We went hands-on with Lenovo’s lightweight business laptop
When I was sent the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4, I thought it would be the easiest review in the world.
A few months prior, I’d bought the exact same model, with more or less the same specs, for personal use. At the time, I was looking for one of the best business laptops I could find. Fast, reliable, capable of running all the usual Office apps and browsers and nothing too strenuous. A key requirement was a comfortable keyboard for typing. It was probably the best money I ever spent on a device. So, being very familiar with the performance of the T14s, I thought I could draw on my months-long experience and spend the rest of the time playing Mario Kart. Then I cracked open the lid of the new laptop – and fell in love all over again. I can’t stay away from this ThinkPad. I admire its purity.
The model reviewed here is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7840U with Radeon 780M Graphics, 32GB RAM, and 512GB storage. However, unlike older ThinkPads, it’s worth noting that while you can expand SSD storage, the RAM is soldered to the board and can’t be upgraded, so choose wisely. Ports and connectivity is fair, with a smart card reader, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports, two Thunderbolt 4 ports (one of which is used for charging the device), HDMI, 3.5mm audio jack, and a nano-sim slot around the back.
On paper, the T14s may not be the best Lenovo ThinkPad out there. The P14 is superior for graphically intensive use, the X1 Carbon beloved for its ultra-lightweight design, the T480 is widely considered the pick of the bunch. And the Intel version of this model reportedly suffers cooling issues, so opt for the AMD version if you can get it. But this is a beautiful machine in its own right – thin, light, sleek, its all-black chassis accented with Lenovo red across the trackpad and trackpoint. For standard business use – think emails, internet, Microsoft Office, Google Docs – there’s little to beat this light, compact, commuter-friendly machine. Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4: Price & availability
The Lenovo T14s is widely available, retailing at around $1000 / £1000 for the base model. Intel T14s tend to be priced higher than AMD models, and again, we stress that if you can, go for AMD, which will help keep the laptop cooler.
With the recent release of the Gen 5 and Snapdragon-powered Gen 6 versions, it should mean you’ll be able to get some good deals here as stores begin to get rid of the older stock. Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 4: Design & features
Lenovo’s flagship business machine feels good in the hand. This is a sturdy laptop, built from premium-grade materials – magnesium for the keyboard frame, carbon fiber for the top cover – that you’d expect from the S variants in the company’s line-up. If you’re wondering, the S stands for slim, and at 12.50 x 8.93 x 0.65in the T14s is certainly that. The suffix also means these laptops are lighter (this one clocks in at 1.26kg) and more durable than plastic-based counterparts like the T14 and P14. The only real downside in construction is that the T14s is undeniably a finger-print magnet.
In my experience, 14in is the perfect size for a business laptop. A 13in feels too cramped, while 15.
