The Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G2 is interesting because of its SD card reader

Just a few years ago, VGA ports, RJ45 Ethernet connections, and SD card readers were part of the core equipment of many laptops. Meanwhile, the VGA standard is now history with the exception of old projectors, RJ45 Ethernet has lost importance in times of Wi-Fi 6, and SD card readers are also rare these days.

At first glance, it's as clear as day what's behind this: Manufacturer's obsession with slimness. Since the advent of ultrabooks, laptops have had to become lighter, more compact, and thinner with each generation. However, that is probably only half the story - another explanation specifically related to SD card readers could be that digital cameras with SD cards are much less widespread today. If you take photos primarily with your smartphone, they're automatically backed up to the cloud.

Nevertheless, SD card readers remain useful, not only for photographers but also for data transfer and memory expansion. If you're looking for a full-size card reader, you often have to reach for large and expensive multimedia laptops; they are a rarity in compact models. This is also true for business laptops. For example, none of Lenovo's ThinkPad laptops with a 14-inch display have a full-size SD card reader; both the ThinkPad T14 (microSD) and the ThinkPad E14 (no card reader) lack one.

As a result, even a rather uninspiring office laptop like the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G2 ITL can certainly become exciting. Our review showed that it is very similar to the ThinkPad E14 Gen 2 in many respects - the biggest advantage of the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 2: The SD card reader.