Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Laptop Review: Power-Packed Performer In A Compact Profile

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15 laptop comes with a price tag of Rs. 82,000 and I used it for a couple of weeks. I came across a couple of handy features like the fingerprint sensor, smooth keyboard and touchpad, and more. At the same time, there are a couple of minor drawbacks to the design of the laptop. I've detailed my experience with the Lenovo ThinkBook in this review.

Specifications

CPU: Intel core i7 10510U
GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
RAM: 16GB
OS: Windows 10
Display: 15-inch Full HD
Audio: Stereo speakers with Dolby Audio
Storage: 512GB NVMe SSD From Samsung
Weight: 1.5 kg

Connectivity Ports

USB 3.1 Gen 2 Full Function Type-C (USB + DisplayPort + Power Delivery)
USB 3.1 Gen1 Type-C
USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (with always-on)
USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A
Hidden USB 2.0 Type-A
Headphone / mic combo
Power DC 
4-in-1 card reader (SD, SDHC, SDXC, MMC)
HDMI
RJ45
Gigabit Intel Wi-Fi 6 support

Lenovo ThinkBook Build Design

The Lenovo ThinkBook with Intel Core i7 10th gen CPU comes in two variants - 14-inch and 15-inch in size. The 15-inch ThinkBook, which I have reviewed here comes with a dedicated number pad that is quite handy for those working with finance and banking. The laptop is certainly one of the thinnest laptops I've worked on. The 15-inch device is.

The laptop comes with an overall aluminum ionized metal cover and is lightweight to carry around. Also, the Lenovo ThinkBook is Mil-SPEC tested, which says a lot about the ruggedness and durability of the laptop. These tests include exposing the laptop to extreme pressure, temperature, vibrations, and so on. The Mil-SPEC test further makes it reliable to use for a prolonged period, especially for professional and business uses.

Another aspect that I liked about the ThinkBook is its multiple ports for every need. There are Type-C, USB Type 3.1, and LAN ports. Additionally, Lenovo has also designed a hidden ‘magic' port to connect flash drives and wireless mouse. It is indeed a clever design as most users prefer to leave these drives in the laptop and the hidden port doesn't leave it exposed.

The touchpad of the laptop is quite smooth and sensitive to work with, especially the double-finger scrolling feature was easy to navigate a page. As a person who's always used the mouse, it took me some time to use the touchpad. Like most other Lenovo laptops designed today, there is no left- and right-click bifurcations in the ThinkBook either.

The keyboard of the Lenovo ThinkBook is worth mentioning. Like most laptops, this too featured backlight for the keys and could be turned off if needed. Personally, I prefer minimal sounds of the keys while typing and this was perfectly achieved in the Lenovo ThinkBook. However, it misses out with a couple of function keys like the right-click button and the screen print key. As it's dedicated to business needs, these are a few keys that are widely used.

ThinkBook Performance

The Lenovo ThinkBook is powered by the Intel Core i7 10510U CPU with 16GB RAM and storage capacity of 512GB NVMe SSD from Samsung. On the GPU side, the Lenovo ThinkBook packs Intel UHD Graphics.

I used the ThinkBook for both my work-related tasks as well as for a few personal needs. Since most of my work was related to typing and reading, I found hardly any lag with the system. As mentioned, both the keyboard and the touchpad are smooth and suited-for all tasks.

I also spent some time watching movies and streaming series on Netflix. I even streamed a couple of playlists from Spotify to experience the audio capability of the ThinkBook. I've detailed out the audio and visual performance of the ThinkBook later in the review.

We ran a couple of benchmark tests to determine the performance capability of the laptop. On the Geekbench 5.1.0 version, the Lenovo ThinkBook scored 1168 in the single-core and 3771 in the multi-core. I also ran another CPU test on Cinebench and the score was 1253 points. The score was ranked 10 and is identical to a four-core eight-thread Intel Core i7-10510U CPU. We also ran the PC Mark 10 benchmark test, which scored overall 3927 points with 8432 essentials, 6591 for productivity, and 2958 for digital content creation.

To determine the GPU performance of the ThinkBook, we ran the Superposition Benchmark. The score for the Intel UHD Graphics was 813, which showed that the laptop isn't dedicated to hard-core gaming, which isn't all that surprising, considering it's built for business tasks.

Storage is another important component of any device. The Lenovo ThinkBook comes with 16GB RAM and 512GB NVMe SSD from Samsung. We ran a benchmark to test this performance as well with the CrystalDiskMark. The SEQ1M Q8T1 score for the read speed showed 3485.47 MB/s and the write speed showed 2972.38 MB/s. The RND4K Q32T16 score showed 1143.10 MB/s read speeds and 1190.04 MB/s write speeds.

Audio-Visual Performance

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15-inch laptop comes with full HD display, which is nearly borderless on both the left and right sides of the screen. Lenovo notes that the bezels are <7/6mm, giving the users more screen for various tasks. I watched a couple of movies and streamed a few episodes on Netflix on the ThinkPad and the experience was enjoyable.

I even tried watching something with the laptop fully opened to 180-degrees. Depending on the lighting in the room, the screen would glare. The Lenovo Vantage application further gives us the choice to change the display settings with options like Eye Care mode for prolonged use. I also attended a couple of video calls and the overall quality of the display is noteworthy, considering it is Full HD.

The audio on the Lenovo ThinkBook is equipped with Automatic Dolby Audio, making it perfect for entertainment. The speakers are placed at the back of the device and create a good output for all needs. The microphone and the audio output during video conferencing were also commendable. Again, the Lenovo Vantage offers a couple of settings that can be switched on depending on what you're listening to.

Noteworthy Battery

The Lenovo ThinkPad comes with a 65W charger that can be connected via the always-on USB port. Lenovo says it offers up to nine hours with 45Wh battery, with Rapid Charge and up to 12 hours with 57Wh battery, with 95W Type-C adapter (sold separately) and Rapid Charge. Of course, the battery performance of any device depends on the settings, individual usage, and other factors.

I noticed that the battery drops from 100 percent fully-charged to 82 percent within one-and-a-half hours of usage with activities like surfing the net and working on doc files. When the battery reached 71 percent, it showed that three-and-a-half hours was remaining and with 25 percent, it showed with one-and-a-half hours of remaining battery.

It should be noted that my activities remained largely the same while noting down these readings - surfing the internet, reading, and working on doc files with background music streaming. At the same time, I noted the difference in the battery levels while watching movies. I was able to watch two episodes on Netflix with a 50 percent charge, but then it dropped to 20 percent by the end of it. Coming to 20 percent the laptop switches to battery-saver mode.

I also noted charging the laptop with moderate usage, which started from 22 percent with 45 minutes of available battery. After one hour of charge, it was at 70 percent and required 40 minutes for a full charge. As my usage kept fluctuating while using it, the ThinkPad stopped at 96 percent and was fully charged much later.

Lenovo has a couple of battery-saver options for the ThinkBook, which can be accessed via the Lenovo Vantage application. It also comes with Intelligent Cooling that adjusts the thermal settings keeping the device functioning at the ideal temperature. Options like conservation mode can also be switched on, depending on individual needs.

Security Enhancers

Lenovo has packed in a couple of security-enhancing features that I came to appreciate while using the ThinkBook. Firstly, the fingerprint sensor, I must admit, the sensor is quite sensitive and unlocks quite fast, even faster than a few smartphones. Another feature is the shutter (Think Shutter as Lenovo calls it) on the camera. It's a physical slider that can be used to cover the camera access completely, protecting and enhancing the privacy of the user.

Verdict: Go For It

Lenovo offers the ThinkBook laptops starting from Rs. 31,000 and goes up to Rs. 80,00 with added taxes. The Lenovo ThinkBook 15-IML reviewed here comes with a price tag of Rs. 82,000. Features like a full HD display, Intel Core i7 CPU, and more make the device worth its price.

Of course, there are many other brands offering laptops with similar pricing. For instance, the HP ProBook 450 G6 Notebook PC is another 15.6-inch laptop. It also comes with intel core i7 8th gen and Windows 10 Pro with dedicated Nvidia GeForce and similar Mil SPEC tested for Rs. 89,400.

At the same time, the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 is a much lighter device and a better-ruggedized design. During the time I used the laptop, I hardly found any glitches with the device. Moreover, the lightweight build and the sleek design with full HD display is an added plus point. If you're looking for a laptop for all your professional needs along with a sleek and lightweight design, the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 is the go-to device.