop.

Nvidia's GPU outperforms the integrated HD Graphics 5500 by a factor of approximately 2, and places itself just before the Radeon R7 M260X that HP has installed in its EliteBook series. On the other hand, the AMD model has the upper hand in professional CAD applications - SPECviewperf 12 recorded almost identical performance for the 940M as for the graphics processor.

3DMark 11
1280x720 Performance (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
2380 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
1251 Points -47%
Lenovo ThinkPad T440s
Intel Core i7-4600U, NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M
1647 Points -31%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
940 Points -61%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
2114 Points -11%
1280x720 Performance GPU (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
2313 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
1117 Points -52%
Lenovo ThinkPad T440s
Intel Core i7-4600U, NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M
1513 Points -35%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
856 Points -63%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
1903 Points -18%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
42339 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
55793 Points +32%
Lenovo ThinkPad T440s
Intel Core i7-4600U, NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M
41007 Points -3%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
37502 Points -11%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
35203 Points -17%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
6134 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
5782 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad T440s
Intel Core i7-4600U, NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M
5627 Points -8%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
4342 Points -29%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
6619 Points +8%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
1426 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
753 Points -47%
Lenovo ThinkPad T440s
Intel Core i7-4600U, NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M
986 Points -31%
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
548 Points -62%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
1336 Points -6%
SPECviewperf 12
1900x1060 Catia (catia-04) (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
9.71 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
9.69 fps 0%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
17.92 fps +85%
1900x1060 Creo (creo-01) (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
6.68 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
8.99 fps +35%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
14.52 fps +117%
1900x1060 Energy (energy-01) (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
0.08 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
0.06 fps -25%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
0.06 fps -25%
1900x1060 Maya (maya-04) (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
2.09 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
8.34 fps +299%
1900x1060 Medical (medical-01) (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
5.72 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
1.02 fps -82%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
4.37 fps -24%
1900x1060 Showcase (showcase-01) (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
6.05 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
4.79 fps -21%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
4.76 fps -21%
1900x1060 Siemens NX (snx-02) (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
1.81 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
2.47 fps +36%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
5.79 fps +220%
1900x1060 Solidworks (sw-03) (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
14.65 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
15.6 fps +6%
HP EliteBook 850 G2
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
26.87 fps +83%
3DMark 06 Standard Score
11874 points
3DMark Vantage P Result
7406 points
3DMark 11 Performance
2380 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
42339 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
6134 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1426 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
365 points
Help

Gaming Performance

As a lower mid-range GPU, the GeForce 940M usually copes with current games only by using low to medium details and in 1366x768 pixels. Classics like “Diablo III” or “Counter Strike: GO” can be rendered smoothly in the native Full HD resolution. In summary, at least two times higher performance can be achieved compared to the HD 5500  - a fair deal in relation to an extra charge of approximately 80 Euros (~$90).

Tomb Raider
1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
130.8 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
61.8 fps -53%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
108.5 fps -17%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
45 fps -66%
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
66.1 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
30.4 fps -54%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
51.6 fps -22%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
22.9 fps -65%
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
36.4 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
19.3 fps -47%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
35.1 fps -4%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
14.5 fps -60%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
17.5 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
9.9 fps -43%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
15.8 fps -10%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
7.3 fps -58%
Diablo III
1024x768 Low / off (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
155.4 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
101.9 fps -34%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
52.8 fps -66%
1366x768 Medium / low (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
106.2 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
68 fps -36%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
34.8 fps -67%
1366x768 High AA:on (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
89.1 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
57.5 fps -35%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
27.8 fps -69%
1920x1080 High AA:on (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
53.8 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
37.5 fps -30%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
16.9 fps -69%
Counter-Strike: GO
1024x768 (Very) Low (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
168.1 fps
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
71 fps -58%
1366x768 Medium (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
141.1 fps
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
51.3 fps -64%
1366x768 High AA:2x MS AF:4x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
112.6 fps
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
36.2 fps -68%
1920x1080 (Very) High, FXAA AA:4x MS AF:8x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
68.1 fps
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
19.7 fps -71%
Crysis 3
1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
39.1 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
44.1 fps +13%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
15.7 fps -60%
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:16x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
25.4 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
27.5 fps +8%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
10.5 fps -59%
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
18.1 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
17.4 fps -4%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
7.2 fps -60%
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:2xSM AF:16x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
7 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
6.8 fps -3%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
2.8 fps -60%
Metro: Last Light
1024x768 Low (DX10) AF:4x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
46.4 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
19.7 fps -58%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
44.3 fps -5%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
15.6 fps -66%
1366x768 Medium (DX10) AF:4x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
36.4 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
17.5 fps -52%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
28.9 fps -21%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
11.8 fps -68%
1366x768 High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
22.5 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
12.2 fps -46%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
15.5 fps -31%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
9 fps -60%
1920x1080 Very High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
11.3 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
6 fps -47%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
6.9 fps -39%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
4.5 fps -60%
Dota 2
1024x768 Low / Off, Render Quality: 40 % (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
85.5 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
74 fps -13%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
91.3 fps +7%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
54.4 fps -36%
1366x768 Medium / On, Render Quality: 70 % (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
70.1 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
42 fps -40%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
70.9 fps +1%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
31.9 fps -54%
1920x1080 High / On, Render Quality: 100 % (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
36.2 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
21.9 fps -40%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
31.4 fps -13%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
14.4 fps -60%
Sims 4
1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
161.1 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
157.6 fps -2%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
129.4 fps -20%
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
66.2 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
51.9 fps -22%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
31.7 fps -52%
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
35.7 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
26.1 fps -27%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
15.8 fps -56%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
28.8 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
22.8 fps -21%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
10.2 fps -65%
Fifa 15
1280x720 Low Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
95.3 fps
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
34.6 fps -64%
1366x768 High Preset AA:2x MS (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
70.1 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
55.3 fps -21%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
26.6 fps -62%
1920x1080 High Preset AA:4x MS (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
47 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
29.4 fps -37%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
15.5 fps -67%
Alien: Isolation
1024x768 (Very) Low, Off, Shadow Map 512 AF:1x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
61.3 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
55.8 fps -9%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
26.6 fps -57%
1366x768 Medium, On (AA & SSAO Off), Shadow Map 1024 AF:4x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
46.1 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
37 fps -20%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
18.3 fps -60%
1920x1080 High, On, Shadow Map 1536, Standard SSAO AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
23.2 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
20.2 fps -13%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
9.8 fps -58%
1920x1080 Ultra, On, Shadow Map 2048, HDAO AA:2x SM AF:16x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
17.4 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
15.7 fps -10%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
8 fps -54%
F1 2014
1024x768 Ultra Low Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
107 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
54 fps -50%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
70 fps -35%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
42 fps -61%
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
78 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
33 fps -58%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
49 fps -37%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
28 fps -64%
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
49 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
23 fps -53%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
31 fps -37%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
18 fps -63%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4x MS (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
28 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
13 fps -54%
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
23 fps -18%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
12 fps -57%
Civilization: Beyond Earth
1024x768 Minimum Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
63.7 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
40.8 fps -36%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
34.3 fps -46%
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
28 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
18.2 fps -35%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
16.3 fps -42%
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
18.9 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
12.8 fps -32%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
9.4 fps -50%
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4x MS (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
15.4 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
11.2 fps -27%
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
8 fps -48%
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
1024x768 Low / Off (Shader Preload On) (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
60.1 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
48.5 fps -19%
1366x768 Normal / On (Cache Shadow Maps Off) (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
29.4 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
28.8 fps -2%
1920x1080 High / On (Cache Shadow Maps Off) AA:FX (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
17.9 fps
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA
Intel Core i7-5500U, AMD Radeon R7 M260X
15.5 fps -13%
GTA V
1024x768 Lowest Settings possible (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
61.3 fps
1366x768 Normal/Off AF:4x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
54.6 fps
1920x1080 High/On (Advanced Graphics Off) AA:2xMSAA + FX AF:8x (sort by value)
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
14.3 fps
low med. high ultra
Diablo III (2012) 155.4 106.2 89.1 53.8
Counter-Strike: GO (2012) 168.1 141.1 112.6 68.1
Crysis 3 (2013) 39.1 25.4 18.1 7
Tomb Raider (2013) 130.8 66.1 36.4 17.5
Metro: Last Light (2013) 46.4 36.4 22.5 11.3
Dota 2 (2013) 85.5 70.1 36.2
Sims 4 (2014) 161.1 66.2 35.7 28.8
Fifa 15 (2014) 95.3 70.1 47
Alien: Isolation (2014) 61.3 46.1 23.2 17.4
F1 2014 (2014) 107 78 49 28
Civilization: Beyond Earth (2014) 63.7 28 18.9 15.4
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (2014) 60.1 29.4 17.9
GTA V (2015) 61.3 54.6 14.3

Emissions

System Noise

Unexpectedly, the GeForce 940M does not have a negative impact on the noise development of the T450s. Even in 3D applications and our stress test (Prime95 + FurMark) the fan spins so slowly that the operating noise reaches approximately 34 dB(A). This places our review sample on par with the model with integrated graphics.

Usually the ThinkPad does not need active cooling while idling or during simple routine use (browsing, office, video playback) and operates almost silently. "Almost" because a quiet, electronic hum is occasionally heard from the inside. However, this is not audible at a normal working distance of approximately 50 centimeters (~20 in).

Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i5-5200U, NVIDIA GeForce 940M
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s
Intel Core i7-5600U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
HP EliteBook 840 G2
Intel Core i5-5200U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
Dell Latitude E7450
Intel Core i5-5300U, Intel HD Graphics 5500
Noise
-1%
1%
-5%
Idle Minimum *
29.1
29.1
-0%
29.1
-0%
29.1
-0%
Idle Average *
29.1
29.1
-0%
29.1
-0%
29.1
-0%
Idle Maximum *
29.1
29.1
-0%
29.1
-0%
30
-3%
Load Average *
33.1
34.3
-4%
32.2
3%
36.4
-10%
Load Maximum *
34.3
34.8
-1%
34.2
-0%
37.8
-10%

* ... smaller is better

Noise Level

Idle
29.1 / 29.1 / 29.1 dB(A)
Load
33.1 / 34.3 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft SL-451 (15 cm distance)

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

Unfortunately, the low noise level has its price: In some places, the casing's temperatures climb to over 50 °C (~122 °F) during full load, and more than 40 °C (~104 °D) on the wrist rest. However, to some extent we can put these extremely high rates into perspective. The tests were performed at an ambient temperature of 23 °C (~73 °F), and FurMark produced an unrealistically high GPU utilization (no TDP limitation of the GeForce 940M). Therefore, in practice the temperatures should normally be considerably lower.

We will continue with our worst-case scenario anyway, and look at the hardware temperatures after performing the stress test for one hour. The processor slowly comes close to its throttling threshold of 95 °C (~203 °F), but can still maintain its maximum clock of 2.4 to 2.5 GHz. Only a slight decrease from 980 to 940 MHz is seen from the graphics chip, which records approximately 85 °C (~185 °F). Overall, Lenovo's temperature management is under control so that no CPU or GPU throttling should occur in real applications.

 28.6 °C
83 F
29 °C
84 F
28.5 °C
83 F
 
 29 °C
84 F
28.7 °C
84 F
28.8 °C
84 F
 
 28.8 °C
84 F
28.7 °C
84 F
28.4 °C
83 F
 
Maximum: 29 °C = 84 F
Average: 28.7 °C = 84 F
28.7 °C
84 F
30.9 °C
88 F
29.1 °C
84 F
29.1 °C
84 F
30.4 °C
87 F
30.3 °C
87 F
29 °C
84 F
29.6 °C
85 F
29.7 °C
85 F
Maximum: 30.9 °C = 88 F
Average: 29.6 °C = 85 F
Power Supply (max.)  31.5 °C = 89 F | Room Temperature 23 °C = 73 F | Fluke 62 Max
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39.1 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 49.6 °C / 121 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 51.9 °C / 125 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 28.7 °C / 84 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(-) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 41.4 °C / 106.5 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-13.7 °C / -24.6 F).

Energy Management

Power Consumption

Thanks to Optimus support, the GeForce 940M does not increase the power consumption unnecessarily while idling. The T450s is satisfied with just 3.1 watts in minimum screen brightness. A higher brightness enabled Wi-Fi modules and the Windows "High-Performance" mode boost the power consumption up to 9.6 watts.

The impressive energy efficiency of modern Maxwell graphics chips is seen under load. The Nvidia GPU requires only 5 watts more than the Intel counterpart during a drastically higher performance in 3DMark 06, although it is built in an older 28 nanometer process. We measure a maximum of almost 50 watts at the input side of the included 65-watt power supply, which also remains fairly stable even in permanent load due to the absence of throttling.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0 / 0.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.1 / 8.6 / 9.6 Watt
Load midlight 35.6 / 49.4 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Extech Power Analyzer 380803
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.

Battery Runtime

72 Wh vs. 48 Wh vs. 24 Wh
72 Wh vs. 48 Wh vs. 24 Wh
Solely the 24 Wh battery closes flush with the casing.
Solely the 24 Wh battery closes flush with the casing.

As in many other ThinkPads, Lenovo's "Power Bridge" system that is comprised of two batteries is used in the t450s. One has a capacity of 24 Wh and is inside the casing. The other can be inserted into the device's rear. The standard model also adds 24 Wh, but the manufacturer also offers larger models with 48 Wh (+30 Euros; ~$33) or 72 Wh (+50 Euros; ~$56). The total power capacity can thus be doubled from 48 up to 96 Wh. However, the latter two batteries also increase both height and weight.

Our 96 Wh review sample achieved twice the runtimes of the 48 Wh configuration, which is probably due to the improved energy saving features of Windows 8.1 (Windows 7 Professional was installed in the first test). Depending on the application scenario, the T450s lasted between 4 and 31 hours away from the outlet - a more than impressive outcome. Runtimes of approximately 11 to 12 hours will still be realistic with a screen brightness of approximately 150 cd/m² and normal load. Recharging took about 4 hours.

Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00
96 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00
48 Wh
Dell Latitude E7450
54 Wh
HP EliteBook 840 G2
50 Wh
Lenovo Thinkpad T440s 20AQ0069GE
96 Wh
Battery Runtime
-60%
-48%
-49%
-11%
Reader / Idle
1857
774
-58%
714
-62%
961
-48%
1695
-9%
H.264
757
322
-57%
452
-40%
324
-57%
670
-11%
WiFi v1.3
648
276
-57%
422
-35%
422
-35%
Load
259
88
-66%
115
-56%
112
-57%
225
-13%
WiFi
336
459
750
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
30h 57min
WiFi Websurfing
10h 48min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
12h 37min
Load (maximum brightness)
4h 19min

Pros

+ Light and very rigid casing
+ Outstanding keyboard
+ Viewing angle stable IPS screen
+ Decent application and graphics performance
+ Low noise development
+ LTE module can be retrofitted
+ Extensive security features
+ Extreme battery life (72 Wh battery)
+ 3-year warranty

Cons

- Only one memory bank
- Uncomfortable ClickPad
- Protruding secondary battery

Verdict

Lenovo ThinkPad T450s. Test model provided by Campuspoint.de
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s. Test model provided by Campuspoint.de

Core i5 processor, GeForce GPU, SSD, and IPS screen the perfect configuration of a ThinkPad T450s in our opinion.

Most users will easily dispense with the at best 20% higher performance of the expensive Core i7-5600U - anyone needing that last bit of CPU power, should opt for the T440p from the outset. The GeForce 940M doubles the ThinkPad's 3D performance and does not push the purchase price or the emissions to unreasonable heights.

We also believe that the optional 72 Wh battery is highly recommendable. Practical runtimes of approximately 12 hours quickly compensate for the battery's weight and thickness, especially since short mobile outings can be bridged with the integrated 24 Wh battery. On the other hand, we do not see much sense in buying the 48 Wh battery; it is just as thick, not much lighter and only 20 Euros (~$22) cheaper than the 72 Wh model.

We have already dealt extensively with the other qualities and weaknesses of the laptop in another place - many of the items listed can be transferred to other configurations. Pupils, students and teachers should definitely take one of the many Education models; some configuration features, such as the GeForce graphics, are only offered to this target group.

Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 - 02/25/2016 v5(old)
Till Schönborn

Chassis
93 / 98 → 95%
Keyboard
94%
Pointing Device
85%
Connectivity
61 / 80 → 77%
Weight
66 / 20-67 → 98%
Battery
94%
Display
89%
Games Performance
64 / 68 → 95%
Application Performance
78 / 92 → 85%
Temperature
83%
Noise
95%
Audio
56%
Camera
53 / 85 → 62%
Average
78%
89%
Office - Weighted Average

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Till Schönborn, 2015-05-20 (Update: 2019-04-30)