Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 (Intel) review – Quiet Power
The Intel version of the Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 may be a dream come true for the modern-day business employee. The compact device relies on 15W or 28W Intel Meteor Lake CPUs with an NPU unit for enhanced AI-assisted productivity alongside good upgradability and great port selection. Yep, it’s a rare find to spot a 14-incher with five USB connectors and a Gigabit LAN. By the way, one of the USBs is based on the 2.0 standard and it’s mentioned by the manufacturer as “Hi-Speed USB”!
Security is very important for such a laptop that’s why it offers a dTPM 2.0 chip for data encryption, a Lock slot, a privacy shutter, and a self-healing BIOS. As always, you have to pay more for options such as an IR Web camera, a Smart card reader, a vPro CPU, a fingerprint reader, and NFC. For connectivity, you get optional 4G LTE and Wi-Fi 7.
There are no high refresh rate display models. You can choose between three 60Hz 1200p IPS panels (including a touchscreen). Lenovo claims 100% sRGB coverage for the top dog.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkpad-l14-gen-5-intel/
This device has an AMD version as well.
Contents
Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box
- CPU
- Intel Core i5-1335U #182 in Top CPUs Intel Core Ultra 7 165U #152 in Top CPUs Intel Core Ultra 7 155U #167 in Top CPUs Intel Core Ultra 7 155H #87 in Top CPUs Intel Core Ultra 5 135H #97 in Top CPUs Intel Core Ultra 5 125U #163 in Top CPUs Intel Core Ultra 5 125H #114 in Top CPUsIntel Core Ultra 5 135U
- Display
- 14.0”, WUXGA (1920 x 1200), IPS
- HDD/SSD
- up to 4000GB SSD
- M.2 Slot
- 1x 2280 M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 See photo
- RAM
- up to 64GB
- OS
- Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11 Home, Windows 10 Pro, No OS
- Body material
- Plastic / Polycarbonate, Aluminum, Carbon
- Dimensions
- 313.7 x 226 x 18.66 - 18.92 mm (12.35" x 8.90" x 0.73")
- Weight
- 1.36 kg (3 lbs)
- Ports and connectivity
- 1x USB Type-A
- 2.0
- 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 2x2 (20 Gbps), Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
- 1x USB Type-C
- 4.0, Thunderbolt 4, Power Delivery (PD), DisplayPort
- HDMI
- 2.0 (4K@60Hz)
- Card reader
- Ethernet LAN
- 10, 100, 1000 Mbit/s
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11be
- Bluetooth
- 5.4
- Audio jack
- 3.5mm Combo Jack
- Features
- Fingerprint reader
- optional
- Web camera
- 5.0MP + IR discrete, with privacy shutter, fixed focus
- Backlit keyboard
- optional
- Microphone
- Dual-microphone array, far-field, Dolby Voice
- Speakers
- 2x 2W Stereo Speakers, Dolby Audio
- Optical drive
- Security Lock slot
- Kensington Nano Lock
All Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 (Intel) configurations
Drivers
All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/bs/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-l-series-laptops/thinkpad-l14-gen-5-type-21l1-21l2/downloads
What’s in the box?
The package contains the mandatory paperwork and a 45W or 65W Type-C adapter. Some machines are bundled with monitor adapters such as HDMI to VGA, USB-C to DisplayPort, or USB-C to VGA.
Design and construction
Compared to its Gen 4 predecessor, the design of the ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 is refreshed. This applies to the added protrusion on the lid for easier opening, and the different placement of the speakers, the ports, and the air vents. The look of the bottom panel is also new. The Gen 5 iteration can be found in three different variants. The most thin and light versions are the ones with an aluminum lid and plastic base reinforced with carbon fiber (18.66 mm / 1.36 kg). The siblings with a metal lid and plastic main body are minimally thicker and heavier (18.76 mm / 1.38 kg) and the all-plastic notebooks are the heftiest of the bunch (18.92 mm / 1.40 kg).
You’ll need two hands to open this machine but on the flip side, the lid isn’t too flexible despite being plastic. The base is rigid, there is a tiny amount of flex between the Space key and the touchpad but this can be observed only when you push hard this zone.
The upper bezel is slightly thicker than the other three.
The “hump” on the top is home to a 720p Web camera with a privacy shutter. If you need better image quality and facial recognition for Windows Hello, you can get the optional 5MP IR unit.
The device can lay almost fully flat on your desk.
The spill-resistant keyboard with a Copilot key and decently-sized Arrows is comfortable for work because of the keycaps with long travel and pleasantly clicky feedback. The TrackPoint is onboard. It works together with the three buttons above the touchpad with a Mylar surface. The pad’s smoothness and tracking are good but not the best we’ve seen. The clicking mechanism sounds loud on press.
Flipping the device upside down reveals a big ventilation grill, three rubber feet, and two speaker cutouts. The hot air is guided via a vent on the back. Its upper part is positioned close to the lowest side of the display’s bottom bezel. Expectedly, a bit of heat reaches the screen when the CPU is doing the heavy lifting.
Ports
On the left, you get a Gigabit LAN, a 20 Gbps USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 2) port with DisplayPort 1.4 functionality, a 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 ports that supports DisplayPort 2.1 (for up to 8K@60Hz external screens), an HDMI 2.1 for up to 4K@60Hz external displays, and a USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port with an Always On function. Both Type-Cs support PowerDelivery 3.0. The optional Nano-SIM card slot is on the back. On the right side, we can see a Kensington Nano Security Slot, another USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, a USB 2.0 port, an Audio combo jack, and a Smart card reader (option).
Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles
| Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 | NV140WUM-N49 (LEN403D) |
| Diagonal | 14.0 inches (35.6 cm) |
| Panel Type | IPS |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1200 pixels |
| Max Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Aspect Ratio | 16:10 |
| Pixel Density | 162 PPI |
| ‘Retina’ Distance | Greater than or equal to 53 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 L14 Gen 5 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 L14 Gen 5: 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 49% of the sRGB color gamut and 39% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
(Fig.1) Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 covers 49% of the sRGB gamut
Brightness and Contrast
The maximum brightness in SDR mode is 442 cd/m² in the center of the screen and 414 cd/m² averaged across the surface with a maximum deviation of 13%.
The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) on a white screen at maximum brightness is 6120K.
The contrast ratio is 1010:1.
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 = 74%) — 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 L14 Gen 5. 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 L14 Gen 5, the Average color accuracy was 6.4 dE (Fig. 2), and with our Design and Gaming profile, it lowered to 4.8 dE (Fig. 3).
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 = 17.2 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 L14 Gen 5 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 L14 Gen 5’s screen is 54.5 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 ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 configurations with NV140WUM-N49 (LEN403D), 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
When we subjectively listen to a sound file through the built-in speakers, the sound quality offered by Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 is good. There is, however, a noticeable rise in the high frequencies in the frequency response chart.
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 device is offered with Core Ultra 5 125H, Core Ultra 5 125U, Core Ultra 5 135U, Core Ultra 5 135H, Core Ultra 7 155H, Core Ultra 7 155U, or Core Ultra 7 165U.
Our laptop has a 155U 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
All devices of this Lenovo series rely on iGPUs.
In our case, that’s the Intel Graphics (4-Cores).
The results are from 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics). Higher is better.
The results are from 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Unlimited. Higher is better.
Gaming tests


| Counter-Strike 2 | HD 1080p, Low (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Medium (Check settings) | HD 1080p, Very High (Check settings) |
| Average FPS | 83 FPS | 58 FPS | 22 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 | 35 FPS | 24 FPS | 19 FPS | 14 FPS |
Storage performance
Our notebook has a 512GB SK Hynix HFS512GEJ9X164N. Its speeds are good as well as the max reached temperature during benchmarking (just 50°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 7 155U (15W Base Power) | 0:02 – 0:10 sec | 0:15 – 0:30 sec | 10:00 – 15:00 min |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 | 3.60 GHz @ 3.01 GHz @ 1.60 GHz @ 84°C @ 43W | 3.12 GHz @ 2.92 GHz @ 2.00 GHz @ 95°C @ 42W | 2.26 GHz @ 1.87 GHz @ 1.10 GHz @ 71°C @ 21W |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X13 2-in-1 Gen 5 | 3.50 GHz @ 3.03 GHz @ 2.07 GHz @ 92°C @ 54W | 3.02 GHz @ 2.58 GHz @ 1.64 GHz @ 88°C @ 36W | 1.91 GHz @ 1.51 GHz @ 1.10 GHz @ 69°C @ 16W |
| Dell Latitude 14 5450 | 3.97 GHz @ 3.29 GHz @ 1.77 GHz @ 88°C @ 56W | 3.30 GHz @ 3.01 GHz @ 2.10 GHz @ 98°C @ 49W | 2.52 GHz @ 2.37 GHz @ 1.21 GHz @ 78°C @ 25W |
| Dell Latitude 15 5550 | 4.09 GHz @ 3.39 GHz @ 1.88 GHz @ 70°C @ 57W | 2.74 GHz @ 2.35 GHz @ 1.20 GHz @ 66°C @ 26W | 2.15 GHz @ 1.87 GHz @ 1.10 GHz @ 66°C @ 20W |
The P and E cores of the Core Ultra 7 155U can boost to 3.60 GHz / 3.01 GHz in short loads and to 2.26 GHz / 1.87 GHz in longer stress which is a respectable result for a 14-incher with a single-fan cooling. The only real concern here is the 95°C chip temperature in medium stress.
Comfort during full load
The fan is quiet in prolonged periods of max CPU stress in “Best Performance” mode.
When the processor is pounded with tons of loads, the hot spot on the keyboard and the one on the bottom screen bezel reach 46°C. In short, the comfort under max loads stress is very good.
The fan becomes silent if you switch down to “Balanced” mode but that’s because of the hefty reduced P-core clock of just 1.30 GHz which is below the Intel official base value of 1.70 GHz.
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 14 hours of video playback. That’s a great result! To achieve that, you have to apply the “Battery Saver” 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 open this compact office machine, you have to undo 10 captive Phillips-head screws. Eject the SIM card tray on the back.
Pop the two zones behind the hinges with a lever tool. Pry the back and the sides with a thin plastic tool. It’s not necessary to pop the front. Just raise the rear end, tilt the plate, and lift it away from the base.
Here’s how the bottom panel looks on the inside.
This laptop has the optional 57Wh battery. The base version is a 46.5Wh model. To remove it, pull out the connector from the mainboard and undo the three Phillips-head screws that hold the unit fixed to the base. The capacity is enough for around 14 hours of video playback.
The memory section and the SSD are covered with Mylar heat shields. Peel the one over the RAM.
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. The WWAN slot for optional eSIM functionality is placed on the right of the cooling, and the soldered Wi-Fi card is positioned above the single M.2 slot that fits 2280 Gen 4 SSDs.
The NVMe is additionally cooled by a long thermal pad from below.
The thermal system has one big fan, one heat pipe, a heat sink, and a heat spreader.
Verdict
Despite being a small 14-inch machine, the Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 5 offers on-point performance and tons of useful features. Aside from the modest-looking cooling system, the fan is quiet even when the CPU is pushed to its limits for a longer time. In this case, the Core Ultra 7 155U reaches a P and E-core clock of 2.26 GHz / 1.87 GHz which is a respectable result. The pair of SODIMMs make this small gadget future-proof. You also get a plethora of USB ports alongside optional goodies such as a Nano-SIM card slot and Smart Card reader.
Our laptop is entirely made of plastic but it feels pretty solid. If you prefer a more premium feel, consider a device with a metal lid. The keyboard is comfortable and ideal for extended typing sessions.
The 1200p IPS display (NV140WUM-N49 (LEN403D)) isn’t a top performer when it comes to color accuracy but it has all the necessary “ingredients” for comfortable work – lack of PWM, wide viewing angles, and 442 nits of max brightness. The battery life is the scenario where our notebook shines bright since it nears 14 hours of video playback.
The Intel-based ThinkPad L14 impresses with its rich port selection, long battery life, and great comfort under max loads.
You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkpad-l14-gen-5-intel/
Pros
- Solid build
- Feels snappy for work
- The fan is quiet during long max CPU loads in “Best Performance” mode
- PWM-free display (LEN403D)
- Comfortable viewing angles + 16:10 aspect ratio (LEN403D)
- 442 nits of max brightness (LEN403D)
- Web camera with a privacy shutter
- Modern port selection with 5x USB ports and a Gigabit LAN
- Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
- 2x SODIMMs
- vPro CPU, IR Web camera, fingerprint reader, Nano-SIM card slot, Smart card reader, Wi-Fi 7, NFC (all are optional)
- The Core Ultra 7 155U sustains a 2.26 GHz / 1.87 GHz P and E-core clock in longer loads
- The bottom plate can be popped easily
- Fast and well-cooled SSD (SK Hynix HFS512GEJ9X164N)
Cons
- 95°C CPU temperature in medium loads
- Too many optional features
- Just 1x M.2 slot + soldered Wi-Fi card
- One of the USBs is based on 2.0 standard









































Max CPU Stress “Best Performance”
Max CPU Stress “Balanced”











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