When choosing between the ASUS Zenbook 13 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14, consider that the Zenbook is typically more affordable and offers great portability due to its slim design and light weight, making it a solid choice for daily tasks and travel. The ThinkPad T14, while usually more expensive, often provides stronger build quality and better performance, which could be beneficial for more demanding applications like engineering software; it also tends to have superior keyboard comfort, making it ideal for heavy typing workloads. Your decision should balance your budget with your need for performance, durability, and the types of tasks you'll be performing. 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 Zenbook 13
Good overall display quality
Excellent portability
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4/10
8.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
378.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
9.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
9.0 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.2/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for general use, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its lightweight design and long battery life, offers great portability for general use, accompanied by a top-tier CPU and RAM for smooth operation; its screen quality is also commendable for everyday tasks. However, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 provides a balance of performance, with robust CPU and ample RAM, better keyboard quality for comfortable typing, and screen quality suitable for longer work sessions, though it might be less portable than the Zenbook due to its size and weight.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.7/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.3/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 and ASUS Zenbook 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is somewhat better.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 and Lenovo ThinkPad T14 both have GPUs that handle gaming and 3D tasks adequately, but they aren't top-tier for heavy graphics use due to their modest refresh rates and graphics capabilities. While both offer decent CPUs and screen quality, they're not specifically designed to meet the high demands of advanced gaming or professional 3D work, so they're fair choices for casual or moderate use in these areas.
Engineering and Design
7.1/10
8.0/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for engineering and design, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 is good.
The ASUS Zenbook 13, with its high-end CPU, ample RAM, and dedicated GPU, excels in screen quality for detailed design work, while the ThinkPad T14’s robust build, excellent keyboard, and quieter operation suit long hours of engineering tasks, even if it's slightly less portable. Both have strong CPUs and enough RAM for demanding software, but if superior graphics and vibrant display are crucial for your engineering or design needs, the Zenbook shines; for typing comfort and lower noise, the ThinkPad stands out.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.3/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for content creation, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 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
8.3/10
5.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
8.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 is very good for software development, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 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
7.8/10
6.9/10
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
378.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 for general use, gaming and AI, and engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
The ASUS Zenbook 13 offers a vibrant display with high resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use and detailed work in engineering and design where color accuracy is crucial. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14, while also providing a good quality screen with respectable resolution and brightness, might have lower color coverage, important for precision in design tasks. However, both laptops aren't ideal for gaming and 3D applications, as they lack high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth visuals in fast-paced scenarios.
Portability
Excellent
Very Good
13.3in
SIZE
14.0in
2.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.5in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4/10
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 has very good build quality, while the ASUS Zenbook 13 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$890
$1,241
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The ASUS Zenbook 13 has a price of $890 and the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 costs $1,241.
"The Asus ZenBook 13 is a compact 13-inch laptop with a fast Ryzen 7 5800U and OLED display. The subnotebook is also light and the modern design is convincing. The selection of high-quality materials make the device not only light, but also very stable. In addition, the visuals and haptics of the device offers a high-quality impression. The AMD Ryzen 7 5800U is a very good fit for the ZenBook 13, ensuring a high performance in the test. However, in terms of the 3D performance, we also notice that the Vega architecture is beginning to hit its limits."
"We like a lot about this laptop. It has many ports, with the inclusion of RJ45-Ethernet as a defining feature. WWAN is upgradable for maximum flexibility and the ThinkPad has many security functions. Working with the ThinkPad input devices is a lot of fun, and Lenovo puts in a serviceable Low Power panel. The AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U delivers a great performance and does not drain the battery fast. Fan noise and temperatures are nothing special, but also far away from bad. With the user replaceable keyboard, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a special feature rarely present on most modern laptops."
Get a great deal on the ASUS Zenbook 13 or the Lenovo ThinkPad T14
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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