The ASUS Vivobook 16, being less expensive, comes with a more modest performance suitable for general use and boasts decent build quality and battery life for everyday tasks. However, if your work involves more intensive tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering applications, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers significantly more power, higher resolution and better display quality, and improved keyboard and build, but at a premium price. Although heavier, the ThinkPad Z16 also offers touchscreen capability, which the ASUS does not. When considering portability, both models are similar, but keep in mind the ASUS offers a cost advantage for general use, while you pay more for the ThinkPad's professional-grade features and performance. 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 Vivobook 16
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16.
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall display quality
Very good overall build quality
Best in class speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.6/10
8.6/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
295.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.5/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers twice the storage and RAM, a higher resolution OLED screen, and better battery life compared to the ASUS Vivobook 16, alongside a more premium build and higher quality keyboard, making it very good for general use. Despite being slightly heavier, the ThinkPad Z16 also includes a touch screen and significantly superior color coverage, which enhances the overall user experience, justifying it as an excellent choice for general use tasks.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
8.4/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 is good.
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has a Radeon Vega 8 GPU and a 1920 x 1200 IPS display which offers decent performance and screen quality for engineering and design, but it's outmatched by the more powerful Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, which boasts a higher-spec Radeon RX 6500M GPU and a highly detailed 3840 x 2400 OLED touchscreen, providing sharper images and more vibrant colors critical for design precision.
Content Creation
7.5/10
8.5/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 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
7.3/10
8.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.7/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 is good.
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.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
8.5/10
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
295.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 16 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook 16, with its resolution and brightness, provides an adequate display for everyday tasks but lacks the color accuracy and range required for precision work in engineering and design. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16's screen, with superior color coverage and higher resolution, makes it an excellent choice for professionals who need true-to-life colors and detailed visuals for design work, though its low refresh rate isn't ideal for fluid motion needed in high-end gaming or 3D rendering. Both models fall short for gaming and 3D applications where a high refresh rate is crucial for smooth gameplay and dynamic visuals.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has 8 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 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.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$669
$1,120
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Vivobook 16 has a price of $669 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 costs $1,120.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and ASUS Vivobook 16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The ASUS Vivobook 16 is less suited for gaming and 3D applications due to its integrated Vega 8 GPU which is typically less powerful than dedicated graphics cards, whereas the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 includes a stronger dedicated AMD RX 6500M GPU which offers better performance for such tasks. Both laptops have the same screen refresh rate but the ThinkPad Z16's higher-quality screen may also contribute to a more visually appealing gaming and 3D experience.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
4.1 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and ASUS Vivobook 16 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
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How the ASUS Vivobook 16 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 compare to other laptops
Olivier Martin, Ryan Lim, Yannick Khong | May 2023
"The ASUS Vivobook 16 M1605 (2023) is a budget Windows laptop. It's available with various AMD Ryzen 5000 and 7000 U-series CPUs and integrated graphics. You can only get 8GB of RAM; however, there's an empty SO-DIMM slot if you want to upgrade it. It has an FHD+ (1920 x 1200) 16:10 IPS display, a full-size keyboard with a Numpad, a 720p webcam, and Wi-Fi 6E wireless connectivity. Ports include three USB-As, one USB-C, an HDMI, and a headphone jack. The USB-C supports charging but no video output."
"Lenovo’s ThinkPad Z16 tries has some success in its effort to tweak the ThinkPad formula. The laptop is attractive, yet still tame, and material quality is on par with the best Windows competition. I also like the smooth, responsive haptic touchpad and the wide range of modern connectivity. Yet the Z16 doesn’t fix ThinkPad’s typical weakness: value. Starting around $1,550, and more typically near $1,700, the Z16 finds itself facing alternatives that have better performance or an improved display for the same price, or less."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Vivobook 16 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
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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