The Gigabyte A5 is the less expensive option with a high refresh rate display and a robust graphics card, making it well-suited for gaming and 3D tasks, but it has a shorter battery life and a lower resolution screen. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is more expensive but offers a higher resolution OLED touchscreen, significantly larger storage and more RAM, and comes with features tailored for professional use such as a fingerprint reader and facial recognition. Its battery capacity is higher, resulting in longer battery life, but it may not be as powerful for 3D applications due to its different graphics card. If portability and premium business features are a priority, and budget is less of a concern, the ThinkPad Z16 may be a better choice, whereas for gaming or cost-effectiveness, the Gigabyte A5 would be preferable. 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 Gigabyte A5
Good for gaming and AI
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
7.3/10
8.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
281.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
6.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.0/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the Gigabyte A5 is good.
The Gigabyte A5 offers a balance between performance and cost, with ample CPU and RAM for everyday tasks, but its screen quality and battery life may not match the premium standards of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, which, while more expensive, provides a superior screen, longer battery life, and enhanced portability, making it a solid choice for users who prioritize high-quality visuals and mobility for general use. The ThinkPad Z16 also boasts a robust build quality, with a better keyboard and effective heat management, adding to its appeal for frequent users, despite the higher cost.
Engineering and Design
7.3/10
8.4/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
7.3/10
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 Gigabyte A5 is good.
The Gigabyte A5, with a strong CPU, ample RAM, and a dedicated GPU, can handle demanding engineering software, although the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a higher screen quality that's beneficial for detailed design work. The ThinkPad Z16 tends to have a better keyboard and is more portable, which might suit professionals on the move, but the A5 could be less noisy under load.
Content Creation
7.3/10
8.5/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
1920 x 1080
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 Gigabyte A5 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
7.0/10
8.2/10
6.0/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for software development, while the Gigabyte A5 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
7.2/10
8.5/10
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
281.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the Gigabyte A5 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Gigabyte A5 has a display with decent resolution and brightness, making it suitable for general use, but it lacks the high color accuracy required for professional engineering and design work, and its refresh rate is not high enough to provide the smooth visuals avid gamers and 3D professionals prefer. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16's screen offers better resolution and brightness, plus superior color accuracy, making it excellent for tasks that require precise colors such as engineering and design, but like the A5, it doesn't have the high refresh rate needed for optimal Gaming and 3D applications. Both laptops, therefore, offer a good visual experience for everyday tasks, but specialized users in engineering and design might prefer the ThinkPad Z16, while gamers and 3D users may need to look elsewhere for screens that refresh more quickly.
Portability
Good
Good
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Gigabyte A5 both have good portability, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.2/10
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has very good build quality, while the Gigabyte A5 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$830
$1,120
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Gigabyte A5 has a price of $830 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 costs $1,120.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Gigabyte A5 to be good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is only fair.
The Gigabyte A5's Nvidia RTX 3060 and high screen refresh rate make it better suited for fast-paced games that demand quick visual updates, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, with its AMD RX 6500M GPU and OLED screen, offers deeper colors and sharper details at a lower refresh rate, making it great for immersive gameplay and detailed 3D work.
Battery
6.5 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Gigabyte A5 has 6.5 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.
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How the Gigabyte A5 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 compare to other laptops
"Ignoring price, the Gigabyte A5 has a hard time against the similarly fast competition. Besides the loud noise in 3D mode (performance mode), the high temperature development of the components should be mentioned on the downside. Despite the relatively thick case, the laptop gets very warm and loud under load, which does not exactly speak for the cooling system. The plastic surfaces look rather cheap and also tend to rattle. In most other disciplines - be it the input devices, the screen, the connectivity or the battery runtime - the Gigabyte laptop does not stand out from the crowd, neither positively nor negatively. However, those who primarily pay attention to the price-performance ratio will get a pretty good offer with the Gigabyte A5."
"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 Gigabyte A5 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
About Gigabyte
Gigabyte is a Taiwanese computer hardware manufacturer. While Gigabyte mainly focuses its business on desktop hardware, Gigabyte is known for its value-oriented G series laptops, thin and light Aero series, and performance-oriented Aorus series. Gigabyte laptops offer a strong value proposition to compete with mainstream alternatives.
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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