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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is more budget-friendly and offers good performance for general use with decent portability. It has a 15.6-inch display, is lighter, and boasts longer battery life, making it suitable for everyday tasks and light work on the go. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16, while more expensive, is geared towards professionals with higher performance needs, such as engineering, 3D rendering, and machine learning. It has a larger, higher-resolution 16-inch display, superior graphics performance with a dedicated GPU, and more RAM for intensive tasks. However, it's heavier and less portable, with slightly shorter battery life. 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 IdeaPad 5 15"
- Good portability
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
- 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
- Excellent speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.4
8.0
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
341.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
11.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
5.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is good.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is well-suited for general use due to its ample RAM and CPU for everyday tasks, a high-quality screen, as well as being lightweight and having decent battery life, offering a good balance between performance and portability. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 offers higher RAM and a more powerful CPU, superior screen resolution and quality suitable for more demanding applications, but it is heavier and has a slightly shorter battery life, making it less portable but better equipped for intensive tasks.
Gaming and AI
6.2
6.9
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Gaming and AI Score strongly emphasizes graphics processing capability, while also taking into account other factors that impact suitability for gaming and AI work.
Engineering and Design
6.7
8.3
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.5/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design because it has a more powerful CPU and GPU, more RAM, and higher screen quality than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15", which leads to better performance for demanding tasks but at the cost of increased weight and size, thus affecting its portability. However, the IdeaPad 5 offers fair suitability for engineering and design with a competent but less powerful CPU and GPU, and adequate RAM and screen quality, making it a more portable option with a balance of performance and convenience for less intensive work.
Content Creation
7.3
8.2
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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
8.4
6.8/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.6/10
8.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
8.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" 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
6.5
8.2
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
341.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
569.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen than the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
For general use, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" provides an adequate display with enough resolution and brightness for everyday tasks, but the ThinkPad P16 excels with a higher resolution and brightness, resulting in a sharper and more vibrant image ideal for detailed work and longer viewing periods. When considering engineering and design, the ThinkPad P16 stands out with superior color accuracy, covering a wider range of color gamuts which is crucial for professional photo editing and precision design work, unlike the IdeaPad 5 15". However, for gaming and 3D applications, both laptops fall short due to their lower refresh rates, which can lead to less fluid motion and slower response times compared to models specifically designed with higher refresh rates for these purposes.
Battery
11.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has 11 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 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
Poor
15.6in
SIZE
16.0in
4.0 lbs
WEIGHT
6.5 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
1.2in
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.6
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$690
$1,449
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" has a price of $690 and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 costs $1,449.
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How the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" and the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" | Lenovo ThinkPad P16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$690 | $1,449 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2022 | July 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.2'' x 0.67'' | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.08 lbs | 6.5 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.01" | 14.3" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.18" | 10.5" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 5825U | Intel i7-12800HX | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 4 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 11 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 57 Wh | 94 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 15.6" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 341 nits | 569 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.6/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.8/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | Yes | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Marcus Schwarten | August 2021
"The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is convincing due to its long battery life. The device scores points especially with its large battery and long battery runtimes combined with its low consumption. The CPU and GPU perform in the test as one would expect, and in line with what was familiar from the somewhat smaller 14-inch sister model, the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14."
Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Eric Grevstad | February 2023
"It's only a few months since we gave the MSI CreatorPro X17 one of our rare 4.5-star ratings and our top mobile workstation honor, but the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 matches that achievement in a more premium overall build. Ultimately, its build quality, screen, and keyboard give our latest Editors' Choice nod to the Lenovo—it's enough of a monster on almost all fronts that it simply cannot be ignored."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15" or the Lenovo ThinkPad P16
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.
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