ThinkPad T490 vs Latitude 5491: 15 metrics compared

The Latitude 5491 and the ThinkPad T490 are 2018-2019's performance-versus-polish pair: Dell's 5491 is the rare business 14 that took 45W H-class six-core CPUs, while Lenovo's T490 is the refined mainstream flagship. The catalog verdict? An almost perfect dead heat — 7 axes each, 1 tie — and one of only a handful of comparisons where our winner field comes back empty.

ThinkPad T490 vs Latitude 5491: specs compared

The split is remarkably clean. The 5491 owns the silicon axes: CPU 57.6 versus 46.2 (those six cores), gaming 25 versus 16, screen 50 versus 44.9, value 61.6 versus 59.8, a 68 Wh battery option versus 48 Wh, and a $60 lower used price (~$468 vs ~$531). The T490 owns the living-with-it axes: mobility 62 versus 46, reliability 39 versus 29, GPU ceiling 23.7 versus 12.1 (its optional MX250), a lighter 1.46 kg body versus 1.65 kg, and the newer model year. Performance index is a statistical tie (39.7 vs 39.6) — raw six-core power against balanced efficiency landing on the same number is the whole comparison in miniature.

Gaming performance

Two different routes to "not quite". The T490's MX250 gives it the higher graphics ceiling — lighter esports and older AAA titles at 1080p low are within reach. The 5491's stronger CPU makes CPU-bound games (strategy, MOBA, simulation) feel snappier but its graphics options top out lower. If gaming matters at all in your purchase, the T490's dGPU listings are the ones to hunt.

Battery and portability

The spec sheet says 68 Wh versus 48 Wh — Dell's win — and 1.65 kg versus 1.46 kg — Lenovo's win. Real-world endurance is closer than the watt-hours suggest: the 5491's H-class CPU drains its big battery at a pace that roughly matches the T490 sipping its small one. The T490 is unambiguously the nicer machine to carry, at nearly 200 grams less.

Which to buy in 2026

This is the comparison where the honest answer is workload-driven. Buy the Latitude 5491 when the machine earns its keep through CPU work — development, virtualization, photo batches — the six-core option still outmuscles most 2026 ultrabook chips in multi-core, at $60 less. Buy the ThinkPad T490 for the balanced life: lighter, more reliable in our scoring, better screen options in most listings, and enough GPU for casual play. A 7-7 tie with 1 draw is not a data failure — it is the data saying these two are simply aimed at different buyers.