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Lenovo ThinkPad P73 Review - Mobile Workstation with Core i9, RTX 4000 and 4K

Full performance after BIOS updates. The ThinkPad P73 has been around for a while, but Lenovo had to deliver some BIOS updates before the device could use the full potential of its components. Neither Intel, nor Nvidia, introduced major updates in the last 18 months, so the P73 is still up to date in the beginning of 2021.
Business Comet Lake GPU Laptop ThinkPad Thunderbolt Workstation

The ThinkPad P73 is Lenovo's biggest mobile workstation, but it struggled with the performance. Especially the powerful Nvidia Quadro RTX GPUs did not utilize their full potential. Lenovo had to launch some BIOS updates to improve the situation. Lenovo has already launched the successor ThinkPad P17 by now, bit the components are still pretty much the same. You now get Intel 10th generation chips, which do not offer any noticeable performance gains, and even the identical Nvidia Quadro GPUs. With the P73 equipped with a Core i9 and the RTX 4000, we once again want to check whether the performance now meets the expectations. Please see our comprehensive review of the ThinkPad P73 with the RTX 3000 for more information on the case, ports, input devices, and the speakers:

Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE (ThinkPad P73 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i9-9880H 8 x 2.3 - 4.8 GHz, 107 W PL2 / Short Burst, 70 W PL1 / Sustained, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop) - 8 GB VRAM, Core: 1485 MHz, Memory: 1500 MHz, 110 W TDP, GDDR6
Memory
32 GB 
, DDR4-2666, Dual-Channel, up to 128 GB, 2/4 slots free
Display
17.30 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 255 PPI, B173ZAN01.0, IPS, glossy: no, 60 Hz
Mainboard
Intel CM246
Storage
Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR, 1024 GB 
, 900 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
3 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 3 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: 3.5mm, Card Reader: SD, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Ethernet Connection I219-LM (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): 31 x 416 x 281 ( = 1.22 x 16.38 x 11.06 in)
Battery
99 Wh Lithium-Ion, Battery runtime (according to manufacturer): 10 h
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD 720p
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 230W PSU, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
3.491 kg ( = 123.14 oz / 7.7 pounds), Power Supply: 886 g ( = 31.25 oz / 1.95 pounds)
Price
4700 Euro
Links
Lenovo homepage
Lenovo notebook section
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Possible competitors in comparison

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
88.2 %
01/2021
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
i9-9880H, Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)		3.5 kg31 mm17.30"3840x2160
86.2 %
03/2020
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
i9-9980HK, Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop)		4.5 kg26.5 mm17.30"3840x2160
86.4 %
05/2020
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
i7-9750H, Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q		2.5 kg18.4 mm17.00"1920x1200
84.8 %
11/2019
MSI WE75 9TK
i7-9750H, Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop)		2.6 kg27.5 mm17.30"1920x1080
86.6 %
12/2019
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
i7-9850H, Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop)		3.5 kg31 mm17.30"1920x1080

Case & Connectivity

Size Comparison

❌
428 mm / 16.9 inch 303.3 mm / 11.9 inch 26.5 mm / 1.043 inch 4.5 kg9.92 lbs416 mm / 16.4 inch 281 mm / 11.1 inch 31 mm / 1.22 inch 3.5 kg7.7 lbs416 mm / 16.4 inch 281 mm / 11.1 inch 31 mm / 1.22 inch 3.5 kg7.62 lbs397 mm / 15.6 inch 268.5 mm / 10.6 inch 27.5 mm / 1.083 inch 2.6 kg5.73 lbs382 mm / 15 inch 286 mm / 11.3 inch 18.4 mm / 0.724 inch 2.5 kg5.47 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
Left side: USB-A 3.2 Gen1, SmartCard
Left side: USB-A 3.2 Gen1, SmartCard
Right side: Stereo jack, USB-A 3.2 Gen1, SD-reader, USB-C 3.2 Gen2, RJ45, slot for a Kensington lock
Right side: Stereo jack, USB-A 3.2 Gen1, SD-reader, USB-C 3.2 Gen2, RJ45, slot for a Kensington lock
Rear: USB-A 3.2 Gen1, HDMI 2.0, 2x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C 3.2 Gen2), power (Slim Tip)
Rear: USB-A 3.2 Gen1, HDMI 2.0, 2x Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C 3.2 Gen2), power (Slim Tip)
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
187 MB/s +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
185 MB/s
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
184 MB/s -1%
Average of class Workstation
  (54.8 - 200, n=16, last 2 years)
95.8 MB/s -48%
MSI WE75 9TK
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
26.5 MB/s -86%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
244.1 MB/s +26%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
206.3 MB/s +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
193.5 MB/s
Average of class Workstation
  (78.6 - 226, n=16, last 2 years)
125.6 MB/s -35%
MSI WE75 9TK
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
31.57 MB/s -84%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1509 (1412min - 1561max) MBit/s
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1427 (1103min - 1464max) MBit/s -5%
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
  (447 - 1645, n=127)
1104 MBit/s -27%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
840 (769min - 903max) MBit/s -44%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
670 MBit/s -56%
iperf3 receive AX12
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1525 (878min - 1777max) MBit/s +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1490 (1399min - 1630max) MBit/s
Average Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
  (523 - 1684, n=128)
1191 MBit/s -20%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
905 (752min - 950max) MBit/s -39%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
547 MBit/s -63%
13991449149915491599Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE; iperf3 receive AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1489 (1399-1630)
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE; iperf3 transmit AX12; iperf 3.1.3: Ø1509 (1412-1561)
ColorChecker
4.3 ∆E
12.1 ∆E
6.5 ∆E
3.4 ∆E
10.8 ∆E
11.1 ∆E
9.1 ∆E
5.5 ∆E
19.1 ∆E
5.8 ∆E
8.9 ∆E
12.4 ∆E
7.3 ∆E
6.8 ∆E
16.5 ∆E
4.3 ∆E
14.5 ∆E
8.6 ∆E
3.9 ∆E
6 ∆E
5.2 ∆E
5 ∆E
9.7 ∆E
13 ∆E
ColorChecker Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE: 8.74 ∆E min: 3.44 - max: 19.12 ∆E

Display - 4K panel with drawbacks

Our test unit is equipped with the matte 4K panel. We cannot confirm the advertised brightness of 400 nits at any measuring spot. Lenovo still uses 16:9 panels for the successor ThinkPad P17, but the brightness of the 4K screen is now rated at around 500 nits.

The subjective picture impression is decent, but not great. Bright surfaces look a bit grainy and the contrast ratio is lower than 1000:1 due to the high black value (0.38 cd/m²). This panel from AU Optronics (B173ZAN01.0) does not use PWM. Our test unit suffers from clearly visible backlight bleeding, especially at the lower edge, which is also noticeable on dark surfaces in everyday scenarios.

Subpixel array
Subpixel array
Clearly visible backlight bleeding
Clearly visible backlight bleeding
334
cd/m²		352
cd/m²		336
cd/m²
358
cd/m²		366
cd/m²		359
cd/m²
361
cd/m²		322
cd/m²		357
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
B173ZAN01.0 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 366 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 349.4 cd/m² Minimum: 3.9 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 88 %
Center on Battery: 363 cd/m²
Contrast: 963:1 (Black: 0.38 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.3 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.1
ΔE Greyscale 5.5 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
100% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
86% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
98.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
100% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
86.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.47
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
B173ZAN01.0, IPS, 3840x2160, 17.30		Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
AU Optronics B173ZAN03.1, IPS, 3840x2160, 17.30		Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
170PUW1-A00, IPS, 1920x1200, 17.00		MSI WE75 9TK
AU Optronics B173HAN04.2, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30		Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
N173HCE-E31, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 17.30
Display
-4%
-1%
-24%
-20%
Display P3 Coverage
86.8
80.9
-7%
96.2
11%
63.2
-27%
67.5
-22%
sRGB Coverage
100
97.9
-2%
99.8
0%
89.9
-10%
94.2
-6%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
98.8
95.1
-4%
84.7
-14%
64.3
-35%
67.8
-31%
Response Times
-30%
-3%
6%
2%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
44 ?(22, 22)
53 ?(27, 26)
-20%
41.2 ?(22, 19.2)
6%
30.8 ?(14.4, 16.4)
30%
40 ?(20.4, 19.6)
9%
Response Time Black / White *
26.4 ?(14, 12.4)
37 ?(21, 16)
-40%
29.6 ?(16.4, 13.2)
-12%
31.2 ?(18.8, 12.4)
-18%
28 ?(17.2, 10.8)
-6%
PWM Frequency
25000 ?(50)
Screen
9%
18%
-10%
-14%
Brightness middle
366
377
3%
323
-12%
287.3
-22%
333
-9%
Brightness
349
368
5%
308
-12%
280
-20%
310
-11%
Brightness Distribution
88
83
-6%
88
0%
89
1%
83
-6%
Black Level *
0.38
0.37
3%
0.36
5%
0.26
32%
0.39
-3%
Contrast
963
1019
6%
897
-7%
1105
15%
854
-11%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.3
2.52
41%
1.1
74%
2.98
31%
4.4
-2%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.1
5.55
22%
3.3
54%
5.08
28%
7.5
-6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.1
1.08
2%
0.8
27%
3.06
-178%
2
-82%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
5.5
3.83
30%
0.8
85%
3
45%
5.1
7%
Gamma
2.47 89%
2.19 100%
2.23 99%
2.28 96%
2.39 92%
CCT
6281 103%
6323 103%
6479 100%
6993 93%
7061 92%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
86
84
-2%
75.7
-12%
58.1
-32%
61.1
-29%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
100
98
-2%
99.8
0%
89.5
-10%
94
-6%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-8% / 2%
5% / 12%
-9% / -11%
-11% / -13%

* ... smaller is better

We use the professional CalMAN software in combination with the X-Rite i1 Pro 2 spectrophotometer for the display analysis. The factory calibration is not great, because both the grayscale as well as the colors show significant deviations from the AdobeRGB reference. The grayscale also shows a slight color cast towards red. Contrary to the recently reviewed ThinkPad P15s with the 4K screen, the P73 does not support pre-installed color profiles to switch the between color spaces.

CalMAN Grayscale (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN Grayscale (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN Grayscale calibrated (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN Grayscale calibrated (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps calibrated (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN Saturation Sweeps calibrated (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker calibrated (target color space: AdobeRGB)
CalMAN ColorChecker calibrated (target color space: AdobeRGB)

The situation is much better after our calibration (the profile can be downloaded for free in the box above), and both the grayscale as well as the color deviations are below the important mark of 3. The wide AdobeRGB color gamut is almost covered completely (88 %), which means the calibrated panel is suited for picture/video editing.

vs. sRGB: 100 %
vs. sRGB: 100 %
vs. AdobeRGB: 88 %
vs. AdobeRGB: 88 %

Display Response Times

ℹ
Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
   ↔    Response Time Black to White
26.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 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. » 61 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.5 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
44 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 22 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. » 70 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.7 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 17900 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

You can only use the P73 comfortable outdoors when you can avoid reflections from light sources and brighter environments. The large panel is matte, but it could have been much brighter. The viewing angle stability of the IPS panel is good.

Outdoors
Outdoors
Outdoors
Outdoors
Viewing angle stability
Viewing angle stability

Performance - ThinkPad P73 with Core i9 and RTX4000

Processor - Intel Core i9-9880H

The Core i9-9880H (Coffee Lake-H) has 8 cores (16 threads) and can reach up to 4.8 GHz (1 or 2 cores) or up to 4.1 GHz on all eight cores, respectively. As expected for a large mobile workstation, Lenovo implements generous TDP limitations at 70/107 Watts. 

We can still not see the maximum clock of 4.1 GHz on all cores in the benchmarks, but "only" 8x 3.8 GHz (102 W) and then 8x 3.1 GHz under sustained workloads. This value can be maintained and the overall performance in the comparison group is good, even though current mobile workstations still waive AMD's CPU options.

The TDP limitations are a bit lower on battery power (51/60 W), so the performance drops by around 20 %.

050100150200250300350400450500550600650700750800850900950100010501100115012001250130013501400145015001550Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE Intel Core i9-9880H: Ø1400 (1385.57-1507.73)
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro Intel Core i9-9980HK: Ø1254 (1233.43-1584.74)
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T Intel Core i7-9750H; Auto: Ø1108 (1067.38-1264.38)
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T Intel Core i7-9750H; Turbo: Ø1162 (1128.51-1249.06)
MSI WE75 9TK Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1149 (1132.57-1211.28)
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE Intel Core i7-9850H: Ø1159 (1130-1229)
Cinebench R20: CPU (Single Core) | CPU (Multi Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Single 64Bit | CPU Multi 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 -mmt1 | 7z b 4
Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core)
Average of class Workstation
  (528 - 816, n=29, last 2 years)
684 Points +45%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Intel Core i9-9980HK
505 Points +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
471 Points
MSI WE75 9TK
Intel Core i7-9750H
465 Points -1%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
460 Points -2%
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (441 - 474, n=7)
459 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
454 Points -4%
Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core)
Average of class Workstation
  (1669 - 9329, n=29, last 2 years)
5824 Points +80%
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (2953 - 3712, n=7)
3271 Points +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
3235 Points
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Intel Core i9-9980HK
2974 Points -8%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
2809 Points -13%
MSI WE75 9TK
Intel Core i7-9750H
2672 Points -17%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
2428 Points -25%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Workstation
  (166.2 - 301, n=28, last 2 years)
255 Points +33%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Intel Core i9-9980HK
201 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
192 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
192 Points
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
192 Points 0%
MSI WE75 9TK
Intel Core i7-9750H
191 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (181 - 198, n=11)
190.1 Points -1%
Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Workstation
  (706 - 3625, n=28, last 2 years)
2384 Points +58%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1585 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
1508 (1385.57min - 1507.73max) Points
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (1317 - 1721, n=11)
1506 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
1272 (1143min - 1229max) Points -16%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
1264 Points -16%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
1249 Points -17%
MSI WE75 9TK
Intel Core i7-9750H
1211 Points -20%
Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
411 Seconds * -26%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
409 Seconds * -25%
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (293 - 384, n=4)
337 Seconds * -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
326 Seconds *
Average of class Workstation
  (137 - 684, n=28, last 2 years)
249 Seconds * +24%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1
Average of class Workstation
  (4777 - 6670, n=28, last 2 years)
5910 MIPS +17%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Intel Core i9-9980HK
5412 MIPS +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
5068 MIPS
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
5020 MIPS -1%
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (4837 - 5068, n=3)
4943 MIPS -2%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
4886 MIPS -4%
7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4
Average of class Workstation
  (20087 - 99351, n=28, last 2 years)
61552 MIPS +46%
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (39455 - 46591, n=3)
42728 MIPS +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
42138 MIPS
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Intel Core i9-9980HK
39571 MIPS -6%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
31696 MIPS -25%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
31087 MIPS -26%
Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core
Average of class Workstation
  (1474 - 2095, n=28, last 2 years)
1827 Points +48%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1314 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
1237 Points
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
1222 Points -1%
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (1115 - 1237, n=2)
1176 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
1150 Points -7%
Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core
Average of class Workstation
  (5022 - 17487, n=28, last 2 years)
11750 Points +60%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Intel Core i9-9980HK
7703 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
7353 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (7109 - 7353, n=2)
7231 Points -2%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
5310 Points -28%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
5270 Points -28%
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset
Average of class Workstation
  (5.09 - 26, n=28, last 2 years)
17 fps +53%
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (10.6 - 11.9, n=3)
11.2 fps +1%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
11.1 fps
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel Core i7-9850H
9.1 fps -18%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
8.54 fps -23%
LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
64.7 s * -30%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Intel Core i9-9980HK
57.5 s * -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
49.8 s *
Average of class Workstation
  (36.5 - 95.2, n=28, last 2 years)
47.9 s * +4%
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (16.5 - 58.9, n=3)
41.7 s * +16%
R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean
Average Intel Core i9-9880H
  (0.621 - 0.69, n=3)
0.657 sec * -6%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Intel Core i7-9750H
0.633 sec * -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Intel Core i9-9880H
0.621 sec *
Average of class Workstation
  (0.3876 - 0.544, n=28, last 2 years)
0.4611 sec * +26%

* ... smaller is better

Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1508 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
234 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
192 Points
Help

System Performance

The ThinkPad P73 is only beaten by the Acer ConceptD 9 Pro with the more powerful Quadro RTX 5000 GPU in some categories of the synthetic PCMark, but all other comparison devices are beaten. Our subjective performance impression supports the results, because the mobile workstation is just a very powerful and responsive device in practice.

PCMark 10
Score
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), i9-9980HK, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
6939 Points +7%
Average of class Workstation
  (5488 - 8587, n=27, last 2 years)
6898 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), i9-9880H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
6491 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  ()
6491 Points 0%
MSI WE75 9TK
Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5815 Points -10%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
5768 Points -11%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4918 Points -24%
Essentials
Average of class Workstation
  (9151 - 12197, n=27, last 2 years)
10563 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), i9-9880H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
10093 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  ()
10093 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
9917 Points -2%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), i9-9980HK, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
9915 Points -2%
MSI WE75 9TK
Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
9694 Points -4%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
9214 Points -9%
Productivity
Average of class Workstation
  (7846 - 10820, n=27, last 2 years)
9145 Points +13%
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), i9-9980HK, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
8761 Points +9%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), i9-9880H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
8071 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  ()
8071 Points 0%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
7769 Points -4%
MSI WE75 9TK
Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7693 Points -5%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
7641 Points -5%
Digital Content Creation
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), i9-9980HK, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
10441 Points +15%
Average of class Workstation
  (5399 - 13947, n=27, last 2 years)
9339 Points +2%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), i9-9880H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
9113 Points
Average Intel Core i9-9880H, NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  ()
9113 Points 0%
MSI WE75 9TK
Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7156 Points -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
6876 Points -25%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4511 Points -50%
PCMark 10 Score
6491 points
Help

DPC Latency

LatencyMon Main
LatencyMon Main
LatencyMon Drivers
LatencyMon Drivers
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), i9-9980HK, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00
850 μs * -11%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), i9-9880H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
765 μs *

* ... smaller is better

Storage Devices - 2x PCIe-SSD

Two slots for M.2-PCIe-SSDs
Two slots for M.2-PCIe-SSDs

The ThinkPad P73 offers two slots for M.2-2282 SSDs with fast PCIe-x4-3.0 interface. Our test unit is equipped with a single PM981a drive from Samsung with a storage capacity of 1 TB, and you can use 900 GB after the initial setup. The performance of the NVMe SSD is very good in all tests.

The chassis has space for an additional 2.5-inch drive, but the required cables and assembly tools are not provided.

Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR		Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00		Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR		MSI WE75 9TK
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ		Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L		Average Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
 
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
21%
16%
13%
10%
12%
Write 4K
150.1
176
17%
147.6
-2%
135.4
-10%
154.3
3%
139.7 ?(76.2 - 229, n=36)
-7%
Read 4K
48.48
48.06
-1%
47.57
-2%
56.6
17%
66.4
37%
49.9 ?(34.3 - 75.5, n=36)
3%
Write Seq
1414
2736
93%
2222
57%
1972
39%
1561
10%
2036 ?(776 - 2975, n=35)
44%
Read Seq
1262
2381
89%
2543
102%
2101
66%
2460
95%
2014 ?(973 - 2639, n=35)
60%
Write 4K Q32T1
430.7
418.6
-3%
459.2
7%
527
22%
438
2%
461 ?(268 - 656, n=36)
7%
Read 4K Q32T1
539
460.8
-15%
515
-4%
578
7%
568
5%
499 ?(289 - 730, n=36)
-7%
Write Seq Q32T1
2983
2791
-6%
2167
-27%
1985
-33%
1581
-47%
2903 ?(788 - 3033, n=36)
-3%
Read Seq Q32T1
3549
3430
-3%
3430
-3%
3358
-5%
2724
-23%
3479 ?(2853 - 3568, n=36)
-2%
Write 4K Q8T8
1000
1491 ?()
Read 4K Q8T8
928
1499 ?()
AS SSD
-15%
-6%
-41%
-31%
-13%
Seq Read
2627
2995
14%
2958
13%
1308
-50%
2693
3%
2553 ?(1938 - 3148, n=37)
-3%
Seq Write
2375
2640
11%
2350
-1%
1871
-21%
1542
-35%
2084 ?(1248 - 2837, n=37)
-12%
4K Read
53.5
22.54
-58%
56.6
6%
48.35
-10%
62.6
17%
53.1 ?(44.3 - 68.4, n=37)
-1%
4K Write
139.4
103.2
-26%
106.1
-24%
106.6
-24%
149.5
7%
131.2 ?(87.4 - 208, n=37)
-6%
4K-64 Read
1779
1570
-12%
1836
3%
1510
-15%
871
-51%
1477 ?(762 - 2093, n=37)
-17%
4K-64 Write
1955
1540
-21%
1789
-8%
1715
-12%
1006
-49%
1805 ?(1074 - 2152, n=37)
-8%
Access Time Read *
0.055
0.061
-11%
0.103
-87%
0.058
-5%
0.04983 ?(0.032 - 0.087, n=36)
9%
Access Time Write *
0.027
0.036
-33%
0.036
-33%
0.106
-293%
0.067
-148%
0.04222 ?(0.017 - 0.128, n=37)
-56%
Score Read
2095
1892
-10%
2189
4%
1689
-19%
1203
-43%
1786 ?(1078 - 2449, n=37)
-15%
Score Write
2332
1907
-18%
2130
-9%
2008
-14%
1309
-44%
2144 ?(1471 - 2527, n=37)
-8%
Score Total
5489
4739
-14%
5411
-1%
4594
-16%
3088
-44%
4826 ?(3309 - 6095, n=37)
-12%
Copy ISO MB/s
2932
2212
-25%
2343
-20%
1716
-41%
2098 ?(901 - 2932, n=23)
-28%
Copy Program MB/s
595
537
-10%
526
-12%
542
-9%
500 ?(118.7 - 803, n=23)
-16%
Copy Game MB/s
1264
1335
6%
1506
19%
1375
9%
1132 ?(372 - 1830, n=23)
-10%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
3% / -1%
5% / 4%
-14% / -21%
-11% / -16%
-1% / -4%

* ... smaller is better

CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
AS SSD
DiskSpd
hddimg
Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3549 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2983 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 539 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 430.7 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1262 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1414 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 48.48 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 150.1 MB/s

DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8

No graph data

GPU Performance - Quadro RTX 4000 with 8 GB VRAM

GPU-Z Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000
GPU-Z Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000

Lenovo does not use the integrated graphics adapter of the processor. Instead, the dedicated Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000 takes care of the graphics calculations all the time. The RTX 4000 has been around since-mid 2019, but it is still a high-end GPU.

A couple of BIOS updates were necessary, but the P73 can now utilize the full potential of the RTX 4000 and the results are also slightly better than the average values for other RTX 4000 devices in our database. As expected, the performance is pretty much right in the middle between the RTX 3000 and the RTX 5000, although there can be differences depending on the individual versions. This is not only the case for the 3DMark tests, but also professional scenarios that we test with SPECviewperf.

We also checked the performance under sustained workloads with the demanding 3DMark Time Spy stress test, and the P73 passed the test (98.3 %). The performance is, however, significantly lower on battery power, and you have to expect a deficit of ~70 %.

3DMark 11 | 3DMark | SPECviewperf 13
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
32999 Points +22%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
27002 Points
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (23739 - 27002, n=2)
25371 Points -6%
Average of class Workstation
  (7432 - 54334, n=28, last 2 years)
23663 Points -12%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
20542 Points -24%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
17569 Points -35%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
17074 Points -37%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
24354 Points +21%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
20079 Points
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (17619 - 20079, n=2)
18849 Points -6%
Average of class Workstation
  (4816 - 35868, n=28, last 2 years)
16713 Points -17%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
15881 Points -21%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
13802 Points -31%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
13196 Points -34%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
9956 Points +29%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
7717 Points
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (6851 - 7717, n=2)
7284 Points -6%
Average of class Workstation
  (1882 - 16218, n=28, last 2 years)
6558 Points -15%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
6014 Points -22%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
5503 Points -29%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
4943 Points -36%
SPECviewperf 13
Solidworks (sw-04)
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
203.8 fps +14%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
178.9 fps
Average of class Workstation
  (91.8 - 227, n=27, last 2 years)
152.5 fps -15%
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (125.4 - 178.9, n=2)
152.2 fps -15%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
122.1 fps -32%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
110.8 fps -38%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
109.6 fps -39%
Siemens NX (snx-03)
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
465.3 fps +30%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
357.1 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (271 - 357, n=2)
314 fps -12%
Average of class Workstation
  (48.9 - 551, n=27, last 2 years)
245 fps -31%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
225.4 fps -37%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
179.4 fps -50%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
160.6 fps -55%
Medical (medical-02)
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
133.4 fps +30%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
102.5 fps
Average of class Workstation
  (34.5 - 176.2, n=27, last 2 years)
93.9 fps -8%
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (73.2 - 102.5, n=2)
87.9 fps -14%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
67.1 fps -35%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
65.6 fps -36%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
53.9 fps -47%
Maya (maya-05)
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
340.8 fps +19%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
286.1 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (208 - 286, n=2)
247 fps -14%
Average of class Workstation
  (77.5 - 449, n=27, last 2 years)
221 fps -23%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
194.7 fps -32%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
155.4 fps -46%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
146.4 fps -49%
Showcase (showcase-02)
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
127.1 fps +27%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
100.3 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (94 - 100.3, n=2)
97.2 fps -3%
Average of class Workstation
  (24.8 - 190.3, n=27, last 2 years)
82.4 fps -18%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
80.9 fps -19%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
73.3 fps -27%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
67.8 fps -32%
Energy (energy-02)
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
57.3 fps +27%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
45.02 fps
Average of class Workstation
  (7.71 - 109.7, n=27, last 2 years)
41.9 fps -7%
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (36 - 45, n=2)
40.5 fps -10%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
30.55 fps -32%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
25.94 fps -42%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
25.76 fps -43%
Creo (creo-02)
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
319.8 fps +18%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
269.9 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (208 - 270, n=2)
239 fps -11%
Average of class Workstation
  (76.8 - 398, n=26, last 2 years)
207 fps -23%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
196.2 fps -27%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
160.6 fps -40%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
151.8 fps -44%
Catia (catia-05)
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
338.9 fps +22%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
277.3 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (213 - 277, n=2)
245 fps -12%
Average of class Workstation
  (99.5 - 409, n=27, last 2 years)
232 fps -16%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
205.2 fps -26%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
185.8 fps -33%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
166.9 fps -40%
3ds Max (3dsmax-06)
Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9980HK
232.2 fps +26%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Intel Core i9-9880H
184.3 fps
Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
  (173 - 184.3, n=2)
178.7 fps -3%
MSI WE75 9TK
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9750H
162.5 fps -12%
Average of class Workstation
  (61.6 - 284, n=26, last 2 years)
156.9 fps -15%
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
149.4 fps -19%
Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
NVIDIA Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
120.3 fps -35%
3DMark 11 Performance
23310 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
17894 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
7901 points
Help

Gaming Performance

The performance of the Quadro RTX 4000 is roughly comparable with a GeForce RTX 2070 or 2080 Max-Q. The Quadro drivers work really well with games for the last couple of years, only brand-new titles might show a warning message for the drivers (but the games usually still run). We did not experience any problems and the gaming performance is, as expected, very good. Many games can be played in the native 4K resolution and maximum details; only very demanding titles require a reduction of the resolution or the settings.

low med. high ultraQHD4K
The Witcher 3 (2015) 345 254 153 79 56
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 146 135 130 124 111
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 122 110 90.2 76.6
Far Cry New Dawn (2019) 118 104 103 94 82 46
F1 2020 (2020) 283 207 171 121 89 50

Emissions - Quiet fans

System Noise

The fans stay pretty quiet under load at around 40 dB(A) when you consider the performance. The murmur of the fans is hardly annoying or high-pitched. In practice, you can notice the lack of the iGPU, because one of the fans often starts spinning when you stress the Nvidia GPU a bit, which would not be the case with an efficient iGPU.

The fans were quieter in general before the BIOS updates, but this obviously affected the performance. We did not notice any electronic sounds or coil whine during our review period.

Noise Level

Idle
29.5 / 29.5 / 30.2 dB(A)
Load
36.5 / 39.6 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
  
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM-1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.5 dB(A)
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), i9-9880H, Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR		Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), i9-9980HK, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00		Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR		MSI WE75 9TK
Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ		Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L
Noise
-9%
8%
-6%
9%
off / environment *
29.5
30.8
-4%
29.4
-0%
28.5
3%
29.3
1%
Idle Minimum *
29.5
31.6
-7%
29.4
-0%
29
2%
29.3
1%
Idle Average *
29.5
31.6
-7%
29.9
-1%
29
2%
29.3
1%
Idle Maximum *
30.2
31.9
-6%
29.9
1%
31.5
-4%
29.3
3%
Load Average *
36.5
41.2
-13%
31.6
13%
32
12%
30.2
17%
Witcher 3 ultra *
39.6
44.6
-13%
31.6
20%
44.7
-13%
30.7
22%
Load Maximum *
39.6
44.1
-11%
31.6
20%
56.5
-43%
33.1
16%

* ... smaller is better

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2029.733.531.732.933.92528.728.526.129.529.53130.63329.632.532.64029.929.627.730.528.95028.828.12928.3256329.826.227.22625.98026.126.324.625.626.810027.627.527.726.528.112528.126.925.124.426.616029.627.22722.525.120027.126.124.42325.325028.126.223.923.425.631526.52421.719.623.44002925.720.518.92550028.926.41918.329.863026.624.321.117.224.580027.724.917.417.723.910002925.41817.524.3125029.126.517.617.124.9160029.525.316.715.924.3200030.825.616.716.225.9250027.72516.51624.3315027.825.916.616.524.9400026.623.717.116.823.1500024.121.817.417.121.2630021.52017.617.619.6800019.919.218.117.918.81000018.718.418.318.318.41250018.618.518.518.418.51600018.718.818.818.618.8SPL39.636.530.229.536.1N3.32.61.41.32.5median 27.7median 25.3median 18.3median 17.9median 24.3Delta32.22.11.92.3hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE

Temperature

Lenovo does a good job with the surface temperatures, because you could still put the device on your lap during the stress test (even though this is improbable due to the dimensions of the notebook). It is interesting that the top left corner on top of the base unit is quite a bit warmer at almost 50 °C, but the hotspot is located above the keyboard, so there are no limitations. The rear portion of the notebook also warms up noticeably while idling, which is once again caused by the lack of the iGPU.

Our stress test shows that the performance of the graphics cards is stable, even in combined workload scenarios. The CPU performance, however, is reduced, and the 70 W we saw during CPU load only cannot be maintained. A look at the following diagram shows the CPU consumption drops to around 42 W and 8x ~2.2 GHz after a few minutes. There are no performance limitations immediately after the stress test.

CPU & GPU data stress test
CPU & GPU data stress test
Max. Load
 49.2 °C
121 F		46.7 °C
116 F		41.8 °C
107 F		 
 42.3 °C
108 F		41.7 °C
107 F		37.6 °C
100 F		 
 29.8 °C
86 F		32.6 °C
91 F		29.2 °C
85 F		 
Maximum: 49.2 °C = 121 F
Average: 39 °C = 102 F
43.4 °C
110 F		41.4 °C
107 F		45.2 °C
113 F
35.2 °C
95 F		40.3 °C
105 F		40.4 °C
105 F
32.5 °C
91 F		34.9 °C
95 F		33.3 °C
92 F
Maximum: 45.2 °C = 113 F
Average: 38.5 °C = 101 F
Power Supply (max.)  40.6 °C = 105 F | Room Temperature 20.5 °C = 69 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 32 °C / 90 F for the devices in the class Workstation.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 49.2 °C / 121 F, compared to the average of 38.1 °C / 101 F, ranging from 22.2 to 69.8 °C for the class Workstation.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 45.2 °C / 113 F, compared to the average of 41.3 °C / 106 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 30.5 °C / 87 F, compared to the device average of 32 °C / 90 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are reaching skin temperature as a maximum (32.6 °C / 90.7 F) and are therefore not hot.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 27.8 °C / 82 F (-4.8 °C / -8.7 F).
Surface temperatures stress test (top)
Surface temperatures stress test (top)
Surface temperatures stress test (bottom)
Surface temperatures stress test (bottom)

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2032.932.72529.528.53132.530.14030.529.65028.327.3632629.18025.626.110026.526.612524.428.616022.530.92002344.725023.450.831519.655.740018.958.550018.359.863017.258.380017.759100017.564.9125017.165.1160015.962.5200016.260.625001660.2315016.559.1400016.856.8500017.154.5630017.651.5800017.947.21000018.344.21250018.444.21600018.642.8SPL29.572.1N1.327.9median 17.9median 55.7Delta1.98.132.932.232.931.532.631.532.232.232.231.630.131.630.529.930.528.227.828.227.926.127.927.625.927.628.723.728.738.324.238.338.322.938.346.821.846.857.621.857.662.120.462.157.719.857.761.519.361.559.718.759.764.518.764.566.417.966.466.818.166.869.918.269.966.11866.157.218.157.263.518.363.559.618.659.66318.76365.118.865.166.818.866.861.718.861.763.518.863.576.930.876.938.61.538.6median 61.7median 18.8median 61.78.11.88.1hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GEAcer ConceptD 9 Pro
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 5.4% higher than median
(+) | mids are linear (5.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (25.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 84% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 9% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 18%, worst was 35%
Compared to all devices tested
» 76% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 19% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Acer ConceptD 9 Pro audio analysis

(-) | not very loud speakers (69.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 3.4% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 3.3% away from median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (10.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (20.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 70% of all tested devices in this class were better, 7% similar, 23% worse
» The best had a delta of 7%, average was 18%, worst was 35%
Compared to all devices tested
» 51% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 41% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management - Lack of iGPU hurts battery runtime

Power Consumption

Bulky 230W PSU
Bulky 230W PSU

We have already mentioned the deactivated iGPU of the processor. The constant utilization of the dedicated Quadro GPU in combination with the 4K panel increases the power consumption in idle scenarios noticeably. Depending on the brightness level, we can measure between 21-36 W, and therefore nearly twice as much as the previous review unit of the ThinkPad P73.

The maximum consumption is around 215 W, but this value will level off at around 170 W. This means the provided 230 W power adapter is completely sufficient. by the way, it is not possible to charge the device via USB-C.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.1 / 1.08 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 21 / 30.4 / 35.8 Watt
Load midlight 110 / 215.4 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
i9-9880H, Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), Samsung PM981a MZVLB1T0HBLR, IPS, 3840x2160, 17.30		Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
i9-9980HK, Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-1T00, IPS, 3840x2160, 17.30		Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
i7-9750H, Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR, IPS, 1920x1200, 17.00		MSI WE75 9TK
i7-9750H, Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 1920x1080, 17.30		Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
i7-9850H, Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), Intel SSD Pro 7600p SSDPEKKF512G8L, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 17.30		Average NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop)
 		Average of class Workstation
 
Power Consumption
1%
36%
29%
35%
12%
41%
Idle Minimum *
21
18.8
10%
11.3
46%
12.1
42%
8.9
58%
18.7 ?(16.4 - 21, n=2)
11%
7.82 ?(2.6 - 19.5, n=25, last 2 years)
63%
Idle Average *
30.4
25
18%
16
47%
18.4
39%
12.8
58%
26 ?(21.6 - 30.4, n=2)
14%
12.7 ?(4 - 35.9, n=25, last 2 years)
58%
Idle Maximum *
35.8
30
16%
16.8
53%
18.8
47%
16.4
54%
29.4 ?(22.9 - 35.8, n=2)
18%
18.7 ?(5.6 - 47, n=25, last 2 years)
48%
Load Average *
110
116
-5%
93.6
15%
95.1
14%
108.4
1%
99 ?(88 - 110, n=2)
10%
96.5 ?(47.7 - 182, n=25, last 2 years)
12%
Witcher 3 ultra *
182
221
-21%
106
42%
135.5
26%
153
16%
Load Maximum *
215.4
241
-12%
186.6
13%
203.7
5%
166
23%
204 ?(193 - 215, n=2)
5%
158.9 ?(60.2 - 311, n=25, last 2 years)
26%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Runtime - P73 with 99 Wh battery

Lenovo integrates a large 99 Wh battery, but the runtimes are still pretty short due to the high power consumption. It is obviously questionable how often you will really use such a big device like the P73 without a power a adapter. You can expect between 3-4 hours in practice depending on the brightness, which should be sufficient for the many of meetings. If you really stress the device, the battery will last little more than 70 minutes.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing
3h 56min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness
2h 59min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
4h 05min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 14min
Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE
i9-9880H, Quadro RTX 4000 (Laptop), 99 Wh		Acer ConceptD 9 Pro
i9-9980HK, Quadro RTX 5000 (Laptop), 71.9 Wh		Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 17 W700G3T
i7-9750H, Quadro RTX 3000 Max-Q, 57 Wh		MSI WE75 9TK
i7-9750H, Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), 65 Wh		Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR002DGE
i7-9850H, Quadro RTX 3000 (Laptop), 99 Wh		Average of class Workstation
 
Battery Runtime
-16%
50%
3%
112%
111%
H.264
245
212
-13%
412
68%
585
139%
717 ?(347 - 1104, n=9, last 2 years)
193%
WiFi v1.3
236
218
-8%
352
49%
293
24%
664
181%
541 ?(252 - 897, n=26, last 2 years)
129%
Load
74
53
-28%
99
34%
61
-18%
85
15%
81.3 ?(55 - 118, n=15, last 2 years)
10%

Pros

+ sturdy chassis
+ improved performance utilization
+ excellent input devices
+ good upgrade option
+ very good port selection

Cons

- short battery runtime due to lack of iGPU
- 4K display with shortcomings
- CPU/GPU performance limited on battery
- high price

Verdict - Performance was improved

In review: Lenovo ThinkPad P73. Test model courtesy of Lenovo Germany.
In review: Lenovo ThinkPad P73. Test model courtesy of Lenovo Germany.

The performance utilization was the biggest drawback in our initial review of the ThinkPad P73. It took a couple of months and a number of BIOS updates, but the performance of the dedicated Quadro graphics card is now on the expected level. 

The new ThinkPad P17 does not offer any noticeable improvements in terms of raw component power, so the performance of the P73 is actually still competitive. The Core i9 processor benefits from the high TDP limits and offers stable performance, just like the Quadro RTX 4000 from Nvidia. No problems here.

Lenovo managed to improve the performance utilization of the components thanks to several BIOS updates. Equipped with the Core i9 (9th generation) and the Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000, the ThinkPad P73 is still a very competitive mobile workstation.

We are not completely convinced by the 4K panel. The subjective picture quality is good in general, but our review unit suffered from visible backlight bleeding and the factory calibration is not great, either. The brightness is also lower than advertised. Lenovo wants to address the latter with the successor ThinkPad P17, but we obviously still have to test that.

Download your licensed rating image as SVG / PNG

Lenovo ThinkPad P73-20QR0030GE - 01/20/2021 v7
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
83 / 98 → 85%
Keyboard
94%
Pointing Device
89%
Connectivity
72 / 80 → 90%
Weight
53 / 10-66 → 77%
Battery
56 / 95 → 59%
Display
85%
Games Performance
96%
Application Performance
90%
Temperature
87 / 95 → 91%
Noise
92 / 90 → 100%
Audio
58%
Camera
37 / 85 → 44%
Average
78%
88%
Workstation - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo ThinkPad P73 Review - Mobile Workstation with Core i9, RTX 4000 and 4K
Andreas Osthoff, 2021-01-23 (Update: 2021-01-23)