Lenovo ThinkPad T480 vs Lenovo ThinkPad T490

Buy the T490 if you want the sharper screen, lighter body and newer processor; buy the T480 if you need a touchscreen, facial recognition, or plan to upgrade RAM later. The T490's WQHD HDR panel and 500-nit brightness are a clear step up for reading and outdoor work, and its 8th-gen i7-8565U beats the T480's typical i5-8350U. The T480's edge is flexibility: two RAM slots up to 32GB, a hot-swappable external battery, and options like touch and IR facial login. Owners of both praise the keyboard and durability; the T490 is the more modern machine, the T480 the more repairable one.

• Choose the ThinkPad T480 if you want a touchscreen, facial recognition, and RAM you can upgrade yourself, or you prefer swapping batteries on long days.
• Choose the ThinkPad T490 if screen quality and portability matter most and you want the faster CPU and newer wireless built in.