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Lenovo Thinkpad T500

Specifications

Lenovo Thinkpad T500
Lenovo Thinkpad T500 (Thinkpad T Series)
Graphics adapter
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 - 256 MB VRAM, Core: 600 MHz, Memory: 700 MHz, GDDR3, Hybrid Graphics (GMA 4500MHD), 6.14.10.6822/XP
Memory
2048 MB 
, DDR2 RAM, 1x2048MB, max. 8GB
Display
15.40 inch 16:10, 1680 x 1050 pixel, WSXGA TFT, Samsung LTN154P3-L02 Panel, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel PM45
Storage
160 GB - 5400 rpm, 160 GB 
, 5400 rpm, HTS542516K9S
Soundcard
HD Audio
Connections
1 PC-Card, 1 Express Card 54mm, 3 USB 2.0, 1 Firewire, 1 VGA, 1 DisplayPort, 56k Modem, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: Headphones, microphone, Card Reader: 7in1
Networking
Intel(R) 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5300 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/), Bluetooth 2.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 34 x 255 x 358 ( = 1.34 x 10.04 x 14.09 in)
Battery
56 Wh Lithium-Ion, 10.8V 5200mAh
Operating System
Microsoft Windows XP Professional 32 Bit
Additional features
ThinkVantage Tools, Acrobat Reader, InterVideo WinDVD, Roxio Creator , 36 Months Warranty
Weight
2.73 kg ( = 96.3 oz / 6.02 pounds), Power Supply: 440 g ( = 15.52 oz / 0.97 pounds)
Price
1370 Euro

 

Pricecompare

Average Score: 84.29% - good
Average of 7 scores (from 7 reviews)
price: 71%, performance: 77%, features: 68%, display: 69% mobility: 73%, workmanship: 88%, ergonomy: 85%, emissions: 86%

Reviews for the Lenovo Thinkpad T500

87% Review Lenovo Thinkpad T500 Notebook | Notebookcheck
One for all. The models of the T-series made by Lenovo were always the solid base of the complete product range. With display sizes of 14.1" and 15.4", equipped with current and if desired also powerful hardware, the current T-models can cover a wide range between mobility and performance. Combined with typical Thinkpad qualities, they are still serious contenders among business notebooks.
83% Lenovo ThinkPad T500
Source: PC Pro English Archive.org version
Set amongst notebook style icons such as Dell’s Adamo or Apple’s Macbook Pro 13, the Lenovo T500 looks strikingly out of place. Indeed, like a time-traveller from the 1980s shot unceremoniously into 2009, the T500’s dowdy, textured black physique could almost be a museum exhibit of how laptops once used to look. A pricier version of Lenovo’s T500 has been our second-choice A-list business laptop for some time now, and this model follows in those footsteps. It isn't stylish, but if you want a practical, comfortable business laptop that’s built to last, you won't be disappointed by the Lenovo T500.
Single Review, online available, Medium, Date: 09/07/2009
Rating: Total score: 83% price: 83% performance: 83%
80% Lenovo ThinkPad T500 15.4-inch Thin and Light Laptop PC
Source: Comp Reviews English Archive.org version
Lenovo's ThinkPad T series of laptops has been extremely popular with corporations but they also work well for consumers. The New ThinkPad T500 is an updated platform that uses the same durable case and design as previous models. Performance is superb for this platform although it is a bit more expensive. Some users will be really happy of the Windows XP downgrade included because of its corporate focus that still primarily uses the OS.
4 von 5, Leistung gut, Verarbeitung exzellent, Preis schlecht
Single Review, online available, Very Short, Date: 11/17/2008
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 40% performance: 80% workmanship: 95%
83% Lenovo T500
Source: PC Pro English Archive.org version
A real prizefighter of a laptop: powerful, well-built and reasonably mobile too.
5 von 6, Leistung gut, Verarbeitung gut, Mobilität gut
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/01/2008
Rating: Total score: 83% performance: 80% mobility: 80% workmanship: 80%
Lenovo T500 ThinkPad Review
Source: Notebookreview.com English Archive.org version
The Lenovo T500 as a whole is a great step up from the T61, with a faster processor lineup, much better graphics card, better cooling, larger touchpad, and even a digital video output from the notebook itself. System performance was phenomenal, coming close to workstation or gaming notebook levels. What is not so great is the famed ThinkPad keyboard going floppy on us where they used to be rock solid. No matter if this change was to cut weight or cut costs, Lenovo should have known better not to mess with the most important part of ANY ThinkPad notebook. Don't get me wrong, the keyboard is still much nicer than a budget notebook keyboard, it just isn't as good as what it used to be. Overall the Lenovo ThinkPad T500 is a fine notebook worthy of a spot on many office or dormroom tables, but it could have come closer to perfection if Lenovo didn't mess with the keyboard.
Leistung sehr gut, Emissionen gut, Mobilität gut, Display mangelhaft
User Review, online available, Long, Date: 08/22/2008
Rating: performance: 90% display: 50% mobility: 80% emissions: 80%

Foreign Reviews

80% Lenovo IBM Thinkpad T500 (NL34DGE)
Source: Chip.de - 2/09 German
Single Review, , Very Short, Date: 01/01/2009
Rating: Total score: 80% price: 90% performance: 40%
87% Test Lenovo Thinkpad T500 Notebook
Source: Notebookcheck German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 10/15/2008
Rating: Total score: 87% performance: 87% display: 87% mobility: 77% workmanship: 87% ergonomy: 88% emissions: 91%
90% Lenovo Thinkpad T500
Source: Notebookjournal German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 09/15/2008
Rating: Total score: 90% price: 70% performance: 70% features: 50% display: 50% mobility: 50% workmanship: 90% ergonomy: 80% emissions: 80%

Comment

ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650: The Hd 3650 is a middle class graphics card (in 2008) and compareable to an 8600M GT GPU from Nvidia. It is fabricated in 55nm process and due to Avivo video engine the graphic card can support the processor with several video operations (HD video too).

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.


P8600:

Fast but still not overpriced dual core CPU. For most games and multimedia applications sufficient and due to the 25W TDP even for smaller notebooks useable.

» 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.


2.73 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.


84.29%: This rating is slightly above average, there are somewhat more devices with worse ratings. However, clear purchase recommendations look different.


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

 

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Devices with the same GPU

Toshiba Satellite A350-205
Mobility Radeon HD 3650, Core 2 Duo P8600, 16.00", 3 kg

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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 15IRU8
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Lenovo ThinkPad L15 G4, i7-1355U
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Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U
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Lenovo ThinkPad T14s G4-21F8002TGE
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Lenovo ThinkPad E14 G5 i7-1355U
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Lenovo V17 G4 IRU
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Lenovo Thinkpad T500 on Ciao

Lenovo Thinkpad T500
Lenovo Thinkpad T500
Stefan Hinum, 2008-09- 7 (Update: 2019-04-30)