Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 review – portable and loaded with power and security features

Name: Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 4
Brand: Lenovo
Price: 1614.99 USD
Availability: InStock

LaptopMedia.com Reviews and Analysis Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 review - portable and loaded with power and security features Page 11

From: Nikolay Palaozov, eng. Kroum Nikolov 17 October 2023 / 00:46 1

11. Verdict

10. Lenovo Vantage Previous page Next page

Verdict

The Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 is a balanced device. It’s not a 3 kg powerhouse but its performance is very good given the low weight and the thin profile. Yes, portability is one of the biggest advantages of this machine. At the same time, the P-series CPU can sustain a 32W power limit and decent P and E core clocks under heavy stress. In short and medium loads, these frequencies are higher which results in fast responsiveness for everyday tasks.

The comfort during load is good, the single fan isn’t too loud when the CPU is at max load. If not, the notebook is definitely quieter. The base isn’t scorching hot even during gaming – it just feels warm to the touch. Sure, this is a workstation, but the optional dedicated NVIDIA RTX A500 (Laptop, 30W) is fast enough for playing new games on Medium or maybe High settings.

We bought a laptop with a 1200p non-touch display model. This IPS 16:10 screen (AUO B140UAN03.2 (LEN403D)) is suitable for work. It has wide viewing angles, a good contrast ratio, and is PWM-free which is mandatory if you plan to use the machine for long hours of work or study. On the flip side, the sRGB coverage is low. For color-sensitive jobs, you can have a look at some of the other panel variants, especially the OLED one.

This machine also relies on many security features, some of which aren’t part of the base package. The Web camera has a privacy shutter, and the self-healing BIOS is a clever characteristic as well as the Wake on Voice function. Some of the other optional extras are a fingerprint reader and Ultrasonic human presence detection (which is tied to the IR camera).

The input devices are pleasant. The spill-resistant keyboard has an optional backlight and the keycaps have enough travel and clicky feedback for comfortable typing. The touchpad is smooth and there is a Trackpoint that becomes a trademark for the brand. The port selection looks great with its two Thunderbolt 4 connectors and Type-C charging but keep in mind that you have to pay more if you need the Smart card reader, NFC, and the eSIM goodies.

The durability left room for improvement. The base is stable with few exceptions but the lid bends a bit more than expected and can’t be opened with a single hand. The upgradability here shouldn’t be a strong key selling point but at least the maximum amount of memory is 64GB of LPDDR5 RAM which is a lot and some devices come with a SODIMM as well. However, there is just one M.2 slot. The battery life is decent given the Raptor Lake P processor and the optional dedicated video card.

You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkpad-p14s-gen-4-intel-dedicated/

Pros

PWM-free (AUO B140UAN03.2 (LEN403D))
Wide viewing angles and good contrast ratio (AUO B140UAN03.2 (LEN403D))
Comfortable spill-resistant keyboard
Many security features + optional Wi-Fi 6E and LTE support
Good I/O with 2x Thunderbolt 4 ports
Decent battery life
Light and thin chassis
The CPU can sustain high clocks in short and medium loads
Decent battery life

Cons

54% sRGB coverage (AUO B140UAN03.2 (LEN403D))
Too many optional features
The lid rigidness can be improved
Soldered memory and one M.2 slot

#CommissionsEarned

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 4

Processor: Intel Core i7-1360P
VideoCard: NVIDIA RTX A500 (Laptop, 30W)
RAM: 16GB RAM
STORAGE: 128GB SSD

Detailed review

$1614^.99

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 4

Processor: Intel Core i7-1360P
VideoCard: NVIDIA RTX A500 (Laptop, 30W)
RAM: 16GB RAM
STORAGE: 2000GB SSD

Detailed review

$1834^.99

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11. Verdict

10. Lenovo Vantage Previous page Next page

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.