Convertibles, large 16-inch laptops, workstations, and small subnotebooks – Lenovo’s ThinkPad portfolio offers a lot of variety. To decide among them for a single model that would receive the title “best ThinkPad of its generation” is not an easy task. But it also isn’t impossible, if you choose the criterion “the best model for the largest number of users.”
In our short list, we would include the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon G10, the ThinkPad T14 G3, and its slimmer version, the ThinkPad T14s G3. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon has the advantage of offering the lightest case and the best speakers – but the lack of AMD options also means that more inefficient Intel processors lead to a shorter battery life and fans that tend to run more often.
The ThinkPad T14 G3 and T14s G3 are optionally available with AMD Ryzen 6000 processors, and the ThinkPad Z13 even uses solely the AMD chips. In addition, the Z13 is significantly more compact than the other ThinkPads, also having better speakers than the T ThinkPads and the best touchpad. On the other hand, the connection equipment is very limited, and it is not as comfortable to work with the smaller 13.3-inch display as with 14 inches.
What remains is the T series: The ThinkPad T14 G3 offers an RJ45 connection, and the keyboard can be easily replaced. However, it lacks Thunderbolt and USB 4, and there is no OLED option available.
In the end, the winner is called: ThinkPad T14s G3 AMD. This model, which we recently ran through our extensive tests, hardly has any weaknesses. It includes an OLED option and USB 4, in addition to the more efficient Ryzen 6000 chips that the X1 Carbon is lacking. In contrast to the ThinkPad Z13, it also offers good connection equipment.
It is not an accident that the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s G3 AMD achieves a very high evaluation of 91% in our test: It is the best ThinkPad laptop of the 2022 generation.
I was an ardent reader of Notebookcheck’s laptop reviews even back in school. After writing reviews as a hobby, I then joined Notebookcheck in 2016 and have worked on device reviews and news articles ever since. My personal interest lies more with laptops than smartphones, with business laptops being the most interesting category for me. Technology should make our lives and work easier and good laptops are an essential tool for that to happen. This is why laptop reviews are not just my work but are also my passion.
Having worked as a programmer for 20 years (medical devices, AI, data management systems), I’ve been following the computer scene for many years and especially enjoy finding out about new technology advances. Originally from Germany but living in the US, I’ve been working as a translator more recently, with Notebookcheck allowing me to combine my interest in new devices and translation. Other interests include Buddhism, spending time in Tibetan monasteries, and translating ancient Tibetan texts.
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