Execs
- AMD CPU presents excellent utility and first rate graphics efficiency
- Engaging, trendy tackle conventional ThinkPad design
- 2.8K OLED show is superior
- Snug keyboard
- Responsive and correct haptic touchpad
Cons
- Heavier than competing 14-inch fashions
- 13.3-inch show can begin to really feel cramped
- Merely common battery life
- Minimal ports
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 is an outlier amongst ThinkPads. Lenovo launched the Z13 ultraportable two years in the past, and it instantly stood out from the staid ThinkPad pack with its AMD-only choices inside an extremely compact chassis that featured a cool webcam module, haptic touchpad and the choice for an artificial leather-based lid. Gen 2 retains the identical recycled aluminum enclosure and updates the AMD silicon to Ryzen Professional 7000 processors whereas swapping the leather-like therapy for a woven flax fiber materials as an non-obligatory lid overlaying. Our overview unit did not characteristic the flax fiber lid however did come outfitted with the highest show possibility, a spectacular 2.8K OLED contact panel.
The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 is a marvel for its distinctive construct high quality and trim dimensions. It seems like a tiny tank of a laptop computer, and I’ve no doubts about its means to resist the bumps and bruises of enterprise journey. It is unquestionably nicely crafted and presents sturdy total efficiency, however with a worth that may shortly rise to just about $2,000 with upgrades you will probably need, it faces stiff competitors amongst premium enterprise ultraportables, together with from Lenovo itself. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and HP Dragonfly G4 are higher picks for many enterprise vacationers as a result of they provide roomier, 14-inch shows whereas weighing just a few ounces lower than the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2.
Configuration as examined
Value as reviewed | $1,874 |
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Show measurement/decision | 13.3-inch 2880 x 1800 OLED contact show |
CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 Professional 7840U |
Reminiscence | 32GB DDR5 6,400MHz RAM |
Graphics | AMD Radeon 780M |
Storage | 1TB SSD |
Ports | USB-C 4.0 (x2), combo audio port |
Networking | Wi-Fi 6E AX211 (2 x 2), Bluetooth 5.1 |
Working system | Home windows 11 Professional 23H2 |
The ThinkPad Z sequence is obtainable in 13-inch and 16-inch sizes and is the one ThinkPad line that gives AMD CPUs completely. Some traces supply each Intel and AMD, however the Z sequence is the one all-AMD line.
The 13-inch ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 begins at $1,241 (with the ever-changing Lenovo low cost on the time of this overview) for a mannequin with an AMD Ryzen 5 Professional 7540U CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 13.3-inch non-touch IPS show with a 1,920×1,200-pixel decision. Our check system prices $1,874 and upgrades all 4 of the aforementioned gadgets to a Ryzen 7 Professional 7840U chip, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and an OLED show with contact help and a 2,880×1,800-pixel decision. All fashions are primarily based on built-in Radeon graphics — Radeon 740M for the Ryzen 5 configs and Radeon 780M for Ryzen 7.
The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 begins at £1,439 in the UK and AU$1,799 in Australia.
Sturdy AMD efficiency
The AMD Ryzen 7 Professional 7840U in our check system options eight bodily cores and 16 threads. The Professional model of this chip differs from the patron Ryzen 7 7840U half with the inclusion of on-chip safety and distant administration options for companies, together with a Microsoft Pluton security chip that gives safety in opposition to bodily and firmware assaults and receives Microsoft’s weekly patches and updates.
In testing, the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 produced sturdy scores on our utility benchmarks, Geekbench 6 and PCMark 10. It proved to be a lot quicker than fashions with Thirteenth-gen Intel Core U-series chips and a step forward of a system with a Thirteenth-gen Core P-series processor (Scroll to the top of this overview to see the efficiency outcomes.)
On Geekbench 6, it completed behind the Lenovo Slim Pro 9i 14 (Intel Core i7-13700H and RTX 4050), the HP Spectre x360 14 (Core Extremely 7 155H and Intel Arc graphics) and the M3 Apple MacBook Pro 14. On PCMark 10, it completed in a statistical tie with the Spectre x360 14 and put an excellent better distance between it and the Thirteenth-gen Intel Core P- and U-series laptops.
Its efficiency on our graphics checks was so significantly better than that of laptops with built-in Intel Arc and Iris Xe graphics that I included the Lenovo Slim Professional 9i 14 in our outcomes which has an RTX 4050 GPU to supply one other reference level. On Cinebench, the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 completed nearer to the Slim Professional 9i 14 than any of the built-in Intel graphics competitors. On our 3DMark check, the Slim Professional 9i 14 was in a position to flex its muscular tissues with a a lot increased rating than the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2, however the Z13 Gen 2 nonetheless had a transparent benefit over its nearest competitor with an Intel GPU.
The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 lasted almost 9 hours on our on-line streaming battery check, which is merely a median consequence for an ultraportable that is meant for use on the go and away from a wall outlet for lengthy stretches of time. The blame for this middling consequence cannot be squarely positioned on the Ryzen 7 Professional CPU. Our check system incorporates a high-res OLED show, which is a mixture that drains the battery quicker than a 1080p LCD panel would.
A ThinkPad that thinks completely different
The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 would not break the ThinkPad mildew, however it’s a bit out of the odd for a laptop computer model that prides itself on sticking to the script. Even with out the flax fiber lid, our check system presents a contemporary tackle the usual ThinkPad look. For one, the highest panel and aspect edges are silvery grey (arctic gray in Lenovo’s parlance) which provides distinction to the black keyboard deck and backside panel. These aspect edges are squared off versus the tapered edges of most different ThinkPads.
Along with the contrasting grey accents, the webcam is encased in a module that could be a brighter silver colour and has a brushed end. It protrudes from the entrance fringe of the laptop computer to create a handy deal with to elevate the lid.
The black surfaces have a matte end that’s widespread to ThinkPads however lacks the soft-touch coating that they normally have. It provides as much as a pointy total look that maintains the ThinkPad DNA whereas updating it.
In case you are curious concerning the flax fiber possibility, I can solely let you know what Lenovo has mentioned about it since we obtained the usual aluminum lid. Lenovo describes it utilizing “sustainable woven flax fibers for a novel twist on the standard ThinkPad prime cowl.” The flax fiber possibility additionally comes with bronze accents in locations. The biobased flax fiber is a sustainable materials, however that does not imply that the all-aluminum possibility would not even have some earth-friendly properties. The lid and keyboard deck are constructed from 75% recycled aluminum, and the underside cowl makes use of 55% recycled aluminum.
The flax fiber therapy to the lid makes it seem like Lenovo put this ThinkPad in a enterprise swimsuit.
With the narrowest of display bezels on all 4 sides of the show and the squared-off edges, the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 is about as compact as a 13-inch laptop computer can get. It measures simply 11.6 inches huge and seven.9 inches deep and is kind of skinny and simply over half an inch thick. Whereas the Z13 is a compact journey companion, it isn’t the lightest at 2.7 kilos. It really weighs greater than Lenovo’s personal ThinkPad X1 Carbon and the HP Dragonfly G4, every of which incorporates a bigger 14-inch show and weighs solely 2.5 kilos. The Z13 Gen 2 weighs the identical as the marginally bigger 13.6-inch MacBook Air and barely lower than the two.8-pound Dell XPS 13 Plus.
Some ultraportables purpose for the lightest weight potential and have skinny aluminum frames that really feel flimsy and low cost. The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 is the other of that. It feels rock strong. I a lot favor the sturdy really feel of the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 even when it means carrying round an additional ounce or two than a superlight ultraportable whose skinny steel surfaces flex and creek. That is very true for a enterprise laptop computer that makes day by day commutes and frequent work journeys.
Compact, high-resolution OLED show
The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2’s compact body makes it a superb match for engaged on a tray desk on an airplane, however the 13.3-inch show can begin to really feel a bit cramped for a full workday. It is higher as a journey laptop that you will connect with an exterior show when you find yourself within the workplace. The 13.3-inch show feels noticeably tighter than a 14-inch panel. For instance, I will maintain a number of home windows overlaid on each other on a 14-inch display in order that I can soar forwards and backwards between them by clicking on their edges. That is tougher to do on the Z13 Gen 2. I wanted all of the area the 13.3-inch show afforded for every window I used to be utilizing, so I discovered myself needing to make use of every in full-screen mode, which made multitasking a bit tougher.
Apart from the area constraints it’s possible you’ll really feel, our check system’s 2.8K OLED show is great. It is an improve over the baseline 1080p IPS panel and well worth the $225 improve cost (and it is steadily discounted to $179). The textual content regarded inky black and razor-sharp, and my testing confirmed Lenovo’s claims that it covers 100% of the sRGB and P3 colour areas. It reached a peak brightness of 372 nits, which fell wanting its 400-nit score however nonetheless presents ample brightness for many conditions.
The show would possibly really feel cramped by the top of the workday, however the keyboard will really feel as snug on the finish because it did in the beginning of the day. It is as much as the ThinkPad commonplace and presents an opulent really feel. Key journey is nearly excellent with a response that is each vigorous and quiet. The keyboard can be spill-resistant and presents two-level backlighting.
The touchpad represents a departure from the ThinkPad norm of together with two mouse buttons above the touchpad for the TrackPoint pointing stick within the middle of the keyboard. The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 options the little, purple nub however jettisons its mouse buttons. As an alternative of bodily buttons, a slim prime portion of the touchpad acts as mouse buttons for the pointing stick. In the event you do not use the pointing stick, you’ll be able to disable this performance and achieve somewhat further area for the touchpad. Followers of the pointing stick might bemoan the absence of bodily mouse buttons, however I like this association as a touchpad person as a result of it permits for a way more spacious touchpad.
The pointing stick additionally has a menu behind it. You possibly can double-tap it to launch a fast menu to regulate settings for the laptop computer’s microphone, digital camera and battery in addition to allow voice typing, which I discovered to be slower and tougher than utilizing my fingers. You possibly can choose 4 of seven gadgets to show within the menu, however I doubt it’s going to be a lot use to most customers.
The opposite noteworthy merchandise for the touchpad is its haptic suggestions. As an alternative of a bodily click on mechanism, it makes use of haptics. The implementation is nice right here — higher than the considerably flaky haptics, for instance, on the Dell XPS 13 Plus. The haptic suggestions right here felt springy and correct. In the event you’re acquainted with a MacBook’s haptic touchpad, then you definately’ll probably discover a comparable really feel with the Z13 Gen 2’s touchpad with maybe a bit extra spring-to-the-click response than a MacBook’s.
The webcam positioned within the module above the show is a 1080p IR webcam that produces crisp, grain-free and well-balanced photographs. It has an IR cam, too, so you should utilize facial recognition for log-ins. You will not discover a bodily privateness shutter for the digital camera within the module, however hitting the F9 key acts as an digital kill change for the webcam. In the meantime, the F4 key mutes the mic.
A second biometric characteristic is built-in into the keyboard. There is a fingerprint scanner subsequent to the arrow keys within the lower-right nook that gives one other safe methodology to log in without having to enter a password.
Ports are minimal on the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2. You will discover a USB-C 4 port on both aspect of the laptop computer together with a headphone jack on the best aspect. That is it. One of many USB-C ports is required for charging the laptop computer, which might additional restrict your exterior connection choices.
Ultimately, the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 is a perfectly crafted laptop computer with sturdy total efficiency, but it surely is not for everybody. This compact ultraportable is finest for professionals who commonly journey for work and have a monitor (or two) to which they will join the laptop computer when not on the highway however within the workplace. Bigger and lighter fashions such because the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 and HP Dragonfly G4 are higher all-purpose enterprise ultraportables.
Present much less
The overview course of for laptops, desktops, tablets and different computerlike units consists of two elements: efficiency testing underneath managed situations within the CNET Labs and intensive hands-on use by our skilled reviewers. This contains evaluating a tool’s aesthetics, ergonomics and options. A ultimate overview verdict is a mixture of each goal and subjective judgments.
Present skilled take Present much less
Geekbench 6 (multicore)
Lenovo Slim Professional 9i 14 13215HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) 12897Apple MacBook Professional 14 (M3, 2023) 12049Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 11671Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 10900HP Dragonfly G4 8709Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 8528
PCMark 10 Professional Version
Lenovo Slim Professional 9i 14 7628HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) 6893Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 6890Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 5639Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 5433HP Dragonfly G4 5131
Cinebench R23 (multicore)
Lenovo Slim Professional 9i 14 15737Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 13825Apple MacBook Professional 14 (M3, 2023) 10487HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) 8656Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 8237Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 7377Apple MacBook Air 13 (M2, 2022) 6796HP Dragonfly G4 5956
3DMark Wild Life Excessive Limitless
Lenovo Slim Professional 9i 14 38212Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 16918Apple MacBook Air 13 (M2, 2022) 6803HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) 6026Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 3906Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 3563HP Dragonfly G4 3332
On-line streaming battery drain check
Apple MacBook Professional 14 (M3, 2023) 1129Apple MacBook Air 13 (M2, 2022) 1039HP Dragonfly G4 870Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 775HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) 595Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 539Lenovo Slim Professional 9i 14 496Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 432
System Configurations
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 | Microsoft Home windows 11 Professional; AMD Ryzen 7 Professional 7840U; 32GB DDR5 RAM; AMD Radeon 780M graphics; 1TB SSD |
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Dell XPS 13 Plus 9320 | Microsoft Home windows 11 House; Intel Core i7-1360P; 16GB DDR5 RAM; Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD |
HP Spectre x360 14 | Microsoft Home windows 11 Professional; Intel Core Extremely 7 155H; 32GB DDR5 RAM; Intel Arc graphics; 2TB SSD |
HP Dragonfly G4 | Microsoft Home windows 11 Professional; Intel Core i7-1365U; 16GB DDR5 RAM; Intel Iris Xe graphics; 512GB SSD |
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 | Microsoft Home windows 11 Professional; Intel Core i7-1355U; 16GB DDR5 RAM; Intel Iris Xe graphics; 1TB SSD |
Lenovo Slim Professional 9i 14 | Microsoft Home windows 11 House; Intel Core i7-13705H; 32GB DDR5 RAM; Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics; 1TB SSD |
Apple MacBook Air 13 (M2, 2022) | Apple MacOS Monterey 12.4; Apple M2 8-core chip; 8GB RAM; Apple 10-core GPU; 256GB SSD |
Apple MacBook Professional 14 (M3, 2023) | Apple MacOS Sonoma 14.1; Apple M3 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU); 16GB unified reminiscence; 1TB SSD |