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Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 Laptop review: Affordable Tiger Lake laptop

Good maintenance options. With the ThinkBook 15, Lenovo already presented a solid work device one year ago. Now the second generation of the office laptops also wants to convince in everyday operation with many equipment options and Tiger Lake CPUs. Our review clarifies how well it succeeds in this.
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL

We did not note any grave shortcomings in our verdict on the test of the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 about one year ago. According to our initial impression, this also won't be the case in the ThinkBook 15 Gen2. Since nothing has changed in the external equipment characteristics except for the connections, we will refer to the predecessor model in the corresponding sections of our review.

Our current test configuration is available for about 720 Euros (~$868) and includes an Intel Core i5-1135G7 with its internal Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs graphics unit. This is accompanied by 16 GB of working memory and a 512 GB SSD. In this configuration, the Lenovo laptop is compared with the competing devices listed below. Underneath each section, you can also add more laptops from our database.

Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL (ThinkBook 15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-1135G7 4 x 2.4 - 4.2 GHz, 51 W PL2 / Short Burst, 28 W PL1 / Sustained, Tiger Lake-UP3
Memory
16 GB 
, dual channel
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, LG Philips LP156WFC-SPD7, IPS, glossy: no, 60 Hz
Mainboard
Intel Tiger Lake-UP3 PCH-LP
Storage
Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU, 512 GB 
, 432 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Tiger Lake-U/Y PCH-LP - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combined audio port, Card Reader: SD, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 (a/b/g/h/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18.9 x 357 x 235 ( = 0.74 x 14.06 x 9.25 in)
Battery
45 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 0.9 MP, 16:9 (1280x720)
Additional features
Speakers: 2x 2W, stereo, Keyboard: chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Lenovo Vantage, McAfee LiveSafe (trial), Microsoft Office 365 (trial), 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.759 kg ( = 62.05 oz / 3.88 pounds), Power Supply: 355 g ( = 12.52 oz / 0.78 pounds)
Price
719 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible Competitors in Comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
82.8 %
04/2021
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs
1.8 kg18.9 mm15.60"1920x1080
81.8 %
02/2020
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620
1.9 kg18.9 mm15.60"1920x1080
81.4 %
02/2021
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs
1.9 kg18 mm15.60"1920x1080
84.7 %
01/2021
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
R5 4500U, Vega 6
1.5 kg17 mm15.60"1920x1080

Case - A metal display lid

While the design of the ThinkBook 15 Gen2 remains basically unchanged, the dimensions have been reduced minimally. The Lenovo laptop is now 1 cm (~0.4 in) less wide and about 100 grams (~3.5 oz) lighter. You can find a detailed description of our impressions in the review on the first generation of the Lenovo ThinkBook 15.

Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL

Size Comparison

364 mm / 14.3 inch 245 mm / 9.65 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 1.9 kg4.08 lbs363 mm / 14.3 inch 239 mm / 9.41 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.9 kg4.19 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 1.8 kg3.88 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 230 mm / 9.06 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 1.5 kg3.32 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Equipment - ThinkBook 15 now with Thunderbolt 4

In the second generation of the ThinkBook 15, Lenovo foregoes the USB-A connection that was hidden behind a flap. On the other hand, one of the USB-C ports now supports Thunderbolt 4, allowing for numerous expansions. The separate power connection has also been removed, and it can now be charged using one of the USB-C ports.

Left side: 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen2 (incl. DisplayPort and PD), 1x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 1.4, 1x USB-A 3.0 Gen1, combined audio port
Left side: 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen2 (incl. DisplayPort and PD), 1x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 1.4, 1x USB-A 3.0 Gen1, combined audio port
Right side: SD card reader, 1x USB-A 3.0 Gen1, GigabitLAN, Kensington Lock
Right side: SD card reader, 1x USB-A 3.0 Gen1, GigabitLAN, Kensington Lock

SD Card Reader

The performance of the SD card reader remains almost unchanged compared to that of the predecessor.

SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
78.2 MB/s +2%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
  (AV Pro V60)
76.8 MB/s
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years)
55.6 MB/s -28%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
86.9 MB/s +3%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
  (AV Pro V60)
84.7 MB/s
Average of class Office
  (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years)
65.2 MB/s -23%

Communication

The ThinkBook 15 Gen2 now uses WiFi 6 and achieves an average of 1554 Mb/s when receiving and 1426 Mb/s when sending data using our reference router. This means that the WLAN speeds have more than doubled.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1426 (1307min - 1478max) MBit/s
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1422 (1330min - 1712max) MBit/s 0%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (49.8 - 1775, n=324)
1161 MBit/s -19%
Average of class Office
  (280 - 1332, n=6, last 2 years)
810 MBit/s -43%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
697 (663min - 718max) MBit/s -51%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
Realtek 8822CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
658 (347min - 742max) MBit/s -54%
iperf3 receive AX12
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1554 (1438min - 1630max) MBit/s
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1328 (778min - 1391max) MBit/s -15%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (136 - 1743, n=324)
1261 MBit/s -19%
Average of class Office
  (348 - 1690, n=6, last 2 years)
852 MBit/s -45%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
672 (334min - 686max) MBit/s -57%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
Realtek 8822CE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCI-E NIC
655 (577min - 680max) MBit/s -58%
0501001502002503003504004505005506006507007508008509009501000105011001150120012501300135014001450150015501600Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1554 (1438-1630)
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1426 (1307-1478)

Webcam

ColorChecker
17.6 ∆E
23.4 ∆E
20 ∆E
21.3 ∆E
21 ∆E
18.8 ∆E
17.9 ∆E
13.4 ∆E
19.2 ∆E
8 ∆E
17.2 ∆E
25.5 ∆E
3.6 ∆E
12.8 ∆E
17.2 ∆E
13.6 ∆E
15.8 ∆E
13.7 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
10.7 ∆E
12.1 ∆E
9.3 ∆E
5.2 ∆E
7.5 ∆E
ColorChecker Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL: 14.46 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 25.48 ∆E

Security

Lenovo has equipped the ThinkBook 15 Gen2 with a fingerprint sensor that is integrated into the power button, a mechanical webcam cover, and a TPM 2.0 module.

Maintenance

With a little bit of patience, the ThinkBook 15 can be opened after all the screws on the bottom of the case have been removed. Inside is a replaceable RAM module below a cover. In addition, there are two M.2 slots for SSDs, only one of which is occupied in our test configuration.

Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 - maintenance options
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 - maintenance options
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 - RAM and SSD
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 - RAM and SSD

Display - Bright enough indoors

In our test unit, the display of the ThinkPad 15 Gen2 is a 15.6-inch IPS panel that offers a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. Even though at 276 cd/m² on average, the maximum brightness is the highest in our test field, it can only be considered rather low overall. At 87%, the brightness distribution turns out slightly better. Our recording in a dark room also shows some quite pronounced screen bleeding at the top and left edge of the display. Lenovo does not use PWM for brightness control.

Subpixel grid
Subpixel grid
Screen bleeding
Screen bleeding
286
cd/m²
293
cd/m²
288
cd/m²
269
cd/m²
288
cd/m²
273
cd/m²
262
cd/m²
268
cd/m²
255
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LG Philips LP156WFC-SPD7 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 293 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 275.8 cd/m² Minimum: 3.2 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 287 cd/m²
Contrast: 1108:1 (Black: 0.26 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.9 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.9
ΔE Greyscale 3.8 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
60% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
38.1% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
41.72% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
60.4% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
40.36% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.34
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
LG Philips LP156WFC-SPD7, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
LP156WFC-SPD1, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
LG Philips LGD065A, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
BOE0872, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
-5%
-5%
8%
Display P3 Coverage
40.36
38.38
-5%
38.32
-5%
43.51
8%
sRGB Coverage
60.4
57.7
-4%
57.5
-5%
64.5
7%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
41.72
39.67
-5%
39.6
-5%
44.95
8%
Response Times
7%
8%
-18%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
40 ?(21.2, 18.8)
37.6 ?(19.6, 18)
6%
37 ?(19, 18)
7%
Response Time Black / White *
30.4 ?(17.2, 13.2)
28 ?(16.4, 11.6)
8%
28 ?(16, 12)
8%
36 ?(18, 18)
-18%
PWM Frequency
5152
Screen
-2%
7%
10%
Brightness middle
288
245
-15%
285
-1%
272
-6%
Brightness
276
239
-13%
255
-8%
259
-6%
Brightness Distribution
87
82
-6%
84
-3%
85
-2%
Black Level *
0.26
0.25
4%
0.325
-25%
0.17
35%
Contrast
1108
980
-12%
877
-21%
1600
44%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.9
5.6
5%
4.23
28%
5.3
10%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
18.4
15.6
15%
7.94
57%
18
2%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.9
4.8
2%
3.75
23%
3.8
22%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.8
3.4
11%
2.51
34%
4
-5%
Gamma
2.34 94%
2.3 96%
2.57 86%
2.03 108%
CCT
6856 95%
7156 91%
6626 98%
7338 89%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
38.1
36.5
-4%
36
-6%
41.2
8%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
60
57.5
-4%
57
-5%
64.1
7%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
0% / -1%
3% / 5%
0% / 8%

* ... smaller is better

Color space coverage (sRGB) - 60%
Color space coverage (sRGB) - 60%
Color space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 38.1%
Color space coverage (AdobeRGB) - 38.1%

Our measurements attest the display of the ThinkBook 15 Gen2 with a good contrast ratio of 1108:1 and an only slightly elevated black value of 0.28 cd/m². At 60% (sRGB) and 38.1% (AdobeRGB), the color space coverage also corresponds to the expectations in this device class.

The CalMAN analysis also shows that the display reproduces colors with low deviations already in the state of delivery. However, a calibration still brings an improvement of the DeltaE 2000 value from 3.8 to 1.2. You can download the corresponding ICC file from the link in the frame to the right of the brightness distribution diagram above.

CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Color accuracy
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Color accuracy (calibrated)
CalMAN - Color accuracy (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN - Saturation (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)
CalMAN - Grayscale (calibrated)

The relatively low brightness becomes noticeable when working outdoors. This means that on sunny days, you can only easily recognize the display contents when you work in a shady place.

Using the Lenovo ThinBook 15 Gen2 outdoors (in the shade on a sunny day)
Using the Lenovo ThinBook 15 Gen2 outdoors (in the shade on a sunny day)
Using the Lenovo ThinBook 15 Gen2 outdoors (in the shade on a sunny day)
Using the Lenovo ThinBook 15 Gen2 outdoors (in the shade on a sunny day)

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
30.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17.2 ms rise
↘ 13.2 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 80 % 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 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 21.2 ms rise
↘ 18.8 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. » 55 % 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 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.

The viewing angles of the IPS panel of the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 are very stable. The display contents can be recognized from almost any viewing angle without the image or colors becoming distorted.

Viewing angle stability
Viewing angle stability

Performance - Tiger Lake with a good constant performance

Lenovo offers the 2nd generation of the ThinkBook 15 with processors of varying powers from Intel's Tiger Lake generation. An AMD model is also available, and for increased demands on the graphics performance there is also an option with Nvidia's GeForce MX450 graphics unit. All the equipment configurations are very well suited for various office applications and also suited for simple image or video processing. 

Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 - CPUz
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 - CPUz
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 - CPUz
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 - CPUz
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 - HWInfo
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 - GPUz
 
 

Processor

Our test configuration of the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 is equipped with an Intel Core i5-1135G7. This processor has four cores, allowing it to operate on up to eight threads simultaneously. However, the available performance depends largely on the configured TDP and the cooling system. Despite not having the maximum TDP, the i5-1135G7 here is able to use its performance very well in our benchmarks, achieving better results than the i5-1135G7 in the Acer Aspire 5 A515.

Compared to the Honor MagicBook 15 with an AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, the ThinkBook 15 Gen2 also fares very well. While the multi-core performance of both CPUs is almost at the same level, the Intel Core i5-1135G7 is able to score the better single-core performance.

Our Cinebench R15 constant loop also reveals that the performance of the i5-1135G7 in the ThinkBook 15 Gen2 drops by about 5% right after starting the test. However, it is then able to maintain that value until the end of the test loops. Under constant load, we also determine a PL1 value of 28 watts.

050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL Intel Core i5-1135G7: Ø868 (859.14-922.21)
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Intel Core i5-10210U: Ø537 (517.78-687.49)
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A Intel Core i5-1135G7: Ø636 (630.73-668.34)
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U AMD Ryzen 5 4500U: Ø892 (873.29-934.25)
Cinebench R20: CPU (Single Core) | CPU (Multi Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Single 64Bit | CPU Multi 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 -mmt1 | 7z b 4
Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Office
  (181.3 - 764, n=120, last 2 years)
553 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
526 Points
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
521 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (375 - 527, n=62)
507 Points -4%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
439 Points -17%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
418 Points -21%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Office
  (356 - 5904, n=120, last 2 years)
3055 Points +37%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2347 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
2226 Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (979 - 2382, n=62)
1827 Points -18%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
1597 Points -28%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
1581 Points -29%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
203 Points
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
198 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (141.4 - 205, n=61)
194.4 Points -4%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
172 Points -15%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
165 Points -19%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +50%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
934 (873.29min - 934.25max) Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
922 (859.14min - 922.21max) Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (431 - 941, n=65)
792 Points -14%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
687 Points -25%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
668 (630.73min - 668.34max) Points -28%
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
735 Seconds * -36%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
676 Seconds * -25%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (499 - 1044, n=60)
662 Seconds * -22%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
566 Seconds * -5%
Average of class Office
  (214 - 2844, n=121, last 2 years)
543 Seconds * -0%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
541 Seconds *
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Office
  (2233 - 6687, n=122, last 2 years)
4967 MIPS +3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4846 MIPS +1%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4818 MIPS
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (3924 - 4921, n=62)
4674 MIPS -3%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4302 MIPS -11%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
4099 MIPS -15%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4
Average of class Office
  (4226 - 62349, n=121, last 2 years)
34257 MIPS +38%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
25815 MIPS +4%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
24873 MIPS
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (14745 - 24873, n=62)
21407 MIPS -14%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
20655 MIPS -17%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
19022 MIPS -24%
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core
Average of class Office
  (510 - 1974, n=123, last 2 years)
1452 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
1428 Points
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
1397 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (1147 - 1428, n=58)
1373 Points -4%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
1220 Points -15%
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core
Average of class Office
  (1018 - 11980, n=123, last 2 years)
6503 Points +38%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
6234 Points +33%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4700 Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (3475 - 5472, n=58)
4663 Points -1%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
4629 Points -2%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset
Average of class Office
  (1.55 - 17.4, n=121, last 2 years)
9.04 fps +25%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
7.33 fps +2%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
7.21 fps
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (3.57 - 7.6, n=57)
5.93 fps -18%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
5.16 fps -28%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
5.13 fps -29%
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
65.2 s * -33%
Average of class Office
  (31.3 - 117.5, n=121, last 2 years)
57.3 s * -17%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (44.2 - 62.9, n=60)
52.8 s * -8%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
49.7 s * -1%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
49.1 s *
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7
  (0.619 - 0.727, n=59)
0.642 sec * -4%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7
0.629 sec * -2%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
0.623 sec * -1%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7
0.619 sec *
Average of class Office
  (0.4244 - 1.397, n=120, last 2 years)
0.593 sec * +4%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
922 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
88.6 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
203 Points
Help

System Performance

In the PCMark 10 test, which evaluates the system performance, the Lenovo laptop also achieves a good result. Although it has to be content with second place behind the Honor MagicBook 15 in the overall evaluation, it achieves first place in our test field in the "Essentials" and "Digital Content Creation" single disciplines. In everyday operation, the ThinkBook 15 Gen2 starts up programs extremely quickly, and data access also occurs without any delays.

Our CPU benchmark list shows how other models fare in comparison.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years)
5312 Points +11%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G
4851 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU
4766 Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (4026 - 4952, n=53)
4613 Points -3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD
4527 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4248 Points -11%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years)
9781 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU
9638 Points
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (8149 - 9917, n=53)
9310 Points -3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD
9282 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
9103 Points -6%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G
8751 Points -9%
Productivity
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G
7481 Points +16%
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years)
7439 Points +16%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6874 Points +7%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU
6422 Points
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD
6234 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (5040 - 6619, n=53)
6218 Points -3%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years)
5732 Points +21%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU
4749 Points
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G
4734 Points 0%
Average Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (3548 - 5255, n=53)
4612 Points -3%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD
4353 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3325 Points -30%
PCMark 10 Score
4766 points
Help

DPC Latencies

In the test with LatencyMon, the ThinkBook 15 Gen2 shows slightly elevated latencies, which could become a hindrance in real-time applications.

LatencyMon - Statistics
LatencyMon - Statistics
LatencyMon - Drivers
LatencyMon - Drivers
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU
1517 μs *
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1135G7, Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD
1092 μs * +28%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
Vega 6, R5 4500U, WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G
658 μs * +57%

* ... smaller is better

Storage Solution

Lenovo has equipped our test unit with a 512 GB Samsung SSD. While this doesn't achieve read and write rates that are quite as good as those of the models built into the competitors in our test field, it still contributes significantly to the good system performance.

You can find out what performance to expect from other storage solutions in our HDD/SSD benchmark list.

Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G
Average Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
37%
24%
20%
-1%
Write 4K
148.1
176.3
19%
86.8
-41%
161.1
9%
129.5 ?(102.8 - 148.1, n=8)
-13%
Read 4K
47.72
48.98
3%
66.4
39%
49.92
5%
45.1 ?(37.6 - 52.3, n=8)
-5%
Write Seq
1225
1789
46%
1851
51%
1799
47%
1172 ?(946 - 1333, n=8)
-4%
Read Seq
1498
1671
12%
1707
14%
1978
32%
1496 ?(1145 - 1615, n=8)
0%
Write 4K Q32T1
421.1
433.5
3%
542
29%
392.5
-7%
448 ?(382 - 592, n=8)
6%
Read 4K Q32T1
360.9
526
46%
589
63%
506
40%
415 ?(336 - 528, n=8)
15%
Write Seq Q32T1
1407
2983
112%
1960
39%
1806
28%
1397 ?(1315 - 1456, n=8)
-1%
Read Seq Q32T1
2362
3555
51%
2227
-6%
2460
4%
2307 ?(2085 - 2365, n=8)
-2%
Write 4K Q8T8
1688
Read 4K Q8T8
1036
AS SSD
48%
10%
-5%
-9%
Seq Read
1965
2564
30%
2023
3%
2091
6%
1917 ?(1706 - 2012, n=8)
-2%
Seq Write
836
2268
171%
1781
113%
1658
98%
1061 ?(802 - 1268, n=8)
27%
4K Read
50.3
57
13%
61.9
23%
43.46
-14%
45.7 ?(32.4 - 50.3, n=8)
-9%
4K Write
189.1
141.4
-25%
128.7
-32%
141.9
-25%
140.2 ?(100.8 - 189.1, n=8)
-26%
4K-64 Read
870
1175
35%
904
4%
589
-32%
854 ?(830 - 870, n=8)
-2%
4K-64 Write
871
1665
91%
976
12%
1028
18%
780 ?(485 - 872, n=8)
-10%
Access Time Read *
0.126
0.032
75%
0.064
49%
0.1031 ?(0.065 - 0.126, n=8)
18%
Access Time Write *
0.02
0.025
-25%
0.031
-55%
0.047
-135%
0.03488 ?(0.02 - 0.078, n=8)
-74%
Score Read
1117
1488
33%
1168
5%
842
-25%
1091 ?(1063 - 1117, n=8)
-2%
Score Write
1144
2033
78%
1283
12%
1335
17%
1027 ?(708 - 1144, n=8)
-10%
Score Total
2787
4279
54%
3053
10%
2598
-7%
2643 ?(2286 - 2787, n=8)
-5%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
43% / 43%
17% / 16%
8% / 6%
-5% / -5%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 2362 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1407 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 360.9 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 421.1 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1498 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1225 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 47.72 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 148.1 MB/s

Constant Performance Reads: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

Graphics Card

The Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs used here is an internal graphics unit that is suited for low to medium demands on the graphics performance. Due to the 16 GB of working memory in dual-channel configuration, the performance should turn out slightly better than that of laptops with single-channel RAM. However, the values achieved in the 3DMark tests are slightly below average.

Our GPU benchmark list shows how other laptops with this graphics unit fared in our tests.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +12%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
5259 Points
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
5192 Points -1%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (2246 - 6477, n=105)
5167 Points -2%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4173 Points -21%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1914 Points -64%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (5681 - 58068, n=98, last 2 years)
23871 Points +17%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (6361 - 30894, n=92)
21769 Points +6%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
21604 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
20451 Points
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
10265 Points -50%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years)
4072 Points +29%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (1560 - 5305, n=107)
3782 Points +20%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
3263 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
3146 Points
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1309 Points -58%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Office
  (242 - 3186, n=113, last 2 years)
1323 Points +28%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (561 - 1511, n=104)
1170 Points +13%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
1079 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, Intel Core i5-1135G7
1034 Points
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
421 Points -59%
3DMark 11 Performance
5386 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
15869 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
2727 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
1167 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The ThinkBook 15 Gen2 with integrated graphics unit is only suited for games to a limited extent. Although some older games can be played quite smoothly in Full-HD resolution and at higher detail levels, with modern games this is only possible in much reduced details and lower resolutions.

Our GPU games list shows the performance you can expect in various games.

The Witcher 3 - 1366x768 Medium Graphics & Postprocessing
Average of class Office
  (7.82 - 89, n=97, last 2 years)
44.3 fps +11%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (21.8 - 56.9, n=100)
41.8 fps +4%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
40.03 fps
Far Cry 5 - 1280x720 Low Preset AA:T
Average of class Office
  (19 - 95, n=48, last 2 years)
46.6 fps +23%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (14 - 63, n=48)
38.8 fps +2%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
38 fps
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
29 fps -24%
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
27 fps -29%
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark - 1280x720 Lite Quality
Average of class Office
  (5.42 - 94, n=116, last 2 years)
35 fps +21%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (8.32 - 45.6, n=100)
31.5 fps +9%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
29 fps
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
25.6 fps -12%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
25.38 fps -12%
Dota 2 Reborn - 1920x1080 high (2/3)
Average of class Office
  (8.9 - 110.4, n=124, last 2 years)
49.6 fps +33%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (10.4 - 70.9, n=105)
42.5 fps +14%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
42 (38.5min) fps +13%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
37.3 (26.7min) fps
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
32.4 (23.8min) fps -13%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
21.9 (20.4min) fps -41%
X-Plane 11.11 - 1920x1080 med (fps_test=2)
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
33 fps +1%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
Intel Core i5-1135G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
32.6 fps
Average of class Office
  (6.45 - 95.2, n=123, last 2 years)
31.5 fps -3%
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
28.9 fps -11%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
  (6.45 - 40.5, n=106)
28.7 fps -12%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
13.4 fps -59%
low med. high ultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 40.03 20.7 10.9
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 78.7 62.8 37.3 34.9
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) 29 14.7
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 39.1 32.6 28.3
Far Cry 5 (2018) 38 18 16

Emissions - Good speakers and an evenly running fan

Noise Emissions

During everyday office usage, the fan of the ThinkBook 15 Gen2 remains mostly turned off. Even though it is clearly audible at up to 40 dB(A) under load, the even whirring can be easily ignored as background noise. We did not notice any coil whine or other noises in our test unit.

Noise Level

Idle
24.4 / 24.4 / 27.4 dB(A)
Load
30 / 40.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 24.4 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.332.532.633.741.533.233.1352528.831.126.330.535.42727293132.932.935.83438.834.133.432.94029.730.529.230.53530.529.530.65031.631.428.730.831.23028.929.36326.32619.626.224.524.221.622.38024.624.320.923.423.421.919.321.510026.223.322.325.225.623.919.526.312521.922.319.220.523.723.52021.616023.824.221.32326.622.722.323.820028.722.120.123.626.725.120.829.725022.721.519.620.826.623.819.423.431521.41814.917.824.822.8162140023.418.116.818.627.525.613.523.350023.218.515.719.727.525.613.622.763029.420.718.32230.228.711.928.580025.619.617.520.929.427.510.825.3100026.720.317.421.431.329.311.126.5125025.419.316.721.229.227.610.625.3160027.821.216.821.831.930.310.627.8200026.419.215.820.530.929.110.826.5250023.416.914.218.22926.911.223.831502215.81318.627.32511.522.2400021.613.812.414.626.224.112.121.6500017.91312.113.525.722.412.318630014.512.612.312.920.617.612.315800012.912.512.312.715.61412.513.21000012.712.612.312.913.412.812.712.81250012.512.512.112.712.912.612.412.61600011.711.811.41211.811.811.711.8SPL36.33027.431.140.438.524.436.2N2.31.20.91.43.32.80.62.3median 23.2median 18.5median 15.8median 19.7median 26.6median 24.1median 12.3median 23.3Delta4.24.13.63.84.24.52.84.3hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL

Temperature

Stress test
Stress test

Our measurements attest the ThinkBook 15 Gen2 with surface temperatures of up to 46 °C (115 °F) under load. The warmest spot is in the center towards the back at the bottom, so the palm rests always remain cool. This means that using the laptop on your lap, for example, is still barely possible.

During the hour-long stress test, the temperatures inside the laptop rose up to 89 °C (192 °F). The clock speeds of the CPU could be maintained at about 2.4 GHz on average, meaning that they didn't go lower than the basic clock speed, so users don't need to expect any limitations in everyday operation due to temperatures being too high.

Max. Load
 39.9 °C
104 F
37.5 °C
100 F
32.7 °C
91 F
 
 38.3 °C
101 F
36.4 °C
98 F
28.4 °C
83 F
 
 26.7 °C
80 F
25.4 °C
78 F
24 °C
75 F
 
Maximum: 39.9 °C = 104 F
Average: 32.1 °C = 90 F
35.9 °C
97 F
46 °C
115 F
45.5 °C
114 F
26.9 °C
80 F
40.1 °C
104 F
39.7 °C
103 F
22.8 °C
73 F
24.9 °C
77 F
25.6 °C
78 F
Maximum: 46 °C = 115 F
Average: 34.2 °C = 94 F
Power Supply (max.)  39.7 °C = 103 F | Room Temperature 20.6 °C = 69 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 32.1 °C / 90 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 39.9 °C / 104 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 46 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.5 °C / 76 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.4 °C / 87 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 26.7 °C / 80.1 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 °C / 1.8 F).
Heat map - top
Heat map - top
Heat map - bottom
Heat map - bottom

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.132.12527263133.430.84029.530.35028.929.56321.626.18019.329.910019.534.81252036.316022.34520020.851.725019.453.63151659.540013.564.950013.668.263011.971.380010.869.1100011.164.9125010.671.5160010.669.6200010.867.3250011.267.8315011.567.9400012.166.4500012.369.4630012.372.1800012.567.31000012.769.31250012.471.21600011.764.3SPL24.481N0.652.3median 12.3median 67.3Delta2.86.431.320.631.334.230.234.235.425.535.430.721.130.730.42130.426.621.326.625.915.125.926.814.526.827.215.127.232.113.132.132.211.932.244.211.344.252.511.952.558.310.758.357.410.757.457.71157.76010.66059.311.159.359.711.559.760.311.560.362.611.762.654.512.154.556.412.756.457.212.957.26013.26062.413.562.466.313.466.368.213.668.268.813.768.859135973.624.473.631.50.531.5median 58.3median 12.1median 58.36.31.16.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITLAcer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 20.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (6.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (3.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 5% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 92% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 11% of all tested devices were better, 3% similar, 85% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (68.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.5% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 36% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 54% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 45% of all tested devices were better, 9% similar, 46% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management - Disappointing battery life of the ThinkBook

Power Consumption

The ThinkBook 15 Gen2 demonstrates a higher power consumption than the rest of the laptops in our test field. Only the average value under load is exceeded by the predecessor model. In the stress test, the maximum power consumption quickly levels out at ~52 watts, so the included 65-Watt charger is sufficiently sized.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.29 / 1.1 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 5.1 / 9.1 / 11.7 Watt
Load midlight 33.3 / 69.3 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 ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Samsung PM991 MZALQ512HALU, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, Micron 2210 MTFDHBA1T0QFD, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
R5 4500U, Vega 6, WDC PC SN530 SDBPNPZ-512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs
 
Average of class Office
 
Power Consumption
15%
22%
19%
11%
11%
Idle Minimum *
5.1
3.5
31%
3.3
35%
3.9
24%
4.46 ?(2.3 - 15.8, n=101)
13%
4.27 ?(2.2 - 9.4, n=107, last 2 years)
16%
Idle Average *
9.1
7.1
22%
8.4
8%
7.4
19%
7.33 ?(3.5 - 16.8, n=101)
19%
7.32 ?(3.8 - 20.6, n=107, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Maximum *
11.7
7.8
33%
8.9
24%
8.2
30%
9.25 ?(4.5 - 17, n=101)
21%
9.1 ?(4.8 - 23.9, n=107, last 2 years)
22%
Load Average *
33.3
38.9
-17%
30.1
10%
34.6
-4%
36.1 ?(14.3 - 70, n=99)
-8%
40.4 ?(8.7 - 75.2, n=106, last 2 years)
-21%
Witcher 3 ultra *
39.2
35.2
10%
Load Maximum *
69.3
65.4
6%
45.4
34%
43.6
37%
61.2 ?(24.2 - 149, n=101)
12%
57.4 ?(11.1 - 101.4, n=107, last 2 years)
17%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

In our realistic WLAN test, the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 achieves a battery life of about 5.5 hours. With this, it does not last as long as the rest of the devices in our test field. The predecessor model also ran more than an hour longer with the same battery capacity.

In addition to the 45-Wh battery used here, the ThinkBook 15 Gen2 is also available with a 60-Wh battery.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
5h 35min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness
4h 49min
Load (maximum brightness)
0h 55min
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 45 Wh
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-511A
i5-1135G7, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 48.85 Wh
Honor MagicBook 15 4500U
R5 4500U, Vega 6, 42 Wh
Average of class Office
 
Battery Runtime
40%
73%
65%
95%
WiFi v1.3
335
406
21%
416
24%
570
70%
589 ?(272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
76%
Load
55
87
58%
122
122%
88
60%
117 ?(56 - 209, n=65, last 2 years)
113%

Pros

+ good constant performance
+ Thunderbolt 4 port
+ available slot for a second SSD
+ robust case

Cons

- short battery life
- only a single RAM slot

Verdict - More performance but a shorter battery life

Testing the Lenovo ThinkBook Gen2. Test unit provided by campuspoint.
Testing the Lenovo ThinkBook Gen2. Test unit provided by campuspoint.

Lenovo continues to develop the ThinkBook discretely, mainly using more modern hardware inside. Corresponding to the configuration, it is able to use its performance well, mastering various office tasks without any problem. And if the storage or working memory become too tight at some point, both of these components can be expanded or replaced. In terms of the connections, the manufacturer has left out some of the options, replacing them with a Thunderbolt 4 port. This allows you to expand it in various ways using the corresponding adapters or docking stations.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 offers a good performance for various office applications, but the battery life turns out a bit tight.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 gives only few reasons for complaint. Webcams that generally have a resolution that is too low are not a problem that is particular to this device. So there is really only the short battery life that turns out significantly shorter than that of the predecessor model and our selected competitors. If the ThinkBook Gen2 sometimes has to last for a whole day without charging it, you should definitely pick a version with the 60-Wh battery. 

Price and Availability

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 can be purchased in this or other configurations from Campuspoint in Germany, for example. In the US, it is available from Lenovo directly, with the Intel version starting from $948 (some more affordable configurations are currently unavailable) and the AMD version from ~$630, among other places.

Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 ITL - 04/19/2021 v7
Mike Wobker

Chassis
79 / 98 → 81%
Keyboard
79%
Pointing Device
82%
Connectivity
68 / 80 → 85%
Weight
66 / 20-75 → 83%
Battery
67%
Display
82%
Games Performance
61 / 78 → 78%
Application Performance
89 / 95 → 93%
Temperature
91%
Noise
94%
Audio
82%
Camera
31 / 85 → 37%
Average
75%
83%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Gen2 Laptop review: Affordable Tiger Lake laptop
Mike Wobker, 2021-04-20 (Update: 2021-04-20)