Lenovo's most powerful AI / CAD laptop adopts USB-C charging: ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 launches with Nvidia RTX Pro 5000 and 192 GB RAM

After a long wait, the day has finally arrived: Lenovo is renewing its workstation line, the ThinkPad P series. At IFA Berlin, the most powerful model gets the spotlight: The long awaited ThinkPad P16 Gen 3, which launches two years after the ThinkPad P16 Gen 2, the last major update of this line. The new ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 starts at €2,900 in the EU (excluding VAT), and it will be available in October 2025.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3: Back to the roots

Lenovo's ThinkPad P16 has been the most powerful commercial laptop available in Lenovo's lineup since its inception when it replaced the P15 and P17 lines, and the new P16 G3 still is exactly that - even though Lenovo does make some compromises when it comes to performance this time around.

The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 is a clean-sheet redesign, so Lenovo has completely remodeled this laptop with a fresh design. Gone is the dark-grey aesthetic of the predecessor, returning to the all-black design language that ThinkPads are famed for. Also returning: RJ45-Ethernet, which was absent of the previous P16 G2. Lenovo puts 2.5 GBit Ethernet into this model, the fastest of any ThinkPad laptop.

This also holds true when it comes to processor (up to Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX) and GPU performance (up to Nvidia RTX Pro 5000) as well as RAM (192 GB, 4x SO-DIMM) and storage (up to 3x M.2 2280 SSD) and the battery (99.99 Wh battery capacity) - in all respects, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 is the maximum of what you can get in a ThinkPad laptop.

ThinkPad P16 Gen 3: First full-size P series ThinkPad with USB-C charging

However, the total TDP of the system might be lower than for the P16 Gen 2, as Lenovo switches from proprietary Slim tip chargers to USB-C charging. The USB PD 3.1 charger delivers up to 180 W to the system, which is less than the 230 W the P16 Gen 2 (available from Amazon) would receive from its charger. We expect the GPU to have a TGP of around 100 W at most in this case.

While that may be perceived as a downgrade, the P16 Gen 3 for sure is not a downgrade in other aspects, such as the adoption of 5G LTE and Thunderbolt 5, making it compatible with Lenovo's new Thunderbolt 5 docks. Also, rounding out the package is a new 3.2K (3,200 x 2,000) Tandem OLED screen, which offers 600 cd/m² of brightness and 120 Hz VRR refresh rate. Alternatively, Lenovo offers a 4K-WQUXGA (3,840 x 2,400) IPS panel with 800 cd/m² of brightness.