Lenovo’s ThinkPad Z13 is the smaller Z-series laptop computer, that includes AMD’s Ryzen Professional 6000 CPUs, modern design with fake leather-based or aluminum end, sturdy battery life, and a brand new haptic touchpad and up to date keyboard. It is the proper alternative if you happen to prefer to pack mild and do not want discrete graphics.
For
- Luxurious fake leather-based end
- Modernized, compact design
- Vivid show with minimal bezel
- Nice efficiency from Ryzen Professional 6000
- Simpler to hold with you
In opposition to
- Excessive worth
- No discrete GPU choices
- No UHD+ show (2.8K max)
- Backside-firing audio system
Lenovo’s ThinkPad Z16 options H-series Ryzen Professional processors, non-compulsory discrete graphics, bigger battery, and a bigger 16-inch show with as much as a UHD+ decision. High-firing audio system provide excellent audio, and also you get an identical haptic touchpad and low-profile keyboard. The Z16 is the proper alternative for creators who want the additional energy and battery life.
For
- Speedy UHS-II SD card reader, further USB-C port
- Sturdy efficiency, dGPU out there
- Excellent battery life
- Elective UHD+ OLED show with Dolby Imaginative and prescient
- High-notch audio, voice and digital camera help
In opposition to
- Prices greater than the Z13
- Not as moveable
- Keyboard and touchpad take some getting used to
Lenovo’s new Z-series ThinkPads goal PC customers who wish to stand out. The general design is a step away from the standard ThinkPad, with a heavier deal with utilizing recycled supplies in packaging and the laptops themselves. These PCs are nonetheless all enterprise, with high-res cameras, high quality microphones, further sturdiness, and loads of further security measures via Home windows, the AMD Ryzen Professional 6000 platform, and Lenovo.
Here is a have a look at the specs out there in every laptop computer.
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 | Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Home windows 11 Professional, Home windows 11 House, Fedora Linux, Linux, Ubuntu Linux | Home windows 11 Professional, Home windows 11 House, Fedora Linux, Linux, Ubuntu Linux |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 Professional 6650U | AMD Ryzen 5 Professional 6650H |
| AMD Ryzen 7 Professional 6850U | AMD Ryzen 7 Professional 6850H | |
| AMD Ryzen 7 Professional 6850Z | AMD Ryzen 9 Professional 6950H | |
| RAM | 16GB, 32GB LPDDR56400 | 16GB, 32GB LPDDR5-6400 |
| Soldered | Soldered | |
| Graphics | AMD Radeon 660M (built-in) | AMD Radeon 660M (built-in) |
| AMD Radeon 680M (built-in) | AMD Radeon 680M (built-in) | |
| AMD Radeon 6500M (discrete, 4GB VRAM) | ||
| Storage | As much as 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD | As much as 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
| Upgradeable | Upgradeable | |
| Show | 13.3 inches, 16:10 side ratio, TÜV Low Blue Gentle, 91.6% STB ratio, | 16 inches, 16:10 side ratio, TÜV Low Blue Gentle, 92.3% STB ratio |
| 1920×1200 (FHD+), IPS, non-touch 400+ nits, AG, 100% sRGB, low energy | 1920×1200 (FHD+), IPS, non-touch, IPS, 400+ nits, AG, 100% sRGB, low energy | |
| 1920×1200 (FHD+), IPS, contact, 400+ nits, AR, 100% sRGB, low energy | 1920×1200 (FHD+), IPS, contact, 400+ nits, AR, 100% sRGB, low energy | |
| 2880×1800 (2.8K), OLED, contact, 500+ nits, AR, 100% DCI-P3, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR | 3840×2400 (UHD+), OLED, contact, 500+ nits, AR, 100% DCI-P3, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, HDR | |
| Ports | Two USB4, 3.5mm audio | Two USB4, USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), 3.5mm audio combo, SD card reader |
| Audio | Twin 2W audio system, Dolby Atmos | Twin 2W audio system, Dolby Atmos |
| Twin-array microphone, Dolby Voice | Twin array microphone, Dolby Voice | |
| Wi-fi | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1 | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1 |
| 4G LTE (some areas) | 4G LTE (some areas) | |
| Digicam | Entrance-facing 1080p | Entrance-facing 1080p |
| Safety | dTPM 2.0, Microsoft Pluton, fingerprint reader, IR digital camera, e-shutter, Mirametrix Look | dTPM 2.0, Microsoft Pluton, Kensington Nano lock slot, fingerprint reader, IR digital camera, digital camera e-shutter, Mirametrix Look |
| Battery | 51.5Wh, 65W AC adapter | 72Wh, 135W AC adapter |
| Dimensions | 11.59 x 7.86 x 0.55 inches | 13.95 x 9.35 x 0.62 inches |
| (294.4mm x 199.6mm x 13.99mm) | (354.4mm x 237.4mm x 15.8mm) | |
| Weight | 2.63 kilos (1.19kg) | 3.99 kilos (1.81kg) |
| Colour | Arctic Gray (prime), Black (backside) | Arctic Gray (prime), Black (backside) |
| Black (prime and backside) | ||
| Bronze with Black vegan leather-based (prime), Black (backside) | ||
| Materials | Aluminum | Aluminum |
Options and design
Each the ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 share a recent design that is a step away from the standard ThinkPads that make up our record of the finest Lenovo laptops. As an alternative of the same old alloy and carbon fiber building, each laptops are made primarily from recycled aluminum. And whereas the palm rests and backside panel are the same old ThinkPad Black coloration, the lid affords some selection.
The Z13 is offered with an Arctic Gray aluminum prime, a Black aluminum prime, or a Black vegan leather-based prime if you happen to actually wish to get fancy. It is nonetheless aluminum beneath the fake leather-based. The Z16 does not have as many selections, providing up a lone Arctic Gray coloration for its aluminum lid. These laptops come at a premium worth, however they appear the half via and thru.
Each laptops have a large digital camera array above the display screen that stands proud from the lid, making it simpler to open whereas additionally offering sufficient area for the spectacular video help. Each PCs have 1080p front-facing webcams with IR sensor for Home windows Hey and an e-shutter for added privateness. Mirametrix Look is on board each laptops, providing up human presence detection, privateness alerts, and sensible pointer and window management when utilizing a number of shows.
Safety extends deeper into the laptops, with every providing a dTPM 2.0 chip, Microsoft Pluton, fingerprint reader, and (within the Z16’s case) a Kensington Nano lock slot. The AMD Ryzen Professional 6000 platform additionally affords a lot of administration and security measures for enterprise buys, very like Intel’s personal vPro system.
Why no lock slot on the Z13? It is a few millimeters thinner than the Z16, which is already fairly skinny at simply 0.62 inches (15.8mm). The Z13 has simply two USB4 ports and a 3.5mm audio jack. The Z16 is a little more beneficiant with its twin USB4, USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), 3.5mm audio jack, and speedy UHS-II SD card reader. Neither laptop computer has Thunderbolt 4 because of the AMD platform, and each lack USB-A, HDMI, and Ethernet. These are each PCs that may probably require a highly effective laptop computer docking station.
The variations proceed as we flip our consideration to the keyboard, touchpad, and encompass. The Z13’s keyboard stretches from edge to edge, and under is a brand new haptic touchpad. The Z16 has room on the keyboard’s flanks for top-firing audio system, and it has the identical (although bigger) haptic touchpad under.
The ForcePad (Lenovo’s fancy identify) emulates touchpad clicks utilizing haptic sensors beneath the glass floor; nothing strikes, however it feels such as you’re really clicking. It is an impressive improve. Senior Editor Chuong Nguyen reviewed the ThinkPad Z13, noting that “the glass-covered touchpad is a pleasure to make use of, offering an correct approach to management the cursor and carry out gestures.”
I reviewed the ThinkPad Z16 and its bigger ForcePad. Whereas the texture and pointing accuracy are top-notch, I did expertise some frequent “ghost touches” that pushed my cursor across the display screen whereas typing. This was with sensitivity turned all the best way down. The takeaway? This new {hardware} takes some getting used to, particularly if you happen to’re coming from a extra conventional ThinkPad.
The Z16’s audio is excellent. High-firing audio system stay unmuffled regardless of the way you’re utilizing the PC, quantity will get very loud with out distortion, and there is loads of bass. The Z13’s audio system are put in on the underside of the laptop computer, so they don’t seem to be fairly as spectacular. Nonetheless, the addition of Dolby Atmos tuning in each PCs helps you get precisely the sound expertise you are asking for.
Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1 can be found as normal in every laptop computer. Some Lenovo reference paperwork additionally point out 4G LTE connectivity, although it appears restricted to just some areas not together with the U.S. and Canada.
Shows
The ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 every provide three totally different shows with 16:10 side ratio as configuration choices. The 2 FHD+ screens are primarily the identical throughout fashions save for the scale (13.3 inches vs. 16 inches), whereas the “improve” show has some variations. The Z13 has a 91.6% screen-to-body ratio, whereas the Z16 climbs to 92.3% (what Lenovo claims is the best ratio of all ThinkPads).
Contact and non-touch choices can be found for the FHD+ shows. Each have 400+ nits brightness, IPS panel, 100% sRGB coloration, low energy draw, and TÜV Low Blue Gentle certification. The non-touch display screen has an anti-glare end, whereas the contact model goes with anti-reflective.
The Z13’s finest show has an OLED contact panel, anti-reflective end, 500+ nits brightness with HDR, 100% DCI-P3 coloration, and Dolby Imaginative and prescient. It hits a 2880×1800 (2.8K) decision, undeniably crisp at this dimension.
The Z16’s improve choice goes full 3840×2400 (UHD+), with OLED contact panel, anti-reflective end, 100% DCI-P3 coloration, 500+ nits with HDR, and Dolby Imaginative and prescient.
Efficiency and battery
The ThinkPad Z13’s smaller chassis is best fitted to AMD’s Ryzen Professional 6000 U-series CPUs and built-in graphics, whereas the Z16 has room inside for the extra highly effective Ryzen Professional 6000 H-series chips and non-compulsory discrete Radeon 6500M GPU.
We have been capable of check each laptops in-house to see precisely how efficiency compares. Extra particularly, we are able to try the AMD Ryzen 7 Professional 6850U and the AMD Ryzen 8 Professional 6850H.
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I wasn’t capable of check out the discrete Radeon 6500M GPU out there with the Z16, as my evaluation unit had built-in graphics solely. Nonetheless, if you happen to’re a creator or developer who wants that further energy, you may simply configure it right into a mannequin.
As for battery life, I examined utilizing PCMark 10’s Trendy Workplace rundown. The Z16’s 72Wh battery hit 14 hours and 35 minutes utilizing the Balanced Home windows 11 energy profile, dropping to 11 hours and 51 minutes on the Greatest Efficiency profile. These are wonderful numbers, and real-world life when working all day nonetheless hits between 9 and 10 hours. The Z13’s smaller 51.5Wh battery continues to be going to supply all-day battery life, however do not count on it to run as lengthy if you happen to improve to the OLED show.
Lenovo’s ThinkPad Z13 is made for these on the transfer. It is lighter, extra compact, and has a battery that may go all day. Should you do not want the additional efficiency from H-series AMD Ryzen Professional CPUs or AMD Radeon discrete graphics, it ought to go well with you effectively. It additionally begins at a less expensive worth.
The ThinkPad Z16 is made for individuals who want the utmost efficiency from their enterprise laptop computer. Its top-firing audio is excellent, the battery lasts all day and extra, and there is an non-compulsory UHD+ OLED show for individuals who want the most effective image doable.
