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The ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 convinces in the test with an excellent keyboard and Thunderbolt 4

The ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 convinces in the test with an excellent keyboard and Thunderbolt 4
The ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 convinces in the test with an excellent keyboard and Thunderbolt 4
Lenovo's ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 is a well-made ultrabook with up-to-date hardware and a first-class keyboard.

The ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 is an Intel-based ultrabook from Lenovo; in addition to the brand-new USB 4/Thunderbolt 4 port, it also features a CPU from the latest processor generation. Along with a slightly increased CPU performance, the latter primarily brings a performance boost for the integrated GPU, and this is reflected in a gain of around 50% in our benchmarks. This makes the lightweight laptop minimally gaming-capable but also a bit more future-proof in particular - for example, when using multiple high-resolution screens.

The USB-C Thunderbolt 4 port is now also compatible with docking stations, which can greatly expand connectivity. Naturally, the port can also be used to access external drives at up to 40 Gb/s. In addition, the latest 13-inch ThinkPad also features a smart card reader in contrast to its predecessor, the ThinkPad L390.

The build quality of the sleek ultrabook is impeccable, even though the surfaces are very susceptible to fingerprints. ThinkPads have made a name for themselves in the business sector with their good keyboards, and the L13 is also equipped with an excellent keyboard.

We were less pleased with the limited maintenance options, since memory is soldered, for example. Furthermore, performance drops heavily under load: The CPU and iGPU have to throttle at times because the Core i5-1135G7 reaches its temperature limit of 91 °C (~196 °F). Fortunately, this is hardly relevant for the typical usage scenario of an ultrabook, since it will probably be very rare for the system to be under full load, and the laptop generally responds very quickly to input.

Further information on the Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 and detailed test results can be found in our extensive review.

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > The ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 convinces in the test with an excellent keyboard and Thunderbolt 4
Marius Schell, 2021-01-24 (Update: 2021-01-22)