The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is a more powerful and pricey option equipped with a high-end CPU and GPU, making it well-suited for gaming, 3D modeling, and intensive tasks. However, it's heavier and larger, which could be a downside if you favor portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is considerably less expensive with a processor suitable for general use and lighter workloads, and it comes in a lighter and more compact form factor, enhancing its portability. It is also likely to have a lower battery life compared to the M16 due to a smaller battery, but it might be sufficient for typical office or school work. Essentially, if you need a machine for more demanding activities and can accommodate a less portable design, the ASUS is a strong selection. If you prioritize cost savings, portability, and battery life for everyday tasks, the ThinkBook 13s is likely the better choice. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for gaming and AI
Very good for content creation
Excellent overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
Excellent portability
Good battery life
Good keyboard
Key differences
Gaming and AI
8.5/10
6.4/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.2/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is only fair.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
8.8/10
7.5/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
8.9/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good.
PerfectRec’s Engineering and Design Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for graphic design and 3D rendering work.
Screen Quality
9.0/10
7.2/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
240Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
627.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, and content creation.
For general use, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16's higher resolution and brightness offer clear and vivid visuals, making text and images sharp and easy to read, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s offers solid visuals suitable for day-to-day tasks but with less impact. With regards to engineering and design, the M16's wide color gamuts ensure that colors in detailed projects are displayed accurately, a crucial factor for precision work, while the ThinkBook 13s also delivers good color accuracy but might not match the breadth of hues the M16 can represent. However, for gaming and 3D applications, the M16's lower refresh rate may lead to less fluid motion compared to laptops designed with higher refresh rates, even though its high resolution and color accuracy bring other advantages, whereas the ThinkBook 13s, while not tailored for 3D, faces similar limitations in refresh rate, affecting gameplay smoothness.
Battery
4.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has 4.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has 8 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.8in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has excellent portability, while the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.5/10
7.6/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$2,059
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 has a price of $2,059 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s costs $1,000.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s are both good for general use.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 stands out for general use due to a more powerful CPU and GPU which favor performance for varied tasks, larger storage, and a high-quality screen with excellent color coverage, but it has lesser battery life and is heavier, making it less portable than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s. On the other hand, the ThinkBook 13s, while having a less powerful CPU and integrated graphics, offers great portability with its lighter weight and longer battery life, and it still features a high-resolution screen with touch capability, making it suitable for day-to-day tasks on the go.
Content Creation
8.2/10
7.8/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 to be very good for content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.7/10
7.7/10
9.5/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
6.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s are both good for software development.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
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How the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s compare to other laptops
"The ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 is not yet as optimised as its predecessor. Compared to the previous gen, performance and efficiency have improved significantly. What's more, the wonderful, Mini-LED Nebula display is a contender for the main highlight and almost manages to put the CPU and GPU in the shade. We already found its predecessor to be a well-rounded and well-optimised gaming machine. Generally, but not unequivocally, that also applies to the new Asus M16. Similar to most of the current, new laptops, we are dealing with a double generational leap in terms of the CPU and GPU. However, this change doesn't always run smoothly."
"The best thing about the ThinkBook 13S is that it’s a good deal. Business buyers looking for ThinkPad-level performance and software without ThinkPad pricing will probably find the ThinkBook a solid option. While nothing about it is really spectacular, it’s certainly unusual to see the ThinkBook’s screen resolution at a sub-$1,000 price, and its performance will be more than adequate for most office tasks. The generous port selection, 16:10 aspect ratio, physical webcam shutter, and clear audio are certainly icing on the cake."
Get a great deal on the ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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