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Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Review: Business Laptop with Great Connectivity

Modern subnotebook with lots of ports! Lenovo's ThinkBooks are aimed primarily at business users. They lack most of the ThinkPad series' numerous business features but should still perform adequately nevertheless. Find out in our review how well the new subnotebook did, and what its pros and cons are.

Lenovo’s ThinkBook series is supposed to fill the gap between the consumer-oriented IdeaPad line and the business-centric ThinkPads, and as such it is aimed primarily at business users looking for a durable and long-lasting device for everyday use. The Lenovo ThinkPad 14 is a compact office laptop with modern connectivity. It features Intel’s Comet Lake Core i5-10210U, 8 GB of RAM, and a fast 256 GB NVMe SSD. All of that can be had for less than $800.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE (ThinkBook 14 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-10210U 4 x 1.6 - 4.2 GHz, Comet Lake-U
Graphics adapter
Memory
8 GB 
, DDR4-2666
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, Chi Mei, CMN14D4, N140HCA-EAC, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Comet Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ, 256 GB 
, 190 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Comet Lake PCH-LP - cAVS
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm, Card Reader: 4-in-1 media reader (MMC, SD, SDHC, SDXC), 1 Fingerprint Reader, 2 x USB-C
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wireless-AC 9560 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 5.0
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.9 x 326 x 230 ( = 0.7 x 12.83 x 9.06 in)
Battery
45 Wh, 3900 mAh Lithium-Ion, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 9 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 65 W power supply, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.57 kg ( = 55.38 oz / 3.46 pounds), Power Supply: 352 g ( = 12.42 oz / 0.78 pounds)
Price
700 EUR
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
82 %
03/2020
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620
1.6 kg17.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
81.9 %
06/2019
HP 14-dk0008ng
R7 3700U, Vega 10
1.5 kg20 mm14.00"1920x1080
83 %
10/2019
Dell Latitude 3400
i3-8145U, UHD Graphics 620
1.7 kg18.65 mm14.00"1920x1080
86.4 %
04/2019
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
R5 2500U, Vega 8
1.8 kg21.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
85.9 %
05/2019
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620
1.8 kg19.9 mm14.00"1920x1080

Case and Connectivity – Rigid and with Great Connectivity

Visually, the ThinkBook 14 comes in a rather discreet gray case without too many bells and whistles. The choice of material is well thought out, and both base and display lid are made of aluminum, providing additional structural support. We were practically unable to warp and twist the case, and you will need a significant amount of force to depress the base or lid. The latter is particularly good at absorbing localized forces thereby avoiding the dreaded ripple effect on the display. The only parts made of plastic are the black bezels around the display. The hinges do a great job of keeping the display firmly in place and offer a maximum opening angle of 180 degrees. Teetering is reduced to an absolute minimum.

All things considered the ThinkBook 14 is very compact, as can be seen in our size comparison. Our review unit offered the smallest footprint in our test group. With its weight of 1.6 kg it can be found in the middle of the pack. Of particular note is the laptop’s connectivity as it offers a total of five USB ports, two of which are future-proof USB-C ports. The card reader is connected to the USB 3 bus, and it was able to outperform its competitors slightly when benchmarked with our 64 GB Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC UHS-II reference card. Intel’s Wireless-AC 9560 played nicely with our Netgear Nighthawk RAX120 router, and the laptop also supports wired connectivity.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14
Lenovo ThinkBook 14

Size Comparison

335 mm / 13.2 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 1.5 kg3.31 lbs329 mm / 13 inch 242 mm / 9.53 inch 21.9 mm / 0.862 inch 1.8 kg3.99 lbs330.3 mm / 13 inch 238 mm / 9.37 inch 18.65 mm / 0.734 inch 1.7 kg3.68 lbs329 mm / 13 inch 242 mm / 9.53 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 1.8 kg3.97 lbs326 mm / 12.8 inch 230 mm / 9.06 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.6 kg3.46 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Left: Ethernet (RJ45), HDMI 1.4b, USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 (with support for DisplayPort and Power Delivery), 3.5-mm audio
Left: Ethernet (RJ45), HDMI 1.4b, USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 (with support for DisplayPort and Power Delivery), 3.5-mm audio
Right: USB 2.0 (hidden behind a flap), 4-in-1 card reader, USB 3.1 Gen 1, power
Right: USB 2.0 (hidden behind a flap), 4-in-1 card reader, USB 3.1 Gen 1, power
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
78.2 MB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
74.8 MB/s -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
73.8 MB/s -6%
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years)
55.6 MB/s -29%
HP 14-dk0008ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
35.2 MB/s -55%
Dell Latitude 3400
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
23 MB/s -71%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
85.5 MB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
85.2 MB/s 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501)
82.8 MB/s -3%
Average of class Office
  (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years)
65.2 MB/s -24%
HP 14-dk0008ng
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
38 MB/s -56%
Dell Latitude 3400
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
32.3 MB/s -62%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
676 MBit/s +4%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
649 (595min - 707max) MBit/s
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
642 (490min - 685max) MBit/s -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
332 MBit/s -49%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
309 (212min - 410max) MBit/s -52%
iperf3 receive AX12
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
658 (605min - 676max) MBit/s +2%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
645 (481min - 695max) MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
582 MBit/s -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Wireless Network Adapter
304 MBit/s -53%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Realtek 8821CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
271 (234min - 285max) MBit/s -58%
04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø645 (481-695)
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø649 (595-707)

Input Devices

The ThinkBook 14 comes with a chiclet keyboard but lacks a dedicated numpad due to space constraints. The keyboard looks very clean and straightforward overall, and the keycaps are comfortably large and slightly roughened for improved grip. Key travel is fairly short and bottoms out in a very well-pronounced key pressure point. Unfortunately, Lenovo did not include a keyboard backlight, which would have improved readability in the dark.

We have already encountered this particular ClickPad on the Lenovo ThinkBook 15, and our smaller 14-inch notebook is equipped with the exact same model. At 10.5 x 7.1 cm (4.0 x 2.8 inches) it is sufficiently large for comfortable multi-touch input. The buttons located at the bottom edge offer a discreet clicking sensation.

Keyboard
Keyboard
Touchpad
Touchpad

Display – fails to meet its own expectations

Subpixel array
Subpixel array
Minor clouding along the edges
Minor clouding along the edges

Our ThinkBook 14 SKU came equipped with a matte 14-inch IPS panel with FHD resolution and a pixel density of 157 ppi. According to the spec sheet a Full HD TN panel is also available, albeit with lower maximum brightness and contrast ratio.

Speaking of which, our review unit only managed a meager 232 nits, and thus failed to achieve its advertised brightness of 250 nits. Its contrast ratio of 267:1 was just as bad due to the combination of low brightness and a very high black point. We could not believe how bad it was and repeated our tests and measurements several times to no avail. Display brightness regulation is achieved through PWM, fortunately at a very high frequency. It should thus not cause any issues even in sensitive users. Minor clouding was visible in dark scenes.

221
cd/m²
229
cd/m²
225
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
256
cd/m²
232
cd/m²
226
cd/m²
242
cd/m²
227
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
Chi Mei, CMN14D4, N140HCA-EAC tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 256 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 232 cd/m² Minimum: 2.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 86 %
Center on Battery: 258 cd/m²
Contrast: 267:1 (Black: 0.96 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 6.5 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.8
ΔE Greyscale 5.7 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
63.7% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
44.43% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
64% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
42.93% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 1.9
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Chi Mei, CMN14D4, N140HCA-EAC, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP 14-dk0008ng
AU Optronics AUO403D, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Dell Latitude 3400
BOE NV14N4H, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
B140HAN04.2, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Lenovo NV140FHM-N49, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Display
-8%
-6%
-10%
-7%
Display P3 Coverage
42.93
39.53
-8%
40.68
-5%
39.21
-9%

38.48
-10%

39.85
-7%
sRGB Coverage
64
59.1
-8%
59.3
-7%
58.8
-8%

57.9
-10%

58.6
-8%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
44.43
40.84
-8%
42.03
-5%
40.52
-9%

39.76
-11%

41.18
-7%
Response Times
6%
-51%
-15%
-50%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
40.8 ?(21.2, 19.6)
38 ?(18, 20)
7%
44 ?(22, 22)
-8%
44.8 ?(20.4, 24.4)
-10%
48.4 ?(25.2, 23.2)
-19%
Response Time Black / White *
28 ?(15.6, 12.4)
27 ?(15, 12)
4%
42 ?(28, 14)
-50%
33.6 ?(18, 15.6)
-20%
38.4 ?(21.2, 17.2)
-37%
PWM Frequency
25000 ?(60)
1000 ?(90)
-96%
1250 ?(99)
-95%
Screen
61%
28%
58%
54%
Brightness middle
256
269
5%
240
-6%
289
13%
305
19%
Brightness
232
257
11%
227
-2%
271
17%
295
27%
Brightness Distribution
86
89
3%
79
-8%
87
1%
90
5%
Black Level *
0.96
0.2
79%
0.48
50%
0.19
80%
0.23
76%
Contrast
267
1345
404%
500
87%
1521
470%
1326
397%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
6.5
3.68
43%
4.2
35%
5.6
14%
5.3
18%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
21.5
7.36
66%
7.16
67%
20.8
3%
18.9
12%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.8
4.8
-0%
4.7
2%
5
-4%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.7
1.69
70%
1.75
69%
2.7
53%
2.3
60%
Gamma
1.9 116%
2.49 88%
2.36 93%
1.96 112%
2.09 105%
CCT
6282 103%
6406 101%
6387 102%
6506 100%
6246 104%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
40.9
38
-7%
38
-7%
37.2
-9%
37.7
-8%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
63.7
59
-7%
59
-7%
58.5
-8%
58.2
-9%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
20% / 41%
-10% / 7%
11% / 29%
-1% / 25%

* ... smaller is better

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
28 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 15.6 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. » 67 % 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
40.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21.2 ms rise
↘ 19.6 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. » 59 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

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 detected 25000 Hz ≤ 60 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 25000 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 60 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 25000 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

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.

vs. sRGB (63.7%)
vs. sRGB (63.7%)
vs. AdobeRGB (40.9%)
vs. AdobeRGB (40.9%)

Despite its low contrast ratio, the ThinkBook 14’s display offered a decent image quality in day-to-day situations. We strongly advise you to use our ICC profile in order to lower DeltaE 2000 deviations from their very high out-of-the-box levels as we were particularly successful in improving grayscale accuracy after calibrating the display with an X-Rite i1 Pro 2 spectrophotometer and CalMAN. Colors were only improved slightly, which further shows that the display is at its limits as-is already. Color-space coverage is another sore point, although we should note that at 63.7% sRGB and 40.9% AdobeRGB our review unit did manage to outclass its competitors.

Outdoor usability is limited at best due to its poor display brightness, which is too low to overpower sunlight. We did not encounter any issues in shady spots, though. Viewing angles were also not as wide as expected. When looked at from all four corners we noticed some minor color tint.

CalMAN: grayscale
CalMAN: grayscale
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: saturation
CalMAN: grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN: grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker (calibrated)
CalMAN: saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN: saturation (calibrated)
Outdoors (in the shade)
Outdoors (in the shade)
Outdoors (in the sun)
Outdoors (in the sun)
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance – Fast Enough for Most Users

The Lenovo ThinkBook 14 was more than fast enough for everyday office life, and the combination of a modern Comet Lake CPU and the rest of its hardware worked great. We did not encounter any DPC latency issues. Intel’s Core i5-10210U should be fast enough for most users.

Processor

The Core i5-10210U's TDP is configured at 15 W, but the CPU is allowed to consume up to 38 W for short bursts of load. The ThinkBook 14 outclassed its entire competition and consequently placed first in our benchmark. It was also slightly faster than the average for this particular CPU.

The Core i5-10210U’s overall performance was good. When running our Cinebench R15 multithread loop the ThinkBook 14’s performance dropped slightly after the first run but remained consistent afterwards for a while until it dropped even further, this time more notably.

More details and benchmarks can be found on our CPU comparison page.

04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel Core i5-10210U: Ø669 (556.65-743.36)
HP 14-dk0008ng AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U: Ø447 (422.06-536.95)
Dell Latitude 3400 Intel Core i3-8145U, Intel Core i3-8145U: Ø313 (269.14-350.09)
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE AMD Ryzen 5 2500U, AMD Ryzen 5 2500U: Ø598 (591.81-618.71)
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel Core i5-8265U: Ø487 (483.41-509.01)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +28%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
168 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (134 - 174, n=35)
165.6 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel Core i5-8265U
160 Points -5%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
154 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
139.5 Points -17%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
127 Points -24%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +86%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
743 (625.37min - 699.41max) Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
618 (591.81min - 618.71max) Points -17%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (320 - 790, n=35)
609 Points -18%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
537 Points -28%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel Core i5-8265U
509 Points -31%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
350 Points -53%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (0.99 - 2.97, n=12, last 2 years)
2.31 Points +35%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (1.71 - 1.91, n=4)
1.85 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
1.71 Points
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (1.93 - 20.3, n=12, last 2 years)
12.5 Points +68%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
7.45 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (5.69 - 8.66, n=4)
7.34 Points -1%
Geekbench 5.0
5.0 Single-Core
Average of class Office
  (626 - 1939, n=34, last 2 years)
1321 Points +21%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
1093 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (1000 - 1107, n=10)
1065 Points -3%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
995 Points -9%
5.0 Multi-Core
Average of class Office
  (1151 - 11474, n=34, last 2 years)
5774 Points +71%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (2831 - 4144, n=10)
3493 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
3369 Points
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
2096 Points -38%
Blender - v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (585 - 1339, n=24)
859 Seconds * -32%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
757 Seconds * -16%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
651 Seconds *
Average of class Office
  (214 - 2844, n=121, last 2 years)
543 Seconds * +17%
7-Zip 18.03
7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Office
  (2233 - 6687, n=122, last 2 years)
4967 MIPS +19%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (3504 - 4467, n=24)
4205 MIPS +1%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
4176 MIPS
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3443 MIPS -18%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
3347 MIPS -20%
7z b 4
Average of class Office
  (4226 - 62349, n=121, last 2 years)
34257 MIPS +80%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
19026 MIPS
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
16988 MIPS -11%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (10920 - 21679, n=24)
16808 MIPS -12%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
12738 MIPS -33%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 - 4k Preset
Average of class Office
  (1.55 - 17.4, n=121, last 2 years)
9.04 fps +72%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
5.26 fps
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (2.36 - 6.28, n=24)
4.31 fps -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
3.74 fps -29%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
2.8 fps -47%
Cinebench R20
CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Office
  (181.3 - 764, n=120, last 2 years)
553 Points +31%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
421 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (322 - 428, n=30)
407 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel Core i5-8265U
394 Points -6%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
296 Points -30%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
285 Points -32%
CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Office
  (356 - 5904, n=120, last 2 years)
3055 Points +85%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
1652 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (722 - 1820, n=30)
1279 Points -23%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel Core i5-8265U
1103 Points -33%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
1047 Points -37%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
657 Points -60%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Average of class Office
  (117.1 - 544, n=19, last 2 years)
369 Points +50%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
246.5 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (191.3 - 252, n=14)
236 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel Core i5-8265U
233 Points -5%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
204.7 Points -17%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
177 Points -28%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Office
  (21416 - 93596, n=52, last 2 years)
69674 Points +106%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (30096 - 44584, n=17)
36050 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
33862 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel Core i5-8265U
31753 Points -6%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
28265 Points -17%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
24313 Points -28%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
23657 Points -30%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1421 ms * -29%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
1405 ms * -28%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
1252 ms * -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel Core i5-8265U
1150 ms * -5%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
1100 ms *
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (886 - 1267, n=31)
1014 ms * +8%
Average of class Office
  (479 - 1966, n=111, last 2 years)
742 ms * +33%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R11.5
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R15
Cinebench R20
Cinebench R20
Jetstream 1.1
Jetstream 1.1
Octane V2
Octane V2
Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Mozilla Kraken 1.1
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 32Bit
1.93 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 32Bit
8.21 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 32Bit
38.33 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.71 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.45 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
38 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
168 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
43.6 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
743 Points
Help

System Performance

Thanks to the Intel Core i5-10210U's good overall performance the ThinkBook 14 performed very well in our system performance benchmarks. Most of the time our review unit placed first, and it only had to succumb to the Dell Latitude 3400 once. Our subjective impressions further confirmed these benchmark results.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years)
5312 Points +41%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3448 - 4353, n=28)
3988 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
3757 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
3617 Points -4%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Vega 10, R7 3700U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3522 Points -6%
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
3399 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3321 Points -12%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years)
9781 Points +36%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (7172 - 10000, n=28)
8499 Points +19%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
7529 Points +5%
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
7185 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
7172 Points
HP 14-dk0008ng
Vega 10, R7 3700U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
7050 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
6646 Points -7%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years)
7439 Points +18%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5980 - 7317, n=28)
6663 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
6339 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
6281 Points
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
6096 Points -3%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Vega 10, R7 3700U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
5459 Points -13%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4964 Points -21%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years)
5732 Points +79%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
3195 Points
HP 14-dk0008ng
Vega 10, R7 3700U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3082 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2289 - 4463, n=28)
3057 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3014 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
2693 Points -16%
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
2433 Points -24%
PCMark 8 - Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years)
4261 Points +14%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
3722 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
3666 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3182 - 4284, n=21)
3605 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Vega 8, R5 2500U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3550 Points -5%
HP 14-dk0008ng
Vega 10, R7 3700U, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
3325 Points -11%
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
2959 Points -20%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3722 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4960 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4922 points
PCMark 10 Score
3757 points
Help

Storage Devices

The sole storage device in our review unit was a very fast 256 GB NVMe SSD made by Samsung. Once again, the ThinkBook 14 outperformed the entire competition. A secondary storage device can be installed in the free 2.5-inch drive bay.

Additional details and benchmarks can be found on our comparison page.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM 3
CDM 3
CDM 5
CDM 5
CDM 6
CDM 6
CDI
CDI
256 GB NVMe SSD
256 GB NVMe SSD
M.2 SSD inside the case
M.2 SSD inside the case
Free 2.5-inch drive bay for storage devices up to 7 mm in height
Free 2.5-inch drive bay for storage devices up to 7 mm in height
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
HP 14-dk0008ng
Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
Dell Latitude 3400
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
Average Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
 
Average of class Office
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-61%
-28%
-37%
-35%
-1%
22%
Write 4K
169.7
90.6
-47%
107.9
-36%
72.2
-57%
110.7
-35%
135.2 ?(87.2 - 169.7, n=15)
-20%
156.6 ?(50.1 - 291, n=69, last 2 years)
-8%
Read 4K
47.6
33.17
-30%
40.27
-15%
35.25
-26%
41.02
-14%
44.6 ?(36 - 58.2, n=15)
-6%
61 ?(20.6 - 90.2, n=69, last 2 years)
28%
Write Seq
1761
483
-73%
1253
-29%
1412
-20%
757
-57%
2091 ?(1761 - 2343, n=14)
19%
2378 ?(315 - 5030, n=53, last 2 years)
35%
Read Seq
1630
511
-69%
1298
-20%
1523
-7%
1037
-36%
2097 ?(1359 - 2516, n=14)
29%
2593 ?(507 - 5559, n=53, last 2 years)
59%
Write 4K Q32T1
390.5
170.7
-56%
415
6%
102.1
-74%
359
-8%
370 ?(208 - 526, n=15)
-5%
400 ?(162.5 - 809, n=69, last 2 years)
2%
Read 4K Q32T1
464.9
235
-49%
313.3
-33%
170.9
-63%
402.4
-13%
372 ?(149.5 - 514, n=15)
-20%
511 ?(184.2 - 899, n=69, last 2 years)
10%
Write Seq Q32T1
2347
496.5
-79%
1297
-45%
1429
-39%
833
-65%
2308 ?(1896 - 2354, n=15)
-2%
3018 ?(259 - 6207, n=69, last 2 years)
29%
Read Seq Q32T1
3505
534
-85%
1728
-51%
3204
-9%
1635
-53%
3395 ?(2268 - 3569, n=15)
-3%
4226 ?(454 - 7123, n=69, last 2 years)
21%
AS SSD
-85%
-40%
-39%
-41%
-16%
6%
Seq Read
2501
491.6
-80%
1411
-44%
2030
-19%
1420
-43%
2276 ?(992 - 2980, n=15)
-9%
3122 ?(508 - 5796, n=102, last 2 years)
25%
Seq Write
2051
473.9
-77%
751
-63%
1395
-32%
552
-73%
1486 ?(391 - 2187, n=15)
-28%
2036 ?(304 - 5880, n=102, last 2 years)
-1%
4K Read
60.3
26.82
-56%
41.58
-31%
38.63
-36%
42.31
-30%
49.6 ?(40.3 - 60.3, n=15)
-18%
56.1 ?(18.7 - 91.1, n=102, last 2 years)
-7%
4K Write
131.5
57.8
-56%
117.9
-10%
63.9
-51%
112.1
-15%
129.5 ?(78 - 188.4, n=15)
-2%
156.7 ?(35.4 - 350, n=102, last 2 years)
19%
4K-64 Read
873
244.3
-72%
502
-42%
1035
19%
510
-42%
683 ?(504 - 947, n=15)
-22%
1044 ?(182.3 - 2713, n=102, last 2 years)
20%
4K-64 Write
1565
154.9
-90%
451.5
-71%
371.5
-76%
357.9
-77%
895 ?(282 - 1970, n=15)
-43%
1458 ?(132.3 - 3394, n=102, last 2 years)
-7%
Access Time Read *
0.046
0.119
-159%
0.088
-91%
0.054
-17%
0.053
-15%
0.06433 ?(0.046 - 0.089, n=15)
-40%
0.08214 ?(0.022 - 0.295, n=102, last 2 years)
-79%
Access Time Write *
0.027
0.062
-130%
0.03
-11%
0.059
-119%
0.032
-19%
0.04793 ?(0.022 - 0.104, n=15)
-78%
0.06413 ?(0.017 - 0.619, n=102, last 2 years)
-138%
Score Read
1184
320
-73%
685
-42%
1277
8%
694
-41%
960 ?(733 - 1212, n=15)
-19%
1413 ?(252 - 3364, n=102, last 2 years)
19%
Score Write
1902
260
-86%
645
-66%
575
-70%
525
-72%
1173 ?(593 - 2214, n=15)
-38%
1818 ?(320 - 4111, n=102, last 2 years)
-4%
Score Total
3685
753
-80%
1660
-55%
2478
-33%
1544
-58%
2598 ?(1649 - 3862, n=15)
-29%
3911 ?(704 - 9204, n=102, last 2 years)
6%
Copy ISO MB/s
1306
171.1
-87%
843
-35%
637
-51%
1474 ?(1008 - 1962, n=10)
13%
1642 ?(230 - 3489, n=89, last 2 years)
26%
Copy Program MB/s
365.8
93.2
-75%
293.5
-20%
237
-35%
426 ?(71 - 847, n=10)
16%
504 ?(80.4 - 1049, n=89, last 2 years)
38%
Copy Game MB/s
434.9
140.6
-68%
531
22%
412
-5%
760 ?(278 - 1632, n=10)
75%
1156 ?(142.7 - 2780, n=89, last 2 years)
166%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-73% / -76%
-34% / -36%
-38% / -38%
-38% / -39%
-9% / -10%
14% / 12%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB256HBHQ
Sequential Read: 1359 MB/s
Sequential Write: 467.3 MB/s
512K Read: 884 MB/s
512K Write: 465.5 MB/s
4K Read: 47.41 MB/s
4K Write: 174.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 491.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 381.9 MB/s

GPU Performance

As is the case with all Comet Lake CPUs the integrated GPU is Intel’s UHD Graphics 620. However, the ThinkBook 14 can also be equipped with a dedicated AMD Radeon 620 according to Lenovo’s spec sheet, and we did notice a free solder socket on the motherboard. In our test, the ThinkBook 14 was unable to keep up with its AMD Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7-equipped rivals as AMD’s integrated Radeon RX Vega GPUs are simply out of Intel’s league when it comes to 3D performance. Particularly so given that Lenovo failed to fully utilize the iGPU’s full performance potential due to our review unit’s single-channel RAM interface. Games can only be played in very low resolutions and on minimum details.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +250%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
4056 Points +141%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
2757 Points +64%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1680 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1666 Points -1%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8145U
1461 Points -13%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years)
4072 Points +321%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
2581 Points +167%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
1647 Points +70%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (557 - 2608, n=213)
1161 Points +20%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1071 Points +11%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
968 Points
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8145U
942 Points -3%
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (5681 - 58068, n=98, last 2 years)
23871 Points +200%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
18378 Points +131%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 2500U
10209 Points +28%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points +16%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
8559 Points +7%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
7963 Points
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8145U
7496 Points -6%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Office
  (242 - 3186, n=113, last 2 years)
1323 Points +280%
HP 14-dk0008ng
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
779 Points +124%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (299 - 797, n=88)
389 Points +12%
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
348 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
348 Points
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8145U
310 Points -11%
3DMark 11 Performance
1787 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
57910 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
7978 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
903 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
430 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
398 points
Help

Gaming Performance

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 43 27 22 7
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 61.7 35.4 16.1 14.2
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 18.2 12.5 6.42
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 18.7 13 12

Emissions & Energy

System Noise

The ThinkBook 14 is a very quiet device, and quite often it is even completely silent. Under load, it peaked at a very quiet 31.8 dB(A).

Noise Level

Idle
29.2 / 29.2 / 29.6 dB(A)
Load
30.2 / 31.8 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.2 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.233.231.632.42527.728.723.825.73125.927.527.528.7402727.12527.65025.827.925.931.66325.324.122.923.48023.923.322.92210023.924.923.924.912524.124.624.123.416022.924.524.323.520023.223.72422.325021.923.223.321.631521.722.421.721.340022.621.620.520.650023.120.92019.163022.120.918.81980020.619.318.318100021.219.619.317.6125020.518.717.116.7160020.817.916.216.4200021.217.816.216250020.618.615.515.3315018.316.115.214.9400016.815.615.114.9500016.515.515.114.7630015.615.215.114.9800015.215.215.114.71000015.115.11514.61250014.81514.914.51600014.714.714.614.3SPL31.830.229.228.7N1.61.41.21.2median 20.8median 18.7median 17.1median 16.7Delta3.13.52.93.3hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE

Temperature

3DMark 11 after our stress test
3DMark 11 after our stress test

Under load, the case temperatures peaked at 45.9 °C, which is okay overall. After encountering the very quiet fan we did expect higher temperatures to be honest.

Maximum CPU temperature under full load was measured at 88 °C. This maximum was reached very quickly into the load test while the CPU was still capable of running at its maximum turbo boost speeds. Afterwards, the Intel Core i5-10210U's temperatures settled at between 67 °C and 71 °C. As such it remained cool enough to avoid any thermal throttling issues, and accordingly the CPU ran at 2.6 GHz and thus a full GHz faster than its base clock speed of 1.6 GHz.

Stress test: Prime95 solo
Stress test: Prime95 solo
Stress test: FurMark solo
Stress test: FurMark solo
Stress test: FurMark+Prime95
Stress test: FurMark+Prime95
Max. Load
 41.2 °C
106 F
40 °C
104 F
38.7 °C
102 F
 
 38.6 °C
101 F
37.8 °C
100 F
29.1 °C
84 F
 
 29.4 °C
85 F
26.8 °C
80 F
24.7 °C
76 F
 
Maximum: 41.2 °C = 106 F
Average: 34 °C = 93 F
38.4 °C
101 F
44.8 °C
113 F
45.9 °C
115 F
28 °C
82 F
37.3 °C
99 F
38.9 °C
102 F
27.4 °C
81 F
33.9 °C
93 F
35.2 °C
95 F
Maximum: 45.9 °C = 115 F
Average: 36.6 °C = 98 F
Power Supply (max.)  38.1 °C = 101 F | Room Temperature 20.1 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34 °C / 93 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 41.2 °C / 106 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 45.9 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 22.8 °C / 73 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29.4 °C / 84.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-1.7 °C / -3 F).
Heat map top (load)
Heat map top (load)
Heat map bottom (load)
Heat map bottom (load)

Speakers

Both speakers are located at the front right underneath the palm rest. Do not expect too much of them. Voice playback was very good and clear, but music playback lacked depth and bass. External headphones or speakers can be connected via the 3.5-mm headphone jack.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2031.634.12523.827.63127.529.3402526.75025.9266322.9268022.924.410023.924.212524.125.716024.328.42002429.725023.332.131521.735.740020.540.15002040.463018.842.880018.347.2100019.349.9125017.155.4160016.258.2200016.256.3250015.552.7315015.251.7400015.153.2500015.156.5630015.145800015.146.9100001544.71250014.9401600014.636.1SPL29.265.3N1.217.1median 17.1median 44.7Delta2.99.728.928.226.527.128.43123.727.525.924.522.424.321.923.322.22221.521.921.227.121.734.321.442.120.647.620.350.320.151.219.450.918.957.318.560.718.156.717.156.517.163.216.362.81660.4165415.754.415.651.915.554.415.555.615.354.315.245.729.470.51.224.8median 18.1median 542.47.5hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGELenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (65.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 6.8% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (11% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 5.4% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (12.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (35.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 97% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 2% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 92% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 7% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (70.5 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 21.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.3% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (8.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (26.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 79% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 14% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 78% of all tested devices were better, 4% similar, 18% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Consumption

65 W power supply
65 W power supply

When taking our usual power consumption measurements, we were positively surprised by the ThinkBook 14’s low overall power demands. Under load, it peaked at 62.2 W while the CPU was still able to run at its maximum turbo boost speed. Once it settled down, power consumption decreased to just 43.3 W. The 65 W power supply is thus more than amply dimensioned. Just like its bigger brother, the ThinkBook 15, the ThinkBook 14 can be charged via USB-C.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.48 / 0.61 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 2.94 / 5.2 / 5.96 Watt
Load midlight 28.2 / 62.2 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.

Battery Life

3DMark 11 on battery
3DMark 11 on battery
Cinebench R15 on battery
Cinebench R15 on battery

The non-replaceable 45 Wh battery allows for a battery life of around 8.5 hours in our Wi-Fi test. Charging time is relatively short, and the battery reached 80% charge after just 45 minutes and 100% after 90 minutes.

Battery Runtime - WiFi Websurfing
Average of class Office
  (272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
589 min +14%
Dell Latitude 3400
i3-8145U, UHD Graphics 620, 56 Wh
584 min +13%
Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
515 min
Lenovo ThinkPad E490-20N8000RGE
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
485 min -6%
HP 14-dk0008ng
R7 3700U, Vega 10, 41.04 Wh
432 min -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad E485-20KU000NGE
R5 2500U, Vega 8, 45 Wh
323 min -37%
Maximum battery life
Maximum battery life
Minimum battery life
Minimum battery life
Wi-Fi battery life
Wi-Fi battery life
Wi-Fi battery life (max. brightness)
Wi-Fi battery life (max. brightness)
H.264 battery life
H.264 battery life
Charging time
Charging time
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
14h 32min
WiFi Websurfing (EDGE: 44.18362.449.0)
8h 35min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (EDGE: 44.18362.449.0)
7h 29min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
8h 42min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 19min

Pros

+ modern design and robust base
+ very fast SSD
+ decent system performance
+ comfortable keyboard
+ 5x USB in total
+ USB Type-C with DisplayPort and Power Delivery
+ fast and reliable Wi-Fi
+ very quiet under load
+ SD card reader
+ good value for money

Cons

- limited to just 12 months of warranty
- very poor contrast ratio
- no maintenance opening
- low color-space coverage

Verdict – Well-Equipped Office Device

In review: Lenovo ThinkBook 14. Test unit courtesy of Cyberport
In review: Lenovo ThinkBook 14. Test unit courtesy of Cyberport

The Lenovo ThinkBook 14 is a solid office device for business users, and the subnotebook is also very well-suited for everyday office tasks at home. In addition, at its low price of less than $800 it does not leave too big of a hole in your wallet. In return, you get a well-built high-quality device made of well-chosen materials. We also liked its plentiful connectivity, including the card reader which, more often than not, is missing on modern laptops.

In terms of performance the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 offered an overall good experience. Its Core i5-10210U is a great fit and offers more than enough performance. Its 8 GB of soldered RAM was neither here nor there, and it can be retroactively upgraded by adding a secondary module. Storage space was somewhat limited due to the 256 GB SSD but this, too, can be retroactively upgraded to fit your needs. In other words: You do not need to consider future requirements at the time of purchase just yet and might be able to save quite a bit of money in the long run.

Lenovo’s ThinkBook 14 offers good performance and long battery life at a comparatively low price.

Our biggest point of concern is the display, as it failed to meet its advertised specifications. The differences were much more pronounced than can be expected owing to manufacturing tolerance. We sincerely hope that our review unit was an extreme case with a particularly bad display unit.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14-IML-20RV006TGE - 03/01/2020 v7
Sebastian Bade

Chassis
83 / 98 → 84%
Keyboard
80%
Pointing Device
82%
Connectivity
63 / 80 → 78%
Weight
68 / 20-75 → 88%
Battery
80%
Display
76%
Games Performance
47 / 78 → 61%
Application Performance
84 / 95 → 88%
Temperature
92%
Noise
98%
Audio
39%
Camera
34 / 85 → 40%
Average
71%
82%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Review: Business Laptop with Great Connectivity
Sebastian Bade, 2020-03- 3 (Update: 2020-03- 6)