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Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400 Notebook Review

Longer lasting. Lenovo's ThinkPad L460 does not offer many new features. The Skylake processors provide a bit more computing power, and the L440 clearly has a longer battery life. Unfortunately, Lenovo does not install a docking port in the L460 models furnished with AMD graphics cards.

For the original German review, see here.

The ThinkPad L lineup stands for business laptops in the medium price range. It places itself between the E and T lineups. We are presently facing the newest 14-inch model named ThinkPad L460. No major modifications have been made compared with the L450. While the L450 models are furnished with Broadwell processors, Skylake CPUs are installed in the L460 models. Our test report reveals whether the ThinkPad benefits from the new processors.

The ThinkPad finds rivals in HP's ProBook 440 and HP's ProBook 640. HP's EliteBook 745 can also be included due to its relatively low price. Other opponents are Dell's Latitude 14 E5470, Acer's TravelMate P645 and Toshiba's Tecra Z40.

Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400 (ThinkPad L460 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-6500U 2 x 2.5 - 3.1 GHz (Intel Core i7)
Graphics adapter
AMD Radeon R5 M330 - 2048 MB VRAM, Core: 1030 MHz, Memory: 1000 MHz, DDR3, 32 bit interface, 15.301.1801.1001 (Crimson 16.1.1), Enduro
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR3-1600, single-channel, two memory banks, one bank filled
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel, Lenovo N140HCE-EAA, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Skylake-U Premium PCH
Storage
Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU, 256 GB 
, 210 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC293 @ Intel Skylake High Definition Audio Controller
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 VGA, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio, Card Reader: SD, TPM 1.2
Networking
Intel Ethernet Connection I219-V (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 24.3 x 339 x 235 ( = 0.96 x 13.35 x 9.25 in)
Battery
48 Wh Lithium-Ion, removeable
Camera
Webcam: HD webcam
Additional features
Speakers: stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.93 kg ( = 68.08 oz / 4.25 pounds), Power Supply: 298 g ( = 10.51 oz / 0.66 pounds)
Price
1000 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

The casing of the L460 has not been modified compared with the ThinkPad L450. The ThinkPad's casing is completely made of plastic. Lenovo relies on a straightforward, angular shape that is appealing. The color of choice is black-gray. The laptop does not sport an optical drive. Lenovo offers three different batteries (23.5 Wh, 48 Wh, 72 Wh) for the ThinkPad. Our review sample carries the medium-sized model (48 Wh). It juts out of the casing's underside by approximately 1 cm. The casing of the L450/L460 is a step backward in terms of maintenance. Former ThinkPad L models still had maintenance hatches, unlike the L450/L460. The base tray has to be removed to access the innards. That is quite easy to do, but more about that later.

The laptop's build is overall good. Only insignificant details are noticed. For example, the plastic edges are not completely deburred, and a slight protrusion is palpable. The casing's stiffness does not give much reason for complaint, either. The base unit can be twisted a bit too evidently for our taste. A mobile laptop that is used in the most different locations should not have weaknesses in this regard. That is also true for the laptop's lid. Pressure on the lid's back only causes image distortions in some places. The hinges have a firm hold on the lid. Opening the lid with one hand is easily possible.

Connectivity

The ThinkPad features the same interfaces as its predecessor. All three USB ports operate in the USB 3.0 standard. Two video ports are present. Our review sample is prepared for a 3G/LTE modem; a SIM-card slot and necessary antennas are installed. The laptop's underside holds a surprise: There is no docking port.

Left: power socket, USB 3.0, combo audio
Left: power socket, USB 3.0, combo audio
Right: SIM-card slot, 2x USB 3.0, mini-Displayport, Gigabit Ethernet, VGA-out, Kensington lock slot
Right: SIM-card slot, 2x USB 3.0, mini-Displayport, Gigabit Ethernet, VGA-out, Kensington lock slot
Front: memory-card reader
Front: memory-card reader

Communication

Intel's Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 Wi-Fi module is inside the ThinkPad. It supports the 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac standards and also provides Bluetooth 4.2. We did not encounter connection issues. The connection was always stable in a 15-meter radius around our router. The ThinkPad also sports a Gigabit Ethernet port. The chip also comes from Intel (I219-V). It did an impeccable job.

Memory-Card Reader

The installed memory-card reader is relatively fast. A maximum transfer rate of 82.4 MB/s is reached when copying large data blocks. Transferring 250 JPG image files (approx. 5 MB each) is performed at a speed of 61.7 MB/s. We test the memory-card reader with our Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II reference card.

Security

The ThinkPad offers diverse security features. For example, a fingerprint reader for biometric authentication is on board. A Trusted Platform module is also present. The laptop is optionally available with a SmartCard reader. Our review sample does not have this reader.

Accessories

The ThinkPad is shipped with the usual accessories: A quick-start poster and warranty information.

Operating System

The review sample that we were provided with did not have an operating system. Installing Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 was easily possible. Lenovo provides drivers for all three versions. Before our L460 test, an owner of an L460 model turned to our editorial office for assistance. We were asked to check whether the same errors he had been experiencing also occurred in our review sample. The reader built an M.2 SSD into the laptop and installed Windows 10 on it. The operating system stuttered and recurrently froze. We could not reproduce this behavior on our review sample. Possible reasons could be a defect laptop/SSD, incompatibility of the used SSD with the laptop and/or missing drivers.

A second issue also troubles the user. Windows 10 was delivered on the included SSD this time. The user set the sleep mode via power button in Windows 10. When the laptop was awakened, the fan started to spin at full speed after about 15 seconds. 5 seconds later, the laptop shut down. We could not reproduce this behavior, either. Again, missing or faulty drivers are likely responsible here. Of course, a defect laptop cannot be excluded.

Docking Port

The ThinkPad L460 is essentially available with the docking port known from the ThinkPad L450. Thus, corresponding docking stations can also be used with the L460. However, Lenovo does not incorporate docking ports in models furnished with a dedicated AMD graphics card. Thus, a USB 3.0 solution would have to be used if a docking station were to be connected to our review sample.

No docking port in our review sample
No docking port in our review sample

Maintenance

Despite the lack of a maintenance hatch, maintaining/upgrading the ThinkPad is not a very big problem. The base tray can be removed. First, the SIM-card tray and battery have to be taken out. Two small rubber stoppers that also have to be removed are found under the battery. They are only inserted and not glued. Now the screws on the laptop's underside can be released. Note: The screws cannot be taken out of their fitting. They cannot be lost. After releasing the screws, the base tray can be lifted off. Clips that can be loosened with a putty knife additionally fix the tray.

Two working memory banks are discovered inside the ThinkPad. One bank is filled. The 2.5-inch hard drive can be replaced easily. It is also possible to clean the fan. The laptop has an empty M.2 slot (2240) that is primarily intended for an LTE modem (the necessary antennas are present). However, a corresponding solid state drive can also be inserted here. More about that later.

Warranty

As usual in the lower business sector, Lenovo only includes a one-year warranty for its ThinkPad. However, multiple warranty upgrades are available. For example, a two-year onsite warranty costs approximately 77 Euros (~$86).

Input Devices

Keyboard

We know the installed keyboard from other ThinkPad models; from the former L450 to be precise. The keys' shape corresponds to the familiar Lenovo design. They have a lightly roughened surface and are concave. The keyboard also proves to be well-built. It is fitted firmly in the casing and does not rock when typing on it. The keys have a medium drop and a defined and crisp pressure point. The keyboard installed here is one of the best models that have tested to date. It has been designed for prolific writers. However, we miss a keyboard backlight. The keyboard is splash-water proof; the ducts are situated on the laptop's underside.

Touchpad/TrackPoint

The multitouch ClickPad has a surface area of approximately 10 x 5.7 cm. Thus, there is enough room for gesture control. The pad's sleek surface allows the fingers to glide over it easily. The pad has a short drop and clear pressure point. In addition to the ClickPad, the ThinkPad also features a TrackPoint. In our opinion, it allows controlling the cursor more accurately than with the ClickPad. Three smooth-running mouse keys are situated above the ClickPad. They are primarily intended to be used with the TrackPoint.

ThinkPad input devices
ThinkPad input devices

Display

Pixel grid
Pixel grid

The ThinkPad is furnished with a matte, 14-inch screen that has a native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. The panel's good contrast (1021:1) is pleasing. However, it shows weaknesses in brightness (224.8 cd/m²). We expect a minimum rate of 300 cd/m² here. The laptop's price and its application field call for that. Positive: The screen never displayed PWM flickering. Cheaper ThinkPad models with HD screens (1366x768 pixels) are also available.

215
cd/m²
219
cd/m²
225
cd/m²
216
cd/m²
245
cd/m²
243
cd/m²
204
cd/m²
220
cd/m²
236
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Lenovo N140HCE-EAA tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 245 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 224.8 cd/m² Minimum: 3 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 83 %
Center on Battery: 244 cd/m²
Contrast: 1021:1 (Black: 0.24 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.89 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5
ΔE Greyscale 6.45 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
61.8% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
43.72% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.3% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
42.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.46

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

ThinkPad vs. sRGB
ThinkPad vs. sRGB
ThinkPad vs. AdobeRGB
ThinkPad vs. AdobeRGB

The screen is delivered with a DeltaE 2000 color shift of 6.89. A rate less than 3 would be desirable. The panel does not exhibit a bluish tint. Calibrating the screen can improve the reproduction. The color shift only drops marginally (4.62) and still misses the target range. However, a considerably more balanced reproduction of the grayscale levels is achieved. The screen cannot display either the AdobeRGB or sRGB color spaces. The coverage rates are 40% (AdobeRGB) and 62% (sRGB).

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps
CalMAN - ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN - ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation Sweeps (calibrated)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
29.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17.2 ms rise
↘ 12.4 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 76 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
44.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 20.4 ms rise
↘ 24 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 72 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

The user does not have to worry about image distortions in the ThinkPad. Lenovo treats the laptop to a viewing-angle stable IPS panel that remains legible in every position. The ThinkPad is quite outdoor suitable. The screen's matte surface and high contrast make that possible. It only gets difficult in bright sunlight due to the screen's low brightness. Shady surroundings should then be preferred.

Viewing angles: ThinkPad
Viewing angles: ThinkPad
The ThinkPad outdoors
The ThinkPad outdoors
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
IPS, 1920x1080
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
IPS, 1920x1080
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
IPS-Panel, 1920x1080
HP EliteBook 745 G3
TN LED, 1920x1080
HP Elitebook 745 G2
TN LED, 1366x768
HP ProBook 440 G3
TN, 1920x1080
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
TN, 1366x768
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
IPS, 1920x1080
Display
-6%
-7%
21%
-13%
-6%
-4%
52%
Display P3 Coverage
42.2
39.24
-7%
39.1
-7%
50.9
21%
36.42
-14%
39.6
-6%
40.06
-5%
66.7
58%
sRGB Coverage
62.3
58.9
-5%
58.8
-6%
76.7
23%
54.7
-12%
59.1
-5%
60.3
-3%
90.8
46%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
43.72
40.56
-7%
40.41
-8%
52.6
20%
37.64
-14%
40.94
-6%
41.42
-5%
66.5
52%
Response Times
16%
-17%
2%
-13%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
44.4 ?(20.4, 24)
40 ?(17, 23)
10%
54 ?(29, 25)
-22%
46 ?(24, 22)
-4%
56.8 ?(35.6, 21.2)
-28%
Response Time Black / White *
29.6 ?(17.2, 12.4)
23.2 ?(6.8, 16.4)
22%
33 ?(15, 18)
-11%
27.6 ?(11.2, 16.4)
7%
28.8 ?(19.6, 9.2)
3%
PWM Frequency
200 ?(90, 343)
Screen
-16%
2%
-16%
-64%
-27%
-39%
16%
Brightness middle
245
206
-16%
233
-5%
366.2
49%
208
-15%
246
0%
229
-7%
331
35%
Brightness
225
202
-10%
221
-2%
343
52%
202
-10%
215
-4%
207
-8%
309
37%
Brightness Distribution
83
91
10%
88
6%
89
7%
76
-8%
84
1%
80
-4%
82
-1%
Black Level *
0.24
0.39
-63%
0.3
-25%
0.714
-198%
0.72
-200%
0.5
-108%
0.69
-188%
0.4
-67%
Contrast
1021
528
-48%
777
-24%
513
-50%
289
-72%
492
-52%
332
-67%
828
-19%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.89
6.63
4%
4.43
36%
9.15
-33%
12.51
-82%
8.6
-25%
10.16
-47%
4.07
41%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
17.62
15.11
14%
17.18
2%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.45
6.29
2%
3.78
41%
9.57
-48%
13.57
-110%
9.36
-45%
10.87
-69%
4.86
25%
Gamma
2.46 89%
2.48 89%
2.31 95%
2.19 100%
2.15 102%
2.39 92%
2.41 91%
2.49 88%
CCT
6857 95%
5823 112%
7171 91%
11114 58%
15339 42%
11226 58%
12881 50%
6109 106%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
40.1
37.3
-7%
37.3
-7%
49.03
22%
35
-13%
37.8
-6%
38.4
-4%
59
47%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
61.8
58.7
-5%
77.28
25%
59.1
-4%
60.4
-2%
90.6
47%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-11% / -13%
4% / 2%
-4% / -9%
-39% / -50%
-10% / -18%
-19% / -29%
34% / 25%

* ... smaller is better

Performance

Lenovo's ThinkPad L460 is a 14-inch, mid-range business laptop. It has enough computing power for routine. The device can offer biometric authentication and TPM. An LTE modem is optionally available. Our review sample is not yet listed in price search engines, but various retailers sell it as an Education model (for pupils, students and educators only) starting at approximately 870 Euros (~$979). It can be presumed that the regular price will be around 1000 Euros (~$1126) based on the configurator on Lenovo's website. Other configurations are also offered. Lenovo's website reveals that their prices start at about 650 Euros (~$731).

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
HWInfo
LatencyMon

Processor

Lenovo changed from replaceable standard mobile processors to soldered ULV processors with the launch of the ThinkPad L450. Therefore, it is no longer possible to swap the processors in the new ThinkPad L models. Broadwell processors are installed within the L450 lineup. The L460 models are furnished with Skylake CPUs.

Intel's Core i7-6500U dual-core processor is inside our review sample. It is a member of the high-end division, which should fulfill the needs of most users. The CPU is a frugal model with a TDP of 15 watts. It clocks at a base speed of 2.5 GHz, which can be boosted to 3 GHz (two cores) or 3.1 GHz (one core) via Turbo that is also utilized. Single-thread applications are performed at 3 to 3.1 GHz, and multithread applications at 2.8 to 3 GHz. That is the case in both AC and battery modes.

The Skylake CPU defeats its Broadwell predecessor (Core i7-5500U) in the tests we performed. The scores are as much as 12% better. That is owed to the improved Skylake architecture and somewhat higher clock speeds.

The processor is soldered
The processor is soldered
Cinebench R10 Shading 32Bit
7426
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
10856
Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
4886
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
24.73 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
3.4 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.41 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
30.67 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
303 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
127 Points
Help
Cinebench R15
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
347 Points +15%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
313 Points +3%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
311 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
303 Points
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
294 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
290 Points -4%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
270 Points -11%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
250 Points -17%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
212 Points -30%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
162 Points -47%
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
141 Points +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
127 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
126 Points -1%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
124 Points -2%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
115 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
114 Points -10%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
114 Points -10%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
91 Points -28%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
77 Points -39%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
49 Points -61%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Multi 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
3.83 Points +13%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
3.44 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
3.4 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
3.23 Points -5%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3.2 Points -6%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
3.01 Points -11%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
2.58 Points -24%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2.5 Points -26%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1.83 Points -46%
CPU Single 64Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
1.57 Points +11%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
1.42 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
1.41 Points
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
1.34 Points -5%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1.33 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
1.3 Points -8%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
1.04 Points -26%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
0.93 Points -34%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
0.68 Points -52%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
11798 Points +9%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
10856 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
10709 Points -1%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
10705 Points -1%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
10048 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
9926 Points -9%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
9284 Points -14%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
7683 Points -29%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
6009 Points -45%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
5264 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
4886 Points
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
4805 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
4726 Points -3%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
4441 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
4396 Points -10%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
4360 Points -11%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
3449 Points -29%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
2289 Points -53%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
3384 Points +21%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
2800 Points
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
2607 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
2576 Points -8%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2270 Points -19%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1390 Points -50%
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
7082 Points +15%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
6168 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
5530 Points -10%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
5214 Points -15%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
4691 Points -24%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3733 Points -39%
Sunspider - 1.0 Total Score
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
190.1 ms * -133%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
139.7 ms * -71%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
129.6 ms * -59%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
114.3 ms * -40%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
96 ms * -18%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
90.5 ms * -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
87.1 ms * -7%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
85.9 ms * -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
81.5 ms *
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
210.8 Points
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
189.1 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
188.6 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
174.3 Points -17%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2966 ms * -167%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
2405 ms * -116%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
2233 ms * -101%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
2093 ms * -88%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1262 ms * -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
1260 ms * -13%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
1168 ms * -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
1111 ms *
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
1030 ms * +7%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
33639 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
31034 Points
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
30699 Points -1%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
28901 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
26911 Points -13%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
13315 Points -57%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
11048 Points -64%
Peacekeeper - ---
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
4353 Points +57%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
2780 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
2752 Points -1%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
2585 Points -7%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2056 Points -26%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

A fast solid state drive and strong processor ensure a quick-running system. We did not encounter problems. The PCMark benchmark scores are very good. Improving the ThinkPad's system performance is hardly possible. Only installing a second working memory module would be an option.

Two working memory banks are present
Two working memory banks are present
PCMark 7 Score
4911 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3092 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
3738 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4591 points
Help
PCMark 8 - Work Score Accelerated v2
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
4599 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
4591 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
4442 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
4415 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
3951 Points -14%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3840 Points -16%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
3824 Points -17%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
3704 Points -19%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
3698 Points -19%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3511 Points -24%
PCMark 7 - Score
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
5190 Points +6%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
5125 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
4911 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
4852 Points -1%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
4729 Points -4%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
4046 Points -18%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3022 Points -38%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
2753 Points -44%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2005 Points -59%

Storage Devices

A solid state drive by Toshiba is the ThinkPad's system drive. It is a 2.5-inch model with a total capacity of 256 GB. The SSD's transfer rates are overall good. As said earlier, the ThinkPad has a second M.2 slot (2240) that is primarily intended for an LTE modem. However, it is also possible to insert a corresponding solid state drive. We naturally tried that; the system identified our SSD and Windows can be installed on it without problems. Thus, a dual SSD configuration is possible in the L460: One M.2 SSD serves as the system drive and a high-capacity 2.5-inch drive can be used for storing data.

The SSD is easy to replace
The SSD is easy to replace
An empty M.2 slot is present
An empty M.2 slot is present
It can be filled with, for example, a corresponding SSD
It can be filled with, for example, a corresponding SSD
Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
Sequential Read: 480.9 MB/s
Sequential Write: 426.4 MB/s
512K Read: 361.8 MB/s
512K Write: 220.9 MB/s
4K Read: 21.51 MB/s
4K Write: 71.5 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 277.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 230.4 MB/s

Graphics Card

Lenovo installs AMD's Radeon R5 M330 graphics core in the ThinkPad. It is a lower mid-range model. The core supports DirectX 12 and clocks at speeds of up to 1030 MHz. It can fall back on 2048 MB of DDR3 memory. The 3DMark benchmark scores are on par with Nvidia's GeForce 920M graphics core.

AMD's graphics core and the present Intel HD Graphics 520 GPU create a graphics-switching solution (Enduro). Intel's core is used in routine and battery mode. The Radeon GPU is responsible for performance-driven applications, such as computer games. Switching between both cores is usually automatic. The user sometimes has to intervene. AMD's graphics-switching solution does not function quite as smoothly as Nvidia's counterpart (Optimus).

The graphics core is also soldered
The graphics core is also soldered
3DMark 06 Standard Score
6282 points
3DMark 11 Performance
1869 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
29533 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
4630 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
898 points
Help
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
2091 Points +12%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
2020 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
1869 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad 305-15IBD
Radeon R5 M330, 5200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
1782 Points -5%
Lenovo E50-80 80JD973CPB
Radeon R5 M330, 5500U, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB
1733 Points -7%
Lenovo B50-80
Radeon R5 M330, 5200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
1723 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
1600 Points -14%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
1418 Points -24%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1238 Points -34%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
1188 Points -36%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
1183 Points -37%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
910 Points -51%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
853 Points -54%
3DMark
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
58178 Points +97%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
50690 Points +72%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
48758 Points +65%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
45140 Points +53%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
40501 Points +37%
Lenovo IdeaPad 305-15IBD
Radeon R5 M330, 5200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
36301 Points +23%
Lenovo E50-80 80JD973CPB
Radeon R5 M330, 5500U, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB
33045 Points +12%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
32355 Points +10%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
32331 Points +9%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
30550 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
29533 Points
Lenovo B50-80
Radeon R5 M330, 5200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
28314 Points -4%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
6097 Points +32%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
5176 Points +12%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
5005 Points +8%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
5000 Points +8%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
4716 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
4630 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
4583 Points -1%
Lenovo E50-80 80JD973CPB
Radeon R5 M330, 5500U, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB
4427 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad L440 20AT004QGE
HD Graphics 4600, 4300M, Intel SSD 520 Series SSDSC2BW180A3L
4325 Points -7%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
4322 Points -7%
Lenovo IdeaPad 305-15IBD
Radeon R5 M330, 5200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
4194 Points -9%
Lenovo B50-80
Radeon R5 M330, 5200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
4010 Points -13%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
3158 Points -32%
1280x720 Sky Diver Score
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
3652 Points
Lenovo IdeaPad 305-15IBD
Radeon R5 M330, 5200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
3288 Points -10%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
2759 Points -24%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
2446 Points -33%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
2304 Points -37%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Score
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
1170 Points +30%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
1003 Points +12%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
898 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
863 Points -4%
Lenovo IdeaPad 305-15IBD
Radeon R5 M330, 5200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024
843 Points -6%
Lenovo B50-80
Radeon R5 M330, 5200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
791 Points -12%
Lenovo E50-80 80JD973CPB
Radeon R5 M330, 5500U, Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB
775 Points -14%
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
HD Graphics 520, 6300U, Liteon L8H-256V2G
741 Points -17%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
734 Points -18%
HP ProBook 440 G3
HD Graphics 520, 6200U, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
596 Points -34%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
578 Points -36%
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
HD Graphics 5500, 5300U, Seagate ST500LM021-1KJ15
541 Points -40%
3DMark 06 - 1280x1024 Standard Score AA:0x AF:0x
Lenovo ThinkPad T460s-20FA003GGE
HD Graphics 520, 6600U, Samsung SSD SM951a 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe (MZVKV512)
9685 Points +54%
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
Radeon R7 M360, 6200U, Samsung CM871 MZ7LF192HCGS
8225 Points +31%
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Radeon R7 (Carrizo), Pro A12-8800B, SanDisk X300s SD7TN3Q-256G-1006
7857 Points +25%
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
HD Graphics 5500, 5200U, Kingston RBU-SNS8100S3256GD
7419 Points +18%
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
Radeon R5 M330, 6500U, Toshiba HG6 THNSFJ256GCSU
6282 Points
Lenovo B50-80
Radeon R5 M330, 5200U, Seagate Momentus SpinPoint M8 ST1000LM024 HN-M101MBB
5662 Points -10%
HP Elitebook 745 G2
Radeon R6 (Kaveri), A10 Pro-7350B, Hitachi Travelstar Z7K500 HTS725050A7E630
4320 Points -31%

Gaming Performance

The ThinkPad is an office machine. Therefore, rendering games is not a priority. Nevertheless, the hardware can present some games smoothly. However, the user will have to be happy with low resolutions and low to medium quality settings. That is primarily true for games with moderate hardware requirements. Performance-driven games, such as Batman: Arkham Knight or The Witcher 3 are not at all playable. While the Radeon core was still on par with the GeForce 920M core in the 3DMark benchmarks, Nvidia's GPU has a lead in gaming routine. It achieves somewhat higher frame rates in total.

low med. high ultra
Tomb Raider (2013) 58.6 30 23.2 11.9
BioShock Infinite (2013) 46.5 26.4 22 8.4
Battlefield 4 (2013) 40.5 29.1 19 7
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) 17 15 5 2
Fallout 4 (2015) 19.4 13.2 6.9 4.1
Star Wars Battlefront (2015) 34.3 21.2 9.8 6.9
Rainbow Six Siege (2015) 41.3 26.1 9.1 7.1
Just Cause 3 (2015) 23 18.9 9.4 6.1
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 17.3 10.7 6.3 3.9
XCOM 2 (2016) 16.4 5.6
Far Cry Primal (2016) 19 9 8 5
The Division (2016) 21.4 14.1

Emissions

System Noise

The ThinkPad's fan is often inactive in idle, and silence prevails. However, it occasionally speeds up for a moment. Users who want to work in silence could soon feel annoyed. Since the ThinkPad barely heats up in idle, it is questionable if that is necessary. Lenovo should improve the fan management here. The fan does not speed up excessively during load. We measured a noise level of 37.2 dB in the stress test. Neither the CPU nor the GPU are throttled. Unfortunately, the fan produces a subtle whistling noise as soon as it spins. Other side noises, such as the famous CPU whining, were not observed.

ThinkPad's fan
ThinkPad's fan
Fan's loudness
Fan's loudness

Noise Level

Idle
29.2 / 29.2 / 29.2 dB(A)
Load
32.5 / 37.2 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Voltcraft SL-451 + Behringer ECM8000 (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.2 dB(A)
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
6500U, Radeon R5 M330
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
5300U, HD Graphics 5500
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
6200U, Radeon R7 M360
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Pro A12-8800B, Radeon R7 (Carrizo)
HP Elitebook 745 G2
A10 Pro-7350B, Radeon R6 (Kaveri)
HP ProBook 440 G3
6200U, HD Graphics 520
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
6300U, HD Graphics 520
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
5200U, HD Graphics 5500
Noise
-3%
1%
5%
-3%
-0%
0%
-2%
off / environment *
29.2
29.2
-0%
Idle Minimum *
29.2
30.8
-5%
29
1%
28.5
2%
31.2
-7%
29.7
-2%
29.2
-0%
29.6
-1%
Idle Average *
29.2
30.8
-5%
29
1%
28.6
2%
31.2
-7%
29.7
-2%
29.2
-0%
29.6
-1%
Idle Maximum *
29.2
30.8
-5%
29
1%
28.6
2%
31.2
-7%
29.7
-2%
29.2
-0%
30.2
-3%
Load Average *
32.5
34.3
-6%
33.1
-2%
30.5
6%
32.7
-1%
32.7
-1%
32.1
1%
35.6
-10%
Load Maximum *
37.2
34.3
8%
35.6
4%
32.6
12%
35.3
5%
35.1
6%
36.8
1%
35.9
3%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The ThinkPad in the stress test
The ThinkPad in the stress test

The ThinkPad performed our stress test (Prime95 and Furmark run for at least one hour) in a slightly different manner in AC and battery modes. The processor always clocked at 2.7 GHz. The graphics core ran at 405 MHz (battery mode) and 1030 MHz (AC mode). The corresponding energy-saving profile has to be set in the configuration menu for the graphics core to clock at full speed in battery mode. The laptop's temperature development is largely moderate. 50 °C was surpassed on one measuring point in the fan's area. The stress test represents an extreme situation that will not occur to this extent in routine. The laptop remains considerably cooler in real-world use.

Max. Load
 36.2 °C
97 F
36.5 °C
98 F
32.3 °C
90 F
 
 40.8 °C
105 F
39.6 °C
103 F
33.8 °C
93 F
 
 29.3 °C
85 F
34.3 °C
94 F
29.5 °C
85 F
 
Maximum: 40.8 °C = 105 F
Average: 34.7 °C = 94 F
30.1 °C
86 F
38.6 °C
101 F
35.6 °C
96 F
30.8 °C
87 F
46 °C
115 F
51.9 °C
125 F
30.7 °C
87 F
32 °C
90 F
27.5 °C
82 F
Maximum: 51.9 °C = 125 F
Average: 35.9 °C = 97 F
Power Supply (max.)  52.8 °C = 127 F | Room Temperature 20.7 °C = 69 F | Fluke 62 Max
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.7 °C / 94 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the devices in the class Office.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 40.8 °C / 105 F, compared to the average of 34.2 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 51.9 °C / 125 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.7 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (34.3 °C / 93.7 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-6.6 °C / -11.8 F).
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
6500U, Radeon R5 M330
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
5300U, HD Graphics 5500
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
6200U, Radeon R7 M360
HP EliteBook 745 G3
Pro A12-8800B, Radeon R7 (Carrizo)
HP Elitebook 745 G2
A10 Pro-7350B, Radeon R6 (Kaveri)
HP ProBook 440 G3
6200U, HD Graphics 520
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
6300U, HD Graphics 520
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
5200U, HD Graphics 5500
Heat
3%
-9%
0%
-9%
-14%
1%
-1%
Maximum Upper Side *
40.8
36.9
10%
47.8
-17%
36.8
10%
40.4
1%
41.4
-1%
41.5
-2%
41.6
-2%
Maximum Bottom *
51.9
39.6
24%
48.3
7%
43.8
16%
43.6
16%
50.2
3%
41.4
20%
41.7
20%
Idle Upper Side *
25.2
28.7
-14%
28.6
-13%
28.2
-12%
33.1
-31%
34
-35%
26.9
-7%
30.6
-21%
Idle Bottom *
27.6
30.1
-9%
30.6
-11%
31.2
-13%
33.6
-22%
33.3
-21%
29.6
-7%
27.5
-0%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

Speaker's frequency response
Speaker's frequency response

The stereo speakers are situated on the laptop's underside. They produce a thin sound that lacks bass. However, that is not surprising since this is a business laptop. Speech is rendered loud and clear. Headphones or external speakers can be connected for a better sound.

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The ThinkPad does not show any irregularities in power consumption. We measured a maximum idle energy requirement of 7.9 watts - a good rate. It consumed 29.5 watts (+/- 5 watts) in the medium load range - comparable with gaming usage. The power consumption climbed to 57.3 watts during the stress test, which is a normal rate for the hardware installed here. The power supply has a nominal output of 65 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.23 / 0.4 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.1 / 6.3 / 7.9 Watt
Load midlight 29.5 / 57.3 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
6500U, Radeon R5 M330
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
5300U, HD Graphics 5500
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
6200U, Radeon R7 M360
HP Elitebook 745 G2
A10 Pro-7350B, Radeon R6 (Kaveri)
HP ProBook 440 G3
6200U, HD Graphics 520
Dell Latitude 14 E5470
6300U, HD Graphics 520
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
5200U, HD Graphics 5500
Power Consumption
6%
-19%
-25%
-14%
15%
6%
Idle Minimum *
3.1
3.4
-10%
4.1
-32%
6.1
-97%
5.2
-68%
3.5
-13%
3.2
-3%
Idle Average *
6.3
6.1
3%
8
-27%
8.8
-40%
8.2
-30%
5.3
16%
6.3
-0%
Idle Maximum *
7.9
7
11%
8.9
-13%
9.9
-25%
9
-14%
6
24%
8.6
-9%
Load Average *
29.5
29
2%
39.3
-33%
31.2
-6%
28.8
2%
26.3
11%
30.3
-3%
Load Maximum *
57.3
42.4
26%
52.2
9%
33.5
42%
34
41%
36.6
36%
30.4
47%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime

The ThinkPad's battery life is a pleasant surprise. We recorded a clear increase compared with the Broadwell predecessor - at the same battery capacities. Lenovo's laptop achieved a runtime of 7:05 hours in our real-world Wi-Fi test. The ThinkPad L450 was depleted 2 hours sooner (4:48 h). We simulate the load needed for opening websites via a script in this test. The "Balanced" profile is enabled, and the screen's brightness is set to approximately 150 cd/m². The ThinkPad L460 stopped the video test after 7:11 hours. The former model shut down almost 3 hours earlier (4:24 h). We loop the short movie Big Buck Bunny (H.264 encoding, 1920x1080 pixels) here. The radio modules are disabled, and the screen's brightness is also dimmed to 150 cd/m². The L460's maximum runtime of almost 20 hours has also increased clearly.

Lenovo offers 3 different batteries for the ThinkPad. Our review sample came with the medium model with a capacity of 48 Wh. Runtimes of almost 10 hours should be possible in our real-world Wi-Fi and video runtime tests with the 72 Wh model. The battery is priced at approximately 60 to 70 Euros (~$67 to ~$78).

The battery has a capacity of 48 Wh.
The battery has a capacity of 48 Wh.
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
19h 13min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 25.10586.0.0)
7h 05min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
7h 11min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 37min
Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400
48 Wh
Lenovo Thinkpad L450 20DS0001GE
48 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad E460-20EUS00000
47 Wh
HP EliteBook 745 G3
46 Wh
HP Elitebook 745 G2
50 Wh
HP ProBook 440 G3
44 Wh
Acer TravelMate P645-S-58HK
54 Wh
Battery Runtime
-26%
-13%
-29%
-32%
-27%
16%
Reader / Idle
1153
798
-31%
736
-36%
564
-51%
562
-51%
537
-53%
1143
-1%
H.264
431
264
-39%
425
-1%
246
-43%
321
-26%
525
22%
WiFi v1.3
425
288
-32%
292
-31%
339
-20%
293
-31%
535
26%
Load
97
97
0%
112
15%
81
-16%
95
-2%
101
4%
113
16%
WiFi
279

Pros

+ matte IPS panel
+ Full HD resolution
+ fast SSD
+ good battery life
+ superb keyboard

Cons

- dark screen
- fan whistles quietly
- fan management
- no docking port

Verdict

In review: Lenovo ThinkPad L460. Test model courtesy of Campuspoint
In review: Lenovo ThinkPad L460. Test model courtesy of Campuspoint

Lenovo's ThinkPad L460 can be placed in the "upgraded model" category. While quite some modifications were made from the L440 to the L450, Lenovo uses the same casing for its L460 as already used for the L450. Innovations are only found inside: Skylake processors are now used. The one in our review sample has enough computing power for all common application scenarios. Thanks to the Radeon graphics core, a GPU accelerator is present for applications like Photoshop. AMD's GPU is superior to Intel's integrated GPUs in this regard. Besides that, the graphics core is also at least conditionally suitable for computer games.

A fast solid state drive ensures a quick running system. Replacing the SSD would be possible. However, the casing has to be opened for this since the laptop does not have a maintenance hatch. The latest model in the ThinkPad L4x0 lineup is also furnished with a superb keyboard that has been designed for frequent typing. A keyboard backlight would complete this very good impression. The matte Full HD panel in the ThinkPad pleases with stable viewing angles and good contrast. Unfortunately, its brightness is too low. We expect more in this price range. Our biggest complaint is related to the fan, particularly the fan management. Firstly, the fan occasionally spins in low load and secondly, it then produces a quiet whistling noise. An office laptop that disturbs work is not the intended purpose of such a device.

The new Skylake processor provides a plus in computing power. At the same time, Lenovo manages to increase the battery life clearly.

The ThinkPad models furnished with AMD graphics solutions do not have a docking port. Users who need this will have to either take another L460 model or use a USB 3.0 docking station.

Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400 - 03/09/2016 v5(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
82 / 98 → 83%
Keyboard
89%
Pointing Device
85%
Connectivity
56 / 80 → 70%
Weight
64 / 20-67 → 94%
Battery
89%
Display
82%
Games Performance
56 / 68 → 82%
Application Performance
85 / 92 → 93%
Temperature
90%
Noise
95%
Audio
63%
Camera
53 / 85 → 62%
Average
76%
85%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo ThinkPad L460-20FVS01400 Notebook Review
Sascha Mölck, 2016-03-17 (Update: 2019-04-30)