• expired

New Model ThinkPad E480 / 14" FHD IPS / 8th Gen i7-8550U / 256GB SSD / 8GB RAM / AMD RX550 GPU / $1149 Ship'd @ Lenovo

930
TA-E480-1149
This post contains affiliate links. OzBargain might earn commissions when you click through and make purchases. Please see this page for more information.

Lenovo's brand new ThinkPad E480 business laptop was released just yesterday (Tuesday) and here's a fantastic price for this well spec'd machine. Apply coupon TA-E480-1149 at checkout to get the discount. Consider buying extended 3 year onsite warranty for peace of mind as it's 30% off for this promo. Call Lenovo's telesales number on 1300 557 073 (until 5pm weekdays) with any questions. Ends 11:59pm AEDT Tuesday, unless sold out or withdrawn prior. Enjoy :)

  • Intel Gen7 i7-8550U Quad Core CPU
  • 14" FHD IPS (1920 x 1080)
  • 256GB SSD PCIe
  • 8.0GB DDR4 SODIMM 2400MHz
  • AMD RX550 2GB GPU
  • 1x USBC3.0, 2x USB3.1, 1x USB2.0, HDMI, MicroSD, RJ45
  • 329mm x 242mm x 19.9mm (1.75kg)

Get 5% cashback via Cashrewards (ensure last click before purchase is from CR)

Related Stores

Lenovo
Lenovo
Cashrewards
Cashrewards
Third-Party

closed Comments

  • +1

    Good deal, although description doesn't match title in regards to the gpu.
    From a quick look at the website, the description is incorrect.
    It should say the AMD RX550, not the GTX 1050ti

    • +1

      Correct you are. Now fixed :)

  • Dual core processor?

    • +13

      New 8th gen ULV i5/i7 are now quad core

    • +1

      Quad core, but Ultra low power quad core with a very low base frequency. In short bursts it will match the likes of a 7700HQ, but when under sustained high multi-core usage (like gaming) it will throttle down hard due to a lack of power (15W vs. 45W despite using the same architecture and same number of cores and threads). Still a brilliant compromise between performance and power consumption. Perfectly suited for the likes of a 1050/RX550 and 8GB of RAM IMO.

  • +1

    Amazing benchmarks for that CPU considering the low TDP.
    Quad core with HT will be nice for multitasking
    https://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?id=3064

    Shame you can not ditch that GPU in exchange for some money off, would help with battery life.

    • I was under the impression that most modern Intel laptop chips switched over to built in graphics unless the extra performance was required?
      So the RX550 in this wouldn't be using any power unless under gaming or high gpu load?
      Unless I'm completely mistaken lol

      • +1

        Hmmm the question is if optimus is proprietary…

        • My bad, would've sworn it was cpu based, not gpu.
          But you're right, it is controlled by Nvidia Optimus. However, I had a quick search, and AMD used to have a gpu load switching tech built into laptops (back in 2011). Whether they still have it in use, I don't really know.

        • +2

          @Rail Rider95: I can confirm they definitely do. In AMD settings in my laptop there is a section for 'switchable graphics' in which we can select certain apps to use specific graphics chip (either intel HD or AMD). The default is intel HD so obviously AMD chip isn't being used most of the time.

  • +3

    Was gunna get the Xiaomi Notebook Pro, but then i saw this!
    Thanks!

  • +12

    For anyone spending over $1200 with upgrades/warranties etc, take advantage of this Amex deal to get a free tablet if you’re using Amex.

  • +1

    with 3yr warranty added, you could say it's "$1337"….65..budum tssss >_>

  • Possible to upgrade the SSD? And space for a 2.5" HDD?

    • +1

      Yep, specs say it has space for an extra 2.5" drive. Not sure on the height.

      Great that it has a matte screen!

      Only downside is the 45 watt hour battery, but it should be OK with this 15W CPU.

      Pity we are forced to pay the "Windows tax" and can't select Linux or "no OS".

  • Finally a 8th Gen CPU lenovo machine…
    And it looks pretty good! Sleek enough with fingerprint sensor, too

  • Ordered E570p with TA's coupon and still waiting for it to come. Probably would settle on this one if the deal came out earlier. E570p gets backlit keyboard and better GPU but this lighter weight is so enticing.

  • +3

    There is a few sweet 13.3" options over on the DFO for those that want to spend a little less.
    Shame to miss out on the baller NVMe SSD but and you would be dropping back to a dual core with HT (they still bench pretty good) but:

    DFO-8PL3ZD2IP
    REFURBISHED
    Inspiron 13 (5378) 5000 Series Laptop
    7th Generation Intel Core i7-7500U Processor (4M Cache, up to 3.50 GHz)
    8GB DDR4 at 2400MHz (1x8GB)
    256GB Solid State Drive
    Windows 10 Home (64bit) English Optical Drive Not Included
    802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.2, Dual Band 2.4&5 GHz, 1x1
    13.3-inch FHD (1920x1080) IPS Truelife LED-Backlit Touch Display with Wide Viewing Angles-IR Camera
    Intel(R) HD graphics 620
    45 Watt AC Adaptor
    42WHr, 3-Cell Battery (Integrated)
    1 Year warranty
    $ 755 inc shipping (Some listed from $746 inc)

    DFO-GF7Q0F2IP
    REFURBISHED
    Inspiron 13 (7378) 7000 Series Laptop,
    7th Generation Intel Core i7-7500U Processor (4M Cache, up to 3.50 GHz)
    12GB Dual Channel DDR4 2400MHz (8GBx1 + 4GBx1)
    512GB Solid State Drive
    Windows 10 Home (64bit) English Optical Drive Not Included
    802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.2, Dual Band 2.4&5 GHz, 1x1
    13.3-inch FHD (1920x1080) IPS Truelife LED-Backlit Touch Display with Wide Viewing Angles-IR Camera
    Intel(R) HD graphics 620
    45 Watt AC Adaptor
    42WHr, 3-Cell Battery (Integrated)
    English Backlit Keyboard
    1 Year Warranty
    $ 908 inc shipping

    http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/product…

    • what's the process of buying from DFO?

      • +1

        From memory, you call the regular sales team, let them know you are looking to purchase an item from the DFO, give them the DFO item number

    • the dell are nice prices, but the Lenovo has a GPU, so depends if people are using for gaming or just general processing.

      has dell.com in the link so these are from US or Australia.
      swap my 1TB SSS into one of these and add the extra ram and its a sweet machine and the old one goes to ebay.

      • +2

        It comes back to an indivuals use.
        Personally I seek out a laptop without a GPU as the on board graphics are adequate for my intended use.
        In return improved battery life and less heat generated.

        Although not visible by clicking on the link, the DFO is tied to Dell Australia.
        A quick Google of the terms "Dell Factory Outlet Australia" will populate the same link.

    • -2

      No dedicated GPU and only dual-core CPU. Completely different.

      • Completely different.

        Yes, upto $403 different.

        Shame to miss out on the baller NVMe SSD but and you would be dropping back to a dual core with HT (they still bench pretty good)

        • -1

          And your point is? Its not a related product. No performance parts and different price-point. If you think its a good deal then post it as a separate deal. It's in no way relevant to this laptop.

        • +1

          @Viper8:

          Its not a related product

          Please refer to my initial post "There is a few sweet 13.3" options over on the DFO for those that want to spend a little less."
          You will note there is no claim for a related product, rather a "option for those that want to spend a little less"

          No performance parts

          Yes, NO enthusiast grade chipsets to be seen anywhere

          and different price-point

          Now you are starting to get it, "for those that want to spend a little less"

          If you think its a good deal then post it as a separate deal

          Not an option, this would be against posting guidelines.
          At the time of writing there looked to be around half a dozen such units lisyed.
          The deal would get flagged for Insufficent stock.

          It's in no way relevant to this laptop.

          Other than being a cheaper alternative, which may appeal to some dependent upon their requirements, not relevant at all.

          The funny thing is I posted alternatives for those that may not have had the budget for the OPs deal (options up to $403 less).
          Here I was thinking the time I had invested to find alternate options would benefit others.

          PS, I posted another unit below with no dedicated GPU

  • Does anyone know the difference between the Nvidia MX150 and AMD RX550 performance-wise? I'm trying to decide between this and the Mi Notebook Pro.

    • On Notebook check it says RX550 is a tad bit better than the MX150

      • -4

        Oh wow thats unusual considering Nvidia usually has the leg up, but good.

  • How's the battery life one this one?

    • I would not expect to much, possibly in the 2.5 - 4 hours of sustained use bracket

      • Marketing blurb says up to 13…??

        • +4

          13 hours of word-processing on a brand new unit with the screen on max dull and everything disabled, on second thoughts, even that sounds unattainable on MS OS.
          If battery life is important, I would be looking for some real world reviews.
          Some what more indepandant

        • @Cheap Charlie:

          not unattainable on a surface book :)

          But very different price bracket.

        • @gavincato:

          what's a normal usage like on a surface book? you know - normal person viewing brightness while connected to wifi, with a few windows open, and browsing or using microsoft office and other working apps?

          Is it possible to get between 5+ hours on laptops these days, or these hybrid tablet/laptops?

          That said I am utterly confused (as someone that doesn't keep up to date on the space) the difference between the surface book vs surface pro 4 vs surface pro vs surface laptop.

          THey all come with keyboards, but all seem to be a tablet being a laptop, or a laptop that can be a tablet etc. THe lines are so blurred for me, apart from the fact that a surface book (or as it surface laptop) is really expensive, 2-3k+?? Not sure what im missing given i'm just your average joe, but on paper the ram and hdd space etc. seem similar to high $1k laptops already? Not sure what your paying that much for??

        • @Cheap Charlie:
          wish there was a benchmark site or thing that used average person tests - i.e. everyday brightness, connected to internet, web browser open, doing one or two processing or common software in the background.

          I too sometimes wonder how (Even in the netbook era when they first came out) these 7-13 hour quoted laptops barely get past 3 or 4 hours of heavy use.

        • @SaberX:

          Sorry, I missed replying to this.

          The surface book has an amazing screen, and a real keyboard. i.e. not the attached soft one like the normal surface.

          It's certainly expensive but the component quality is at a much higher level than the 1k-2k laptops. I would not say it is bang for buck though! I love it though, such a pleasure to use.

          I easily get 8+hrs of real world use out of it, and if I it in it's power save mode that jumps to 11-12 pretty easily.

          I never bother to bring a charger with me.

      • +1

        wew that's pretty offputting

        • I can not find any hands on reviews as yet that have ran actual battery tests as yet, however the above is my expectation.

        • @Cheap Charlie: yep, the battery is only 45Wh and I can't find a way to change any options on the Lenovo site to upgrade the battery or anything else.

        • +1

          @RedHab:

          You could look into buying a larger Battery, however you may be better of just grabing one of these 18000mAh units.
          19V/3.5A output.
          USB + 12V jump starting ability is a bonus.

          Have had one of these units for 18 months.
          Would buy again.

          18000mAh @19v = 342Wh

        • @Cheap Charlie: It's a good idea. I guess the 18000mAh is at 3.7V making it 66Wh?

          Just be aware that Dell and HP now have DRM chips in their chargers to prevent third party chargers being used.

          You will get an "unauthorized charger error" if you plug it in, even if the volts and current capacity is fine.

          I'm not sure about Lenove.

        • +1

          @RedHab:

          Good point on the DRM chips, Proprietary chargers using universal inputs is a bit crap

  • The tech specs mention optional backlit keyboard, USB Type C charging and also, dual drives support.

    Very nice.

  • +1

    Are there any deals and coupons similar to this, but have one maybe with a better GPU, like the yogas?

  • +1

    Some one jump on this from the DFO.
    Baller CPU + a backlit keyboard

    DFO-CZTX2G2LT
    S&D
    Latitude 14 (5480) Business Laptop,
    7th Generation Intel Core i7-7820HQ (Quad Core, 2.90Gz, 8MB cache)
    (Scratch & Dent)
    8G 2133MHz DDR4 (1 X 8G)
    M.2 256GB SATA Class 20 Solid State Drive
    Windows 10 Pro (64bit) English
    Intel Dual-Band Wireless-AC 8265 Wi-Fi + BT 4.2 Wireless Card (2x2)
    35.6cm (14.0'') Non-Touch Anti-Glare FHD (1920 x 1080)
    Integrated HD Graphics 630
    90W AC Adapter, 3-pin
    Primary 3-cell 51W/HR Battery
    Internal US-English Qwerty Dual Pointing Backlit Keyboard
    1 Year warranty
    $ 650 inc shipping

    • it's already sold :(

      • +1

        I did not think it would last long at that price point.
        Some one got a smoking deal

        • +1

          Never heard of this DFO? Is this official dell selling used computers? I mean are refurbished still like a second hand car brought in and salvaged and 'remade'? Like how these things never seem to be quite near the same when you put them back together vs putting them together for the first time ever??

          Or are they unnoticeably similar to a brand new?

        • @SaberX:

          Sitting here on a Dell XPS 15, w/ 4K touchscreen, 7700HQ CPU, GTX 1050 GPU, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD.

          Paid $1800 on the DFO.

          It's indistinguishable from performance-wise from the new model from the benchmarks I've done. Appearance-wise, there was a minor scuff on the lid and the trackpad was visibly used (idk… darker?).

          With the model $3000 new, or $2550 after their normal sale 15% sales, I'm pretty happy with the $1800 price I paid. I tried to order one that was listed on the DFO outlet, but I had the Dell outlet sales rep email me when a new one became available.

          http://www.dell.com/learn/au/en/audhs1/campaigns/dell-outlet…
          ^outlet here

        • @Solid State Fetish:

          …and yeah it is an official Dell store.

        • @Solid State Fetish:

          I'm curious though - where do they get these laptops to refurbish? i mean what are they using? Faulty laptops that came back returned or slightly defective? Rip out the dodgy part and resell??

          I was told to consider a XPS13. to be hoenst i've always come from mid $1k range middle ground asus laptops when on sale. But recently as i've entered solid working life Irealise i dont need as much funky graphics cards for gaming (no time) etc. So am just hunting something with the ability to use graphics based programs as neeeded (nothing intensive), but mainly with good functonality (ports, accessibility - do laptops even come with dvd burners/cd drives these days?) and good form relative to weight and battery.

          I use my 15.6" asus for desktop computing replacements sinc ei got it in 2011. but realise when you do transport it around it is close to or near 2kg. Be keen to see if a 13-14" is decent size screen for permanent use day in, day out, yet portable enough still? Otheriwse most of it would be browsing, office suite products, using the hard drive for files, and day to day life - storing photos, doing your tax returns, and whatever else mundane stuff one would do.

          Would an ultrabook be affordable these days with dell? Still the xps 13 or inspiron range to recommend?

          I see the microsoft equivalents but am still confused how the surface pro vs book vs laptop fit together - they all seem like laptop wannabes, that can do other form factors. But the prices are so much more than the dells?

        • @Solid State Fetish:

          oh, and so you have to wait and snap up ad hoc refurbishments as they arrive? They have to mail it to you?

          Do you typically have better times to wait for sales? Or can you only get ebay and dell % discount off sales when buying brand new i.e. not the factor outlet store?

          Sometimes amex has cash back ofers linked to credit card too - am wondering if this would work on the DFO store?

          edit: Just had a look at their xps 13 list. am quite confused on the variety of specs some being $1,100 up to $1.700. Is there a general guide on how to assess the specs? For example some are 4 cell, 46Whr battery integrated. Others are 60Whr batteries. some have 45w charger, and others 30w.

          Am just very confused. i asssume the 45 w charge and 60Whr is a much better battery life than the alternatives? Just how much differnece would we be talking? And given they're all dell xps 13 (9360 or 9365) what's with the big difference? Would the hdd and ram all be same specs between the different refurbished models if comparing like capacity for like capacity (i.e. one 256gb ssd in one refurbished laptop, or 8gb ram, to that of a similar capacity size in another refurbished laptop listed for sale)? any tips or tricks?

          Or even somewhere i can read up to get a quick insight on the tech? not looking for a full education given how fast the space moves and i have a laptop once every 3-5 years it seems lol.

  • I wonder how this laptop would be when coupled with on of those gigabyte aurora egpu units…

    • Need to upgrade the RAM for starters.

    • Although the E480 has Type-C ports none of them support Thunderbolt 3 so any eGPU would be of no use.

  • +1

    FYI most non-gaming laptops with graphics cards are pretty gimped to the point where you'll only garner a little bit of playability out of them. Next year Thunderbolt 3 will open up the exclusive licensing on their PCI-Express to usb-c interface which means you'll potentially see a lot of 3rd party external GPU boxes which contain a grpahics card and external power supply for it. So you'll be able to plug that in and get a huge boost to graphics performance out of a little box perirpheral which is pretty cool if it ever happens

  • +3

    called to find out about the backlit keyboard, CTO models (customization) will prolly be out in a couple months for this…they could add a note to order or add backlit keyboard options at the moment, or as sales advised.

    the only thing holding me back tbh :(

  • +1

    For your average internet, Word and Netflix user, is it worth spending this sort of money?

    • Interested in knowing same thing…

    • +3

      Well, there are cheaper laptops with older generation hardware that fits the bill. The previous E470 for example is cheaper by maybe 20 percent

      You don't particularly need the latest Intel CPU or even a graphics chip for just browsing ozbargain and watching flix

      • would these older hardware fit the bill in finding something portable but still a decent replacemet for desktops or your desktop laptop already - say 13-14" screens, mid way. and with enough specs to use for browsing, movies, multimedia etc? Trying to find something that's still light enough to be portable and with decent enough battery life for the odd occasion it's off the charger.

        • The older 7th gen i5 and i7s are way more than good enough for those things. As great as the 8th gen processors are, you'll only really notice the difference today for video editing and number crunching (Matlab, etc.). That said, if the price difference isn't too big, then of course it's worthwhile considering the 8th gen laptops as it may future proof you a bit more.

        • @akaakmdm:

          thanks. so no material difference in the battery life of an ultrabook with 8th gen versus 7th gen? So just go for best price to specs in that case?

        • @SaberX:

          The 8th gen processors are much faster, but only in short bursts of a few seconds, which is perfect because most general computing tasks won't tax the CPU much for much longer. After that time, the CPUs will go back to their 15W limit. In other words, the battery life under a sustained load should be similar for both 7th and 8th gen.

          At idle loads, the 8th gen processors are quad core whereas the 7th gens are dual core. You'd expect the quad cores to consume more power, however, the 8th gens end up running each core at a lower speed than the 7th gens, so it balances out.

          Overall then, the 8th gen processors are a more efficient design which gives you more performance per watt, but you should expect similar battery life between laptops with the two assuming other characteristics of the laptop are the same.

          I would opt for an 8th gen in general, but if the price is right, a 7th gen can be a good deal too.

        • @akaakmdm:

          THanks. well said. INstore jb hi fi - went to checkout the latest laptops etc to get a feel for what tech is like (welcome to 2018 from the 2011's to me). Seems most think the 8th gen are more battery efficient… might just be store sales talk.

          I saw 3 or 4 laptops/ultrabooks/tablet keyboard hybrids, whateve ryou want to call them. THe HP spectre, they had an XPS13, and a Lenovo yoga 720. Also saw the microsof surface book and laptop.

          I do like the touch screen ability of these laptops these days. I'd probably still use a mouse and keyboar dall the time but it's cool to be able to quickly touch the screen if there's something specific to pinpoint. One thing I noticed is the dells have really weird camera placement? Like at the bottom, one in the middle, one in the far left bottom? Like really? The hp spectre had a mich taller screen/bezel … guess that's why the XPS had to relocate its camera to bottom? XPS 13 def felt very light and sleek. The yoga 720 wasn't bad , guy reckoned the dells came back with more returns than lenovo and the hp though.. not sure if true.. does the old "Dont Expect to Last Long" (DELL) moniker still hang around these years?

          Am pretty confused in the models though. The XPS 13 was in one row, mid $2k, yet the same 7th gen in the next row back was slightly cheaper, had a slightly diferent camera placement (bottom left, rather than bottom middle) - yet both were xps 13's etc?? Are their not just internal differences but different sub models?

          The surface books etc all looked ok, but by gosh one problem i noticed - even with the xps 13 - where are all the ports?? THe alarm was in what i believe is the usb? But i didn't see any usb c ports, or 2 or 3 usb ports as per their larger, cheaper laptop cousins? Are all these ultrabooks these days sleek and with less connectivity ports etc?

          Am abit lost with the new ports. THe lightning bolt symbol - is that an apple related port? THe "SS" with the usb fork sorta thing? is that usb 3? Dells has that "P" kinda symbol which at work connects to a dell hub thing. Without that dell dock though - what is it for?

          i also can't see (unlike the spectre) bezel for audio output on the xps 13? It's so small and sleek that i wonder how the speakers are?

          P.S. The DFO listings had dozens of laptops that night you posted and i checked it out. sudddenly they're all empty?! not sure if they bulk update all the sold ones, or i literally got in when no one else had bought any.

        • @akaakmdm:

          surface books had a weird suede cover style laptop keyboard pad. not sure if these would 'last' though.

          it seems all the instore xps 13's dont come with 512 gb SSDs unless you opt for the usually 16gb ram and top of the line i7 etc. Whereas i assume for an ultrabook style, battery life and everyday work/tasks would be better suited saving money and getting an i5, 8gb ram , 512gb SSD etc. Is the only way to upgrade a lower priced model given the 512 gb SSDs seem to come in only the high range?

          Guy at jb also mentioned ASUS had recently pulld out of laptop market in aus? PRetty surprising as my laptop since 2011 has been an asus, and they've been around in all the catologues as a prominent name alongside HP, acer and dell these years.

        • @SaberX:

          In terms of upgrading, it depends on the laptop model - some laptops have SSD and RAM connectors soldered into place and so they're not upgradable. Some models don't and let you easily toss in a new replacement SSD. It sounds like you're getting overwhelmed, especially as many laptops are sold in multiple configurations with different specs. Google is your friend here.

    • @Footyboy & gsmMASHA

      I would suggest some thing like this based on the described requirements.
      Be advised this unit is the 15.6' form factor.
      13.3' options are also available for slightly more.
      I would add a 256gb or larger SSD as your boot drive (around $120)
      There may be a spare 2.5' HDD bay in the laptop which will give you and additional 1TB of storage.

      Note, late model hardware with a low TDP
      DDR4
      Reasonable FHD display for video streaming

      DFO-5ZK9RJ2IP
      REFURBISHED
      Inspiron 15 (3567) 3000 Series Laptop,
      7th Generation Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-7200U Processor (3MB Cache, up to 3.1 GHz)
      8GB DDR4 at 2400MHz (1x8GB)
      1TB 5400 rpm SATA Hard Drive
      Windows 10 Home (64bit) English
      Tray load DVD Drive (Reads and Writes to DVD/CD)
      Dell Wireless 1810 Card (802.11AC Dual-Band Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.0)
      15.6-inch FHD (1920 x1080) Anti-Glare LED-Backlit Display
      Intel(R) HD graphics 620
      45 Watt AC Adaptor
      Primary 4-cell 40W/HR Battery
      Internal US International Qwerty Keyboard
      Black
      1 Year warranty
      $ 539 inc shipping

      http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/topics/segtopic.aspx/product…

  • Tried to upgrade to 16gb ram but cannot upgrade it seems

  • +1

    Finally, thinkpad released the gen 8 CPU laptops.

  • What is it thickness as compare to Mi notebook?

  • Is there same but 15 inch?

    • Yes, Thinkpad E580

  • TA any x1 Carbon deals coming up? really keen on getting one

  • Is the charging input through the USB-C port?

    • +1

      Yup its USB C charging by the looks of the specs

  • would a similar deal be available after customisation is possible?

    • yeah probably, as with most of the e470 deals. But you'll have to wait quite a while i assume.. maybe 3-4 months time

  • Bugger, been away for a few days and missed this by about 5 mins before it expired. Great deal, I was looking to buy two. Hope it comes up again TA.

  • Will there be another deal around the same price as this anytime soon? Starting Uni end of February and was looking at this to be my laptop :D

  • Could this fully specd out E480 deal come back again TA? :)

Login or Join to leave a comment