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Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5
Lenovo’s flagship ultrabook
The ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 combines the sheer value of Lenovo’s flagship T Series with an ultrabook form factor that makes it ideal for students or professionals on the go. Its high material quality and Intel Core Ultra processor options look to give the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 a run for its money.
Pros
- Powerful Intel Core Ultra CPU options
- Ultraportable design
- Excellent battery life
Cons
- Soldered RAM
- Mediocre webcam
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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
A premium ultrabook for executives
$1999 $2499 Save $500
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is a high-end ultrabook designed for professionals who demand substantial processing power and top-tier build quality. Its Intel Core Ultra processor options and carbon fiber chassis create a sense of luxury unmatched by other business laptops.
Pros
- Powerful Intel Core Ultra CPU options
- 2.8K OLED display options
- Ultraportable design
Cons
- Soldered RAM
- High price tag
Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptop lineup is a popular choice for business professionals, creative enthusiasts, and students alike. But with Lenovo’s value-priced laptops seeing massive year-over-year gains in performance, the lines between Lenovo’s flagship and premium laptops have become more blurred than ever.
In order to simplify your decision-making process when considering some of the best laptops of 2024, we’ve compared two of Lenovo’s most popular ultrabooks in terms of price value, design, display quality, performance, and battery life. So, no matter which of these factors is most important for you, you’ll be able to find the right ThinkPad ultrabook for your needs. Let’s get started with the various purchasing options available for both laptops.
Price, availability, and specs
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Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 CPU Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 165U Up to Intel Core Ultra 7 165U GPU Intel Arc integrated graphics Intel Arc (integrated) Display type IPS, Anti-Glare, 400 nits, touch or non-touch, 60Hz IPS, anti-glare, 400 nits or OLED, 400 nits Display (Size, Resolution) 14-inches, 1920×1200 14-inch 120Hz 2.8K or 14-inch 60Hz 1920×1200 RAM Up to 32GB LPDDR5X (6400Mhz) Up to 64GB LPDDR5x Storage Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD Gen4 Up to 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD Battery 58Whr 57Wh Ports 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB-A, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack Two Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio Operating System Windows 11 Pro Windows 11 Dimensions 0.67 x 12.3 x 8.6 inches (16.9 x 313.6 x 219.4 mm) 12.31 x 8.45 x 0.59 inches (312.8mm x 214.75mm x 14.96mm) Weight 2.73lbs From 2.42 pounds (1.09kg) Speakers 2 x 2W speakers with Dolby Audio Dual speakers, Dolby Atmos
It’s challenging to casually discuss the specs of these laptops because they both ship in so many different configurations. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 ships in four prebuilt configurations, while the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 offers à la carte upgrades for its processor, memory, storage, display, camera, touchpad, and software suite. These laptops are currently only available through Lenovo’s website, though they will eventually be available through premium retailers like Best Buy and Amazon.
The ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 base model starts at $2,729 and includes an Intel Core Ultra 5 125U processor, 16 GB LPDDR5X RAM, and a 512 GB M.2 SSD. This configuration is available with Intel Core Ultra 7 135U and touchscreen support for $2,959. Upgrading to an Intel Core Ultra 7 155U will run you $2,979. Alternatively, you can opt for a souped Intel Core Ultra 7 165U, 32GB LPDDR5X RAM, a 1TB M.2 SSD, and a touchscreen display for $3,719. Note that these prices are all MSRP and may be subject to potential sales once the laptop has been out for a bit longer.
Comparatively, the fully customizable ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 has both a lower cost floor and a higher cost ceiling. Selecting the cheapest components for each category leaves you with a starting MSRP of $2,499, while selecting the most expensive components will cost you $4,705. The X1 Carbon Gen 12 ships with your choice of an Intel Core Ultra 5 125U, Intel Core Ultra 7 165U (with vPro support), an Intel Core Ultra 7 155U, or an Intel Core Ultra 7 165U (with vPro support). It ships with either 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB of LPDDR5X RAM. It ships with a 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB M.2 SSD. It also has options for integrated mobile broadband and a premium 2.8K display.
While neither laptop is cheap, it’s safe to say that the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 better meets all possible specification needs, especially when it comes to high performance.
Winner: ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
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Related
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 12) review: More power and improved features in a smaller body
Lenovo continues to find ways to improve on a what is already the best business laptop on the market.
Design
They’re both incredibly sleek, but one is sleeker
Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptops always deliver in terms of construction and build quality, especially with the premium Ts and Carbon laptop lines. But comparing the two directly reveals a clear winner in the design department: the X1 Carbon Gen 12. Let’s look at some examples of how the X1 Carbon Gen 12 raises the bar for the ThinkPad brand.
The ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 is respectably slim at 0.67 x 12.3 x 8.6 inches and 2.73 pounds, but the X1 Carbon Gen 12 is even slimmer at 0.59 x 12.31 x 8.45 inches and 2.42 pounds. While the ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 has the classic ThinkPad backlit keyboard and trackpad combo (complete with the beloved TrackPoint pointing device), the X1 Carbon Gen 12 ups the ante with an adaptive function row and a better glass-coated trackpad. And while both devices are made with post-consumer content recycled material, the X1 Carbon Gen 12’s carbon chassis is lighter and more durable than the ThinkPad T14s Gen 5’s aluminum chassis.
While either laptop is a perfectly suitable option for on-the-go use, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the standout winner. What else would you expect from a computer designed for C-Suite professionals looking to flex?
Winner: ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
Display
The X1 Carbon Gen 12 brings OLED brilliance
Source: Lenovo
The winner in the display department depends on exactly which versions of these two laptops we’re comparing. The base models of the ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 and X1 Carbon Gen 12 both have the same 14-inch WUXGA (1920×1200) IPS display, which makes for a tie at the bare minimum. But the X1 Carbon Gen 12 can be customized with a far better 2.8K display, making it the clear winner when budget is not a factor.
Those willing to spend a little more on their laptop’s display will definitely prefer the X1 Carbon Gen 12, as it can ship with a much nicer 14-inch 2.8K (2880×1800) OLED display. It represents a substantial upgrade in resolution, brightness, contrast, and motion fluidity over the base model display. It is also automatically bundled with an upgraded 2160P camera, which looks much better than the stock 1080P camera you’ll find on both base models.
That’s not to say the ThinkPad T14s Gen 5’s display is bad though. Its WUXGA resolution is plenty serviceable for casual use, and it has a decent brightness rating of 500 nits. The 60Hz refresh rate is a bit disappointing, but this isn’t a big deal on a machine that isn’t built for gaming. One advantage that the T14s Gen 5 display actually offers over the X1 Carbon Gen 12 is an option for touchscreen. That being said, the applications of touch controls are limited on a clamshell-style notebook.
Winner: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
Performance
It’s basically a tie, except where it’s not
Performance is a tough category to assess, as both laptops ship with the same four CPU options: the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U, Core Ultra 5 135U, Core Ultra 7 155U, or Core Ultra 7 165U. On paper, this means that they have roughly the same processing power. However, we can’t say for sure until we’ve had a chance to benchmark both machines to test for thermal limiting.
Until then, it comes down to the specs sheet to pick a proper winner in this category. And since the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 ships with larger RAM and storage configuration options, we’ll give it the win. It might not seem like a big differentiator in the performance category, but having more RAM means faster data retrieval and system operations.
Again, the winner of this category may change once we’ve properly benchmarked both of these ultrabooks. When we do, we’ll be sure to update this portion of the review. But until then, the higher ceiling for RAM and storage upgrades makes the X1 Carbon Gen 12 the default winner here.
Winner: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
Battery
It’s basically a tie again
We have another close call in the battery category when comparing the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s and the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12. Since they have nearly identically-sized batteries (58Wh and 57Wh, respectively), the individual spec configuration you choose will have a larger impact on your potential battery life than the laptop model you choose. And certainly the way you use the laptop will have an even larger impact on performance.
To establish an even playing field, we’ll compare the two configurations that Lenovo identified as having the max battery life in their internal testing. For the ThinkPad T14s Gen 5, this was a model with the WUXGA (non-touch) display, the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, 16GB LPDDR5x RAM, and running in the best power efficiency power mode. For the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12, this was a model with the WUXGA (non-touch) display, the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U CPU, 16GB LPDDR5x RAM, and also running in the best power efficiency power mode.
With these configurations, the ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 ran MobileMark 25 for up to 15.2 hours with a 746 performance score at 250 nits. Comparatively, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 ran MobileMark 25 for up to 16 hours with a 604 performance score at 250 nits. The bottom line? Both laptops have an impressive battery life, but the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 has a slightly better max benchmark score, so we’ll give it a win here too.
Winner: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 vs ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12: Which is right for you?
We have our favorite… see what you think
After looking at the price value, design, display quality, performance, and battery life of these two Lenovo laptops, the results seem clear. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the better option for both budget and performance reasons, because of the sheer number of customization options available for it. However, the ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 is still brand new, which means it may also get expanded customization options from Lenovo once it’s been out for a while. You can read more about how Lenovo upgrades its most popular ThinkPads with AI and a 5MP webcam. Upgrades like this and others will tighten the gap between these two laptop models even further. But for now, we recommend the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12.
All this being said, the differences that make the X1 C arbon Gen 12 stand out are incredibly minor when comparing it directly to the T14s Gen 5. So if you want to read more about our favorite pick, you can check out our focused X1 Carbon Gen 12 overview too. The T14s Gen 5 provides a computing experience that is 90% as good as the X1 Carbon Gen 12, which means that it is still a totally viable alternative, so between the two, you really can’t go wrong.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
Editor’s choice
$1999 $2499 Save $500
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is one of the best laptops on the market today. In the business laptop space, specifically, it is practically unmatched. Between its immaculate construction and highly customizable specs sheet, it is an easy choice for anyone who can fit this premium laptop into their computing budget.
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5
Runner-up
The ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 is Lenovo’s most slim and powerful flagship laptop to date. At lower price points, it delivers performance identical to that of the X1 Carbon Gen 12. The only thing holding it back is access to the X1 Carbon Gen 12’s fancier display options and RAM/storage configurations. Otherwise, it is an equally viable option for a high-end business laptop.