Lenovo Thinkpad T420 Windows 10 Laptop i5-2520M 2.50GHz.
Options to add 6GB Ram for extra £15 or 8GB Ram for extra £30.
120 GB SSD will only cost £25 more.
Windows 7 included, or upgrade to Windows 10 for £10.
1 Year Warranty.
Seems a good deal to me if someone needs such a laptop for a reasonable price.
Top comments
Gkains to jumpinoffthbed
11 Jan 1722#10
The more pertinent questions would be how does this compare to an 5/6/7 generation i5?
Well, here are the Passmark scores with multi-core scores / single-core scores:
Intel Core i5-2520M @ 2.50GHz =3,556 / 1,496
Intel Core i5-5200U @ 2.20GHz = 3,538 / 1,444
Intel Core i5-6200U @ 2.30GHz = 3,933 / 1,497
Intel Core i5-7200U @ 2.50GHz = 4700 / 1,741
So not that bad compared to the U series 15W parts. Of course this is 35W part and while Intel still make 35W parts, not many laptops have them as ultra-thin seems to be in thing.
So that's apparently 6 years without any progress aside from power. Well power, and the iGPU which the CPU benchmarks don't measure.
However, a rather simple bench (Passmark GPU) scores the HD3000 in this 311 and the HD 530 from the i5-5200U at 1,072, so that's where Intel have spent most the transistors of the recent node shrinks.
rehydrated
11 Jan 1717#8
I have a couple of Commodore 64's in the loft if anybody is looking for a similar machine? :stuck_out_tongue:
anonimousse
11 Jan 1716#27
Captain speaking...your usual HUKD rank-pull nonsensical advice. Anybody who declares their insecurity via self-certified Über status of being a IT refurbisher [sic] requires no further reading.
Muir to daveconroy3532
11 Jan 1713#23
It also depends what you're looking for in a laptop. The good thing is, these are built like a tank. The bad thing is, these are built like a tank.
All comments (69)
jumpinoffthbed
11 Jan 17#1
how old will this be then?
Krooner to jumpinoffthbed
11 Jan 17#2
2011
K1LLER HORNET to jumpinoffthbed
11 Jan 17#4
Around 6 years old :neutral_face:
Gkains to jumpinoffthbed
11 Jan 1722#10
The more pertinent questions would be how does this compare to an 5/6/7 generation i5?
Well, here are the Passmark scores with multi-core scores / single-core scores:
Intel Core i5-2520M @ 2.50GHz =3,556 / 1,496
Intel Core i5-5200U @ 2.20GHz = 3,538 / 1,444
Intel Core i5-6200U @ 2.30GHz = 3,933 / 1,497
Intel Core i5-7200U @ 2.50GHz = 4700 / 1,741
So not that bad compared to the U series 15W parts. Of course this is 35W part and while Intel still make 35W parts, not many laptops have them as ultra-thin seems to be in thing.
So that's apparently 6 years without any progress aside from power. Well power, and the iGPU which the CPU benchmarks don't measure.
However, a rather simple bench (Passmark GPU) scores the HD3000 in this 311 and the HD 530 from the i5-5200U at 1,072, so that's where Intel have spent most the transistors of the recent node shrinks.
team_a
11 Jan 17#3
good machine
padraig61091
11 Jan 17#5
hot excellent laptop I have a t410 with 8gb ram and 250gb ssd and a hdd in the disk drive slot very quick machine and cost about 250 all together
ovi_andre
11 Jan 171#6
what about screen resolution?
karlbnz to ovi_andre
11 Jan 17#28
Note these are only 1366 x 768
the 1600x900 is a brighter screen
These laptops are solidly built with a very good keyboard, support three hard drives or SSD for dual boot or larger spinning disk/SSD combo:
1 x main 2.5"
1 x ultrabay 2.5"
1 x mSata
Memory 8GB max / PC3-10600 1333MHz DDR3, non-parity,
dual-channel capable, two 204-pin SO-DIMM sockets
Ports Three USB 2.0not 3.0 (one powered), one USB 2.0/eSATA combo port,
external monitor (VGA DB-15, DisplayPort), ethernet (RJ-45)
The eSata port is very useful for disk image backups/restores etc
14.0" (355mm) HD (1366x768) color, anti-glare, LED backlight,
200 nits, 16:9 aspect ratio, 300:1 contrast ratio
or
14.0" (355mm) HD+ (1600x900) color, anti-glare, LED backlight,
250 nits, 16:9 aspect ratio, 300:1 contrast ratio
HINEMUSIC
11 Jan 171#7
I have this laptop great build quality the ssd drive really speeds it up a fair bit with windows 10 only issue is that it does not have a usb 3.0 port on the laptop but at this price not an issue
RiverDragon8 to HINEMUSIC
11 Jan 173#21
You can buy USB 3.0 express card for less than £5 click
rehydrated
11 Jan 1717#8
I have a couple of Commodore 64's in the loft if anybody is looking for a similar machine? :stuck_out_tongue:
OldEngine to rehydrated
11 Jan 173#33
Genuinely interested if it's not a joke :smile:
Malabus to rehydrated
12 Jan 171#43
Please don't knock that excellent machine. I had a Commodore 16, that's how old I am.
rehydrated
11 Jan 177#9
You will get about 8 minutes out of the battery, lol.
Youngsyr to rehydrated
11 Jan 173#26
I'm typing this on a T420 that I purchased as a refurb a couple of years ago. It easily goes for 5 hours between charges.
My one year old Yoga 3 Pro, which cost over £700, will only go for 4 at best.
Musicrab
11 Jan 17#11
Good deal. Especially with the 12 month warranty.
The_Hoff
11 Jan 1711#12
Buy a UV light and see how many semen stains you can find on it - I'm going for 23.
seriously old , they haven't sold in eBay neither ;-)
siqass
11 Jan 17#15
Great machine, tempted to upgrade from my T200. The problem (good thing) it just works and never gives up, great Line of Lenovo computers! Voted hot
Istanbul_Kop
11 Jan 17#16
Reassuring.
Sphere
11 Jan 171#17
Good price, but be aware this is GRADE 2 :confused:
MeneerSmith
11 Jan 17#18
2gb and 4gb added, gives 6gb and 8gb total.
nekoangel
11 Jan 17#19
Poor company. Won't trust them on past experience.
daveconroy3532
11 Jan 17#20
The best bang is in these kinds of older machines. I have an i7 Dell Latitude E6230 SSD that is three years old and refurb'd. It spanks the four new laptops my organisation recently bought for £100 more. Budget for a new battery and shop around for that too. Mine was £23 and works fine. I've had a series of refurb laptops and all been good. You just need to know what to look for in the specs and these Lenovo's are up there worth considering for the price.
Muir to daveconroy3532
11 Jan 1713#23
It also depends what you're looking for in a laptop. The good thing is, these are built like a tank. The bad thing is, these are built like a tank.
fishmaster
11 Jan 171#22
The left and right vertical speaker grills get full of crap and impossible to clean properly on this laptop, making it look shabby. Also whilst the CPU power is still up to speed with modern Intel mobile CPUs the battery life certainly isn't.
I also think this is very expensive for this laptop, it's 6 years old and with an SSD it's over £150, nope I wouldn't go near it and work as an IT refurbisher.
MaximusRo to fishmaster
12 Jan 17#45
Just tell us an alternative, not just "i would not go near it"
I got one from a previous HUKD deal and it is GREAT, it has a 1600/900 screen (not sure what the resolution on this is though) non-glare, so visible outside, a 3G modem inside and just works.
Battery life is around 3 to 4 hours if you got a good battery, definetely good enough
HINEMUSIC
11 Jan 171#24
Your right thats what i did bought a 2 port one :-)
matt101101
11 Jan 171#25
Yup, whilst performance wise this will be up there with a more modern i5-xxxxU machine, it won't be in terms of battery life or portability.
If it's going to spend most of its time on a desk, with a socket in reach, then that's not too much of an issue. However, if you want a laptop which you can carry around with you and spend significant amounts of time away from a power outlet, then a newer, lighter and more power efficient machine is probably a better bet.
anonimousse
11 Jan 1716#27
Captain speaking...your usual HUKD rank-pull nonsensical advice. Anybody who declares their insecurity via self-certified Über status of being a IT refurbisher [sic] requires no further reading.
Dejaque2k
11 Jan 17#29
i get around 4 or so hours of battery life depending on what I'm doing. Robust, built to last and used it for over 2 years with no issues. It's my first laptop though so can't speak in regards to portability vs alternatives. also you can use 16g of ram despite the specs saying 8g max.
sonicfury
11 Jan 17#30
Quite tempted by this as I need a laptop that's reliable and that I can work on and by all accounts this seems ideal for that purpose.
Youngsyr to sonicfury
11 Jan 171#32
Those were my requirements too - I picked up a refurb for around £250 two years ago. Definitely upgrade the ram and go for the SSD and it's a great little machine.
It's not going to win any beauty contests and is relatively heavy if you're carrying it on your shoulder all day, but it's reliable and has very good performance for the money.
ovi_andre
11 Jan 17#31
have u got any with 1600x900 screen resolution?
pgjeffery
11 Jan 17#34
How do you identify/search for the higher res versions (assume its still T420?)
I'm after a new (newer!) laptop but find that 'HD' resolution means I always have to scroll down!
mehmeh
11 Jan 171#35
I would avoid this seller. Bought a HP Probook last spring. Windows install was plain lazy with the few drivers that were installed just generic windows fare. The included cheapo charger lasted two months before going pop. Finally, when I fitted an SSD was amazed to find no screws at all securing the HDD!!! Refurbished, yeah right!
FlamingSpaz
11 Jan 171#36
I'd be careful with this seller. I bought my T420 from them last year, didn't have a webcam despite the listing saying so and took them 3 weeks to get me one that did. Replacement had a cracked bezel & fan grille and a broken hinge so not refurbished at all.
Meanwhile they were still happily selling more of them on eBay so just make sure you're getting what you pay for.
Babbler to FlamingSpaz
12 Jan 17#50
I got one off them and 4 months later it doesnt shut down properly / battery issues. Have you had any joy getting anywhere with them?
ssc1
11 Jan 17#37
get the x series man.
zorbathegeek
11 Jan 17#38
I bought a t430 refurb off ebay a few months back.
Best laptop I've ever owned. Absolute beastly build quality.
Didn't get it from this seller though, so maybe better off trawling ebay and checking feedback?
timothyw9
11 Jan 17#39
Seems like a good deal. I bought a Dell Latitude E5440 from CEX for £250 (i5 4th gen, 8gb ram, 512gb ssd) and it beats the crap out of any new laptop in the £250 range.
gap30
11 Jan 17#40
I bought an x220 a couple of years ago and its bullet proof
fahed2000
11 Jan 17#41
not voted, however for a 4-5 yrs old laptop with possibly a 1366 x 768 res screen I'd stay away, perhaps the price is good if it was in perfect condition. Not worth the hassle of a possible return
hgthompson
12 Jan 17#42
If you're lucky enough to get a good clean example, then these are great machines. Built like a tank and out-perform many newer models. These are built to last unlike most consumer grade laptops.
These things fly with an SSD in them, mine boots from power on to Win 7 desktop in approx 15 seconds.
Problem with eBay is it's pot luck regarding the condition and battery life. Price is probably a little on the high side compared to what you can pick up from private sellers on eBay, but the warranty is a good reassurance.
MaximusRo
12 Jan 17#46
It's a 14inch laptop, it is very portable indeed.
Had it in planes around europe, it is actually very portable.
MaximusRo
12 Jan 17#47
I have 16GB RAM on mine, so not 8GB max!
I would recomend you do not buy this if it is not the 1609x900 screen
Aleik
12 Jan 174#49
Logged in just to reply to this. Sorry mate but you're the absolute worst. Someone puts a shift in giving people relevant info, then you and your laconic, lazy **** come right out of the woodwork. I left people like you at school. Grow up eh
puddles9999
12 Jan 17#51
5 gens out 7 th gen for life
karlbnz to puddles9999
12 Jan 17#64
See Gkains post above.
JonnyT23
12 Jan 17#52
I ordered the same laptop a few years ago from this company, never had any issues with it. Yes it is a bit bulky but the performance is great, very nippy, I also swapped the hard drive for an SSD as well. Only downside I would say is battery life isn't great, but if you are going to use it plugged in all the time you wont have any problems.
barbiegirl
12 Jan 17#53
Bought at least half a dozen of these for my workplace - and put SSDs in them. They are rugged, reliable, more than fast enough with an SSD in for all office work. This really is all the laptop you need for everyday use IMO. Great deal.Better price than I've paid for them form Misco too. Heat added OP.
barbiegirl
12 Jan 17#54
Expired as now OOS.
brendanhickey
12 Jan 17#55
expired
naturelover
12 Jan 17#56
How much would a replacement batt cost ?
naturelover to naturelover
12 Jan 17#57
Battery
Freedom Cry
12 Jan 17#58
I'll raise you my VIC-20.
chocci
12 Jan 17#59
Oos
You snooze, you lose
Uridium
12 Jan 17#60
Dell E6420....Same CPU Gen as these, loads on eBay around this price and build quality way better than the T420...
throw in an SSD and they fly.
Gkains to Uridium
12 Jan 171#63
Are you sure?
The only Latitude I used recently was an E6430s and I found it way worse quality than a ThinkPad T series. The whole bottom comes of as one piece like cheap consumer laptops although it is manganese not plastic - still felt a lot worse than a Thinkpad and didn't gain anything unlike the EliteBook's tool-less service hatch.
Apparently, when buying new Dell is good because - allegedly - they consider the screen to be a CRU/FRU and won't invalidate the warranty if you change it.
In terms of build quality I would rate them:
1. Panasonic Toughbook (but very heavy and very, very expensive)
2. Lenovo Thinkpad or older HP Elitebooks (2570p, 8470p etc.)
3. Newer HP Elitebooks (840 G1/G2 etc.) but still amazingly light for such a serviceable laptop. Pity about the max 130° hinge opening
4. Dell Latitude
Nanajane
12 Jan 17#61
Hi ..can anyone help
I need a laptop for emailing occasional film\tv some games but not all shooting and high explosives types. Mainly used for typing reports and family research, so good memory and screen resolution.
Not worried too much about weight, will mainly be used just at home. I have no idea how to install or modify so it must come with what I need
Price around £300 max £400
Please could you send me a private message with any suggestions... last time someone posted for me they had all gone by the time I got to the library to look.
Thanks very much
Jane
karlbnz
12 Jan 17#62
Good spot. Those are the official specs from Lenovo -guess because 8GB modules weren't easily available when the T420 was released. I know the T410 doesn't support 8GB modules.
Yes the E6420/30 has a plastic bottom but the rest of the laptop is a huge lump of magnesium alloy, very solid laptops. Your quite right no service hatch, remove the plastic bottom plate for full access to all components. HDD access is also separate without removing the bottom plate.
Agree on the 840 G1 though, great great machine, If a little pricey for the spec. I've had one as a work laptop for the last 3yrs now, probably the best work laptop I've ever had (and I've been through a lot in the last 20yrs)
Gkains
12 Jan 17#67
Especially considering it's only about 1.6KG. The two negatives I can think of is the limited hinge (think it's about 120-130° vs 180° for ThinkPads), and the M.2 slot being 2242. The latter is particularly disappointing if you look at the ~60mm space:
The fixed it for the G2+ but still only 2260 AFAIK.
The equivalent ThinkPad would be the T440s which doesn't have a service door and bizarrely only one SoDIMM slot + 4GB soldered (the T430s had two slots). While once past 4GB it is dual-channel, the max 12GB is asymmetric dual-channel: unsure if that affects iGPU performance but I call that decision bizarre since the biggest difference between Haswell and Ivy Bridge is the iGPU but it really needs dual-channel. This is not an issue for the T440p but then it's not 1.6KG either!
rehydrated
13 Jan 17#68
No Joke. I had a wee look the other day. One of them has the "slimline keyboard". Think it has the box as well...I'll sort it out and list it on here and send you a link :smiley:
![Fresh Breakfast Meat Box (Using code) @ Campbells Meat [Haggis / Lorne Sausage / Bacon / Black Pudding & More]](/images/topics/208684_1.jpg)
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Opening post
Options to add 6GB Ram for extra £15 or 8GB Ram for extra £30.
120 GB SSD will only cost £25 more.
Windows 7 included, or upgrade to Windows 10 for £10.
1 Year Warranty.
Seems a good deal to me if someone needs such a laptop for a reasonable price.
Top comments
Well, here are the Passmark scores with multi-core scores / single-core scores:
Intel Core i5-2520M @ 2.50GHz =3,556 / 1,496
Intel Core i5-5200U @ 2.20GHz = 3,538 / 1,444
Intel Core i5-6200U @ 2.30GHz = 3,933 / 1,497
Intel Core i5-7200U @ 2.50GHz = 4700 / 1,741
So not that bad compared to the U series 15W parts. Of course this is 35W part and while Intel still make 35W parts, not many laptops have them as ultra-thin seems to be in thing.
So that's apparently 6 years without any progress aside from power. Well power, and the iGPU which the CPU benchmarks don't measure.
However, a rather simple bench (Passmark GPU) scores the HD3000 in this 311 and the HD 530 from the i5-5200U at 1,072, so that's where Intel have spent most the transistors of the recent node shrinks.
All comments (69)
Well, here are the Passmark scores with multi-core scores / single-core scores:
Intel Core i5-2520M @ 2.50GHz =3,556 / 1,496
Intel Core i5-5200U @ 2.20GHz = 3,538 / 1,444
Intel Core i5-6200U @ 2.30GHz = 3,933 / 1,497
Intel Core i5-7200U @ 2.50GHz = 4700 / 1,741
So not that bad compared to the U series 15W parts. Of course this is 35W part and while Intel still make 35W parts, not many laptops have them as ultra-thin seems to be in thing.
So that's apparently 6 years without any progress aside from power. Well power, and the iGPU which the CPU benchmarks don't measure.
However, a rather simple bench (Passmark GPU) scores the HD3000 in this 311 and the HD 530 from the i5-5200U at 1,072, so that's where Intel have spent most the transistors of the recent node shrinks.
the 1600x900 is a brighter screen
These laptops are solidly built with a very good keyboard, support three hard drives or SSD for dual boot or larger spinning disk/SSD combo:
1 x main 2.5"
1 x ultrabay 2.5"
1 x mSata
Memory 8GB max / PC3-10600 1333MHz DDR3, non-parity,
dual-channel capable, two 204-pin SO-DIMM sockets
Ports Three USB 2.0not 3.0 (one powered), one USB 2.0/eSATA combo port,
external monitor (VGA DB-15, DisplayPort), ethernet (RJ-45)
The eSata port is very useful for disk image backups/restores etc
Detailed product specifications link
14.0" (355mm) HD (1366x768) color, anti-glare, LED backlight,
200 nits, 16:9 aspect ratio, 300:1 contrast ratio
or
14.0" (355mm) HD+ (1600x900) color, anti-glare, LED backlight,
250 nits, 16:9 aspect ratio, 300:1 contrast ratio
My one year old Yoga 3 Pro, which cost over £700, will only go for 4 at best.
Here's some TIL for you:
https://www.quora.com/Phosphorescence-Does-dry-semen-really-glow-under-black-light-like-they-show-on-CSI-If-so-how-does-it-work
I also think this is very expensive for this laptop, it's 6 years old and with an SSD it's over £150, nope I wouldn't go near it and work as an IT refurbisher.
I got one from a previous HUKD deal and it is GREAT, it has a 1600/900 screen (not sure what the resolution on this is though) non-glare, so visible outside, a 3G modem inside and just works.
Battery life is around 3 to 4 hours if you got a good battery, definetely good enough
If it's going to spend most of its time on a desk, with a socket in reach, then that's not too much of an issue. However, if you want a laptop which you can carry around with you and spend significant amounts of time away from a power outlet, then a newer, lighter and more power efficient machine is probably a better bet.
It's not going to win any beauty contests and is relatively heavy if you're carrying it on your shoulder all day, but it's reliable and has very good performance for the money.
I'm after a new (newer!) laptop but find that 'HD' resolution means I always have to scroll down!
Meanwhile they were still happily selling more of them on eBay so just make sure you're getting what you pay for.
Best laptop I've ever owned. Absolute beastly build quality.
Didn't get it from this seller though, so maybe better off trawling ebay and checking feedback?
These things fly with an SSD in them, mine boots from power on to Win 7 desktop in approx 15 seconds.
Problem with eBay is it's pot luck regarding the condition and battery life. Price is probably a little on the high side compared to what you can pick up from private sellers on eBay, but the warranty is a good reassurance.
Had it in planes around europe, it is actually very portable.
I would recomend you do not buy this if it is not the 1609x900 screen
You snooze, you lose
throw in an SSD and they fly.
The only Latitude I used recently was an E6430s and I found it way worse quality than a ThinkPad T series. The whole bottom comes of as one piece like cheap consumer laptops although it is manganese not plastic - still felt a lot worse than a Thinkpad and didn't gain anything unlike the EliteBook's tool-less service hatch.
Apparently, when buying new Dell is good because - allegedly - they consider the screen to be a CRU/FRU and won't invalidate the warranty if you change it.
In terms of build quality I would rate them:
1. Panasonic Toughbook (but very heavy and very, very expensive)
2. Lenovo Thinkpad or older HP Elitebooks (2570p, 8470p etc.)
3. Newer HP Elitebooks (840 G1/G2 etc.) but still amazingly light for such a serviceable laptop. Pity about the max 130° hinge opening
4. Dell Latitude
I need a laptop for emailing occasional film\tv some games but not all shooting and high explosives types. Mainly used for typing reports and family research, so good memory and screen resolution.
Not worried too much about weight, will mainly be used just at home. I have no idea how to install or modify so it must come with what I need
Price around £300 max £400
Please could you send me a private message with any suggestions... last time someone posted for me they had all gone by the time I got to the library to look.
Thanks very much
Jane
The English one without any caveats:
http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T420
While the German one does say that 8GB is the official, although plenty of users have successfully tried 16GB:
http://thinkwiki.de/T420
Agree on the 840 G1 though, great great machine, If a little pricey for the spec. I've had one as a work laptop for the last 3yrs now, probably the best work laptop I've ever had (and I've been through a lot in the last 20yrs)
The fixed it for the G2+ but still only 2260 AFAIK.
The equivalent ThinkPad would be the T440s which doesn't have a service door and bizarrely only one SoDIMM slot + 4GB soldered (the T430s had two slots). While once past 4GB it is dual-channel, the max 12GB is asymmetric dual-channel: unsure if that affects iGPU performance but I call that decision bizarre since the biggest difference between Haswell and Ivy Bridge is the iGPU but it really needs dual-channel. This is not an issue for the T440p but then it's not 1.6KG either!