Face Off: Lenovo ThinkPad T460s vs. ThinkPad X1 Yoga vs. ThinkPad Yoga 460

Each of the these three ThinkPads is made out of a combination of carbon fiber and magnesium and is certified under MIL-STD standards. Thus, they are all more tightly built and stronger than the average notebook or convertible aimed at general consumers. We find both the X1 Yoga and Yoga 460 to be rigid machines with tight gaps between transitioning materials as expected from the ThinkPad series, so the workmanship of these models is not any worse than a traditional ThinkPad.

When comparing these three to each other, however, there's no question that the T460s is the more robust machine. Its torsional resistance around the palm rests is superior to both the the X1 Yoga and Yoga 460 without being significantly thicker or even heavier. Meanwhile, we find the Yoga 460 to be the stronger convertible when compared to the X1 Yoga with less flexing and twisting. In turn, the model is slightly thicker, larger, and also several hundred grams heavier.

Lenovo is understandably hesitant on incorporating Thunderbolt 3 onto its lineup of ThinkPads as its proprietary Docking Port and OneLink+ options already include a wide range of optional docks that cater specifically to business users. With that said, we would have appreciated at least one USB Type-C Gen. 1 or Gen. 2 port for added versatility.

Important differences between the T460s, X1 Yoga, and Yoga 460 are the SIM slots, OneLink+ port, and SmartCard reader. No single model includes all three and users may want to choose the SKU with the connectivity features that are most important to everyday workloads. The X1 Yoga and Yoga 460 each come with an active stylus.

The same integrated HD Graphics 520 GPU can be found on each configuration. Its performance scales accordingly to the CPU, so the faster processor should theoretically have the faster HD Graphics 520 GPU. 3DMark and CineBench benchmarks show this to be the case as our T460s with the i7-6600U edges out all other models. The Yoga 460 and its slower i5-6200U is again slower by 15 to 20 percent when compared to the i7-6600U in the T460s. Nonetheless, most modern 3D titles are unplayable with integrated Intel HD Graphics at the native 1080p or 1440p resolution.

See our dedicated GPU page on the HD Graphics 520 for additional benchmarks and comparisons.

System Noise & Temperature

All three notebooks are essentially silent when idling or under very low loads. The Yoga 460 is the quietest at just over 31 dB(A) under average loads to be just barely audible when typing or working in the office. The two systems with the faster Core i7-6600U CPU are the loudest under high loads at an audible 33 dB(A) up to 39 dB(A) when subjected to extreme stress. Otherwise, all three models are never uncomfortably loud during regular use and their fans do not frequently pulsate.

Surface temperatures are relatively low on our ThinkPad units even when under extreme processing stress. The internal cooling components do a good job at concentrating waste heat to only small portions of the notebook while the rest of the surfaces remain cooler. With that said, both the X1 Yoga and Yoga 460 have much warmer hot spots at well over 45 C whereas the T460s is in the lower 40 C range. The lower core operating temperatures and louder fan noise of the T460s compared to the X1 Yoga and Yoga 460 could be contributing factors to its slightly cooler hot spot.

The Yoga 460 and standard ThinkPad X1 Yoga are noticeably less demanding than the ThinkPad T460s and the ThinkPad X1 Yoga OLED. This correlates with their respective processors as the T460s and ThinkPad X1 Yoga OLED are each sporting the more powerful i7-6600U. Interestingly, the T460s draws more power when under average processing loads likely due to its ability to maintain higher Turbo Boost speeds.

The battery modules are integrated and non-removable on the Lenovo notebooks with capacities of around 50 Wh each. Users can expect runtimes of just over 5 hours under WLAN conditions on the T460s and X1 Yoga while the Yoga 460 can last for significantly longer at over 7.5 hours.

Secondary external battery packs from Lenovo are supported via docking ports for even longer runtimes if needed.

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