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Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Laptop Review: An affordable office device with a Comet Lake processor

A modern look with many connections. The ThinkBook range is the link between the ThinkPad and IdeaPad series. The inexpensive entry-level laptop should not only convince home users, though. In this review, we will clarify whether the ThinkBook 15 can master everyday office life.

With the ThinkPad-L series, Lenovo already has affordable office laptops in its portfolio. The company also sells the IdeaPad series for home users, making the ThinkBook series so to speak, the link between the two. In essence, the ThinkBook series is a blend between a pure office laptop for use at home and a true business laptop that is designed for productivity.

Our review unit is the Intel Core i5-10210U SKU, which also comes with 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB NVMe SSD. When it comes to the display, the device has a 15.6-inch matte panel with a Full HD resolution. The device currently changes hands for around 810 Euros (~$889). Lenovo sells cheaper variants from around 639 Euros (~$701), though. However, please keep in mind that the entry-level model comes with the weaker Core i3-10110U and less RAM than our review unit does. Likewise, Lenovo equips the entry-level model with a 256 GB SSD rather than the 512 GB drive on display here. Conversely, if you spend around 900 Euros (~$988), you can get a model with a faster processor, namely the Core i7-10510U. According to Lenovo's datasheet, there should also be a model with a Core i7-10710U, although we cannot find anything about availability or pricing for this version at the time of writing.

Lenovo ThinkBook 15 (ThinkBook 15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i5-10210U 4 x 1.6 - 4.2 GHz, Comet Lake-U
Graphics adapter
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2666
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 141 PPI, LP156WFC-SPD1, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel Comet Lake-U PCH-LP Premium
Storage
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, 512 GB 
, 448 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, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm, Card Reader: 4-in-1 media reader (MMC, SD, SDHC, SDXC), 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168B/8111B Family PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet NIC (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): 18.9 x 364 x 245 ( = 0.74 x 14.33 x 9.65 in)
Battery
45 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD 720p
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: no, 65 W power supply, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.852 kg ( = 65.33 oz / 4.08 pounds), Power Supply: 357 g ( = 12.59 oz / 0.79 pounds)
Price
809 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
81.8 %
02/2020
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620
1.9 kg18.9 mm15.60"1920x1080
88.4 %
07/2019
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
R7 3700U, Vega 10
1.9 kg19.9 mm15.60"1920x1080
83.2 %
10/2019
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620
2 kg23 mm15.60"1920x1080
82.1 %
12/2019
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620
1.6 kg19.9 mm15.60"1920x1080
84.6 %
03/2019
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
i7-8565U, GeForce MX130
2 kg20 mm15.60"1920x1080
79.6 %
06/2019
Dell Latitude 15 3590
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620
2.1 kg22 mm15.60"1920x1080

Case - Refined, but mostly plastic

Unlike the more expensive ThinkPad series, Lenovo has decked the ThinkBook 15 out with a mostly plastic design. While the keyboard deck and display lid are made from aluminium, for instance, the rest of the device is plastic instead. All materials have a grey finish that makes the ThinkBook 15 look rather reserved and unobtrusive, in our opinion. Lenovo does not offer alternative colours for the ThinkBook 15, though.

Overall, the chassis and the display lid offer good stability, with our review unit emitting a soft creak when we try to twist it. We do notice the keyboard deck sagging slightly when we press down on it, but this is not particularly noticeable in everyday use. Pressing on the display lid does not cause the display to temporarily deform though, underlining the rigidity of the aluminium and plastic design.

The built-in hinges offer good stability too and hold the display in position well. They cannot completely prevent the display from teetering, though. In short, the ThinkBook 15 is well-built and you should not notice that you have an inexpensive laptop sat in front of you.

Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Lenovo ThinkBook 15

The ThinkBook 15 is relatively compact for a 15-inch laptop, too. The device is on par with the Schenker Slim 15 in this regard, although the ThinkBook 15 is a touch thinner at 18.99 mm. The competition keeps up here, but the ThinkBook 15 is thinner than all our comparison devices. The device is not too heavy either. Indeed, it is lighter than all but the Schenker Slim 15 at 1.9 kg.

Size Comparison

380 mm / 15 inch 258 mm / 10.2 inch 22 mm / 0.866 inch 2.1 kg4.56 lbs376.5 mm / 14.8 inch 254.5 mm / 10 inch 23 mm / 0.906 inch 2 kg4.45 lbs369 mm / 14.5 inch 252 mm / 9.92 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 1.9 kg4.28 lbs365 mm / 14.4 inch 257 mm / 10.1 inch 20 mm / 0.787 inch 2 kg4.39 lbs364 mm / 14.3 inch 245 mm / 9.65 inch 18.9 mm / 0.744 inch 1.9 kg4.08 lbs360.4 mm / 14.2 inch 244.5 mm / 9.63 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 1.6 kg3.51 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity - Everything that one needs

Moreover, the ThinkBook 15 is surprisingly well-equipped. The device offers five USB ports, which should be enough for most people. Two of these are Type-C ports, which both support DisplayPort and PowerDelivery, although you will need the corresponding adapter and charger to take advantage of these capabilities. However, you could always use the HDMI 1.4b port for connecting the ThinkBook 15 to an external monitor if you do not necessarily need DisplayPort. Lenovo has hidden one of the USB 2.0 ports behind a flap too, which is ideal for including USB receivers that are less than 16 mm thick.

While the ThinkBook 15 has plenty of ports, they are not distributed as well as they could be, in our opinion. Lenovo has left too little space between some ports, which may preclude you from using several wide cables simultaneously. We found attaching a Kensington security lock difficult, for instance, as this covers the proprietary Slim Tap power connector. Fortunately, the ThinkBook 15 can be charged via USB Type-C, but you will need to buy a secondary charger for this.

Left-hand side: Ethernet (RJ45), HDMI 1.4b, USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 (DisplayPort, PowerDelivery), 3.5 mm jack
Left-hand side: Ethernet (RJ45), HDMI 1.4b, USB 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 1, USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 (DisplayPort, PowerDelivery), 3.5 mm jack
Right-hand side: USB 2.0 Type-A (hidden behind a flap), 4-in-1 card reader, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, power connector, Kensington lock slot
Right-hand side: USB 2.0 Type-A (hidden behind a flap), 4-in-1 card reader, USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A, power connector, Kensington lock slot
Front: No connections
Front: No connections
Rear: No connections
Rear: No connections

SD Card Reader

Lenovo equips the ThinkBook 15 with a full-sized SD card reader, which sits on the right-hand side of the device. The reader works at USB 3 speeds, something that we determined during our SD card tests. We conducted these with a Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II card, for reference. All devices offered comparable transfer speeds here, except for the Dell Latitude 3590.

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
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
77.1 MB/s -1%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
76.1 MB/s -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
72.9 MB/s -7%
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
70.5 MB/s -10%
Average of class Office
  (8 - 196.8, n=50, last 2 years)
55.6 MB/s -29%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
21.8 MB/s -72%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
87.6 MB/s +1%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
86.9 MB/s
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II)
84.4 MB/s -3%
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
82.7 MB/s -5%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
82.1 MB/s -6%
Average of class Office
  (26.4 - 173.2, n=44, last 2 years)
65.2 MB/s -25%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
25.3 MB/s -71%

Communication

The ThinkBook 15 also has an Intel Wireless AC 9560 module onboard, which handles network connections. This module also supports Bluetooth 5. In our test, the AC 9560 provided fast and stable transmission speeds, although our review unit had to admit defeat to the exceedingly fast Intel Wi-Fi 6 module in the Schenker Slim 15. The ThinkBook 15 still finished in second place in both tests, though. In short, we encountered no problems during our Wi-Fi tests with the ThinkBook 15.

However, if you prefer to use a wired connection, then you can connect the ThinkBook 15 to a network via Ethernet.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1098 (1022min - 1319max) MBit/s +58%
Average of class Office
  (280 - 1332, n=6, last 2 years)
810 MBit/s +16%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
697 (663min - 718max) MBit/s
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
682 (650min - 687max) MBit/s -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
638 MBit/s -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
613 MBit/s -12%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
580 (483min - 639max) MBit/s -17%
iperf3 receive AX12
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1334 (1201min - 1379max) MBit/s +99%
Average of class Office
  (348 - 1690, n=6, last 2 years)
852 MBit/s +27%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
672 (334min - 686max) MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
640 MBit/s -5%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
634 (437min - 666max) MBit/s -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
604 MBit/s -10%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
292 (177min - 317max) MBit/s -57%
04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 ; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø661 (334-686)
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 ; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø697 (663-718)

Security

With the security features, you will begin to notice that the ThinkBook 15 is not a pure business laptop. While our review unit has a fingerprint scanner, which Lenovo has integrated within the power button, this is the only method of biometric authentication. There is the ThinkShutter too though, a small security option that covers the webcam with a sliding mechanism if you do not want it exposed at all times.

Accessories

The accessories included with the ThinkBook 15 are spartan, at best. In addition to the device, Lenovo only includes a 65 W power supply and various service brochures, along with some warranty information.

Maintenance

If you want to open the device, then you must first unscrew 10 small screws to remove the bottom plate. After removing these, then you will still need to get past several retaining clips. These can be pried away with a small plastic tool like a spudger, but we would recommend taking care when doing so. Once you have done this, you should then be able to remove the bottom cover and access the ThinkBook's internal components. Lenovo covers the SSD, RAM and Wi-Fi module with adhesive films, but these are simple to remove.

A look at the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 with its bottom cover removed
A look at the Lenovo ThinkBook 15 with its bottom cover removed

Warranty

Lenovo affords the ThinkBook 15 with 12 months of manufacturer's warranty by default.

Please see our Guarantees, Return Policies & Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices - A pleasant typing experience, but sadly without backlighting

Keyboard

A look at the keyboard on the ThinkBook 15
A look at the keyboard on the ThinkBook 15

Keyboards have been Lenovo's favourite discipline for years. However, the built-in chiclet keyboard differs significantly from the high-quality ones that still grace the ThinkPad series. Rather, the keyboard in the ThinkBook 15 reminds us of the ones we have seen in recent IdeaPad devices. Basically, the ThinkBook 15 offers a pleasant typing experience, with the keys having a short stroke and a slightly dampened stop. The pressure point of all keys can be easily felt too. However, this is not always pleasant because of their short strokes. The keys are also large enough for our fingers, and Lenovo even manages to accommodate a numeric keypad despite the compact dimensions of the ThinkBook 15. These keys are a bit smaller than the main keyboard keys though, while being positioned closer together too. The same applies to the up and down arrow keys, which are half-sized. It only took a short period of acclimatisation to get used to the keyboard, so the ThinkBook 15 should not hold you back during long typing sessions. We found the lack of a backlight a shame though, as this would have rounded off the entire package in our view.

Trackpad

A close-up of the trackpad on the ThinkBook 15
A close-up of the trackpad on the ThinkBook 15

The colour of the trackpad, or in this case the ClickPad, matches the keyboard deck well. Its surface area measures 10.5 x 7.1 cm, which should be large enough for most people. We encountered no problems with the trackpad during our tests and found it to be large enough on which to perform multi-finger gestures. The texture of the trackpad is smooth too, making it easy to use a single finger to move the onscreen mouse.

Lenovo integrates two mouse buttons as well, which are located in the bottom section of the trackpad. Both emit a slight clicking sound when pressed. While the acoustic feedback is good, we would not call it loud.

Display - Unsuitable for professional use

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
Our review unit suffers from a little backlight bleeding in the corners of the display
Our review unit suffers from a little backlight bleeding in the corners of the display

Lenovo has equipped our test device with a matte 15-inch IPS display. The panel operates natively at 1920x1080, which corresponds with a pixel density of 141 PPI. According to the device's datasheet, Lenovo also sells the ThinkBook 15 with a TN panel. While this is a 1080p panel too, it offers lower maximum brightness and contrast levels than the IPS panel in our review unit does.

Our test sample does not get that bright, either. According to X-Rite i1Pro 2, the display achieved an average maximum luminosity of 239 cd/m², which is somewhat less than the 250 cd/m² that Lenovo advertises. The panel does exceed the factory specifications of an 800:1 contrast ratio though, with our tests confirming a 980:1 ratio instead. This value is determined by the average maximum brightness and black value, for reference.

Fortunately, the LP156WFC-SPD1 panel in our review unit does not use pulse-width modulation (PWM) to regulate its luminosity. PWM can cause eyestrain and headaches for some people. We did notice some backlight bleeding though, albeit only a minor amount in the corners of the panel. We have seen much worse backlight bleeding than this, for context.

256
cd/m²
248
cd/m²
250
cd/m²
244
cd/m²
245
cd/m²
240
cd/m²
226
cd/m²
211
cd/m²
230
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LP156WFC-SPD1 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 256 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 238.9 cd/m² Minimum: 1.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 82 %
Center on Battery: 245 cd/m²
Contrast: 980:1 (Black: 0.25 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.6 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.8
ΔE Greyscale 3.4 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
57.5% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
36.5% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.67% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
57.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
38.38% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.3
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
LP156WFC-SPD1, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
NV156FHM-N49, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
N156HCE-EAA, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
BOE CQ NV156FHM-N61, , 1920x1080, 15.60
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Chi Mei CMN15FE, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell Latitude 15 3590
BOE0802 / NT15N41 / Dell: M9P74, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Display
3%
13%
62%
12%
3%
Display P3 Coverage
38.38
39.88
4%
43.3
13%
66.8
74%
42.83
12%
39.67
3%
sRGB Coverage
57.7
58.6
2%
64.4
12%
87.1
51%
64.2
11%
59.7
3%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
39.67
41.2
4%
44.81
13%
63.7
61%
44.29
12%
40.99
3%
Response Times
-14%
-12%
-16%
11%
24%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
37.6 ?(19.6, 18)
41.2 ?(22, 19.2)
-10%
42.8 ?(22.8, 20)
-14%
45 ?(23, 22)
-20%
34.4 ?(17.2, 17.2)
9%
41 ?(22, 19)
-9%
Response Time Black / White *
28 ?(16.4, 11.6)
32.8 ?(18, 14.8)
-17%
30.8 ?(18, 12.8)
-10%
31 ?(17, 14)
-11%
24.4 ?(14.4, 10)
13%
12 ?(8, 4)
57%
PWM Frequency
1220 ?(99)
24510 ?(40)
250 ?(80)
26040 ?(40)
250 ?(90)
Screen
18%
-1%
13%
8%
-40%
Brightness middle
245
318
30%
247
1%
315
29%
242
-1%
215
-12%
Brightness
239
297
24%
228
-5%
294
23%
226
-5%
214
-10%
Brightness Distribution
82
89
9%
81
-1%
83
1%
88
7%
91
11%
Black Level *
0.25
0.17
32%
0.18
28%
0.29
-16%
0.21
16%
0.385
-54%
Contrast
980
1871
91%
1372
40%
1086
11%
1152
18%
558
-43%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.6
5.5
2%
5.9
-5%
6
-7%
4.7
16%
10.31
-84%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
15.6
21
-35%
22.9
-47%
10.2
35%
18.5
-19%
20.44
-31%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.8
5.1
-6%
4.7
2%
3.1
35%
4
17%
3.88
19%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.4
1.8
47%
5.1
-50%
6
-76%
2.7
21%
11.84
-248%
Gamma
2.3 96%
2.12 104%
2.21 100%
2.16 102%
2.26 97%
2.67 82%
CCT
7156 91%
6257 104%
6398 102%
8038 81%
6442 101%
13398 49%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
36.5
37.6
3%
41.2
13%
57
56%
40.8
12%
39
7%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
57.5
58.2
1%
64.1
11%
87
51%
64
11%
61
6%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
2% / 11%
0% / 0%
20% / 19%
10% / 9%
-4% / -24%

* ... smaller is better

57.5% sRGB colour-space coverage
57.5% sRGB colour-space coverage
36.5% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage
36.5% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage

The ThinkBook 15 delivered slightly higher Delta E 2000 values out of the box than we would have liked to see. Calibration noticeably improved greyscale accuracy, but there were only minor improvements to overall colour accuracy. Hence, additional calibration will not make the display suitable for professional use, which is underlined by the panel's colour-space coverage. Our review unit covered 57.5% of sRGB and 36.5% of AdobeRGB, making the ThinkBook 15 unsuitable for photo and video-editing. If your workflow includes this, then you should look for a device with a more colour-accurate display than the one on offer here.

CalMAN: Greyscale
CalMAN: Greyscale
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: ColorChecker
CalMAN: Colour saturation
CalMAN: Colour saturation
CalMAN: Greyscale - calibrated
CalMAN: Greyscale - calibrated
CalMAN: ColorChecker - calibrated
CalMAN: ColorChecker - calibrated
CalMAN: Colour saturation - calibrated
CalMAN: Colour saturation - calibrated

The ThinkBook 15 is only partially suitable for outdoor use, too. The panel, while able to diffuse reflections thanks to its matte finish, does not get that bright and necessitates using the ThinkBook 15 in the shade.

Using the ThinkBook 15 outdoors on a cloudy day.
Using the ThinkBook 15 outdoors on a cloudy 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
28 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.4 ms rise
↘ 11.6 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
37.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19.6 ms rise
↘ 18 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. » 48 % 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.

Viewing angles is an area of strength for the IPS panel in our review unit, though. As the montage below demonstrates, our test image does not distort even at acute viewing angles. There is some slight fogging at some angles, but this did not bother us during our tests since it only occurs at oblique angles.

Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - 4 cores offer enough performance for most tasks

The ThinkBook 15 offers enough performance for everyday office work, at least in the configuration that we have tested. Nevertheless, you should not expect too much from the Core i5-10210U. While 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB NVMe SSD ensure that the ThinkBook 15 can breeze through most tasks, the cooling system holds the Core i5-10210U back and prevents it from delivering top performance. Lenovo sells the ThinkBook 15 with a hexa-core Core i7 processor too, although we cannot currently say whether this will offer significantly better performance than the Core i5 does. Incidentally, the ThinkBook 15 has socketed RAM, although 8 GB of the 16 GB is soldered to the board.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
HWiNFO
DPC latencies
Intel Extreme Utility
Intel Extreme Utility (Benchmark)

Processor

The Core i5-10210U has a 15 W TDP, although it can temporarily use up to 38 W in short bursts. However, comparing the ThinkBook 15 to the Schenker Slim 15 shows that the former cannot fully utilise the performance of its processor. In Cinebench R15 Multi 64Bit, for example, the ThinkBook 15 is around 8% behind the Schenker Slim 15, although it can outperform its Kaby Lake and Whiskey Lake-powered counterparts. Please see our Core i5-10210U benchmark page for more information about the CPU.

Overall, the ThinkBook 15 can only temporarily utilise its processor's Turbo Boost before throttling. With our CB R15 Multi 64Bit loop test, for instance, scores level off after the fourth run at around 530 points, which is a huge drop from its peak of 687 points.

04080120160200240280320360400440480520560600640680720Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel Core i5-10210U: Ø537 (517.78-687.49)
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE AMD Ryzen 7 3700U, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U: Ø684 (680.39-687.17)
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE Intel Core i5-8265U, Intel Core i5-8265U: Ø492 (488.36-508.63)
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA Intel Core i7-8565U, Intel Core i7-8565U: Ø511 (506.9-545.23)
Dell Latitude 15 3590 Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U: Ø513 (374.78-570.63)
Dell Latitude 15 3590 Intel Core i5-8250U, Intel Core i5-8250U; BIOS-Version 1.9.8: Ø531 (428.69-556.66)
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19 Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel Core i5-10210U: Ø510 (492.9-744.13)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +30%
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
Intel Core i5-10210U
172 Points +4%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (134 - 174, n=35)
165.6 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
165 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel Core i5-8265U
160 Points -3%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
Intel Core i5-8250U
144 Points -13%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
144 Points -13%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Intel Core i7-8565U
138.3 Points -16%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +101%
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
Intel Core i5-10210U
744 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
687 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
683 (680.39min - 687.17max) Points -1%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (320 - 790, n=35)
609 Points -11%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
Intel Core i5-8250U
565 Points -18%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
Intel Core i5-8250U
429 Points -38%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Intel Core i7-8565U
553 (490.31min - 513.51max) Points -20%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel Core i5-8265U
521 (471.69min - 492.04max) Points -24%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (0.99 - 2.97, n=12, last 2 years)
2.31 Points +23%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
1.88 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (1.71 - 1.91, n=4)
1.85 Points -2%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Intel Core i7-8565U
1.84 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
1.66 Points -12%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (1.93 - 20.3, n=12, last 2 years)
12.5 Points +66%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
7.71 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
7.55 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (5.69 - 8.66, n=4)
7.34 Points -3%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Intel Core i7-8565U
5.55 Points -26%
Geekbench 5.0
5.0 Single-Core
Average of class Office
  (626 - 1939, n=34, last 2 years)
1321 Points +19%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
1107 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (1000 - 1107, n=10)
1065 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel Core i5-8265U
986 Points -11%
5.0 Multi-Core
Average of class Office
  (1151 - 11474, n=34, last 2 years)
5774 Points +41%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
4101 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (2831 - 4144, n=10)
3493 Points -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel Core i5-8265U
2973 Points -28%
Blender - v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel Core i5-8265U
959 Seconds * -42%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Intel Core i7-8565U
895 Seconds * -32%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (585 - 1339, n=24)
859 Seconds * -27%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
676 Seconds *
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
671 Seconds * +1%
Average of class Office
  (214 - 2844, n=121, last 2 years)
543 Seconds * +20%
7-Zip 18.03
7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Office
  (2233 - 6687, n=122, last 2 years)
4967 MIPS +21%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Intel Core i7-8565U
4737 MIPS +16%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (3504 - 4467, n=24)
4205 MIPS +3%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
4099 MIPS
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel Core i5-8265U
3780 MIPS -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
3038 MIPS -26%
7z b 4
Average of class Office
  (4226 - 62349, n=121, last 2 years)
34257 MIPS +66%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
20655 MIPS
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
17153 MIPS -17%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (10920 - 21679, n=24)
16808 MIPS -19%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Intel Core i7-8565U
15381 MIPS -26%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel Core i5-8265U
14779 MIPS -28%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 - 4k Preset
Average of class Office
  (1.55 - 17.4, n=121, last 2 years)
9.04 fps +75%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel Core i5-10210U
5.16 fps
Average Intel Core i5-10210U
  (2.36 - 6.28, n=24)
4.31 fps -16%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Intel Core i7-8565U
4.18 fps -19%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel Core i5-8265U
3.9 fps -24%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
3.8 fps -26%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 32Bit
1.9 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 32Bit
7.19 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 32Bit
47.29 fps
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.88 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.55 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
47.13 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
165 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
687 Points
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
58.7 fps
Help

System Performance

Although the performance of the Core i5-10210U fell short of expectations under load, our ThinkBook 15 performed surprisingly well in synthetic system benchmarks. Our review almost always took first place in our comparison tables, for instance. The ThinkBook 15 is only dethroned once by the Schenker Slim 15 in this regard, although only by a negligible performance deficit of around 4%. By contrast, our other comparison devices sometimes place much further back.

The good results here reflect everyday system performance. We encountered no problems during our tests, with the ThinkBook 15 always working quickly and reliably.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years)
5312 Points +25%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4248 Points
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
4188 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3448 - 4353, n=28)
3988 Points -6%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
GeForce MX130, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3668 Points -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
Vega 10, R7 3700U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
3605 Points -15%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZ7LN256HAJQ
3487 Points -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
2247 Points -47%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years)
9781 Points +7%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
9103 Points
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
8830 Points -3%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (7172 - 10000, n=28)
8499 Points -7%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
GeForce MX130, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7638 Points -16%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZ7LN256HAJQ
7529 Points -17%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
Vega 10, R7 3700U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
6927 Points -24%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
5073 Points -44%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years)
7439 Points +8%
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
7169 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6874 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (5980 - 7317, n=28)
6663 Points -3%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
GeForce MX130, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5930 Points -14%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZ7LN256HAJQ
5687 Points -17%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
Vega 10, R7 3700U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
5637 Points -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
2941 Points -57%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years)
5732 Points +72%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3325 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
Vega 10, R7 3700U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
3258 Points -2%
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
3150 Points -5%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2289 - 4463, n=28)
3057 Points -8%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
GeForce MX130, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
2958 Points -11%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZ7LN256HAJQ
2688 Points -19%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
2067 Points -38%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years)
4261 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4227 Points
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3182 - 4284, n=21)
3605 Points -15%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZ7LN256HAJQ
3532 Points -16%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
GeForce MX130, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3457 Points -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
Vega 10, R7 3700U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
3342 Points -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
2747 Points -35%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5102 Points
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
GeForce MX130, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5033 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (4286 - 5114, n=21)
4879 Points -4%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZ7LN256HAJQ
4727 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
Vega 10, R7 3700U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
4593 Points -10%
Average of class Office
  (1854 - 5610, n=12, last 2 years)
3746 Points -27%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
3132 Points -39%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4227 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
5312 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5102 points
PCMark 10 Score
4248 points
Help

Storage Devices

Lenovo includes a Samsung PM981 in our review unit, specifically the 512 GB version. The M.2 2280 drive performed exceedingly well in all the benchmarks that we ran, with its 4K read speeds of 57 MB/s being especially good. Lenovo leaves space for adding a second drive too. The 2.5-inch drive bay installation slot is still available.

Please see our HDD/SSD comparison table for more information and benchmarks.

AS SSD
AS SSD
CDM 3
CDM 3
CDM 5
CDM 5
CDM 6
CDM 6
CDI
CDI
A look at the Samsung PM981, covered by a protective film, in our review unit.
A look at the Samsung PM981, covered by a protective film, in our review unit.
Lenovo includes a 2.5-inch drive bay for adding up to 7-mm thick drives.
Lenovo includes a 2.5-inch drive bay for adding up to 7-mm thick drives.
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Dell Latitude 15 3590
Samsung SSD PM871b MZ7LN256HAJQ
Average Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-38%
-27%
1%
-12%
-60%
-12%
Write 4K
176.3
129.5
-27%
115.3
-35%
188.7
7%
126.1
-28%
79.5
-55%
126.7 ?(90.4 - 176.3, n=64)
-28%
Read 4K
48.98
41.23
-16%
43.34
-12%
51.9
6%
43.92
-10%
32.72
-33%
44 ?(28 - 61.3, n=63)
-10%
Write Seq
1789
811
-55%
1014
-43%
1566
-12%
1669
-7%
472.5
-74%
1617 ?(112 - 2730, n=62)
-10%
Read Seq
1671
1145
-31%
1481
-11%
1452
-13%
2224
33%
504
-70%
1716 ?(501 - 2665, n=62)
3%
Write 4K Q32T1
433.5
314.1
-28%
495.4
14%
444
2%
410.4
-5%
322.6
-26%
413 ?(198.2 - 1707, n=64)
-5%
Read 4K Q32T1
526
356.2
-32%
332.6
-37%
566
8%
338.1
-36%
249.9
-52%
420 ?(230 - 1015, n=64)
-20%
Write Seq Q32T1
2983
839
-72%
1654
-45%
3279
10%
1979
-34%
531
-82%
2076 ?(1714 - 2994, n=64)
-30%
Read Seq Q32T1
3555
2042
-43%
1746
-51%
3558
0%
3368
-5%
544
-85%
3130 ?(1772 - 3565, n=64)
-12%
Write 4K Q8T8
1688
1033
-39%
1264 ?(369 - 1814, n=13)
-25%
Read 4K Q8T8
1036
892
-14%
1193 ?(527 - 1620, n=13)
15%
AS SSD
-43%
-33%
-66%
-71%
-31%
Seq Read
2564
1698
-34%
1383
-46%
2063
-20%
498.7
-81%
1976 ?(1030 - 2806, n=62)
-23%
Seq Write
2268
740
-67%
852
-62%
1163
-49%
361.7
-84%
1637 ?(487 - 2564, n=62)
-28%
4K Read
57
39.18
-31%
45.72
-20%
50.6
-11%
34.65
-39%
50.5 ?(31.7 - 61, n=62)
-11%
4K Write
141.4
87.7
-38%
120.2
-15%
125.4
-11%
79.8
-44%
112 ?(1.76 - 145.8, n=62)
-21%
4K-64 Read
1175
764
-35%
1344
14%
1352
15%
372.5
-68%
1203 ?(530 - 1823, n=62)
2%
4K-64 Write
1665
669
-60%
926
-44%
1023
-39%
247.7
-85%
1504 ?(96.2 - 2716, n=62)
-10%
Access Time Read *
0.032
0.04
-25%
0.063
-97%
0.044
-38%
0.06
-88%
0.05092 ?(0.029 - 0.103, n=62)
-59%
Access Time Write *
0.025
0.036
-44%
0.036
-44%
0.182
-628%
0.042
-68%
0.08337 ?(0.025 - 2.52, n=62)
-233%
Score Read
1488
973
-35%
1528
3%
1608
8%
457
-69%
1451 ?(752 - 2125, n=62)
-2%
Score Write
2033
831
-59%
1132
-44%
1265
-38%
364
-82%
1780 ?(147 - 2992, n=62)
-12%
Score Total
4279
2261
-47%
3420
-20%
3658
-15%
1060
-75%
3966 ?(2348 - 5316, n=62)
-7%
Copy ISO MB/s
2118
1147
-46%
1382
-35%
1755 ?(917 - 3259, n=43)
-17%
Copy Program MB/s
495.6
419.8
-15%
414.3
-16%
454 ?(206 - 828, n=43)
-8%
Copy Game MB/s
1174
928
-21%
660
-44%
1057 ?(547 - 1639, n=43)
-10%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-41% / -41%
-30% / -30%
1% / 1%
-39% / -46%
-66% / -66%
-22% / -23%

* ... smaller is better

Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Sequential Read: 1689 MB/s
Sequential Write: 1858 MB/s
512K Read: 1765 MB/s
512K Write: 2692 MB/s
4K Read: 69 MB/s
4K Write: 176 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 527 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 442.9 MB/s

Graphics Card

Comet Lake processors also integrate the well-known UHD Graphics 620. This alone handles image output in the ThinkBook 15, with Lenovo not offering a dedicated graphics option. Alternatively, the device can be configured with an AMD Radeon 620 according to the device's technical data. However, this GPU will probably not be much faster than the one in our review unit. The UHD Graphics 620 also supports the playback of high-resolution videos, which relieves the processor somewhat. The GPU can play games too, but only to a limited extent. While the UHD Graphics 620 can play less demanding or older titles, modern 3D games are beyond its capabilities.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +207%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
3287 Points +72%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8565U
2908 Points +52%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1914 Points
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1829 Points -4%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points -9%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1722 Points -10%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1661 Points -13%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (5681 - 58068, n=98, last 2 years)
23871 Points +133%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
13891 Points +35%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8565U
13776 Points +34%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
10265 Points
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
10047 Points -2%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
8935 Points -13%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
8411 Points -18%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years)
4072 Points +211%
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
NVIDIA GeForce MX130, Intel Core i7-8565U
2383 Points +82%
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 10, AMD Ryzen 7 3700U
2025 Points +55%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1309 Points
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1280 Points -2%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (557 - 2608, n=213)
1161 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
1143 Points -13%
Dell Latitude 15 3590
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1039 Points -21%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Office
  (242 - 3186, n=113, last 2 years)
1323 Points +214%
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
421 Points
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
408 Points -3%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (299 - 797, n=88)
389 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8265U
363 Points -14%
3DMark 11 Performance
2165 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
68444 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
8887 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1182 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
528 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
484 points
Help
low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 81.9 40.3 33.2 10.8
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 84.6 53.7 21.9 19.6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 23.6 15.6 8.03
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 11.5 13.4 12.4

Emissions - Quiet, but also hot under load

Fan Noise

The ThinkBook 15 often operates silently in everyday usage. The device remains relatively quiet under load too, with the fan only reaching 33.8 dB(A) during our tests. By contrast, only the ThinkPad L590 can keep up with the ThinkBook 15 here, with it matching our review unit's peak fan noise. All other comparison devices are noticeably louder.

Noise Level

Idle
29.2 / 29.2 / 29.9 dB(A)
Load
30.6 / 33.8 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)
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
Vega 10, R7 3700U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
GeForce MX130, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Dell Latitude 15 3590
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZ7LN256HAJQ
Noise
-1%
2%
-13%
-3%
-12%
off / environment *
29.2
29.3
-0%
29
1%
30.6
-5%
29
1%
30.6
-5%
Idle Minimum *
29.2
29.3
-0%
29
1%
30.6
-5%
29
1%
30.6
-5%
Idle Average *
29.2
29.3
-0%
29
1%
30.6
-5%
29
1%
31.9
-9%
Idle Maximum *
29.9
30.1
-1%
29
3%
30.6
-2%
29
3%
31.9
-7%
Load Average *
30.6
30.9
-1%
29
5%
40.5
-32%
34.2
-12%
39
-27%
Load Maximum *
33.8
35.2
-4%
33.8
-0%
42.7
-26%
38.4
-14%
39.1
-16%
Witcher 3 ultra *
34.2

* ... smaller is better

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.533.329.432.32528.328.228.233.53132.536.736.736.74029.331.933.632.75025.529.228.127.16324.726.925.430.78022.722.424.424.310024.823.324.624.812525.223.12525.516025.925.525.125.920024.523.723.52425024.223.324.325.431523.622.222.824.240023.420.720.323.15002321.119.822.463023.220.618.823.480021.119.518.721.610002220.217.622.2125024.12017.123.4160024.619.216.523.2200022.31815.923.4250024.119.215.723.7315020.916.415.420.7400017.915.715.41850001815.815.217.8630016.115.515.216.4800015.415.515.315.71000015.315.315.115.41250015.115.31515.41600014.91514.714.9SPL33.830.629.233.7N1.91.41.21.9median 23median 19.5median 17.1median 23.1Delta3.23.32.83.2hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo ThinkBook 15

Temperature

3DMark 11 after a stress test
3DMark 11 after a stress test

The surface temperatures of the ThinkBook 15 and Schenker Slim 15 are remarkably similar. Our review unit does not get particularly hot under load, with the hottest area reaching 43.9 °C. We expected higher temperatures though because of the device's quiet fan noise.

Our stress tests show that the cooling unit system quickly reaches its limits, though. Prime95 causes CPU core temperatures to spike to 97 °C, which causes the chip to thermal throttle to prevent it overheating. On average, the chip hovers at a little over 70 °C, which is fine. The processor reached its thermal peak immediately after the start of the stress test too, where it briefly hit 38 W. It remained at 2 GHz after throttling though, 400 MHz higher than its 1.6 GHz base clock.

Thermal throttling did not leave a lasting impression on 3D performance, either.

System information during a Prime95 stress test
System information during a Prime95 stress test
System information during a FurMark stress test
System information during a FurMark stress test
System information during a FurMark and Prime95 combined stress test
System information during a FurMark and Prime95 combined stress test
Max. Load
 37.6 °C
100 F
35.6 °C
96 F
31.7 °C
89 F
 
 38 °C
100 F
35.6 °C
96 F
25.9 °C
79 F
 
 27.8 °C
82 F
24.6 °C
76 F
22.4 °C
72 F
 
Maximum: 38 °C = 100 F
Average: 31 °C = 88 F
31 °C
88 F
43.4 °C
110 F
43.9 °C
111 F
22.9 °C
73 F
37.1 °C
99 F
42.1 °C
108 F
21.7 °C
71 F
23 °C
73 F
30.1 °C
86 F
Maximum: 43.9 °C = 111 F
Average: 32.8 °C = 91 F
Power Supply (max.)  36.7 °C = 98 F | Room Temperature 20.1 °C = 68 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31 °C / 88 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 38 °C / 100 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 43.9 °C / 111 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.5 °C / 74 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 27.8 °C / 82 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 (-0.1 °C / -0.1 F).
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
Vega 10, R7 3700U, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8265U, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
GeForce MX130, i7-8565U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Dell Latitude 15 3590
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Samsung SSD PM871b MZ7LN256HAJQ
Heat
-20%
-11%
1%
-2%
1%
Maximum Upper Side *
38
48.8
-28%
42.7
-12%
37
3%
39.4
-4%
40.6
-7%
Maximum Bottom *
43.9
48.4
-10%
51
-16%
43.1
2%
50.2
-14%
37.5
15%
Idle Upper Side *
24.5
29.1
-19%
25.9
-6%
25.1
-2%
22.9
7%
26.3
-7%
Idle Bottom *
25.4
31
-22%
28.3
-11%
25.1
1%
24.1
5%
25.2
1%

* ... smaller is better

Heat map of the top of the device under load
Heat map of the top of the device under load
Heat map of the bottom of the device under load
Heat map of the bottom of the device under load

Speakers

Do not expect too much from the ThinkBook 15's stereo speakers. The speakers have a simple design and can reproduce voices clearly. However, this also makes music and films sound overly high-pitched. Hence, we would recommend using external speakers or headphones when listening to music or watching a film. You can connect external audio equipment via the device's 3.5 mm jack, USB or Bluetooth. Our review unit's built-in microphones recorded voices well during our tests too, making an external microphone largely superfluous.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2029.429.92528.231.73136.736.44033.629.65028.127.26325.423.98024.42410024.625.11252524.816025.12820023.531.125024.33331522.837.240020.342.650019.844.563018.850.280018.758.2100017.660.8125017.157.7160016.557.2200015.961.3250015.757.9315015.455400015.459.1500015.252.7630015.252.1800015.348.31000015.140.9125001533.71600014.731.3SPL29.268.9N1.221.7median 17.1median 48.3Delta2.812.733.929.633.934.533.534.532.935.432.930.629.730.632.130.732.127.828.327.826.726.926.726.325.626.325.824.525.824.923.924.925.822.825.830.322.530.338.521.938.549.219.849.248.919.348.953.618.453.663.619.163.67018.37070.71870.767.817.667.866.317.866.361.618.361.664.418.164.46418.36465.318.565.364.718.664.761.918.561.956.218.756.258.718.558.757.218.557.277.630.777.636.71.536.7median 58.7median 18.5median 58.712.31.812.3hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo ThinkBook 15 SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo ThinkBook 15 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (68.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.4% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (7.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 8.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (12.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | higher highs - on average 6.1% higher than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (13.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (38.1% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 98% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 1% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 93% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 6% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

SCHENKER Slim 15 L19 audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (70.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 30.1% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 8.7% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (11.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(-) | overall sound is not linear (32.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 94% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 5% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 90% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management - Meagre runtimes from a 45 Wh battery

Power Consumption

A look at the 65 W power supply included in the box.
A look at the 65 W power supply included in the box.
A look at the 65 W power supply included in the box.

The ThinkBook 15 is a very economic machine. While our review unit briefly reached 65.4 W under load, it can only maintain this for around 30 seconds before settling at 46 W. The device averages 38.9 W under load too, which is significantly less than the similarly equipped Schenker Slim 15. Lenovo includes a 65 W power supply in the box, which is powerful enough to keep the device charging despite its brief peak at 65.4 W. As we mentioned earlier, you can charge the device via USB Type-C too, although you will need to purchase a separate charger for this.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.38 / 0.68 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.5 / 7.1 / 7.8 Watt
Load midlight 38.9 / 65.4 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
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
R7 3700U, Vega 10, SK Hynix BC501 HFM512GDJTNG, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba XG6 KXG6AZNV512G, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD 970 EVO Plus 500GB, , 1920x1080, 15.60
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
i7-8565U, GeForce MX130, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell Latitude 15 3590
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung SSD PM871b MZ7LN256HAJQ, TN LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
 
Average of class Office
 
Power Consumption
5%
3%
-23%
-11%
3%
4%
-7%
Idle Minimum *
3.5
4.2
-20%
3.96
-13%
5.5
-57%
3.12
11%
4.3
-23%
3.81 ?(1 - 12.4, n=259)
-9%
4.27 ?(2.2 - 9.4, n=107, last 2 years)
-22%
Idle Average *
7.1
7.92
-12%
6.9
3%
8.9
-25%
6.3
11%
7.2
-1%
6.94 ?(2.8 - 15.7, n=261)
2%
7.32 ?(3.8 - 20.6, n=107, last 2 years)
-3%
Idle Maximum *
7.8
8.16
-5%
9.8
-26%
9.1
-17%
9.78
-25%
9.8
-26%
8.75 ?(3.8 - 30, n=259)
-12%
9.1 ?(4.8 - 23.9, n=107, last 2 years)
-17%
Load Average *
38.9
29
25%
31.4
19%
47
-21%
57.6
-48%
38
2%
35 ?(8.1 - 51.6, n=259)
10%
40.4 ?(8.7 - 75.2, n=106, last 2 years)
-4%
Load Maximum *
65.4
42.2
35%
45.4
31%
61.2
6%
67.3
-3%
24
63%
47.5 ?(22 - 96.3, n=261)
27%
57.4 ?(11.1 - 101.4, n=107, last 2 years)
12%
Witcher 3 ultra *
42

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

A close-up of the 45 Wh battery in the ThinkBook 15
A close-up of the 45 Wh battery in the ThinkBook 15
3DMark 11 scores on battery power
3DMark 11 scores on battery power
Cinebench R15 scores on battery power
Cinebench R15 scores on battery power

The ThinkBook 15 has a 45 Wh battery, putting it on par with our comparison devices. However, these generally offer better battery life than the ThinkBook 15 does. Nevertheless, our review unit achieved above-average runtimes during our tests.

In our Wi-Fi test, for example, the ThinkBook 15 lasted for 6:46 hours before it needed recharging. We reduced the display luminosity to 150 cd/m² for this test, which correlates to 88% brightness.

The ThinkBook 15 also recharges surprisingly quickly. Our review unit reaches 80% charge after just 45 minutes, although it takes another 45 minutes to reach 100%. Additionally, the device does not throttle its CPU when running on battery power.

Battery life when idling
Battery life when idling
Battery life under sustained load
Battery life under sustained load
Battery life on Wi-Fi
Battery life on Wi-Fi
Battery life on Wi-Fi at maximum brightness
Battery life on Wi-Fi at maximum brightness
Battery life while looping an H.264 video
Battery life while looping an H.264 video
Charging time
Charging time
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
17h 54min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge: 44.18362.449.0)
6h 46min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Edge: 44.18362.449.0)
5h 44min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
6h 58min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 27min
Lenovo ThinkBook 15
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad E595-20NF0000GE
R7 3700U, Vega 10, 45 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad L590-20Q70019GE
i5-8265U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
SCHENKER Slim 15 L19
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620,  Wh
HP ProBook 450 G6-5TJ93EA
i7-8565U, GeForce MX130, 45 Wh
Dell Latitude 15 3590
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 56 Wh
Average of class Office
 
Battery Runtime
8%
32%
-9%
22%
36%
44%
Reader / Idle
1074
941
-12%
1044
-3%
876
-18%
1209
13%
1414 ?(527 - 2359, n=23, last 2 years)
32%
H.264
418
514
23%
542
30%
462
11%
618
48%
691 ?(348 - 1112, n=40, last 2 years)
65%
WiFi v1.3
406
460
13%
429
6%
370
-9%
583
44%
544
34%
589 ?(272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
45%
Load
87
92
6%
168
93%
131
51%
129
48%
117 ?(56 - 209, n=65, last 2 years)
34%

Pros

+ modern styling
+ well-built
+ fast NVMe SSD
+ usable keyboard
+ five USB ports
+ USB Type-C ports with DisplayPort and Power Delivery capabilities
+ fast and stable Wi-Fi
+ 16 GB of RAM (max. 64 GB)
+ quiet under load
+ full-sized SD card reader
+ good value for money

Cons

- only 12 months' warranty
- no maintenance cover
- suboptimal Turbo Boost use
- poor display colour accuracy

Verdict - A solid work tool in a modern guise

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15 laptop review. Test device courtesy of Lenovo Germany.
The Lenovo ThinkBook 15 laptop review. Test device courtesy of Lenovo Germany.

The ThinkBook 15 is a simple office laptop that scores well for its modern design and good input devices. Its Comet Lake processor provides a small performance boost over its Kaby Lake and Whiskey Lake predecessors too, with the Core i5-10210U in our review unit always on hand to get through general tasks. In short, the CPU makes the ThinkBook 15 suitable for use as a home office laptop, for example. The plentiful 16 GB of RAM and fast 512 GB NVMe SSD keep things ticking over too.

The display will divide opinion, though. While we rate its matte finish and good viewing angles, its low colour-space coverage makes the ThinkBook 15 unattractive for photo or video-editing.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15 is an inexpensive office laptop that has no serious weaknesses.

Overall, the ThinkBook 15 is priced well at around 810 Euros (~$889). However, its 45 Wh battery will not get it through a full workday. We would have expected at least eight hours or more here.

Lenovo ThinkBook 15 - 02/06/2020 v7
Sebastian Bade

Chassis
78 / 98 → 80%
Keyboard
79%
Pointing Device
82%
Connectivity
65 / 80 → 81%
Weight
65 / 20-75 → 81%
Battery
71%
Display
81%
Games Performance
52 / 78 → 67%
Application Performance
83 / 95 → 87%
Temperature
93%
Noise
97%
Audio
43%
Camera
34 / 85 → 40%
Average
70%
82%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo ThinkBook 15 Laptop Review: An affordable office device with a Comet Lake processor
Sebastian Bade, 2020-02- 6 (Update: 2021-03-12)