• 

  Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4

  The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 is a great workhorse laptop. It brings newer 13th-generation Intel CPUs or AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs, as well as the option for an OLED display and even a 5MP webcam.

  Pros

  • Slim and compact
  • Latest Intel and AMD CPUs
  • Has option for OLED screen

  Cons

  • NOt yet for sale

• 

  Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 4

  The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 brings some big changes over previous models beyond just simple spec bumps. There are newer sleeker bezels, better user-facing speakers, a new optional 5MP webcam, and the option for a 2.8K resolution OLED display. 

  Pros

  • Fully redesigned
  • Has option for OLED display
  • Has 5MP webcam

  Cons

  • Not yet available

If you're looking for the best new business laptop, you'll undoubtedly come across a lot of great ThinkPads. You'll see two types of devices in this lineup. There are the X series devices, which are ultra-portable, and the T series, which are higher-performance machines. The differences between these two types of ThinkPads can be summed up with two new devices: the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 and the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4.

Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 and ThinkPad X13 Gen 4: Pricing and availability

Both the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 and the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 aren't available for purchase yet but will launch in May. The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 is the cheaper laptop and is expected to start at $1,099. The ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 is slightly more expensive, starting at $1,479. Lenovo didn't specify what specifications that would cover. They will be available on Lenovo's website first, and we'll update here when the links are live.

• 	Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4	Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 4
  Brand	Lenovo	Lenovo
  Storage	Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD	Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
  CPU	13th-generation Intel Core processors or AMD Ryzen 7000 Series processors	13th-generation Intel Core processors with vPro or AMD Ryzen 7000 series Mobile Processors
  Memory	Up to 32GB LPDDR5x	Up to 32GB LPDDR5
  Operating System	Windows 11	Windows 11
  Battery	39.3Whr or 52.5Whr battery	41Whr or 54.7Whr
  Ports	2 x Thunderbolt 4 (Intel) / USB4 (AMD) 2 x USB Type-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1) 1 x HDMI 2.0b 1 x RJ45 Ethernet 3.5mm combo headphone jack SIM card slot	2 x Intel Thunderbolt 4 (USB4 on AMD) 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.0b 1 x Audio Jack
  Camera	720p HD webcam or 1080p Full HD webcam + IR	FHD RGB with privacy shutter or 5MP RGB IR with Privacy shutter
  Display (Size, Resolution)	14-inch 16:10 aspect ratio, up to 2.8K OLED, 400 nits, 100% DCI-P3, 90Hz refresh rate	13-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio, up to 2.8K OLED, or WUXGA IPS Low Power, WUXGA IPS Touch, or WUXGA IPS 300 nit
  Weight	2.92 pounds	2.51 pounds
  GPU	Intel Iris Xe graphics, Nvidia GeForce MX550 (optional, Intel only)/AMD Radeon graphics	Intel Iris Xe (intel models) or AMD Radeon Graphics (AMD model)
  Network	Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.1 Cellular (optional): 4G LTE	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, Optional 4G LTE WWAN
  Speakers	Dolby Audio speaker system with Dolby Audio	2 x user facing speakers with Dolby Audio
  Price	Starting at $1,239 (MSRP)	From $1,099 (MSRP)

Design: The same-looking laptop

ThinkPad laptops tend to look the same, and that's the case here. Both laptops are sleek, light, durable clamshell devices. Just the color options are different and the notch-like area for the webcam on the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4. Lenovo has also rated both of these laptops against military testing, so you don't have to worry about either laptop getting damaged.

However, the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 is just a bit smaller than the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4. Lenovo significantly redesigned the device this year, slimming down the bezels on the sides of the screen. That means there's a notch on the exterior for the webcam on the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4, which also makes it easier to open the lid.

The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 is also lighter, coming in at 2.51 pounds vs the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4's 2.92 pounds. Again, Lenovo wanted to slim down the X13 this year, so the drop in weight isn't surprising. However, it's a subtle difference, so most people won't notice.

ThinkPad laptops tend to look the same, and that's the case here.

The other differences come down to the webcam and colors. The ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 comes in Storm Grey or Thunder Black, while the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 comes in Deep Black or Storm Grey. These are very similar colors, so you likely won't notice the difference.

And the webcams? As a way to save some money, and if you can live with the sacrifice that comes with a lower-quality webcam, there's an option for a 720p webcam on the T14 Gen 4. You won't find that 720p webcam on the X13 Gen 4, however, as it has a much better FHD 1080p webcam as stock. Finally, both laptops have the option for a 5MP webcam as a paid high-end upgrade.

On the connectivity of these laptops, there's no contest. Both offer the same ports: two Thunderbolt 4 ports on the Intel model or USB4 on the AMD, two USB Type-A ports USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, one HDMI 2.0b port, one x RJ45 Ethernet, a 3.5mm combo headphone jack, and an optional SIM card slot.

Display: The ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a bigger display

For starters, these laptops have two different-sized displays. The ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 is a 14-inch laptop, and the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 is a 13-inch laptop. If you're not planning to connect to a monitor and want to get a lot of work done, the 14-inch T14 Gen 4 will offer one more inch of screen real estate. If you want a device with a more compact screen, then the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 is for you.

Note that even though the screen is bigger on the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4, it shares the same base resolution as the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4. The only differences are with brightness levels, which vary depending on the configuration. There are options for either a 1920 x 1200 or 2.2K IPS resolution on base T14 Gen 4 models. You can find these screens in either 500 nits of brightness with touch support, 400 nits of brightness with support for low-power technology, or 300 nits of brightness with touch support. For the very best experience, there's also a 2.8K OLED option, which hits 400 nits of brightness.

The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4, meanwhile has the same 1920 x 1200 resolution base option, but it comes with either 400 nits of brightness with low-power technology or 300 nits of brightness without touch support. There's also an OLED option. So, in reality, that extra inch of space is what will affect your decision.

Performance: The ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has an optional GPU

There's only one difference to note in terms of performance. You get a GPU option on the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4, but you won't see it with the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4. So, if you need more computing power for things like light gaming, video editing, crunching data, or running enterprise programs, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 is better. Although, the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 is still great for general productivity.

To be more specific, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 can feature NVIDIA MX550 4GB GDDR6 graphics. This isn't the best graphics card for gaming, but it is ideal for enterprise scenarios and can help turn the ThinkPad into a complete workstation. The ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 only has Intel iris Xe graphics or AMD Radeon Graphics. These are integrated, so you won't be able to enjoy more intense tasks without lag.

The ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has the option for a GPU

Otherwise, the CPUs are identical. There are options for 13th-generation Intel Core vPro processors or AMD Ryzen 7000 series mobile processors. These Intel CPUs have performance and efficiency cores for better hybrid performance. Intel also claims they offer a 10% productivity boost. We don't know as much about the AMD CPUs since Lenovo didn't provide us with the specific parts. So we're unsure if the chips are based on Zen 3 or Zen 4 architecture. The Zen 4 chips are more efficient with performance and battery life, and we hope this is the case. We're looking forward to benchmarking both laptops to explore performance more, but right now we can't make a call.

Why the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 is right for you

Even though it's more expensive, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 is a better laptop. It has a big screen and might be heavier, but there's the option for a GPU for extra power if you need it. This is great for productivity of all kinds.

Of course, if you need a slimmer and lighter laptop, there's nothing wrong with the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4. It has a great slim-bezel screen, it's well-equipped for productivity thanks to the newer Intel CPU, and it even has a 5MP webcam.