Lenovo ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2) review: Same practical design with a new selection of processors
Source: Windows Key
Lenovo announced earlier this yr its intentions to update the T-series ThinkPads, which includes the ThinkPad T14. The starting time-gen T14 was the successor to the T490, one of the all-time-selling concern laptops Lenovo offers. The move to the new T14 proper noun didn't actually change the blueprint, instead focusing on a functioning bump with modern hardware. The same holds true for the ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2), which is over again mostly a performance upgrade. I've been using this laptop for all tasks to see exactly where it excels, where it falls short, and whether or not it's worth your money.
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2)
Lesser line: The ThinkPad T14 (Gen two)'due south solid, durable design is starting to look dated next to some of the other ThinkPads in Lenovo's stable. Still, it brings steady performance with 11th Gen Intel Core CPUs, and battery life and thermals are excellent. If y'all're looking for a business organisation laptop with plenty of actress security features and ane of the all-time keyboards around, this should exist considered.
Pros
- 11th Gen Intel CPUs bring better operation
- Dual Thunderbolt 4
- Durable ThinkPad quality build
- Excellent keyboard, speakers
- Bright, colorful display that sips power
Cons
- However using a 16:9 aspect ratio
- Thick plastic display bezel
- Hard disk drive camera
- Touchpad is a bit loose
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2): Price, availability, and specs
Source: Windows Fundamental
Lenovo supplied Windows Fundamental with a review unit of the ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2) with Intel hardware. Compared to the offset-gen model, information technology has new ports, new CPUs, faster RAM, and a couple of different display options. This is mainly a performance refresh; the two laptops are essentially duplicate when placed next to each other.
My review model has an 11th Gen Intel Cadre i5-1145G7 vPro CPU, a 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe solid-land bulldoze (SSD) that is upgradeable, and a 14-inch 1920x1080 (FHD) display. The 16GB of RAM is soldered to the motherboard, merely there is an extra free slot available for upgrades and to achieve dual-aqueduct operation. Lenovo offers either 8GB or 16GB of soldered RAM from the factory.
Like the first-gen ThinkPad T14, the Gen 2 model is configurable with 4G LTE. It works with eSIM or an optional physical Nano-SIM slot. NFC and a Smart Card reader are also options for enterprise buys.
This review unit of measurement costs about $1,719 later on one of Lenovo's frequent discounts, just it does have quite a few upgrades over basic models. If you're on a tighter budget, models currently start at $1,280 at Lenovo. You can configure hardware equally yous please at Lenovo'due south official site, only in that location are also models available at plenty of third-party retailers like Amazon and Newegg. There are also AMD-based ThinkPad T14 models available, which I embrace in the competition section.
Following are the exact specs found in my ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2) review unit.
| Category | Spec |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 Pro |
| Processor | 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1145G7 vPro 4 cores, viii threads Up to 4.4GHz |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4-3200 Dual-aqueduct |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Integrated |
| Storage | 512GB M.ii PCIe NVMe SSD Upgradeable |
| Brandish | 14 inches 1920x1080 (FHD) 16:9 attribute ratio Non-touch Matte, IPS Low power |
| Ports | Two Thunderbolt 4 Two USB-A 3.two (Gen 1) HDMI ii.0 microSD card reader iii.5mm audio Ethernet |
| Sound | Dual 2W stereo speakers Dolby Audio |
| Connectivity | Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210 Bluetooth 5.two |
| Camera | Front-facing 720p IR photographic camera Privacy shutter |
| Keyboard | Backlit Spill resistant |
| Touchpad | Precision TrackPoint |
| Security | dTPM 2.0 Kensington lock slot Smart Card reader (optional) Fingerprint reader IR camera Webcam shutter |
| Battery | 50Wh 65W Air-conditioning adapter |
| Dimensions | 12.95 x 8.94 x 0.7 inches (329mm x 227mm x 18mm) |
| Weight | iii.23 pounds (1.47kg) |
| Colour | Black |
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2): What I like
Source: Windows Primal
My second-gen ThinkPad T14's case is fabricated up of a mix of materials, including polycarbonate and magnesium alloy for the keyboard deck, polyamide with glass cobweb for the bottom portion, and polyphenylene for the hat. This altogether translates into a strong base of operations that remains adequately lightweight at 3.23 pounds (one.47kg). The laptop has undergone MIL-STD 810G durability testing to ensure it can withstand a harsher surround than virtually regular laptops. Some models will come with an aluminum hat — it seems to depend on which display you choose — but remainder assured even the PPS lid's flex remains well beneath alarming levels.
The second-gen ThinkPad T14'south more granular finish eliminates many of the usual fingerprints and smudges.
The T14 (Gen 2) has a terminate that's just a chip more than granular than the usual ThinkPad soft-touch paint. I love the feel, and information technology picks upwardly a fraction of the usual fingerprints and smudges. ThinkPads have been notorious for getting mucked up with even a few hours of use, but this one remained mostly blemish-free during daily apply. Birthday the laptop has a simple, professional wait that should arrange equally coffee shops or boardrooms.
Port selection has been modernized with dual Thunderbolt 4 instead of 1 TB3 and one USB-C 3.2. Otherwise connectivity is generally unchanged, with two USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), HDMI ii.0, 3.5mm sound jack, microSD card reader, and full-size RJ45 Ethernet. There's also a side docking connector for Lenovo's proprietary docking stations. Any of the best Thunderbolt 4 docks will also piece of work. An Intel AX210 Wi-Fi 6E modem and Bluetooth 5.2 round out wireless connectivity options. 4G LTE with Nano-SIM and eSIM is optional if you'd like to pay the extra toll.
Source: Windows Cardinal
The ThinkPad keyboard with cupped keys and deep ane.8mm travel feels equally good to apply as ever. It has a three-stage white backlight with good contrast against the black keys, dedicated navigation keys for easier productivity, and dedicated communication keys for quicker calls. The TrackPoint system is still here, with red pointer and concrete mouse keys about the touchpad.
Dual 2W speakers with Dolby Audio tuning reside betwixt the keyboard and display. The grille covering them runs from swivel to hinge, incorporating too the power button. The grille looks a flake inexpensive considering it's a carve up piece, but information technology'due south tacked downwardly well and sits flush. Sound quality is first-class. Listening to music while I work is enjoyable, and video and vocalisation calls come through conspicuously. At that place could be more bass like almost Ultrabook speakers, but you can get quite loud without distortion.
Source: Windows Central
The ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2) runs cools and quiet under load.
When this laptop was first released in Spring 2022, in that location were some reported issues involving high system heat under load and poor battery life. These issues seem to have been fixed since launch, likely through a series of firmware updates. The 11th Gen Intel "Tiger Lake" Cadre i5-1145G7 CPU didn't slow me down at all for photograph editing, word processing, heavy spider web browsing, and streaming, no doubt helped along past the 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM and speedy 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD. The SSD tin can be upgraded later purchase, as tin 1 of the RAM modules. Each T14 (Gen two) will come up with either 8GB or 16GB of RAM soldered to the board.
A NVIDIA MX450 discrete GPU is listed in Lenovo'south documentation, though it seems to only be available in certain markets. The unit I tested uses Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, which performs very well for everyday work.
I ran a 15-minute stress test to check system stability at 100% load. After the CPU'southward cursory Turbo heave which saw between v% and xv% throttling, the temperatures leveled out at nearly 70 degrees Celsius without throttling and remained there until I concluded the examination. System noise is almost nonexistent when the laptop isn't under a full load, and even at 100% load the unmarried fan never gets as well loud. This includes when the battery is simultaneously beingness charged. Surface temperatures as well remained well below whatever alarming levels.
The 50Wh battery impressed with more than than x hours of life in PCMark 10's Modern Role rundown examination. This was with Windows ten'south "Better performance" power setting and screen brightness set at nearly 75% (or 290 nits). Existent-globe results will vary, but you should nevertheless wait to be able to button the laptop to nigh viii hours of life if you lot're without an Air conditioning adapter. The battery charges very fast, getting back to 100% in just more than an hr.
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 (Gen ii): What I don't similar
Source: Windows Cardinal
I of the most noticeable blueprint choices hither is the thick plastic bezel around the 16:9 brandish. The aesthetic is outdated for a laptop released in 2022. Lenovo yet hasn't made the bound to a taller sixteen:10 attribute ratio for its T-series ThinkPads, but I would bet that it'due south coming in the next T14 generation. At least there's lots of room higher up the screen to fit an HD and IR photographic camera combination with privacy shutter. You will have to pay extra if y'all desire anything more than the HD photographic camera, only information technology's a swell investment if you want the added security over the fingerprint reader. I would like to meet 1080p become standard at this toll point, just the 720p photographic camera does a good plenty job for video conferencing.
Source: Windows Central
The display, ignoring the thick bezel, does look adept. I tested 99% sRGB, 75% AdobeRGB, and 75% DCI-P3 color reproduction with my SpyderX Pro colorimeter, as well every bit 388 nits maximum brightness. That'south beneath the 400 nits claimed by Lenovo, only information technology's however plenty when combined with the matte finish. This is the depression power display option, and there are plenty of other screens bachelor based on your preference. Resolution goes up to 4K UHD with Dolby Vision, while there'due south too an FHD model with Privacy Guard. At that place's no more 720p option, which is a welcome subtraction.
Another drawback I noticed during daily use is the touchpad's loose feel. It has a slight rattle when clicked, and it doesn't feel nearly every bit firm as many other laptops in this price range. The mylar surface is smooth and tracks well, but the hollow click takes some getting used to after coming from the XPS 13.
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 (Gen two): Competition
ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen ix) Source: Daniel Rubino / Windows Central
Lenovo's own ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen nine) is the commencement laptop I think of every bit competition for the T14 (Gen ii). It's one of the best Windows laptops available today. The X1 Carbon besides has a 14-inch chassis, but it'south notably thinner and lighter thanks to a carbon cobweb and magnesium blend build. All of its FHD+ displays take a 16:10 aspect ratio, low ability draw, and anti-glare terminate, while its UHD+ brandish offers HDR 400 and up to 500 nits effulgence. The keyboard and touchpad are outstanding, you get similar port choice (though no proprietary dock connector), and there'south optional 4G LTE and 5G connectivity.
It'due south tough to recommend the T14 (Gen 2) over the X1 Carbon (Gen nine) when prices are at the aforementioned level.
The X1 Carbon is as skillful or improve in many means, and it doesn't even cost that much more than the T14. A model with 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 CPU, 16GB of LPDDR4x-4266 RAM, 1TB 1000.2 PCIe NVMe SSD, and 16:10 FHD+ brandish currently costs about $1,715 at Lenovo with one of its rotating discounts. That's really a few dollars cheaper than my T14 (Gen 2) review unit with Cadre i5 CPU and half as much storage infinite. I would recommend the X1 Carbon over the T14 in just about every instance.
The ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2) has an AMD-powered analogue that utilizes Ryzen 5000 Pro Mobile CPUs for excellent performance. You don't get Thunderbolt ports (regular USB-C instead), but everything else is practically the aforementioned. AMD models offset at a considerably lower price compared to the Intel T14 (Gen ii).
There is too the ThinkPad T14s that's slightly thinner and lighter than the regular T14. It tin be had with AMD or Intel hardware, and it'southward fabricated up of carbon fiber and aluminum for a more premium experience. Performance hardware, displays, and ports are essentially the same. ThinkPad T14s (Gen 2) models seem to currently be going for a bit less money than the usual T14, though that could change every bit Lenovo swaps out its coupons.
Our collection of the all-time business concern laptops has a bunch of other great options if you'd like to get out of the ThinkPad bubble.
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2): Should you buy it?
Source: Windows Primal
You should buy this if ...
- Yous need a durable, secure xiv-inch Ultrabook
- You desire ane of the best keyboards for all-twenty-four hour period typing
- Yous need broad connectivity without adding dongles
- You need 4G LTE connectivity in a business laptop
Yous shouldn't buy this if ...
- You've moved on from 16:nine displays with thick bezels
- You're looking for a laptop that can also handle gaming
- Y'all want something thinner and lighter, like the X1 Carbon
Non much has changed with the ThinkPad T14 (Gen 2). Information technology now has Thunderbolt four ports, updated 11th Gen Intel Core CPUs, and faster RAM, but otherwise the blueprint remains unchanged. It's a practical build that can fit in anywhere, simply information technology likewise has some outdated aspects.
The sixteen:9 display and its thick bezel needs an upgrade, and the touchpad could also exist a lot improve. And when you can go the superb ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen ix) — which fixes well-nigh of my complaints well-nigh the T14 (Gen 2) — for well-nigh the same price, it becomes harder to recommend the T-series workhorse.
The T14 (Gen 2) does a lot of things right, and it remains one of the well-nigh pop laptops that Lenovo offers. The build quality is excellent, the keyboard is next to none, physical and wireless connectivity options are plentiful, and the added security features make sense for anyone handling sensitive data. The bombardment should last somewhere around eight hours on a charge, and performance is steady with good thermals. If you don't listen the look of the display and the rattling touchpad, this is even so a superlative business laptop.
Lenovo ThinkPad T14 (Gen two)
Bottom line: The second-gen ThinkPad T14's design is starting to look dried adjacent to other Lenovo concern laptops, merely information technology nevertheless offers solid functioning, long bombardment life, high-cease build quality, and tons of extra features.
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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/lenovo-thinkpad-t14-gen-2-review
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