Lenovo ThinkPad T430s User Review Discussion

If a standard 14-inch business laptop is too thick and heavy for your everyday work needs then the Lenovo ThinkPad T430s with its thinner dimensions and lighter weight might be exactly what you need. Keep reading to find out what one T430s owner has to say.

Read the full content of this Article: Lenovo ThinkPad T430s User Review

Related Articles:

• Lenovo ThinkPad T430 Review: The Best Just Got Worse
• Lenovo ThinkPad X230 Review: Road Warrior Perfection
• Lenovo Unveils 2012 ThinkPads: New L, T, W, X and the Stunning X1 Ultrabook
• Lenovo IdeaPad Y480 Review: A Solid Mobile Entertainment PC

 

Nicely done review, I love the level of detail such as this:

I wish all T430 models were just by default as thin as the T430s. It's so much nicer at 1lb less and around 1" thick.

btw, I was able to get 6 hours 40 minutes with the screen brightness on level 3 and idling. Not realistic, but gives an idea of what you could get if super conservative.

 

Thanks!

Good to know. I haven't tried to get marathon battery life yet, but that number is actually a little better than I was expecting. Cool.

 

The angles on your T430 look far better than the angles than the review unit I have. I've had a X230 and T430. I think the keyboard is quite good. You can complain about the new layout or get used to it, but there's no going back.

 

i think, it depends on how many users will complain

 

Very good review and excellent photographs. This one is probably the best photograph of that new keyboard published so far.

 

Please read as a cautionary tale and be aware that it is extremely difficult to cancel or return an order to lenovo, even in the face of a month delay and reports of defective motherboards.

I read this review, and after six years on a t60 took the plunge for a new T430s. I ordered on 8/2412 and the ship date was listed only five days later, 8/29.

Only after the ordering system changed the delivery date and delayed my order three different times (now at 9/26), did I suspect something was wrong. A search of this forum and the lenovo user forum revealed that university IT departments have reported widespread blue screen and motherboard problems and lenovo has not identified a fix as of yet. Please search this forum for information on T430s and blue screens of death, and the letter issued to students at wake forest university. This apparently is also why no new machines have been shipped. Of course nobody at Lenovo sent me any mention of this HUGE issue that would render my new machine a $1600 brick.

Lenovo has essentially admitted the t430s is defective and can't fix it, and with my $1600 investment in limbo, I have tried to cancel the order now three times. The first time I got through in a few minutes by not choosing the "cancel" option in the phone tree, and they assured me the order would be cancelled. Today, two days later, I called to confirm since the order status hadn't changed, and selected the "cancel order" option and was put on hold for nearly an hour (!). I finally was put in touch with E., who declared the order had never been canceled. Next, I was told that I shouldn't cancel because they were working on a fix. I repeated I wanted to cancel. After that, I was told that I could get 5% off my order if I didn't cancel. I repeated my request. After that, I was told that he could issue a "request to cancel" but it would take 3 to 5 business days, then I was told that he couldn't guarantee that the order would cancel. I said that was not acceptable. Each time I protested and asked that the confirmation be confirmed by email. E. dithered and delayed and protested that "I didn't believe him!" but he finally agreed to send me a confirmation of the cancelation request. He didn't. He just sent me a two-line message, not of the request, but that the request had been sent. We shall see if it works... supposed to get a confirmation in 3-5 biz days.

In sum, never in my life has it been so difficult to deal with customer service. Please beware the next time you order from lenovo. Also, please read the user agreement carefully on returns and restocking fees (only for unopened products, with 15% fee, and only allowed 21 days from invoice date, so if the order is delayed a month...?!) before you buy. For fun, compare this policy with apple...

 

T430S is a pricy lousy product:
Backlight keyboard breaks every 3 months. It breaks twice in 6 months of ownership with below average gentle usages. Different key caps broken off and can’t reattached back so it needed a new keyboard. It’s still under 1 year Depot/Express Warranty. Lenovo should recall their keyboard or extend their warranty for them.

Lenovo provides lousy service:
The keyboard was replaced by one of their service provider when it happened the first time.
The second time I was told 2 options:
1. a new keyboard will ship to me and I have to replace it myself or
2. a depot box will ship to me and I have to ship my laptop back to them for repair which will take days
I was told due to policy change Lenovo no longer ship parts to their service provider and I can’t have it repaired there.

I contacted the service provider who replaced the first keyboard. They took over my issue and contacted Lenovo for me. They received/replaced the second keyboard