Lenovo · 2019 · end of life
Lenovo ThinkPad T490
Whiskey Lake
A 2019 business workhorse that refuses to die: clean Intel Linux support, real S3 sleep, the old ThinkPad keyboard, around 230 dollars refurbished.
from $230 last seen 2026-05-18
Find remaining Lenovo stockAs an Amazon Associate (US, NL, DE, UK programs), qualifying purchases via these affiliate links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Other markets not yet enrolled. How we make money. Verified 2026-05-18.
- Best for office and web work study basic everyday use
- Linux: out of box
Scorecard
Mean of six category scores, 0 to 10. Compiled from public sources. How we rate.
Strongest on keyboard, weakest on speed.
- Battery 5/10
- Display 5/10
- Build 7/10
- Keyboard 9/10
- Speed 4/10
- Value 8/10
Worth knowing
Stands out
- Linux runs out of the box
Watch for
- Discontinued, sold from remaining stock
- Dim 250-nit screen, weak in bright light
Linux
Excellent · Best on ubuntu LTS. Confidence: high · How we score
Linux compatibility, per distro
- Ubuntu LTS Out of the box
- Wi-Fi : works
- Bluetooth : works
- Fingerprint : needs tweak
- Webcam : works
- Audio : works
- Suspend : works
Whiskey Lake on Intel UHD 620 is about as boring as Linux gets, in the good way. Webcam is a plain UVC unit, no IPU mess.
Show full report
The Synaptics Prometheus fingerprint reader needs a fwupd firmware push and recent libfprint before it pairs with fprintd. 8 GB is soldered, one SO-DIMM slot for the rest, so plan around that.
- Fedora Out of the box
- Wi-Fi : works
- Bluetooth : works
- Fingerprint : needs tweak
- Webcam : works
- Audio : works
- Suspend : works
Same story on Fedora. S3 deep sleep still works on this generation if BIOS is set to Linux/Legacy sleep, which is a real reason people still hunt these down used.
ArchWiki: ThinkPad T490 →
See the broader picture in the Linux compatibility hub, the full compatibility matrix, and the buying guides.
Specs
| CPU | Intel Core i5-8265U / i7-8565U |
|---|---|
| GPU | Intel UHD Graphics 620 (integrated) |
| RAM | 16 GB (one free slot to add more) |
| Storage | 512 GB |
| Screen | 14" 1920x1080 @ 60Hz, 250 nitsbest kept indoors |
| Weight | 1.55 kglight for daily carry |
| Battery | 50 Wh, around 6 h real-world |
Common questions
- Does the Lenovo ThinkPad T490 (Whiskey Lake) work with Linux?
- Yes, on a clean install it works with no tweaking (verified on Ubuntu LTS, Fedora). Whiskey Lake on Intel UHD 620 is about as boring as Linux gets, in the good way.
- What does the Lenovo ThinkPad T490 (Whiskey Lake) cost?
- Last seen around 230 USD (2026-05-18). It is discontinued, so prices vary with remaining stock.
- How heavy is the Lenovo ThinkPad T490 (Whiskey Lake)?
- 1.55 kg (3.42 lb). That's manageable for occasional travel.
- What's the battery life like?
- A 50 Wh pack, around 6 hours real-world mixed use. We score battery 5/10.
- Can I upgrade the RAM or storage?
- RAM is partly soldered with one slot free, so you can add a stick but not replace the base 16 GB. Storage starts at 512 GB on this configuration.
- Which operating systems are supported?
- Ships with Windows. It also runs Linux; see the Linux block above for per-distro detail.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 (Whiskey Lake) is discontinued
The price below is the last we saw, kept for reference. See the current alternatives further down.
from $230 last seen 2026-05-18
Find remaining Lenovo stockAs an Amazon Associate (US, NL, DE, UK programs), qualifying purchases via these affiliate links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Other markets not yet enrolled. How we make money. Verified 2026-05-18.
