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Updated January 10, 2024·
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 offers high performance for engineering tasks because it has a more powerful processor and a dedicated NVIDIA graphics card, which are ideal for heavy 3D work, machine learning, and other intensive applications. It also features a larger, higher-resolution display, which would be beneficial for detailed tasks, but it's heavier and has a bulkier design, which makes it less portable than the Z13. Meanwhile, the ThinkPad Z13, while less powerful, is lighter and therefore more portable, with better battery life suited for general use and on-the-go business tasks. It also comes with a touchscreen and is generally more affordable, but may not be as suitable for the most demanding engineering or 3D work that the P16 can handle. 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 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
- Excellent speakers
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13
- Excellent portability
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.9
6.3
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
9.1/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 are both only fair for gaming and AI, though the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16, with its Nvidia RTX A1000 GPU, surpasses the ThinkPad Z13's AMD Radeon 680M in handling gaming and 3D tasks, offering better graphics performance, which is critical for these activities. Additionally, the P16's higher screen resolution enhances image clarity, although both laptops have the same screen refresh rate, which is very important for smooth visuals in gaming and 3D applications.
Engineering and Design
8.3
7.3
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 excels for engineering and design due to its more powerful CPU, GPU, higher quality and brighter display, which are very important for such tasks, but is less portable due to its weight and size. By contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, while still good for engineering, has a less powerful CPU and GPU and a less detailed and dimmer display, but benefits from greater portability and comparable keyboard and speaker quality.
Software Development
8.4
7.7
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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
8.2
7.0
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
569.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 likely has a high-resolution display with vibrant color accuracy and brightness that appeals to general use and sharp enough for detailed engineering tasks, but its lower refresh rate could be less ideal for 3D gaming that relies on smoother motion. On the other hand, the ThinkPad Z13 also provides sufficient resolution and color quality for everyday tasks and professional designs but may fall short in the refresh rate department for fast-paced gaming visuals. Both excel in their vivid displays for productivity and creation but will not satisfy gamers looking for fluid, responsive gameplay due to their slower screen refresh rates.
Portability
Poor
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.3in
6.5 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 has excellent portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,449
$1,000
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a price of $1,449 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.0
7.8
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
569.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
379.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
10.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.2/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad P16 to be very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16, with its powerful Intel i7 processor, ample RAM, high-resolution IPS screen and dedicated Nvidia graphics, caters well to general use with high performance and excellent screen quality but is less portable and has shorter battery life. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 offers great portability thanks to its AMD Ryzen 7 processor, adequate RAM, and efficient AMD Radeon graphics, complemented with a touch-enabled IPS screen and a significantly longer battery life, making it an excellent choice for general use on the go.
Content Creation
8.2
7.8
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
6.8/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad P16 to be very good for content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 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.
Battery
10.0 Hours
10.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.5
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 both have very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
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How the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad P16 | Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,449 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2023 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | 11.6'' x 7.9'' x 0.55'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.5 lbs | 2.78 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 11.59" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.5" | 7.86" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12800HX | AMD Ryzen 7 6850U | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 4 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 10 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 94 Wh | 51.5 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 1920 x 1200 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 569 nits | 379 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.8/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | Yes | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 7.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.1/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | Yes | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 3 | 2 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 2 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | 4 | N/A | |
Shopping
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."
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 ThinkPad P16 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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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