Lenovo ThinkPad T520

From ArchWiki
Hardware PCI/USB ID Working?
Bluetooth 0a5c:217f Yes
Webcam 04f2:b217 Yes
Ethernet 8086:1502 Yes
WLAN (Intel) 8086:0084 Yes
8086:0085 Yes
8086:4238 Yes
WLAN (Realtek) 10ec:8176 Yes
WWAN 0bdb:1911 Untested
GPU (Intel) 8086:0116 Yes
8086:0126 Yes
GPU (NVIDIA) 10de:1057 Yes
Touchpad Yes
Trackpoint Yes
Keyboard Yes
Fingerprint reader 147e:2016 Untested
Smart card reader 17ef:1003 Untested
SD card reader 1180:e822 Untested
1180:e823 Yes
Audio 8086:1c20 Yes

The larger 15-inch variant of the Lenovo ThinkPad T420.

Accessibility

The appearance of the ThinkPad Setup program (i.e., the tool used to configure UEFI BIOS settings) is simple and uses contrasting colours, so it may work well with OCR software. A legend of keyboard navigation shortcuts is also clearly listed on the bottom of the screen.

Note: Blind users should request the help of a sighted person to change UEFI BIOS settings. Keyboard beeps in the ThinkPad Setup program are enabled by default but only happen when unmanageable/invalid key combinations are pressed.

The user guide has a section under Chapter 8, "Advanced configuration", titled "ThinkPad Setup" that highlights the steps need to configure the UEFI BIOS settings. Relevant keyboard shortcuts (including those needed to trigger certain features on device startup) are also mentioned throughout:

Key Effect
ThinkVantage Interrupt normal startup and bring up the Startup menu
F1 Start the ThinkPad Setup program
F12 Bring up the Boot Menu window

Firmware

fwupd does not support this device yet.

Graphics

Selecting the graphics device

(This section only applies if your laptop also comes with the NVIDIA graphics card.)

Selecting a graphics device can be done by entering the ThinkPad Setup program and selecting one of the following options from Config > Display > Graphics Device:

  • Integrated Graphics
  • Discrete Graphics
  • NVIDIA Graphics

See Intel graphics, NVIDIA, and NVIDIA Optimus or Bumblebee for more details.

Note:
  • The DisplayPort will not work in Integrated Graphics mode since it is hardwired to the NVIDIA graphics card. One of the other modes must be used to make the DisplayPort available.
  • A maximum of one external monitor can be used in Discrete Graphics mode since the NVIDIA (discrete) graphics card can only drive two screens at most (including the laptop's built-in screen). NVIDIA Optimus can be selected instead for configurations with more than one external monitor.
  • OS Detection for NVIDIA Optimus must also be set to Disabled if you want to use NVIDIA Optimus.

Screen freeze in Discrete Graphics mode

In Discrete Graphics mode, GRUB's framebuffer can freeze the screen before the login prompt appears. Disabling the framebuffer resolves this issue.

Touchpad

libinput does not support horizontal edge scrolling on the T520's touchpad.

Function keys

Key Visible?1 Marked?2 Effect
Fn Yes No XF86Wakeup
Fn+F2 Yes Yes XF86ScreenSaver
Fn+F3 Yes Yes XF86Battery
Fn+F4 Yes Yes XF86Sleep
Fn+F5 Yes Yes XF86WLAN
Fn+F6 Yes Yes XF86WebCam
Fn+F7 Yes Yes XF86Display
Fn+F8 Yes Yes XF86TouchpadToggle
Fn+F9 Yes NoSymbol
Fn+F12 Yes Yes XF86Suspend
Fn+PageUp No Yes Toggles the ThinkLight
Fn+Home Yes Yes XF86MonBrightnessUp
Fn+End Yes Yes XF86MonBrightnessDown
Fn+Space No Yes None
Fn+PrintScreen Yes Yes Alt_L Alt_L+Sys_Req
Fn+ScrollLock Yes Yes Num_Lock
Fn+Pause Yes Yes Control_L+Break
Fn+Down Yes Yes XF86AudioPlay
Fn+Up Yes Yes XF86AudioStop
Fn+Right Yes Yes XF86AudioNext
Fn+Left Yes Yes XF86AudioPrev
  1. The key is visible to xev and similar tools.
  2. The physical key has a symbol on it, which describes its function.
Note: Pressing Fn+ScrollLock even once (to toggle Num Lock) will cause subsequent Fn+ScrollLock key presses to become invisible to xev and similar tools until the system is rebooted.
Tip: Fn key lock can be enabled in the BIOS settings. When this option is enabled, pressing Fn once keeps the key in a pressed condition, similar to sticky keys. Pressing Fn twice will keep it in a locked stated until Fn is pressed again.

See also