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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is often more expensive but offers better performance for 3D, machine learning, and engineering tasks, as well as being suitable for intensive gaming. Its larger screen and heavier weight make it less portable, while its shorter battery life limits mobility. On the other hand, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is significantly less expensive, very portable with a higher battery life and touch screen capability. It's great for general use, with a higher-quality keyboard and build, but less suitable for high-end gaming or the most demanding engineering applications. Choose the Legion 5 for power-intensive activities and the ThinkPad Z13 for on-the-go productivity and convenience. 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 Legion 5 17"
- Good for gaming and AI
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
- Very good overall build quality
- Excellent portability
- Very good battery life
- Very good speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.2
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
305.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
4.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for general use, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is powered by a high-performing Intel processor and includes a dedicated Nvidia graphics card, making it suitable for general use that may include gaming and demanding applications; however, its large screen and heavier weight hinder its portability and it has a shorter battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, on the other hand, offers great general usability with a more portable design thanks to its smaller screen and lighter weight, coupled with an AMD Ryzen processor and integrated Radeon graphics, and it boasts a significantly longer battery life, which enhances its appeal for users on the go.
Gaming and AI
7.4
6.3
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
Yes
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
6.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is only fair.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" is better for gaming and 3D applications because it is equipped with a superior Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card and a higher screen refresh rate of 144Hz, which are very important for a smoother and more immersive experience. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, with its AMD Radeon 680M graphics and a lower 60Hz screen refresh rate, delivers fair performance for gaming and 3D, but it may not be as visually fluid or responsive as the Legion model.
Content Creation
7.2
7.8
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is somewhat better.
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
7.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
8.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 and Lenovo Legion 5 17" are both good for software development, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is somewhat better.
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
7.3
7.0
17.3in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
144Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
305.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has a better screen for content creation, and software development.
If you value sharp visuals and vibrant colors for everyday tasks, both the Lenovo Legion 5 and the ThinkPad Z13 offer crisp displays with good resolution and brightness, making them well-suited for general use. For engineering and design work where color accuracy is key, both laptops provide sufficient color range to ensure that your designs are represented accurately. However, for gaming and 3D applications where fluid motion is crucial, their screens lack the high refresh rates that are preferred for these activities, making them less ideal choices for these specific purposes.
Battery
4.5 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has 4.5 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
Poor
Excellent
17.3in
SIZE
13.3in
6.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.0in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Legion 5 17" has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$1,200
$1,000
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
$1,800
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" has a price of $1,200 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Engineering and Design
7.6
7.3
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
7.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo Legion 5 17" offers a high-performance CPU, substantial RAM, and a powerful dedicated GPU, suitable for demanding engineering software and design tasks, along with a larger screen with good screen quality but at the cost of portability and higher operating noise.
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How the Lenovo Legion 5 17" and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo Legion 5 17" | Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,200 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | October 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 15.7'' x 11.4'' x 1'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.57 lbs | 2.78 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 15.7" | 11.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 11.41" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-11800H | AMD Ryzen 7 6850U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 2 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 4.5 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 80 Wh | 51.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 17.3" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 144Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 305 nits | 379 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.8/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | Yes | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 6.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 4 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 2 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
Lenovo Legion 5 17"
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Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Sebastian Bade | February 2022
"The Lenovo Legion 5 17 is a current-gen 17-inch gaming laptop and equipped with the latest AMD CPU and a powerful GPU, that manages to reach its full potential. The AMD Ryzen 5 5600H is a very good choice for this laptop and able to maintain its performance level for long periods of time. Our test model only falls behind consistently in a direct comparison with its competitors that are often equipped with eight cores and 16 threads. Despite this, the Legion 5 17 leaves an excellent impression and is almost able to keep up with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 mobile GPU in synthetic benchmarks."
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
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Dig into reviews and images
PCMag
Brian Westover | September 2022
"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 Legion 5 17" 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.
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