Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Review (i7-8565U, Radeon RX 540X)
Lenovo has released its all-new brand – ThinkBook and launched two products – ThinkBook 13s and ThinkBook 14s. ThinkBook laptops are made for young people who want stylish business ultrabook.
Specifications
| Screen | 14.0-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-glare, 250 nits |
| Processor | Intel Core i7-8565U (1.80GHz, up to 4.60GHz, 8MB Cache) |
| Graphics card | AMD Radeon RX 540X 2 GB |
| Memory | 8GB DDR4 2400MHz |
| Storage | 512GB M.2 PCIe3.0×2 |
| Ports | 1x USB-C Gen 2, 1x HDMI 1.4b, 2x USB 3.1 (Gen 1), 1x 3.5mm Headphone / mic combok/1x Mini Ethernet |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.2, 802.11 AC (2 x 2) |
| OS | Windows 10 Home |
| Size | 322.5 x 222.8 x 16.5 (mm) |
| Weight | 1.52 kg |
| Battery | 45 Wh |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours |
Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Review
Appearance
Different from other business laptops, the ThinkBook 14s has a simple, stylish, characteristic appearance. With a gray magnalium case, the device has a slim sleek design. The logo is designed on the lower right corner of its cover. As Lenovo’s new laptop brand, ThinkBook series is fashionable and professional, which can meet young people’ demands.
The special design on its edge makes it look thinner. A five-stage hinge is one of the laptop’s highlights. The hinges can open in 180 degrees, and it is easy to collaborate and share the content with your friends.
Display
The ThinkBook 14s adopts a 14-inch 1080p FHD display with a 178-degree viewing angle. It features an extremely narrow bezel design (only 4.9 mm on the left and right sides). As for entertainment, it comes with Dolby Audio™ with Harman speakers, which could provide the user with rich, clear and powerful sound.
It also features a ThinkShutter physical webcam cover for additional privacy control. There is a web camera on the top.
Keyboard
The laptop comes with a keyboard which enables the user to type comfortably. Besides, the backlit allows the user to play in the dim light without any trouble.
The power button is on the top right corner, easy to find. A fingerprint reader is integrated with the power button, so the user can log in and boot up the system in a flash.
Its touchpad supports the Windows 10 multi-touch gestures. People who are going on a business trip don’t need to take the mouse for the trackpad reacts quickly without any mistakes.
Ports
The device provides an abundant port expansion. The ports on the left include a slim-tip AC adapter, an HDMI port, a Type-C port, and the 3.5mm audio port. It is worth mentioning that the laptop can get 80% charged in an hour while it is off.
On the right side, it provides two USB ports for mouse and other external devices such as USB flash disk.
The long anti-slip mat near the vents is good for heat dissipation. Besides, there are two Dolby Audio™ with Harman speakers on two sides. With the speakers, it brings the user a wonderful audio experience.
Hardware
The ThinkBook 14s is powered by Intel Core i7-8565U processor and features the AMD Radeon 540X. It also comes with the 8GB DDR4 (16GB optional) coupled with the 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD. Interns of its configuration, the laptop can handle daily office work and games.
CPU
Based on an enhanced version of the Whiskey Lake microarchitecture, 14nm manufacturing process, the Intel Core i7-8565U is manufactured on Intel’s third-generation enhanced 14nm ++ process. With a quad-core and eight-thread design, the chip operates at 1.8 GHz with a TDP of 15W. At present, those high-end ultrathin laptop features this processor for it can guarantee high efficiency.
On Cinebench R15, the Intel Core i7-8565U’s single-core score is 180cb, and multi-core score is up to 625cb. According to the test result, the chip has good computing power.
Graphics Card
The ThinkBook 14s features the Radeon 540X which has been launched by the end of last year. The AMD Radeon RX 540X is mobile mid-range graphics card for laptops based on the Polaris 12 chip. It is manufactured in an improved 14 nm FinFET process. Its performance is between the Radeon Pro 450 and the Radeon Pro 455. Compared to NVIDIA graphics cards, its gaming performance is between the GeForce GTX 950M and GTX 960M.
The following is the Radeon 540X’s performance on 3DMark. On Fire Strike, its score is 2426; on Cloud Gate, its score is 11171; its score is 8504 on Sky Diver. The test results prove that the Radeon 540X has an excellent performance.
SSD and Memory
The laptop comes with the 512GB M.2 PCIe3.0x2 SSD. This SSD’s sequential read speed is 1634.7MB/s, and its sequential write speed is 859.1MB/s.
The ThinkBook 14s we test features 8GB DDR4, and it also has an updated version with 16GB DDR4. In fact, the laptop with 8GB DDR4 can handle the daily office work.
Battery Life And Heat Dissipation
The laptop sports a 45Wh battery. It delivers up to 12 hours of battery life. The ThinkBook 14s can work for longer hours than many ultrabooks.
Internal Structure
The device has two cooling fans and the heatsink with two pipes. In addition, the CPU and GPU have a low TDP. There is no doubt the laptop has a fantastic heat dissipation performance.
Summary
As the business-oriented ThinkBook series, the ThinkBook 14s is a competitive product. It adopts a silver-gray body, which distinguishes it from other brand laptops, and it has a brief design. What’s more, it features the eighth-generation Intel Core processor, the Radeon 540X and good-quality SSD. In a word, ThinkBook 14s is a good choice for young people who pursue fashion and performance.
