Image: Willis Lai/Foundry
Lenovo’s ThinkPad brand is the go-to pick if you want a giant fleet of corporate laptops that can take a beating. But as they’ve become sleeker and more modern, they’ve also adopted a lot of the trappings of those modern designs, including more restrictive internals and fewer options for upgrading after purchase. With the latest refresh of the much-loved T series, Lenovo got a little help from some experts on how to make a modern laptop that keeps your options open. A new X series detachable and ThinkBook convertible round out today’s new announcements.
ThinkPad T14, T14i, and T14s Gen 5
The bread and butter of the ThinkPad family, the T14 strikes a balance between portability and utility. Now in its fifth generation since replacing the T400 series, it’s being offered in both Intel and AMD varieties. While they all have the distinctive “Communications Bar” on the top of the lid as seen on the Z series, the headline feature of the latest models is that Lenovo has adjusted its internal design in order to be more repairable and serviceable by the end user (or their IT department). According to the promotional material, the designers consulted iFixit for hardware revisions and repair guides, resulting in the final laptops getting a 9.3 score for repairability. They all have user-accessible RAM DIMM slots, which is becoming a rarity for modern laptops.
Lenovo
Lenovo
Lenovo
The T14 Gen 5 can be configured with the latest Core Ultra or Ryzen 8040 processors, up to 64GB of RAM, and up to 2TB of Gen 4 M.2 storage. The screens are surprisingly robust for ThinkPads as well, topping out at a 2.8K OLED with 120Hz, something that wouldn’t look out of place on a gaming laptop. Fingerprint readers, IR cameras for Windows Hello, and the ThinkPad’s usual manual camera shutter for privacy are all present. Double USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4 if you go with Intel), double USB-A, HDMI, and an Ethernet port give you plenty of connection options, with 5G and LTE choices if you want an always-on mobile connection. Graphics are integrated (Arc or Radeon) on all versions. The 0.7-inch, 1.3-kg (2.86 pounds) laptop starts at $1,199 for the Intel (T14i) variant, on sale starting in April. The AMD version, sans “i,” will be considerably cheaper at $949 with a May launch.
Willis Lai/Foundry
Willis Lai/Foundry
Willis Lai/Foundry
For a slightly sleeker take on the ThinkPad middle ground, the T14s offers more or less the same design in a skinnier 0.65-inch body that shaves .06 kilograms off weight, despite having a bigger 58 watt-hour battery. (The Ethernet port had to be kicked to the curb, though.) Other specifications are more or less identical, but AMD processors aren’t available with the 14s, and this model is notably absent when Lenovo talks up its new repairability standard. Reading between the lines, I’m guessing that means that one or both of the RAM DIMMs won’t be user-replaceable. The ThinkPad T14s starts at $1,399 and will be available in April.
ThinkPad T16 Gen 3
Willis Lai/IDG
Willis Lai/IDG
Willis Lai/IDG
The bigger brother ThinkPad T16 Gen 3 has more or less all the same features as the T14, but AMD is off the table. The extra 0.22-inch thickness and 0.33 kilograms allows for a roomier 52.5 watt-hour battery, or 86Wh if you spring for the upgrade. Speaking of which, it gets an even better 16-inch 4K OLED screen at the top end. It also has a full-sized keyboard for data entry fans. It’ll go on sale starting in April for $1,219, just a hair more expensive than the base model 14-incher.
Willis Lai/Foundry
Willis Lai/Foundry
Willis Lai/Foundry
ThinkPad X12 tablet Gen 2
Willis Lai/Foundry
Willis Lai/Foundry
Willis Lai/Foundry
Lenovo has made a few tablets with the ThinkPad brand in a few different flavors, but finally seems to have settled on a Surface-style detachable with the X12. The second-gen version uses a 3:2 IPS display and Core Ultra U processors to extend battery life in that compact body, but tops out at 32GB of memory and 1TB of storage. The detachable magnetic keyboard comes in the box, something Microsoft still refuses to do for the Surface, though a powered stylus is a paid extra. You also get a fingerprint reader and IR camera, dual USB-C ports (one with Thunderbolt 4), and optional 5G or LTE. The 0.75-pound package, keyboard included, will cost $1,399 and up when it launches in April.
Willis Lai/Foundry
Willis Lai/Foundry
Willis Lai/Foundry
ThinkBook 14 Gen 4
Willis Lai/Foundry
Willis Lai/Foundry
Willis Lai/Foundry
A little less premium and a little more flexible, the ThinkBook 14 Gen 4 uses a Yoga-style convertible touchscreen body. It’s considerably thinner than the last version at 16.85mm/0.74 inches, despite a deeper 1.5mm key travel on the keyboard. Intel-powered internals top out at 64GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. That touchscreen is a standard IPS LCD with a 16:10 aspect ratio, and it offers double USB-C, double USB-A, HDMI, and MicroSD card slots. Note that while you get a fingerprint reader integrated with the power button, the Windows Hello IR camera is an optional upgrade. It’s also on the heavy side for a 14-incher at 1.64 kilograms, or 3.61 pounds. Prices start at $1,169 when it launches in March.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who’s been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.
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