ThinkPad vs Latitude vs EliteBook: which to buy refurbished

No line wins on every point. Buy a ThinkPad T for typing and a public BIOS record. Buy a Latitude 5000 or 7000 for a base cover that comes off easily. Buy an EliteBook 840 G5 for a keyboard protected from drops of water. Cheapest refurbished ThinkPad of any series with 16 GB or more: from US$187 (16 GB), seen 12 September 2026

The price today

Here are today's numbers for each line in your Market. The price is the cheapest offer with 16 GB of RAM or more. The shop count covers offers at any RAM. It tells you how easy the line is to find.

Each row reads every model in the line, not only the series this guide compares. The cheapest ThinkPad can be an E series, and the cheapest Latitude can be a 3000 series. Read the model name in the offer before you buy. For one model at a time, open the ThinkPad T480, Latitude 5490, Latitude 7490 or EliteBook 840 G5 page.

The three lines side by side

The sections below name the source for each cell.

Keyboard: all three are good, and the ThinkPad suits typists best

Notebookcheck's T480 review says: "The concave keys have a relatively long travel distance and are sure to please anyone who has a lot of typing to do because of their great actuation points and good responsiveness."

The Latitude is close. The Latitude 7490 review states: "Alongside Lenovo’s ThinkPad devices, Dell Latitude 5000 and 7000 laptops consistently possess some of the highest-rated keyboards around."

The EliteBook 840 G5 review says: "The keyboard still has crisp feedback, which is accompanied by good travel, and it remains protected from drops of water."

Repair and parts: all three open, each with one weak point

Lenovo publishes which parts you may change yourself. The T480 user guide states: "Customer Replaceable Units (CRUs) are parts that can be upgraded or replaced by the customer." The weak point is the base cover. Notebookcheck notes "Positive: The screws do not fall out but remain in their slots after being undone." But the same review found the cover takes a lot of force to lift.

The Latitude opens easily. Dell's 7490 manual says: "Loosen the eight (M2.5 x 6.0) captive screws that secure the base cover to the system 1." The weak point is the keyboard. The 7490 review notes that "the keyboard is among the hardest of all FRUs to replace", because it sits under the motherboard.

HP also splits its parts. The EliteBook 840 G5 Healthcare Edition service guide states: "Your computer includes Customer Self-Repair parts and parts that should only be accessed by an authorized service provider." The bottom cover uses captive screws: "Loosen the five captive screws (1) and the two inset captive screws (2) that secure the bottom cover." The weak point is that we found this guide only for the Healthcare Edition, not for the standard 840 G5.

RAM slots: check the generation, not the brand

The T480 has two slots. Lenovo's sheet says: "32GB max / 2400MHz DDR4, dual-channel capable, two DDR4 SO-DIMM sockets". On the T490, Lenovo solders part of the RAM: "One memory soldered to systemboard, one DDR4 SO-DIMM slot, dual-channel capable". Our T480 vs T490 vs T14 guide covers that change.

The Latitude 5490 has two slots. Notebookcheck writes: "As only a single 8 GB memory stick is used, an upgrade via the second RAM slot is easy."

The EliteBook 840 G5 has two, and the review states: "The device has two RAM slots and neither is soldered on." The T480 has two slots too. Against a T490 or a T14, this is the EliteBook's clearest RAM point.

Docking: ask for Thunderbolt in the offer

The T480 docks over Thunderbolt. Notebookcheck says: "That being said, the Docking port is connected via Thunderbolt 3."

On the Latitude 7490, Thunderbolt is optional. Dell's manual lists the "Dell Business Thunderbolt Dock - TB16(optional for Thunderbolt 3 equipped systems only)". So a refurbished 7490 without Thunderbolt will not run that dock.

HP's 840 G5 Healthcare Edition guide lists the "HP Thunderbolt 3 Dock - maximum resolution = 4K @60Hz (DP1) and 4K @60Hz (DisplayPort 2)".

BIOS updates: we checked only Lenovo's record

Lenovo's T480 BIOS readme lists version 1.51 with the issue date "2024/03/22". That release lists fixes such as "Enhancement to address security vulnerability,CVE-2023-27504." So a model from 2018 still got security fixes six years later. We could not open a comparable record from Dell or HP, so this guide makes no claim about their update record.

Who should buy which

• Buy a ThinkPad T if you type all day, or if you want Lenovo's parts list and a long BIOS record. Buy a T480 if you want two RAM slots. Our guide Is the ThinkPad T480 still good in 2026? covers its weak parts.
• Buy a Latitude 5000 or 7000 if you want to open the laptop often, to change the SSD or the RAM. Check that the offer has Thunderbolt if you own a Thunderbolt dock.
• Buy an EliteBook 840 G5 if you want two RAM slots with nothing soldered, or a keyboard protected from drops of water.

Whatever the line, check the Grade of each machine. Our guide to refurbished laptop Grades explains them. For the price gap between two brands, see Dell vs Lenovo, HP vs Lenovo and Dell vs HP, or browse all comparison pages.

Questions people ask

Which is better, a ThinkPad or a Dell Latitude?

Neither on every point. Reviewers rate both keyboards among the best. The Latitude opens more easily. This guide checked only the ThinkPad's BIOS record. Compare today's prices on the Dell vs Lenovo page.

Is a Dell Latitude or an HP EliteBook better?

The EliteBook 840 G5 has two RAM slots with nothing soldered and a keyboard protected from drops of water. Both base covers use captive screws. On the 7490, Thunderbolt is an option, so check the offer. See Dell vs HP for the price gap.

Which business laptop is the easiest to repair?

The Latitude opens easily: eight captive screws hold the base cover. Its keyboard is hard to replace. Lenovo and HP both name the parts you may change yourself.

Can I upgrade the RAM in a refurbished ThinkPad, Latitude or EliteBook?

Yes on the T480, the Latitude 5490 and the EliteBook 840 G5, which all have two slots. The T490 has soldered RAM plus one slot, so buy it with the RAM you need.