Lenovo’s ThinkPad T470 Continues Durable T-series Tradition

At first glance, the Lenovo T470 looks like another T-series laptop of indeterminate age. It has the same flat black skin with few features beyond the ThinkPad logo and an array of ports along each side.

On closer inspection, however, the latest in the ThinkPad line is thinner than before. Pick it up and you’ll find it’s lighter. But open the top of this laptop and you’re greeted by the legendary ThinkPad keyboard, complete with the red eraser tip trackpoint button as well as the touchpad along the front of the keyboard.

Turn on the T470 and it boots instantly giving you the choice between using the fingerprint reader to the right of the keyboard, entering a PIN or a password.

Tales in Tech History: The IBM-Lenovo Thinkpad

Lenovo ThinkPad T470

This computer ships with Microsoft Windows 10 Pro Signature Edition, meaning that Lenovo hasn’t burdened this computer with any of the bloatware that continues to accompany laptops from other makers. Depending on your choice of options, the full HD screen may be touch sensitive.

The keyboard continues Lenovo’s practice of excellent typeability. According to the company, this is because the keys have an island style design with a scissor lift key mechanism. Regardless of how they do it, Lenovo once again has the best keyboard of any laptop I’ve tested since the last time I tested a T-series ThinkPad.

Touch-typing is easy because the keys fall naturally to hand. They have a positive feedback when you type and the keyboard is large enough that adjustments to your typing style aren’t required.

Unlike many business laptops, the T470 is available from Lenovo nearly any way you want it. The Lenovo’s sales website will allow you to select either Intel Core i5 or i7 processors, memory ranging from 4GB to 32GB and storage ranging from a 500 GB hard disk to a wide selection of solid state disks, with capacities ranging from 128 GB to 1 Terabyte.

A minimally-configured T470 starts at $881.10 and a model with high-end options can exceed $2,000.

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