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Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 Laptop Review: Intel's Tiger Lake quad-core beats AMD's hexa-core

Cheap TrackPoint Tiger.

It has been some time since Lenovo released the AMD Ryzen 4000 variant. Now there is an Intel-based version of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2. The new ThinkPad laptop gets a Thunderbolt port, which is a novelty for this model, and offers plenty of CPU performance.
Business Laptop Tiger Lake Thunderbolt ThinkPad Windows

When, a few months ago, Lenovo released the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 with Ryzen 4000 CPUs, there arose an interesting dualism in the E series: There were still Intel-based versions of the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 1 on the market, but they had an outdated design and were less compact. Gen 1 and Gen 2 ThinkPad E14s were sold at the same time.  

Quite recently, Lenovo put an end to this paradoxical situation by bringing the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 with Tiger Lake CPUs to the market. Our review device features the Intel Core i7-1165G7, 16 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD. There is also an Intel model with a dedicated GPU. 

Because both the Intel and AMD models are identically built, we forewent including the information about the housing, connectivity, speakers and input devices in this review. Readers can find all relevant information in our review of the E14 Gen 2. 

Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE (ThinkPad E14 Gen2 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-1165G7 4 x 2.8 - 4.7 GHz, 47 W PL2 / Short Burst, 35 W PL1 / Sustained, Tiger Lake-UP3
Graphics adapter
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-3200, 1x SO-DIMM, single channel
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, LP140WFA-SPD2, IPS LED, glossy: no, 60 Hz
Mainboard
Intel Tiger Lake-UP3 PCH-LP
Storage
Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX, 512 GB 
, M.2 2242, PCIe-NVMe, 1x M.2 2280 Slot frei, 434 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC3287
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 4.0 40 Gbps, 1 Thunderbolt, USB-C Power Delivery (PD), 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: 3.5mm Audio, 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 5.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.9 x 324 x 220 ( = 0.7 x 12.76 x 8.66 in)
Battery
45 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p w/ThinkShutter & Infrared
Additional features
Speakers: 2W-stereo, Keyboard: 6-row chiclet-style, Keyboard Light: yes, 65 W USB-C Charger, Lenovo Vantage, 12 Months Warranty
Weight
1.595 kg ( = 56.26 oz / 3.52 pounds), Power Supply: 344 g ( = 12.13 oz / 0.76 pounds)
Price
1029 Euro
Links
Lenovo homepage
Lenovo notebook section
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Likely Competitors

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Price
85.1 %
v7 (old)
01 / 2021
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs		1.6 kg17.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
84.5 %
v7 (old)
03 / 2020
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620		1.6 kg17.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
85.6 %
v7 (old)
08 / 2020
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
R5 4500U, Vega 6		1.6 kg17.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
83.2 %
v7 (old)
07 / 2020
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
R5 4500U, Vega 6		1.6 kg18 mm14.00"1920x1080
83 %
v7 (old)
10 / 2019
Dell Latitude 3400
i3-8145U, UHD Graphics 620		1.7 kg18.65 mm14.00"1920x1080

Size Comparison

❌
330.3 mm / 13 in 238 mm / 9.37 in 18.65 mm / 0.734 in 1.7 kg3.68 lbs325 mm / 12.8 in 232 mm / 9.13 in 17.9 mm / 0.705 in 1.6 kg3.63 lbs324 mm / 12.8 in 238 mm / 9.37 in 18 mm / 0.709 in 1.6 kg3.53 lbs324 mm / 12.8 in 220 mm / 8.66 in 17.9 mm / 0.705 in 1.6 kg3.52 lbs297 mm / 11.7 in 210 mm / 8.27 in 1 mm / 0.03937 in 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
Left side: Thunderbolt 4 port, USB-A 3.0 port, HDMI output, 3.5-mm audio jack
Left side: Thunderbolt 4 port, USB-A 3.0 port, HDMI output, 3.5-mm audio jack
Right side: USB-A 2.0 port, RJ45-Ethernet port, Kensington Lock
Right side: USB-A 2.0 port, RJ45-Ethernet port, Kensington Lock
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1481 (784min - 1552max) MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1264 (638min - 1336max) MBit/s -15%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (49.8 - 1775, n=324)
1161 MBit/s -22%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
642 (490min - 685max) MBit/s -57%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
640 (581min - 690max) MBit/s -57%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
557 (527min - 581max) MBit/s -62%
iperf3 receive AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
1466 (702min - 1533max) MBit/s
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1339 (617min - 1491max) MBit/s -9%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
  (136 - 1743, n=324)
1261 MBit/s -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
935 (472min - 956max) MBit/s -36%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
817 (738min - 851max) MBit/s -44%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Wireless-AC 9560
658 (605min - 676max) MBit/s -55%
702802902100211021202130214021502Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1442 (702-1533)
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1455 (784-1552)
ColorChecker
2.9 ∆E
13.8 ∆E
9.5 ∆E
3.8 ∆E
10.3 ∆E
7.8 ∆E
12.1 ∆E
5.8 ∆E
18.6 ∆E
2.1 ∆E
10.6 ∆E
13.5 ∆E
6.4 ∆E
1.3 ∆E
18.2 ∆E
9.7 ∆E
16.9 ∆E
10.6 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
7.9 ∆E
9.1 ∆E
4.6 ∆E
6.1 ∆E
11.1 ∆E
ColorChecker Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE: 8.96 ∆E min: 1.28 - max: 18.65 ∆E

Full HD display in the Lenovo laptop is still colour-inaccurate

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement
No backlight bleeding (greatly intensified in this image)
No backlight bleeding (greatly intensified in this image)

Compared to the AMD variant of the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 and the ThinkPad E14 Gen 1, the Intel version of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 offers two new screen options. This means that there are now four different display options, all of which have a matte screen surface:  

  • Full HD, 220 cd/m², TN, non-touch, 45 % of NTSC
  • Full HD, 250 cd/m², IPS, non-touch, 45 % of NTSC
  • Full HD, 300 cd/m², IPS, touch, 45 % of NTSC
  • Full HD, 300 cd/m², IPS, non-touch, 72 % of NTSC

The touchscreen and the wide-gamut display are the two new options. Unfortunately, our review device comes with the second screen option; the 250-nit display that we already saw in other variants of the E14. At least, it achieves an average screen brightness of 292 cd/m². All in all, the screen is still the main distinguishing feature of the ThinkPads of the T-series, which often come with 400-nit screens.

318
cd/m²		307
cd/m²		300
cd/m²
304
cd/m²		286
cd/m²		286
cd/m²
283
cd/m²		273
cd/m²		270
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
LP140WFA-SPD2 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 318 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 291.9 cd/m² Minimum: 3.1 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 85 %
Center on Battery: 292 cd/m²
Contrast: 1682:1 (Black: 0.17 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.91, calibrated: 5.4
ΔE Greyscale 5.2 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
56.9% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
36.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.57% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
57.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
38.26% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.52
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
LP140WFA-SPD2, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14"		Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
NV140FHM-N48, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14"		Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
B140HAN05.7, a-Si IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14"		HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
BOE0868, IPS, 1920x1080, 14"		Dell Latitude 3400
BOE NV14N4H, IPS, 1920x1080, 14"
Display
5%
0%
4%
5%
Display P3 Coverage
38.26
40.31
5%
38.16
0%
39.92
4%
40.68
6%
sRGB Coverage
57.2
60
5%
57.2
0%
59.6
4%
59.3
4%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
39.57
41.65
5%
39.42
0%
41.25
4%
42.03
6%
Response Times
-47%
-16%
-13%
-42%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
38.4 ?(19.6, 18.8)
52 ?(26, 26)
-35%
46.4 ?(23.2, 23.2)
-21%
40 ?(22, 18)
-4%
44 ?(22, 22)
-15%
Response Time Black / White *
24.8 ?(14.8, 10)
39.2 ?(22, 17.2)
-58%
27.2 ?(16.8, 12.4)
-10%
30 ?(17, 13)
-21%
42 ?(28, 14)
-69%
PWM Frequency
1250 ?(99)
192 ?(90)
1000 ?(90)
Screen
9%
-2%
-3%
-11%
Brightness middle
286
305
7%
281
-2%
277
-3%
240
-16%
Brightness
292
292
0%
264
-10%
270
-8%
227
-22%
Brightness Distribution
85
89
5%
87
2%
88
4%
79
-7%
Black Level *
0.17
0.17
-0%
0.25
-47%
0.285
-68%
0.48
-182%
Contrast
1682
1794
7%
1124
-33%
972
-42%
500
-70%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
7.2
5.9
18%
5.8
19%
5.53
23%
4.2
42%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
22.1
18.4
17%
22.3
-1%
10.68
52%
7.16
68%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
5.4
4.6
15%
4.9
9%
4.43
18%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.2
4.4
15%
3.2
38%
6.2
-19%
1.75
66%
Gamma
2.52 87%
2.05 107%
2.15 102%
2.34 94%
2.36 93%
CCT
7086 92%
6921 94%
6452 101%
7342 89%
6387 102%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
36.3
38.2
5%
36.2
0%
38
5%
38
5%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
56.9
59.6
5%
56.9
0%
59
4%
59
4%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-11% / 1%
-6% / -4%
-4% / -3%
-16% / -12%

* ... smaller is better

Colours
Colours
Grayscale
Grayscale
Saturation
Saturation
Colours (after calibration)
Colours (after calibration)
Grayscale (after calibration)
Grayscale (after calibration)
Saturation (after calibration)
Saturation (after calibration)

Straight out of the box, the screen offers very poor colour reproduction as our analysis with X-Rite’s i1Pro 2 spectrophotometer and CalMAN software reveals. Even after calibration, there are still major issues with the saturation. However, the overall image quality is not all that bad, thanks to a high contrast ratio of 1682:1 and a relatively low black value.

The poor colour space coverage results in washed-out and inaccurate colours. Because the panel covers less than 60 % of sRGB, the Lenovo laptop is not suitable for image editing.

sRGB: 56.9 %
sRGB: 56.9 %
AdobeRGB: 36.3 %
AdobeRGB: 36.3 %
Outdoor use (on a cloudy day)
Outdoor use (on a cloudy day)

Outdoors, the screen of our review device literally does not shine, because it has a matte surface. Thanks to a brightness of about 300 cd/m², the display is readable in the shade and under an overcast sky. However, in direct sunlight, the screen is not legible.

Display Response Times

ℹ
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
24.8 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14.8 ms rise
↘ 10 ms fall
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 54 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
38.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 19.6 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 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 54 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.8 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
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 8705 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured.

Those who want good viewing angles should get a model with an IPS screen. The IPS panel in our review device offers wide viewing angles.

Performance: Lenovo allows the CPU to reach its full potential

The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 comes with either of the two Intel CPUs: the Core i5-1135G7 and the i7-1165G7. There is also a version with the i3-1115G4, but it is currently unavailable in Germany. Intel variants have Intel Iris Xe Graphics (96 EUs), and there is also an Intel model with an optional dedicated GPU (Nvidia GeForce MX450). There is no AMD model with a dedicated graphics card. Intel models also do not offer an additional RAM slot, which is why they only come with a maximum of 32 GB of single-channel RAM. Our review device has an M.2-2242 SSD. Moreover, there is also a secondary M.2-2280 slot.

To learn more about various hardware configurations of the AMD model of the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2, check out this review.

HWiNFO
HWiNFO
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z Caches
GPU-Z Caches
GPU-Z Mainboard
GPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Memory
CPU-Z Memory
CPU-Z SPD
CPU-Z SPD

Processor

The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 is one of the first ThinkPads to feature Tiger Lake CPUs. The Intel Core i7-1165G7 is a Tiger Lake-based quad-core processor, which usually has a TDP of 12 to 28 watts. Under optimal conditions, it has a boost frequency of 4.8 GHz and a base frequency of 2.8 GHz. To learn more about how the Core i7-1165G7 stacks up against the competition, check out our CPU comparison page.

The i7-1165G7 in the E14 Gen 2 consumes significantly more than 28 watts: In the multicore section of the Cinebench benchmark, the CPU temporarily draws up to 50 watts. After 30 seconds, the power draw drops to 35 watts, which is still much higher than the maximum configurable TDP-up (28 watts) that Intel specifies for this chip. The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 is able to maintain the 35-watt TDP for a significant period of time. By the end of the Cinebench loop, the energy consumption falls to 29 watts, which is still a very high value.

This is why the Intel-based Lenovo laptop is able to offer a higher level of performance than the AMD model of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2. The Ryzen 5 4500U in the AMD version is also slower under sustained load. The same applies to the HP ProBook 445 G7 with the Ryzen 5 4500U. The Intel variant of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 1 performed much, much worse. However, we must also say that the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 with the octa-core AMD Ryzen 7 4700U should be faster, at least when it comes to multi-core performance, if our review of the ThinkPad E15 Gen 2 with the 4700U is anything to go by.

The CPU of the E14 Gen 2 does not throttle when running on battery.

050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950100010501100Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Core i7-1165G7: Ø943 (873.9-1006.9)
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel Core i5-10210U: Ø526 (486.23-547.65)
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00 AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U: Ø845 (836.07-873.42)
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U: Ø761 (743.73-893.95)
Dell Latitude 3400 Intel Core i3-8145U, Intel Core i3-8145U: Ø313 (269.14-350.09)
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00 AMD Ryzen 7 4700U, AMD Ryzen 7 4700U: Ø1069 (991.33-1139.11)
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
  (229 - 766, n=96, last 2 years)
601 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
582 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (442 - 589, n=81)
552 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
476 Points -18%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
453 Points -22%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
453 Points -22%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
421 Points -28%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
296 Points -49%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Office
  (590 - 5980, n=96, last 2 years)
3589 Points +49%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
2814 Points +17%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
2411 Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2208 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2173 Points -10%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (1060 - 2657, n=81)
1967 Points -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
1254 Points -48%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
657 Points -73%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (98 - 284, n=97, last 2 years)
230 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
226 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (115 - 230, n=78)
212 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
182 Points -19%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
177 Points -22%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
175 Points -23%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
166 Points -27%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
154 Points -32%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (246 - 2642, n=98, last 2 years)
1563 Points +55%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
1139 Points +13%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
1007 (873.9min - 1006.9max) Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
894 (743.73min - 893.95max) Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
873 (836.07min - 873.42max) Points -13%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (553 - 1027, n=86)
846 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
548 (486.23min - 547.65max) Points -46%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel Core i3-8145U
350 Points -65%
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
832 Seconds * -68%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
645 Seconds * -30%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (468 - 1138, n=80)
618 Seconds * -25%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
584 Seconds * -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
495 Seconds *
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
452 Seconds * +9%
Average of class Office
  (208 - 1956, n=98, last 2 years)
426 Seconds * +14%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
5387 MIPS
Average of class Office
  (2972 - 6687, n=98, last 2 years)
5251 MIPS -3%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (4478 - 5507, n=80)
5182 MIPS -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
4470 MIPS -17%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4315 MIPS -20%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4282 MIPS -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
4099 MIPS -24%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4
Average of class Office
  (7532 - 65460, n=98, last 2 years)
38824 MIPS +44%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
30794 MIPS +15%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
26885 MIPS
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
24058 MIPS -11%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
23877 MIPS -11%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (15347 - 27405, n=80)
22935 MIPS -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
16590 MIPS -38%
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core
Average of class Office
  (510 - 1995, n=97, last 2 years)
1592 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
1556 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (1302 - 1595, n=77)
1524 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
1159 Points -26%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
1108 Points -29%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
1088 Points -30%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
1063 Points -32%
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core
Average of class Office
  (1018 - 11980, n=96, last 2 years)
7636 Points +54%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
5869 Points +18%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (3078 - 5926, n=77)
5155 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
4969 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4618 Points -7%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4440 Points -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
3275 Points -34%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset
Average of class Office
  (1.72 - 18.7, n=96, last 2 years)
10.4 fps +42%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
8.68 fps +18%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
7.34 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
6.98 fps -5%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (1.39 - 8.47, n=80)
6.3 fps -14%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
4.37 fps -40%
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
78 s * -53%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
64.3 s * -26%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
57.1 s * -12%
Average of class Office
  (31.3 - 129.6, n=96, last 2 years)
53.6 s * -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
50.9 s *
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (21.5 - 88.1, n=78)
49.2 s * +3%
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
0.735 sec * -30%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
0.638 sec * -13%
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 Gen2-20T9S00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 4700U
0.613 sec * -8%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7
  (0.552 - 1.002, n=80)
0.594 sec * -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Core i7-1165G7
0.565 sec *
Average of class Office
  (0.4244 - 1.135, n=95, last 2 years)
0.549 sec * +3%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1007 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
87.1 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
226 Points
Cinebench R20 CPU (Multi Core)
2411 Points
Cinebench R20 CPU (Single Core)
582 Points
Help

System Performance

Even though the ThinkPad E14 does rather poorly in the Work portion of the PCMark 8 benchmark, it feels very responsive in day-to-day use. The very high score in the newer PCMark 10 benchmark further corroborates our subjective impression of responsiveness.

PCMark 10 | PCMark 8
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2463 - 7344, n=88, last 2 years)
5660 Points +13%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX
5014 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
  (4531 - 5454, n=50)
4959 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
4433 Points -12%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
4393 Points -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
3901 Points -22%
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
3399 Points -32%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5575 - 20841, n=88, last 2 years)
10150 Points +3%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
  (8997 - 11505, n=50)
10014 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX
9852 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
8823 Points -10%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
8327 Points -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
8149 Points -17%
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
7185 Points -27%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10415, n=88, last 2 years)
7758 Points +14%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX
6810 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
  (5570 - 7136, n=50)
6711 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
6563 Points -4%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
6530 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
6400 Points -6%
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
6096 Points -10%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (2126 - 9773, n=88, last 2 years)
6409 Points +26%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX
5101 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
  (4083 - 5550, n=50)
4937 Points -3%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
4233 Points -17%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
4189 Points -18%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
3015 Points -41%
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
2433 Points -52%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Office
  (4252 - 4830, n=7, last 2 years)
4559 Points +8%
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
  (3769 - 5686, n=17)
4459 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
4223 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX
4203 Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
4064 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
3402 Points -19%
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
2959 Points -30%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
5414 Points +70%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
5147 Points +61%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
5001 Points +57%
Dell Latitude 3400
UHD Graphics 620, i3-8145U, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G
4552 Points +43%
Average of class Office
  (2900 - 5526, n=7, last 2 years)
3761 Points +18%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX
3187 Points
Average Intel Core i7-1165G7, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
  (2431 - 3221, n=15)
2940 Points -8%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4203 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
3187 points
PCMark 10 Score
5014 points
Help

DPC Latencies

LatencyMon
LatencyMon
LatencyMon Drivers
LatencyMon Drivers
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Iris Xe G7 96EUs, i7-1165G7, Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX
948 μs *

* ... smaller is better

Storage Devices

The ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 comes with an NVMe SSD in the M.2-2242 form-factor. The 512 GB SSD from UMIS is very fast. However, it cannot beat SSDs from well-established companies—the Samsung PM991, for instance. 

Straight out of the box, the second M.2 slot, which can take M.2-2280 SSDs, is empty.

Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX		Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A		Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G		HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU		Dell Latitude 3400
WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G		Average Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-9%
6%
5%
-6%
0%
Write 4K
129.3
121.9
-6%
102.3
-21%
144.6
12%
107.9
-17%
129.3 ?()
0%
Read 4K
47.38
42.66
-10%
32.12
-32%
38.08
-20%
40.27
-15%
47.4 ?()
0%
Write Seq
760
628
-17%
1518
100%
1320
74%
1253
65%
760 ?()
0%
Read Seq
1699
1193
-30%
1501
-12%
1397
-18%
1298
-24%
1699 ?()
0%
Write 4K Q32T1
488.8
590
21%
356.4
-27%
324.2
-34%
415
-15%
489 ?()
0%
Read 4K Q32T1
407.5
414.5
2%
459.6
13%
434.8
7%
313.3
-23%
408 ?()
0%
Write Seq Q32T1
1244
866
-30%
1507
21%
1382
11%
1297
4%
1244 ?()
0%
Read Seq Q32T1
2127
2078
-2%
2327
9%
2354
11%
1728
-19%
2127 ?()
0%
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
AS SSD
DiskSpd
hddimg
Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 2127 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1244 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 407.5 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 488.8 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1699 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 760 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 47.38 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 129.3 MB/s

Continuous read speed: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

Graphics Card

The Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (96EUs) is an integrated GPU with 96 execution units. Because the graphics chip has no dedicated video memory, it has to use RAM. The random access memory in the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 runs in single-channel mode, because the laptop’s motherboard does not feature a secondary RAM slot or a soldered-in RAM module.

This is why the graphics chip performs somewhat worse here than in other laptops. The Radeon RX Vega 6 in the AMD Ryzen 5 4500U still cannot beat the Intel iGPU, though.

Just like the CPU, the GPU of the Lenovo laptop does not throttle when running on battery power.

3DMark 11 | 3DMark
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1468 - 13132, n=92, last 2 years)
6808 Points +12%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
  (2867 - 7676, n=202)
6353 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1165G7
6067 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4392 Points -28%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
3683 Points -39%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1768 Points -71%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8145U
1461 Points -76%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
  (2286 - 6482, n=215)
4920 Points +31%
Average of class Office
  (1089 - 9375, n=93, last 2 years)
4913 Points +31%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1165G7
3749 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2802 Points -25%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2313 Points -38%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1168 Points -69%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8145U
942 Points -75%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Office
  (313 - 4109, n=93, last 2 years)
1602 Points +36%
Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
  (707 - 1871, n=212)
1495 Points +27%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs, Intel Core i7-1165G7
1179 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
821 Points -30%
Dell Latitude 3400
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i3-8145U
310 Points -74%
3DMark 11 Performance
6216 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
3268 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
1327 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Despite a huge jump in performance when compared to the Intel-based predecessor, the iGPU version of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 is still not a good choice for gaming. The laptop can handle some modern titles, but only on low settings. The variant with the Nvidia GeForce MX450 will be a better choice for anyone who is interesting in gaming.

lowmed.highultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 67.9 41.6 19.8
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 80.9 63.1 39.7 37
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 29.3 34.4 31.2
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 40.1 18.5
Total War: Three Kingdoms (2019) 59.3 19.8

Emissions: ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 suffers from coil whine

System Noise

We shall start with the good news first: The fan of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 always stands still when idle. When the fan kicks in, it does not produce a lot of noise. Here, we measured a sound pressure level of roughly 33.4 dB(A).

However, the initial good impression is marred by coil whine. It crops up whenever the device is plugged in. In a relatively quiet room, the coil whine is audible at a normal distance from the laptop.

Noise Level

Idle
29.5 / 29.5 / 29.5 dB(A)
Load
33.4 / 33.4 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
  
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM-1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.5 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.83637.632.832.935.52529.43128.930.929.529.7313233.933.435.232.534.74028.931.330.932.330.532.55026.725.128.334.628.329.26327.327.425.3312629.48025.924.42427.425.626.810026.726.126.326.826.526.512523.624.623.626.324.426.216023.824.122.924.822.523.62002423.42324.22324.92502423.323.824.723.425.231521.520.620.224.619.621.640021.720.319.625.218.921.250022.220.72026.118.321.863022.420.319.225.717.221.480020.519.718.624.917.720.210002018.818.123.717.519.9125020.719.31926.117.120.9160023.623.121.129.815.923.6200023.6211928.416.223.6250022.320.218.328.81622.3315021.720.218.227.316.521.5400020.318.817.525.716.820500019.518.217.527.117.119.3630018.217.817.722.117.618.3800018.418.21820.717.918.41000018.318.318.318.718.318.41250018.618.518.518.618.418.5160001918.818.818.818.618.9SPL33.432.13138.529.533.3N1.91.71.52.91.31.9median 21.7median 20.2median 19median 25.2median 17.9median 21.4Delta2.41.51.92.31.92.5hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE

Temperature

Stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)
Stress test (Prime95 + FurMark)

Fortunately, the surface temperatures never get out of control. They peak at 46.3 °C (115.34 °F) and never exceed the important 50-°C (122 °F) mark. However, the temperatures in the wrist rest area reach up to 36.8 °C (98.24 °F), which is quite warm. All in all, though, the Intel version of the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 does not get as hot as the AMD variant.

The Intel CPU did not throttle during our stress test. Even under a combined CPU/GPU load, the Intel chip managed to maintain a TDP of 29 watts. The clock rates never fell below the base frequency.

Max. Load
 42.4 °C
108 F		42.2 °C
108 F		40.4 °C
105 F		 
 40 °C
104 F		39.5 °C
103 F		34.4 °C
94 F		 
 36.8 °C
98 F		32.3 °C
90 F		30.6 °C
87 F		 
Maximum: 42.4 °C = 108 F
Average: 37.6 °C = 100 F
46.3 °C
115 F		42.7 °C
109 F		42.8 °C
109 F
31.4 °C
89 F		40.9 °C
106 F		40.1 °C
104 F
31.3 °C
88 F		35.5 °C
96 F		35.2 °C
95 F
Maximum: 46.3 °C = 115 F
Average: 38.5 °C = 101 F
Power Supply (max.)  37.8 °C = 100 F | Room Temperature 21.4 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 37.6 °C / 100 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 42.4 °C / 108 F, compared to the average of 34.3 °C / 94 F, ranging from 21.2 to 62.5 °C for the class Office.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46.3 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 23.8 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(±) The palmrests and touchpad can get very hot to the touch with a maximum of 36.8 °C / 98.2 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.6 °C / 81.7 F (-9.2 °C / -16.5 F).
Stress test (top)
Stress test (top)
Stress test (bottom)
Stress test (bottom)

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.936.32529.5283132.5334030.530.95028.334.3632629.48025.627.710026.52712524.426.816022.5372002351.925023.460.931519.661.240018.962.250018.361.663017.259.280017.762.8100017.567125017.167.2160015.965.8200016.260.525001662.1315016.560.9400016.855.7500017.155.5630017.650.8800017.952.51000018.351.11250018.448.11600018.642.1SPL29.574.2N1.332.5median 17.9median 59.2Delta1.97.632.834.132.836.733.636.735.233.535.232.330.832.330.53130.530.628.630.629.326.729.328.32528.333.22533.241.623.841.642.923.242.949.123.249.154.821.854.866.820.366.86619.7666419.76462.418.562.468.818.368.873.518.173.569.318.169.372.318.172.371.91871.974.818.574.873.218.573.276.818.576.867.918.667.967.418.667.46918.66966.41966.464.619.264.683.930.983.957.11.557.1median 66.8median 18.6median 66.88.21.78.2hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGEHP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (74.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | reduced highs - on average 5% lower than median
(+) | highs are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (22.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 59% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 32% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 64% of all tested devices were better, 6% similar, 30% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (76.8 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 25.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (9.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.1% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (9% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.8% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (19.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 36% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 55% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 47% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 46% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management: Lenovo laptop offers mediocre battery life

Energy Consumption

When compared to the ThinkPad E14 Gen 1, the power consumption has increased. However, AMD-based E14 Gen 2 models have the same power draw as our current review device. The maximum power draw of 65.2 watts is almost identical to the rated output of the power adapter, which should not be a problem in day-to-day use. The peak power draw cannot be maintained over an extended period time and the average power draw under load amounts to 27.2 watts.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.38 / 0.93 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 3.6 / 7 / 9.1 Watt
Load midlight 27.2 / 65.2 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, Lenovo UMIS AM620 RPJTJ512MEE1OWX, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14"		Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14"		Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
R5 4500U, Vega 6, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G, a-Si IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14"		HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
R5 4500U, Vega 6, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU, IPS, 1920x1080, 14"		Dell Latitude 3400
i3-8145U, UHD Graphics 620, WDC PC SN520 SDAPNUW-256G, IPS, 1920x1080, 14"		Average Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs
 		Average of class Office
 
Power Consumption
8%
-13%
8%
19%
-32%
-17%
Idle Minimum *
3.6
3.01
16%
4.6
-28%
3.5
3%
2.4
33%
5.34 ?(2.2 - 46.5, n=193)
-48%
4.48 ?(2.2 - 13.8, n=93, last 2 years)
-24%
Idle Average *
7
6.32
10%
7.6
-9%
6.2
11%
4.9
30%
8.55 ?(3.8 - 63, n=193)
-22%
7.47 ?(3.8 - 14.9, n=93, last 2 years)
-7%
Idle Maximum *
9.1
8.78
4%
9.7
-7%
8.8
3%
7.4
19%
10.8 ?(5.8 - 68.9, n=193)
-19%
9.1 ?(4.89 - 18.6, n=93, last 2 years)
-0%
Load Average *
27.2
32.5
-19%
39.1
-44%
30
-10%
31
-14%
45.3 ?(12.5 - 87.3, n=193)
-67%
42.6 ?(8.7 - 77.9, n=89, last 2 years)
-57%
Load Maximum *
65.2
45.5
30%
50.3
23%
45
31%
47
28%
67.5 ?(30.1 - 123.3, n=193)
-4%
61.8 ?(11.1 - 107, n=93, last 2 years)
5%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Charging time: 112 minutes
Charging time: 112 minutes

Lenovo has not made any changes to the battery capacity of ThinkPads in its E series for many years. The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 with Tiger Lake CPUs offers the same battery capacity (45 Wh) as all other ThinkPads in this series, which is why it has basically the same battery runtimes as its direct predecessor. Nevertheless, the battery runtime of about 8h and 30m is neither extremely good nor extremely bad. However, the ThinkPads in the T-series offer significantly higher battery capacities (T14 50 Wh, T14s 57 Wh).

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge Chromium)
8h 25min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Edge Chromium)
6h 54min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
10h 28min
Load (maximum brightness)
2h 30min
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE
i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs, 45 Wh		Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh		Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
R5 4500U, Vega 6, 45 Wh		HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
R5 4500U, Vega 6, 45 Wh		Dell Latitude 3400
i3-8145U, UHD Graphics 620, 56 Wh		Average of class Office
 
Battery Runtime
-12%
-26%
-17%
16%
5%
H.264
628
617
-2%
545
-13%
728 ?(348 - 1501, n=33, last 2 years)
16%
WiFi v1.3
505
507
0%
498
-1%
523
4%
584
16%
615 ?(309 - 1349, n=94, last 2 years)
22%
Load
150
100
-33%
55
-63%
94
-37%
117.2 ?(56 - 218, n=57, last 2 years)
-22%
Reader / Idle
742
1304 ?(527 - 2296, n=17, last 2 years)

Pros

+ ThinkPad input devices
+ above-average Tiger Lake CPU performance
+ good upgrade options
+ quiet fan
+ more compact than the predecessor
+ great price-to-performance ratio
+ Thunderbolt 4 port

Cons

- cheap, subpar LCD panel
- outdated USB 2.0 port included
- no (micro)SD card slot
- few business features
- really heavy
- mediocre battery life
- wrist rest area gets hot
- only single-channel RAM
- coil whine

Verdict: Impressive Tiger Lake performance in the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2

Review of the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2; device provided courtesy of: campuspoint
Review of the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2; device provided courtesy of: campuspoint

The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 Intel combines the design of the AMD variant of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 with Intel’s Tiger Lake CPUs. Surprisingly enough, the Intel version outperforms the model with the AMD Ryzen 4000 chip.

The Intel Core i7-1165G7 in the ThinkPad E14 has a very high sustained TDP of about 29 to 35 watts, which is why the processor is able to achieve such an impressive level of performance. Intel’s quad-core CPU beats the hexa-core Ryzen 5 4500U and gets dangerously close to the octa-core Ryzen 7 4700U. The Intel model is not able to take the performance crown from the AMD model, though. However, at least now, it is not hopelessly beaten by its AMD counterpart. Intel’s Comet Lake chips compared very poorly to AMD’s Ryzen 4000 processors.

The Intel version of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 has all the features that the AMD model has. However, it also comes with a Thunderbolt 4 port; the Intel model is the first E series ThinkPad with this powerful and versatile port. Unfortunately, we were not able to test other new features such as better displays or the Nvidia GeForce MX450. These features are optional, which is a pity, because the standard colour-inaccurate display is very disappointing. Some individuals may be quite annoyed by coil whine, which crops up when the laptop is plugged in. Moreover, the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 only comes with single-channel RAM. 

The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 is a good office notebook for the price-conscious buyers. This applies to both Intel and AMD models. However, the Intel variant offers new display and GPU options and comes with a Thunderbolt 4 port, which is why it is quite appealing.

In summary, we can recommend the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 with a Tiger Lake processor to anyone who is looking for a powerful and comparatively cheap office notebook. The ThinkPad input devices make the E14 Gen 2 one of the best office laptops in this price range. Howbeit, when possible, users should get a model with a better LCD panel. Moreover, some users may be completely put off getting the ThinkPad E14 because of the annoying coil whine.

Price and Availability

The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 can be purchased in Lenovo’s online store with prices starting at $599.

Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20TA000DGE - 01/20/2021 v7 (old)
Benjamin Herzig

Chassis
86 / 98 → 88%
Keyboard
92%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
62 / 80 → 78%
Weight
68 / 20-75 → 87%
Battery
84%
Display
82%
Games Performance
64 / 78 → 83%
Application Performance
90 / 95 → 95%
Temperature
90%
Noise
85%
Audio
61%
Camera
23 / 85 → 27%
Average
75%
85%
Office - Weighted Average

Price comparison

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 Laptop Review: Intel's Tiger Lake quad-core beats AMD's hexa-core
Benjamin Herzig, 2021-01-22 (Update: 2024-11- 4)