We could end our verdict at this point, but the situation is a little more complex when you compare the ThinkPad T490s with its predecessor and Lenovo's other 14-inch laptops. A look at the current portfolio of high-quality business devices shows that all series are more similar than ever.
sturdy and high-quality chassis; very good 1080p screen (matte; bright; almost full sRGB gamut; long battery runtime; excellent keyboard; quiet operation; very good system performance; WWAN-ready; 3-year warranty
worse maintenance options (RAM; Wi-Fi; keyboard; cooling worse compared to T480s; no more dedicated GPU; worse CPU performance compared to predecessor; slow response times of the panel; only microSD reader with awkward position; fan quickly reacts to load; especially on mains