Lenovo ThinkPad T480S

Lenovo ThinkPad T480S

A New Design for a New Experience

At first glance, the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s does not look dramatically different from the T470s. Still, Lenovo redesigned the chassis to give the laptop a more solid, durable feel. The T480s is about 0,35mm thinner than its predecessor, a difference that is slightly hard to notice, but the slimmer profile shows that the design team refined both the weight and dimensions of this model. The machine still uses a magnesium alloy frame, while the lid is made from carbon blended with fiberglass and finished with a smooth, premium carbon fiber coating.

The display bezels are not noticeably different, but the Lenovo ThinkPad T480s is now equipped with ThinkShutter for enhanced privacy. The hinge design also remains unchanged. Lenovo has made the fingerprint sensor smaller while optimizing its responsiveness during everyday use.

Performance: Beyond Expectations

The Lenovo ThinkPad T480s uses Intel's powerful Kabylake-R CPU lineup. This processor generation changed how users viewed Intel laptop CPUs, moving from the familiar 2-core, 4-thread configuration to 4 cores and 8 threads for significantly stronger performance. However, the machine still keeps 2-core, 4-thread CPU options, including the Core i5 7200U and Core i5 7300U, for basic office needs. The remaining versions, from the Core i5 8250U to the Core i7 8650U, feature higher core and thread counts. Although it uses a power-efficient CPU series, Lenovo has tuned this machine's power level to 25W, helping maximize performance while maintaining stable operation.

The laptop comes with two graphics options: integrated Intel graphics and Nvidia MX150. It seems Lenovo learned from the T470s and added a dedicated graphics option for this model instead of removing it.

Lenovo ThinkPad T480s Display

The Lenovo ThinkPad T480s is equipped with a Full HD IPS display with wide viewing angles. Screen brightness is modest, at 250 nits for both the standard display and the touchscreen. Color coverage on this display version is also not especially high, at 62% sRGB and 40% AdobeRGB, which is sufficient for an office work environment. Overall, at this resolution, the screen is a good fit for most needs.

In addition, the machine offers a 2K display option with up to 95% AdobeRGB color coverage, delivering sharp, true-to-life visuals that suit users who regularly handle photo editing. It also has an HD resolution option, ideal for those who want to optimize cost while still using a stable business laptop.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The Lenovo ThinkPad T480s keyboard has good key travel, strong rebound, and curved keycaps that significantly reduce hand fatigue during extended typing sessions. The keys are spaced sensibly, and while the arrow key cluster is smaller than usual, it still works well in everyday use.

The touchpad has a matte plastic coating that helps resist fingerprints during use. The mouse buttons offer good feedback and produce a fairly quiet click. With Windows Precision Driver support, gestures and touchpad response are both smooth and accurate.

The TrackPoint has always been a standout feature of ThinkPad laptops. It offers high precision and easy one-handed control. The three accompanying mouse buttons have a clearly defined actuation point, sufficient travel, and a soft click sound.

Ports

The laptop offers a fairly complete port selection, including 2 USB Type A 3.1 Gen 1 ports, 1 HDMI 1.4b port, 1 RJ-45 network port, 1 SD card slot, and 2 USB Type C ports. However, only 1 port supports Thunderbolt 3, while the other uses the 3.1 Gen 1 connection standard but supports fast charging and display output.

Battery Life

The machine is equipped with a 57Wh battery, delivering up to 8 hours of continuous use, making it suitable for users who need long-lasting operation.

ThinkPad T480s: A Premium Business Laptop

With a significantly updated design, powerful configuration, and impressive battery life, the T480s is an excellent value for the money. However, using only a single 57Wh battery may give it slightly shorter battery life than some current competitors.