The "E" doesn't stand for"Entry-level" but for "Edge" and this is a very good way of describing the newest edition of the ThinkPad E16's design. However, its unassuming case (and specs) are house and home to a potent processor and, paired with the AMD Radeon 660M, it can even undertake some graphically demanding tasks.
Our review model is one of the laptop's most basic configurations and we can recommend it for both professional and private use. Productivity is a much higher priority than visual design but, at the end of the day, it is a ThinkPad.
This also applies to the typical competitors, which are mostly produced by Lenovo itself. Examples include the marginally better ThinkPad L16 or the alternatively styled ThinkBook 16 G6.
Possible competitors compared
Rating | Version | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 83.8 % | v8 | 10 / 2024 | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE R5 7535HS, Radeon 660M | 1.9 kg | 21.3 mm | 16.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 84.8 % | v8 | 10 / 2024 | Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE R7 PRO 7735U, Radeon 680M | 1.9 kg | 25.2 mm | 16.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 86.6 % | v8 | 07 / 2024 | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE Ultra 5 125U, Graphics 4-Core | 1.3 kg | 19.3 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 87.5 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 06 / 2023 | Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM R7 7735U, Radeon 680M | 1.2 kg | 13.95 mm | 16.00" | 3840x2400 | |
| 85.9 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 01 / 2024 | Acer TravelMate P4 TMP414-53-58XQ i5-1335U, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.5 kg | 22 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 85.7 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 11 / 2023 | Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP R5 7530U, Vega 7 | 1.8 kg | 17.5 mm | 16.00" | 1920x1200 | |
| 85.5 % v7 (old) | v7 (old) | 11 / 2023 | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U i5-1335U, Iris Xe G7 80EUs | 1.8 kg | 19.85 mm | 16.00" | 1920x1200 |
Note: We have recently updated our rating system and the results of version 8 are not comparable with the results of version 7. More information is available here.
Case - A solid ThinkPad thanks to the aluminum components
The ThinkPad E16 Gen 2's mixture of plastic and aluminum makes a robust and elegant impression. The laptop appears slimmer than its actual 21 millimeters. It is also almost impossible to twist or bend, and this is particularly noticeable with the display, especially if you conveniently have a model with a plastic frame to compare it to. The only annoyance is that the device is very prone to fingerprints which are also hard to remove from its rough surface.
Despite its 16-inch display, the laptop is comparatively compact and this is reflected in the very good screen-to-case ratio of 84 percent. This doesn't take into account the extra space at the top edge of the display to house both the webcam and the dual-array microphone.
Tight display hinges make it a challenge to open the device one-handed, but, on the other hand, they hold the display very securely up to a maximum opening angle of 180 degrees. There is no serious wobble to speak of, regardless of the angle.
When it comes to weight, the E16 can't keep up with models for which mobility is a higher priority. Despite having fewer features, the laptop tips the scales at 1.9 kilograms, and this is acceptable for a 16-inch device. Compared to more expensive machines, this model lacks lightweight materials such as carbon fiber and magnesium.
Features - The E16 demands compromises
The ports are not particularly fast. One USB-A and one USB-C port both only reach the old maximum USB 3.0 standard of 5 Gbit/s. The other two are at least able to offer double the transfer speed, and this is sufficient for an external SSD. The LAN port offers the expected 1 Gbit/s bandwidth. Currently, you will only find 2.5 Gbit/s in gaming laptops.
The port location is well thought out. The rear USB-C port (which you will automatically use to supply power) is the slower version. There is also one USB-A port on the left and one on the right. By contrast, there are no card slots, smart card slots or SIM card slots.
Communication
With the Wi-Fi module, we measured stable, typical office-class transfer speeds - and sometimes even slightly higher. At least at short distances from the router, this means a 1 Gbit/s LAN cable can be easily surpassed.
With WiFi 6E, the wireless speed is at a fairly up-to-date level. Additionally, by increasing to the 6 gigahertz range, you can expect to achieve more stable connectivity in areas with many different networks.
There is no option for mobile communications and that applies to all variants of the E16 Gen 2.
Webcam
The FullHD camera does exactly what it is designed for: It reproduces sufficiently bright and detailed images even in low light. The system also takes sudden light changes in its stride when making your way down a hallway or when switching off a room light and requires less than a second for a face to become easily recognizable. Simultaneously, this behavior also explains the hair-raising color deviations in our test capture. Even simple webcams often do better in this area. But, since everything here was geared toward good lighting for video calls, the general image quality suffered.
In this context, the microphone is not quite so convincing: Voices sound natural and are reproduced at fairly consistent volumes from various directions. However, at slightly greater distances, the recording quality deteriorates too quickly for our liking. This is something dual-array microphones are better at handling.
Security
The ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 possesses two basic security functions. In addition to the Kensington lock built into the side of the device, the power button houses a fingerprint sensor. As an additional, optional extra, you can also select an infrared camera that can be used for face recognition.
Maintenance
Fortunately, all of the important components can be swapped or upgraded. The RAM, SSD and Wi-Fi module, as well as the battery (which is screwed in again), are all easily accessed once the seven Phillips screws have been removed. However, you shouldn't be afraid of breaking one or more of the additional plastic clamps which hold the base plate in place.
On top of this, there is a free slot for an additional SSD. Unlike the (only) 42 mm long and already installed SSD, this can cope with the more typical 80 mm. Expanding the storage space is, therefore, a straightforward task.
Sustainability
Lenovo is showing some ambition by making its laptops more sustainable. The packaging doesn't rely on any plastics and consists entirely of recycled paper. The power supply is largely made of recycled plastic. The ThinkPad itself contains other small elements made from recycled plastic.
Emissions from the production are said to be equivalent to 146 kg CO. That's almost 20 percent lower than the predecessor, the ThinkPad E16 Gen 1.
Warranty
Lenovo generally offers a 1-year warranty with the ThinkPad E16 Gen 2. For an additional surcharge, this can be extended to include on-site service. An extension to 5 years is also possible.
Input devices - Not really ThinkPad-worthy
The keyboard, TrackPoint and touchpad are small weak points, but only when you set other competing ThinkPads as the benchmark. Typing is generally a quick and pleasant experience, but compared to the swappable keyboard found in the more premium ThinkPad series, you should expect to tire a touch quicker. In a direct comparison, the key pressure seems a little harder, and the noise production is somewhat greater.
The TrackPoint buttons appear a little easy to move and lack a distinct, tangible pressure point. By contrast, the touchpad can be used precisely. The hidden buttons can be pressed quickly and cleanly. However, the surface is sensitive to dirt, making it much more difficult to clean than, for example, a glass surface.
Display - Simple and efficient for office tasks
The ThinkPad E16 Gen 2's screen is intended to be used as a work-only panel. Therefore, the 16:10 format ratio fits perfectly by not only displaying a larger image area but also by being able to display office programs or a browser a little better. The resolution is slightly higher than FullHD, and this means the text is displayed clearly without details appearing too small. In addition, we are treated to higher contrast and slightly above-average brightness, as well as good black levels. The result is that content is also legible in brighter environments, and text and fine details are almost always sharp.
By contrast, the display is not suitable for graphically demanding tasks. Even after calibration, there is a visible color deviation with images always appearing a bit gray and pale. This may be sufficient for a private photo collection and also for movies and games. If, however, you wish to edit and optimize graphics and images, the display is completely out of the question.
Additionally, there is visible backlight bleeding. In the photo on the right, nothing needs to be enhanced to see bright areas along the edge at irregular intervals, and they are still partially visible when dark movie scenes or black image borders are displayed. Light pressure on the edges shows that the panel isn't being used optimally. On a device other than our review device, the backlight bleeding could, therefore, be different and hopefully even less obvious.
Overall, for displaying text, images and graphics, the basic technology used here is fine. It simply doesn't need to do more for most tasks. However, if that is exactly what is required, an IPS panel at WQXGA resolution (2,560 x 1,600 pixels) with the complete sRGB color space and a brightness of 400 candelas per square meter is also available.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 91 %
Center on Battery: 364 cd/m²
Contrast: 1456:1 (Black: 0.25 cd/m²)
ΔE ColorChecker Calman: 6.7 | ∀{0.5-29.43 Ø4.83}
calibrated: 5.3
ΔE Greyscale Calman: 4.9 | ∀{0.09-98 Ø5.1}
40.7% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 3D)
58.2% sRGB (Argyll 3D)
39.4% Display P3 (Argyll 3D)
Gamma: 2.2
CCT: 6010 K
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE MNG007QS1-3, IPS, 1920x1200, 16", 60 Hz | Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE MNG007QS1-3, IPS, 1920x1200, 16", 60 Hz | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE MNE007JA1-2, IPS LED, 1920x1200, 14", 60 Hz | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U R160NW41 R2, IPS, 1920x1200, 16", 60 Hz | Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP LEN160WUXGA, IPS, 1920x1200, 16", 60 Hz | Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM Samsung SDC4168, OLED, 3840x2400, 16", 60 Hz | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 0% | 71% | 7% | 3% | 121% | |
| Display P3 Coverage | 39.4 | 39.5 0% | 67.8 72% | 42 7% | 40.4 3% | 99.7 153% |
| sRGB Coverage | 58.2 | 58.7 1% | 99.2 70% | 62.6 8% | 59.8 3% | 100 72% |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 40.7 | 40.8 0% | 70 72% | 43.3 6% | 42 3% | 97.2 139% |
| Response Times | 3% | -57% | -81% | -41% | 87% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 23.7 ? | 24.6 ? -4% | 35.3 ? -49% | 46.4 ? -96% | 32.8 ? -38% | 2 ? 92% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 16.6 ? | 15 ? 10% | 27.4 ? -65% | 27.6 ? -66% | 23.9 ? -44% | 3 ? 82% |
| PWM Frequency | 239 ? | |||||
| Screen | 4% | 40% | 11% | -1% | 39% | |
| Brightness middle | 364 | 334 -8% | 406 12% | 318.6 -12% | 310 -15% | 369 1% |
| Brightness | 344 | 322 -6% | 402 17% | 302 -12% | 290 -16% | 371 8% |
| Brightness Distribution | 91 | 89 -2% | 93 2% | 91 0% | 86 -5% | 97 7% |
| Black Level * | 0.25 | 0.3 -20% | 0.22 12% | 0.29 -16% | 0.22 12% | |
| Contrast | 1456 | 1113 -24% | 1845 27% | 1099 -25% | 1409 -3% | |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 6.7 | 5.4 19% | 2 70% | 3.73 44% | 6.2 7% | 2.3 66% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 21.4 | 19.6 8% | 5.1 76% | 16.51 23% | 24.7 -15% | 4.37 80% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 5.3 | 4.9 8% | 0.6 89% | 2.03 62% | 5.3 -0% | 2.87 46% |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 4.9 | 2 59% | 2.4 51% | 3.2 35% | 3.8 22% | 1.83 63% |
| Gamma | 2.2 100% | 2.15 102% | 2.12 104% | 2.28 96% | 2.22 99% | 2.39 92% |
| CCT | 6010 108% | 6283 103% | 6244 104% | 6780 96% | 6011 108% | 6392 102% |
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | 2% /
3% | 18% /
33% | -21% /
-3% | -13% /
-6% | 82% /
67% |
* ... smaller is better
The ability to cover almost 60 percent of the sRGB color space for an office laptop is just about acceptable. When it comes to surfing the internet, researching or creating simple graphics and more, this limited color space is not particularly important.
But even a photo with slight color gradients, such as the blue sky, can reveal gradients that would either be barely or much less visible on a better display.
The color accuracy test was disappointing. Essentially, a well-trained eye can detect deviations across the entire color spectrum, especially regarding blue and purple. A calibration didn't lead to any improvements. This alone cannot be explained by the overall limited color space since the ThinkPad E16 Gen 1 predecessor (which also had a very straightforward display) produced acceptable results.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 16.6 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 8.7 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 7.9 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. » 36 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.5 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 23.7 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 11 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 12.7 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 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 32 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.1 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| 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 8327 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Outdoors, you should avoid direct sunlight. With an overcast sky, the text remains very legible thanks to the good contrast. If you turn the laptop towards the sun, you will be able to work well outdoors.
Regardless of the viewing angle, no color changes were observed and this is something to be expected from an IPS panel. However, the brightness decreases at an angle greater than 30 degrees.
Performance - The E16 Gen 2 is impressively efficient
The seven available processors on offer at least manage to deliver decent to excellent performance. From the marginally weaker AMD Ryzen 5 7535U to our reviewed AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, they go all the way up to the slightly faster Intel Core Ultra 5 125U or Intel Core Ultra 5 125H and the significantly better-rated Intel Core Ultra 7 155H as well as the AMD Ryzen 7 7735U or AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS.
You cannot select a dedicated graphics chip. However, the bigger CPUs from AMD and Intel can handle some graphically demanding tasks with their iGPUs. The RAM, which you can upgrade by yourself, comes in 8, 16 or 32 GB DDR5-4800 sizes. You can expand this up to a maximum of 64 GB.
Test conditions
As usual, the ThinkPad doesn't have any special performance settings. Via the Windows performance settings, you can choose one of 3 modes which regulate the power supply to the CPU.
- Best performance: PL1 30 W | PL2 35 W
- Balanced: PL1 20 W | PL2 25 W
- Beste energy savings/battery power: PL1 10 W | PL2 10 W
Our tests were carried out using the "Best performance" setting by default.
Processor
The AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS is a solid, mid-range processor that is responsible for the ThinkPad E16 Gen 2's computational tasks. The processor performs the same as the Intel Core i5-1335U. Six identically built Zen-3+ cores and a total of twelve threads do their job and reach a peak of 4.55 GHz.
The CPU is designed for a typical power consumption of 30 watts, and Lenovo allows it to hit a peak of 35 watts and then 30 watts. By contrast, CPUs in models such as the Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 or ThinkPad E16 G1 are allowed to consume a maximum of 41 and 51 watts, respectively. That mostly explains the slightly below-average performance of the Ryzen 5 in question. The Intel Core Ultra 5 125U can only occasionally be beaten in single-core applications.
In contrast, our review E16 offers by far the most stable computing performance in the continuous test because considerably less heat is dissipated, and this means less throttling is required. Additional benchmarks and comparisons can be found in our CPU benchmark list.
Cinebench R15 Multi Continuous Test
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 6.4: Multi-Core | Single-Core
Geekbench 5.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
| CPU Performance Rating | |
| Average of class Office | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U -2! | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM -2! | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE -1! | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Cinebench R23 / Multi Core | |
| Average of class Office (1577 - 20399, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (8613 - 10900, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Cinebench R23 / Single Core | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Average of class Office (708 - 2130, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (1445 - 1488, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core) | |
| Average of class Office (590 - 8086, n=85, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (3333 - 4224, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Average of class Office (285 - 815, n=85, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (560 - 581, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average of class Office (246 - 3132, n=89, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (1457 - 1757, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Average of class Office (99.5 - 312, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (232 - 241, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Average of class Office (163 - 1956, n=88, last 2 years) | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (286 - 467, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| 7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (40996 - 48646, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Average of class Office (7532 - 76886, n=89, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| 7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1 | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (5206 - 5670, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average of class Office (3046 - 6497, n=88, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Geekbench 6.4 / Multi-Core | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Average of class Office (662 - 14998, n=96, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (8094 - 8960, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Geekbench 6.4 / Single-Core | |
| Average of class Office (457 - 2894, n=95, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (1988 - 2056, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average of class Office (1018 - 14192, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (7189 - 7852, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Average of class Office (510 - 2096, n=88, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (1481 - 1502, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (11.3 - 14.2, n=2) | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Average of class Office (1.72 - 22.4, n=86, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average of class Office (41.1 - 129.6, n=86, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (46.2 - 57, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Average of class Office (0.4098 - 1.06, n=85, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (0.503 - 0.557, n=2) | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
| Performance Rating | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average of class Office | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace | |
| Average of class Office (1685 - 31245, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (9617 - 12945, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Julia | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (62262 - 79252, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average of class Office (8977 - 125394, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| AIDA64 / CPU SHA3 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average of class Office (590 - 5398, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (2092 - 2679, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| AIDA64 / CPU Queen | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (73607 - 82540, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average of class Office (20636 - 115197, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (8888 - 9786, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average of class Office (1064 - 18321, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Mandel | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (34054 - 43495, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average of class Office (4415 - 66922, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| AIDA64 / CPU AES | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (35651 - 105083, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average of class Office (7254 - 155900, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| AIDA64 / CPU ZLib | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Average of class Office (138.6 - 1366, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (551 - 665, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace | |
| Average of class Office (859 - 17834, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (5170 - 6899, n=2) | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Average of class Office (9310 - 55359, n=87, last 2 years) | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (27096 - 28865, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
System performance
The fact that the brief performance peaks do not necessarily increase the system performance can be seen in the PCMark 10 test. This is an area where the ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 sits safely in the middle of the pack, performing 10 percent better than the average of our recently reviewed office laptops.
Although launching programs or installation processes isn't quite as fast as a higher-end CPU such as the AMD Ryzen 7 7840U or Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, there is, nevertheless, no noticeable lag. Operating the device is a consistently swift and smooth experience, even with many programs running in parallel.
In battery mode, the performance, and especially the CPU's performance, is significantly reduced. The performance drop is very noticeable when undertaking demanding tasks. However, when surfing or streaming, the differences ought to be minimal.
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
WebXPRT 3: Overall
WebXPRT 4: Overall
Mozilla Kraken 1.1: Total
| PCMark 10 / Score | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Average of class Office (2823 - 7578, n=76, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| Average of class Office (6567 - 20841, n=76, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average of class Office (3041 - 10415, n=76, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Average of class Office (2049 - 11108, n=76, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| CrossMark / Overall | |
| Average of class Office (348 - 1891, n=83, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| CrossMark / Productivity | |
| Average of class Office (393 - 1880, n=83, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| CrossMark / Creativity | |
| Average of class Office (319 - 2155, n=83, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
| Average of class Office (258 - 2017, n=83, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| WebXPRT 3 / Overall | |
| Average of class Office (121 - 455, n=82, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| WebXPRT 4 / Overall | |
| Average of class Office (80 - 328, n=83, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 / Total | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
| Average of class Office (391 - 1966, n=91, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
* ... smaller is better
| PCMark 10 Score | 6011 points | |
Help | ||
| AIDA64 / Memory Copy | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Average of class Office (19648 - 108783, n=88, last 2 years) | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (48529 - 49119, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Read | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Average of class Office (10084 - 127282, n=88, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (40191 - 50259, n=2) | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Write | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Average of class Office (20073 - 117935, n=88, last 2 years) | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (51316 - 54982, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Latency | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average of class Office (7.6 - 162.9, n=85, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Average AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS (87.7 - 103.4, n=2) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
* ... smaller is better
DPC latencies
In the LatencyMon test, there were numerous stutters in the millisecond range and this was mainly caused by the network drivers. This was barely noticeable in normal operation but tasks such as real-time audio editing cannot be carried out without interruptions.
During 4K video streaming on YouTube, there were no skipped frames - a very good result.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
* ... smaller is better
Mass storage
Samsung's SSD, which is a mere 42 mm long, certainly won't break any speed records but it also manages to avoid any serious slip-ups. At just short of 5,700 MB/s during sequential reading, it even manages to keep a few competitors at bay.
Even when reading smaller files in parallel working steps, the results are at a good level, and this is noticeable, for example, when booting the device.
* ... smaller is better
Continuous Performance Read: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
Graphics card
The big difference to the immediately preceding processor, the AMD Ryzen 5 7530U, lies in the integrated graphics chip. In the AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, the Radeon RX Vega 7 was replaced by a Radeon 660M with RDNA 2 architecture. Compared to similarly designed laptops with the older chip, we observed typical performance increases of 40 to 50 percent. The gap to Intel's no longer up-to-date iGPU, the Iris Xe 80EUs, is similarly large.
If things get too graphically demanding, even the Radeon 660M is significantly overwhelmed, but a little photo and video editing and working with older 3D applications is possible.
Benchmarks, data and gaming tests regarding the various graphic chips can be found in our GPU benchmark list.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 7442 points | |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 23824 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 4497 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 1782 points | |
Help | ||
* ... smaller is better
Gaming performance
The ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 is definitely not geared toward gaming. As soon as the graphics settings are set too high, the framerate quickly drops to below 20fps. As a distraction from work, the iGPU can still handle a bit of gaming now and then, albeit without placing great demands on the graphics. Even the current but not very demanding F1 2024 is decently playable on the lowest settings.
| GTA V - 1920x1080 Highest Settings possible AA:4xMSAA + FX AF:16x | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average of class Office (3.98 - 47.8, n=75, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U | |
| Cyberpunk 2077 2.2 Phantom Liberty - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset (FSR off) | |
| Average of class Office (6.65 - 29.6, n=51, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| F1 24 | |
| 1920x1080 High Preset AA:T AF:16x | |
| Average of class Office (12.3 - 61.5, n=17, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Radeon 660M (19.8 - 25.6, n=2) | |
| 1920x1080 Ultra High Preset AA:T AF:16x | |
| Average of class Office (5.6 - 20.2, n=10, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE | |
| Average AMD Radeon 660M (n=1) | |
The continuous test with Cyberpunk 2077 on maximum graphics settings showed no signs of lag, and this means the E16 can deliver consistently stable performance. The Radeon 680M and the Intel Arc 4 Core, which can be found in the other variants of the basic ThinkPad with the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS or Intel Core Ultra 5 125U, both scored a touch better.
Cyberpunk 2077 ultra FPS diagram
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA V (2015) | 128.9 | 116.1 | 40.5 | 18.9 |
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 121.1 | 94.4 | 63.1 | 53.9 |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 44.9 | 23.7 | 17.2 | |
| X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 48.2 | 35.6 | 30.8 | |
| Far Cry 5 (2018) | 55 | 26 | 23 | 22 |
| Strange Brigade (2018) | 117.4 | 43.3 | 35 | 29 |
| Baldur's Gate 3 (2023) | 22 | 14 | 13 | 12 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 2.2 Phantom Liberty (2023) | 22.9 | 17.4 | 13.2 | 11.2 |
| F1 24 (2024) | 42.2 | 35.5 | 25.6 | 5.6 |
Emissions - Mostly a quiet business laptop
Noise emissions
What was noticeable during testing was also reflected in our standard noise measurements. The ThinkPad E16 G2 is quiet and remains so even under full load. You can easily hear the fans but only in the background, and they are not really annoying. If you select the balanced mode with slightly reduced peak performance, the fan gets even quieter. In the weakest mode, the laptop generally remains completely silent.
As a comparison: The admittedly faster ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 is exactly twice as loud under loud.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 24.6 / 24.6 / 24.6 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 28.2 / 36.3 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 24.6 dB(A) | ||
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE Radeon 660M, R5 7535HS, Samsung PM9C1a MZAL81T0HDLB | Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE Radeon 680M, R7 PRO 7735U, SK Hynix HFS001TEJ9X164N | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE Graphics 4-Core, Ultra 5 125U, WD PC SN740 SDDQNQD-512G-1014 | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U Iris Xe G7 80EUs, i5-1335U | Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP Vega 7, R5 7530U, SK hynix HFS512GEJ9X125N | Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM Radeon 680M, R7 7735U, Micron 3400 1TB MTFDKBA1T0TFH | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | -10% | -4% | -4% | -3% | -18% | |
| off / environment * | 24.6 | 25.2 -2% | 24.4 1% | 24.6 -0% | 24.3 1% | 25.7 -4% |
| Idle Minimum * | 24.6 | 25.2 -2% | 24.4 1% | 24.6 -0% | 24.3 1% | 25.7 -4% |
| Idle Average * | 24.6 | 25.2 -2% | 24.4 1% | 24.6 -0% | 24.3 1% | 27 -10% |
| Idle Maximum * | 24.6 | 25.2 -2% | 24.4 1% | 24.6 -0% | 24.3 1% | 29.3 -19% |
| Load Average * | 28.2 | 38.3 -36% | 32.6 -16% | 32.7 -16% | 29.7 -5% | 42.3 -50% |
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra * | 36.3 | 41.5 -14% | 39.9 -10% | |||
| Load Maximum * | 36.3 | 41.8 -15% | 39.5 -9% | 39.2 -8% | 41.4 -14% | 42.7 -18% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 34.7 | 32.1 |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
Similar to the noise production, the case temperatures remain moderate, and this is something you wouldn't necessarily expect from a business laptop that isn't exactly compact. Even placed under the highest demands, we measured a maximum of 43 °C in the upper area of the keyboard which sits directly on top of the CPU.
By contrast, the palm rest remained cool. During simple tasks, there were barely noticeable temperature increases of a few degrees above room temperature.
(±) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 42.6 °C / 109 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 43.3 °C / 110 F, compared to the average of 36.8 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 22.2 °C / 72 F, compared to the device average of 29.5 °C / 85 F.
(+) 3: The average temperature for the upper side is 29 °C / 84 F, compared to the average of 29.5 °C / 85 F for the class Office.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 24.2 °C / 75.6 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(+) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.6 °C / 81.7 F (+3.4 °C / 6.1 F).
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, AMD Radeon 660M | Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7735U, AMD Radeon 680M | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE Intel Core Ultra 5 125U, Intel Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arc) | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U Intel Core i5-1335U, Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs | Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP AMD Ryzen 5 7530U, AMD Radeon RX Vega 7 | Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM AMD Ryzen 7 7735U, AMD Radeon 680M | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | -5% | 1% | -11% | -19% | -22% | |
| Maximum Upper Side * | 42.6 | 38.6 9% | 40.2 6% | 44 -3% | 40.8 4% | 49.4 -16% |
| Maximum Bottom * | 43.3 | 45.7 -6% | 39 10% | 50.4 -16% | 50.5 -17% | 44.7 -3% |
| Idle Upper Side * | 24.1 | 25.6 -6% | 26 -8% | 27.2 -13% | 29.3 -22% | 34 -41% |
| Idle Bottom * | 24.9 | 28.8 -16% | 25.8 -4% | 27.8 -12% | 35.2 -41% | 31.6 -27% |
* ... smaller is better
Stress test
The continuous taxing of both the CPU and GPU doesn't leave the ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 feeling indifferent, but the sensor values recorded using HWiNFO of a maximum of 82 °C are quite a bit below the critical limit of 100 °C.
At the same time, the processor can be supplied with the permitted 30 watts. We were unable to detect any throttling, even with the clock speeds.
Speakers
For a laptop, the small stereo speakers do a good job. The highs and, in particular, voices sound good or even powerful and complex or mixed sounds are reproduced at a good level. It appears to have been a good decision to acquire the speakers from Harman, a company that owns numerous audio brands from JBL to Bower & Wilkins.
On the other hand, the bass is exceptionally weak and as such is barely perceptible. That is certainly not a surprise given the size of the built-in drivers.
Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 18.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.5% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 25% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 68% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 21%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 32% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 60% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (84.7 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(+) | good bass - only 3.8% away from median
(+) | bass is linear (5.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 1.3% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (2.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (4.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 0% of all tested devices in this class were better, 0% similar, 100% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 0% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 100% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Energy management - The E16 proves itself to be economical
Power consumption
While the AMD Ryzen CPUs were able to shine with their efficiency compared to the Intel Raptor Lake processors, this is no longer the case with the chips in the Meteor Lake series. An average of 7 and, in the best case, 4 watts are strong figures for the ThinkPad E16, but, for example, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s with the Intel Core Ultra 5 125U is an additional third more economical.
By contrast, under load, the maximum power consumption limit makes itself known. We didn't even measure 50 watts as the absolute peak value. All in all, the E16 is an economical choice.
| Off / Standby | 0.4 / 0.8 Watt |
| Idle | 3.6 / 7.1 / 8.4 Watt |
| Load |
39 / 47.5 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE R5 7535HS, Radeon 660M, Samsung PM9C1a MZAL81T0HDLB, IPS, 1920x1200, 16" | Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE R7 PRO 7735U, Radeon 680M, SK Hynix HFS001TEJ9X164N, IPS, 1920x1200, 16" | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE Ultra 5 125U, Graphics 4-Core, WD PC SN740 SDDQNQD-512G-1014, IPS LED, 1920x1200, 14" | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U i5-1335U, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, , IPS, 1920x1200, 16" | Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP R5 7530U, Vega 7, SK hynix HFS512GEJ9X125N, IPS, 1920x1200, 16" | Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM R7 7735U, Radeon 680M, Micron 3400 1TB MTFDKBA1T0TFH, OLED, 3840x2400, 16" | Average AMD Radeon 660M | Average of class Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -19% | 4% | -21% | -10% | -40% | -14% | -16% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 3.6 | 4.6 -28% | 2.3 36% | 4.9 -36% | 3.7 -3% | 8.6 -139% | 4.51 ? -25% | 4.56 ? -27% |
| Idle Average * | 7.1 | 8.2 -15% | 5.1 28% | 8.3 -17% | 7.1 -0% | 7.7 -8% | 6.81 ? 4% | 7.54 ? -6% |
| Idle Maximum * | 8.4 | 8.9 -6% | 6.7 20% | 8.6 -2% | 7.7 8% | 9.3 -11% | 8.28 ? 1% | 8.98 ? -7% |
| Load Average * | 39 | 45.8 -17% | 37.5 4% | 42.9 -10% | 43.9 -13% | 47.9 -23% | 45.3 ? -16% | 42.2 ? -8% |
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra external monitor * | 35.6 | 41.4 -16% | 41.4 -16% | |||||
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra * | 36.6 | 42.4 -16% | 37.8 -3% | |||||
| Load Maximum * | 47.5 | 65.5 -38% | 68.4 -44% | 67 -41% | 66.6 -40% | 56 -18% | 63.3 ? -33% | 61.7 ? -30% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 44.9 | 40.8 | 46.3 |
* ... smaller is better
Power consumption Cyberpunk / stress test
Power consumption with an external monitor
Battery life
The ThinkPad manages to coax a respectable runtime from its 57 watt hours. In the internet surfing test at medium brightness, the battery holds out for well over eight hours. That's just about what you would expect for basic office tasks.
The system scored even better when it came to video playback in flight mode. Twelve hours for a battery of this size is a great figure. Under full load, we still measured almost three hours which was related to the fact that the processor utilization in battery mode is limited to less than 50 percent, according to the task manager.
| Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE R5 7535HS, Radeon 660M, 57 Wh | Lenovo ThinkPad L16 Gen 1 21L70010GE R7 PRO 7735U, Radeon 680M, 57 Wh | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 21LS001PGE Ultra 5 125U, Graphics 4-Core, 58 Wh | Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G1 Core i5-1335U i5-1335U, Iris Xe G7 80EUs, 47 Wh | Lenovo ThinkBook 16 G6 ABP R5 7530U, Vega 7, 45 Wh | Acer Swift Edge SFE16-42-R1GM R7 7735U, Radeon 680M, 54 Wh | Average of class Office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 9% | 4% | -41% | 5% | -30% | 2% | |
| H.264 | 728 | 656 -10% | 696 -4% | 518 -29% | 790 ? 9% | ||
| WiFi v1.3 | 535 | 674 26% | 712 33% | 314 -41% | 605 13% | 437 -18% | 675 ? 26% |
| Load | 159 | 178 12% | 117 -26% | 89 -44% | 111.1 ? -30% | ||
| Reader / Idle | 653 | 1331 ? |
Pros
Cons
Verdict - A workhorse rather than a premium laptop
With the ThinkPad E16 Gen 2, Lenovo has reduced its successful business laptop to the bare essentials. Computing performance, battery life and the balance of both the cooling system and power supply are all at a good level. By contrast, corners have been cut in the usual specs while the case makes a familiarly premium impression.
We are impressed by our review model's Ryzen 5 as well as the system performance and battery life. On top of this, the integrated graphics chip can at least be used for more complex tasks, but the inferior display already shows its limits in handling digital photos.
A fast, efficient system for quiet work but with compromises especially regarding the display and keyboard.
The size also has two sides to its story: The images on the display are naturally larger and, inside the device, many components can be easily replaced and expanded accordingly. The cooling also benefits hugely from the space provided. Although a 16-inch device this size is neither particularly mobile nor can it be quickly stowed away in any bag.
However, as an entry into the business class, a few compromises are permitted, and the strength of the performance and battery life could be particularly popular with students who are also looking for a robust, everyday companion. If you reduced a work-based computer to its essentials, something like the E16 would be the result - a device that is certainly interesting for a mix of private and professional use.
Competition comes, in particular, in the form of the E16's other CPU variants. The similarly expensive Intel Core Ultra 5 125U is more efficient and also offers greater graphics power. You will find somewhat fewer compromises in the areas of the keyboard and specs with the $100 more expensive Lenovo ThinkPad L16.
Price and availability
A variant of the Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 with the Ryzen 5 7535U, 32 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD can currently be purchased on Amazon for around $729.
Note: We have recently updated our rating system and the results of version 8 are not comparable with the results of version 7. More information is available here.
Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 21M5002VGE
- 10/08/2024 v8
Mario Petzold
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The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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