Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 (Intel) review – Great Value for a Quiet Performer
The Intel version of the Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 has the right amount of features that make it a good choice for office work. You get a Meteor Lake-U or H-series CPU options with NPU units for AI-assisted productivity alongside fine upgradability and modern port selection. The full-sized keyboard is ready for tons of writing or calculations (yep, it has a NumPad).
This device isn’t too expensive and that’s why goodies such as NFC, SD Card reader, or eSIM aren’t available. Still, the security is on point which is important for a business-oriented laptop, It boasts a privacy shutter, a Lock slot, a self-healing BIOS, and a dTPM 2.0 chip. You have to pay an additional amount of money if you need extras such as an IR Web camera, fingerprint reader, or a vPro processor.
Since that’s not a gaming notebook, there are no high-refresh-rate screens. You get a choice of four 60Hz IPS panels. Three of them are 1200p units and the most expensive option for this Lenovo series is a 1600p model for people who prefer crisper image quality. You can also rely on audio by Harman and Wi-Fi 6/E + Bluetooth 5.3 for connectivity.
You can check all prices and configurations of the Intel variant in our Specs System: Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 (Intel)
…And here is the same series but in its AMD version: Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 (AMD)
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 (Intel) - Specs
- HDD/SSD
- up to 4000GB SSD
- M.2 Slot
- 1x 2280 M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 + 1x 2242 M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 See photo
- RAM
- up to 64GB
- OS
- Windows 11 Home, Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 11 Pro, No OS, Windows 11
- Battery
- 57Wh
- Body material
- Plastic / Polycarbonate, Aluminum
- Dimensions
- 356.1 x 247.7 x 19.85 - 20.20 mm (14.02" x 9.75" x 0.78")
- Weight
- 1.78 kg (3.9 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 1x USB Type-A
- 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps)
- 1x USB Type-A
- 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps), Sleep and Charge
- 1x USB Type-C
- 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps), Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
- 1x USB Type-C
- 4.0, Thunderbolt 4, Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
- HDMI
- 2.1 (4K@60Hz)
- Card reader
- Ethernet LAN
- 10, 100, 1000 Mbit/s
- 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 ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 (Intel) configurations
Drivers
All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-edge-laptops/thinkpad-e16-gen-2-type-21ma-21mb/downloads/driver-list
What’s in the box?
The package contains a 65W USB Type-C adapter and a bit of paperwork.
Design and construction
The look of the ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 hasn’t changed much compared to the Gen 1 sibling. The matte finish in a dark color feels nice to the touch but it attracts more fingerprints than usual. This machine is offered in two versions. The models with a metal lid and bottom are a bit thinner and slightly heavier (19.85 mm / 1.81 kg) compared to the variants with an entirely plastic main body (20.20 mm / 1.78 kg)
You’ll need two hands to open the lid which can be flexed but only just. The base seems rigid except for some slight bends beneath the keyboard.
The bezels that surround the IPS display are thin.
The protrusion on the top eases the opening process and it also houses a 720p Web camera with a privacy shutter. You can also opt for a 1080p or an IR unit with the same resolution.
The lid lifts the back of the chassis but that only happens at a very wide angle of opening which is uncomfortable for work. Also, the bottom of the lid lacks rubber feet to prevent scratches.
The laptop can lay almost fully flat on your desk.
The Power button in the top right corner of the base has a built-in fingerprint reader (option). The keyboard is great for office usage thanks to the well-spaced keycaps with nice travel and feedback. The overall positive impression is complemented by a Numpad, large-ish Arrows, and a TrackPoint.
The touchpad with a Mylar surface has an above-average smoothness. The accuracy seems good.
We can spot a 4-row ventilation grill, three rubber feet, and two speaker cutouts on the bottom plate. The heat is pushed through a vent on the back that aims at the hinge cover and that’s why some amount of hot air reaches the screen during heavy CPU stress.
Ports
On the left, there is a 20 Gbps USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 2) port with DisplayPort 1.4 followed by a 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 / USB 4 port that supports DisplayPort 2.1, a 10 Gbps USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 2) port with an Always On extra, an HDMI 2.1 for up to 4K@60Hz external displays, and an Audio combo jack. Both Type C’s support Power Delivery 3.0. On the other side, there is a Kensington Nano Security Slot, LAN, and a 5 Gbps USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port.
Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 | MNG007QS1-3 (LEN41B5) |
| Diagonal | 16.0 inches (40.6 cm) |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1200 pixels |
| Max Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:10 |
| Pixel Density | 141 PPI |
| ‘Retina’ Distance | Greater than or equal to 61 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 ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 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 ThinkPad E16 Gen 2: 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 50% of the sRGB color gamut and 39% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
(Fig.1) Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 covers 49% of the sRGB gamut
Brightness and Contrast
The maximum brightness in SDR mode is 353 cd/m² in the center of the screen and 338 cd/m² averaged across the surface with a maximum deviation of 9%.
The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) on a white screen at maximum brightness is 6140K.
The contrast ratio is 1340:1.
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 180 nits (Windows slider = 78%) — 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 ThinkPad E16 Gen 2. 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 ThinkPad E16 Gen 2, the Average color accuracy was 6.4 dE (Fig. 2), and with our Design and Gaming profile, it lowered to 4.4 dE (Fig. 3).
(Fig. 2) Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 in its factory condition
(Fig. 3) Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 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 = 16.3 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 ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 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 ThinkPad E16 Gen 2’s screen is 51.6 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 ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 configurations with MNG007QS1-3 (LEN41B5), 1920 х 1200, IPS 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 speakers of the Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 produce high-quality sound, “Harman Audio”. Its low, mid, and high tones are clear without any significant deviations.
Performance: CPU, GPU, Storage
All benchmarks and tests were conducted with the “Best performance” preset activated in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu. Also, the “Scheme for AC” in the BIOS is set to “Maximize Performance”.
CPU options
This machine can be found with Core Ultra 5 125H, Core Ultra 5 125U, Core Ultra 5 135U, Core Ultra 7 155H, Core Ultra 7 155U, or Core Ultra 7 165U.
The laptop that we bought has a 155H chip.
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)
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)
GPU options
In terms of graphics, you can rely on the iGPUs inside the processors.
In our case, that’s the intel Arc (8-Cores) that operates as UHD Graphics because of the single-channel RAM.
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.
Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 (Intel) GPU variants
Here you can see an approximate comparison between the GPUs that can be found in the Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 (Intel) models on the market. This way you can decide for yourself which Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 (Intel) model is the best bang for your buck.
Note: The chart shows the cheapest different GPU configurations so you should check what the other specifications of these laptops are by clicking on the laptop’s name / GPU.
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
Results are from the 3DMark: Wild Life (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Gaming tests
| CS:GO | HD 1080p, Low (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Medium (Check settings) | HD 1080p, MAX (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 206 fps | 105 fps | 56 fps |
| Gears 5 | Full HD, Low (Check settings) | Full HD, Medium (Check settings) | Full HD, High (Check settings) | Full HD, Ultra (Check settings) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average FPS | 44 fps | 30 fps | 24 fps | 19 fps |
Storage performance
Our laptop has a 1TB SAMSUNG PM9C1a (MZAL81T0HDLB-00BLL). It doesn’t get too hot even during benchmarking.
[eBook Guide + Tools] How to MAX OUT Your Laptop
You can make your laptop Faster. LaptopMedia has tested thousands of models in the last 15 years, and we have yet to see a notebook that couldn't be made more powerful through modifications.
That's why we decided to bundle everything we know about how to achieve this in an Easy-to-Follow, Step-by-Step, and Laboratory-Tested, all in one project.
Read more about it here:
[eBook Guide + Tools] How to MAX OUT Your Laptop
🛠️ GPU Modifications: vBIOS, Overclocking, Undervolting
⚙️ Building Fast/Reliable RAID configuration
💻 Hardware upgrade tips for best results
🖼 Display enhancing
💾 OS Optimization for best performance
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 7 155H (28W Base Power) | 0:02 – 0:10 sec | 0:15 – 0:30 sec | 10:00 – 15:00 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 | 2.28 GHz @ 1.96 GHz @ 1.29 GHz @ 70°C @ 43W | 2.17 GHz @ 1.89 GHz @ 1.20 GHz @ 85°C @ 43W | 1.57 GHz @ 1.00 GHz @ 0.86 GHz @ 76°C @ 28W |
| Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 (PHN14-51) | 4.19 GHz @ 2.59 GHz @ 2.23 GHz @ 77°C @ 113W | 4.19 GHz @ 2.67 GHz @ 2.28 GHz @ 88°C @ 115W | 3.67 GHz @ 2.65 GHz @ 2.49 GHz @ 95°C @ 97W |
| Lenovo Yoga Pro 7i 14 | 3.12 GHz @ 2.64 GHz @ 1.80 GHz @ 71°C @ 70W | 3.09 GHz @ 2.61 GHz @ 1.80 GHz @ 83°C @ 70W | 2.81 GHz @ 2.44 GHz @ 1.70 GHz @ 83°C @ 58W |
| Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 | 2.90 GHz @ 2.74 GHz @ 2.46 GHz @ 101°C @ 89W | 2.67 GHz @ 2.77 GHz @ 2.46 GHz @ 100°C @ 83W | 2.52 GHz @ 2.65 GHz @ 1.85 GHz @ 101°C @ 60W |
| Dell Precision 14 3490 | 3.07 GHz @ 2.45 GHz @ 1.68 GHz @ 71°C @ 64W | 3.04 GHz @ 2.46 GHz @ 1.70 GHz @ 83°C @ 64W | 1.89 GHz @ 1.56 GHz @ 1.14 GHz @ 75°C @ 33W |
| MSI Prestige 14 AI Studio C1U | 2.74 GHz @ 2.16 GHz @ 1.58 GHz @ 67°C @ 60W | 2.74 GHz @ 2.16 GHz @ 1.57 GHz @ 73°C @ 60W | 1.78 GHz @ 1.11 GHz @ 1.02 GHz @ 66°C @ 30W |
| Dell Precision 15 3590 | 2.84 GHz @ 2.33 GHz @ 1.63 GHz @ 66°C @ 63W | 2.82 GHz @ 2.32 GHz @ 1.60 GHz @ 79°C @ 64W | 2.15 GHz @ 1.66 GHz @ 1.27 GHz @ 75°C @ 42W |
| Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 (14″, Gen 9) | 2.85 GHz @ 2.31 GHz @ 1.68 GHz @ 70°C @ 53W | 2.73 GHz @ 2.25 GHz @ 1.62 GHz @ 90°C @ 53W | 1.14 GHz @ 0.99 GHz @ 0.93 GHz @ 63°C @ 22W |
| MSI Summit E13 AI Evo A1M | 2.24 GHz @ 1.80 GHz @ 1.32 GHz @ 73°C @ 40W | 2.15 GHz @ 1.79 GHz @ 1.29 GHz @ 83°C @ 40W | 1.74 GHz @ 1.00 GHz @ 1.00 GHz @ 77°C @ 28W |
| Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i (14″, Gen 9) | 2.41 GHz @ 2.07 GHz @ 1.40 GHz @ 70°C @ 47W | 2.34 GHz @ 2.02 GHz @ 1.40 GHz @ 83°C @ 47W | 2.00 GHz @ 1.59 GHz @ 1.10 GHz @ 78°C @ 35W |
| Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 | 3.50 GHz @ 2.70 GHz @ 1.90 GHz @ 80°C @ 80W | 2.82 GHz @ 2.65 GHz @ 2.42 GHz @ 99°C @ 77W | 2.74 GHz @ 2.28 GHz @ 1.69 GHz @ 90°C @ 55W |
| Dell Inspiron 14 Plus 7440 | 3.22 GHz @ 2.62 GHz @ 1.74 GHz @ 89°C @ 80W | 2.64 GHz @ 2.61 GHz @ 2.49 GHz @ 100°C @ 73W | 2.50 GHz @ 1.99 GHz @ 1.40 GHz @ 83°C @ 45W |
| HP OMEN Transcend 14 (14-fb0000) | 3.38 GHz @ 2.65 GHz @ 2.29 GHz @ 65°C @ 85W | 3.22 GHz @ 2.67 GHz @ 2.43 GHz @ 73°C @ 80W | 2.87 GHz @ 2.45 GHz @ 1.68 GHz @ 76°C @ 61W |
| Dell XPS 16 9640 | 3.58 GHz @ 2.72 GHz @ 2.27 GHz @ 86°C @ 97W | 3.39 GHz @ 2.73 GHz @ 1.92 GHz @ 90°C @ 80W | 3.02 GHz @ 2.37 GHz @ 1.70 GHz @ 84°C @ 60W |
| Dell XPS 14 9440 | 3.01 GHz @ 2.55 GHz @ 1.81 GHz @ 88°C @ 64W | 1.96 GHz @ 2.53 GHz @ 2.22 GHz @ 96°C @ 58W | 2.17 GHz @ 1.88 GHz @ 1.33 GHz @ 83°C @ 38W |
| Dell XPS 13 9340 | 2.26 GHz @ 2.43 GHz @ 2.19 GHz @ 100°C @ 59W | 1.21 GHz @ 1.34 GHz @ 2.48 GHz @ 96°C @ 38W | 1.52 GHz @ 1.25 GHz @ 1.67 GHz @ 96°C @ 32W |
| HP Spectre x360 16 (16-aa0000) | 3.02 GHz @ 2.41 GHz @ 1.70 GHz @ 72°C @ 64W | 2.93 GHz @ 2.41 GHz @ 1.93 GHz @ 85°C @ 64W | 2.39 GHz @ 1.98 GHz @ 1.40 GHz @ 80°C @ 45W |
| Lenovo Yoga 9i (14, Gen 9) | 2.95 GHz @ 2.46 GHz @ 1.63 GHz @ 61°C @ 68W | 2.59 GHz @ 2.23 GHz @ 1.47 GHz @ 83°C @ 52W | 2.31 GHz @ 1.98 GHz @ 1.32 GHz @ 75°C @ 37W |
| ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED (UX3405) | 2.91 GHz @ 2.40 GHz @ 1.60 GHz @ 86°C @ 64W | 2.20 GHz @ 2.00 GHz @ 1.69 GHz @ 102°C @ 60W | 1.12 GHz @ 1.52 GHz @ 0.84 GHz @ 78°C @ 28W |
The 28W Core Ultra 7 155H is a serious challenge for single-fan cooling. On the bright side, even in longer loads, the clocks are always higher than the official Intel base ones.
Comfort during full load
The fan is quiet in prolonged periods of 100% CPU stress in “Best Performance” mode.
During heavy CPU loads, the hotspot on the keyboard reaches ~48° and we observed the same thermals on the lower display bezel in front of the back exhaust. The WASD section is cooler.
Selecting the “Balanced” mode will result in slightly less noise but the CPU clocks are even more hindered which makes this preset not suitable for serious workloads.
Max CPU Stress “Best Performance”
Max CPU Stress “Balanced”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 57Wh battery lasts for around 13 hours of video playback. To achieve that, you have to apply the “Best Power Efficiency” preset in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and set the “Scheme for Battery” to “Balanced” mode in the BIOS.
Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better
Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance
To have a look at the internals of this business device, you have to undo seven captive Phillips-head screws. Insert a thin plastic tool in one of the top two corners to create a gap in the rear to pop it. Then, pry the sides and the front.
The inside of the bottom panel houses a socket for the SODIMMs and a thermal pad for the preinstalled SSD.
Our notebook is equipped with the optional 57Wh battery. The default variant is a 47Wh model. To remove it, unplug the connector from the mainboard and undo the three Phillips-head screws that hold the battery in place. The capacity is enough for around 13 hours of video playback.
According to Lenovo, the two SODIMMs support up to 64GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM 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.
You get two Gen 4 M.2 slots for storage expansion – one for 2242 SSDs and one for 2280 NVMe drives. There is another thermal pad below the SSD. The Wi-Fi card is placed right below the fan.
The cooling is rather limited, particularly given our 28W, 16-core CPU. The thermal system has just one fan, a heat pipe, one heat sink, and a heat spreader.
Verdict
The Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 (Intel) offers a lot for its price. This includes a decently solid build, good input devices, and a surprisingly quiet fan during heavy CPU stress. Yes, that’s possible even when the Core Ultra 7 155H is under the bonnet. Just a quick reminder that this chip is the most potent option for this Lenovo series. Here, the processor clocks aren’t impressive but the device still feels fast and the comfort under full loads is great because the keyboard becomes just warm, not toasty as hell.
We have no complaints about the upgradability or the port selection because of the two SODIMMs, the pair of Gen 4 SSD slots, and the two Type-Cs on the left side of the machine. The 1200p IPS display (MNG007QS1-3 (LEN41B5)) is PWM-free, its viewing angles are wide, and the 353 nit max brightness is enough for normal work. Expectedly, given the price class of this notebook, the color coverage is narrow.
Overall, the ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 feels like a sturdy workhorse thanks to the long battery life, the quiet cooling fan, the comfortable keyboard, and the up-to-date port selection.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkpad-e16-gen-2-intel/
Pros
- Decently solid build
- Feels fast for normal work
- The fan is quiet during max CPU stress in “Best Performance” mode
- PWM-free panel (LEN41B5)
- Comfortable viewing angles (LEN41B5)
- 353 nits of max brightness (LEN41B5)
- Good audio quality
- Web camera with a privacy shutter
- Modern port selection with two Type-C ports
- Comfortable keyboard
- 2x SODIMMs + 2x Gen 4 M.2 slots
- vPro CPU, IR Web camera, and fingerprint reader (all are optional)
Cons
- Unimpressive CPU clocks
- Low sRGB coverage (LEN41B5)
Author: Nikolay Palaozov
Author: eng. Kroum NikolovHead of Engineering at LaptopMedia.com, inventor and innovator with 40+ years of experience in electronics and high technology.TOP 100 GAMING LAPTOPS
TOP LAPTOP RATINGS
HIGHLIGHTS view more
![[June 2026] Best-Selling Laptop Brands on Amazon Global – Apple’s Unrivaled Dominance in Units and Revenue](https://laptopmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/GLOBAL-Best-Brands-400x225.jpg)
[June 2026] Best-Selling Laptop Brands on Amazon Global – Apple’s Unrivaled Dominance in Units and Revenue
Jul 06, 2026![[June 2026] Amazon Global: Top 10 Best-Selling Laptops – Apple’s New MacBook Neo Storms to #1, Reshaping the Market with Affordability](https://laptopmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Best-Selling-Laptops-GLOBAL-Top-10-400x225.jpg)
[June 2026] Amazon Global: Top 10 Best-Selling Laptops – Apple’s New MacBook Neo Storms to #1, Reshaping the Market with Affordability
Jul 06, 2026![[June 2026] Amazon Global: Top 10 Best-Selling Gaming Laptops – Acer’s Nitro V 16S AI Dominates Sales, While ASUS Leads Overall Revenue](https://laptopmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Best-Selling-Gaming-Laptops-GLOBAL-Top-10-400x225.jpg)
[June 2026] Amazon Global: Top 10 Best-Selling Gaming Laptops – Acer’s Nitro V 16S AI Dominates Sales, While ASUS Leads Overall Revenue
Jul 06, 2026![[June 2026] Global Ranking of Best-Selling Laptop GPUs on Amazon – NVIDIA RTX 5060 is the Top-Selling Dedicated GPU](https://laptopmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Best-Selling-GPUs-GLOBAL-Top-10-400x225.jpg)
[June 2026] Global Ranking of Best-Selling Laptop GPUs on Amazon – NVIDIA RTX 5060 is the Top-Selling Dedicated GPU
Jul 05, 2026![[June 2026] Global Ranking of Best-Selling Laptop CPUs on Amazon – Apple M5 Dominates, AMD Ryzen 7 260 Gets Solid Premium Share](https://laptopmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Best-Selling-CPUs-GLOBAL-Top-10-400x225.jpg)
[June 2026] Global Ranking of Best-Selling Laptop CPUs on Amazon – Apple M5 Dominates, AMD Ryzen 7 260 Gets Solid Premium Share
Jul 05, 2026
REVIEWS view more
Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition (14″, Gen 11) review – 2.8K OLED, Great Speakers, and 15+ Hours of Battery
Jul 08, 2026Dell Pro Max 14 (MC14250) review – Powerful, Repairable, and Very Configuration-Dependent
Jul 04, 2026Lenovo Legion 5i (15″, Gen 11) review – Full-Power RTX 5060, OLED Display, and Real Upgradeability
Jun 30, 2026Lenovo LOQ 15 (15IPH11) review – The Coolest Budget Gaming Laptop of 2026?
Jun 27, 2026Acer Predator Helios 18 AI (PH18-I71) review – Stunning Mini LED, Brutal RTX 5090 Performance, Hot CPU
Jun 23, 2026
Thank you for the detailed review. this seems like a solid machine to consider for business use.