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The PerfectRec laptop team Learn more
Updated March 14, 2024·
If you're looking for a durable laptop with strong performance for engineering or professional tasks, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 could suit you well despite its higher cost. However, if your priorities include saving money and having a more portable device for general use, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x offers a lightweight, cost-effective alternative. Keep in mind that the ThinkPad Z16 typically provides longer battery life and is built to handle more intensive tasks, whereas the ThinkBook 13x, being more affordable, may not handle demanding software as smoothly. Choose based on what matters more to you: performance and durability or portability and cost. 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 for general use
- Very good for engineering and design
- Very good for software development
- Very good overall build quality
- Best in class speakers
- Excellent keyboard
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x
- Excellent portability
Key differences
General Use
8.6
7.9
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
393.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
7.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
7.8/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16, with a more powerful CPU and additional RAM, excels in demanding tasks and multitasking, making it highly suited for general use, while its high-quality screen ensures sharp and vivid display, but it's less portable and has a shorter battery life compared to lighter laptops. Conversely, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x, while offering decent performance for everyday tasks, shines in portability with its compact design and longer battery life, making it a good fit for on-the-go users, though it may not handle intensive applications as smoothly as the Z16.
Screen Quality
8.5
8.2
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
393.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
500.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a better screen than the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x for general use, engineering and design, software development, and content creation, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x has a better screen for gaming and AI.
For general use, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and the ThinkBook 13x both offer screens with clarity, detail, and brightness that enhance everyday tasks like browsing, video playback, and document editing. The ThinkPad Z16 excels in engineering and design due to a wider color gamut, allowing for more accurate color representation crucial for professional photo editing and CAD work, while the ThinkBook 13x still performs very well in those areas. However, for gaming and 3D applications, both models fall short as they lack high refresh rates needed for smooth motion, making them less ideal for fast-paced gaming experiences.
Battery
7.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has 7 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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.
Portability
Good
Excellent
16.0in
SIZE
13.5in
4.2 lbs
WEIGHT
2.7 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x has excellent portability, while the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Cost
$1,120
$1,399
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 has a price of $1,120 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x costs $1,399.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.7
6.6
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
120Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Lenovo ThinkBook 13x are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 offers a stronger GPU and higher screen refresh rate, which are crucial for smooth gaming and effective 3D rendering, making it well-suited for such demands. Meanwhile, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x, while capable for less intensive tasks due to a decent CPU and screen quality, falls short for gaming and 3D applications due to its less powerful GPU and lower refresh rate.
Engineering and Design
8.4
7.9
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
4.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.7/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 to be very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x is good.
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 typically comes with higher-end CPUs, more RAM, and dedicated GPUs which provide robust performance for demanding engineering software, and its superior screen quality offers better visuals for design work. Conversely, the ThinkBook 13x, while still capable for engineering tasks, emphasizes portability and a quieter operating noise but may not handle intensive workloads as smoothly due to modest GPU capabilities.
Content Creation
8.5
8.0
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
OLED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 and Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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
7.9
7.4/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.6/10
32.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3840 x 2400
RESOLUTION
2880 x 1920
9.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 to be very good for software development, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x 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.
Build Quality
8.0
7.6
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 to have very good build quality, while the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x has 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 Lenovo ThinkBook 13x compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 | Lenovo ThinkBook 13x |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$1,120 | $1,399 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | May 1, 2023 | January 30, 2024 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 14'' x 9.4'' x 0.62'' | 11.6'' x 8.1'' x 0.5'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 4.27 lbs | 2.7 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 13.95" | 11.6" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 9.35" | 8.1" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 6850H | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 32 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 5 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 2048 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 7 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 72 Wh | 74 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 16" | 13.5" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | OLED | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 3840 x 2400 | 2880 x 1920 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 120Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 393 nits | 500 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 8/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 7.9/10 | 9.4/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | Yes | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 9/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 9.6/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 1080p | 1080p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | Yes | Yes | |
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 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | Yes | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 3 | 3 | |
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."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x
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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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