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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a higher resolution touchscreen display, additional storage space, and a fresher model with more modern ports like Thunderbolt 4, the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is a better choice, albeit with slightly less portability because it's heavier. However, if longer battery life and a lighter laptop for easier transport are more important to you, along with a slightly lower price, you should go for the LG Ultra 13. Both laptops have comparable performance for general use and engineering tasks, but the ThinkBook's display is better for color-sensitive work due to a higher pixel density and wider color gamut coverage. 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 LG Ultra 13
- Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
- Good for engineering and design
- Good overall display quality
- Very good speakers
Key differences
General Use
7.2
7.8
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
300.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
10.0 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
9.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and LG Ultra 13 are both good for general use, though the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s General Use Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for general productivity, web browsing, streaming, video calls, and running a wide variety of apps and programs.
Engineering and Design
6.6
7.5
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is good for engineering and design, while the LG Ultra 13 is only fair.
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s surpasses the LG Ultra 13 for engineering and design use primarily because it comes with a newer, more powerful Intel i7 processor compared to the older AMD Ryzen 7 in the LG model, and it includes a higher-resolution screen with better color accuracy, which is crucial for design work. While both have the same amount of RAM, the ThinkBook's superior GPU contributes to better performance in applications that demand graphical power, making it a more suitable choice despite being slightly less portable and having a higher operating noise compared to the LG Ultra 13.
Content Creation
7.2
7.8
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and LG Ultra 13 are both good for content creation, though the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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.
Screen Quality
6.9
7.2
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
300.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
336.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s has a better screen than the LG Ultra 13 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The LG Ultra 13 and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s both offer displays with resolutions and brightness levels that are well-suited for general tasks like browsing and office work. For engineering and design, they provide accurate colors covering a wide range of the color spectrum, which is crucial for precision in visual projects. However, both laptops fall short for gaming and 3D applications as they lack high refresh rates, which are essential for smooth motion and fast-paced visuals.
Battery
10.0 Hours
8.0 Hours
The LG Ultra 13 has 10 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s 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
$529
$1,000
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
$1,600
The LG Ultra 13 has a price of $529 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s costs $1,000.
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Key similarities
Gaming and AI
6.1
6.4
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
3.8/10
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
No
SUPPORTS DLSS
No
No
MUX SWITCH / ADVANCED OPTIMUS
No
8.0/10
FAN NOISE SCORE
8.3/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and LG Ultra 13 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The LG Ultra 13 and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s are both fair for gaming and 3D because they have integrated graphics which are less powerful than dedicated gaming graphics cards, and their screens have a 60Hz refresh rate which is adequate for casual gaming but not ideal for fast-paced games. However, the ThinkBook has a higher screen resolution and slightly better screen quality, while the LG offers the same essential gaming capabilities in a slightly lighter form factor.
Software Development
7.2
7.7
4.7/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
7.9/10
16.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
1920 x 1080
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
7.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
7.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and LG Ultra 13 are both 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
Excellent
Excellent
13.3in
SIZE
13.3in
2.1 lbs
WEIGHT
2.9 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.5in
The LG Ultra 13 and Lenovo ThinkBook 13s both have excellent portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.4
7.6
The Lenovo ThinkBook 13s and LG Ultra 13 both have 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 LG Ultra 13 and the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s compare to other laptops
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| LG Ultra 13 | Lenovo ThinkBook 13s |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$529 | $1,000 | ||
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2021 | May 1, 2022 | |
Overall Dimensions | |||
Overall Dimensions | 12.1'' x 8.1'' x 0.6'' | 11.7'' x 8.3'' x 0.59'' | |
Weight | |||
Weight | 2.16 lbs | 2.9 lbs | |
Width | |||
Width | 12.08" | 11.7" | |
Depth | |||
Depth | 8.14" | 8.3" | |
INTERNAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Processor | |||
Processor | AMD Ryzen 7 4700U | Intel i7-1260P | |
RAM | |||
RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | |
DDR Memory Version | |||
DDR Memory Version | 4 | 5 | |
RAM Slots | |||
RAM Slots | 0 | 0 | |
Storage | |||
Storage | 256 GB | 512 GB | |
BATTERY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery Life | |||
Battery Life | 10 Hours | 8 Hours | |
Battery Capacity | |||
Battery Capacity | 51 Wh | 56 Wh | |
SCREEN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Diagonal Size | |||
Diagonal Size | 13.3" | 13.3" | |
Display Technology | |||
Display Technology | IPS | IPS | |
Resolution | |||
Resolution | 1920 x 1080 | 2560 x 1600 | |
Refresh Rate | |||
Refresh Rate | 60Hz | 60Hz | |
Display Brightness | |||
Display Brightness | 300 nits | 336 nits | |
RELIABILITY, APPEARANCE & ACOUSTICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality Score | |||
Build Quality Score | 7.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Portability Score | |||
Portability Score | 9.3/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Gaming Laptop Appearance | |||
Gaming Laptop Appearance | No | No | |
Premium Business Laptop | |||
Premium Business Laptop | No | No | |
Fan Noise Score | |||
Fan Noise Score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
HARDWARE FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Keyboard Quality Score | |||
Keyboard Quality Score | 7.5/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Speaker Quality Score | |||
Speaker Quality Score | 6.5/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Webcam | |||
Webcam | 720p | 720p | |
Fingerprint Reader | |||
Fingerprint Reader | No | Yes | |
Backlit Keyboard | |||
Backlit Keyboard | Yes | Yes | |
Number Pad | |||
Number Pad | No | No | |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
|---|---|---|---|
USB Type-A | |||
USB Type-A | 2 | 0 | |
USB-C ports | |||
USB-C ports | 1 | 3 | |
USB-C Charging | |||
USB-C Charging | No | Yes | |
Display Outputs | |||
Display Outputs | 1 | 3 | |
Thunderbolt Version | |||
Thunderbolt Version | N/A | 4 | |
Shopping
LG Ultra 13
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Dig into reviews and images
CNET
Joshua Goldman | April 2017
"The 13.3-inch LG Gram is a fine fit if you need to travel as light as possible for as long as possible without spending a fortune to do it. It might not be particularly sturdy or have an eye-catching design and its webcam is less than ideal, but with its sharp touch display, comfortable backlit keyboard, responsive touchpad and a fingerprint reader for extra security, the Gram makes a respectible everyday laptop for business or school work."
Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
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Dig into reviews and images
The Verge
Monica Chin | July 2021
"The best thing about the ThinkBook 13S is that it’s a good deal. Business buyers looking for ThinkPad-level performance and software without ThinkPad pricing will probably find the ThinkBook a solid option. While nothing about it is really spectacular, it’s certainly unusual to see the ThinkBook’s screen resolution at a sub-$1,000 price, and its performance will be more than adequate for most office tasks. The generous port selection, 16:10 aspect ratio, physical webcam shutter, and clear audio are certainly icing on the cake."
Get a great deal on the LG Ultra 13 or the Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
About LG
LG is a South Korean conglomerate company. While LG is mainly known for various products outside of technology, LG also develops laptops. Within the laptop industry, they are known for their thin-and-light Gram series, as well as their value-oriented Ultra series. LG laptops offer very thin and light laptops with phenomenal battery life, and are often on sale.
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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