ThinkPad P15v: Lenovo adds an affordable workstation to its 2020 lineup

Mobile workstation laptops are not just the most powerful laptops of the business world, they also are among the most expensive. But not every user can spend tons of money on a laptop, even if he/she needs a powerful mobile workstation for their workflow.

For such users, Lenovo is introducing an entirely new line: The Lenovo ThinkPad P15v, a more affordable ThinkPad laptop positioned between the expensive & thick ThinkPad P15 and the more lightweight and thinner ThinkPad T15.

Lenovo ThinkPad P15v: A mixture of T & P ThinkPads

Design-wise, the ThinkPad P15v looks like a mix between the ThinkPad P series and the T series: It features the same drop-down hinge-design of the T series, but the chassis is a lot thicker than it is on the ThinkPad T15 (22.7 mm). And while it is not as heavy as the ThinkPad P15, it is a little bit heavier than the T15 (2.07 kg).

For the increase in weight and thickness compared with the T series, the ThinkPad P15v gains more powerful 45 W Intel Comet-Lake H CPUs, which will be available both in Core i and Xeon flavors. Also, the workstation features the Nvidia Quadro P620 instead of the Nvidia GeForce MX330 of the T series. The Quadro should be noticeably faster, though it will of course pale im comparison to the more powerful GPU options of the ThinkPad P15.

Less options than the more expensive ThinkPad P15

Another internal difference: The ThinkPad P15v will feature two SO-DIMM slots for up to 64 GB of RAM. That is two RAM slots less than the ThinkPad P15, but one more than the ThinkPad T15. The battery capacity of the ThinkPad P15v sits at 68 Wh, 11 Wh more than the T15 but considerably less than the 94 Wh battery of the ThinkPad P15.

Like the other P series ThinkPads, the ThinkPad P15v still features a slim-tip charging port, as the 135 W charger would not be an option with pure USB C charging. Unlike the more expensive P series ThinkPads, the P15v has just a single Thunderbolt 3 port.

While the ThinkPad P15v will be offered with the 600 cd/m² 4K-UHD panel of the ThinkPad P15, it will not be available with the better quality FHD panels of the more expensive model. Users buying the entry-level configurations have to settle for lesser panels.

Lenovo ThinkPad P15v: Pricing & Availability

The Lenovo ThinkPad P15v will be available in July, with a starting price of $1,349.