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Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 laptop review: Affordable and fast thanks to AMD Renoir

Price-performance champ. Lenovo outfits its new ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 with dual-channel RAM, AMD Ryzen 4000 and a smaller chassis. The new model is not fault-free, but in many important aspects, the Lenovo laptop delivers. Its low price is an additional trump card.

Laptop designs often have a lifespan of at least two generations. This way, the manufacturer can make enough money to pay-off the product development and there is enough time to develop the successor.

Replacing a new design after a few months is rare. The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 is such a case: At the start of the year, the ThinkPad E14 Gen 1 was released as the successor of the Lenovo ThinkPad E490 with a fresh design. A few months later, this is already passé, since the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 is a redesign as well.

In terms of its internals, the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 is not really the direct successor to the Gen 1 E14. Our review sample contains the AMD Ryzen 4500U, 16 GB RAM, a 512 GB SSD, and it is only available with AMD CPUs. The E14 Gen 1 on the other hand is Intel exclusive - maybe, there will be a Tiger Lake version later this year.

Our review sample costs 630 Euros (~$750) with exclusive availability in the German Lenovo education program. A similar version for regular customers costs roughly 790 Euros (~$940). For our comparisons, we take the AMD predecessor ThinkPad E495 as well as the ThinkPad E14 Gen 1. Also, we compare the ThinkPad E14 AMD with the HP ProBook 445 G7 and the more expensive ThinkPad T14s.

Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00 (ThinkPad E14 Gen2 Series)
Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U 6 x 2.3 - 4 GHz, Renoir-U (Zen 2)
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-3200, 8 GB on-board, 1x SO-DIMM, dual channel
Display
14.00 inch 16:9, 1920 x 1080 pixel 157 PPI, B140HAN05.7, a-Si IPS LED, glossy: no, 60 Hz
Mainboard
AMD Promontory/Bixby FCH
Storage
Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G, 512 GB 
, M.2 2280, PCIe NVMe, 445 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC3287
Connections
1 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, Audio Connections: combo audio, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Realtek RTL8168/8111 Gigabit-LAN (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.0
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-Polymer
Camera
Webcam: 720p with ThinkShutter & infrared
Additional features
Speakers: 2 W stereo, Keyboard: 6 row chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.596 kg ( = 56.3 oz / 3.52 pounds), Power Supply: 350 g ( = 12.35 oz / 0.77 pounds)
Price
630 Euro
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
85.6 %
08/2020
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
R5 4500U, Vega 6
1.6 kg17.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
84.2 %
09/2019
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
R5 3500U, Vega 8
1.8 kg19.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
84.5 %
03/2020
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620
1.6 kg17.9 mm14.00"1920x1080
83.2 %
07/2020
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
R5 4500U, Vega 6
1.6 kg18 mm14.00"1920x1080
90.5 %
08/2020
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
R7 PRO 4750U, Vega 7
1.3 kg16.1 mm14.00"1920x1080

Build quality & design: ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 more compact than the T series

Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2

Lenovo has improved the ThinkPad E series over the years. Three to four years ago, the affordable E models were still completely made out of plastic. Their rounded corner design made them look like el-cheapo models, too.

This is not the case with the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2. In terms of design, Lenovo has improved the E14 Gen 2 compared with the Gen 1 model by implementing much smaller screen bezels. With the matte-black color and straight, sharp corners, the ThinkPad exudes an aura of seriousness. There is an optical feature that clearly distinguishes the E14 Gen 2 as a 2020 ThinkPad design: The silver Lenovo logo on the lid.

The fit and finish is not extremely far below the more expensive ThinkPads: The backside of the screen (A cover) and bottom (D cover) are made out of black anodized aluminum. The palmrest (C cover) and the screen bezel (B cover) are plastic, with the palmrest sporting a smooth-textured paint. The ThinkPad E14 feels more expensive than it is, though the aluminum surfaces are very smudge-sensitive.

Of course, this still is a budget ThinkPad. There is no magnesium structure frame inside like with the ThinkPad T series and there also is no aluminum unibody-style construction like with the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 5. The aluminum parts of the E14 do increase the stiffness, but they might be susceptible for dents and bending - only long-term usage will tell. Pressure on the back of the screen is passed onto the LCD panel comparably fast, but the keyboard does not flex. There also are variations of the E14 that are completely made out of plastic.

All in all, the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 leaves a very good impression. The wide hinge does not diminish the impression, even if it is less elegant than the small metal hinges of a ThinkPad T14. The hinge of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 has a firm grip on the screen and enables an opening angle of 180°. Opening the screen with one hand is possible as well.

One priority of the redesign seems to have been reducing the length of the chassis. The ThinkPad E14 is now shorter and more compact than before and the "chin" beneath the screen is much smaller. The ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 is nearly as compact as the premium model X1 Carbon Gen 8 and more compact than the more-expensive Lenovo ThinkPad T14s.

The thickness of the E ThinkPad differentiates it as a cheaper model and even more so the weight: At 1.6 kg, it is slightly lighter than the direct AMD predecessor ThinkPad E495, but the X1 Carbon and T14s play in a completely different weight league. The direct competitor from HP roughly weighs the same as the E14 AMD.

Size & weight comparison

329 mm / 13 inch 242 mm / 9.53 inch 19.9 mm / 0.783 inch 1.8 kg3.94 lbs329 mm / 13 inch 225.8 mm / 8.89 inch 16.1 mm / 0.634 inch 1.3 kg2.8 lbs325 mm / 12.8 inch 232 mm / 9.13 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.6 kg3.63 lbs324 mm / 12.8 inch 238 mm / 9.37 inch 18 mm / 0.709 inch 1.6 kg3.53 lbs324 mm / 12.8 inch 220 mm / 8.66 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 1.6 kg3.52 lbs323.5 mm / 12.7 inch 217.1 mm / 8.55 inch 14.9 mm / 0.587 inch 1.1 kg2.39 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity: Spartan Lenovo laptop with only one USB C port & USB 2.0

Compared with the ThinkPad E495, the microSD slot has been removed and there is now a trap-door on the Ethernet port. Otherwise, the port selection of the ThinkPad E14 AMD is still as restrictive as before. The biggest problems: There is only a single USB C port (without Thunderbolt), which must be used for charging the laptop, and the USB port on the right only supports USB 2.0 speed. This was not okay in 2019 and is not better in 2020. Also, the HDMI port is only based on the standard 1.4b instead of HDMI 2.0 like with the more expensive Ryzen 4000 ThinkPads. All in all, the port selection is serviceable, but it is clearly a victim of cost-cutting.

Left: USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI 1.4b, combo audio
Left: USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, USB 3.0 Type-A, HDMI 1.4b, combo audio
Right: USB 2.0 Type-A, RJ45-Ethernet, Kensington lock
Right: USB 2.0 Type-A, RJ45-Ethernet, Kensington lock

Communication

The Intel Wireless AX200 (2x2) is an improvement compared with the solution used in the ThinkPad E495. The Intel model ThinkPad E14 Gen 1 had the newer AX201, but the E14 Gen 2 still outperformed it in the benchmarks.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1270 (656min - 1344max) MBit/s 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1264 (638min - 1336max) MBit/s
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
  (447 - 1645, n=127)
1104 MBit/s -13%
Average of class Office
  (280 - 1332, n=6, last 2 years)
810 MBit/s -36%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
640 (581min - 690max) MBit/s -49%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
621 MBit/s -51%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
557 (527min - 581max) MBit/s -56%
iperf3 receive AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1370 (1218min - 1490max) MBit/s +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1339 (617min - 1491max) MBit/s
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
  (523 - 1684, n=128)
1191 MBit/s -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201
935 (472min - 956max) MBit/s -30%
Average of class Office
  (348 - 1690, n=6, last 2 years)
852 MBit/s -36%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
817 (738min - 851max) MBit/s -39%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
648 MBit/s -52%
4725225726226727227728228729229721022107211221172122212721322137214221472Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00 Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1318 (617-1491)
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø918 (472-956)
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00 Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1370 (1218-1490)
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00 Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1243 (638-1336)
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø640 (581-690)
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00 Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1248 (656-1344)

Webcam

ColorChecker
12.4 ∆E
14.3 ∆E
10.6 ∆E
7 ∆E
10.8 ∆E
7.4 ∆E
15.1 ∆E
11.9 ∆E
17.4 ∆E
3.7 ∆E
8.2 ∆E
9.3 ∆E
5.7 ∆E
9.3 ∆E
19 ∆E
7.2 ∆E
15.5 ∆E
8.1 ∆E
2.3 ∆E
10.4 ∆E
10.1 ∆E
7.8 ∆E
3.1 ∆E
8.9 ∆E
ColorChecker Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00: 9.8 ∆E min: 2.33 - max: 19.02 ∆E

Security

The security features of the small business line are traditionally rudimentary. At least there is an infrared-camera for Windows Hello and the ThinkShutter on-board now. The fingerprint-reader is integrated into the power button, and there is no smartcard reader.

Accessories

Apart from the 65 W charger, there are no other accessories supplied with the laptop.

Maintenance

Lenovo uses the well-known design of a big bottom plate that is secured with screws and clips. Opening the clips can be nerve-wrecking, as breaking them is easy. Upgrades and maintenance work should be bundled, to avoid having to remove the bottom cover as much as possible.

Once this road-block is out of the way, the battery can be exchanged, the fan can be cleaned and the RAM upgraded. There is a free RAM slot, a Wi-Fi module and two M.2 slots (1x M.2 2280, 1x M.2 2242). The M.2 2280 port is free ex-factory. For the extra M.2 port, Lenovo has removed the 2.5-inch option.

The keyboard is not easily exchangeable anymore, which is different from the ThinkPad E495. It is directly integrated into the palmrest.

View of the innards of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2
View of the innards of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2

Warranty

This unit of the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 comes with a 24-month warranty. A pickup and return service is included, which means the laptop will be picked up in the case of a defect. There are many upgrades available: Up to five years of warranty, a prolonged battery warranty, onsite-service, accidental damage protection, and Premier support.

Input devices: ThinkPad E14 AMD with backlight for the first time

Keyboard

For every ThinkPad, the keyboard is one of the most important components. ThinkPads are still known for their input devices, even though Lenovo has changed the layout and design throughout the years. 

The keyboard of the E14 Gen 2 is a full-size unit with 1.8 mm travel, which creates a very comfortable typing experience. The pressure point is neither too soft nor too hard and the keys have exactly the right amount of resistance. They have a slightly rough surface and the keyboard has two levels of LED backlight. The direct AMD predecessor ThinkPad E495 does not have this feature.

Keyboard area Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2
Keyboard area Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2

Touchpad & TrackPoint

The touchpad measures 10 x 5.6 cm, which means it is shorter than the ThinkPad E495, probably because of the reduced chassis length. Like all ThinkPads apart from the X1 series, the touchpad is made out of smooth plastic. It is not as high-quality or friction-free as a glass touchpad, but there are no other real problems with it. The integrated mechanism makes this a ClickPad. The click mechanism is dampened and quiet. Together with the Microsoft Precision driver, the trackpad is a good one.  

Alternatively, there is the red TrackPoint. In the E14 AMD, the TrackPoint is made by ELAN. The small, fixed joystick lets users manipulate the mouse-cursor more quickly and precisely, as users do not have to remove their hands from the keyboard to use it. The three keys between the keyboard and touchpad belong to the TrackPoint. They are made out of plastic and offer a crisp pressure point. The middle key emulates a scrollwheel. Without gestures, the TrackPoint cannot offer the completely functionality of a trackpad, but especially when working with the keyboard or in small-space situations (such as trains and planes), we prefer the pointing stick.

Touchpad
Touchpad
TrackPoint
TrackPoint

Screens remains a weak point of the ThinkPad E14 AMD

Sub-pixel array Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2
Sub-pixel array Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2
Backlight bleeding (shown enhanced)
Backlight bleeding (shown enhanced)

Diagonally, the matte LCD screen of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 still measures 14 inches (16:9). There is a change compared with the ThinkPad E495: The HD option (1366x768) is no more; instead there are only FHD (1920x1080) screens. Careful: There is a TN model with 220 cd/m² as well as an IPS option with 250 cd/m², which is used in our review unit. No touch-options are available.

The screen beats the specified brightness with an average of 264 cd/m². Even so, this is still a dark screen by current standards, especially compared with the low power LCD of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s. It is obvious that Lenovo uses the LCD brightness to differentiate the T series from the lower-end models.

260
cd/m²
291
cd/m²
258
cd/m²
254
cd/m²
281
cd/m²
258
cd/m²
254
cd/m²
263
cd/m²
256
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
B140HAN05.7 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 291 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 263.9 cd/m² Minimum: 3.1 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 87 %
Center on Battery: 281 cd/m²
Contrast: 1124:1 (Black: 0.25 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 5.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 4.9
ΔE Greyscale 3.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
56.9% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
36.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39.42% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
57.2% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
38.16% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.15
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
B140HAN05.7, a-Si IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
N140HCA-EAC, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
NV140FHM-N48, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
BOE0868, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
N140HCG-GQ2, IPS , 1920x1080, 14.00
Display
11%
6%
5%
74%
Display P3 Coverage
38.16
42.37
11%
40.31
6%
39.92
5%
66.8
75%
sRGB Coverage
57.2
63.5
11%
60
5%
59.6
4%
97.9
71%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
39.42
43.8
11%
41.65
6%
41.25
5%
69
75%
Response Times
-1%
-28%
2%
37%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
46.4 ?(23.2, 23.2)
40.8 ?(22, 18.8)
12%
52 ?(26, 26)
-12%
40 ?(22, 18)
14%
32.4 ?(16.4, 16)
30%
Response Time Black / White *
27.2 ?(16.8, 12.4)
30.8 ?(17.6, 13.2)
-13%
39.2 ?(22, 17.2)
-44%
30 ?(17, 13)
-10%
15.2 ?(6.8, 8.4)
44%
PWM Frequency
25000 ?(40)
1250 ?(99)
192 ?(90)
26040 ?(50)
Screen
9%
10%
-4%
45%
Brightness middle
281
241
-14%
305
9%
277
-1%
404
44%
Brightness
264
230
-13%
292
11%
270
2%
371
41%
Brightness Distribution
87
75
-14%
89
2%
88
1%
88
1%
Black Level *
0.25
0.17
32%
0.17
32%
0.285
-14%
0.34
-36%
Contrast
1124
1418
26%
1794
60%
972
-14%
1188
6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
5.8
4.7
19%
5.9
-2%
5.53
5%
1.4
76%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
22.3
19.7
12%
18.4
17%
10.68
52%
3.2
86%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
4.9
4.2
14%
4.6
6%
4.43
10%
0.8
84%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
3.2
2.6
19%
4.4
-38%
6.2
-94%
1.6
50%
Gamma
2.15 102%
2.12 104%
2.05 107%
2.34 94%
2.13 103%
CCT
6452 101%
6507 100%
6921 94%
7342 89%
6480 100%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
36.2
40.3
11%
38.2
6%
38
5%
63
74%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
56.9
63.3
11%
59.6
5%
59
4%
97.9
72%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
6% / 8%
-4% / 4%
1% / -2%
52% / 50%

* ... smaller is better

Colors
Colors
Grayscale
Grayscale
Saturation
Saturation
Colors (calibrated)
Colors (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)
Grayscale (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)
Saturation (calibrated)

We measured the AUO panel with CalMAN and the X-Rite i1Pro 2. The deviations in color ex-factory are not huge, but there is some room for improvement. The contrast of 1124:1 is good, but it is not great.

On the other hand, the color gamut of just 56.9% of sRGB is catastrophically bad. This panel cannot be used for serious photo-editing, as many colors are simply displayed wrong. This also makes the colors look dull.

sRGB: 56.9%
sRGB: 56.9%
AdobeRGB: 36.2%
AdobeRGB: 36.2%
Outdoors (sunny in the shade)
Outdoors (sunny in the shade)

The anti-glare finish is responsible for making the screen somewhat outdoor-usable. Only in the shade though, as the screen is not nearly bright enough to combat sunlight.

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
27.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.8 ms rise
↘ 12.4 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 64 % 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
46.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 23.2 ms rise
↘ 23.2 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 77 % 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-angle stability is typical for an IPS panel: Very good.

Performance: AMD Ryzen 5 4500U with a respectable result

The choice of the available AMD Ryzen CPUs covers the AMD Ryzen 3 4300U, the Ryzen 5 4500U to the Ryzen 7 4700U, and finally the Ryzen 7 4800U. The Ryzen 7 4800U, however, is not available at the moment. Depending on the CPU, there also are different integrated Radeon GPUs, with the AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 as the top option.

The RAM configuration has changed compared with the ThinkPad E495 (2x SO-DIMM) and the ThinkPad E14 Gen 1 (1x SO-DIMM): The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 has a single DDR4-3200 SO-DIMM and 4 GB to 8 GB on-board memory. This allows the memory to run in dual-channel, which was not the case with the Intel E14. The memory can be upgraded to 40 GB on the models with 8 GB soldered RAM.

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Caches
CPU-Z Mainboard
CPU-Z Mainboard
HWiNFO
HWiNFO
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
 

Processor

The AMD Ryzen 5 4500U is the first hexa-core processor used in Lenovo ThinkPad E. The six cores have clock-rates of 2.3 to 4 GHz. This CPU does not have Hyper-Threading. Our CPU comparison list enables comparisons with other CPUs.

In terms of the CPU performance, the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 clearly beat out the ThinkPad E14 with Intel CPUs. In the Cinebench multicore test, it is 60% faster. The ThinkPad E495 is also clearly slower. Compared with the HP ProBook 445 G7, the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 wins the comparison under prolonged load in the Cinebench loop, as the ThinkPad shows no signs of throttling.

We did not find any performance limitation in battery mode.

486.2536.2586.2636.2686.2736.2786.2836.2886.2936.2986.21036.21086.21136.21186.21236.21286.21336.2Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00 AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U: Ø845 (836.07-873.42)
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE AMD Ryzen 5 3500U, AMD Ryzen 5 3500U: Ø658 (656.79-659.13)
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE Intel Core i5-10210U, Intel Core i5-10210U: Ø526 (486.23-547.65)
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U: Ø761 (743.73-893.95)
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00 AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U: Ø1311 (1300.6-1345.67)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
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 R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (160.8 - 2642, n=120, last 2 years)
1380 Points +58%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
1346 (1300.6min - 1345.67max) Points +54%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (715 - 1007, n=18)
896 Points +3%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
894 (743.73min - 893.95max) Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
873 (836.07min - 873.42max) Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
658 (656.79min - 659.13max) Points -25%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
548 (486.23min - 547.65max) Points -37%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Office
  (82.6 - 284, n=118, last 2 years)
215 Points +21%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
181 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
177 Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
175 Points -1%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (156 - 177, n=13)
172.8 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
166 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
140 Points -21%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Office
  (356 - 5904, n=120, last 2 years)
3055 Points +41%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
3050 Points +40%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (1843 - 2530, n=13)
2236 Points +3%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2208 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2173 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
1477 Points -32%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
1254 Points -42%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Office
  (181.3 - 764, n=120, last 2 years)
553 Points +22%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
468 Points +3%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
453 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
453 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (424 - 453, n=12)
446 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
421 Points -7%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
349 Points -23%
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
832 Seconds * -42%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
696 Seconds * -19%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
645 Seconds * -10%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (533 - 748, n=11)
603 Seconds * -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
584 Seconds *
Average of class Office
  (214 - 2844, n=121, last 2 years)
543 Seconds * +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
367 Seconds * +37%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Office
  (2233 - 6687, n=122, last 2 years)
4967 MIPS +16%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
4467 MIPS +4%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4315 MIPS +1%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (4235 - 4338, n=11)
4290 MIPS 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4282 MIPS
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
4099 MIPS -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
3530 MIPS -18%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
39649 MIPS +65%
Average of class Office
  (4226 - 62349, n=121, last 2 years)
34257 MIPS +42%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (22466 - 25891, n=11)
24384 MIPS +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
24058 MIPS
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
23877 MIPS -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
16902 MIPS -30%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
16590 MIPS -31%
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core
Average of class Office
  (510 - 1974, n=123, last 2 years)
1452 Points +31%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
1149 Points +4%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (1082 - 1220, n=10)
1109 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
1108 Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
1088 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
1063 Points -4%
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core
Average of class Office
  (1018 - 11980, n=123, last 2 years)
6503 Points +41%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
6444 Points +40%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (4352 - 6234, n=10)
4774 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4618 Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4440 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
3275 Points -29%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
9.55 fps +37%
Average of class Office
  (1.55 - 17.4, n=121, last 2 years)
9.04 fps +30%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
6.98 fps
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (5.86 - 7.33, n=10)
6.8 fps -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
4.37 fps -37%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
3.9 fps -44%
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
78 s * -21%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (58.2 - 78, n=11)
66.4 s * -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
64.3 s *
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
60 s * +7%
Average of class Office
  (31.3 - 117.5, n=121, last 2 years)
57.3 s * +11%
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel Core i5-10210U
0.735 sec * -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
0.638 sec *
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
  (0.614 - 0.654, n=10)
0.636 sec * -0%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
0.616 sec * +3%
Average of class Office
  (0.4244 - 1.397, n=120, last 2 years)
0.593 sec * +7%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
873 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
67.4 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
98 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
177 Points
Help

System performance

We cannot complain about the system performance of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2, which is also true for the PCMark benchmarks.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Office
  (2325 - 7157, n=105, last 2 years)
5312 Points +20%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
Vega 7, R7 PRO 4750U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
4890 Points +10%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
  (4393 - 5024, n=12)
4683 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
4433 Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
4393 Points -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
3901 Points -12%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
Vega 8, R5 3500U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
3485 Points -21%
Essentials
Average of class Office
  (5095 - 20841, n=105, last 2 years)
9781 Points +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
Vega 7, R7 PRO 4750U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
9034 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
8823 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
  (8204 - 9124, n=11)
8669 Points -2%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
8327 Points -6%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
8149 Points -8%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
Vega 8, R5 3500U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
7008 Points -21%
Productivity
Average of class Office
  (3041 - 10198, n=105, last 2 years)
7439 Points +16%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
  (6400 - 7752, n=11)
6987 Points +9%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
Vega 7, R7 PRO 4750U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
6877 Points +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
6563 Points +3%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
6530 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
6400 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
Vega 8, R5 3500U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
5485 Points -14%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Office
  (1912 - 9056, n=105, last 2 years)
5732 Points +37%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
Vega 7, R7 PRO 4750U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
5109 Points +22%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
  (4189 - 4808, n=11)
4517 Points +8%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
4233 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
4189 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
3015 Points -28%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
Vega 8, R5 3500U, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
2989 Points -29%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
Vega 7, R7 PRO 4750U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
4640 Points +10%
Average of class Office
  (2304 - 4830, n=12, last 2 years)
4261 Points +1%
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
  (3889 - 4658, n=9)
4227 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
4223 Points
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
4064 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
3402 Points -19%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
Vega 7, R7 PRO 4750U, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
5570 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
5414 Points
Average AMD Ryzen 5 4500U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
  (5084 - 5543, n=9)
5266 Points -3%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
5147 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
UHD Graphics 620, i5-10210U, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
5001 Points -8%
Average of class Office
  (1854 - 5610, n=12, last 2 years)
3746 Points -31%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
4223 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
5414 points
PCMark 10 Score
4433 points
Help

DPC latency


LatencyMon
LatencyMon
LatencyMon Drivers
LatencyMon Drivers
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Vega 6, R5 4500U, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
590 μs *

* ... smaller is better

Storage

There is no 2.5-inch bay in the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2. Instead, there are two M.2 slots: A M.2 2242 and a M.2 2280 slot. In our review unit, only the 2242 slot houses an SSD; the bigger slot is open for an upgrade. The Toshiba SSD with a capacity of 512 GB used here is fast, though there are faster PCIe NVMe SSDs on the market.

Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00
Average Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
-19%
-3%
2%
33%
2%
Write 4K
102.3
121.3
19%
121.9
19%
144.6
41%
108
6%
133.9 ?(72.8 - 227, n=3)
31%
Read 4K
32.12
41.24
28%
42.66
33%
38.08
19%
39.82
24%
40.4 ?(26.4 - 62.8, n=3)
26%
Write Seq
1518
814
-46%
628
-59%
1320
-13%
2028
34%
1212 ?(823 - 1518, n=3)
-20%
Read Seq
1501
1098
-27%
1193
-21%
1397
-7%
1826
22%
1372 ?(1169 - 1501, n=3)
-9%
Write 4K Q32T1
356.4
267
-25%
590
66%
324.2
-9%
570
60%
338 ?(112.6 - 545, n=3)
-5%
Read 4K Q32T1
459.6
334.6
-27%
414.5
-10%
434.8
-5%
401.5
-13%
491 ?(327 - 687, n=3)
7%
Write Seq Q32T1
1507
819
-46%
866
-43%
1382
-8%
3091
105%
1343 ?(1039 - 1507, n=3)
-11%
Read Seq Q32T1
2327
1646
-29%
2078
-11%
2354
1%
2872
23%
2279 ?(2176 - 2334, n=3)
-2%
Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 2327 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 1507 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 459.6 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 356.4 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1501 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1518 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 32.12 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 102.3 MB/s

Continuous read: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

GPU

The AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 is a mid-level solution among the recent integrated AMD GPUs. It has 384 shader units with clock-rates of up to 1500 MHz. Our GPU comparison list is useful for comparing it with other GPUs.

In the benchmarks, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 of the ThinkPad T14s is clearly faster. The GPU of the E495 on the other hand is clearly slower, and the Intel UHD Graphics 620 in the ThinkPad E14 Gen 1 is even 60% slower. This pronounced difference might be partially caused by the single-channel RAM in the E14 Gen 1. After all, the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 has dual-channel memory.

The GPU was able to realize its full potential in battery mode as well.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Office
  (1474 - 12230, n=115, last 2 years)
5878 Points +34%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 7, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
5399 Points +23%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
4392 Points
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
  (3401 - 4713, n=23)
4146 Points -6%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
3683 Points -16%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
2940 Points -33%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1768 Points -60%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Office
  (5681 - 58068, n=98, last 2 years)
23871 Points +10%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
21604 Points
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
  (15227 - 24163, n=16)
20712 Points -4%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
16755 Points -22%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
9050 Points -58%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Office
  (712 - 8815, n=117, last 2 years)
4072 Points +45%
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 7, AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 4750U
3593 Points +28%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2802 Points
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
  (2122 - 3239, n=23)
2673 Points -5%
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
2313 Points -17%
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 2000/3000), AMD Ryzen 5 3500U
1834 Points -35%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-10210U
1168 Points -58%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Office
  (242 - 3186, n=113, last 2 years)
1323 Points +61%
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), AMD Ryzen 5 4500U
821 Points
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
  (650 - 996, n=22)
821 Points 0%
3DMark 11 Performance
4640 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
14756 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
2537 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
931 points
Help

Gaming performance

Different from the Intel UHD Graphics 620, the AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 is fast enough for games. Of course, the graphics settings and the resolution still have to be reduced quite a lot in recent, demanding titles.

low med. high ultra
The Witcher 3 (2015) 52.7 16.1
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 98.2 79 44.4 41.8
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 40.8 30.4 27.5
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (2018) 43.8 15.8
Total War: Three Kingdoms (2019) 48.7 14.6

Emissions: Lenovo laptop is quiet, but not really cool

Noise

While idling, the fans of the Lenovo laptop luckily stay completely quiet. Under load, the active cooling of the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 operates at 31.7 to 32.7 dB(a). This is still pretty quiet and not at all annoying.

We were able to detect some coil-whine with the ThinkPad E14 AMD. But it was only audible when holding an ear directly to the keyboard.

Noise Level

Idle
29.1 / 29.1 / 29.1 dB(A)
Load
31.7 / 32.7 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: 29.1 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.931.52525.2293128.631.14026.728.85026.929.16325.425.58023.426.110024.32712522.324.416022.525.320022.424.425023.424.931521.622.740019.922.550018.92263019.222.180018.221100017.621125017.120.6160016.421.6200016.122.1250015.922.331501620.1400015.718.6500015.717.9630015.617.7800015.717.11000015.6171250015.516.71600015.216.5SPL29.132.7N1.21.8median 17.1median 21.6Delta2.43.1hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00

Temperatures

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

Unfortunately, the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 does have somewhat of a heat problem. The maximum temperature of 48.1 °C is not critical, but the unit does get warm in all parts of the chassis. This applies to the palmrest as well, which can get noticeably warm.

The stress test produces the following result: The processor can keep up its clock-rates at 3 GHz and consume 25 W under sustained load. This is the reason for the rather high chassis temperatures, as the CPU temperatures stay at roughly 90 °C under load.

Max. Load
 44.1 °C
111 F
45 °C
113 F
47.1 °C
117 F
 
 43 °C
109 F
43.3 °C
110 F
40.5 °C
105 F
 
 38.5 °C
101 F
36.2 °C
97 F
35.8 °C
96 F
 
Maximum: 47.1 °C = 117 F
Average: 41.5 °C = 107 F
48.1 °C
119 F
45.2 °C
113 F
43.6 °C
110 F
38.7 °C
102 F
42.5 °C
109 F
42.1 °C
108 F
34.1 °C
93 F
36.7 °C
98 F
36.9 °C
98 F
Maximum: 48.1 °C = 119 F
Average: 40.9 °C = 106 F
Power Supply (max.)  37.9 °C = 100 F | Room Temperature 21.7 °C = 71 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 41.5 °C / 107 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 47.1 °C / 117 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 48.1 °C / 119 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24.9 °C / 77 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 38.5 °C / 101.3 F.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.7 °C / 81.9 F (-10.8 °C / -19.4 F).
Load temperatures (palmrest)
Load temperatures (palmrest)
Load temperatures (bottom)
Load temperatures (bottom)

Speakers

The stereo speakers with Harman branding do not disappoint: They are adequately loud for laptop speakers and even provide a little bit of bass. The ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 has better speakers than the ThinkPad E495 or the ProBook 445 G7.

What they cannot do is compete with an external solution though, as the combo-audio port still produces better results. 

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.931.52525.2273128.626.94026.727.25026.925.66325.425.48023.42510024.327.612522.332.416022.544.720022.45325023.458.331521.659.440019.961.650018.960.863019.259.880018.264.6100017.667.1125017.165.3160016.463.9200016.161.2250015.961.631501663.5400015.760500015.756.8630015.652.2800015.755.61000015.649.41250015.545.31600015.240.8SPL29.174.1N1.233.3median 17.1median 59.4Delta2.46.632.834.132.836.733.636.735.233.535.232.330.832.330.53130.530.628.630.629.326.729.328.32528.333.22533.241.623.841.642.923.242.949.123.249.154.821.854.866.820.366.86619.7666419.76462.418.562.468.818.368.873.518.173.569.318.169.372.318.172.371.91871.974.818.574.873.218.573.276.818.576.867.918.667.967.418.667.46918.66966.41966.464.619.264.683.930.983.957.11.557.1median 66.8median 18.6median 66.88.21.78.228.527.924.926.828.429.926.43022.927.223.531.522.325.223.426.123.528.621.637.720.844.421.248.720.751.919.655.819.559.719.360.918.564.317.962.917.457.41755.716.754.516.755.515.957.715.859.415.956.7165216.45615.353.415.254.41544.529.370.41.227.2median 17.4median 55.52.15.7hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EALenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00 audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (74.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13.5% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.6% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 38% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 51% 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, 8% similar, 44% 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
» 34% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 57% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 22%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 45% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 48% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (70.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 15.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.6% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 38% of all tested devices in this class were better, 11% similar, 51% 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, 8% similar, 44% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power management: Lenovo E14 Gen 2 with weaknesses

Power consumption

Recent Ryzen 4000 ThinkPads consume more energy than their predecessors or Intel counterparts. Unfortunately, this is especially true while idling. Only the ThinkPad T14s with the Ryzen 7 Pro is worse, while the ProBook 445 G7 runs more efficiently with the same CPU.

For the 65 W charger, the maximum power consumption of 50 W is no challenge.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.44 / 0.71 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.6 / 7.6 / 9.7 Watt
Load midlight 39.1 / 50.3 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
R5 4500U, Vega 6, Toshiba BG4 KBG40ZNT512G, a-Si IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
R5 3500U, Vega 8, SK hynix BC501 HFM256GDHTNG, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, SK hynix BC501 HFM512GDHTNG-8310A, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 14.00
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
R5 4500U, Vega 6, Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU, IPS, 1920x1080, 14.00
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
R7 PRO 4750U, Vega 7, WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00, IPS , 1920x1080, 14.00
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
 
Average of class Office
 
Power Consumption
18%
18%
17%
-6%
9%
0%
Idle Minimum *
4.6
4.1
11%
3.01
35%
3.5
24%
5.7
-24%
3.98 ?(3.7 - 5.8, n=23)
13%
4.27 ?(2.2 - 9.4, n=107, last 2 years)
7%
Idle Average *
7.6
5.86
23%
6.32
17%
6.2
18%
8.9
-17%
6.53 ?(5 - 8.4, n=23)
14%
7.32 ?(3.8 - 20.6, n=107, last 2 years)
4%
Idle Maximum *
9.7
6.36
34%
8.78
9%
8.8
9%
11
-13%
8.65 ?(5.3 - 11, n=23)
11%
9.1 ?(4.8 - 23.9, n=107, last 2 years)
6%
Load Average *
39.1
30.4
22%
32.5
17%
30
23%
38.2
2%
35 ?(27.6 - 48, n=23)
10%
40.4 ?(8.7 - 75.2, n=106, last 2 years)
-3%
Load Maximum *
50.3
50
1%
45.5
10%
45
11%
40.2
20%
51.5 ?(35.4 - 97.2, n=23)
-2%
57.4 ?(11.1 - 101.4, n=107, last 2 years)
-14%

* ... smaller is better

Battery life

Charging time: 111 minutes
Charging time: 111 minutes

While most aspects of the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 have been reworked, the capacity of the internal 45 Wh battery remains unchanged.

Interestingly, the Wi-Fi battery life (150 cd/m² brightness) is about as good as it was for the ThinkPad E495, despite the higher power consumption. Maybe, the new Edge browser is simply more power efficient. The ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 delivers middling battery life overall, though it will probably be enough for most users.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge Chromium)
8h 18min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness (Edge Chromium)
7h 04min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
9h 05min
Load (maximum brightness)
0h 55min
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00
R5 4500U, Vega 6, 45 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad E495-20NE000JGE
R5 3500U, Vega 8, 45 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad E14 20RA001MGE
i5-10210U, UHD Graphics 620, 45 Wh
HP ProBook 445 G7 175W4EA
R5 4500U, Vega 6, 45 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad T14s-20UJS00K00
R7 PRO 4750U, Vega 7, 57 Wh
Average of class Office
 
Battery Runtime
19%
32%
38%
66%
53%
H.264
545
472
-13%
617
13%
792
45%
691 ?(348 - 1112, n=40, last 2 years)
27%
WiFi v1.3
498
497
0%
507
2%
523
5%
612
23%
589 ?(272 - 1137, n=107, last 2 years)
18%
Load
55
93
69%
100
82%
94
71%
127
131%
117 ?(56 - 209, n=65, last 2 years)
113%

Pros

+ ThinkPad input devices
+ very fast Ryzen 4000 CPUs
+ good expandability
+ quiet cooling system
+ more compact chassis than predecessor
+ comparably good speakers
+ affordable

Cons

- cheap, below average LCD panel
- cost-cut port selection
- no (micro)SD slot
- not many business features
- heavy
- middling battery life
- heating palmrest under load

Verdict

In review: Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2. Test device supplied by
In review: Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2. Test device supplied by

Lenovo made a mistake with the ThinkPad E14 Gen 1: Downgrade the memory to single-channel for a thinner chassis. The Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 corrects this mistake. At the same time, if offers the best performance of any E ThinkPad until now, thanks to AMD Ryzen 4000.

With that in mind, the ThinkPad E series of course remains a budget-oriented laptop series. This explains the relatively dark and color-weak display, the missing microSD slot and the cheapened port selection. ThinkPads of the L and T series have advantages here, and the same goes for the available business features. Also, the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 does heat up around the palmrest under load, and the materials used here make the chassis heavy and the battery life could be better.

ThinkPad input devices, AMD Ryzen 4000 and affordable: If one seeks out this combination the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 could be the ideal choice for a home-office laptop - though Lenovo's cost-cuts might be deal-breakers for some users.

If you are willing to lower your expectations for the screen and port selection, the Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 can still be attractive. The very good input devices, compact chassis and quiet fan are all desirable attributes. The E14 AMD is pretty upgradable as well, and with AMD Renoir it has a great price-to-performance ratio. We can recommend the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 for more price-sensitive customers.

Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen2-20T7S00W00 - 08/25/2020 v7
Benjamin Herzig

Chassis
87 / 98 → 89%
Keyboard
92%
Pointing Device
88%
Connectivity
60 / 80 → 75%
Weight
68 / 20-75 → 87%
Battery
80%
Display
82%
Games Performance
61 / 78 → 78%
Application Performance
88 / 95 → 93%
Temperature
87%
Noise
95%
Audio
71%
Camera
23 / 85 → 27%
Average
76%
86%
Office - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 laptop review: Affordable and fast thanks to AMD Renoir
Benjamin Herzig, 2020-08-31 (Update: 2020-08-31)