Lenovo has unveiled the latest addition to its renowned ThinkPad T series with the launch of the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5. This refresh goes beyond just introducing a new processor; Lenovo has made a deliberate effort to prioritize repairability in this iteration of ThinkPad T laptops.
Emphasis on Repairability and Design
The ThinkPad T490, released in 2019, moved away from the user-friendly repairability of its predecessor, the T480. With the T14 Gen 5, Lenovo is reintroducing this sought-after feature, highlighting repairability alongside a refreshed design.
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 Specifications
Featuring a 120 Hz OLED display, the laptop offers enhanced brightness of up to 400 cd/m² and reduced power consumption for the standard WUXGA display options, thanks to an innovative optical film. Visually, the T14 Gen 5 retains the classic ThinkPad aesthetics, including a slim bezel, a unique reverse notch webcam setup, and the iconic embossed black ThinkPad logo.
The keyboard has undergone a redesign, incorporating swapped FN/Ctrl keys, a Windows Co-Pilot key/menu key, and tactile markings to facilitate smoother navigation. In a throwback to the T480, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 includes two SO-DIMM slots, supporting a maximum of 64GB of user-replaceable DDR5 RAM.
Enhanced User Accessibility
Lenovo has revamped the battery to be a Customer Replaceable Unit (CRU), enabling users to easily replace it themselves. This design change is facilitated by the use of a click-in connector instead of traditional cabling within the laptop’s framework. Moreover, users can replace not only the battery and RAM but also the SSD and WWAN components. Visual indicators have been incorporated to streamline the repair process.
With assistance from the iFixit team, Lenovo has developed comprehensive repair guides, including video tutorials, for all CRU parts. As a testament to its repair-friendly design, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 has earned an impressive iFixit repairability score of 9.3 out of 10.
Processor Options and Connectivity
The T14 Gen 5 offers processor choices such as Intel Core Ultra with Meteor Lake H and Ryzen 8040U. Unlike its predecessor, there is no dedicated Nvidia GPU option. New features include optional WiFi 7 and Sub6 5G/LTE connectivity options.
Pricing Details
Lenovo is set to commence shipping the Intel-based ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 in April, starting at $1,200. The AMD variant will follow shortly after in May, with a starting price of $950.
