Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 2 (Intel) review – Great Display, Quiet Workhorse


Verdict

At the end of the day, we can conclude that the Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 2 (Intel) is a capable business device. This is possible because of the good build quality and the snappy hardware. Our machine has the Core i5-1335U which is the default CPU option for the series. The chip can maintain very high clocks in short and medium loads which is great. In long loads, the frequencies remain high and the chip temperatures are sub-70°C. The cooling fan is always quiet – good job Lenovo!

The upgradability isn’t something to write home about – soldered memory plus one SODIMM for DDR5 or DDR4 RAM and a single M.2 slot. On the other hand, the I/O is good with its two Thunderbolt 4 ports. Keep in mind that extras such as Smart card reader and Nano-SIM card slot are optional. Speaking of which, all Web camera versions have a privacy shutter but you have to pay an extra amount of money for the IR models.

The PWM-free 16:10 IPS display (CSOT MNG007JA1-2 (LEN41B7)) surprises us in the best possible way. The 1200p panel has a high maximum brightness of 439 nits, wide viewing angles, and a 1590:1 contrast ratio. In addition, it’s suitable even for content creation thanks to the 93% sRGB coverage and the very good color accuracy that is possible thanks to our “Design and Gaming” profile.

The battery life is enough for two working days and a half on a single charge if you are just browsing the Web. That applies to the base 52.5Wh battery. If you get the optional 86Wh model, you can expect an even longer autonomous life away from the charger. Still, if your machine has a thirsty P-series CPU under the bonnet, perhaps the battery life will be shorter.

The Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 2 (Intel) is a great business laptop with comfortable input devices, a color-accurate display, a long battery life, snappy performance, and a quiet cooling fan.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkpad-t16-gen-2-intel-integrated/

Pros

  • Good comfort under max CPU stress
  • Snappy performance
  • 1x SODIMM slot for the iGPU-only devices
  • PWM-free display (CSOT MNG007JA1-2 (LEN41B7))
  • 16:10 aspect ratio, very good contrast, and wide viewing angles (CSOT MNG007JA1-2 (LEN41B7))
  • High max brightness, 93% sRGB coverage, and accurate color representation with our “Design and Gaming” profile (CSOT MNG007JA1-2 (LEN41B7))
  • Optional IR Web camera + optional fingerprint reader
  • Has a privacy shutter
  • Comfortable spill-resistant keyboard and smooth touchpad
  • Good I/O with two Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 ports
  • High CPU clocks, especially in short and medium loads
  • Very long battery life
  • Good build quality + grippy surface
  • Optional Smart card reader, Nano-SIM card slot, and NFC


Cons

  • The dGPU laptops have just soldered RAM
  • Part of the memory of the iGPU-only machines is soldered
  • Just one M.2 slot
  • Many features are only optional


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Nuky
Nuky
27 days ago

I have similar T16 Gen 2, only with i7-1355U and 1920 x 1200, 300 nits, 45% NTSC display. My display is good for office work but not great for someone who would use laptop for multimedia. Display in reviewed unit must be much better for that. If i could change something i would go for bigger 86 Wh battery because this 52.5 Wh doesn’t go much further than 4 hours for me while browsing and using MS Office when display is near that 300 nits. Speakers are also considerably worse than on my P1 Gen 6.