A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
Last updated -- hours ago | Report incorrect information
Company ProductName Specs
Company ProductName Specs
What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you're looking for an affordable option for basic tasks like browsing and word processing, the Gateway 11.6" offers simplicity and value, but it has limited storage and lower performance. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, although more expensive, provides superior performance for intensive engineering tasks, better display quality, and a larger screen; it is more suited for professionals and power users. Consider the Gateway if budget is a primary concern and computing needs are minimal; opt for the Lenovo if high-end features and capabilities justify the investment for you. 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 Gateway 11.6"
- Excellent portability
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
5.6
8.6
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
200.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
9.1/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" has lower RAM, a basic Intel Celeron processor, and a lower-resolution screen, which translates to less smooth multitasking, slower performance for demanding tasks, and less sharp visuals, making it less ideal for general use. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a much higher RAM, a powerful AMD Ryzen processor, and a high-resolution OLED screen which enhances multitasking, speeds up performance, and provides superior image quality, justifying its better suitability for general use.
Gaming and AI
5.4
6.7
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers superior performance for gaming and 3D applications with its more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU and AMD RX GPU, combined with a high-resolution OLED screen. In contrast, the Gateway 11.6" with its Intel Celeron CPU and integrated Intel UHD Graphics can't handle such demanding tasks effectively, and its lower resolution screen doesn't provide the same level of detail and visual quality.
Engineering and Design
5.4
8.4
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
The Gateway 11.6" falls short for engineering and design because it has a low-powered Intel Celeron CPU, basic Intel UHD Graphics, minimal RAM, and a lower-resolution screen, which together are not suitable for high-performance tasks. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 excels with its significantly more powerful AMD Ryzen CPU, dedicated RX 6500M GPU, ample RAM, and a high-resolution OLED display, all of which are crucial for demanding engineering applications and design work.
Content Creation
5.7
8.5
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for content creation, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
8.2
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for software development, while the Gateway 11.6" is poor.
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
5.7
8.5
11.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1366 x 768
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
200.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the Gateway 11.6" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gateway's screen likely lacks the sharpness, brightness, and viewing angle stability needed for enjoyable everyday tasks, which is why it falls short for general use. The ThinkPad Z16 boasts a high-quality, bright display with wide color coverage, making it well-suited for professions that demand color accuracy, such as engineering and design. However, both the Gateway and ThinkPad Z16 are not ideal for gaming and 3D applications due to their screens' lower refresh rates, which can't deliver the smooth visuals that these activities typically require.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Gateway 11.6" 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.
Portability
Excellent
Good
11.6in
SIZE
16.0in
2.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Gateway 11.6" has excellent portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
5.1
8.0
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the Gateway 11.6" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$89
$1,120
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gateway 11.6" has a price of $89 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 costs $1,120.
Let Us Help Find Your Perfect Laptop
Find your new laptop
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gateway 11.6" and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Gateway 11.6" | Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$89 | $1,120 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2021 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 11'' x 7.5'' x 0.7'' | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.6 lbs | 4.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 11" | 13.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 7.5" | 9.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel Celeron N4020 | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 4 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 64 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 8 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | Unknown | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 11.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1366 x 768 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 200 nits | 393 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 5.1/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.2/10 | 7.9/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7/10 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 5.3/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6/10 | 9.6/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | No | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 0 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Ports | |||
Thunderbolt Ports | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
See more
Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | September 2022
"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 Gateway 11.6" or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
About Gateway
Gateway is a laptop and tablet brand owned by Acer which sells budget-friendly laptops exclusively through Walmart. It was previously an American computer company until its acquisition by Acer in 2007, who then revived the brand in 2020. Gateway laptops are manufactured by Chinese company Shenzhen Bmorn Technology, which also makes EVOO-branded models.
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.
Give feedback
We're constantly perfecting our model
Laptop guides you might be interested in
More comparisons for you
FAQs
FAQs about laptops
Why trust us
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
98,295
Recommendations made
21,298
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.
Featured in
