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Updated January 10, 2024·
If performance in engineering tasks or 3D rendering is a priority and you don't mind a heavier laptop, the ThinkPad P16 has a more powerful processor and better engineering performance but has a lower battery life. On the other hand, the ThinkPad Z16 offers better portability, has a touch screen, and higher storage capacity, but it's at a higher price point and not as optimized for engineering tasks. The P16 is less expensive with a midrange price, whereas the Z16 has a premium price tag. Both have excellent build and keyboard quality, though the Z16 has a slight edge in its speaker quality. 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 battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
- Good portability
- Best in class speakers
Key differences
General Use
8.0
8.6
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
569.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
7.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
5.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.8/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 are both very good for general use, though the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is somewhat better.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 stands out for general use due to its superior OLED screen quality, higher RAM, and more powerful AMD processor, making multitasking and media consumption a more fluid experience, although it has a shorter battery life compared to the P16. Conversely, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 also boasts a high-quality IPS screen and solid performance for day-to-day tasks, its heavier build and excellent keyboard make it less portable but potentially more suitable for extended work sessions where typing comfort and screen real estate are priorities.
Screen Quality
8.2
8.5
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
569.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
393.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 for general use, engineering and design, and software development.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 offers a great balance of high resolution, bright display, and robust panel type that serves well for both productivity and professional design tasks, while its wide color gamut support ensures accurate color reproduction crucial for engineering and design work. However, its lower refresh rate, which is less crucial for general and professional applications, makes it less ideal for gaming and 3D modeling where smoother motion is key.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 steps up with an excellent screen that combines high resolution, superior brightness, and premium panel type, making it ideal for both daily tasks and color-critical work in engineering and design due to its extensive color gamut coverage. Still, like its P16 counterpart, the Z16's lower refresh rate falls short for gaming and 3D tasks, where faster screen refreshes enhance the visual experience and responsiveness.
Battery
10.0 Hours
7.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has 10 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.
Portability
Poor
Good
16.0in
SIZE
16.0in
6.5 lbs
WEIGHT
4.2 lbs
1.2in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has poor portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,449
$1,120
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 has a price of $1,449 and the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 costs $1,120.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.9
6.7
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
Yes
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
7.5/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
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
8.3
8.4
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
4.5/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.6/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 is favored for its powerful Intel i7 CPU and Nvidia GPU which are well-suited for engineering and graphics work, alongside a durable build and a high-resolution IPS screen that offers good color accuracy and brightness.
Content Creation
8.2
8.5
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
OLED
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Lenovo ThinkPad P16 are both very 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
8.4
8.2
9.6/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.4/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
3840 x 2400
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 are both very 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.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 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 Z16 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad P16 | Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,449 | $1,120 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | July 1, 2023 | May 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14.3'' x 10.5'' x 1.2'' | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 6.5 lbs | 4.27 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 14.3" | 13.95" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 10.5" | 9.35" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | Intel i7-12800HX | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 32 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 4 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 512 GB | 2048 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 7 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 94 Wh | 72 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 16" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | OLED | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 3840 x 2400 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 569 nits | 393 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 5.8/10 | 7.9/10 | |
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 | 8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.1/10 | 9.6/10 | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
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 Z16
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Dig into reviews and images
PCWorld
Matthew S. Smith | September 2022
"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 Lenovo ThinkPad P16 or the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16
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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