Lenovo ThinkPad T430s Pro Reviews

If the ThinkPad T430s has an Achilles' heel, we didn't find it. You can equip it with a more-than-adequate amount of processing horsepower without breaking the bank, while getting all the convenience and durability features that come standard with the platform. Sure, we're a little sad to say good-bye to the classic ThinkPad keyboard, but the other strengths of the machine will likely have us past that in short order. All things considered, the ThinkPad T430s is as close to perfect as we've seen from a business thin-and-light.

Overall, the T430s is a rock solid business machine capable of handling some more demanding programs, despite its low weight and thinness. The easy upgradability is nice, especially as other manufacturers reduce the number of user-replaceable parts. While the battery life is not stellar, the low weight of the system makes it easy to travel with, even with the AC adapter. The screen continues to be a weak spot, but is sufficient for business uses. We would have perhaps preferred the classic ThinkPad keyboard over the new "Precision" keyboard with chiclet keys, but the keyboard remains an overall strong point. The laptop reviewed here is destined to be further upgraded with an mSATA SSD as the main drive, boosting the overall performance of the machine and freeing the included hard drive for use as file storage. In sum, the T430s is easy to recommend as portable but powerful business machine with a build quality which should allow it to last.