Notebookcheck Logo

Lenovo Thinkpad SL500

Specifications

Lenovo Thinkpad SL500
Lenovo Thinkpad SL500 (Thinkpad SL Series)
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS - 256 MB VRAM, Core: 580 MHz, Memory: 702 MHz, GDDR3 VRAM, 7.15.11.7482 Forceware 174.82
Memory
2048 MB 
, DDR2 PC5300 667MHz, 2x1024MB, max. 4096MB
Display
15.40 inch 16:10, 1280 x 800 pixel, WXGA VibrantView TFT, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel PM45
Storage
160 GB - 5400 rpm, 160 GB 
, 5400 rpm, Hitachi HTS542516K9S
Soundcard
HD Audio
Connections
1 Express Card 54mm, 4 USB 2.0, 1 Firewire, 1 VGA, 1 HDMI, 1 Modem, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: headphones, microphone, Card Reader: SD Cardreader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168C/8111C Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5100 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 2.0
Optical drive
HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GSA-T30N
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 39 x 260 x 358 ( = 1.54 x 10.24 x 14.09 in)
Battery
52 Wh Lithium-Ion, 10.8V 4.8 Ah
Operating System
Microsoft Windows Vista Business 32 Bit
Additional features
ThinkVantage Tools, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
2.9 kg ( = 102.29 oz / 6.39 pounds), Power Supply: 400 g ( = 14.11 oz / 0.88 pounds)
Price
700 Euro

 

Pricecompare

Average Score: 74.87% - average
Average of 15 scores (from 18 reviews)
price: 81%, performance: 63%, features: 76%, display: 76% mobility: 59%, workmanship: 81%, ergonomy: 84%, emissions: 89%

Reviews for the Lenovo Thinkpad SL500

84% Review Lenovo Thinkpad SL500 Notebook | Notebookcheck
Thinkpad for Everyone. Lenovo intends to attract attention of the very big number of potential customers in the low price category by the launch of the Thinkpad SL series. Thereby, the SL models should offer the successful Thinkpad qualities at an attractive entry level price, which makes it affordable for everyone. Overall, the SL series approaches the consumer sector.
70% Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 review
Source: Techradar English Archive.org version

Does Lenovo's business machine do the job for the average user? If you're in the market for a corporate laptop, at this price few are better than the ThinkPad SL500. The Toshiba Satellite Pro A300-2C5 may offer better multimedia performance, but the keyboard on this laptop is one of the best available, creating an excellent work environment.


Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 08/23/2009
Rating: Total score: 70%
83% Lenovo ThinkPad SL500
Source: PC Pro English Archive.org version
We're usually big fans of Lenovo's no-nonsense approach to producing laptops. Its thin and light ThinkPad X300 is still one of our favourite ultraportables, some 16 month after its initial release and, last month, its business workstation - the T500 - also impressed us. This month, things have taken a different tack entirely, from the seriously expensive T-series to the ultra-cheap IdeaPad S10e and this - another reasonably-priced laptop, the SL500, which at ?434 exc VAT is less than half the price of the T500. Initially at least there's no discernible drop in quality, either. Lenovo cuts the price, but not the quality of its ThinkPad laptops and the result is a simply stunning budget machine.
5 von 6, Preis sehr gut
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 01/01/2009
Rating: Total score: 83% price: 90%
78% Lenovo ThinkPad SL500
Source: Computer Shopper English Archive.org version
The ThinkPad SL500 is an affordable version of Lenovo’s popular business notebook that doesn’t skimp on features.
7.8 von 10, Ausstattung gut, Mobilität schlecht
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/15/2008
Rating: Total score: 78% features: 80% mobility: 40%
80% Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 notebook
Source: Pocket Lint English Archive.org version
The Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 manages to deliver both in terms of aim, as well as price. For the asking price, the build quality is excellent and the all-round usability makes it a pleasure to use. Sure, it's not the most powerful notebook around but the keyboard and battery life more than make up for it.
8 von 10, Verarbeitung ausgezeichnet, Preis sehr gut, Mobilität gut, Leistung schlecht
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 11/03/2008
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 90% performance: 40% mobility: 80% workmanship: 95%
75% Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 review
Source: CNet English Archive.org version
The ThinkPad SL500 is attractively priced, solidly built and a good performer. We're particularly impressed with the high-resolution 15.4-inch screen. However, its inward-sloping edges can make it difficult to locate ports and expansion slots, the webcam is basic and battery life could be longer.
7.5 von 10, Verarbeitung gut, Display gut, Mobilität sehr schlecht
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 10/23/2008
Rating: Total score: 75% display: 80% mobility: 30% workmanship: 80%

Foreign Reviews

Prosumer-Notebook mit dem roten TrackPoint
Source: Cyberbloc German DE→EN Archive.org version
User Review, online available, Medium, Date: 11/20/2009
Rating: price: 80%
15,4 Zoll Laptops im Test
Source: T-Online German DE→EN Archive.org version
Comparison, online available, Medium, Date: 02/19/2009
Rating: price: 80% performance: 80% features: 80%
71% Test: Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 (NRJ4CGE) (Notebook)
Source: Chip.de German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 02/09/2009
Rating: Total score: 71% price: 96% performance: 51% features: 75% display: 85% mobility: 69% workmanship: 80% ergonomy: 85%
71% Minipreis-Laptops
Source: Chip.de - 2/09 German
Comparison, , Long, Date: 02/01/2009
Rating: Total score: 71% price: 80% performance: 51% features: 75% display: 85% mobility: 69% ergonomy: 85%
65% Zehn Spiele-Notebooks bis 1.500 Euro
Source: Gamestar German
Comparison, , Length Unknown, Date: 12/01/2008
Rating: Total score: 65% price: 70% performance: 40% display: 80%
60% Ein Puma ohne Krallen
Source: Chip.de - 12/08 German
Comparison, online available, Medium, Date: 12/01/2008
Rating: Total score: 60% price: 80% performance: 73% features: 85% display: 84% mobility: 50% ergonomy: 88%
77% Lenovo SL500 – Alles-Könner mit Schönheitsfehlern
Source: Notebookinfo German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/06/2008
Rating: Total score: 77% performance: 79% features: 88% display: 79% mobility: 66% workmanship: 72% emissions: 90%
65% Lenovo Thinkpad SL500
Source: Gamestar German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 10/28/2008
Rating: Total score: 65% price: 70% performance: 45% features: 60% display: 85%
84% Test Lenovo Thinkpad SL500 Notebook
Source: Notebookcheck German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/22/2008
Rating: Total score: 84% performance: 79% display: 76% mobility: 75% workmanship: 86% ergonomy: 88% emissions: 87%
80% Lenovo Thinkpad SL500
Source: Notebookjournal German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 08/25/2008
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 70% performance: 40% features: 50% display: 30% mobility: 50% workmanship: 70% ergonomy: 70% emissions: 90%
80% Lenovo Thinkpad SL500
Source: PCM Dutch NL→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/20/2008
Rating: Total score: 80% performance: 80% mobility: 40%
Lenovo ThinkPad SL500 teszt - az elérhető minőség
Source: Laptopkalauz HU→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 07/16/2009
Rating: workmanship: 80%
Nyolc laptop tesztje: multimédia a nappaliban 2.
Source: Nonstop Mobil HU→EN Archive.org version
Comparison, online available, Medium, Date: 05/02/2009
Rating: price: 80% performance: 80%

Comment

NVIDIA GeForce 9300M GS: Compared to the 9300M G, the GS has only 8 unified shaders but a higher clock rate. Therefore, the performance should be similar according to Nvidia. Supports 
Hybrid-SLI (GeForceBoost and HybridPower) with Nvidia 9100M G and PureVideo HD (VP3).

Only some 3D games with very low demands are playable with these cards.

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Graphics Cards and the corresponding Benchmark List.


Intel Core 2 Duo: This is the Core Duo and Core Solo successor with a longer pipeline and 5-20% more speed without more power consumption. As an addition to the Core Duo design there exists a fourth decoder, an amplified SSE-unit and an additional arithmetical logical unit (ALU).

The Core 2 Duo for laptops is identical to the desktop Core 2 Duo processors but the notebook-processors work with lower voltages (0.95 to 1188 Volt) and a lower Frontside bus clock (1066 vs 667 MHz). The performance of equally clocked notebooks is 20-25% lower than Desktop PCs because of the lower Frontside bus clock and the slower hard disks.


P8400:

Middle class dual core CPU with a TDP of 25 Watt. For high end gamer the performance could be not sufficient (for class 1 graphic cards).

» Further information can be found in our Comparison of Mobile Processsors.


15.40":

15-inch display variants are the standard and are used for more than half of all laptops.

The reason for the popularity of mid-sized displays is that this size is reasonably easy on the eyes, often allows high resolutions and thus offers rich details on the screen, yet does not consume too much power and the devices can still be reasonably compact - simply the standard compromise.

» To find out how fine a display is, see our DPI List.


2.9 kg:

With this weight, a laptop is rather heavier than average. Devices in this range shine more with screen size and performance than with mobility.


Lenovo: Lenovo ("Le" from English legend, novo (Latin) for new) was founded in 1984 as a Chinese computer trading company. As of 2004, the company was the largest laptop manufacturer in China and, after acquiring IBM's PC division in 2005, the fourth largest in the world. In addition to desktops and notebooks, the company manufactures monitors, projectors, servers, etc, and specializes in developing, manufacturing and marketing consumer electronics, personal computers, software, enterprise solutions and related services.

In 2016, the company ranked first in the world in computer sales. It still held it in 2023 with about 23% global market share. Important product lines are Thinkpad, Legion and Ideapad.

In 2011, it acquired a majority stake in Medion AG, a European computer hardware manufacturer. In 2014, Motorola Mobility was purchased, which gave Lenovo a boost in the smartphone market.


74.87%: This rating is poor. More than three quarters of the models are rated better. That is rather not a purchase recommendation. Even if verbal ratings in this area do not sound that bad ("sufficient" or "satisfactory"), they are usually euphemisms that disguise a classification as a below-average laptop.


» Further information can be found in our Notebook Purchase Guide.

 

Please share our article, every link counts!

Devices with the same GPU

Asus X83VB
GeForce 9300M GS, Core 2 Duo T5800, 14.10", 2.6 kg
Sony VAIO VGN-CS11S/Q
GeForce 9300M GS, Core 2 Duo P8400, 14.10", 2.6 kg
Sony Vaio VGN-CS11Z/R
GeForce 9300M GS, Core 2 Duo P8400, 14.10", 2.6 kg

Devices with Same Screen Size and/or Weight

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim Chrome 14IAN8
UHD Graphics 32EUs, Alder Lake-N i3-N305, 14.00", 1.5 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5 16APH8
Radeon 780M, Phoenix (Zen 4, Ryzen 7040) R7 7840HS, 16.00", 1.93 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5 14IRH8
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Raptor Lake-H i7-13700H, 14.00", 1.46 kg
Lenovo ThinkPad L14 G4, i7-1355U
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Raptor Lake-U i7-1355U, 14.00", 1.4 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15ABR8
Vega 8, Cezanne (Zen 3, Ryzen 5000) R7 7730U, 15.60", 1.62 kg
Lenovo Yoga Pro 7 14IRH G8, i5-13500H
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Raptor Lake-H i5-13500H, 14.50", 1.49 kg
Lenovo Yoga Slim 6 14IRH8
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Raptor Lake-H i5-13500H, 14.00", 1.35 kg
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G12
Arc 8-Cores, Intel Meteor Lake-H Ultra 7 155H, 14.00", 1.097 kg
Lenovo ThinkPad L15 G4, i7-1365U
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Raptor Lake-U i7-1365U, 15.60", 1.77 kg
Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G6 ABP
Vega 8, Cezanne (Zen 3, Ryzen 5000) R7 7730U, 14.00", 1.38 kg
Lenovo V15 G4 IRU
UHD Graphics Xe G4 48EUs, Raptor Lake-H i5-13420H, 15.60", 1.67 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IAH8
UHD Graphics Xe G4 48EUs, Alder Lake-P i5-12450H, 15.60", 1.62 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU8
UHD Graphics 64EUs, Raptor Lake-U i3-1315U, 15.60", 1.62 kg
Lenovo ThinkPad L15 G4, i7-1355U
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Raptor Lake-U i7-1355U, 15.60", 1.77 kg
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Raptor Lake-U i7-1355U, 14.00", 1.36 kg
Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G4+
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Alder Lake-M i7-1255U, 16.00", 1.8 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRH8
UHD Graphics Xe G4 48EUs, Raptor Lake-H i5-13420H, 15.60", 1.62 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 16APH8
Radeon 780M, Phoenix (Zen 4, Ryzen 7040) R7 7840HS, 16.00", 1.93 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro 16ARP8
Radeon 680M, Rembrandt (Zen 3+) R7 7735HS, 16.00", 1.93 kg
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s G4 i7-1365U
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Raptor Lake-U i7-1365U, 14.00", 1.38 kg
Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Raptor Lake-U i5-1335U, 16.00", 1.823 kg
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s G4-21F8002TGE
Radeon 780M, Phoenix (Zen 4, Ryzen 7040) R7 7840U, 14.00", 1.353 kg
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5 i7-1355U
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Raptor Lake-U i7-1355U, 14.00", 1.497 kg
Lenovo Yoga Slim 6 14IAP8, i5-1240P
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Alder Lake-P i5-1240P, 14.00", 1.31 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15ALC7, R7 5700U
Vega 8, Lucienne (Zen 2, Ryzen 5000) R7 5700U, 15.60", 1.62 kg
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15IAU7
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Alder Lake-M i7-1255U, 15.60", 1.63 kg
Preisvergleich

Lenovo Thinkpad SL500 on Ciao

Lenovo Thinkpad Notebooks bei Geizhals.at/eu
Lenovo Notebooks im Notebookshop.de

Lenovo Thinkpad SL500
Lenovo Thinkpad SL500
Stefan Hinum, 2008-09- 7 (Update: 2019-04-30)