If you prioritize high performance for tasks like 3D rendering, machine learning, or engineering, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is the superior choice with a more powerful processor and graphics unit, along with a high-quality OLED display suitable for color-sensitive work. If portability and price are your main concerns, the Gateway 14.1" may appeal to you as it is lighter and significantly more affordable, although with reduced performance and a lower-quality display, it's better suited to general tasks and less intensive use. 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 14.1"
Very good 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
5.6/10
8.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
208.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
8.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
5.3/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" is equipped with a low-power Intel Celeron processor and 4GB of RAM, which may hinder performance for demanding applications, and it also has a lower-quality IPS screen with modest color coverage, contributing to its poorer suitability for general use.
Gaming and AI
5.4/10
6.7/10
3.5/10
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
7.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is only fair for gaming and AI, while the Gateway 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" has an Intel Celeron processor and Intel UHD Graphics 600, which are not suitable for high-performance gaming and 3D tasks, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 features a potent AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and AMD RX 6500M GPU, providing strong gaming and 3D performance.
Engineering and Design
5.5/10
8.4/10
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 14.1" is poor.
The Gateway 14.1" laptop, with its Intel Celeron processor and a basic Intel UHD Graphics GPU, struggles with engineering and design tasks, whereas the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 flourishes in this area due to its robust AMD Ryzen 7 CPU and AMD RX 6500M GPU, paired with a high-resolution OLED screen capable of displaying accurate colors. Additionally, the Gateway falls short in both RAM capacity and screen quality compared to the ThinkPad, which is crucial for demanding engineering software and detailed design work.
Content Creation
5.8/10
8.5/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
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 14.1" 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
5.8/10
8.2/10
3.3/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
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 14.1" 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
6.0/10
8.5/10
14.1in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
208.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the Gateway 14.1" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
If you prioritize general use, both the Gateway and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offer decent displays, but the ThinkPad stands out with higher resolution and brightness, ensuring clearer and more vivid images. For engineering and design tasks, the ThinkPad is superior due to its excellent coverage of color gamuts like DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB, which are crucial for color accuracy. However, for gaming and 3D applications, neither laptop excels because they lack high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth motion and quick visuals.
Battery
8.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Gateway 14.1" 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
5.1/10
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the Gateway 14.1" has poor build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$99
$1,120
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
The Gateway 14.1" has a price of $99 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 costs $1,120.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gateway 14.1" to have very good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Give feedback
We’re constantly working to improve.
How the Gateway 14.1" and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 compare to other laptops
"The Gateway Ultra Slim 14" is surprisingly quiet with long battery life. The inexpensive Gateway excels at maximizing performance per dollar with lots of RAM and storage, super-quiet fan, and a long battery life. It can even house up to two M.2 SSDs which we weren't expecting from such a cheap system. However, the iffy reliability of the keyboard and USB-C port on our test unit means users should double-check for these potential issues immediately after purchasing."
"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 14.1" 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.
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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