Customer reviews for Lenovo ThinkPad T430u
Powerful 14” Ultrabook for small to medium business; durable, yet lightweight, tons of storage, vivid graphics, and SMB software.
Average customer rating:
(15 Reviews) 14
Rating Snapshot (15 reviews)
5 stars
5
4 stars
3
3 stars
1
2 stars
4
1 star
2
8 of 15(53%)customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Review 1 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
2
out of
5
Mobility
4
out of
5
Design
1
out of
5
Features
3
out of
5
Value
2
out of
5
Reliability
1
out of
5
justtryingtoworkhere
Owned Product:1-6 months
Processor:Intel Core i5
Memory:4 GB or more
AVOID
Date:May 13, 2013
Cons: Input/Output compatibility, Keyboard/peripherals, Build Quality
"Long positive history with Thinkpads, but this does not live up to the name.
I've had it since November, and the mouse still floats away. Hangs. Love the trackpoint. But not on this. Have swapped out keyboard. No good fix. Nothing more aggravating than having 'mouse' jump when working.
The rest doesn't matter - Avoid!"
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Review 2 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
3
out of
5
Mobility
4
out of
5
Design
4
out of
5
Features
2
out of
5
Value
2
out of
5
Reliability
1
out of
5
David
Owned Product:1-6 months
Processor:Intel Core i5
Memory:4 GB or more
Horrible Battery Life
Date:April 20, 2013
Pros: Weight, Durability, Bluetooth, Keyboard/peripherals, Build Quality
Cons: Input/Output compatibility, Battery
"I like the design, portable and lightweight. Feels somewhat well built.
Had issues with the battery since almost day one. Battery sometimes failed to hold charge. Then about 4 months after purchase the battery died completely. Battery will not charge anymore at all. Not sure if the battery recall days are coming back. This is where it gets better though.. The battery is a lithium ion internal battery. And pretty much available no-where (including Lenovo website).. I am yet to find out how good their warranty and customer service is though.
Device comes full of all sorts of bloatware. But I guess that is really nothing new.
I like the keyboard. Intel HD4000 is nothing to write home about. Bluetooth works well. I wish there were 3 USB ports instead of two."
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Review 3 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
5
out of
5
Mobility
5
out of
5
Design
4
out of
5
Features
4
out of
5
Value
4
out of
5
Reliability
4
out of
5
MSS430
Owned Product:1-6 months
Buggy driver on otherwise great laptop
Date:April 11, 2013
Pros: Battery, Weight, Processor
Cons: Keyboard/peripherals
"Overall, this is a nice machine. It is lightweight and thin, has great performance and long battery life.
Unfortunately, the driver for the track pad is seriously buggy. I downloaded an update which fixed one of the problems, but other problems still remain. The most annoying problem is that at times, for no apparent reason, the cursor moves to the upper right corner and sends left key press to the system. Since the Windows X button is usually at that location for maximized windows, one or two windows close all of a sudden. This is atrocious and that's why I'm giving it a 2 star rating.
I also find that it freezes for a few seconds at times. I'm not sure what the cause is."
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Review 4 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
4
out of
5
Mobility
5
out of
5
Design
5
out of
5
Features
4
out of
5
Value
4
out of
5
Reliability
5
out of
5
BusinessUser5
Owned Product:Less than a month
Processor:Intel Core i5
Memory:4 GB or more
Satisfied
Date:March 23, 2013
Pros: Input/Output compatibility, Weight, Durability, Keyboard/peripherals, Build Quality, Display performance
"I have been in the market for a laptop for a few months and after much research decided on this unit. Although I did read a number of reviews that mentioned issues with the display quality and sharp edges on the housing. While the display is not the newest available on the market I do not need retina display. As far as sharp edges are concerned the edges are crisp and have not resulted in any problems. I travel 50% of the time and needed a unit that is portable (4 lbs), durable, and reliable. The T430U has met all of my needs so far. If I wanted a laptop for entertainment purposes I would have looked at something else. This is a solid unit and the keyboard is fantastic. From my perspective this is one great machine."
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Review 5 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
4
out of
5
Mobility
5
out of
5
Design
1
out of
5
Features
4
out of
5
Value
4
out of
5
Reliability
4
out of
5
mmangen
Owned Product:1-6 months
Would never recommend for heavy users
Date:January 11, 2013
Cons: design
"I purchased this computer right after Thanksgiving 2012 directly from Lenovo. The sales rep I had was fantastic! Support has been really great too (I've had to call twice).
I just started using it on a regular basis after the first of this year (so just about 2 weeks now).
The outer, front facing edge is not rounded / beveled so my wrists are red, sore and covered in gauze because the edge just "cuts into your wrists" (I have two Facebook friends who said the exact same thing about the T430u).
Bottom line - I think this is a great computer but ONLY for people who aren't using it all day, every day.
I'm not sure what the solution is for my wrists but I know that wrapping my wrists in gauze daily is not an ideal solution."
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Review 6 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
4
out of
5
Mobility
4
out of
5
Design
5
out of
5
Features
4
out of
5
Value
5
out of
5
Reliability
5
out of
5
TheOHouse
Owned Product:Less than a month
Processor:Intel Core i5
Memory:4 GB or more
Very High Quality, Well Rounded Ultrabook
Date:January 11, 2013
Pros: Battery, Input/Output compatibility, Weight, Durability, Keyboard/peripherals, Build Quality
Cons: Display resolution
"With all of the new hardware being introduced at the end of 2012 and the arrival of Windows 8, choosing a new machine was difficult. The aluminum casing is rigid and cool to the touch, the palm rest around the keyboard is a nice (high density) textured plastic that is very comfortable. This thing is so much nicer than all of the flimsy PCs they sell at Best Buy.
This ThinkPad would have met all of my desires for a computer if it had come with a touchscreen and a higher resolution display, but you really can't beat what you get for the price.
This machine gets you 90% of the top-of-the-line features for 50% of the price."
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Review 7 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
5
out of
5
Mobility
5
out of
5
Design
5
out of
5
Features
3
out of
5
Value
5
out of
5
Reliability
5
out of
5
snanua
Owned Product:Less than a week
Processor:Intel Core i5
Memory:4 GB or more
Am happy with my purchase
Date:January 11, 2013
Pros: Weight, Processor, Keyboard/peripherals, Build Quality
Cons: Display resolution
"I started using it, its pretty light (a bit heavier compared to other ultrabooks). Loved the keys, and the form factor. The screen resolution is OK, but good for me for the purpose of work / project related stuff that I need to do from time to time. It is a business ultrabook, not a gaming or entertainment one. Happy with the battery life - the ultrabook also does not heat up - there is a small vent on the side that runs at intervals to exhaust the heat which is good."
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Review 8 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
5
out of
5
Mobility
5
out of
5
Design
5
out of
5
Features
2
out of
5
Value
4
out of
5
Reliability
5
out of
5
Lionex
Owned Product:Less than a month
Processor:Intel Core i5
Memory:4 GB or more
Great Linux Machine
Date:January 6, 2013
Pros: Weight, Processor, Durability, Keyboard/peripherals, Build Quality, Display performance
Cons: Display resolution, Memory, not enough indicator lights
"When i replaced the ram and the hard drive with a Samsung 840 250gb ssd and installed Ubuntu 12.10, everything except for the wireless card worked right away (as a result of conflicting kernel modules with the wl driver).
The keyboard is great and it was really easy to get used to, but it could do with caps lock, wireless and touchpad indicators. The clickpad is great, two finger scrolling works flawlessly in Ubuntu 12.10, I can scroll in any direction that both of my fingers go.
The clickpad and trackpoint in combination work very well for me, and having a hardware middle mouse button is a lifesaver, especially since I do light 3d edting."
The keyboard is great and it was really easy to get used to, but it could do with caps lock, wireless and touchpad indicators. The clickpad is great, two finger scrolling works flawlessly in Ubuntu 12.10, I can scroll in any direction that both of my fingers go.
The clickpad and trackpoint in combination work very well for me, and having a hardware middle mouse button is a lifesaver, especially since I do light 3d edting."
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Review 9 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
3
out of
5
Mobility
5
out of
5
Design
5
out of
5
Features
2
out of
5
Value
2
out of
5
Reliability
5
out of
5
Balboa
Owned Product:1-6 months
Processor:Intel Core i7
Memory:4 GB or more
Listen to your customers and market for God Sake!!
Date:January 2, 2013
Cons: Storage, Video card, Display resolution, Memory, Screen size, Display performance
"Lenovo, quit making an unfinished product for God sake. You are wasting your investment and loosing your market share to creeps like Dell or HP. 10 oint Touchscreen + 256GB SSD, dedicated video card and a 1600 by 900 display resolution on T430u and take my money."
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Review 10 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
4
out of
5
Mobility
4
out of
5
Design
5
out of
5
Features
1
out of
5
Value
1
out of
5
Reliability
3
out of
5
disappointed
Owned Product:Less than a month
Processor:Intel Core i7
Memory:4 GB or more
Screen kills this otherwise perfect laptop
Date:January 2, 2013
"This laptop is perfect in every way, but Lenovo has seriously crippled it with the screen they have included. Not only is the resolution low (which was known before purchasing), but the quality is very VERY poor. The viewing angles are awful, and the screen is painful to use for more than a few minutes. Stacked up against my 4 year old Macbook Pro, the T430u screen is a complete joke. This is not just on the machine I received, but others as well.
Buyers considering this laptop should wait until Lenovo adds a better screen as an option, or look to another manufacturer. It is unfortunate that Lenovo chooses to cripple it's products like this (in the hopes you will buy the X1C) but that is why Lenovo and Thinkpads are losing ground these days :/"
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Review 11 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
4
out of
5
Mobility
4
out of
5
Design
5
out of
5
Features
5
out of
5
Value
4
out of
5
Reliability
5
out of
5
Student
Owned Product:Less than a month
Processor:Intel Core i7
Memory:4 GB or more
Great laptop
Date:December 27, 2012
Pros: Input/Output compatibility, Weight, Processor, Security Features, Video card, Keyboard/peripherals, Screen size, Build Quality, Storage
Cons: Display resolution, Battery
"I got the model with the i7 processor, 128 gb solid state drive and nvidia graphics. The laptop looks great and feels very solid. The keyboard is great. The trackpad is good but definitely not the greatest. The system takes around 10 secs to start up and be ready for use. Windows 8 works great, no problems so far. The screen is ok but a higher resolution screen would be nice. It doesn't really matter to me but people who love their full HD movies etc. may want something with higher resolution. The fan is not noisy and the laptop does not heat up a lot. Battery life is ok. I get somewhere between 3-5 hrs. The laptop is slim and very portable. It is heavier than most ultrabooks but has more features and greater performance. Overall very happy with the purchase so far."
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Review 12 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
3
out of
5
Mobility
5
out of
5
Design
3
out of
5
Features
3
out of
5
Value
4
out of
5
Reliability
1
out of
5
Murthy
Owned Product:Less than a week
Processor:Intel Core i5
Disappointing performance
Date:December 17, 2012
"The T430u is light weight and has great keyboard+trackpad. The build is very good for this price range. However, there are few major drawbacks because of which I decided to return the Ultrabook.
a. Lack of control buttons: No volume/mute buttons, no indicator to know CAPS lock is on/off.
b. Win-8 build (home) I got is HORRIBLE. It is not ready for production. It kept crashing every few hours and I even got blue screen few times (though blank this time in Win8). That was the deal breaker for me. I went back to my old HP + XP model and found that more productive.
a. Lack of control buttons: No volume/mute buttons, no indicator to know CAPS lock is on/off.
b. Win-8 build (home) I got is HORRIBLE. It is not ready for production. It kept crashing every few hours and I even got blue screen few times (though blank this time in Win8). That was the deal breaker for me. I went back to my old HP + XP model and found that more productive.
I'll probably reconsider this after few months.. but for now, I think I'll stay away from Win-8 models."
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Review 13 for ThinkPad T430u
OverallOverall Rating
Performance
4
out of
5
Mobility
5
out of
5
Design
4
out of
5
Features
3
out of
5
Value
5
out of
5
Reliability
5
out of
5
cnick6
Location:Redmond, WA
Owned Product:Less than a week
Processor:Intel Core i7
Memory:4 GB or more
Very high quality but disappointed in LCD
Date:November 5, 2012
Pros: Weight, Video card, Screen size, Build Quality, Processor
Cons: Display resolution
"I just purchased the Core i7 unit for use with Windows 8. It's a very solid "ultrabook" and the low weight is great for daily carry. I'm generally very happy with the purchase and you cannot beat the value. For a Thinkpad, the price is very good. It's very competitive with other PC makers.
Some minor nit-picks:
1. The Core i7 is a dual-core CPU only.
2. Stock RAM of only 4GB? RAM is so cheap these days that it should come with 8GB.
3. Is the maximum RAM 8 or 16GB? The Lenovo shop implies that the unit may accept 8GB modules..?
4. The AC adapter plug is on the right side. I prefer having it in the back as with my other Lenovo laptops.
5. Would LOVE a trackpoint-only option for those of us who HATE touchpads.
6. The viewing angle of the LCD is a bit odd. Some times it's best at 45deg and other times it's best when more upright. It's not consistent.
2. Stock RAM of only 4GB? RAM is so cheap these days that it should come with 8GB.
3. Is the maximum RAM 8 or 16GB? The Lenovo shop implies that the unit may accept 8GB modules..?
4. The AC adapter plug is on the right side. I prefer having it in the back as with my other Lenovo laptops.
5. Would LOVE a trackpoint-only option for those of us who HATE touchpads.
6. The viewing angle of the LCD is a bit odd. Some times it's best at 45deg and other times it's best when more upright. It's not consistent.
My one major gripe is the screen resolution. Since this unit has the Geforce GT620M installed, why can't we get a default of 1600x900 like the X1 Carbon? The lower resolution (1366x768) is O.K. but with any bright background (which is prevalent in Win8) shows a "texture" of the LCD display. Since this is a business laptop, I'm not too concerned but I would prefer a higher resolution.
Aside from the disappointing LCD display, the unit is beautifully built. Very high quality here. As usual, the Thinkpad keyboard is excellent!
Installing RAM is a PITA and requires some minor technical skill but it's not super difficult. So far I'm quite happy with the unit. Windows 8 seems to be fully supported and works quite well.
My unit included the Samsung 830 OEM 128GB SSD and its performance is spot on to the retail 830 drive. I may upgrade to the 840 PRO 256GB in the near future but I'm happy with 128GB for now.
My startup time for Windows 8 (which is from power button to typing in my credentials) is probably about six seconds."
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Ratings-Only Reviews for ThinkPad T430u
Based on the average of (2) ratings-only reviews
Overall Rating
Would recommend? Yes 2 out of 2
Performance
4.5
out of
5
Mobility
5
out of
5
Design
4
out of
5
Features
4.5
out of
5
Value
4.5
out of
5
Reliability
5
out of
5