Yeah I don't use the touchpad most of the time either. With a huge SSD and plenty of RAM, the i7-3520M T430S gets the job done.
I'm not entirely pleased with the screen quality, but perhaps I've been spoiled by the IPS display on my personal laptop (Dell XPS 13) and my desktop monitor (Samsung S24C750PS).
My one complaint is that the keyboard isn't as robust as previous models. After only a few months I already have some keys which don't work without a firm push. I could sent it away for repair (or replace the keyboard myself) but I can't afford the downtime and tend to use an external mechanical keyboard when I'm not travelling anyway.
With my Thinkpads I always get the international on-site warranty - it's well worth paying a bit extra to have someone come to wherever you are to fix a problem.
I'm not entirely pleased with the screen quality, but perhaps I've been spoiled by the IPS display on my personal laptop (Dell XPS 13) and my desktop monitor (Samsung S24C750PS).
My one complaint is that the keyboard isn't as robust as previous models. After only a few months I already have some keys which don't work without a firm push. I could sent it away for repair (or replace the keyboard myself) but I can't afford the downtime and tend to use an external mechanical keyboard when I'm not travelling anyway.