Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 review – A Premium Workstation That Prioritizes Comfort

    Compared to the Gen 4 predecessor, the ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 features a slightly refreshed design and completely revamped cooling which is great news! The new machine is offered with five different Meteor Lake-H CPU options – from the 28W Core Ultra 5 125H to the 45W Core Ultra 9 185H. You also get a pair of SODIMMs, a welcome feature given that many 14-inch workstations rely on soldered RAM. Still, the Wi-Fi 6E card isn’t upgradable.

    When it comes to displays, there are four 14.5″ IPS panels to choose from. Yep, no OLED variants. However, the top dog is a 3K (3072×1920) with a 120Hz refresh rate. The high PPI screen is also super color-accurate (we know that because our laptop is equipped with the same panel). If you pick a device with this panel and the optional 50W NVIDIA RTX 500 Ada Generation, you’ll get a pretty capable workhorse for content creation.

    The device is full of useful extras like a rich port selection, premium chassis, and a good amount of base security features such as a fingerprint reader, dTPM 2.0, a self-healing BIOS, and bottom cover tamper detection. The vPro CPU functionality and the Smart card reader are optional. Sadly, there is no SIM functionality.

    You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkpad-p14s-gen-5-intel/

    This device has an AMD version as well.

    Contents


    Specs, Drivers, What’s in the box

    Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 (Intel) - Specs

    • LEN145-3K (LEN41E2)
    • Color accuracy  0.8  0.6
    • HDD/SSD
    • up to 4000GB SSD
    • M.2 Slot
    • 1x 2280 M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4  See photo
    • RAM
    • up to 128GB
    • OS
    • Windows 11 Pro, Windows 11, Windows 10 Pro, Windows 11 Home, No OS
    • Battery
    • 75Wh
    • Body material
    • Aluminum
    • Dimensions
    • 325.5 x 227.6 x 18.5 mm (12.81" x 8.96" x 0.73")
    • Weight
    • 1.61 kg (3.5 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
    • 2x 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
    • 5.0MP + IR with privacy shutter and Ultrasonic Human Presence Detection, 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 P14s Gen 5 (Intel) configurations

    #CommissionsEarned

    Drivers

    All drivers and utilities for this notebook can be found here: https://pcsupport.lenovo.com/us/en/products/laptops-and-netbooks/thinkpad-p-series-laptops/thinkpad-p14s-gen-5-type-21g2-21g3/downloads/driver-list

    What’s in the box?

    We found a bunch of manuals and the laptop itself inside the box. Depending on the internals’ power, you get a 100W or 135W Type-C charger. You can also find optional accessories in the package such as HDMI to VGA, USB-C to DisplayPort, USB-C to VGA, or USB-C to LAN.


    Design and construction

    The ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 has a stealthy-looking all-metal chassis which is solid. This is valid for the lid and the base. The starting weight of the base configurations is 1.61 kg. The profile thickness is 18.5 mm – not the thinnest 14-incher we’ve seen but don’t forget about the big cooling system that is hidden under the bonnet.

    The lid opens effortlessly with a single hand. The surface of the chassis feels premium to the touch but it picks up smudges with ease.

    The bezels around the IPS screen are thin and that’s why the device looks up to date.

    The so-called Communication Bar on top of the display houses a 5MP Web camera with a privacy shutter and temporal noise reduction. You can also opt for an IR or IR unit with Ultrasonic Human Presence Detection tech which locks the machine when you aren’t in front of the screen.

    The max angle of the opening is perfect for sharing some on-screen info with your colleagues.

    The comfortable backlit keyboard offers long key travel, adequately sized Arrows, and an AI hotkey. The Power button on the left has a built-in fingerprint reader and as always, the TrackPoint is placed in the middle of the board.

    Lenovo describes the big Mylar touchpad as “glass-like”. It’s true since the pad is extra smooth and very accurate.

    The bottom panel is business as usual – a large ventilation grill and two speaker cutouts. The hot air is being dissipated via two exhausts on the back. The hinge cover blocks most of the heat from directly reaching the panel during heavy loads.

    Ports

    On the left side of the laptop, there is an HDMI 2.1 connector for up to 8K 60Hz external displays, two 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 connectors (both support data transfer, Power Delivery 3.0, and DisplayPort 2.1), a 5 Gbps  USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port with Always On functionality, and an Audio jack. On the right, there is a Kensington Nano Security Slot, LAN, another USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, and an optional Smart Card reader.


    Display and Sound Quality, Get our Profiles

    Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5LEN145-3K (LEN41E2)
    Diagonal14.5 inches (36.8 cm)
    Panel TypeIPS
    Resolution3072 x 1920 pixels
    Max Refresh Rate120 Hz
    Aspect Ratio16:10
    Pixel Density250 PPI
    ‘Retina’ DistanceGreater than or equal to 35 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 P14s 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 P14s 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 100% of the sRGB color gamut and 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

    (Fig.1) Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 covers 100% of the DCI-P3 gamut

    Brightness and Contrast

    The maximum brightness in SDR mode is 424 cd/m² in the center of the screen and 387 cd/m² averaged across the surface with a maximum deviation of 15%.

    The Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) on a white screen at maximum brightness is 6790K.

    The contrast ratio is 1240:1.

    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 181 nits (Windows slider = 73%) — 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 P14s 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 P14s Gen 5, the Average color accuracy was 0.8 dE (Fig. 2), and with our Design and Office profile, it lowered to 0.6 dE (Fig. 3).

    (Fig. 2) Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 in its factory condition

    (Fig. 3) Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 with our display profile

    Comparison in the Display P3 color space.

    Here’s an illustration of what the Design and Office 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 Gaming and movies 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 = 18.6 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 P14s 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 P14s Gen 5’s screen is 50.1 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 P14s Gen 5 configurations with LEN145-3K (LEN41E2), 3072 x 1920, 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.

    Design and Office

    The Design and Office profile makes display colors as close to real as possible.
    Ideal not only for professionals but also for everyday users, it meets sRGB standards (D65 white point, sRGB gamma) with minimal DeltaE for precise color reproduction on your panel.

    Gaming and Movies

    Have you ever watched a movie where, during dark scenes, you can barely see anything? Many displays fail to distinguish dark tones properly. Our Gaming and Movies profile enhances low-light performance, like HDR tech, using a gamma curve tailored to human perception — ideal for gamers seeking faster reactions and clearer visuals.

    Health-Guard

    Our Health-Guard profile protects your eyes by eliminating PWM flickering, reducing strain and fatigue, and minimizing harmful Blue light exposure that can disrupt sleep and health. It uses software dimming and a gamma curve tailored to human perception for comfort and safety during screen use.

    Get All The Profiles With 33% Discount!

    Sound

    When we subjectively listen to a sound file through the built-in speakers, the sound quality offered by the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 is very good.


    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 135H, Core Ultra 7 155H, Core Ultra 7 165H, or Core Ultra 9 185H.

    Our laptop has a 165H 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)

    GPU options

    The 50W NVIDIA RTX 500 Ada Generation is the only dGPU model for this Lenovo series.

    The notebook that we bought is equipped with the same RTX chip.

    Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 (Intel) GPU variants

    Here you can see an approximate comparison between the GPUs that can be found in the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 (Intel) models on the market. This way you can decide for yourself which Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 (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.

    Results are from the 3DMark: Fire Strike (Graphics) benchmark (higher the score, the better)

    Results are from the Unigine Superposition benchmark (higher the score, the better)

    Gaming tests

    Metro ExodusFull HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Extreme (Check settings)
    Average FPS134 fps49 fps15 fps

    Borderlands 3Full HD, V.Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Badass (Check settings)
    Average FPS127 fps88 fps59 fps46 fps

    Far Cry 6Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
    Average FPS94 fps72 fps61 fps

    Gears 5Full HD, Low (Check settings)Full HD, Medium (Check settings)Full HD, High (Check settings)Full HD, Ultra (Check settings)
    Average FPS167 fps97 fps80 fps65 fps

    Storage performance

    Our laptop has a 2TB KIOXIA KXG8AZNV2T04. It’s a pretty fast NVMe drive but despite the two cooling pads on both sides, the SSD reaches 70°C during benchmarking.


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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 165H (28W Base Power)0:02 – 0:10 sec0:15 – 0:30 sec10:00 – 15:00 min
    Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 53.27 GHz @ 2.73 GHz @ 1.80 GHz @ 94°C @ 80W3.09 GHz @ 2.67 GHz @ 1.78 GHz @ 100°C @ 78W2.45 GHz @ 2.15 GHz @ 1.48 GHz @ 80°C @ 50W
    Dell Precision 56903.43 GHz @ 2.30 GHz @ 1.78 GHz @ 79°C @ 98W3.69 GHz @ 2.75 GHz @ 2.34 GHz @ 91°C @ 110W3.06 GHz @ 2.50 GHz @ 1.70 GHz @ 72°C @ 58W
    Dell Precision 54903.59 GHz @ 2.73 GHz @ 2.48 GHz @ 92°C @ 106W2.84 GHz @ 2.76 GHz @ 2.49 GHz @ 97°C @ 83W2.88 GHz @ 2.37 GHz @ 1.62 GHz @ 80°C @ 50W

    The clocks of the Core Ultra 7 165H in short and medium loads aren’t bad at all but the high CPU temperatures could raise a few eyebrows. The P and E core frequency in long stress is 2.45 GHz / 2.15 GHz which is decent.

    Real-life gaming

    NVIDIA RTX 500 Ada GenerationGPU frequency/ Core temp (after 2 min)GPU frequency/ Core temp (after 30 min)
    Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 51921 MHz @ 63°C @ 38W2047 MHz @ 65°C @ 44W
    Dell Precision 35911710 MHz @ 68°C @ 34W1890 MHz @ 59°C @ 40W
    Dell Precision 14 34901830 MHz @ 70°C @ 30W1528 MHz @ 73°C @ 30W
    Dell Precision 15 35901495 MHz @ 65°C @ 26W1705 MHz @ 65°C @ 33W

    The RTX 500 Ada Generation performs well reaching 44W and a ~ 2047 MHz core clock during gaming.

    Comfort during full load

    The power presets are tied with the base Windows modes which is very convenient. When the internals are pushed to their limits in “Best Performance” mode, the noise that is coming from the two fans is average. At the same time, the keyboard feels slightly warm in its top section but overall nothing to worry about.

    In idle, the fan speed is around 2100 RPM if the “Best performance” preset is applied.

    Curiously, during heavy CPU loads, the noise levels between the “Best performance” and “Balanced” modes are almost comparable because of the close fan speed between the two presets (4800 RPM vs 4500 RPM).

    The “Balanced” preset offers 37W TGP which is 7W less than the most punchy power mode.

    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 75Wh battery lasts for around 10 hours and a half of video playback. Оur test was conducted with the “Energy Saver” preset activated in the Windows “Power & Battery” menu and the “Scheme for Battery” set to “Balanced” mode in the BIOS.


    Disassembly, Upgrade options, and Maintenance

    To open this compact workstation, you have to undo 6 captive Phillips-head screws. Pry the back with a thin plastic tool and then pop the top edges. After that, work your way around the sides. Raise the rear until the front clips are released, and remove the panel.

    The inside of the bottom panel houses a metal plate with a thermal pad that cools a big SMD power inductor on the motherboard. We can also spot a sizable dust filter in front of the ventilation grill.

    The device that we bought has the optional 75Wh battery. The default model has a capacity of 57Wh. Pop the front side of the connector with a lever tool. After that, slightly push the back of the connector toward the battery to release the two small plastic feet from the connector housing.

    The next step is to undo the four Phillips-head screws that secure the unit to the base. Untangle the cables on the bottom of the battery housing. The capacity is enough for around 10 hours and a half of video playback.

    According to Lenovo, the two SODIMMs are compatible with up to 96GB of DDR5-5600MHz RAM in dual-channel mode. This is the maximum official manufacturer’s specified limit for a Meteor Lake-H CPU. Interestingly, there is a Key B WWAN slot on the left but ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 lacks SIM connectivity.

    Both RAM modules are covered by thermal shields on both their top and bottom sides.

    Sadly, there is just a single M.2 slot compatible with 2280 Gen 4 SSDs. The NVMe is protected by a metal cap that has a cooling pad on the inside. We found another pad below the SSD.

    The Wi-Fi 6E card is soldered.

    The thermal system seems potent. It comprises a pair of sizable fans, two long thick heat pipes shared between the CPU and the GPU, and a third one that is solely dedicated to the graphics card. The cooling is complemented by two heat sinks and two large heat spreaders.


    Verdict

    The Team Blue version of the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 is a compact and potent workstation with a premium metal build and superb input devices. The performance is always there when you need it, the P and E core clocks of the 28W Core Ultra 7 165H are pretty good in both short and medium loads (~3.10 GHz / 2.70 GHz) but that comes at a price of high chip temperatures. On the bright side, the fans aren’t loud so this machine is definitely tuned for comfort.

    The 3K IPS panel (LEN145-3K (LEN41E2)) is simply great! It covers fully the DCI-P3 gamut and has tremendous color accuracy. The 120Hz unit is PWM-free and has 424 nits of max brightness. That sounds like a good choice for color-sensitive tasks or content creation.

    The ThinkPad P14s amazes us with its solid chassis, modern port selection, good comfort during max loads, long battery life, and modern port selection.

    You can check the prices and configurations in our Specs System: https://laptopmedia.com/series/lenovo-thinkpad-p14s-gen-5-intel/

    Pros

    • Solid premium metal build
    • Good overall performance
    • The fans aren’t loud during long 100% CPU loads in “Best Performance” mode
    • PWM-free display (LEN41E2)
    • Comfortable viewing angles + 16:10 aspect ratio (LEN41E2)
    • 424 nits of max brightness (LEN41E2)
    • 100% sRGB and DCI-P3 coverage (LEN41E2)
    • Great color accuracy especially with our “Design and Office” profile (LEN41E2)
    • 5MP Web camera with a privacy shutter
    • Modern port selection with 2x Thunderbolt 4 port and HDMI 2.1 + LAN
    • Comfortable keyboard and touchpad
    • 2x SODIMMs
    • vPro CPU, IR Web camera, Smart card reader (all are optional)
    • Fingerprint reader
    • The Core Ultra 7 165H sustains a ~3.10 GHz / 2.70 GHz P and E-core clock in short and medium loads
    • The NVIDIA RTX 500 Ada Generation maintains almost 2050 MHz during gaming
    • The bottom plate can be easily popped
    • Fast SSD (KIOXIA KXG8AZNV2T04)
    • High-resolution IPS display options + one touchscreen
    • You can open the lid with one hand
    • Long battery life with the optional 75Wh unit (~ 10 hours and a half of videos)


    Cons

    • 100°C CPU temperature in medium loads
    • Only one M.2 slot
    • No support for SIM and NFC
    • Pricey

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    remos
    remos
    1 year ago

    są OLED ale w połączniu z procesorami AMD, dlaczego tak to nie wiem. Natomiast OLED miażdży wszystko pozostałe.

    Simeon Nikolov
    Admin
    1 year ago
    Reply to  remos

    Yes, this is true! Here’s the AMD variant:
    🔗 Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 (AMD)
    However, it only comes with integrated GPUs (iGPUs) and does not have an RTX option.

    erwin
    erwin
    10 months ago

    You mentioned up to 128GB of ram – while official docs state 96GB (=2x48GB). Which I guess was the max available when product was released. However nowadays there are 64GB modules available. So I wonder if they might work.