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Lenovo ThinkPad T490 or Dell Latitude 3400: Which Refurbished Business Laptop Should You Buy?
Two highly reliable 14-inch business laptops from 2019, both powered by the same 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8365U, going head-to-head on today's refurbished market.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 and Dell Latitude 3400 are both 14-inch business laptops built on the same Intel Core i5-8365U processor and Intel UHD Graphics 620, so day-to-day speed feels the same. The T490 is the better machine overall thanks to its NVMe SSD (~3,031 MB/s sequential read against the Dell's ~535 MB/s SATA drive), a brighter and more colour-accurate display, Lenovo's backlit TrackPoint keyboard, and a lighter 1.55 kg body. The Latitude 3400 counters with longer battery life at 3-4 hours versus 2-3 hours, a rugged plastic chassis, and legacy ports like VGA and a full-size SD reader. Buy the ThinkPad T490 for the better all-round experience; buy the Latitude 3400 for the better refurbished-market value.
Today, we are hopping into the time machine to revisit 2019, pitting two highly reliable 14-inch business laptops against each other. On one side, we have the budget-friendly powerhouse, the Dell Latitude 3400. On the other side sits the premium, top-shelf contender, the Lenovo ThinkPad T490. Both are powered by the trusty 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8365U processor, making them incredibly popular commodities on today's refurbished market. Let's see how they stack up!
Specs Comparison
Here is the direct hardware comparison between the two machines.
| Feature | Dell Latitude 3400 | Lenovo ThinkPad T490 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Intel Core i5-8365U (1.60GHz, up to 4.10GHz Max Turbo) | Intel Core i5-8365U (1.60GHz, up to 4.10GHz Max Turbo) |
| Graphics | Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 | Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| RAM (Memory) | 8GB DDR4, 2400MHz (expandable up to 32GB) | 8GB soldered DDR4-2400MHz (expandable up to 40GB) |
| Storage | 256GB SATA SSD (M.2 NVMe supported) | 256GB NVMe SSD |
| Display | 14.0" FHD (1920x1080) IPS, anti-glare, non-touch | 14.0" FHD (1920x1080) IPS, anti-glare, non-touch |
| Weight | 1.70 kg | 1.550 kg |
| Key Ports | Type-C, RJ-45 Ethernet, HDMI, VGA, SD card reader, 3x USB ports, Audio jack | USB 3.1 Type-C, Thunderbolt 3, HDMI, RJ45 Ethernet, microSD reader, Smart card reader, 2x USB 3.0 Type-A |
| Keyboard | Standard comfortable keyboard with short key travel | Spill-resistant, backlit keyboard with long key travel and TrackPoint |
Design and Build Quality
When it comes to aesthetics and build, both machines scream "business," but they take slightly different approaches. The ThinkPad T490 sports that iconic, premium matte-black look, packaged in a highly durable chassis weighing just 1.55 kg. The Latitude 3400, on the other hand, opts for a more robust, industrial plastic body that feels incredibly stable and ready to survive general wear and tear. It is slightly heftier at 1.70 kg. If you travel constantly, you might appreciate the lighter Lenovo, but the Dell feels like an absolute tank you don't have to think twice before going out with it.
Display
Both laptops get a 14-inch Full HD (1920x1080) IPS anti-glare display. However, the T490 provides a visibly brighter panel with vibrant colours and fine detail, making it a joy to look at without draining the battery too quickly. The Latitude 3400's screen is perfectly fine for typing documents and reading emails, but it falls a bit short in the color department; colors can look a little washed out from certain angles, and it doesn't get extremely bright. If you plan on doing any casual photo editing or enjoying media, the ThinkPad easily takes the crown here.
Performance and Upgradability
Since both laptops share the exact same 1.60GHz Intel Core i5-8365U code named "Whiskey Lake" processor (which boosts up to 4.1GHz) and integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, your day-to-day processing experience is virtually identical. They will both happily switch between browser tabs, heavy spreadsheets, and video calls. However, their storage speeds may vary. The ThinkPad T490 utilizes an NVMe SSD that boasts a blistering sequential read speed of 3,031.15 MB/s, meaning it boots and loads applications incredibly fast. Meanwhile, the Latitude 3400 uses a standard SATA SSD, hitting sequential read speeds around 535.08 MB/s. Oddly enough, the Dell slightly edges out the Lenovo in sequential write speeds (435.77 MB/s vs 345.19 MB/s), but overall, the T490 feels snappier when opening up any software.
Keyboard & Touchpad
Here's where things get competitive. The ThinkPad T490 is armed with Lenovo's legendary spill-resistant, backlit keyboard featuring long key travel and the iconic red TrackPoint nub nestled in the center. The Latitude 3400 offers a very comfortable keyboard of its own, providing a crisp feel with shorter travel and a sturdy deck that doesn't flex while you type. While Lenovo arguably makes the best laptop keyboards in the business, Dell's offering is surprisingly satisfying and highly capable for daily office work.
Connectivity
Both laptops feature a highly practical port placement that keeps the majority of ports on the left side of the chassis. This design choice ensures that your right hand remains free where the mouse typically sits.
Lenovo ThinkPad T490
Dell Latitude 3400
Battery Life
Given that both laptops are primarily found on the refurbished market these days, battery life comes with the caveat of prior wear and tear. Interestingly, the budget-friendly Latitude 3400 squeezes out slightly more juice, giving you around 3 to 4 hours of screen time. The slimmer T490 trails just behind, offering about 2 to 3 hours of use. With either laptop, keeping your charger nearby during long sessions away from your desk is a safe bet.
Final Verdict
Final Verdict
Tallying up the scores, it's incredible how close they are in every aspect. The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 naturally pulls slightly ahead overall with its vibrant display, superior NVMe storage speeds, and clicky keyboard. However, the Dell Latitude 3400 refuses to be left in the dust, holding its own with slightly better battery life, rugged physical durability, and a highly practical port selection.
ThinkPad T490 — the clear winner if you want the absolute best screen for consuming media and the fastest storage.
Latitude 3400 — a steal if you want a budget deal that handles daily wear and tear and stays alive a little longer on a single charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 is better overall. It has a faster NVMe SSD, a brighter display, a better keyboard, and is lighter at 1.55 kg. The Dell Latitude 3400 is the better choice if you want longer battery life and a lower price.
Yes. Both use the 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8365U (1.60GHz base, up to 4.10GHz Max Turbo) with integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, so everyday performance is virtually identical.
The ThinkPad T490 is faster in practice. Its NVMe SSD reaches roughly 3,031 MB/s sequential read, compared with about 535 MB/s for the Latitude 3400's SATA SSD. Processor performance is the same on both.
The Dell Latitude 3400 has better battery life, delivering around 3 to 4 hours of screen time versus 2 to 3 hours on the ThinkPad T490. Both figures reflect used batteries on refurbished units.
Yes, both support upgrades. Both accept M.2 NVMe SSDs for storage. The Latitude 3400 expands to 32GB of RAM, while the ThinkPad T490 expands to 40GB but has 8GB soldered to the motherboard, so one slot is fixed.
No. Both are business laptops with integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620. They handle video playback and light editing but cannot run modern games at playable frame rates.
Yes. Both use 8th Gen Intel Core processors and meet Microsoft's official security and TPM requirements for Windows 11.
The Dell Latitude 3400 offers more legacy connectivity, including VGA and a full-size SD card reader. The ThinkPad T490 offers faster modern connectivity with Thunderbolt 3, plus a smart card reader and a microSD slot.
The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 weighs 1.55 kg and the Dell Latitude 3400 weighs 1.70 kg, a difference of 150 grams.
Yes. Both remain durable, cost-effective 14-inch laptops on the refurbished market, well suited to students and office professionals who need reliable everyday machines for documents, spreadsheets, browsing, and video calls.
