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日本Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 review – Built to Work
Lenovo states that the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 is meant for “SMB owners, power users, and professionals on the go.” If you value performance over battery life, you can pick a device with a 28W Meteor Lake CPU. The 15W processor options are a good choice for people who travel a lot and need a machine with a long autonomous life.
This notebook looks and feels almost the same as its Gen 6 predecessor. The new kid on the block is offered with new processors which is the main difference between the two. The rest is more or less the same. You get a modern port selection, good upgradability, and Dolby Audio speakers.
The security is on point thanks to the fTPM 2.0 (the machine is also hardware-ready for dTPM 2.0), the Kensington Nano Security slot, the privacy shutter, the self-healing BIOS, the optional fingerprint reader, and the IR Web camera (option).
You get a choice of four IPS displays – three 1200p 60Hz models (one of them is a touchscreen) and one 120Hz 1600p variant.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkbook-16-gen-7-intel/
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 (Intel) - Specs
- HDD/SSD
- up to 4000GB SSD
- M.2 Slot
- 2x 2280 / 2242 PCIe NVMe 4.0 x4 See photo
- RAM
- up to 64GB
- OS
- Windows 11 Pro, No OS, DOS, Windows 11 Home
- Body material
- Plastic / Polycarbonate, Aluminum
- Dimensions
- 356 x 253.5 x 17.5 mm (14.02" x 9.98" x 0.69")
- Weight
- 1.70 kg (3.7 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
- SD (SD, SDHC, SDXC)
- Ethernet LAN
- 10, 100, 1000 Mbit/s
- Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi 6E
- Bluetooth
- 5.3
- Audio jack
- 3.5mm Combo Jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- 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 Audio
- Optical drive
- Security Lock slot
- Kensington Nano Lock
All Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 (Intel) configurations
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-16-g7-iml/downloads
What’s in the box?
Inside the package, we found a bit of paperwork and a 65W Type-C charger. The top-end configurations rely on a 100W adapter. Some machines are bundled with a laptop casual toploader made of polyester.
Design and construction
If the Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 seems familiar to you, perhaps that’s because the ThinkBook 16 Gen 6 is almost a carbon copy of the machine in front of us. This is the same chassis in a dual-tone design in Arctic grey color. The dimensions are also unchanged – 1.70 kilos starting weight and 17.55 profile height.
Sadly, you can’t open the metal lid with a single hand but at least the unit doesn’t feel too spongy when we tried to twist it. In short, the plastic base rigidity is okay. The area below the Arrow keys flexes a bit if you apply more pressure but that’s normal. The right side of the keyboard feels slightly bendable during harsh typing but we think that’s not a huge problem.
The IPS display is surrounded by thin bezels.
The protrusion on the top eases the lid opening and it’s also home to a 720p, 1080p, or a Full HD IR Web camera for Windows Hello. The three boasts a privacy shutter and noise cancellation tech.
A flat opening is always appreciated.
The spill-resistant keyboard has an optional backlight. The full-sized unit is great for home or office work. It has a NumPad, big Arrows, a Copilot shortcut, and well-spaced keys with long travel and clicky feedback. The power button in the top right corner of the base doubles as a fingerprint reader.
The Mylar touchpad is normally sized (75 x 120 mm). Aside from the noisy-ish clicks, the smoothness and the accuracy are good for the class.
The bottom panel looks standard with its 2-row ventilation grill, three rubber feet, and a pair of speaker cutouts. The hot air is guided via a vent on the back. Some amount of heat reaches the display during max CPU stress.
Ports
On the left side, we can see a 10 Gbps USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 2) port with DisplayPort 1.4 support, a 5 Gbps USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port with an Always On function, an HDMI 2.1 for up to 4K@60Hz external displays, a 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 port with DisplayPort 2.1 capabilities, and an Audio combo jack. Both Type-Cs support USB Power Delivery 3.1. On the other side, we can spot a Kensington Nano Security Slot, LAN, another 5 Gbps USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, and an SD card reader.
Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 | LEN160WUXGA (LEN9156) |
| 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 ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 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 16 Gen 7: 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 51% of the sRGB color gamut and 40% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
(Fig.1) Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 covers 51% of the sRGB gamut
Brightness and Contrast
The maximum brightness in SDR mode is 286 cd/m² in the center of the screen and 291 cd/m² averaged across the surface with a maximum deviation of 8%.
The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) on a white screen at maximum brightness is 6670K.
The contrast ratio is 1290:1.
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 185 nits (Windows slider = 86%) — 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 16 Gen 7. 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 16 Gen 7, the Average color accuracy was 4.5 dE (Fig. 2), and with our Design and Gaming profile, it lowered to 4.1 dE (Fig. 3).
(Fig. 2) Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 in its factory condition
(Fig. 3) Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 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 = 15.0 ms. Short pixel response time is a prerequisite for a smooth picture in dynamic scenes.
[Response Time Black-to-White]
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 16 Gen 7 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 Lenovo’s screen is 50.0 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 16 Gen 7 configurations with LEN160WUXGA (LEN9156), 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 ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 produce high-quality sound. 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 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, Core Ultra 5 125H, Core Ultra 7 155U, or Core Ultra 7 155H.
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
There are no dGPU options for this Lenovo series.
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.
Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 (Intel) GPU variants
Here you can see an approximate comparison between the GPUs that can be found in the Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 (Intel) models on the market. This way you can decide for yourself which Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 (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: Fire Strike (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Results are from the 3DMark: Wild Life (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)
Results are from the Unigine Superposition 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 | 181 fps | 95 fps | 50 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 | 36 fps | 24 fps | 19 fps | 15 fps |
Storage performance
Our laptop is equipped with a 1TB SAMSUNG MZAL81T0HDLB-00BL2. The NVMe drive reaches 68°C during benchmarking which is a normal temperature considering how snappy this SSD is.
[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 5 125U (15W Base Power) | 0:02 – 0:10 sec | 0:15 – 0:30 sec | 10:00 – 15:00 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 (Intel) | 3.95 GHz @ 3.19 GHz @ 2.03 GHz @ 90°C @ 60W | 3.41 GHz @ 3.19 GHz @ 2.09 GHz @ 96°C @ 50W | 2.88 GHz @ 2.41 GHz @ 1.39 GHz @ 72°C @ 30W |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 | 3.54 GHz @ 3.00 GHz @ 1.80 GHz @ 75°C @ 43W | 3.45 GHz @ 2.95 GHz @ 1.77 GHz @ 88°C @ 43W | 2.00 GHz @ 1.89 GHz @ 1.10 GHz @ 67°C @ 21W |
The Core Ultra 5 125U inside the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 can boost notably higher than the same chip inside the ThinkPad L16 Gen 1, especially in longer loads where the CPU nears 2.90 GHz / 2.40 GHz for the P and E cores.
Comfort during full load
The single fan is audible but not noisy during heavy CPU loads in “Performance” mode.
The hotspot on the keyboard reaches just 43°C which feels warm, not too hot. The zone of the bottom display bezel that is close to the back exhaust vent is warmed up to 49°C.
The Auto mode offers ~ 2.10 Ghz / 2.00 Ghz P an E-core clock alongside even lower noise levels.
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 45Wh battery pack lasts for around 10 hours of video playback. To achieve that, you have to apply the “Best Power Efficiency” preset in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and select the “Battery Saver” mode in the Lenovo Vantage app.
Brightness: 180 nits; Display Mode: SDR
Time to Full Discharge: Higher is Better
Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance
To open this device, you have to undo 9 Phillips-head screws. The top and the middle ones are captive. Use a thin plastic tool to pop the upper corners and fully pry the back. Then, work your way around the sides and the front.
Here’s how the bottom plate looks on the inside.
Our laptop has the base 45Wh battery model. You can also opt for the optional 71Wh unit. If you need to detach the battery, pull out the connector from the mainboard and undo the five Phillips-head screws that secure the unit to the main body. The capacity is enough for around 10 hours of video playback.
The memory section is covered with a Mylar heat shield and you have to peel it.
According to Lenovo, the two SODIMMs can handle up to 64GB 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 is positioned above the memory slots.
For storage upgrades, you get two M.2 slots compatible with 2242 or 2280 Gen 4 SSDs. There is a thermal pad below the preinstalled 2242 NVMe but the pad position is suitable for longer NVMe drives and that’s why it barely makes any contact with the PCB.
Luckily, this can be fixed within a second.
The thermal system seems potent enough for a laptop that lacks dedicated graphics. It comprises one big fan, a pair of heat pipes, a pretty long top-mounted heat sink, and a heat spreader.
Verdict
No surprises here, the Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 is as capable as its predecessor. It’s a good choice for people who need a capable daily driver or a standard office machine. The lid and the base are decently solid, and the input devices are comfortable. During heavy CPU loads, the keyboard doesn’t feel scorching hot and the fan noise isn’t intrusive. At the same time, the Core Ultra 5 125U can sustain a 2.90 GHz / 2.40 GHz P and E-core clock in long loads which is a pretty respectable result considering the single fan cooling. The port selection is more than adequate with its four USB connectors and the fine upgradability makes this notebook future-proof.
The 1200p IPS display (LEN160WUXGA (LEN9156)) is suitable for such a laptop workhorse. The 60Hz unit is PWM-free and has wide viewing angles. The downsides are the sub-300 nit max brightness and the low sRGB coverage. Still, that’s acceptable given the price range.
The Intel version of the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 is a solid offer in its class thanks to the long battery life, the good performance, and the comfortable keyboard.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkbook-16-gen-7-intel/
Pros
- The fan is non-intrusive during max CPU stress
- Compact for a 16-incher (1.70 kg / 17.55 mm)
- Snappy performance for daily or office tasks
- 2x SODIMMs + 2x M.2 Gen 4 slots
- PWM-free display (LEN9156)
- 16:10 aspect ratio and wide viewing angles (LEN9156)
- Aluminum lid
- Optional IR Web camera + fingerprint reader
- Privacy shutter
- Comfortable spill-resistant keyboard with optional backlight
- Good port selection
- The Core Ultra 5 125U can maintain a 2.90 GHz / 2.40 GHz P and E-core clock in long loads
- Long battery life
- Fair price
Cons
- Plastic base
- The lid can’t be opened with a single hand
- Sub-300 nit max brightness and low sRGB coverage (LEN9156)
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I have 3 problems with this laptop so far. Lenovo Vantage is buggy, so if I change some settings they revert to previous settings after restart. Also be careful when updating BIOS from Lenovo Vantage as in some cases it triggers Bitlocker so if you don’t have access to key your disk is bricked. And the last problem is build in microphone. When doing Windows mic test I can’t reach any meaningful recording loudness.