Lenovo ThinkPad T450s Ultrabook Review

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:
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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 |
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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).
Top 10 Laptops
Multimedia, Budget Multimedia, Gaming, Budget Gaming, Lightweight Gaming, Business, Budget Office, Workstation, Subnotebooks, Ultrabooks, Chromebooks
under 300 USD/Euros, under 500 USD/Euros, 1,000 USD/Euros, for University Students, Best Displays
Top 10 Smartphones
Smartphones, Phablets, ≤6-inch, Camera Smartphones
(Screenshots show the ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00; see text for differences)
Display
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.
|
Brightness Distribution: 94 %
Center on Battery: 288 cd/m²
Contrast: 1007:1 (Black: 0.286 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.35 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.2
ΔE Greyscale 3.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.4
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
Outdoors (lightly overcast)
Performance
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.
Processor
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.
Storage Device
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% |
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 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
Toshiba Tecra Z40t | |
Lenovo Thinkpad T440s |
PCMark 8 | |
Home Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
Creative Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
Work Score Accelerated v2 (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
Storage Score (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
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
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 | |
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T440s | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 | |
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T440s | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 | |
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T440s | |
HP EliteBook 840 G2 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 |
SPECviewperf 12 | |
1900x1060 Catia (catia-04) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 | |
1900x1060 Creo (creo-01) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 | |
1900x1060 Energy (energy-01) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 | |
1900x1060 Maya (maya-04) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 | |
1900x1060 Medical (medical-01) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 | |
1900x1060 Showcase (showcase-01) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 | |
1900x1060 Siemens NX (snx-02) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 | |
1900x1060 Solidworks (sw-03) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 |
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 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 Normal Preset AA:FX AF:4x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Counter-Strike: GO | |
1024x768 (Very) Low (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 Medium (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 High AA:2x MS AF:4x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 (Very) High, FXAA AA:4x MS AF:8x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Crysis 3 | |
1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 Medium Preset AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 High Preset AA:FX AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 Very High Preset AA:2xSM AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Metro: Last Light | |
1024x768 Low (DX10) AF:4x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 Medium (DX10) AF:4x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 Very High (DX11) AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Dota 2 | |
1024x768 Low / Off, Render Quality: 40 % (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 Medium / On, Render Quality: 70 % (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 High / On, Render Quality: 100 % (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS03F00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Sims 4 | |
1024x768 Low Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Fifa 15 | |
1280x720 Low Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 High Preset AA:2x MS (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 High Preset AA:4x MS (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Alien: Isolation | |
1024x768 (Very) Low, Off, Shadow Map 512 AF:1x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 Medium, On (AA & SSAO Off), Shadow Map 1024 AF:4x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 High, On, Shadow Map 1536, Standard SSAO AA:FX AF:8x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 Ultra, On, Shadow Map 2048, HDAO AA:2x SM AF:16x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Civilization: Beyond Earth | |
1024x768 Minimum Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1366x768 Medium Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 High Preset (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 | |
1920x1080 Ultra Preset AA:4x MS (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
Dell Latitude E7450 |
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare | |
1024x768 Low / Off (Shader Preload On) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
1366x768 Normal / On (Cache Shadow Maps Off) (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA | |
1920x1080 High / On (Cache Shadow Maps Off) AA:FX (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
HP EliteBook 850 G2 J8R68EA |
GTA V | |
1024x768 Lowest Settings possible (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
1366x768 Normal/Off AF:4x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 | |
1920x1080 High/On (Advanced Graphics Off) AA:2xMSAA + FX AF:8x (sort by value) | |
Lenovo ThinkPad T450s-20BWS1UT00 |
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) |
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30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
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min: ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Temperature
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.
(-) 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 27.8 °C / 82 F (-13.6 °C / -24.5 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.
Off / Standby | ![]() ![]() |
Idle | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Load |
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Battery Runtime
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 |
Pros
Cons
Verdict
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
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02/25/2016 v5(old)
Till Schönborn