ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 Intel: Compact Lenovo workstation has features that successor lacks

When a newer laptop model is released, it can generally be assumed that the newer variant is better than the older one. This is most the case, but sometimes, some features are lost with a redesign.

When comparing the new Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 Intel with the older ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 Intel, improvements are apparent. A stronger cooling system and a bigger battery will help Lenovo to correct some of the biggest problems of the ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 Intel - in our comprehensive review of that model, we saw that the cooling is undersized and that the battery does not last very long.

But: With the new chassis, Lenovo will not offer some of the features anymore that the P14s Gen 4 still had. One of them is the user replaceable keyboard, as the new variation has a bottom loaded keyboard that can only be removed if the device is completely disassembled. In contrast, with the ThinkPad P14s G4 Intel, only two screws have to be loosened if you want to change the keyboard.

Also gone is the WWAN option, which the P14s G4 still had. While users with a wireless hotspot may be able to cope with that, the missing OLED option in the newer ThinkPad workstation is a big loss - with the switch to the 14.5 inch size, the new model only offers IPS screens, which offer a higher refresh rate, but can not compete with OLED panels in terms of color quality or contrast.

The P14s G5 Intel has some interesting features, but if one looks for a compact workstation with WWAN, OLED screen and Nvidia GPU, there is no way around the ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 Intel when it comes to Lenovo.