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What we think
The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
For demanding tasks like 3D modeling, engineering software, or gaming, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 would be superior due to its higher-end graphics card. However, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is typically less expensive and offers a high-quality OLED screen, which is superior for color work and media consumption. The ThinkPad also has a larger screen and longer battery life but is slightly heavier. Both come with touchscreen capabilities and premium build quality, but the Surface Laptop has a faster refresh rate, which could be preferable for fast-paced applications or gaming. Choose the ThinkPad Z16 for a balance of cost and high-resolution display or the Surface Laptop Studio 2 for better performance in graphics-intensive tasks. 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 Z16
- Very good overall display quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
- Good for gaming and AI
Key differences
Gaming and AI
6.7
7.7
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
Yes
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
6.7/10
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 is good for gaming and AI, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is only fair.
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.
Screen Quality
8.5
7.9
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 for general use, and engineering and design.
When considering general use, both the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 have displays that offer clear visuals and vivid colors because of their high resolutions and brightness, making them suitable for everyday tasks like browsing and video streaming. For engineering and design workflows where color precision is essential, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 stands out with its broader color gamut, providing more accurate color representation than the ThinkPad Z16. However, for gaming and 3D rendering, neither laptop is ideal due to their lower refresh rates, which means both may not provide as smooth an experience as laptops specifically designed for those purposes with higher refresh rate displays.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 has 8 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.
Cost
$1,120
$2,900
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a price of $1,120 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 costs $2,900.
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Key similarities
General Use
8.6
8.3
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
503.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 are both very good for general use.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 shines for general use with its ample RAM, capable processor, high-resolution OLED screen, and reputable durability; however, it's less portable compared to other laptops and has moderate battery life. On the other hand, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 offers a unique flexible hinge that doubles as a laptop and drawing tablet, a strong processor, a high-refresh-rate screen, and longer battery life but with a smaller size and less vibrant colors on the screen.
Engineering and Design
8.4
8.7
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.5/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a superior OLED screen, which is essential for design clarity and color accuracy, coupled with a capable AMD CPU and GPU that are well-suited for engineering software; it also stands out with ample storage and memory for multitasking and large projects. The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2, with its flexible hinge that doubles as a drawing tablet, also has a robust Intel CPU and powerful Nvidia GPU, plus a higher amount of memory for even more complex engineering tasks, though its display has a lower resolution and color coverage compared to the ThinkPad.
Content Creation
8.5
8.4
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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
8.2
8.2
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.0/10
32.0 GB
RAM
64.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2400 x 1600
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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.
Portability
Good
Good
16.0in
SIZE
14.4in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
4.4 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.8in
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 both have good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
8.0
8.5
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 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 Z16 and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $2,900 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | September 1, 2023 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 12.7'' x 9.1'' x 0.86'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 4.41 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 12.72" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 9.06" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel i7-13700H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 64 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 1024 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 58 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 14.4" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2400 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 393 nits | 503 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 6.8/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 8/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | No | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 0 | 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 | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
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."
Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
See more
Dig into reviews and images
NotebookCheck
Andreas Osthoff | March 2022
"The new Surface Laptop Studio with its foldable display is supposed to replace the old Surface Book and the overall impression is good after our review. The build quality and the materials are top-notch, the performance utilization of the two components is solid and the device does not show any major flaws in terms of display or speakers, either. The folding mechanism leaves a sold impression as well, but it remains to be seen how it will hold up over the years. The so-called presentation mode is also not ideal since it covers the whole keyboard."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2
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.
About Microsoft
Microsoft is an American technology corporation. Microsoft is best known for their Windows operating system and Surface laptop series. The Surface Laptop is their standard notebook offering, while their Surface Go, Surface Pro, and Surface Studio are their 2-in-1/tablet offerings in order of increasing capability. Although Microsoft charges a premium price tag for their laptops, buyers can expect a well integrated and packaged device since Microsoft develops the Windows operating system.
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