a stylish and very convincing premium utility vehicle

Lenovo has gotten us used to machines that often have a very sensible and codified look, especially in its professional range; but the Chinese manufacturer decided to change its tune with this ThinkPad Z13.

The first detail that hits upon opening the box is the engine coating. Its bronze-colored brushed aluminum frame is completely covered in beautiful imitation leather that helps give it a modern, very neat, and even a bit premium look, although it’s a bit far from the traditional codes of the ThinkBook range.

The finish is very serious and frankly sensational; from the first contact, we understand that this is a really stable machine, especially for a 13 inch. Rarely has a device in this category inspired us with so much confidence. It is also worth noting the excellent quality of the hinge. It’s flexible enough to open effortlessly with your finger while remaining firm enough to keep the screen in place when using its touch screen (see below).

One caveat, however; we need to see how the leather layer behaves over time. Future buyers absolutely need to provide a protective pouch for transportation, otherwise it can flake off over the years.

It should be noted that this top model dressed to the nines also pays attention to her line. Its 1.25 kg on the scale for 1.39 cm is quite far from the records of refinement or lightness, but the machine is still slim enough to follow you anywhere without risking scoliosis.

Screen

With its unusual adornments, Lenovo can expect to throw some bling into the 13.3-inch screen as well. In practice, it depends on the option chosen.

In the cheapest model, there is an IPS LED panel in 16:10 format (1920 x 1200) with decent color performance (100% sRGB gamut coverage, 400 nits of brightness). Nothing is truly transcendent; it’s a very honest proposition, even if some would consider this screen a bit shy. Note that there is an intermediate model with this panel in a touchscreen version.

The other option is more attractive, as it is a WQXGA 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED panel, also touch sensitive and with 100% DCI-P3 coverage and a color calibration function. But the problem is that this panel is only offered in the model we tested, which is also more expensive…and not the most interesting in terms of quality/price ratio. Too bad, but ultimately pretty consistent with engine positioning.

Keyboard

On the other hand, going down a floor to take interest in the keyboard, there is something to admire. Lenovo has sacrificed almost all of the space on the side. This tends to interfere with some user profiles, but it allows you to install standard key sizes. A very good point on a 13 inch.

As always, this assessment is somewhat subjective. But we won by the travel of the keys, the space between them and the stability of the membrane, all of which are well balanced for a device of this category. The precision of tactile feedback makes it possible to tame the beast at any time. The icing on the cake: the wrist rest is super comfortable. This keyboard will undoubtedly please all users who spend a lot of time writing; it is definitely one of the best in its category.

The trackpad, for its part, shows some significant progress. It is particularly notable for its size. This ThinkPad Z13 offers a more generous touch surface than before. In use, it proves effective; the coating is very pleasant and glides on effortlessly. Overall, it behaves exactly as one would expect from a modern trackpad.

Note, however, that the entire surface is “clickable”. This may confuse fans of traditional trackpads with a slight two physical buttons on the bottom. This requires slight adaptation of some gestures. In particular, we are thinking of the selection gesture, where one finger remains pressed while the other slides towards the desired files.

We also found the famous TrackPoint, the iconic red hub of the ThinkPad series. The software part is entitled to a small evolution. Double-tapping the TrackPoint now reveals a menu that offers several tools, as well as camera or mic control options. Nothing revolutionary, in other words; its interest is not obvious, especially since the good quality trackpad works well when it comes to navigation. But it will allow first-time fans to find their bearings fairly easily.

Performance

This ThinkPad Z13 sails under the orange flag with an AMD Ryzen processor. The cheapest model inherits the Ryzen 5 Pro 6650U (6 core / 12 threads, 2.9 to 4.5 GHz, six graphics processors, TDP from 15 to 28W). Intermediate models will be entitled to a Ryzen 7 Pro 6850U (8 cores / 16 threads, 2.7 to 4.7 GHz, 12 graphics processors, TDP from 15 to 28W).

The most expensive model with an OLED screen, which we tested, inherits the Ryzen 7 Pro 6860Z. This is a chip to our knowledge that is exclusive to this model. Slightly more powerful than the 6850U, it offers 8 cores / 16 Threads, 2.7 to 4.75 GHz, 12 graphics processors, and a TDP of 35 W.

The latest model shows excellent performance.

connectors

One flaw of this machine is its lack of ports. A choice of design that contrasts with the premium and / or professional positioning of the machine. Too bad, especially since there seems to be little room for better at this level.

On the right, there is a USB4 Type-C port compatible with Power Delivery 3.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 and a 3.5mm jack. On the left there is another USB4 Type-C post with the same characteristics as on the right… and that’s it. Other standards (HDMI, Ethernet, SD, Thunderbolt 4…) are all falling by the wayside.

Lenovo still included a nano-sim slot and a fingerprint reader for traveling professionals. At least this ThinkPad Z13 works on the wireless side. It offers Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2.

Autonomy

Most of the specialized press has sung the praises of this model on one particular point: its absolutely insane autonomy. Lenovo claims this model can last up to 6:30 pm continuously!

But our tests showed a major deviation from this ambitious claim. On our side, the machine survived around 10:30 in the context of moderately dense multimedia use.

This is both more than satisfactory autonomy for a professional machine. And above all, note that we tested the most expensive model, with its WQXGA OLED panel (2560×1600) and its Ryzen 7 Pro 6860Z. This is the most energy consuming model, and by far. By opting for a cheaper version that ignores the OLED panel and this chip with questionable positioning, it is certainly possible to get at least two hours of autonomy.

Still, even apart from its navel, this machine can withstand a full day’s work without the slightest problem. You’ll still have plenty of overtime before the battery shows signs of weakness.

Pricing and Availability

The base model is currently listed at €1961 on Lenovo’s site. If your main priority remains the performance / price ratio, there are more interesting machines in this standard in particular. But in the end, this additional cost is far from infamous, because the “premium” positioning of this Z13 is clearly assumed by the manufacturer.

In the end, you could almost describe it as a luxury version of the ThinkPad X1; we end up with a heavy utility in an attractive and almost finished case, but also a little more expensive than other models with comparable performance. This applies especially to the Ryzen 6860Z model we have in our hands. True, the OLED panel is attractive, but the price is less attractive compared to the cheaper models it is deprived of (€1,961.52 for the Ryzen 5 Pro 6650U model against €2,533.52 for the machine tested).

Users on a tight budget, such as students, are therefore likely to have an interest in switching to other models. But whether you’re a traveling professional, an author who spends his days strumming, or a hobbyist willing to save a little money to buy something nice, this machine will undoubtedly meet the everything you expect.

The Lenovo ThinkPadZ13 is available on the Lenovo website at this address (€1,961.52 to €2,533.52 depending on the model).