The Thinkpad T450s is Lenovo's latest addition to the legendary Thinkpad T series. This update brings Broadwell and several other refinements, but most notably a much needed trackpad redesign. An ultrabook aimed squarely at professionals, the T450s carefully balances portability, power and features in a semi-rugged 3.5 pound package. It's an earnest refinement to the T440s and I believe the best Thinkpad in recent years. Let's take a look at how it stacks up.
Design
Love or hate the aesthetic, there's no question this is a Thinkpad. Don't let its black plastic looks fool you: the bottom case and internal rollcage are made of magnesium alloy which eliminates flex but keeps things light. The carbon fiber lid allows stable lid opening/closing with a single hand. The Thinkpad T's customary mil-spec design, tight tolerances and spill-proof keyboard are all here. All in all, our T450s gives me every indication it plans on sticking around.
The body measures 0.83 inches thick and stands about 1-inch tall at rest thanks to its rubber feet. At 3.5 pounds, this 14-inch ultrabook is particularly light for being semi-rugged. By comparison, it weighs about the same as a 13-inch 2014 Macbook Pro. A touchscreen upgrade though will bump it to about 3.7 pounds.
Speakers, software and webcam
Our T450s shipped with Windows 8. And yes, Windows 7 is still an option. Regardless of your choice, everyone qualifies for free upgrade to Windows 10. If you can forgive Lenovo for included a trial version of McAfee and various links to Lenovo services, our Thinkpad was effectively junkware free. Historically, Thinkpads have featured Thinkvantage, a strong suite of software tools for managing power, wireless, hotkeys and system features. These are still available for Windows 7. However, Lenovo has essentially replaced this suite with its own self-branded, appified management utilities for Windows 8 users.