Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Yoga G3: Louder and less enduring despite Alder Lake U15

P28 or U15: Intel currently has two CPU series for mainstream laptops. P28 CPUs promise significantly better multi-core performance with an increased number of performance cores, but also come with higher consumption. The U15 chips should be more frugal in comparison. So, which CPU should it be?

Many laptop manufacturers answer this question with: both! Customers often have a choice between laptops with both CPU series. At Lenovo, for example, almost all Intel-based ThinkPads outside of the workstation class are available with both CPU series.

An exception to the 2022 lineup was the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga X13 Gen 3. This convertible for the enterprise sector only has the U15 chips.

Despite the nominally more frugal chips, the convertible struggled to reach the same rating as the X13 Yoga G2 (91%), equipped with the Tiger Lake predecessor, in our in-depth review. Although performance has improved thanks to Alder Lake, the battery life is worse. Added to this is that the fan in the newer model also runs much more often and louder than in last year's ThinkPad.

This once again highlights the challenge of the Intel Alder Lake platform, as many customers are seeking more efficient and less aggressive chips. The new ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen 4 with a new design and Intel Raptor Lake will be released shortly - let's see if the 2023 model performs better.