I managed to grab a T480s off eBay for $700 with the i7-8650u, 1440p panel, and 16gb of ram. I have about a year and a half left of warranty. Best machine I’ve ever owned.
Just grabbed one off eBay for $250 - i5-8350U with 8gb of RAM and the 1080p screen. Haven't tested it yet as it hasn't shipped, but it's replacing a 2015ish Acer Aspire and should be a big upgrade. Plus the seller had a 30-day return policy which gives a little insurance in case something isn't working.
@@LaptopRetrospective going to run Linux. this will be a travel/couch laptop, mostly running a terminal, web browser, or VNC. thinking T480s simply because of the superior screen (1440p!)
The T480s has so many things going for it that the next generation left out such as: full size SD card, full size RJ45, easily replaceable keyboard, upgradable RAM etc. It has a few quirks such as the TB issue and the camera cable going bad but otherwise is kind of ignored in favour of the regular T480.
@@darthgamer6080 Year late reply lmao but the shielding around the connection to the motherboard peels back exposing the wires and just causing it to go bad. Seen it a lot when working on them, only fix was a new cable.
I have a T480 that I blew the backlight fuse on when I bought it used in 2019, when I tried to upgrade the display. Then over then pandemic I decided to try to replace the fuse, and did it, now I have the best laptop I've owned . So many ports, dual SSD support, upgradeable RAM, and a hot-swappable battery.
love my t480s so much 🥰 despite having a yoga 9i as well, it's still my trusty t480s that i bring with me wherever i go. i think the ram runs at dual channel with anything 8gb + 16-32gb. the first 8gb of the additional ram runs in dual channel with the soldered 8gb, and the rest runs in single channel.
bought myself a t480s after seeing its selection of ports and I couldn't be any happier as I am an IT technician. full sized rj45, thunderbolt docking options? the option for an external gpu? It is a surprisingly capable machine despite it being 2024. I got an i5 8350u model and one of the main reasons I bought the laptop is that it has really cheap replacement parts and with hundreds and thousands of these machines being made the parts are practically flooding the market to help keep the machine running like its brand new. PS: The keyboard being easily replaceable AND spill resistant? will save you hundreds of dollars in headaches later on, just get a silicone cover for it if you want it to last even longer
Hey I got the same one. With fingerprint reader and, unnecessarily, touchscreen. How much does your battery last with normal use? Mine came with 80% health and lasts around four or five hours to go from 80% charge to almost nothing.
@@manuelmigoya2109 Hey, funnily enough just disable the touchscreen in the device manager under human interface devices, and its called a HID compliant touchscreen. my renewed unit came with a brand new battery! 99.8%. about 7-9 hours if you are doing light tasks. the 15hr figure is an impossibility though :(
The full sized SD card slot is a nice addition. While I wouldn't edit my photos on that display, It's nice that you can get photos off of a camera without a cable or dongle.
There is only ONE Thinkpad design change that I have ever taken issue with, and I barely hear people talk about it: mounting the hinges on the screen, so that the screen opens behind the laptop. Now that the P1 has come out with screen mounted hinges, that marks the end of the old hinge design. Why did lenovo get rid of a sturdier hinge design that feels great to use, in favor of a hinge design that is known to break more often and interfere with general usage (I.E, the screen touching stuff behind the laptop when opening)? What were they thinking?
Not sure honestly what the thinking is behind it but I'd like to think there is some good reasons behind it. Perhaps one day the reason will be revealed.
The following doesn't apply to the ThinkPad, but does apply to the IdeaPad, but I wanted to point it out anyway: that design issue is exacerbated when the exhaust vents are located in the rear so that hot air hits the bottom lip of the lid.
I don't like the thin path we arrived at now. It became harder to open and repair or replace a little something. I find my older stuff more adorable. There are some exceptions. One is 1080+ displays to watch videos or have more windows open. Another is good specs to run modern stuff. A dongle setup is kind of mad to me. A dock under is intelligent. Several ports can be useful or fun.
Just picked up a 480s with 8gb ram and the 256 ssd for $200. It’s in excellent condition and I feel like a kid that won a free happy meal in the McDonald monopoly game.
I'm a bit late to the party. I just purchased a T480s off eBay for $262 in immaculate condition. It's going to replace my X270 as I wanted a stronger portable with more power down the road. I can't wait to throw some upgrades on it and make it an Arch powerhouse :D
@@LaptopRetrospective It's a very strong, sturdy package and the magnesium cools the bottom cover + top case impressively well making it cool to the touch on basically any load I throw at it. I am pleased that they managed to include a dual heat pipe. That really helps this thinner chassis. My designated use cases for this are: Software KVM on desk, media streaming, light gaming (2D stuff, old 3D stuff, emulators) w/ Bluetooth controller, e-mail, messengers, looking up stuff on the go, code editing...basically the go-to for travel now. I really wanted to protect my new L14G2A and this fits the bill. Arch is stingy about the fingerprint reader with a Validity reader upon enrollment, so I haven't gotten that working yet. It's an i5 vPro 8GB soldered model -- I transplanted 16GB extra and an Intel tri-band 18265 AC card. I got a battery with 24 cycles from the Windows report, 3Wh lost, and Linux shows 94% health...this thing is in better condition than the seller let on. It was pulled from an enterprise environment -- there were no surprises and everything was wiped appropriately. The condition is A-tier; the wear is almost strictly cosmetic with one little oddity of my left TrackPoint button not fully registering at the right side of it, which is where I usually click. It has to be pressed down more than I'd like to register. I can easily just place my thumb somewhere else. Maybe there's something under it that got in and I can just air/clean it out. I did a bit of a clean around the keyboard & heatsink + fan, the vents, re-pasted, and was happy this one isn't full of those dreaded chassis clips. I love the keyboard on this. It flashed to its newest firmware including Thunderbolt and it all succeeded, so no worries about that. It passed every diagnostic I ran so far. It's running as I would prefer. It's really hard to find problems with it to tell you the truth. Maybe I could adjust the hinge tension. Maybe I could replace the keyboard down the road. Maybe the screen isn't the best in the world, but I can upgrade it. Maybe Lenovo's choices in coatings aren't the best, but they're still pretty alright. Every issue is very minor and not really a bother for me. It's less weight than the X270 with a 3 and 6-cell. My scale has it at 3.122 lb. or about 1.46kg. There is barely flex *anywhere* and the panel housing is quite durable. I think Lenovo did very well with this model.
Hi, you've done once again, a really good video ! I was thinking of getting this laptop for college but I also would like to run some VM's on Android Studio while coding on VS Code. Do you think this computer can handle this use smoothly ?
@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you very much! Sorry for the double question, but what about for daily driving Linux, would you still recommend? I'm thinking of dd'ing Linux (Ubuntu, Mint, I'm open to suggestions) on a T480 to get me through 2-3 years of Grad School. Good idea?
ThinkPads are well known to behave nicely with Linux. 2-3 years depending on your software demands for your schooling should be fine. i5 or i7 with 16GB of RAM and healthy batteries would be a nice platform.
@@LaptopRetrospective Awesome, thanks so much! T480 seemed like the best/most cost-efficient gateway into the ThinkPad/Linux systems. I like the upgradeability idea as well. Thanks again for your help, I'm subbed and will be following your content closely!
Nice review. T480s would have no issue to handle a 4k 60hz 27inch monitor to do some photo editing in Lightroom and light video editing (1080p)? One USB-C cable for charge and display function would work with a compatible monitor? (I'd like to replace my old T440s a bit too slow to handle RAW files)
I'm getting soo many conflicting answers, is the T480 or T480S the "superior" model? Everyone's PC needs are different, but I've heard the T480S has better build quality and is easier to open without breaking clips, but somehow people suggest the T480 more? One soldered RAM sucks, as does the reported (minor?) overheating problems, but if the case ain't gonna fit after 2 fixes, shouldn't that make the T480S superior?? Is it personal preference?? Sorry for the noobish question on a year old video
Can't say I've heard people refer to the s variant being superior. Build quality to me is the same essentially and as for clips busting, the more a machine is opened, the more strain is put on them. I feel more people open a T480 because there is more to repair and they are more common so you will see more stories.
good laptop, but I don’t like the fact that in new models the sound and microphone control buttons were removed from the keyboard (as it was for example on x220) for me this is a very convenient thing, since it’s much easier than pressing the fn and f1 -f3 buttons, also, the microphone is easier to turn off with one button. Although the decision to move the power button to the case is not bad, for example, now the keyboard on my thinkpad is broken and I can’t even turn on my laptop
I have a regular T480 from work. I have 32 gigs of ram in it. My track pad film has come off, and i didn't even touch the track pad for almost 2 years over covid. but overall I'd buy this machine second hand, its' been a good computer for me. My T440S is also a lot of fun but the screen sucks.
The entirely depends on what your needs are. Hotswapple usually refers to the ability to remove a component while the machine is in operation and replace it without another without creating an error.
Still running this bad boy with tricked out specs, i7 8650u, 24 gigs of ram, MX150 with the WQHD screen. Its still runs like a dream. Speakers are horrible but it truly is a professional work laptop.
Hello! I've been going through the rabbit hole of laptop research and have found your videos. I haven't owned a laptop for 7 years and am not up to date with tech specs and OS standards. Is windows 10 vs windows 11 a big decider when buying a laptop these days? I am looking for a solid windows laptop around 200 or 300 and am afraid to buy some new computer in that range because of build quality and i would like something i can upgrade as i need and wont go out of date too quickly with windows OS. Thats how I found your videos on the ThinkPad, specifically looking at t480 for its ability to build up. My uses will be trading assets, light media consumption, learning to code, light photo/video/ designing software and business development. Can you help with my search?
Hey Rando, welcome to the channel. The nice part about the T480 is it will run Windows 11 which will continue to get security updates after Windows 10 is retired. It also has a lot of other features that make it very desirable like dual batteries, great build quality and reasonable prices depending on your region. I think you'd find it to meet your needs i5/i7 with 16GB of RAM. X1 Carbons tend to have nicer screens for brightness and colour accuracy but they are still well loved. Ask any questions you might have. 👍
@Laptop Retrospective Thank you for the snappy response! I'm not up to speed with computers since I've been without them for such a long time, but once I get back on them I'll learn and stay up to date quickly. I just want to make the first purchase the right purchase as time crawls by and my needs increase, so i dont have to keep getting new units. The battery options of the t480 seem highly optimal so if they do get old i can easily replace. I would like to be able to stay up to date with the newest softwares for atleast a few years, im not sure how linux works... Thats why I was thinking I'd need to have a unit that has windows 11 installed. With my trading requirements, I would like the ability to run an extra monitor or 2. Would this require i7 and 16gb ram? I've been looking on ebay at a few units, they just honestly all look the same to me since I'm not currently computer minded. Would you be willing to help me narrow down my options? What do you lose with the x1?
You can drive two monitors with an i5 and 8GB of RAM, I just like 16GB since software can be demanding. The X1 Carbons with 8th generation Intel will normally cost more, have soldered RAM and won't have the dual battery option. Feel free to find my email on the "About" page for the channel if you really want to get into the details. 😁
hi nice video ! i'm looking to buy a second hand laptop and i have a question about the T480s. if i choose to have a 32 or 16gb stick of ram as upgrade what kind of speed does it need to be ? 2133 ? 2400 ? asking because i've seen people use stick with speed above 2133 and i'm not sure if rly possible
"The T480s has 4GB or 8GB DDR4-2133 (PC4-17000) soldered onto the motherboard and allows the installation of an additional DDR4 SO-DIMM module of up to 16GB. A maximum of 20 or 24 GB RAM is supported." A larger 32 stick may work as well.
thanks for the response ! so i need whatever size module i end up choosing to be at 2133 mhz speed to match with the one soldered ? @@LaptopRetrospective
I have a question, I'm med Student as well as a Music Producer I need a laptop that is Powerful enough and portable to carry Any where and has a good processing speed but my budget is below $1000 which Which laptop if ThinkPad I should go for or any other Laptop you would recommend
First thing I suggest is to get a good understanding of the system requirements of your most demanding applications. Then decide what ports you cannot live without. Then decide how important battery life is versus all of the above.
You can get these T480/T480s models on Mercari for less than $250. I bought one just to tinker with. I have an M1 MacBook Air and while it is faster, the T480s with an NVMe drive is no slouch. I bought a glass trackpad and plan on swapping out the plastic one.
Hello and Thank you for review. Question pls im able to purchase from a store t480s ($400aud) vs t490s($450aud) in Australia for around similiar prices. Which one should i go for keeping in mind screen display, performance & upgradibility. This will be used for some office work , emails, UA-cam,surfing etc. Your input much appreciated. Thanks
@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks so much for your input. Lastly this is also is available: t480s (non touch) $400 Aud. Specs: 1.7 GHz Intel Core i5-8350U Quad-Core 8GB DDR4 | 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD 14" 1920 x 1080 Anti-Glare Display If you could suggest pls. Thanks
Im looking to buy a refurbished t480 with 16gb ram, 240gb ssd, Nvidia mx150 2gb discrete graphics card, intel i7-8550U cpu. I was wondering if it's worth it for its price of 530 dollars?
I'm thinking of picking one up as marketplace sellers have posted these for around USD 290 in our country right now, but I'm not sure if this will replace my X1 Carbon Gen3 which has the 1440p touch option lol. Is the trackpad glass?
Don't really like the slim models due to poor battery life. I have been lugging around thick laptops for years and the thickest being my Dell Latitude E6540 plus an external IPS monitor. Occasionally will lug around the old T61 or T420. But these days, it is mostly the L440 or X220 Tablet. If I need to watch old movies or TV series on the move, will bring those too such as the X61 Tablet or T60p.
I am going to buy a used T480S Laptop, but I wondering if the laptop could be powered up by a portable PD Power Bank (not the supplied 65W adapter / charger) or not. Is anyone could tell me about this? Thank you and look forward to having the answer very soon.
From the rants on lenovo forums about i7 mx150 versions of T480 throttling because of overheating, I get that its better going for i5 with integrated graphics version. Isnt it so?
@@LaptopRetrospective The thread on lenovo forums is "T480 TDP throttle" from circa 2019 and the affected users are pretty pissed about the throttling to 400MHz while doing reasonable tasks. Since I am eyeing a laptop replacement whithin a budget I understandably wish to avoid getting in the same predicament.
Could you please kindly help to review X1 Carbon 5th (Core i5 th7, RAM 16) & T480s(Core i7 th8, RAM 16)? Which one is better for running virtual machines like VMware and VirtualBox or for coding as well?
Does this laptop use the same battery of the t440s laptop, cause I'm thinking of buying a t480 and swapping batteries from my old one I'll much appreciate any ones answer!
That's entirely up to you and what you need. The 8th Gen Intel CPUs means you can run Windows 11. The term future proof can be problematic since nothing is forever.
Kinda confused between the t480 and the t480s rn. My primary concern is just the battery life. Do you think the battery life comparison is significant? I just need a device for my Comp Sc undergrad.
The T480 has PowerBridge, a dual battery system. The T480s does not. Depending on how big a battery you have in the T480 the difference is quite significant.
From my view honestly, T480s kinda resemble T490/T14, eventhough almost none of their spareparts are interchangeable. Kinda one-off design like T431s, no platform sharing with older/newer generation…
I was wondering something similar when I was doing the reserach on the T14s and found the T480s had less in common with the T490s and subsequent models.
@@LaptopRetrospective im researching around internet (interested to buy) found common issues of faulty usb typed c port . Since i like the idea replacing the port instead off resoldering the ic. Since my experience with aged android phone also faulty port that you have to pull to one every time you charge it ... Thx for the reply its helpfull
Hi ..I'm from Hyderabad, India. Where I can get original battery for T480S? Is the battery is same for T480S and T480 models? Please share the link to purchase.
The last great generation of thinkpads... keyboard easy to change (Great if you live in a bilingual like I am), bottom easily removable, upgradable ram, lots of ports... very sad what we thought was granted is not.
Have you actually seen one with 40G? According to Intel, the 8th gen CPU supports maximum 32G. I've tried a 32G-3200 stick in my T480s but it didn't work, and that stick goes down to 1866 in other systems so it doesn't seem to be a SPD problem. The source for this mythical 40G RAM seems to be a Reddit thread by one guy who won't show proof of it actually working. Until I see a system with 40G RAM I call bullshit on this one.
I just picked one up from eBay for about $250 with the i5 CPU and 8gb of RAM. Didn't come with an SSD but I have an extra that I'll put in when it arrives. All that to say you can find them for a reasonable price!
The S series has been around for a very long time so not sure if it's related to a downfall you're referring to. It goes back further back than some realize.
@@LaptopRetrospective the "S"series emerged as a sideline of the normal "T" series. Following the (hyped?) Trend of "slimmer and lighter" designs. Same story as with (smart) phones: sacrifice of many features, like swappable batteries etc, for another millimeter or a few grams 🤦🏻
I am a junior programmer this laptop will work for me using computer programs -myqls -spring -visual studio -kali linux virtualbox -eclipse java IDE characteristic Intel Core i7-8850u 1.9Ghz 16GB DDR4 RAM memory Solid Disk 512GB SSD 14" LED screen Web Cam 720p + Microphone 01 ThunderboltTM 3 01 USB Type-C 02 USB 3.0 01 Headphone/microphone connector 01 SD reader 4 in 1 01 HDMI / 01 RJ45 10/100/1000 01 Nano SIM slot 01 Wi-Fi Wireless-AC (2 x 2) 01 Bluetooth 4.2 Spanish keyboard 3 cell battery AC charger 110/230v
I managed to grab a T480s off eBay for $700 with the i7-8650u, 1440p panel, and 16gb of ram. I have about a year and a half left of warranty. Best machine I’ve ever owned.
That's awesome, thanks for sharing your experience. Nice getting it with some warranty remaining.
That's a great find. Typically I wouldn't be concerned with warranty but every laptop I have had owned went through a warranty process
Just grabbed one off eBay for $250 - i5-8350U with 8gb of RAM and the 1080p screen. Haven't tested it yet as it hasn't shipped, but it's replacing a 2015ish Acer Aspire and should be a big upgrade. Plus the seller had a 30-day return policy which gives a little insurance in case something isn't working.
That's awesome!
do this have backlit keyboard
X230, T440 and T480s in my collection! All bought used and in excellent condition! Thinkpads are gold!
They are excellent machines. Enjoy!
Which one is your favorite? I was thinking of getting an X230 but the T480s seems just a bit better even though it's a little larger
Huge gap in performance and technology between them. The T480 era is the oldest units that officially support Windows 11.
@@LaptopRetrospective going to run Linux. this will be a travel/couch laptop, mostly running a terminal, web browser, or VNC. thinking T480s simply because of the superior screen (1440p!)
The T480s has so many things going for it that the next generation left out such as: full size SD card, full size RJ45, easily replaceable keyboard, upgradable RAM etc. It has a few quirks such as the TB issue and the camera cable going bad but otherwise is kind of ignored in favour of the regular T480.
Yeah the port selection is nice for an s model.
Woah woah woah, the camera cable is known to go bad in these?
will note buying renewed if the firmware version is 20 or higher then it doesn't have the TB issue anymore
@@darthgamer6080 Year late reply lmao but the shielding around the connection to the motherboard peels back exposing the wires and just causing it to go bad. Seen it a lot when working on them, only fix was a new cable.
I have a T480 that I blew the backlight fuse on when I bought it used in 2019, when I tried to upgrade the display. Then over then pandemic I decided to try to replace the fuse, and did it, now I have the best laptop I've owned . So many ports, dual SSD support, upgradeable RAM, and a hot-swappable battery.
T480 is a great unit, no question.
does t480 have backlight keyboard? if so what keys to turn on?
It was an option. If your keyboard has it you will see the pictogram on the spacebar. FN + Spacebar.
@@LaptopRetrospective i want to buy a laptop
What you recommend T480 or T480s ?
If it were me, I would go with the T480.
I bought the t460s for usd400 and i have been using it for the last 2 years.I have upgraded the ram to 20gb and the wifi adapter to wifi 6.
Solid upgrade choices!
love my t480s so much 🥰 despite having a yoga 9i as well, it's still my trusty t480s that i bring with me wherever i go.
i think the ram runs at dual channel with anything 8gb + 16-32gb. the first 8gb of the additional ram runs in dual channel with the soldered 8gb, and the rest runs in single channel.
ThinkPads are great travel machines!
bought myself a t480s after seeing its selection of ports and I couldn't be any happier as I am an IT technician. full sized rj45, thunderbolt docking options? the option for an external gpu? It is a surprisingly capable machine despite it being 2024. I got an i5 8350u model and one of the main reasons I bought the laptop is that it has really cheap replacement parts and with hundreds and thousands of these machines being made the parts are practically flooding the market to help keep the machine running like its brand new. PS: The keyboard being easily replaceable AND spill resistant? will save you hundreds of dollars in headaches later on, just get a silicone cover for it if you want it to last even longer
The T480 units are great machines.
Hey I got the same one. With fingerprint reader and, unnecessarily, touchscreen. How much does your battery last with normal use? Mine came with 80% health and lasts around four or five hours to go from 80% charge to almost nothing.
@@manuelmigoya2109 Hey, funnily enough just disable the touchscreen in the device manager under human interface devices, and its called a HID compliant touchscreen. my renewed unit came with a brand new battery! 99.8%. about 7-9 hours if you are doing light tasks. the 15hr figure is an impossibility though :(
The full sized SD card slot is a nice addition. While I wouldn't edit my photos on that display, It's nice that you can get photos off of a camera without a cable or dongle.
Fair point on the display but you might get around that with a high quality external display.
Best machine I ever bought by a mile, I am still using it and don't see a reason why to change it. Even the battery holds up like a pro
Excellent!
I bought one and the speakers sound tinny. Can you make a video of the speaker sound using common stuff I can replicate.
My T480s is long gone. Sorry. Business machines have functional speakers but they generally don't win awards, unless they are the higher end models.
Excellent review. I have the T480s i7 8550 is amazing for my projects
Glad you enjoyed the video!
for how long does your battery typically last?
There is only ONE Thinkpad design change that I have ever taken issue with, and I barely hear people talk about it: mounting the hinges on the screen, so that the screen opens behind the laptop. Now that the P1 has come out with screen mounted hinges, that marks the end of the old hinge design.
Why did lenovo get rid of a sturdier hinge design that feels great to use, in favor of a hinge design that is known to break more often and interfere with general usage (I.E, the screen touching stuff behind the laptop when opening)? What were they thinking?
Not sure honestly what the thinking is behind it but I'd like to think there is some good reasons behind it. Perhaps one day the reason will be revealed.
The following doesn't apply to the ThinkPad, but does apply to the IdeaPad, but I wanted to point it out anyway: that design issue is exacerbated when the exhaust vents are located in the rear so that hot air hits the bottom lip of the lid.
More compact.
I don't like the thin path we arrived at now. It became harder to open and repair or replace a little something. I find my older stuff more adorable.
There are some exceptions. One is 1080+ displays to watch videos or have more windows open. Another is good specs to run modern stuff.
A dongle setup is kind of mad to me. A dock under is intelligent. Several ports can be useful or fun.
It's partly a consequence of making a computer so accessible that essentially anyone can use it.
A good laptop with fast working speed. The only drawback is that the screen image is a bit poor
Screen technology has come a long way indeed.
Gonna have to pick one of these up now...
Best of luck, hope you find a great deal.
Just picked up a 480s with 8gb ram and the 256 ssd for $200. It’s in excellent condition and I feel like a kid that won a free happy meal in the McDonald monopoly game.
Haha that's awesome. Hope you enjoy it.
I'm a bit late to the party. I just purchased a T480s off eBay for $262 in immaculate condition. It's going to replace my X270 as I wanted a stronger portable with more power down the road. I can't wait to throw some upgrades on it and make it an Arch powerhouse :D
Never too late to enjoy a ThinkPad.
@@LaptopRetrospective Oh yeah very true. I'm gonna love this one I suspect
Let us know.
@@LaptopRetrospective It's a very strong, sturdy package and the magnesium cools the bottom cover + top case impressively well making it cool to the touch on basically any load I throw at it. I am pleased that they managed to include a dual heat pipe. That really helps this thinner chassis. My designated use cases for this are: Software KVM on desk, media streaming, light gaming (2D stuff, old 3D stuff, emulators) w/ Bluetooth controller, e-mail, messengers, looking up stuff on the go, code editing...basically the go-to for travel now. I really wanted to protect my new L14G2A and this fits the bill.
Arch is stingy about the fingerprint reader with a Validity reader upon enrollment, so I haven't gotten that working yet. It's an i5 vPro 8GB soldered model -- I transplanted 16GB extra and an Intel tri-band 18265 AC card. I got a battery with 24 cycles from the Windows report, 3Wh lost, and Linux shows 94% health...this thing is in better condition than the seller let on.
It was pulled from an enterprise environment -- there were no surprises and everything was wiped appropriately. The condition is A-tier; the wear is almost strictly cosmetic with one little oddity of my left TrackPoint button not fully registering at the right side of it, which is where I usually click. It has to be pressed down more than I'd like to register. I can easily just place my thumb somewhere else. Maybe there's something under it that got in and I can just air/clean it out.
I did a bit of a clean around the keyboard & heatsink + fan, the vents, re-pasted, and was happy this one isn't full of those dreaded chassis clips. I love the keyboard on this. It flashed to its newest firmware including Thunderbolt and it all succeeded, so no worries about that.
It passed every diagnostic I ran so far. It's running as I would prefer. It's really hard to find problems with it to tell you the truth. Maybe I could adjust the hinge tension. Maybe I could replace the keyboard down the road. Maybe the screen isn't the best in the world, but I can upgrade it. Maybe Lenovo's choices in coatings aren't the best, but they're still pretty alright. Every issue is very minor and not really a bother for me.
It's less weight than the X270 with a 3 and 6-cell. My scale has it at 3.122 lb. or about 1.46kg. There is barely flex *anywhere* and the panel housing is quite durable. I think Lenovo did very well with this model.
Fantastic, thanks for providing all this detail about your experience.
Hi, you've done once again, a really good video !
I was thinking of getting this laptop for college but I also would like to run some VM's on Android Studio while coding on VS Code.
Do you think this computer can handle this use smoothly ?
Always check your system requirements against the specific system you are looking to buy. The T480 and 480s are favourites for multiple tasks.
I miss my T480s :( I bought a P14s gen 2 for the performance but miss the much better build quality and cooler thermals
Interesting, I'll keep that in mind when I look at a modern P series one day.
@@LaptopRetrospective prepare to be disappointed.
Is the newer gen really that bad compared to its predecessor in terms of build quality?
@@solosecondhandstore5087 yes 100%
Great video on both this and the T480, thanks! Would you recommend either of these machines in 2023?
Yep, sure would. Both can natively run Windows 11. I have a soft spot for the T480 with the PowerBridge system.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you very much! Sorry for the double question, but what about for daily driving Linux, would you still recommend? I'm thinking of dd'ing Linux (Ubuntu, Mint, I'm open to suggestions) on a T480 to get me through 2-3 years of Grad School. Good idea?
ThinkPads are well known to behave nicely with Linux. 2-3 years depending on your software demands for your schooling should be fine. i5 or i7 with 16GB of RAM and healthy batteries would be a nice platform.
@@LaptopRetrospective Awesome, thanks so much! T480 seemed like the best/most cost-efficient gateway into the ThinkPad/Linux systems. I like the upgradeability idea as well. Thanks again for your help, I'm subbed and will be following your content closely!
Glad I was able to help and I'll look forward to seeing you in the comments. 😉
Nice review. T480s would have no issue to handle a 4k 60hz 27inch monitor to do some photo editing in Lightroom and light video editing (1080p)? One USB-C cable for charge and display function would work with a compatible monitor? (I'd like to replace my old T440s a bit too slow to handle RAW files)
I believe so but I'd double check by reading the PSREF as it gives you display support information.
Rockstar of a machine!
Pretty nice for a thinner model. Shares more in common with the T480 than future generations.
I'm getting soo many conflicting answers, is the T480 or T480S the "superior" model? Everyone's PC needs are different, but I've heard the T480S has better build quality and is easier to open without breaking clips, but somehow people suggest the T480 more? One soldered RAM sucks, as does the reported (minor?) overheating problems, but if the case ain't gonna fit after 2 fixes, shouldn't that make the T480S superior?? Is it personal preference?? Sorry for the noobish question on a year old video
Can't say I've heard people refer to the s variant being superior. Build quality to me is the same essentially and as for clips busting, the more a machine is opened, the more strain is put on them. I feel more people open a T480 because there is more to repair and they are more common so you will see more stories.
@LaptopRetrospective Thank you!
Hope I was able to help.
good laptop, but I don’t like the fact that in new models the sound and microphone control buttons were removed from the keyboard (as it was for example on x220) for me this is a very convenient thing, since it’s much easier than pressing the fn and f1 -f3 buttons, also, the microphone is easier to turn off with one button. Although the decision to move the power button to the case is not bad, for example, now the keyboard on my thinkpad is broken and I can’t even turn on my laptop
I understand how you feel, those dedicated buttons were really slick on the older models.
Do you find the FHD display is decent enough? Is it worth upgrading to WQHD and can that still be done easily enough?
That's a lot of pixels. Most I've used on a laptop I think is 2K.
WQHD big battery hit, think on that first
This. ☝️
I have ThinkPad T480s. Can I place lighted keyboard, in place of none-lighted keyboard? (I hope they have the same connectors)
Yes. The process is outlined in the hardware maintenance manual.
5:30 port next to power delivery USB-C(charging port) is USB-C port? can it use for any device with USB-C port.ex: usb-c flash drive
If you mean the docking station combo port, yes.
@@LaptopRetrospective not docking station.just pen drive,usb-c Earphone.etc.
I have a regular T480 from work. I have 32 gigs of ram in it. My track pad film has come off, and i didn't even touch the track pad for almost 2 years over covid. but overall I'd buy this machine second hand, its' been a good computer for me. My T440S is also a lot of fun but the screen sucks.
Love the T480.
Lmao covid drove u so mad u didnt touch ur own trackpad? xD
Does installing a 32 GB ram require any modifications?
I'd do some Google searching to ensure larger sticks are supported. 16GB is for sure.
Is it worth to buy one in 2022 ? And is the battery good and what do you mean by hotswapable
The entirely depends on what your needs are. Hotswapple usually refers to the ability to remove a component while the machine is in operation and replace it without another without creating an error.
Still running this bad boy with tricked out specs, i7 8650u, 24 gigs of ram, MX150 with the WQHD screen. Its still runs like a dream. Speakers are horrible but it truly is a professional work laptop.
That's a beast!
Hello! I've been going through the rabbit hole of laptop research and have found your videos. I haven't owned a laptop for 7 years and am not up to date with tech specs and OS standards. Is windows 10 vs windows 11 a big decider when buying a laptop these days? I am looking for a solid windows laptop around 200 or 300 and am afraid to buy some new computer in that range because of build quality and i would like something i can upgrade as i need and wont go out of date too quickly with windows OS. Thats how I found your videos on the ThinkPad, specifically looking at t480 for its ability to build up. My uses will be trading assets, light media consumption, learning to code, light photo/video/ designing software and business development. Can you help with my search?
Hey Rando, welcome to the channel. The nice part about the T480 is it will run Windows 11 which will continue to get security updates after Windows 10 is retired. It also has a lot of other features that make it very desirable like dual batteries, great build quality and reasonable prices depending on your region. I think you'd find it to meet your needs i5/i7 with 16GB of RAM. X1 Carbons tend to have nicer screens for brightness and colour accuracy but they are still well loved. Ask any questions you might have. 👍
@Laptop Retrospective Thank you for the snappy response! I'm not up to speed with computers since I've been without them for such a long time, but once I get back on them I'll learn and stay up to date quickly. I just want to make the first purchase the right purchase as time crawls by and my needs increase, so i dont have to keep getting new units. The battery options of the t480 seem highly optimal so if they do get old i can easily replace. I would like to be able to stay up to date with the newest softwares for atleast a few years, im not sure how linux works... Thats why I was thinking I'd need to have a unit that has windows 11 installed. With my trading requirements, I would like the ability to run an extra monitor or 2. Would this require i7 and 16gb ram? I've been looking on ebay at a few units, they just honestly all look the same to me since I'm not currently computer minded. Would you be willing to help me narrow down my options? What do you lose with the x1?
You can drive two monitors with an i5 and 8GB of RAM, I just like 16GB since software can be demanding. The X1 Carbons with 8th generation Intel will normally cost more, have soldered RAM and won't have the dual battery option. Feel free to find my email on the "About" page for the channel if you really want to get into the details. 😁
If you tried to post a comment I think UA-cam deleted it. I also have a contact form on my website.
hi nice video ! i'm looking to buy a second hand laptop and i have a question about the T480s. if i choose to have a 32 or 16gb stick of ram as upgrade what kind of speed does it need to be ? 2133 ? 2400 ? asking because i've seen people use stick with speed above 2133 and i'm not sure if rly possible
"The T480s has 4GB or 8GB DDR4-2133 (PC4-17000) soldered onto the motherboard and allows the installation of an additional DDR4 SO-DIMM module of up to 16GB. A maximum of 20 or 24 GB RAM is supported."
A larger 32 stick may work as well.
thanks for the response ! so i need whatever size module i end up choosing to be at 2133 mhz speed to match with the one soldered ? @@LaptopRetrospective
That would be ideal.
@@LaptopRetrospective thanks for your help rly appreciate it
No problem. Best of luck.
I have a question, I'm med Student as well as a Music Producer I need a laptop that is Powerful enough and portable to carry Any where and has a good processing speed but my budget is below $1000 which Which laptop if ThinkPad I should go for or any other Laptop you would recommend
First thing I suggest is to get a good understanding of the system requirements of your most demanding applications. Then decide what ports you cannot live without. Then decide how important battery life is versus all of the above.
You can get these T480/T480s models on Mercari for less than $250. I bought one just to tinker with. I have an M1 MacBook Air and while it is faster, the T480s with an NVMe drive is no slouch. I bought a glass trackpad and plan on swapping out the plastic one.
@@urmeddie3816 oow Wow Wait So like how much did the Glass Trackpad Cost you also, how about the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is it also Powerful Enough?
@@urmeddie3816 please let me know the price of the Glass Trackpad
Nice! I'd definitely consider it if I were looking for a new-to-me laptop. Is the reset common to ThinkPads?
It's common on modern models, not sure exactly when it started.
@@LaptopRetrospective I think it's a great feature. I checked my trusty X240, but it doesn't have this.
Yeah I think it happened around this generation of machine.
My friend i am balancing between T480s and X395 what you can help me to choice ?
Size will be a big difference, so will CPU and TB vs no TB.
Hello and Thank you for review. Question pls im able to purchase from a store t480s ($400aud) vs t490s($450aud) in Australia for around similiar prices. Which one should i go for keeping in mind screen display, performance & upgradibility. This will be used for some office work , emails, UA-cam,surfing etc. Your input much appreciated. Thanks
The 490s is a slight upgrade. As for which one is better we'd need more details and specs. CPU, RAM, storage, resolution of screen, etc.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thank you. Specs are as follows please.
T490s: $460 Aud
1.6 GHz Intel Core i5-8365U Quad-Core
16GB DDR4 | 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
14" 1920 x 1080 Anti-Glare Display
T480s: $470 Aud (Touch)
1.9 GHz Intel Core i7-8650U Quad-Core
8GB DDR4 | 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
14" 1920 x 1080 Anti-Glare Touch Display
Thanks
I'd go with the T480s i7. Better CPU and screen.
@@LaptopRetrospective Thanks so much for your input.
Lastly this is also is available: t480s (non touch) $400 Aud.
Specs: 1.7 GHz Intel Core i5-8350U Quad-Core
8GB DDR4 | 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD
14" 1920 x 1080 Anti-Glare Display
If you could suggest pls. Thanks
I'd still take the i7 with touch. Nicer specs and will hold its value.
Im looking to buy a refurbished t480 with 16gb ram, 240gb ssd, Nvidia mx150 2gb discrete graphics card, intel i7-8550U cpu. I was wondering if it's worth it for its price of 530 dollars?
That's about the higher end of price, specs are pretty good. Regional pricing can fluctuate things.
@@LaptopRetrospective it's the only one i can find that is available in my country
Ah, then that is likely why it's a bit higher than I'm used to seeing.
T480 or T480s which do you prefer...T480 is around $50 cheaper in my area
T480, I love PowerBridge technology. Dual batteries rock.
I'm thinking of picking one up as marketplace sellers have posted these for around USD 290 in our country right now, but I'm not sure if this will replace my X1 Carbon Gen3 which has the 1440p touch option lol. Is the trackpad glass?
The PSREF I believe states the material that the TrackPad is constructed from. Glass TrackPads are usually on the X1.
Don't really like the slim models due to poor battery life. I have been lugging around thick laptops for years and the thickest being my Dell Latitude E6540 plus an external IPS monitor.
Occasionally will lug around the old T61 or T420. But these days, it is mostly the L440 or X220 Tablet. If I need to watch old movies or TV series on the move, will bring those too such as the X61 Tablet or T60p.
Battery technology and power management really got better after 8th Gen but it's all in how you compare I suppose.
I am going to buy a used T480S Laptop, but I wondering if the laptop could be powered up by a portable PD Power Bank (not the supplied 65W adapter / charger) or not. Is anyone could tell me about this? Thank you and look forward to having the answer very soon.
I think if the laptop has a TB3/TB4 port that supports power delivery then the right power bank should be able to charge it.
From the rants on lenovo forums about i7 mx150 versions of T480 throttling because of overheating, I get that its better going for i5 with integrated graphics version. Isnt it so?
I haven't read those. I wonder now what those people are trying to do and whether or not it's a realistic expectation.
@@LaptopRetrospective
The thread on lenovo forums is "T480 TDP throttle" from circa 2019 and the affected users are pretty pissed about the throttling to 400MHz while doing reasonable tasks.
Since I am eyeing a laptop replacement whithin a budget I understandably wish to avoid getting in the same predicament.
I'll have to find it and give it a read. 👍
Could you please kindly help to review X1 Carbon 5th (Core i5 th7, RAM 16) & T480s(Core i7 th8, RAM 16)? Which one is better for running virtual machines like VMware and VirtualBox or for coding as well?
I'd go with the T480s as it has the overall better specs.
Guys is this laptop good for programming ? Please help
Long answer, it depends. Short answer, probably.
so...when the soldered ram is broken, what should we do about it?
If you can't find a specialist to do the work, board replacement is your only option.
very good video thank you
You're welcome, thanks for watching.
Does the latest bios help with the TB issue? Wanted to get one of these but the TB issue always makes me hesitate.
Which specific issue are you referring to?
Does this laptop use the same battery of the t440s laptop, cause I'm thinking of buying a t480 and swapping batteries from my old one
I'll much appreciate any ones answer!
Sadly it is not.
@@LaptopRetrospective 😭💔
Are you sure! They look similar in photos
T440s battery is a model 68, T480 is 61. Similar yes, the same, no.
@@LaptopRetrospective so are they interchangeable?
No they're not. A T480 battery won't even fit a T470.
I might just buy a really cheap t480s…
If I get its hardware fixed that would be a really lucky purchase. ^^
Yep, it sure is.
Is the t480 still worth it? And futureproof?
That's entirely up to you and what you need. The 8th Gen Intel CPUs means you can run Windows 11. The term future proof can be problematic since nothing is forever.
Kinda confused between the t480 and the t480s rn. My primary concern is just the battery life. Do you think the battery life comparison is significant? I just need a device for my Comp Sc undergrad.
The T480 has PowerBridge, a dual battery system. The T480s does not. Depending on how big a battery you have in the T480 the difference is quite significant.
What about the fan noise?
Everything has fan noise if you run it hard enough ;-) as for this one, not sure as I do not have it anymore.
Ya don't sell any of this laptop.... looking for one
Nope, I do not sell any of these machines. I often have links in the description on where to find them though.
From my view honestly, T480s kinda resemble T490/T14, eventhough almost none of their spareparts are interchangeable. Kinda one-off design like T431s, no platform sharing with older/newer generation…
I was wondering something similar when I was doing the reserach on the T14s and found the T480s had less in common with the T490s and subsequent models.
Can you have the C drive run from the shorter NVME bay?
Should be possible.
@@LaptopRetrospective Just wanted to verify it can be used to boot before I invest in those rare 42mm drives.
The T470 isn't bad too.
45W charging is more than enough
I just prefer the T480 as it usually isn't much more and gives you the TPM 2.0 chip.
is there any way to downgrade the charging port to more old barrel or rectangle style?
No. Any particular reason you want it?
@@LaptopRetrospective im researching around internet (interested to buy) found common issues of faulty usb typed c port . Since i like the idea replacing the port instead off resoldering the ic. Since my experience with aged android phone also faulty port that you have to pull to one every time you charge it ...
Thx for the reply its helpfull
Yeah I don't think a downgrade is easily done. If you go with a workstation grade machine, some still use the rectangular connector.
Is it possible to install the MX150 into the plain T480?
No. It's soldered onto the motherboard.
Wait so only one storage slot is there?
S variants do have a few compromises. It can take a 2242 if the WWAN slot isn't occupied if I've read correctly.
Hi ..I'm from Hyderabad, India. Where I can get original battery for T480S?
Is the battery is same for T480S and T480 models?
Please share the link to purchase.
The battery is not the same. Does eBay ship to you?
The last great generation of thinkpads... keyboard easy to change (Great if you live in a bilingual like I am), bottom easily removable, upgradable ram, lots of ports... very sad what we thought was granted is not.
It's a very debated topic to be sure. Those upgradable machines are still out there, just not always in the T series line.
@@LaptopRetrospective You're right. The L14 kept some of these perks.
Have you actually seen one with 40G? According to Intel, the 8th gen CPU supports maximum 32G. I've tried a 32G-3200 stick in my T480s but it didn't work, and that stick goes down to 1866 in other systems so it doesn't seem to be a SPD problem. The source for this mythical 40G RAM seems to be a Reddit thread by one guy who won't show proof of it actually working. Until I see a system with 40G RAM I call bullshit on this one.
Bring back the ThinkLight lenovo.
In some strange way, they are with their clip on solutions, one is actually a light, although it is aimed more at web cam use.
@@LaptopRetrospective I just thought it was a cute idea. Sort of like you having a torch under your duvet with a book as a kid.
The actual story which can be found on this channel is very close to that same thought.
.. Cheers to you ..
👍
I can't wait another 3 years so I can get these at a cheaper price to replace my t430s.
Fun part of the used market is the savings!
I just picked one up from eBay for about $250 with the i5 CPU and 8gb of RAM. Didn't come with an SSD but I have an extra that I'll put in when it arrives. All that to say you can find them for a reasonable price!
@@stephenwilson0386 thanks for the heads up
I've got and stil have 2 T480 but I was no fan of the S-Series, due to its starting the down fall of the T-Series
sorry to say
The S series has been around for a very long time so not sure if it's related to a downfall you're referring to. It goes back further back than some realize.
@@LaptopRetrospective the "S"series emerged as a sideline of the normal "T" series. Following the (hyped?) Trend of "slimmer and lighter" designs.
Same story as with (smart) phones: sacrifice of many features, like swappable batteries etc, for another millimeter or a few grams 🤦🏻
I think it started with the X60s unless there was one even earlier than that.
@@LaptopRetrospective You show here, why the T480 was always my favourite:
ua-cam.com/video/zcW8JYW5dUE/v-deo.html
Unmatched flexibility
I would like you to put your videos subtitled in Spanish, friend
Subtitles are a lot of work and I don't speak Spanish. It wouldn't be much better than the automatic translation available now.
@@LaptopRetrospective thanks, I get it
I am a junior programmer this laptop will work for me using computer programs
-myqls
-spring
-visual studio
-kali linux virtualbox
-eclipse java IDE
characteristic
Intel Core i7-8850u 1.9Ghz
16GB DDR4 RAM memory
Solid Disk 512GB SSD
14" LED screen
Web Cam 720p + Microphone
01 ThunderboltTM 3
01 USB Type-C
02 USB 3.0
01 Headphone/microphone connector
01 SD reader 4 in 1
01 HDMI / 01 RJ45 10/100/1000
01 Nano SIM slot
01 Wi-Fi Wireless-AC (2 x 2)
01 Bluetooth 4.2
Spanish keyboard
3 cell battery
AC charger 110/230v
Always check your system requirements of your most demanding programs to be sure.
Has usado la sim card? Yo le puse una y no me funciona
@@filacero12 si funciona para mi
Seems like everybody loves the T480s; gaining cult status?
Time will tell.
wowwoww