Lenovo ThinkPad 15 Gen 2i -- Review

Lenovo generously provided me with a new ThinkPad 15 Gen 2i for review. This post will share some of my impressions of this system. [BTW in case anyone is wondering, the “i” in the product name indicates that it’s powered by Intel.]

The T15, now in its second generation, is Lenovo's flagship business notebook computer. Although it may not be as sleek as the X1 Carbon or as dexterous as the Yoga or as powerful as the P-series, it’s the most popular and enduring model in the lineup.

This year’s T15 Gen 2 is evolutionary rather than revolutionary with a variety of incremental improvements. Visually it’s hard to tell the difference between it and Gen 1. Here are some of the more notable new features that you’ll find inside:

• Intel 11^th Gen CPUs with Iris Xe integrated Graphics provide substantial improvements in performance compared to last year’s 10^th Gen CPUs with UHD Graphics.
  

• NVIDIA MX450 discrete GPU likewise boosts graphics performance in models with this option.
  

• WLAN WiFi 6/6E offers more channels on the new 6GHz band. While this will require new access points, adding support in the T15 now will extend its life as such devices become available.
  

• WWAN options CAT16 or CAT12 provide the latest in LTE support.
  

• Dolby Vision UHD 3840x2160 16:10 screen provides bright, vivid and sharp displays.
  

• Two Thunderbolt 4 ports for greater versatility as well as support for up to 3 external monitors at 5K/60Hz.
  

• Smoother Touchpad surface
  

• Choice between Black and Storm Grey Aluminum. Traditionalists will stick with black while storm grey is for those who want to stand out.

The unit I’m reviewing sports these high-end specifications.

CPU: i7-1185G7 vPro

RAM: 48GB DDR4-3200 RAM

GPU: Iris Xe integrated graphics and NVIDIA GeForce MX450 discrete with 2GB RAM

SSD: 1TB WDC OPAL2 SSD

LCD: 15.6” UHD 3840x2160 16:10 Dolby Vision 600 nits

Wi-Fi: Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX210, 802.11ax 2x2 Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 5.2

Camera: Hybrid Infrared (IR) 720p HD with Dual Microphone and ThinkShutter

Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI, microSD card reader, Ethernet (RJ-45), headphone / microphone combo jack, side docking connector, Smart card reader, Nano-SIM card slot

OS: Windows 10 Pro 64

On the left side there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports. The second one is integrated with a side docking connector. Then there’s a USB 3.2 port, an HDMI port, a headphone/microphone connector and a microSD slot.

On the right side there’s a smart card reader, another USB 3.2 port, a full size RJ-45 Ethernet jack and an opening for a Kensington security cable. [Not shown is a SIM card slot for optional WWAN support. It’s on the back.

While this system has more power than many business users may need it demonstrates the range of capabilities in the standard T15 line. As one would expect from this configuration, performance is incredibly fast. It’s hard to imagine a business application that won’t run well on this system. Based on my experience with previous “fully-loaded” T-series computers, this configuration will be viable for many years into the future.

The Solid State Drive, in this case a Western Digital Black SN730 M.2 NVMe, is quite fast as this benchmark report shows.

Opening the lid reveals a stunning 4K Dolby Vision screen. This is a real visual treat. Not only is it incredibly sharp with bright, vivid colors, but the 600 nits brightness makes it quite easy to read outdoors, even on a sunny day. Combined with the Dolby Audio speaker system watching 4K videos is a very pleasant experience. 

As usual for ThinkPads, the T15 is built tough to withstand almost any physical abuse. The system feels solid with no chassis flex. The hinges allow the lid to open smoothly and easily. The overall fit and finish is impeccable as one would expect from a ThinkPad.

The backlit keyboard retains the classic ThinkPad feel. Key travel and tactile feel continue to make typing a joy.

As a dedicated TrackPoint user I’m glad to note that it’s as good as ever. The TouchPad is larger than previous models and now has a very smooth surface. How important that is I leave to others to determine.

The integrated fingerprint reader and smart card reader make it easy to authenticate the user. Now there are even more features to make it easier and convenient to secure the system. The camera in the T15 works with Windows Hello Face to unlock the screen using facial recognition. In addition there are new features from Lenovo that can lock the screen when your head moves out of camera range and can warn you when a shoulder surfer is detected nearby.

It’s worth mentioning that this year’s T15 models come with the Commercial edition of Lenovo Vantage software. This edition is leaner and more business-like than the standard edition that comes with consumer models.

The somewhat larger form factor of the T15 compared to slimmer models like the X1 Carbon series has an important advantage. It provides greater upgradeability and serviceability. You can easily add, upgrade or replace RAM, SSD, keyboard, battery, WWAN card as well as other internal components.

Also included are accessories, a 65W AC USB-C PD charger and an HDMI to VGA monitor adapter.

In conclusion, I’ve owned and used T-series ThinkPads for many years. It’s gratifying to see how the line has been constantly improved with each new model introducing more innovations and better performance. Yet at all times the line has stayed true to its reputation as the business computer of choice.

Here are some links where you can get more information about the Lenovo ThinkPad T15 Gen 2i:

T15 Gen 2 Sales

T15 Gen 2 Platform Specifications

T15 Gen 2 (Type 20W4, 20W5) Product Home

T15 Gen 2 Documentation and User Guides

@hausman 

Is it really a 16:10 screen?  Psref shows 16:9.  A friend is looking to buy and i told her it was 16:9 based on psref but if you are right and its 16:10 that would be better :).  Thanks for the review too!

Is it really a 16:10 screen?  Psref shows 16:9.

You're correct. My error. I'll fix it above. Thank you for pointing that out and my apologies to your friend.

No worries.  Thanks for the review.  I was hoping you were right and there was a typo in the psref actually.

When I saw 3840x2160 screen resolution I did a quick calculation in my head that somehow arrived at 16:10. I completely missed the 16:9 in the specs.

Even more embarrassing, now that I look at it it's obvious that 1920x2=3840 and 1080x2=2160.