The ASUS Vivobook 17 is a budget-friendly option with a large screen, ideal for general use and simple tasks, but it may underperform in intensive engineering, 3D rendering, or machine learning applications due to its basic processor and integrated graphics. Its portability is moderate, and it offers a decent range of connectivity options. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, priced at a premium, offers a more powerful processor, superior graphics, and more memory, making it suitable for demanding engineering tasks and some gaming. It has a high-resolution OLED touchscreen, longer battery life, and is slightly more portable, but it costs considerably more. If you value performance and quality over cost, the ThinkPad Z16 is the better choice, while the Vivobook 17 is suited for more basic, cost-conscious needs. 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 17
The ASUS Vivobook 17 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
7.0/10
8.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
263.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
6.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 is good.
The ASUS Vivobook 17 has a weaker CPU, less RAM, and a lower quality screen which is detrimental to performance and visual experience, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a stronger CPU, significantly more RAM, and a superior OLED screen contributing to its higher performance and display excellence. Additionally, the ThinkPad Z16 boasts a longer battery life and greater portability due to its lighter weight and more compact size, enhancing its suitability for general use compared to the larger and heavier Vivobook 17.
Gaming and AI
6.0/10
6.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
9.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and ASUS Vivobook 17 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Vivobook 17 is less suitable for gaming and 3D applications due to its basic Intel UHD Graphics card which can't match the performance of dedicated gaming GPUs, and it has a standard screen refresh rate of 60Hz. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a more powerful AMD RX 6500M discreet graphics card for more demanding gaming and 3D tasks, even though it also comes with the same 60Hz screen refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
6.3/10
8.4/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is considered very good for engineering and design use owing to its higher RAM, a more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, and a high-quality GPU that enhance performance for complex tasks, alongside an OLED screen that provides superior resolution and color accuracy. In contrast, the ASUS Vivobook 17 is deemed fair for such tasks due to its lower RAM, a less capable Intel i3 CPU, and inferior integrated graphics, plus a lower resolution screen, factors which limit its suitability for intensive computational and design work despite being more lightweight and portable.
Content Creation
7.0/10
8.5/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 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
6.9/10
8.2/10
6.2/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
6.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 is only fair.
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
6.2/10
8.5/10
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
263.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the ASUS Vivobook 17 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Vivobook 17 offers a basic display that’s suitable for everyday tasks due to its adequate resolution and brightness, but it lacks the color accuracy and wider color gamut necessary for precision work in engineering and design. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, with its superior brightness, resolution, and especially its more accurate color reproduction covering wider color gamuts, makes it an excellent fit for professionals who require fidelity in color for engineering and creative work. However, neither the Vivobook nor the ThinkPad Z16 is ideal for 3D gaming or animations, as they have lower refresh rates, which impacts the smoothness and responsiveness required for such activities.
Portability
Good
Good
17.3in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and ASUS Vivobook 17 both have good portability, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
6.5/10
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Vivobook 17 has only fair build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$429
$1,120
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Vivobook 17 has a price of $429 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 costs $1,120.
"The ASUS Vivobook 17 is an affordable 17-inch laptop with passive cooling. On one hand, you get a really quiet and cool work device with a good system performance, many connections, good maintenance options, speakers acceptable for multimedia enjoyment, and a sharp and clear matte FHD IPS display with the Asus VivoBook 17 (F712JA). On the other hand, the USB-C port lacks Power Delivery and DisplayPort, and the display, a higher brightness and better color space coverage."
"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 17 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.
By the numbers
380
Laptops evaluated
48,640
Laptops stats compiled
13
Proprietary Laptops ratings developed
99,795
Recommendations made
21,623
Consumer hours saved
About the laptop team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Laptops Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
Jason Lew
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Jason is a staff expert and software engineer that has been making laptop recommendations for 7 years and moderates one of the largest laptop subreddits.
Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Craig Russell
Laptops Expert
Craig is a UK-based laptops expert. Craig works in IT, where he recommends and supports laptops and PCs for clients and has been recommending laptops on Reddit for five years.