Category Archives: Hardware Reviews

We are constantly getting a wide variety of hardware and software to test and exercise under a range of conditions. As you might expect, some work better than others, some play nicely with others (or not), and a few are genuinely pleasant surprises. Here you’ll find a collection of reviews on a range of products. We’ll be updating this section frequently as we run across new stuff, so come back soon and often!

Benchmarking, Hardware Reviews, Insider stuff, Recent Activity, WED Blog, Windows 11

ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 Intake & First Impressions

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Last August, Lenovo sent me a similar ThinkPad. Turns out, it was the Snapdragon X equivalent of what I’ve got now — namely, the ThinkPad T14s Gen 5. This time around, it comes equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 5 125U, 16 GB RAM LPDDR5 RAM, and a 0.5TB Gen4 NVMe SSD. It’s not quite as impressive as its Snapdragon counterpart, but it does come with an online price of just over US$1200 at the Lenovo Store. It showed up yesterday afternoon here at Chez Tittel. Here, I’ll share info about the Think T14s Gen 5 intake & first impressions. TLDR summary: nifty little biz laptop.

Detailing ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 Intake & First Impressions

It’s still a thrill to unbox new Lenovo computers these days, thanks to their all-paper packages designed for quick, easy access. The first thing I noticed was the boot time (after I plugged the 65W USB-C charger in: the unit was at 0% charge). On first boot, it takes less than 10 seconds to get from power on to spinning balls (Task Manager reports “Last BIOS time” at 11.4 second), and less than 10 seconds more to get to the desktop. Closing the lid puts the unit immediately to sleep, and it takes less than 4 seconds to scan me with its IR Windows Hello camera and log me back in when I open it. Good-oh!

My recollection is that the Snapdragon X model was a little bit faster than this Intel Core Ultra 5 125U CPU. That said, the unit is pretty darn snappy, and does everything I ask it to do with verve and dispatch. CrystalDiskMark reports top speeds of ~7 GBps read/~5GBps write from its capable Gen5 SK Hynix SSD (random 4K r/w performance is 409/334 [QD32] and 65/129 [QD1] MBps). That’s on par with my beefiest test laptop — the big and beastly P16 Gen 1 Mobile Workstation.

I used PatchMyPC Home Updater to get most of my typical collection of tools and apps installed. The T14s did a nice job throughout, and the whole process took less than 20 minutes to complete. Then, I went to update Windows 11 24H2, as I’ll recite under the next heading…

Updating Windows 11 24H2 Takes Time

For some odd reason, WU installed a boatload of stuff when I did my usual “first boot” update check — 2 CUs, 23 drivers, the most recent MSRT, and various Defender updates (signatures and platform). This took long enough that it reminded me of pre Windows-7 days when installing Windows took nowhere near as long as catching up the OS image on updates after that first step was over. This was unusual, but not unheard of.

And now, I’ve got this nifty little unit ready to rock’n’roll for further inspection, testing and use. I’m glad to have it because I want to compare OTA Ethernet and GbE network file transfer to Intel’s Thunderbolt Share application. This PC gives me my vital “second Thunderbolt 4 PC” so I can check that out. Stay tuned!

 

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Packing Portable Water-Cooled PC

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When I first started working in networking back in 1988, I carried a Compaq Portable III PC to customer consultations. The rig was unique at the time, because it could accommodate the full-length PC board needed to host the Excelan TCP/IP Ethernet adapter. (It ran the protocol stack on an 80186 processor to offload the 80286 CPU.) When I looked up that unit online I was amazed to see it weighed 9.8 Kg (~20 lbs)! What provoked my recollection? Reading about a new Kickstarter initiative at Tom’s Hardware, I wondered if packing portable water-cooled PC would be as vexing as that old Compaq model was back in the day.

What Would Packing Portable Water-Cooled PC Be Like?

Models discussed on the Kickstarter project page weigh in at 4.8 to 5.2 Kg — that’s around half the old Compaq model. Ditto for the dimensions, too. The Compaq measures about 41 x 19.2 x 24.8 cm. The new ultra high performance integration liquid cooled laptop (UHPILCL) measures out at 34x42x3 cm. It’s much more like a big, fat laptop than the portable sewing machine the Compaq resembled.

Indeed, I remember coming home from a trip after it had snowed and lugging the unit around while I tried to recognize my car under its white blanket. Hopefully, the UHLILCL won’t be quite as big a burden.

Who Would Want One, and Why?

The target audience for this mini-ITX based DIY luggable is gamers or other high-end users who need a high-performance CPU/GPU to take on the road. I can see it in the cards that it might host AI models or other high-end runtime environments for demos and such, as well as pushing frames fast for 3D games, CAD, and simulations that require speedy, complex rendering.

I like the idea that buyers might be able to choose their components, and populate such PCs with lower-end Xeon CPUs and up to 128GB of DDR5 RAM. Because the rig is water cooled and requires ionized water (the home page says nothing about how much water, exactly, it uses) I’m curious about how hard it is to fill and drain. Water and integrated circuits seldom mix well.

Details are still pretty scarce, including pricing and availability/timeframe. But hey, it’s an interesting proposition. And it gave me a nice jaunt down memory lane. And Kickstarter is nothing if it’s not a gauge of public willingness to back a proposition via funding. It should be even more interesting to see if this proposed project gets off the ground.

One More Thing…

As I think about this unit and what “laptop” typically means, I must observe that it will HAVE to plug into A/C to work. When people hear the l-word (laptop, that is) they usually think of something that can run — for a short time, at least — on battery. I don’t think that’s happening on a unit with a mini-ITX mobo and a high-end GPU. Notice in the specs, there’s nothing about battery capacity or life. I’m sure that’s deliberate…

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Copilot+ PCs, Hardware Reviews, Insider stuff, Recent Activity, WED Blog

The Incredible Lightness of (Some) Copilot+ PCs

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Things are getting interesting in the PC marketspace. In recent months, at least a couple of fairly full-featured Copilot+ PCs weighing under 1Kg (2.2 lbs) have been introduced. In January, we got the Asus Zenbook A14 (UX3407). This morning, it was the Dynabook Z40L-N. Both come in at under 1Kg, with the Asus model at 900g, and the Dynabook right at the edge (998g). Both are Copilot+ capable. And both include snazzy touch screens, offer up to 32GB of RAM, and a max SSD of  1 or 2TB. Furthermore, according to Copilot, only 1 in 20 laptops falls into this weight class, making it something of a standout in the overall category.

Incredible Lightness of (Some) Copilot+ PCs Has Appeal

Mobile workers always want fast and light mobile PCs on the job. Fast (and powerful) lets them get more work done. Light makes it easier to schlep such units while they’re on the move. Thus PC makers always work the inherent tradeoffs involved. Such ultra-thin PCs will always be limited in terms of the number of ports they sport, and run more limited mobile CPUs and chipsets. They must also be unusually careful about managing heat and ventilation, because even these less-beefy mobile CPUs (Snapdragon X1-26-100 in the Asus, up to Intel Core Ultra 7 268v (Series 2) in the Dynabook) use throttling as well as cooling to keep themselves running.

The other tradeoff: compactness costs. Neither one of these units is exactly cheap. The Portege Z40L-N with i7 (vPro), 32GB RAM and 1 TB SSD lists for US$2,220.00. The ASUS comes with a distinct price advantage: the 32GB unit with 1TB SSD and its Snapdragon X1-26-100 lists for less than half that amount: US$1,100.00. Both get rave reviews. But if I had to foot the bill out of pocket, I’d need a strongly compelling reason to double down on cost to choose the Dynabook over the ASUS model.

I’ve requested review models of both machines from their respective makers. If I get lucky, I’ll have a chance to comment on this dynamic further and in great detail. Even so, it is pretty nifty to consider what you can pick up and carry with you in the realm of today’s lightest available Copilot+ PCs.

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So Long, ThinkCentre M90a Gen5 AIO

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Allrighty, then: I’m packing up the Lenovo All-in-One for return to North Carolina. It’s been fun, but it’s time to say “So long, ThinkCentreM90A Gen5 AIO.” As I’m readying the unit for return, I’ll also file this blog post by way of final thoughts and farewells to this doughty device. Overall, it’s actually quite fast and capable.

Adieu & So Long, ThinkCentre M90a Gen5 AIO

Overall, I like the performance and compactness of this All-in-One. As I said before, this unit would make a great office/cubicle PC; ditto for college students looking for a dorm room desktop. It would, however, make sense, to spend ~US$500 less for 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD with no optical drive, then add more memory and a second SSD at market prices to match the pricier configuration. That’s because, as configured, this unit costs around US$2K (i7-14700, 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM, Windows 11 Pro, optical drive).

I also don’t understand why Lenovo didn’t provide Thunderbolt 3 or better ports — ideally, USB4 compliant ones — in this AIO. It comes equipped with numerous USB-A ports and a single USB-C (8 in all). Alas, they top out at 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds (2 of those, plus another 6 USB 3.2 Gen 1 5Gbps ports, all of the Type A variety).

An AIO Past Its Peak?

Though the CPU is a speedy 20-core model (8 P-cores for 16 threads, 12 E-cores for a total of 28 threads altogether), no NPU means this unit is not Copilot+ capable. Those wishing to exercise Windows 11 24H2’s more advanced AI capabilities can’t do so on this PC. I’m also a bit vexed at the lack of high-speed USB as well. But if those things don’t play into your users’ computing needs, this is  a solid, work-ready PC. If I were going to buy one myself, though, I’d look for refurb deals or discounts from Lenovo or other resellers.

The display is gorgeous (2880×1800) and supports refresh rates as high as 160MHz. It’s a treat to look at, and work with. I also hooked it up to a 34″ external Acer monitor, and the Intel 770HD chipset had no issues driving its built-in 24″ display at the same time. It made for some impressive and watchable screen real estate. Yes, I know: that plays against the compactness factor, but I was curious! HWiNFO output for the built-monitor serves as the lead-in graphic here.

As the unit heads back to the reviews team, I find myself wondering what Lenovo might send my way next. Stay tuned: I’ll tell you all about it. Can’t wait!

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Further Intel DSA Follies

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So I’m working on the new loaner unit here at Chez Tittel: a Lenovo ThinkCentre M90a Gen5. As part of my management process, I routinely install the Intel Driver and Support Assistant — aka DSA — on PCs with Intel CPUs. That includes the M90a because it sports a beefy i7-14700. In catching up the device on the latest Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GbE drivers this morning, I found myself engaged in further Intel DSA follies following (and during) installation. Let me explain…

Fostering Further Intel DSA Follies

My first folly occurred as DSA was getting installed. Even though it wasn’t quite done, it popped up a notification of available updates. I’d never seen this before, so I bit on that offer. It got me downloading the aforementioned communications drivers, and I started that sequence with Bluetooth. Imagine my surprise when the install refused to run because “another installation is underway.” For me, then, Folly #1 is “Don’t start on updates until DSA install is finished.”

Folly #2 reflects a recent UI change in DSA. Once it completes any driver install, it shows installation history. Because one is installing drivers in sequence, that means one must click the “Refresh” button to see any and all remaining drivers that still need to be installed. Repeat until all desired drivers are updated. I’ll summarize Folly #2 as “Remember to click ‘Refresh’ as each install completes, to see remaining pending installs.”

Folly#3 is extreme user engagement in the various driver installers. I counted from 7 to 10 mouse clicks per driver install to get through that process. This bothers me enough that I’ve already blogged about this (April 2023: Achieving Intel Update Driver Silence). Given that Intel has documented this capability for most of its drivers, I’m apparently not the only DSA user to find this irksome.

Done and Dusted: Follies Behind Me

The M90a is now caught up with all of the Intel drivers I choose to update. Even though it’s not supposed to matter, that brings me to Folly #4: The Intel Arc & Iris Xe Graphics warning (appears as the lead-in graphic above, in fact). Intel says elsewhere that since 2022 or thereabouts, its drivers do NOT trample upon OEM customizations. Yet it continues to flash this warning and require user opt-in before enabling install. Sheesh.

Here in Windows World, it’s always something. Today, it’s Intel DSA follies. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? Wait til then, and I’ll let you know…

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Strange But Lovable Lenovo AIO

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An AIO is an “all-in-one” — namely, a monitor with a mini-PC slung on its back, usually built from laptop parts. It’s got everything you need to compute except mouse and keyboard (and Lenovo sent those, too, along with the unit and power cord). I’ve owned and enjoyed numerous AIOs over the years. Thus, I was intrigued to learn more about what Lenovo might offer me in that line. They sent me the ThinkCentre M90a Gen 5 in December, but I’m only now writing about this strange but lovable Lenovo AIO .

Digging Into a Strange But Lovable Lenovo AlO

Let me tell you more about this beast: it combines numerous odd or even anachronistic features with a capable CPU, lots of ports, and a surprisingly vibrant and good-looking screen. Here’s a list of what was present on the review unit Lenovo sent me:

CPU: Core i7-14700 (8 P cores, 12 E cores, 28 threads total)
RAM: 2x DDR5-5600 16 GB (32 GB total)
Graphics: Integrated Intel UHD Graphics 770
Disk: 1x 1 TB SK Hynix HFS001TEJ9X164N NVMe SSD Gen4
Display: 23.8″ color calibrated touch display (1920×1080 HD)
Networking: Intel AX211 Wi-Fi 6E and RJ-45 for GbE
Ports: 3x 10 Gbps USB-A, 3x 5 Gbps USB-A, 1x 10 Gbps USB-C
Camera: 5 MP RGBIR (Windows Hello ready) [accessory]
OS: Windows 11 Pro 24H2
Mouse & Keyboard included (very basic house brand)

As configured, this unit goes for US$2,133.00 at the Lenovo Store. Prices go up and down there, and at resellers, so use this as a guidepost rather than a “must-pay” number. If you shop around you may find a better price.

Strange (Anachronistic) vs. Lovable

What makes the M90s strange — IMO anyway — is its inclusion of an optical (DVD only, not Blu-ray) drive, no add-in GPU support, and only USB 3.2 5 and 10 Gbps ports (no USB4 or TB4 ports at all). The unit refused to recognize a USB4 NVMe enclosure when I plugged it in (across all ports). That’s strange, and a bit frustrating, on a business-oriented (says Lenovo) AIO. The unit does support a second SSD slot (M.2 2080 module replaces the DVD drive). One could also insert a SATA SSD into the currently unoccupied hard disk slot inside the case.

What makes this unit lovable is its bitchin’ fast performance (the i7-14700 is wicked fast) and its eminently viewable display. I plugged an Acer 38″ monitor into DisplayPort on the back and easily drove the built-in 23.8″ (1920×1080) and the external 38″ (3840×2160) for an enormous desktop. Great fun!

There are plenty of ports available (albeit slower ones) and I was able to accommodate SSDs (mSATA and NVMe) and various hard disks in their respective enclosures. The internal SSD topped out at ~5 GiB read and 4+GiB write speeds (via CrystalDiskMark 8.0.6 x64 version). Because of port speed limits, 500 Mbps is about as fast as external media will run (on par with a SATA SSD, in fact).

Intended and Possible Uses for M90a Gen 5

Personally, I see this kind of PC as an ideal choice for a dorm room PC, or for office workers in typical productivity jobs (not developers or creatives, but most everybody else). It offers good value for the money if you let Lenovo emplace the parts. That value jumps if you buy minimally configured units and upgrade them yourself (e.g. RAM and storage, including a 2nd internal SSD and a SATA SSD in the HD slot). It’s a pretty solid workhorse if somewhat long in the tooth…

 

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First TB5 NVMe SSD Enclosures Drop

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OK then, I knew it was coming. The Thunderbolt 5 (TB5) and USB5 (aka USB4V2.0) specs got released in September 2023. We’d been expecting 80Gbps devices (including docks, SSD enclosures, dongles, and  so forth) to hit the market by late 2024. Now it looks like that crop is starting to come in. I see an NVMe enclosure model available from Acasis at Newegg (MSRP: $279, limited time deal for $239 — it provides the lead-in graphic image above). I also see a Trebleet model available at Amazon ($199). So as these first TB5 NVMe SSD enclosures drop, I find myself asking: “When will I get a test PC with an 80 Gbps USB-C port?” Good question!

Impact When First TB5 NVMe SSD Enclosures Drop

According to the device info a Newegg and Amazon, these new enclosures offer double the maximum read/write speeds from external NVMe connections. But remember, the whole chain — that is, port to cable to enclosure to embedded SSD — must be ready to accommodate those blistering speeds. Right now, it seems that cables (which usually ship with high end enclosures), enclosures and NVMes (which should ideally be PCIe Gen 4×4 or better) are becoming available.

There’s a bit of a problem on the port side of the chain right now, though. At the moment, only the very newest laptops incorporate USB5/TB5 80Gbps capable USB-C ports. Basically, you’ll have to go out and buy something new to take this I/O chain into your Windows processing stable. And indeed, Qualcomm has not yet incorporated USB5/TB5 controllers into its chipsets, so such a laptop will not come from that branch of the Copilot+ PC family tree, either. Indeed, Copilot tells me the same is true for Intel and AMD based Copilot+ PC hardware right now, too.

Does anybody else see a possible mismatch emerging? I can’t help but believe that leading-edge AI capable PCs should also accommodate the fastest USB-C ports and related I/O chains. It could be that the PC market is about to get more interesting than Microsoft and OEMs want it to be… Who wants to choose between AI-capable and blistering fast I/O: buyers want both!!!

Stay tuned: I’ll keep digging!

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Final thoughts: ThinkBook Plus 5G Android Connection

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Now that I’ve had — and used — the hybrid ThinkBook Plus 5G (TB5G) for 8 weeks or so, I’m ready to close out my eval and send it back to Lenovo. That said, my final thoughts are: the ThinkBook Plus 5G Android connection is what makes (or breaks) a buying decision. Those with Android phones they’d like to integrate will find that link-up much more convivial and useful than those with iPhone devices. Alas, I’m a member of the latter club, so I’m coming down on the “won’t buy” side of the equation. I like the PC, but not enough to buy this particular dream.

The ThinkBook Plus 5G Android Connection Is Vital

As is often true for hybrid devices, I also found the TB5G configuration somewhat brittle. I ran into initial difficulties upgrading the device from 23H2 (as shipped) to 24H2 (once WU started offering that version). It did succeed on a later try, so MS obviously took steps to accommodate its hybrid storage. It creates a shared “exchange zone” between the Android tablet/display and the Wintel Core Ultra 7 155H-based keyboard deck. Obviously, it also requires special handling during Windows install and upgrade.

This also went by the wayside when, as an experiment, I let Snappy SDIO loose on the device’s drivers with a doomed across-the-board upgrade. That experiment goes in the “major fail” column, as it left the PC without working cursor, keyboard or touch display upon completion. That fail was severe enough, in fact, that I had to use the “reboot three times” method to get into WinRE and reset the PC from the cloud to restore it to working condition. After that, in fact, it took an upgrade to “Hybrid Center” to bring the Hybrid Folder (A:) back to the desktop…

A Large But Likable Beast

Overall, the unit behaved well, and did what I asked it to do during the eval process. It’s heavier than most ThinkPads, though, and I found it harder to lug than most other Lenovos I’ve tried out in the past 4-5 years (3.9lbs/1.77kg: 2.14lbs/0.97kg base; 1.73lbs/.80kb tablet-display). If I have the price right (my 32 GB, 1 TB SSD, 155H configuration appears to cost around US$2K) it’s a bit pricey, but offers good performance and interesting capabilities.

In the end, it comes down to whether or not you’ve bought into Android or iPhone telephony. It integrated well with my aging Motorola Razr Android phone. With my iPhone 12, not much differentiated it from other Windows laptops. That’s why I’m making the Android call on “who’s most interested” where this device is concerned.

For my money, the lack of Copilot+ PC capability outweighs the “ooh” factor in a laptop with a detachable, independently usable display. I’m ordinarily a sucker for such devices — and have owned models from Dell, Fujitsu, Microsoft, and Lenovo in this category. But lacking the right NPU configuration, this device doesn’t make that grade. Back it goes…

 

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ThinkBook Plus G5 External Storage

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I’ve been messing about with an interesting (and covetable) Lenovo hybrid laptop lately. it’s got an x86 PC for the keyboard deck, and a plug-in 15″ Android tablet that also doubles as a laptop display when docked with that deck. I plugged my fastest external USB storage devices into the free TB4/USB4 rated USB-C port and ran CrystalDiskMark. That gives me some basis to talk about ThinkBook Plus G5 external storage. I’m checking outUSB4 NVMe, TB4 NVMe, USB3.0 Msata, and USB 3.0 HDD storage devices.

ThinkBook Plus G5 External Storage Capability

I’m running CrystalDiskMark version 8.0.6 through its standard testing paces to see how these various devices all compare, in the same USB-C port and using the same USB4 rated cable. So far, what I’ve seeing is not bad, but not on par with other high-end Lenovo laptops or mini-desktops. (FWIW, I’ve also noticed that Snapdragon X Copilot+ PCs offer excellent USB-C USB4/TB performance, but only 5 Gbps capability on their built-in USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports.)

The internal SSD in the ThinkBook Plus G5 (I’ll abbreviate that as TB5 for brevity) gets reasonable performance. It’s a Samsung OEM NVMe MZAL81T0HDLB-00BL2 (vintage 2022, Gen4x4 M.2, middling performance). It does pretty well on large data transfers (~6GB read/4.7GB write queue depth 8; 3GB read/2.9GB write queue depth 1). On Random 4K reads, it’s somewhat less thrilling: 337.7MB read/264.5MB write queue depth 32; 60 MB read/113MB write queue depth 1). Those CrystalDiskMark (CDM) results provide the lead-in graphic for this story.

When I shift to external storage via USB, the story gets darker quickly:


Type   1TibRWQ8  1TibRWQ1   4KRWQ32  4KRWQ1
USB4   3062/447  1692/521   337/8    11/4
TB4    2615/530  2211/491   345/14   62/10
mSATA  465/331   436/121    138/20   23/2
HDD    118/117   117/52     1/1      0.4/0.4

On the whole, I’d have to say that I/O performance with external storage is NOT a strong suit for the otherwise interesting and occasionally excellent/amazing TB5. I see at least 15% better performance across the board for all those devices on the 2022 vintage Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 Mobile Workstation and the 2023 vintage Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra mini-Workstation. For example, here are the internal drive results from the 2022 vintage P16:

The Internal NVMe on the P16 is mostly 15+% faster across the board. Only 4KR/QD=1 is slightly less.

Note: the P16’s internal drive is a WD SN810 2TB NVMe (PCIe Gen4 x4 drive with performance nearly equal to the TB5’s Samsung OEM drive).

Space and Cost Are at a Premium, So…

In a hybrid device like the TB5, I have to believe that space and device costs are important elements to control. My best guess is that Lenovo went with more compact and possibly lower-cost USB circuitry than they put into those other two devices. Then again, the internal SSD could be slower than those used in the other devices as well. Both will impact overall I/O performance.

On the other hand, as I use the TB5 for surfing the web, doing workaday tasks, installing and running all kinds of software and tests, and more, I’ve not really noticed I/O as a bottleneck. Perception is vital to user experience, so these numbers I’ve shared may paint this fascinating two-in-one less positively than they should. Bear that in mind as you consider “buying this dream.” I’m reading that MSRP will be right around $2K for a 22-core Ultra 7-155H, 32GB, 1TB SSD model. It just may be worth it.

Next up: I’m going to take the Android tablet for a ride on its own, to see how it does as a detached tablet. Stay tuned!

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Intake: Lenovo ThinkBook Plus G5

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OK then, I’ve gotten far enough past my holiday backlog to take a first look at an odd but intriguing new hybrid laptop PC. On intake, Lenovo ThinkBook Plus G5 shows itself to be an interesting and powerful performer. The unit is actually two PCs: an Intel x86 PC embedded inside the keyboard deck, with a detachable Android tablet that serves as a Windows monitor when docked with the deck. Good stuff! You can see the tablet in position for docking above the deck in the lead-in graphic (image courtesy of Lenovo).

Observations During Intake:
Lenovo ThinkBook Plus G5

I knew this was going to be interesting when I opened the shipping carton and saw it contained two boxes. As you might guess: one for the Android tablet, the other for the x86 Intel deck. What you might not guess is the Matrioshka-like box within a box for those inner boxes themselves — one each for tablet and deck. Indeed, everything used for shipping these units (and other new items from Lenovo since 2012, believe it or not) is made of paper. Over the past dozen years in fact, I’ve watched the plastic content drop to zero. They even use paper-covered twist ties (when they use them at all). So kudos to Lenovo for easy-to-unpack, sustainable packaging.

Deck spes

Here are the specifications for the deck in this paired hybrid laptop whose full official product name is ThinkBook Plus Gen 5 Hybrid (14″ Intel) Station & Tablet:

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H (16 Cores, 22 logical processors)
Memory: 32 GB dual-channel LPDDRX5 7467 MHz RAM
Storage: 1 TB M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD (Samsung OEM)
Ports: 2xUSB4 Thunderbolt4 USB-C ports on deck,
1 RCA audio mini-jack
Network: Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 160MHz

Tablet Specs

Here are the specs for the tablet side of this duo:

CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 (8 Cores)
Graphics: Qualcomm Adreno GPU
Display: 14″ 2.8K (2880×1800) OLED multi-touch
Memory: 128GB LPDDR5x (soldered, no upgrade)
Storage: 256GB UFS 3.1 on tablet motherboard
Sensors: Accelerometer, ambient light, color, gyroscope, hall, ToF, and e-compass

I can’t say much about battery life just yet. The tablet has a built-in Li-polymer 38.7Wh battery with life estimates from 6.83 hours (web browsing) to 52.14 hours (local audio playback). Thurrott sez it gets 4.5 hours using it as a normal Windows laptop. He also says the 100W brick charges the deck’s 75 Wh battery to “almost full capacity in about an hour.” For now, it tells me the combo unit is intended as a desktop replacement, while the tablet is more prepared for extended untethered use. I’ll learn more later…

Initial Start-up and Setup

I had to wait for the deck and tablet to garner minimal charges before I was able to start the hybrid pair up into Windows for the first time. No biggie, but Lenovo usually sends units out fully charged. It took patience, but was easily overcome.

Lenovo Vantage hit a new update record when I used it to check for outstanding items: 11 on the first try, 2 on the second try. I was pleased the unit shipped with Windows 11 Pro installed, and amused to see it running Version 23H2 (Build 22631.4541 after all updates were applied). This process took the better part of an hour to work through, with a handful of restarts along the way.

As Windows laptops go, this one’s pretty peachy. It runs nearly as fast as the P16 Gen 1 Mobile Workstation (with its 24 core i9-12950HX CPU and double the RAM). I’m still in the process of getting all the apps installed, Windows Terminal customized, and working through the usual intake and setup drill. But so far, you can color me impressed!

Tablet Remains Terra Incognito

Last night, I pulled the tablet off the laptop to show my wife it displayed an Android screen when disconnected. Pretty colorful, too. But that’s as far as I’ve gotten with that half of this dynamic device duo. I plan to read some manuals, and fool around, over the weekend. More to follow on that front next week.

Pros and Cons So Far

There’s a lot to like about this dual unit. It’s sturdy (made of machined aluminum throughout with a matte grey silver finish), attractive, and a pleasure to use. The tablet display pops with color and text is rendered crisply and legibly. So far, I love the concept of running the tablet separately but I haven’t put that to the test yet, so I can say if I love the execution or the actual use.

There are a few cons about the ThinkBook Plus G5, though, but nothing too onerous or serious:

1. The combined weight of the units is ~3.9 lbs (2.14 deck & 1.73 tablet). That’s heavier than I’m used to for a modern laptop.
2. This sucker is kinda costly, with an MSRP of US$1,999 for the current configuration. It also included a US$38 accessory called the Lenovo Tab Pen Plus.
3. Despite its 160MHz rated Wi-Fi adapter, I couldn’t get it to work at 160MHz with my ASUS AX6000 router. Works fine at 802.11ac levels, though. That said, it runs at 380-500 Mbps on my LAN.
4. With only two usable USB-C ports and no USB-A ports, users will have to carry a hub or use a dock if they want to attach more than 1 or 2 devices.

All in all, it’s a pretty nifty machine. I look forward to putting it through its paces and seeing what more (and what else) it can do. Stay tuned.

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