Its design, like that of all ThinkPads, is timeless. Unlike most tough notebooks, the ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 does not look part. HD Hybrid IR Camera with ThinkPad Webcam Privacy ShutterĦ-row, spill resistant, numeric keypad, optional backlitģ-button TrackPoint device and mylar surface multi-touch touchpadĩ4Wh battery, supports Rapid Charge with 230W AC Adapterġ4.24 x 9.67 x 0.96-1.24 inches (375.4 x 252.3 x 24.5-31.45 mm) For the rest of its specifications, check out the table below.ġ5.6" FHD (1920x1080) IPS, Anti-glare - 500 nits While RAM and storage capacities could be bumped further, this configuration represents about the highest level of performance this system should be capable of. In any case, our test system arrived with an Intel Core i9-11950H (8 Cores, 16 Threads) CPU, NVIDIA RTX A5000 GPU, 32GB of 3200MHz DDR4 memory, and 1TB PCIe 4.0 KIOXIA XG7 SSD. Lenovo’s choice to continue marketing these laptops as “Max-Q” suggests a slant on the side of efficiency rather than performance. While formal Max-Q variants have been abandoned by NVIDIA, they do allow manufacturers to tune the TDP and optionally incorporate technologies like Whispermode 2.0 and Dynamic Boost 2.0. However, that does not mean we will have a direct apples-to-apples comparison between systems with these chips. Both GPUs feature 6,144 CUDA cores, 48 RT cores, 192 Tensor cores, and 16GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory. In fact, this RTX A5000 comes from the same GA104 chip used in the GeForce RTX 3080.
NVIDIA’s mobile professional graphics processors are built on the same Ampere architecture as their GeForce cousins. Likewise, the base model utilizes an NVIDIA T1200 (4GB) GPU, but can also ship with up to NVIDIA’s strongest RTX A5000 Max-Q (16GB) GPU. Speaking of memory, the system can support a healthy 128GB of 3200MHz DDR4 RAM in either ECC or non-ECC flavors.
These two CPUs are largely identical on-paper, but the Xeon includes Error-Correcting Code (ECC) memory for mission-critical tasks, while the Core series CPUs do not. The ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 starts with an Intel Core i5-11500H processor, but can be outfitted with up to either an Intel Core i9-11950H or a Xeon W-11955M. The ThinkPad P15 in for review today seems well suited to reinforce this but let's dig in a bit more to see what it's made of and how it measures up to these goals. Lenovo positions their P Series of workstations as “powerful enough to take with you, but with advanced technology to tackle the most intense computing tasks.” The company aims to fulfill this in three main ways: build a sturdy yet still lightweight chassis, fill it to the brim with cutting-edge hardware, and secure ISV certifications to ensure it works smoothly with the most demanding applications. The Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 is a mobile workhorse with its sights set on peak performance in professional applications, design and content creation. We have recently reviewed several svelte ThinkPad X Series variations, but today’s offering is more of a burly beast. This familiarity yields a dependable experience which has cultivated a dedicated following.
Lenovo has wisely developed an array of ThinkPad models to address a wide range of use cases, while still being able to keep that distinct ThinkPad feel. ThinkPad notebooks are well known for their matte-black, no-nonsense designs, but their utility in corporate and industrial settings is more than skin-deep. If there was a poster child for business-class laptops, it is indisputably the Lenovo ThinkPad.