Like the other models of the T series, the Lenovo ThinkPad T590 has been redesigned. Compared with the ThinkPad T580, the chassis has been completely reworked, though there is also a lot of continuity with the preceding models, typical for a ThinkPad. The outer casing is almost 100% painted matte black, with a few spots of color, like the red TrackPoint or the hinges, which are still adorned in a silver color with metal caps – they allow an opening angle of 180 degrees as well as opening the lid with one hand and they do not have much wiggle-room at all. A new design element is the speaker grill on the inside of the chassis, which is located above the keyboard between the speakers – another similarity with the ThinkPad T490. Also, the base unit is less rounded compared with the ThinkPad T580.

According to Lenovo, the outer casing is made entirely out of glass-fiber reinforced plastic. Additionally, the lower half of the chassis is reinforced by a Magnesium frame, which means that Lenovo has carried over the basic construction principles of the ThinkPad T580. On the outside though, the materials appear changed in some areas. With the ThinkPad T580, the base-unit of the chassis was not coated, so it consisted out of rough plastic. That felt a little bit cheap for a mid range business system. With the ThinkPad T590, Lenovo has improved the situation, as the base-unit and palmrest are now coated with a smooth texture, like the Lenovo ThinkPad T490. This surface is silky smooth with a little bit of grip and it feels much better than the naked plastic of the preceding model. The new material is pretty smudge-prone though.

In terms of build quality, we have nothing to complain about. The base-unit is very stable and it can only be twisted slightly. The palmrest cannot be pushed down at all. The overall workmanship is excellent, with the weakest area of the chassis being the screen-cover, which has a lot more flex compared with the base and does not protect the LCD panel very well against pressure on the back. This should not be a cause for much concern however. All things considered, the Lenovo ThinkPad T590 is a very robust laptop and it should survive the day-to-day usage in business-environments with ease.

