Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 review – A Near-Perfect Productivity Powerhouse

The Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 is a compact business transformer that offers surprisingly good upgradability and port selection. A Meteor Lake-U CPU is hidden under the bonnet. The 15W chip doesn’t require significant cooling and it’s not thirsty. That’s why the battery life is good.

It’s nice to see that most of the features are standard. This applies to the backlight, the fingerprint reader, the dTPM 2.o chip, and the self-healing BIOS. If you want a Web camera with facial recognition, you have to pay more for this extra.

There is just one display variant. It’s a 1200p IPS touchscreen with a 60Hz refresh rate and Dolby Vision support. The audio department is represented by two 2W Dolby Atmos speakers.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkbook-14-2-in-1-gen-4/

Contents


Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box

Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 - Specs

  • LEN140WUXGA (LEN81A2)
  • Color accuracy  4.5  1.2
  • HDD/SSD
  • up to 1024GB SSD
  • M.2 Slot
  • 2x 2242 / 2280 PCIe NVMe 4.0 x4  See photo
  • RAM
  • up to 32GB
  • OS
  • Windows 11, Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 Home, DOS
  • Battery
  • 60Wh
  • Body material
  • Aluminum
  • Dimensions
  • 313 x 224 x 16.9 - 18.5 mm (12.32" x 8.82" x 0.67")
  • Weight
  • 1.64 kg (3.6 lbs)
  • Ports and connectivity
  • 1x USB Type-A
  • 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
  • 1x USB Type-A
  • 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps), Sleep and Charge
  • 1x USB Type-C
  • 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
  • 1x USB Type-C
  • 4.0, Thunderbolt 4, Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
  • HDMI
  • 2.1 (4K@60Hz)
  • Card reader
  • microSD (microSD, microSDHC, microSDXC)
  • Ethernet LAN
  • Wi-Fi
  • Wi-Fi 6E
  • Bluetooth
  • 5.3
  • Audio jack
  • 3.5mm Combo Jack
  • Features
  • Fingerprint reader
  • optional
  • Web camera
  • FHD 1080p + IR hybrid, with privacy shutter, fixed focus
  • Backlit keyboard
  • optional
  • Microphone
  • Dual-microphone array with smart noise-cancelling
  • Speakers
  • 2x 2W Stereo Speakers, Dolby Atmos, audio by HARMAN
  • Optical drive
  • Security Lock slot
  • Kensington Nano Lock

All Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 configurations

#CommissionsEarned

Drivers

All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/LAPTOPS-AND-NETBOOKS/THINKBOOK-SERIES/THINKBOOK-14-2-IN-1-G4-IML/downloads/driver-list/

What’s in the box?

We found the mandatory paperwork and a 65W Type-C charger in the box. The Lenovo Slim Pen is optional.


Design and construction

The ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 shares almost the same look as the ThinkBook 14 Gen 7 with few expectations here and there. The chassis with a dual-tone design in Luna grey color feels premium to the touch thanks to the all-aluminum build and the anodized finish. Not many fingerprints are visible after two days of usage.

The solid lid opens with one hand. The base is also rigid. The screen is protected by a Corning Gorilla Glass layer on top. The machine weighs 1.64 kilos and its profile height is 16.9 – 18.5 mm. That sounds okay for a 2-in-1 laptop with good upgradability and adequate cooling.

The thin bezels are complemented by a “hump” on the top which eases the opening process.

The protrusion houses a 1080p Web camera with a privacy shutter. You can opt for a Full HD IR model for Windows Hello.

The machine feels built like a tank even in tablet or tent modes. The 360-degree hinge is solid and smooth.

The keyboard and the touchpad look and feel the same as the ones of the ThinkBook 14 Gen 7. That’s great news because you get a capable backlit board with big Arrows, an AI shortcut, and long travel.

The touchpad is described by the manufacturer as “glass-like” and it’s true in our humble opinion. The pad’s accuracy is very good but the clicking mechanism produces a bit more noise than expected.

The 2-row ventilation grill, the three rubber feet, and two speaker cutouts are positioned on the bottom of the laptop. The hot air is being exhausted via two vents on the rear. A bit of heat makes its way to the screen when the CPU is loaded at 100%.

Ports

On the left side, you get a 10 Gbps USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 2) port, a 5 Gbps USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port with Always on function, an HDMI 2.1 for up to 4K@60Hz external displays, a 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 port, and an Audio combo jack. Both Type-Cs support USB Power Delivery 3.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 capabilities. On the right, we can spot a Kensington Nano Security Slot, one more 5 Gbps USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, a MicroSD card reader, and a Power button with a built-in fingerprint reader.


Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles

Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4LEN140WUXGA (LEN81A2)
Diagonal14.0 inches (35.6 cm)
Panel TypeIPS Touch
Resolution1920 x 1200 pixels
Max Refresh Rate60 Hz
Aspect Ratio16:10
Pixel Density162 PPI
‘Retina’ DistanceGreater than or equal to 54 cm

Viewing Angles

Viewing angles are good. We take photos from different angles to evaluate the quality.

Also, a video with locked focus and exposure.

Color Coverage

The whole “sail-shaped” map below (Fig. 1) consists of all the colors we can see, while the black crooked line shows all the colors from real-world scenes and nature around us.

Then, we’ve drawn some of the most important and interesting color spaces, compared to the colors the panel of Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 can show:

Standard/For Web: sRGB – widely used color space for most consumer devices, ideal for Web design and development
For Print: AdobeRGB – used in professional photo editing, graphic design, and print
For Photographers/Video Editors: DCI-P3 – used in high-end film production, post-production, and digital cinema
Premium HDR: Rec.2020 – the widest consumer ITU color standard, covering a massive 75.8% of the visible spectrum, a benchmark for premium HDR content

Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4: the yellow dashed triangle (– – – – – –) represents the range of colors this monitor can display.

In our tests, we calculated the total color coverage of the monitor at 97% of the sRGB color gamut and 80% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

(Fig.1) Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 covers 97% of the sRGB gamut

Brightness and Contrast

The maximum brightness in SDR mode is 290 cd/m² in the center of the screen and 289 cd/m² averaged across the surface with a maximum deviation of 4%.

The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) on a white screen at maximum brightness is 6260K.

The contrast ratio is 1230:1.

Uniformity: Luminance, Contrast, and Color Deviation

The figure below shows the results from our uniformity test across different sections of the screen. It’s measured at 183 nits (Windows slider = 85%) — a brightness level we consider typical for standard working conditions.

DeltaE values below 4.0 are acceptable for regular users. For those working with colors, screens with DeltaE values no higher than 2.0 are recommended.

Color Accuracy

Let’s check the difference between real colors and those you’ll see on the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4. We measure that distance in DeltaE – the higher the number, the more different they look.

Values below 4.0 are acceptable for regular users, while values below 2.0 are suitable for color-sensitive work. A value below 1.0 means the difference is indistinguishable to the naked eye.

For the next graph, we’ve selected 24 common colors, including dark/light skin, blue sky, green grass, etc.

Before our calibration of the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4, the Average color accuracy was 4.5 dE (Fig. 2), and with our Design and Gaming profile, it lowered to 1.2 dE (Fig. 3).

(Fig. 2) Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 in its factory condition

(Fig. 3) Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 with our display profile

Comparison in the sRGB color space (primaries and D65 white point specified in ITU-R BT.709, sRGB encoding curve).

Here’s an illustration of what the Design and Gaming profile aims to deliver:

Left: No Profile | Drag the slider to see the difference | Right: Design & Gaming Profile

Visibility in dark scenes

Have you ever watched a movie with dark scenes where you could barely see anything? This often happens because many display panels struggle to differentiate the darkest nuances, making them appear the same.

The next figure illustrates how well the display reproduces these dark nuances. The left side of the image shows the display with stock settings, and the right side shows it with our Design and Gaming profile activated.

On the horizontal axis are the grayscale levels, and on the vertical axis – the corresponding display brightness.

You can also check how your display handles the darkest nuances but keep in mind that this also depends on the settings of your current display and the surrounding light conditions.

Response time (Gaming capabilities)

We test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “black-to-white” and “white-to-black” method from 10% to 90% and vice versa.

We recorded Fall Time + Rise Time = 17.9 ms. Short pixel response time is a prerequisite for a smooth picture in dynamic scenes.

After that, we test the reaction time of the pixels with the usual “Gray-to-Gray” method from 50% White to 80% White and vice versa between 10% and 90% of the amplitude.

Health Impact: PWM (Screen flickering)

Some use PWM to regulate their brightness, which means that instead of reducing the light intensity, they pulse or flicker. Our brain merges the image, so it appears darker, but this strains both it and our vision, especially when the frequency of the pulses is low. You can read more about that in our dedicated article on PWM.

In the graph below, you see the intensity of light at different brightness levels—on the vertical axis is the brightness of the emitted light, and on the horizontal axis—time.

The light from the backlight of the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 display is not pulse-width modulated, providing visual comfort in the discussed aspect.

Health Impact: Blue light emissions

Installing our Health-Guard profile not only eliminates harmful PWM when the laptop uses it to control brightness but also reduces harmful Blue Light emissions while keeping the colors of the screen perceptually accurate.

If you’re not familiar with the Blue light, the TL;DR version is – emissions that negatively affect your eyes, skin, and your whole body. You can find more information about that in our dedicated article on Blue Light.

Health Impact: Screen Reflectance

Glossy-coated displays can cause eye fatigue in high ambient light conditions due to reflections. We measure the level of screen reflection with the display turned off, at a 60° angle.

The reflectance of the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4’s screen is 99.5 GU.

High Gloss: >70 GU
Medium Gloss: 30 – 70 GU
Low Gloss: <30 GU


Get our profiles

Since our profiles are tailored for each individual display model, this article and its respective profile package are meant for Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 configurations with LEN140WUXGA (LEN81A2), 1920 х 1200, IPS Touch panel.

*Should you have problems with downloading the purchased file, try using a different browser to open the link you’ll receive via e-mail. If the download target is a .php file instead of an archive, change the file extension to .zip or contact us at [email protected].

Read more about the profiles HERE.

In addition to receiving efficient and health-friendly profiles, by buying LaptopMedia's products you also support the development of our labs, where we test devices in order to produce the most objective reviews possible.

Office Work

Office Work should be used mostly by users who spend most of the time looking at pieces of text, tables or just surfing. This profile aims to deliver better distinctness and clarity by keeping a flat gamma curve (2.20), native color temperature and perceptually accurate colors.

Design and Gaming

This profile is aimed at designers who work with colors professionally, and for games and movies as well. Design and Gaming takes display panels to their limits, making them as accurate as possible in the sRGB IEC61966-2-1 standard for Web and HDTV, at white point D65.

Health-Guard

Health-Guard eliminates the harmful Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) and reduces the negative Blue Light which affects our eyes and body. Since it’s custom tailored for every panel, it manages to keep the colors perceptually accurate. Health-Guard simulates paper so the pressure on the eyes is greatly reduced.

Get all 3 profiles with 33% discount

Sound

The ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4’’s sound is of good quality. The low, mid, and high frequencies are clear.


Performance: CPU, GPU, Storage

All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Best performance” preset applied in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu. Also, the “Performance” preset is selected in the Lenovo Vantage app.

CPU options

This machine can be found with Intel Core Ultra 5 125U or Core Ultra 7 155U.

Our device has a 125U chip.

Here, we evaluate the CPU's performance using a real-world 3D rendering task, assessing its ability to handle complex computations and rendering workloads efficiently.

Results are from the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core test (higher is better)

Single-core performance ensures smooth operation and responsiveness in operating systems, providing a better user experience.

Results are from the Geekbench 6 Single-Core test (higher is better)

Multi-core performance is essential for handling complex and demanding tasks, such as Video editing, CAD, and Scientific simulations.

Results are from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core test (higher is better)

GPU options

All notebooks of this Lenovo series rely on Intel Graphics (4-Cores).

Gaming tests

Counter-Strike 2HD 1080p, Low (Check settings)HD 1080p, Medium (Check settings)HD 1080p, Very High (Check settings)
Average FPS97 FPS59 FPS22 FPS

Gears 5Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
Average FPS47 FPS32 FPS24 FPS19 FPS

Storage performance

Our laptop has a 512GB SK Hynix HFS512GEJ4X112. Its speeds are good and it doesn’t get too toasty during benchmarking since it reaches 66°C.


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Temperatures and comfort, Battery Life

Max CPU load

In this test we use 100% on the CPU cores, monitoring their frequencies and chip temperature. The first column shows a computer’s reaction to a short load (2-10 seconds), the second column simulates a serious task (between 15 and 30 seconds), and the third column is a good indicator of how good the laptop is for long loads such as video rendering.

Average P-core frequency; Average E-core frequency; Average LP E-core frequency; CPU temp.; Package Power

Intel Core Ultra 5 125U (15W Base Power)0:02 – 0:10 sec0:15 – 0:30 sec10:00 – 15:00 min
Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 44.19 GHz @ 3.19 GHz @ 2.08 GHz @ 83°C @ 57W3.21 GHz @ 2.77 GHz @ 1.97 GHz @ 90°C @ 42W2.75 GHz @ 2.20 GHz @ 1.35 GHz @ 71°C @ 27W
Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 73.33 GHz @ 2.56 GHz @ 1.66 GHz @ 85°C @ 46W3.38 GHz @ 3.03 GHz @ 2.09 GHz @ 96°C @ 48W3.02 GHz @ 2.39 GHz @ 1.51 GHz @ 73°C @ 30W
HP ProBook 460 G113.84 GHz @ 2.92 GHz @ 1.86 GHz @ 85°C @ 52W2.50 GHz @ 2.20 GHz @ 1.25 GHz @ 76°C @ 25W2.28 GHz @ 2.06 GHz @ 1.12 GHz @ 81°C @ 24W
Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 33.77 GHz @ 3.19 GHz @ 2.09 GHz @ 101°C @ 51W3.09 GHz @ 3.01 GHz @ 2.09 GHz @ 100°C @ 43W2.27 GHz @ 2.02 GHz @ 1.12 GHz @ 77°C @ 22W
Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 (Intel)3.95 GHz @ 3.19 GHz @ 2.03 GHz @ 90°C @ 60W3.41 GHz @ 3.19 GHz @ 2.09 GHz @ 96°C @ 50W2.88 GHz @ 2.41 GHz @ 1.39 GHz @ 72°C @ 30W
Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 13.54 GHz @ 3.00 GHz @ 1.80 GHz @ 75°C @ 43W3.45 GHz @ 2.95 GHz @ 1.77 GHz @ 88°C @ 43W2.00 GHz @ 1.89 GHz @ 1.10 GHz @ 67°C @ 21W

The clocks of the Core Ultra 5 125U in short loads are very high which is a superb result for a 14-inch transformer. The frequencies remain pretty good even in longer stress boosting to around 2.75 GHz / 2.20 GHz for the P and E cores.

Comfort during full load

The single fan is almost quiet during max CPU loads in “Performance” mode.

The base barely gets warm, reaching just 40°C around the center. We measured 47°C on the spot of the lower display bezel in front of the right back exhaust. It steel feels warm to the touch, not hot.

The “Adaptive power” preset is doing a great job because the fan becomes nearly silent and the P and E core clocks hit~ 2.00 GHz / 1.70 GHz which is still a good result considering the tamed fan.

Battery

Now, we conduct the battery tests with the Windows Best Power Efficiency setting turned on, screen brightness adjusted to 180 nits and all other programs turned off except for the one we are testing the notebook with. The 60Wh battery pack lasts for around 13 hours of video playback. Оur test was conducted with the “Battery Saver” preset activated in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and the Lenovo Vantage app.



Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance

To open this 2-in-1 device, you have to undo 9 Phillips-head screws. The bottom ones aren’t captive while the others are. Pry the two zones behind the hinges with a lever tool. Then, fully pop the rear with a thin plastic tool. The next step is to pry the sides and the front.

Here’s how the bottom plate looks on the inside.

This battery has a capacity of 60Wh. To detach it, unplug the connector from the motherboard by pulling it to the left with a plastic tool and undo the five Phillips-head screws which secure the unit to the chassis. The capacity is enough for around 13 hours of video playback.

The memory section and part of the cooling are covered with a Mylar film and you can peel it.

According to Lenovo, the two SODIMMs fit up to 32GB of DDR5-5600MHz memory in dual-channel mode. However, since the CPU can support up to 96GB, this laptop likely wouldn’t have issues running a larger amount of memory than the official manufacturer’s specified limit.

The Wi-Fi card can be seen on top of the RAM slots.

For storage upgrades, you get two M.2 slots compatible with 2242 or 2280 Gen 4 SSDs. Again, the cooling pad below the preinstalled NVMe isn’t optimally placed.

Of course, this can be fixed in no time.

Here are the SSD and the RAM unit.

The thermal system seems decent. It comprises a large fan, two long heat pipes, a top-mounted heat sink, and a heat spreader.


Verdict

It’s hard to find any major cons regarding the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4. It’s a solid aluminum transformer with a smooth 360°C hinge and a premium to-the-touch build. The keyboard is suitable for work and the same can be said about the accurate touchpad. The comfort during max loads is great. The top side of the main body doesn’t get hot and the fan isn’t noisy. At the same time, the P and E cores of the Core Ultra 5 125U boost to around 2.75 GHz / 2.20 GHz which is a good result for a small 2-in-1 laptop.

The 1200p IPS touchscreen (LEN140WUXGA (LEN81A2)) impresses with 97% sRGB coverage, wide viewing angles, and a lack of PWM usage. The color accuracy went from zero to hero with the aid of our “Design and Gaming” profile because it reached an average dE score of 1.2. Now, this makes the screen suitable for professional color-related work. Still, the panel isn’t perfect because of the sub-300 nit max brightness.

The ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 amazes us with its great built quality, color-accurate touch display, very long battery life, and good upgradability.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkbook-14-2-in-1-gen-4/

Pros

  • The fan is almost quiet during max CPU stress in “Performance” mode
  • Compact for a transformer with good upgradability (1.64 kg / 16.9 – 18.5 mm)
  • Very good overall performance, especially for a 2-in-1 14-incher
  • 2x SODIMMs + 2x M.2 Gen 4 slots
  • PWM-free touchscreen (LEN81A2)
  • 16:10 aspect ratio and wide viewing angles (LEN81A2)
  • 97% sRGB coverage + accurate colors with our “Design and Gaming” profile (LEN81A2)
  • Solid aluminum chassis
  • Optional IR Web camera
  • Privacy shutter + fingerprint reader
  • Comfortable spill-resistant backlit keyboard
  • Smooth and accurate touchpad
  • Modern port selection with 2x Type-C and 2x Type-A ports
  • The Core Ultra 5 125U can sustain a 2.75 GHz / 2.20 GHz P and E-core frequency in long loads
  • Very long battery life (~13 hours of videos)
  • Fast SSD for a 512GB 2242 unit (SK Hynix HFS512GEJ4X112)
  • Quality audio by HARMAN
  • Support laptop, tent, stand, and tablet modes


Cons

  • 290 nits of max brightness (LEN81A2)
  • No high-res or OLED display options
  • 90°C CPU temperature in medium loads

 

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