The Lenovo Flex 5 16 offers a larger screen and higher resolution, which is beneficial for multitasking and immersive media experiences, but it is heavier, affecting portability. The ThinkPad Z13, on the other hand, is much lighter and more portable, with high build quality and a better keyboard, making it ideal for travel and extended typing sessions. Both have similar performance, with sufficient power for general use and some specialized tasks like 3D work and engineering, though not optimized for intensive gaming. Choose the Flex 5 16 for a larger workspace or the ThinkPad Z13 for greater mobility and durability. 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 Lenovo Flex 5 16
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has no clear advantages over the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13.
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
Very good overall build quality
Excellent portability
Very good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
Screen Quality
7.3/10
7.0/10
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
400.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, and engineering and design.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 likely offer screens with suitable resolution, brightness, and panel type, which ensures that text is sharp and the display is easy to view in various lighting conditions, making them good for general use and engineering tasks which require attention to detail. For engineering and design applications, these laptops may also cover a wide range of colors, providing the accuracy needed for professional work. However, their lower refresh rates, which are less prioritized in these models, mean they won't display fast-paced games or 3D animations as smoothly as laptops designed specifically for gaming or 3D rendering.
Battery
11.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has 11.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has 10 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
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
4.6 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Flex 5 16 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$779
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 has a price of $779 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for general use.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Gaming and AI
6.2/10
6.3/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16, with its Intel Iris Xe graphics, and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, equipped with an AMD Radeon 680M, both provide fair gaming and 3D performance, due in large part to their integrated GPUs which are decent but not as powerful as dedicated gaming GPUs, and ordinary screen refresh rates of 60Hz, which are adequate for casual gaming but not optimal for high-frame-rate gameplay or professional 3D work.
Engineering and Design
7.2/10
7.3/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3.7/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Flex 5 16 is equipped with an Intel i7 CPU with integrated graphics and a high-resolution 16-inch IPS screen, making it suitable for engineering and design tasks that require a larger visual workspace and solid processing power. Meanwhile, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 boasts an AMD Ryzen 7 CPU with Radeon graphics, renowned for strong performance, and a compact 13.3-inch screen, balancing power with superior portability and enhanced features like a high-quality keyboard and build quality.
Content Creation
7.6/10
7.8/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for content creation.
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
7.5/10
7.7/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
2560 x 1600
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Lenovo Flex 5 16 are both good for software development.
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.
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How the Lenovo Flex 5 16 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 compare to other laptops
"The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is a solidly equipped, 2-in-1 in the lower price segment. Performance is definitely sufficient for everyday tasks and in tests the battery proved itself to be very economical. That aside, there is a lot of standard fare on show and a search for real highlights ends in vain. The low color coverage and reflective display can be avoided by going for an optional 2.5K display but this also presumably results in poorer battery life. The cooling uses only one fan and leads to a raised temperature on one side of the device under load. Additionally, there is very loud fan noise, also under load or when gaming. On top of that, we also occasionally noticed electronic noises."
"In the premium ultraportable space, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 competes with the best of the best, and still manages to shine. The design is an impressive departure from the bland bare-metal laptop that's become so popular in recent years, and the AMD-powered system has performance that's just as impressive. It's a stark alternative to the Intel-based majority, and it stands up well enough to the impressive Apple M2 processor."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Flex 5 16 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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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