Lenovo ThinkPad 14" T490 2019, Core i7-8655U, 16GB, 256GB SSD, Black

A used ThinkPad with 16GB of RAM for under CAD 400 is a no-brainer for students. Skip it if you want to game or edit video.

The i7-8655U is a 4-core chip from 2018, and it sits in the 20th percentile for CPU performance in our database. That sounds rough, but for Word, Chrome with a dozen tabs, and Zoom calls, it's totally fine. The 16GB of RAM is the real hero here, keeping multitasking smooth even if the processor is showing its age. The integrated graphics are a weak spot, landing in the 6th percentile, so don't expect to play anything beyond Solitaire. The 256GB SSD is also on the small side, at the 16th percentile, so you'll be leaning on cloud storage or an external drive.

Against something like the Apple MacBook Pro M1 Pro, the T490 gets absolutely destroyed in performance, but it also costs a fraction of the price. The HP OmniBook X Flip and ASUS Vivobook are newer with better screens and CPUs, but you'll pay two to three times more. If you need a laptop for school or basic office work and don't care about having the latest silicon, the T490 makes those premium machines look like a waste of money. The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge is in another league entirely, but so is its price tag.

At CAD 290 to CAD 386, this thing is a steal. The cheapest listing at CAD 290 is the one to grab if you can. For less than the price of a mid-range tablet, you're getting a real laptop with 16GB of RAM and Windows 11 Pro. The 99th percentile affordability score isn't hype, this is one of the best value buys in our entire database.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T490 is a used business laptop that still punches above its weight for students and anyone who just needs a dependable machine for everyday work. You're getting an Intel Core i7-8655U, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD in a chassis that was built to survive office life. It's not flashy, but it's honest. The one thing to know: this is a value play, not a performance play.

If you're looking for a laptop to edit video, run modern games, or do any kind of heavy creative work, this isn't it. Go grab something with a dedicated GPU and a newer CPU, like the ASUS Vivobook or a MacBook Pro. You'll pay more, but you won't be fighting the hardware.

Buy it if you need a reliable, cheap laptop for school or basic work. The T490 is a known quantity, it's durable, and the 16GB of RAM means it won't choke on everyday tasks. Just don't expect it to be a gaming machine or a video editing rig. For the price, it's one of the easiest recommendations we can make.