Lenovo Thinkpad T510 Full Launch Review, complete rundown and video
January 13, 2010
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The brand new Lenovo ThinkPad T510 is set to take its place amongst the upper echelons of classic ThinkPad’s. Designed and engineered to an exacting standard, and not a price category, the ThinkPad T510 is, in our opinion, the only 15″ business notebook to consider if you want the best combination of build quality and performance.
<– Review and Shop for ThinkPad T510 now!
With up to Intel Core i7-620M 2.66GHz Processor, up to 8 GB DDR3 1333MHz Memory and NVIDIA NVS 3100m Graphics with 512MB DDR3 we have performance of stellar proportions.
One Potent Notebook!
Add to that the option of a 15.6” FHD 1920 x 1080 resolution 16:9 aspect ratio 280 nit screen with 95% color gamut and you have one pretty potent notebook!
Under the skin the ThinkPad T510 has been completely re engineered to incorporate the new Intel Calpella platform with its performance boosting and power reducing feature set. Reduced bottlenecks from the Core micro architecture deliver higher system speed and performance-per-watt.
The memory controller and graphics core are now integrated into the CPU to boost system and graphics performance though gamers and power intensive graphics users will still need a discrete graphics card for high-end performance.
Small but important features like adaptive Snoozing technology for energy saving and higher erformance per watt enable vastly improved battery life.
Adaptive Snoozing technology switches off the Wi-Fi to save power, reduce over-the-air interference and provide up to 80 percent power saving over the network interface.
Its new Intel technology like this that allow the ThinkPad engineers to squeeze up to 18 hours of battery life with the Slice 9-cell battery!
So how does it look?
So that’s the inside and an overview of the performance side of things but how has the ThinkPad T510 changed cosmetically? ThinkPad’s are also all about aesthetics and the traditional ThinkPad ‘classic’ look and feel.
So how does the new ThinkPad T510 compare? Well ThinkPad fans you’ll be pleased to know that the ThinkPad T510, whilst having a few important cosmetic updates, is everything a classic ThinkPad T Series should be.
That includes lid catches, which most notebooks don’t have these days, the extremely useful ThinkLight, the iconic red TrackPoint, and the trademark red accents on the left/right mouse button. And did we mention that of course being a classic ThinkPad, its black!
The new ThinkPad T Series keyboard is a joy to use without any of the flex issues that were inherent when the T400/T500 released. We have tested the new keyboard side by side with a ThinkPad Z60 which has the stiffest keyboard on the planet and the T510 keyboard compares really well. And the new design is comfortable to type on.
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Key spacing has been minimized to reduce crumbs and dust getting under the keyboard. And so that you don’t commit the ultimate gaff and say something untoward whilst you’re on a conference call, separate microphone and speaker mute buttons with built in LED’s have been added to enable you to mute the mike individually.
Larger vertical delete and escape keys have been added as first introduced in the T400, the power on button has a built in LED, and the new VoIP function is controlled by the Fn+F6 combination. The CapsLk key also has a built in LED.
The new flush multi-touch TouchPad which carries over from the style adopted in the T400, is 27% larger with wider left and right mouse buttons and you can now zoom, rotate and scroll using two finger gestures.
We have been using our FingerPrint readers for years in the ThinkpadToday offices, and we just love the new ’smart’ fingerprint reader on the ThinkPad T510.
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LED’s light up, either left or right to tell you if you have a bad swipe’ and from which direction so that you can adjust, but the really cool feature in our opinion, is the power on from swipe. Either from completely off, hibernate, or in sleep mode, one swipe, and your ThinkPad T510 will power on!
About the only other real visual difference is that with the lid open, the ThinkPad T510, looks a lot more refined, the screen surround is a lot less bulky and the screen is now cantered, instead of offset to the right, and the hinges are wider.
There is a good array of ports around the leading edges, starting with a USB and Modem at the rear, the right edge holds the Express card Slot, Multimedia card reader, the Mic/Audio combo jack, 12.7mm optical drive and RJ45. On the left edge we have VGA and DisplayPort, 2 x USB 2.0, an eSATA/USB 2.0 combo and the Wireless On/Off switch. It’s disappointing that the T510 doesn’t have the powered ‘always on’ USB that the ThinkPad T410 features.
Green Machine!
For the Green Conscious the ThinkPad T510 is EPEAT Gold qualified and ENERGY STAR®-rated , has a mercury-free LED backlit display, uses less power than the previous models and they are now delivered in recycled and reusable packaging!
Without doubt, the ThinkPad T510 is a superb notebook and a lot of thought has gone into the redesign, right down to the low light 2-megapixel Web camera and Dual digital array microphone to optimize web conferencing and VoIP.
There is power to spare here, but the new found power that the Calpella platform offers, is served consuming less energy. ThinkPad designers and engineers have taken everything that the new Intel i5 and i7 processors have to offer and implemented the technology superbly. And because of the outstanding build quality, in 3 to 4 years, your ThinkPad T510 will still be going strong.
ThinkPad T510, best in class.
With its sleek new design, cleaner slimmer lines, new keyboard and touchpad the new Lenovo ThinkPad T510 has an elegant, modern look combined with prodigious power. The ThinkPad T510 is the best in class, 15″ enterprise level business notebook. You’ll love it.
–> Review and Shop for ThinkPad T510 now! <–
Dose anybody know what is happening with T510 series ?? I’ve waited very long for the premiere and first the shipment time was estimated as more than 4 weeks and now the whole T510 series is gone from Lenovo site. Dose anybody know when they are going to be available for customers and what the shipment time will be?
Looks like they have sold out of the initial stock Tom, bit disappointing because we were also just about to order together with a ThinkPad W510! I just wish they would be more informative on the site!
I had to laugh when I read the section about the keyboard flex — now you finally acknowledge that there were severe issues with the T400 series. Back when the T400 came out you were adamant in denying any keyboard flex. At one point you even had a myth-buster article on your web page …
As for the first paragraph of your article: I absolutely don’t subscribe to your statement that the T510 is “Designed and engineered to an exacting standard, and not a price category”. It’s pretty apparent that Thinkpads, esp. the T400/T500 series, have continuously moved into the consumer sector and have become much less business notebooks – just look at the horrid 16:9 screen. I, for one, want to work with my Thinkpad and not watch movies!
combined audio jack? seriously? so you actually can’t use a microphone and headphones at the same time? on a ‘voip optimised’ laptop?
Does anybody know when these are going to be available to UK customers? or what the 3d performance is like compared to the T410/T410s or the 3650/3470 found in the T400/T500 or the X1400 in the T60? (cheers if anyone can help me with this, I’ve found a lot of conflicting information)
[...] have talked about the advantages of the new Calpella micro architecture in our recent ThinkPad T510 Review, and nowhere is it more apparent than in the ThinkPad W510. Not only does the W510 carry an EPEAT [...]
Glad we could bring a smile to your face Andi! We have never denied that there was a ‘perception’ of keyboard flex. The first T400/T500 did have a lighter keyboard which in our humble opinion was as good as any previous t Series keyboard. The whole thing was started by a reviewer on the notbookreview site who pointed out that the keyboard had been lightened and then the whole thing turned into almost mass hysteria!
Our comment ‘any of the flex issues that were inherent when the T400/T500 released’ really was a reference to the perception, and nothing else.
Have you tried a HP keyboard lately? Or a Dell? The ThinkPad Keyboard on the new T Series, SL Series and W510 beats them all hands down.
And having worked with ThinkPads for many years and having close contact with ThinkPad Engineers we still stick with our comment that ThinkPads are “Designed and engineered to an exacting standard, and not a price category”. Of course rpice has to come into it eventually, but its not the 1st concern. Design and engineering are. Trust me we talk to these guys.
Who else offers the level of Global Warranty and Support on an Enterprise level that business users demand and need?
And as for the ‘the horrid 16:9 screen’, when are you going to get the fact that this is not just a ThinkPad issue, its a challenge that every manufacturer is facing right now. LCD and glass manufacturers are moving production over to wide view, and that is that. We have to get used to it.
Go over to http://lenovoblogs.com/insidethebox/?author=5 and read what Matt Kohut has to say
‘I’m done fretting over 4:3 vs. 16:10 vs. 16:9 displays. The world has moved to 16:9 and I should just get over it. I’d accelerate changing all products to 16:9 and focus on those display technologies that can improve the quality of the display like OLED. I had one gentleman from the OLED consortium try and tell me that he expected all netbooks to have OLED in 2 years. I think he is smoking something funny, but we’ll see a LOT more OLED based products in 2011. OLED should improve the quality of displays for everyone and then we can just forget about TN vs. PVA vs. IPS LCD discussion.’
This is a done deal and its NOT a Lenovo issue, its the way the industry is going.
Hope we continue to bring a smile to your face Andi. My recommendation to you would be to get you hands on a ThinkPad T510 and get to grips with it, you’ll love it, screen and keyboard included!
Ian Orford
Ian — thanks for your answer and the smile that it brought to my face.
I don’t want to start/reopen an endless and finally futile exchange about displays but just remark the following:
1) As I have followed the discussion on this website and others, I certainly did “get the fact that this is not just a ThinkPad issue”.
2) The move to 16:9 being an industry-wide trend does not mean its a sensible one. I think it misguided and purely cost-driven, and reserve the right to say so. Let’s wait and see what OLED can do for us.
Other than that, as you suggest, I will try to get my hands on a new T510 and test it out. Slightly off-topic: any recent update on when we can expect the X210 and X210 tablet?
I would be VERY disappointed if the new T510 did not have switchable graphics…. switching to integrated graphics when running on batteries is a life saver.
The advantage of discreet graphics during presentations etc… is un-mistakable.
It is a great option that should NOT go away.
Far as we know Sam there is a switchable graphics option, why wouldn’t there be?
Hi Andi, I think that whatever you and I say, the screen resolution topic/issue is going to rage for a while to come yet!
We have the launch date for the ThinkPad x201, ThinkPad X201s and ThinkPad X201 Tablet now moved from 23 February to the 1st March. And the official naming convention is now X201!
If you going to buy one, then please let us know how you go and what your initial impressions are, Cheers, Ian
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Ian,
I’m getting close to pulling the trigger on a purchase of the ThinkPad T510. Just wanted to get your thoughts on a few options:
1. Looks like there are three different models to choose from (regular, “enhanced” and “elite”). Any thoughts on which is best? I’m a heavy computer user for business (and stock/option trading) purposes, but not a gamer. I need something fast and sophisticated, but not turbocharged.
2. What about 32 bit vs. 64 bit?
3. WiFi options?
4. Display type?
Any other thoughts you may have would be appreciated. I’ll be glad to order through your website if that’s helpful.
Thanks,
Michael
OK, down to your questions, and as always I have to add the rider that these are only our opinions.
I would only buy the Elite spec because we always find that we get far better overall performance with dedicated graphics. Even though you’re not a gamer, the internet and software applications, particularly those that are server side, are graphic heavy these days, and you’ll find the NVIDIA Graphics give you far better performance. You might be viewing a training video for instance, and running a Stock Options Trade App at the same time in different tabs.
The base i5 processor will be great, but if cost is not an issue, our advice would but to go ‘up’ and future proof. Our philosophy in the office has always been to spec up as much as the budget will allow, so that the machine keeps pace over the next 3 to 4 years.
As an example, we use a dedicated machine for each of the sites that we run. ThinkpadToday.com is run on a ThinkPad Z60m that we bought over 4 years ago, and we maxed out the spec then. It was a bit of a wallet hit at the time, but that notebook is still going strong and is just under some of the T500 we have in terms of relative everyday performance. It only really needs upgrading now, and only just!
So if you can go to an i7 then do so. These thing fly with an i7 620M
Now this is a really thorny question. 32 v 64 bit!
All things being equal, and everything being rosy, I wouldn’t hesitate to go 64. Its faster, utilizes the chip core more efficiently, and of course will address over 4 gig of memory. The thing you have to do Michael, is check very carefully, whether the software and applications you are using will run in 64 bit mode, or have a 64 bit install option.
If not, play safe and go 32. Now, you can ‘upgrade’ to 64 bit later, but this is a complex issue and not the easiest path.
http://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Windows-7-Discussion/Windows-7-Pro-64-bit-media-not-included-with-32-bit-preload-WTF/td-p/187266;jsessionid=788A95FE1C546EA8E4EA3E04EE74756F
OK, screens, go for the 15.6″ HD+ because that is 1600×900 aspect ratio as against the 15.6 HD which is only 1366×768 (Note the difference is the addition of the ‘+’ after the ‘HD’)
Wi-Fi options, you should really go for either the 6200 or the 6300 for the best performance and working wire free especially if you’re in a trading situation. The 6200 chipset is probably going to be adequate, unless your into streaming movies.
http://www.intel.com/network/connectivity/products/wireless/adapters/6200-6300/index.htm
Hope that about answers it Michael!
Getting back to the “switchable graphics” question from Jan 20 2010 – I’ve seen several reviews that claim it hasn’t been implemented on these models. Do you have any new info, i.e. is it true ? if so, why ? can it be implemented post-purchase by a BIOS or driver upgrade, etc. ?
Jack, let me check the veracity of that and get back to you, anybody else have a view on this?
Uuuhm, looks very nice.
I hope the screen doesn’t suck as much as on the T500.
This T510 really looks awesome.
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I’ve not had my T510 for about 3 weeks after waiting 2 months for it to be delivered.
My first impression was positive, however I’ve been plagued with nothing but problems since.
Sorry to hear that Lucas, what sort of challenges have you had? The reports and feedback we have had have been nothing short of glowing.
This review is really helpful.
One question: I do like to play games on my laptop, and am curious what you mean when you write “gamers and power intensive graphics users will still need a discrete graphics card for high-end performance.” How exactly does that work – is that the “NVIDIA NVS 3100m Graphics with 512MB DDR3 Memory” option that is offered by Lenovo, or is there another way of incorporating a discrete graphics card?
Well, and a second question – can you just plug a regular set of speakers into the “mic/audio combo jack” or do you need a specialized piece of hardware?
Thanks!
Hi Saul, yes the NVIDIA NVS 3100m chip option in the ThinkPad T510 is good for gaming, you don’t need anything else, it will handle most modern games, and yes you can plug a set of speakers into the audio jack! Cheers, Ian
Hi! I am looking in to buying a thinkpad T510 for University next year, and I was wondering how long it will generally last for and if its a good idea to get a separate hard drive for music downloads and such?
Hi Katie, how long a ThinkPad will last is all relative to how it is used but in general a ThinkPad has a longer shelf life than most other notebooks because of the build quality. We have a ThinkPad Z60 in the office that we had had for 4 1/2 years that is still going strong and in fact this site is run from it! Cheers, Ian
Ian -
Is the T510 chassis magnesium or plastic?
Also, could you please give a really brief rundown on the T510 vs. the 410, what’s different other than size?
Thank you.
Quite an informative review, Ian!
I’m selecting a laptop for programming, photo editing, 3D SketchUp (I might learn CAD), and of course web surfing.
Can you please shed light on the T510 vs. W510? Do the different graphics card and the i7-620M vs. i7-720QM make a big difference? What about weight, battery life, keyboard, whatever? Do they support 1 or 2 external additional displays? Do the SD card readers handle SDHC cards?
I bought an IdeaPad for my son. It’s very nice but the bumpy trackpad feels like it’d wear down my fingertips. Is this avoidable?
Thanks again!
G, we are assured that its magnesium by ThinkPad Engineers, however, it’s one model we haven’t yet taken apart!
Hi Jerry, T510 v W510 is the big constant! Go through this review plus the subsequent comments and see if this answers your questions! Cheers, Ian
http://www.thinkpadtoday.com/performance-like-an-f22-raptor-lenovo-thinkpad-w510-launch-review.htm
Recently, the fan in my 2 year old Lenovo R61i failed. Until then my only complaint had been occasional random disconnections from USB and WiFi devices (despite my best efforts to tell drivers to keep them always on). So I purchased a new T510 i5 discrete graphics system in April. My new 510 would always abruptly power off within 5 minutes of being turned on, with no diagnostic on the failure. The local service center could not find the problem and they gave me an RMA and eventual refund. A part of the problem may be that with so many potential customizations, they can’t thoroughly test every possible device interaction. Do (any manufacturers) even bother testing these things at the factory? A Square Trade failure rate study shows ASUS, Toshiba and Sony with 3 year failure rates at about 16% and Lenovo at 21.5% (and Compaq at 26%). What data supports any alleged “build quality” of Lenovo?
Hi Steve, you have to quantify the type of marketplace the SquareTrade covers, it’s mostly the re-user, refurbished and auction market place, so quality is going to be different. ThinkPad laptops are the most reliable enterprise level notebooks as statistics show. Lenovo ThinkPad Laptops #1 in TBR Customer Satisfaction for Fourth Time in Row.
http://news.lenovo.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=1344
Cheers, Ian
Does the T510 have a spill proof keyboard??!
The ThinkPad T510 does have a spill proof keyboard Jo. You drink lots of coffee?
Yes I do ! ahaha !
But why don’t they mention it on the lenovo website ?! Anyways, I’m glad it has one, cuz I’m expecting mine to arrive at my place in like … 12 days !
Hopefully I made a good choice ! 
thanks again ! Nice review, btw.
Hello, what is the battery life like on the T510 HD+ model ? I am thinking about getting one for my self. I might also grab a macbook pro 15″ cor 2 duo @ 2.66g.
Battery life is key for me, I have a T42 that is pretty darn durable. Like it alot, but want more speed and more screen resolution. Battery is key, my last macbook pro 15″ lasted about 6.5 > 7.6 hours on battery.
Hi Jase, battery really depends on how you spec your machine up, with the HD screen at 1600 x 900, the Intel Core i7 620M and the Nvidia Quadro NVS 3100M discrete graphics, your going to get 4 to 5 hours, but then you’ll have a far more powerful, (and not as expensive!) notebook then an Apple core 2 duo @ 2.66ghz!
This is the configuration i am looking at.
System components
Intel Core i5-540M Processor (2.53GHz, 3MB L3, 1066MHz)
Genuine Windows 7 Professional (64 bit)
Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 – English
15.6″ HD+ (1600 x 900) 16:9 aspect Anti-Glare display with LED backlight and WWAN antenna
Intel HD Graphics
4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM)
US English Keyboard
UltraNav (TrackPoint and TouchPad) with Fingerprint Reader
2.0M Pixel Camera
320GB Hard Disk Drive, 5400rpm
DVD Recordable, Ultrabay Enhanced
Express Card Slot & 5 in 1 Card Slot
6cell High Capacity Li-Ion Battery TWSL
65W AC Adapter; NA, LA, (2pin)
Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200 AGN
English US Publication
It’s either this, or a macbook pro 2.66 with 4 gigs ram 320gig hard drive, and ill buy a oem copy of windows 7 pro.
Well Jase, we are obviously a little on the biased side, the MacBook pro is a great laptop, but $ for $ or bang for buck, you’ll get far more value out of the ThinkPad T510. Let us know what you end up with, and maybe send a photo of the unboxing (providing it’s a ThinkPad!
) and we will publish it!
[...] For complete Review ThinkPad T510 [...]
I might just be ordering a t410 this week, my only last question is. The 6cell battery, does it stick out the back or bottom ? or does it look like the 4 cell ?
[...] The Class Posted by Steve on August 4, 2010 Leave a comment (0) Go to comments The brand-new Lenovo ThinkPad T510 is set to take it’s position amongst the higher echelons of traditional ThinkPad’s. [...]
Hi Jase, the 6 cell battery does not stick out, its like the 4 cell. Cheers, Ian
I bought a T510, i will post pictures of my self un-boxing it when it arrives in a week or so! Thanks for all your help guys.
J’
[...] brand new Lenovo ThinkPad T510 is placed to take its place amongst the upper echelons of traditional ThinkPad’s. Designed [...]
Well done Jase! Be sure to post those pictures and keep a look out for a ‘Win a ThinkPad’ competition that will be coming over the next few weeks, Cheers, Ian Orford – Editor, ThinkPadToday
Well done Jase, be sure to post those pictures and also watch out for our ‘Win A ThinkPad’ competition coming up over the next few weeks! Ian Orford – Editor, Thin kPadToday
[...] innovative Lenovo ThinkPad T510 is set to take its position amongst the higher echelons of traditional ThinkPad’s. Created [...]
[...] completely new Lenovo ThinkPad T510 is placed to take its position amongst the upper echelons of traditional ThinkPad’s. [...]
My new T510 showed up today, Love it, nice and sturdy. Wish it didn’t have the high pitched squeal tho
Good job lenovo on this machine.
Sure thats not your cat Jase?
Anyone having problems with the SD card reader. We bought several T510’s at work (“several” like in 20 or 30), and so far I’ve tested two of my SD cards (regular 2GB cards) that work perfectly well on my old Dell 6000, and the T510 just crashes completely- I had to turn it off holding on the the ON button each time. I tried 3 of them, at random, all same results. I also tried downloading drivers from the Lenovo Canada web site, which by the way doesn’t work very well (the “detect my system” feature takes me to a “web site redesigned” page that links back to the page I came from), without any luck…
Any help or suggestions will beb greatly appreciated.
Sorry, forgot to mention… Our T510’s are running Windows XP Professional SP3.
Pablo, thats a very strange thing to be happening, take it over to the guys at the Lenovo ThinkPad forum and see what you get.
http://forums.lenovo.com/lnv/?category.id=Thinkpads
Many thanks, Ian. I’ll give it a try.
Hi Pablo, this one has been bugging me no end, then it struck me to ask, have you tried a different card, or just one? Could the card be corrupted or infected with a virus? Just a thought. Let us know how you resolve it, Cheers, Ian