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Lenovo Thinkpad T520 Series

Lenovo ThinkPad T520iProcessor: Intel Core i3 2310M, Intel Core i5 2410M
Graphics Adapter: Intel HD Graphics 3000, NVIDIA NVS 4200M
Display: 15.60 inch
Weight: 2.6kg
Price: 800, 1600 euro
Average Score: 83.25% - good
Average of 12 scores (from 13 reviews)
price: 75%, performance: 79%, features: 83%, display: 93%, mobility: 69%, workmanship: 85%, ergonomy: 92%, emissions: 89%

 

Lenovo Thinkpad T520 4240-4CG

Specifications

Lenovo Thinkpad T520 4240-4CGNotebook: Lenovo Thinkpad T520 4240-4CG
Processor: Intel Core i5 2410M
Graphics Adapter: NVIDIA NVS 4200M 1024 MB
Display: 15.60 inch, 16:9, 1600 x 900 pixels
Weight: 2.6kg
Price: 1600 euro
Links: Lenovo homepage

Pricecompare

Average Score: 83% - good

Average of 10 scores (from 12 reviews)

 

Reviews

86% Review Lenovo Thinkpad T520 Notebook | Notebookcheck
Timeless. As we've already noticed in the smaller T420, the tested and tried Thinkpad design has practically been left untouched on the outside. However, the new Sandy Bridge hardware will now do its job inside. Moreover, we discover a pro graphics card and the Optimus technology.
80% Lenovo ThinkPad T520 Review
Source: Laptop Mag English Archive.org version
While it's a bit thick and heavy for a 15-inch laptop, the $1,299 Lenovo ThinkPad T520 offers business users everything they need: good performance, durability, and security. Of course, you also get Lenovo's trademark fantastic keyboard and accurate pointing stick. Add in wide viewing angles for the matte screen and extra-long battery life and you have a sound investment.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/05/2012
Rating: Total score: 80%
80% Lenovo ThinkPad T520 Review
Source: Laptop Mag English Archive.org version
While it's a bit thick and heavy for a 15-inch laptop, the $1,299 Lenovo ThinkPad T520 offers business users everything they need: good performance, durability, and security. Of course, you also get Lenovo's trademark fantastic keyboard and accurate pointing stick. Add in wide viewing angles for the matte screen and extra-long battery life and you have a sound investment.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 03/05/2012
Rating: Total score: 80%
Lenovo ThinkPad T520 Review
Source: Student Buying Guide English Archive.org version
The Lenovo ThinkPad T520 is a strong all around laptop. Its strong chassis and durable design will ensure it survives the rigors of campus. The things to like about this notebook are almost too numerous to list; the legendary ThinkPad keyboard lives on and continues to be the gold standard. The touchpad and pointing stick are excellent as well and offer great feedback. The 1600×900 screen has good image quality and plenty of space (resolution) for multitasking. Overall performance is fantastic for everyday use. The standard 6-cell battery yielded about 7 hours of battery life, on par with Lenovo’s estimates. Lastly, the T520 has plenty of input/output ports including a docking station port. The list of things I don’t like is pretty short; the speakers are terrible and it’s rather heavy/large. To address the last issue, Lenovo offers the smaller 14” T420. Overall I highly recommend the T520, it’s hard to beat – especially if you get it on sale like we did!
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/10/2011
Lenovo ThinkPad T520 Review
Source: Student Buying Guide English Archive.org version
The Lenovo ThinkPad T520 is a strong all around laptop. Its strong chassis and durable design will ensure it survives the rigors of campus. The things to like about this notebook are almost too numerous to list; the legendary ThinkPad keyboard lives on and continues to be the gold standard. The touchpad and pointing stick are excellent as well and offer great feedback. The 1600×900 screen has good image quality and plenty of space (resolution) for multitasking. Overall performance is fantastic for everyday use. The standard 6-cell battery yielded about 7 hours of battery life, on par with Lenovo’s estimates. Lastly, the T520 has plenty of input/output ports including a docking station port. The list of things I don’t like is pretty short; the speakers are terrible and it’s rather heavy/large. To address the last issue, Lenovo offers the smaller 14” T420. Overall I highly recommend the T520, it’s hard to beat – especially if you get it on sale like we did!
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 11/10/2011
83% Lenovo ThinkPad T520i review
Source: PC Pro English Archive.org version
Still, six hours of battery life and fair performance are complemented by the tremendous build quality, to make the Lenovo ThinkPad T520i a solid all-round business laptop. Budget dictates it isn’t the best-equipped machine on the inside, but it can be upgraded to be, and its reliability and design make it an attractive alternative to the excellent Sony VAIO S.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 08/18/2011
Rating: Total score: 83% price: 83% performance: 67% features: 83% ergonomy: 83%
83% Lenovo ThinkPad T520i review
Source: PC Pro English Archive.org version
Still, six hours of battery life and fair performance are complemented by the tremendous build quality, to make the Lenovo ThinkPad T520i a solid all-round business laptop. Budget dictates it isn’t the best-equipped machine on the inside, but it can be upgraded to be, and its reliability and design make it an attractive alternative to the excellent Sony VAIO S.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 08/18/2011
Rating: Total score: 83% price: 83% performance: 67% features: 83% ergonomy: 83%

Foreign Reviews

83% Spitzen-Notebook mit Power und erstklassigem Display
Source: Chip.de - 5/12 German
Single Review, , Medium, Date: 04/01/2012
Rating: Total score: 83% performance: 88% features: 83% display: 100% mobility: 60% ergonomy: 100%
83% Spitzen-Notebook mit Power und erstklassigem Display
Source: Chip.de - 5/12 German
Single Review, , Medium, Date: 04/01/2012
Rating: Total score: 83% performance: 88% features: 83% display: 100% mobility: 60% ergonomy: 100%
83% Test: Lenovo ThinkPad T520 (NW95JGE) (Notebook)
Source: Chip.de German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 01/26/2012
Rating: Total score: 83% price: 63% performance: 88% features: 82% display: 100% mobility: 60% ergonomy: 100%
83% Test: Lenovo ThinkPad T520 (NW95JGE) (Notebook)
Source: Chip.de German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 01/26/2012
Rating: Total score: 83% price: 63% performance: 88% features: 82% display: 100% mobility: 60% ergonomy: 100%
86% Test Lenovo Thinkpad T520 Notebook
Source: Notebookcheck German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/12/2011
Rating: Total score: 86% performance: 80% display: 84% mobility: 81% workmanship: 85% ergonomy: 89% emissions: 89%
86% Test Lenovo Thinkpad T520 Notebook
Source: Notebookcheck German DE→EN Archive.org version
Single Review, online available, Long, Date: 04/12/2011
Rating: Total score: 86% performance: 80% display: 84% mobility: 81% workmanship: 85% ergonomy: 89% emissions: 89%

 

Lenovo ThinkPad T520i

Specifications

Lenovo ThinkPad T520iNotebook: Lenovo ThinkPad T520i
Processor: Intel Core i3 2310M
Graphics Adapter: Intel HD Graphics 3000
Display: 15.60 inch, 16:9, 1366 x 768 pixels
Weight: 2.6kg
Price: 800 euro
Links: Lenovo homepage
 ThinkPad T520i (Model)

Pricecompare

Average Score: 83% - good

Average of 1 scores (from 1 reviews)

 

Reviews

83% Lenovo ThinkPad T520i review
Source: PC Pro English Archive.org version
Still, six hours of battery life and fair performance are complemented by the tremendous build quality, to make the Lenovo ThinkPad T520i a solid all-round business laptop. Budget dictates it isn’t the best-equipped machine on the inside, but it can be upgraded to be, and its reliability and design make it an attractive alternative to the excellent Sony VAIO S.
Single Review, online available, Short, Date: 08/18/2011
Rating: Total score: 83% price: 83% performance: 67% features: 83% ergonomy: 83%

 

Comment

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.


Non demanding games should be playable with these graphics cards.

NVIDIA NVS 4200M: Business Graphics card that is based on the GeForce GT 520M with special BIOS and drivers for business applications. The clock speeds however can in theory slightly surpass the GT 520M, in the Latitude 6420 however they are at a level of the GT 520M.

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

Intel HD Graphics 3000: Integrated graphics card in the Intel Sandy Bridge processors (Core ix-2xxx). The HD 3000 is the faster (internally GT2 called) version with 12 Execution Units (EUs).

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


Intel Core i5:

2410M:

Dual-core processor based on the Sandy Bridge architecture with an integrated graphics card and dual-channel DDR3 memory controller. The CPU is clocked at 2.3 GHz (Turbo Boost 2.6-2.9 GHz) and the GPU at 650 (1200 MHz Turbo).

Intel Core i3:

2310M:

Dual-core processor based on the Sandy Bridge architecture with an integrated graphics card and dual-channel DDR3 memory controller. The CPU is clocked at 2.1 GHz and features the Turbo Boost 2.0 only for the graphics card (650/1100MHz).

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


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


2.6 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.

2.6 kg:


83.25%: 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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Current Prices
Lenovo ThinkPad T520i
Lenovo ThinkPad T520i
Lenovo ThinkPad T520i
Lenovo ThinkPad T520i
Lenovo ThinkPad T520i
Lenovo ThinkPad T520i
Lenovo ThinkPad T520i
Stefan Hinum, 2011-09- 2 (Update: 2019-04-30)