Which is better for travel?

The T14s Gen 1. It weighs 2.8 lb versus about 3.2 lb for the T490 and Lenovo rates its battery much longer, so you carry less and charge less often.

Which has the better screen?

The T490, if you value sharpness and brightness. Its WQHD panel hits 500 nits with HDR support. The T14s has a matte FHD touchscreen that is easier to read in bright light but lower resolution.

Is the newer processor worth stepping up to?

The T14s uses a 10th-gen Core i5 versus the T490's 8th-gen Core i7. Both are quad-core U-series chips, so everyday speed is close; the T14s gains more from its lighter chassis and battery than from raw CPU power.

Can I upgrade the RAM on either?

No. Both ship with 16GB soldered, so pick the memory you need at purchase. Storage is a standard M.2 SSD on both and can be replaced.

Both are business-grade ThinkPads with similar build quality. The T14s has the newer platform and longer rated battery life, while the T490's higher-resolution panel draws more power.

Do both have a fingerprint reader?

Yes. Both include a fingerprint reader. The T490 adds an IR camera with ThinkShutter for face login, which the T14s listing does not include.

Lenovo ThinkPad T490 vs Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 1

The T14s Gen 1 is the better pick for most shoppers: it is lighter at 2.8 lb, has a matte touchscreen, and Lenovo rates its battery at up to 21 hours. The T490 wins on display quality and ports, with a 500-nit WQHD HDR panel, Ethernet, and a microSD reader. Build is comparable, both being ThinkPads with spill-resistant keyboards and fingerprint readers, but the T490's RAM is soldered and the T14s offers no memory upgrade either, so buy on screen and weight rather than future upgrades.

Choose the T490 if you want a sharp, bright WQHD HDR screen and need built-in Ethernet and a microSD slot.
Choose the T14s Gen 1 if you want a lighter laptop with a matte touchscreen and long battery life for travel and all-day work.

Prices

Lenovo ThinkPad T490: $1,299.99 at Newegg (last seen Nov 13)
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 1: $447.99 at Swing Computers (last seen Nov 13)
Difference: the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 1 is $852.00 cheaper than the Lenovo ThinkPad T490 at the latest prices (Nov 13)

	Lenovo ThinkPad T490	Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 1
Display	14-inch WQHD 2560x1440 IPS, 500 nits, glossy, Dolby Vision HDR	14-inch FHD 1920x1080, matte, touchscreen
Weight	About 3.2 lb	2.8 lb
Processor	Core i7-8565U, 8th-gen quad-core	Core i5-10310U, 10th-gen quad-core
Battery	50Wh integrated, rated around 10-12 hours	Lenovo rates up to 21 hours
Ports	USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, Gigabit Ethernet, microSD reader	USB-C, USB-A, HDMI; no Ethernet or card reader
Memory	16GB soldered DDR4-2400, not upgradeable	16GB, not user-upgradeable
Security	IR camera with ThinkShutter, fingerprint reader, discrete TPM 2.0	Fingerprint reader; no IR camera listed
Screen finish	Glossy, reflects light	Matte, easier outdoors and under office lights

Spec	Lenovo ThinkPad T490	Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 1
Processor	Core i7-8565U	—
Memory	16GB Soldered DDR4-2400	—
Storage	512GB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe 3.0x4 NVMe Opal2	—
Display	14" WQHD (2560x1440) IPS 500nits Glossy, Dolby …	—
Battery	Integrated 50Wh	—
Power Adapter	65W USB-C (3-pin)	—
WLAN + Bluetooth	Intel 9560 11ac, 2x2 + BT5.1	—
Ethernet	100/1000M	—
Camera	720p + IR with ThinkShutter	—
Card Reader	MicroSD Card Reader	—
Security Chip	Discrete TPM 2.0	—
Fingerprint Reader	Touch Style, Match-on-Chip	—

Spec	Lenovo ThinkPad T490	Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 1
Resolution	—	1920 x 1080
Operating System	—	Windows OS
Processor Brand	—	Intel CPU
Touchscreen	—	Yes
Drive Type	—	Solid State Drive
Number Of Cores	—	Quad Core
Color	—	Black
Language	—	English / North America
With Backlit Keyboard	—	Yes
With No-Glare Screen

Lenovo ThinkPad T490 vs Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 1

Prices

Lenovo ThinkPad T490 vs Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 1

Prices

Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 1

What separates them

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