Review Lenovo ThinkPad T540p-20BE005YGE Notebook

Even though Lenovo still uses some design elements from the past, the case of the T540p is a complete redesign and clearly differs from the T530. The case is however not completely unfamiliar: The W540 (workstation version) uses exactly the same chassis, so we just want to give a brief description.

Our review unit is made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GRP) and weighs around 2.6 kilograms (~5.7 pounds), which is just slightly below the predecessor. The height of the ThinkPad is reduced by almost 6 millimeters to around 30 millimeters (~0.2 to 1.2 inches), although the WXGA version is interestingly slightly thicker (34 mm; ~1.3 inches). With this comparatively massive construction by today’s standards, you also get an appropriately high stability. However, it cannot quite keep up with a comparable aluminum case. This is not necessarily a problem: GRP is pretty flexible, but also unbreakable at the same time and therefore suited for very demanding scenarios.

Our review unit does not reveal any problems with the build quality. The gaps are mostly very small and consistent, and all edges were carefully rounded. Particular highlights are once again the metal hinges, which are typical for ThinkPads. The firm but very precise construction has been a key quality feature of the series for many years.

Lenovo also integrates high-quality components for the other hardware sections, for example the wireless adaptor. Intel's Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 supports the WLAN standards IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac in 2.4 as well as 5 GHz networks and Bluetooth 4.0. Thanks to two antennas and the dual-stream technology (2x2), we determined an above-average range as well as good transfer rates for the T540p, even though the latter were limited by our old router (o2 Box 4421, up to 150 Mbps).

On the road, you can use the integrated WWAN module to access the Internet. HSPA+ enables download speeds of up to 21.6 Mbps (upload: 5.76 Mbps), the latest and significantly faster LTE technology is however not supported by the Ericsson N5321.

The quality of the integrated 720p webcam might be sufficient for Skype and similar applications, but we expected more from a notebook with this price tag. Especially dark environments result in significant picture noise, but the picture also lacks sharpness and an accurate color reproduction. Voice recordings of the Array microphone leave a better impression; they are easy to understand, but there is also a slight background noise.

Security

The T540p has several hardware and software features that prevent the theft of data or the device itself, respectively. It is prepared for Anti-Theft and Computrace, has an integrated TPM module (TCG 1.2) and offers password options for the BIOS and the hard drive. A fingerprint reader, Kensington Lock and a SmartCard reader complete the security features. More information about the different technologies can be found in our special FAQ-article.

Accessories

Similar to most manufacturers, Lenovo is not very generous when it comes to provided accessories. The box only contains the notebook with the power adaptor, some brochures and a couple of DVDs. They contain the setup files for Windows 8 Pro and the related drivers, if the user wants to upgrade the preinstalled Windows 7 Professional.

The software additions are more extensive: System tasks like driver updates or the backup settings can easily be managed by the proven ThinkVantage Toolbox, but a PDF reader and PowerDVD are available as well. Fortunately, the amount of annoying adware and bloatware is limited.

Maintenance

There are two maintenance covers at the bottom of the notebook, which can be removed with a screwdriver. They grant access to both wireless modules (WLAN/WWAN, both M.2), the occupied 2.5-inch bay (up to 9.5 mm) as well as the two memory slots (one empty).

All the other components require further disassembly of the device, but only experienced users should do that, despite the detailed Hardware Maintenance Manual. Almost every component can be replaced, even the socketed CPU can be upgraded.

Warranty

A warranty period of three years is usually the standard for business devices, and Lenovo's T-series is no exception. As usual, service upgrades are available for an additional charge: Another year on-site service costs a reasonable 60 to 70 Euros (~$83 to $97), an extension to 5 years retails for around 170 Euros (~$234).

Lenovo tries to satisfy the needs of all price ranges and customers with a total of three different 15-inch displays. All models have an anti-reflective surface, but differ in the brightness, panel technology and resolution. The entry-level display only supports the WXGA standard (1366x768 pixels, 220 cd/m², TN panel), the mid-range version uses a Full HD panel (1920x1080 pixels, 300 cd/m², TN panel) and the tested version shows off with 3K (2880x1620 pixels, 350 cd/m², IPS panel).

A couple of years ago, such a high pixel density of 212 ppi was only available in high-end smartphones, and even a typical 30-inch display usually has less pixels. There are, however, drawbacks for the readability, especially with the rudimentary scaling options of Windows 7. After some tests we decided to use the native resolution with 125% scaling – all fonts and symbols are still visible without problems for users with good eyesight.

We cannot completely support the advertised maximum brightness, but the result of 310 cd/m² is still very good. Dell's Latitude E6540 is not quite as bright with 293 cd/m², the old T530 only managed 220 cd/m² (HD+) and 259 cd/m² (Full HD), respectively. The luminance tends to drop towards the bottom of the display, but it is hardly noticeable A nice feature for dark environments is the precise brightness control of the background illumination. Fifteen steps allow the adjustment between 4 cd/m² and the maximum value.

The T540p is one of the few current ThinkPads that is not equipped with frugal ULV processors. Instead, the notebook uses Haswell-based dual-core and quad-core processors with a TDP of 37 and 47 Watts, respectively. Our top version obviously uses a powerful quad-core, more precisely the Intel Core i7-4700MQ. The high-end CPU runs at 2.4 up to 3.4 GHz, can execute up to eight threads simultaneously thanks to Hyperthreading and has a 6 MB L3 cache. You can find more information about this processor in our database.

While the cheaper configurations waive the dedicated graphics card and only use the integrated HD Graphics 4600, our review unit does have an additional GeForce GT 730M. Nvidia's Optimus technology makes sure that the faster and more energy-hungry GeForce GPU is only activated when the user actually needs the performance.

Lenovo equipped the T540p with just one 8 GB module (DDR3L-1600), the memory controller therefore only works in a single-channel configuration. However, a wider interface would only improve the performance of the integrated GPU, so there should not be any drawbacks in practice. Storage is provided by a 250 GB SSD.

Especially notebooks with quad-core CPUs sometimes have the problem that the cooling solution cannot dissipate the resulting heat and that the clock will drop significantly as a result. But not in this case: Single-thread benchmarks show a steady clock of 3.3 up to 3.4 GHz of the Core i7-4700MQ, which means it can utilize its full Turbo Boost potential. Load for all four cores results in a clock of 3.2 GHz in the beginning that drops to 2.9-3.0 GHz after around 30 seconds due to a slightly exceeded TDP.

Overall, the T540p manages similar performance to other notebooks with the identical CPU. Intel does offer even faster versions like the Core i7-4800MQ, which, for instance, works in the Dell Latitude E6540, but the minimal performance advantage of a few percent does not really justify the additional charge. Even the 4700MQ – provided that the software is optimized for multiple cores – is almost twice as fast as the fastest dual-core processors on the market.

There is one big problem when you run on battery power: The CPU clock will drop to 800 MHz as soon as you pull the power plug, which does result in a significant performance reduction. You can only avoid the problem when you force the system to use the HD Graphics 4600 – so it is probably just a bug that can be fixed by an upcoming BIOS update.

You can only use around 175 GB of the 250 GB 2.5-inch SSD for your own data, the rest is occupied by preloaded software as well as the recovery partition. The drive is provided by Samsung (MZ7TD256HAFV) and can convince us with very high transfer rates: Around 240 MB/s writing and more than 500 MB/s reading are excellent, but the results of the more practical 4K tests are on a very high level as well. Current Samsung SSDs are also known to be very reliable – a feature that is very important, especially for a professional device.

The situation changes with typical game engines based on DirectX. We can see an advantage of 20 up to 60% of the GeForce GT 730M over the HD 4600 in the 3DMarks, and the results are fairly close to the Quadro K1100M. A look at the specifications quickly tells us why: Both GPUs have 384 shaders (Kepler architecture), but the slightly higher core clock of the GT 730M is more than compensated by the significantly faster memory interface of the K1100M (128-bit GDDR5 vs. 64-bit DDR3).

MS Office and multimedia applications are usually handled by the efficient Intel GPU, and even 4K playback is possible with a low CPU load. Another advantage of the HD Graphics is the video transcoder Quick Sync, which is currently unrivaled in its speed. It just took 61 seconds to transcode the short movie Big Buck Bunny for the iPhone 5 – the CPU required 264 seconds for the same operation (CyberLink MediaEspresso).

Even though the GeForce GT 730M does have an advantage over the HD 4600, it is still just a low-end mainstream GPU. This means you will usually have to reduce the resolution of games to 1366x768 pixels and select medium details if you want playable frame rates above 30 fps. The native resolution of 2880x1620 pixels, on the other hand, usually ends with a lot of dropped frames, even with undemanding titles.

Contrary to many other notebooks, the ThinkPad does not get fresh air from the bottom, but from the back of the chassis. This does reduce the amount of dust and dirt at the fan and you can use the device on fabric or cushions without any problems.

The device never gets really hot, not even under maximum load. We can only determine values of 40 °C (104 °F) around the fan exhaust during our one-hour stress test (Prime95 and FurMark), and the rest of the device just gets lukewarm. Temperatures of the hardware components are also uncritical with 75 °C (167 °F) (GPU) and 82 °C (179.6 °F) (CPU), respectively. There are no signs of throttling, quite the contrary: Even the Turbos of the Core i7 and the GeForce GPU are still active.

The two stereo speakers are directed towards the bottom and appear to be inconspicuous, but the resulting sound is actually quite convincing. Brilliant high tones and powerful medium tones create a rich sound experience, only the bass from the small speakers cannot really keep up. Overall, not a bad result for an office notebook, and you can also attach an external sound system or headphones. We recommend you use the low-noise and sufficiently powerful stereo jack.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T540p is at the brink of extinction: Hardly any manufacturer still offers classic office notebooks with standard voltage CPUs and comprehensive features below the exclusive workstation segment.

You could think this improves the situation for the T540p. Lenovo offers a suitable configuration for every budget and almost every customer: Even the comparatively inexpensive entry-level version comes with a three-year warranty, the excellent ThinkPad keyboard and comprehensive security features, whereas our reviewed configuration is interesting for performance junkies and fans of high-resolution displays. With the large 9-cell battery and the integrated WWAN module you quickly reach a steep price of 1,800 Euros (~$2482), which is not excessive when you consider the performance.

Apart from some smaller drawbacks like the mediocre webcam or the performance limitations on battery power, (hopefully there will be a BIOS update), it is the touchpad that especially affects the overall impression. Haptics, precision and settings are not the problem, but the lack of dedicated mouse buttons is certainly not an advantage for the users. Sure, you get used to the input device with some training or you can switch to the TrackPoint, but it is still an annoying issue. Potential customers should also read our review of the Dell Latitude E6540, which is probably the biggest rival of the ThinkPad T540p.