Lenovo ThinkPad Z16 vs. Dell XPS 15: big laptop battle

The skinny-and-light 15-inch laptop computer class is engaging for creators and energy customers who don’t need absolutely the largest machines to lug round. The Dell XPS 15 has led the category for a while now, and it’s top-of-the-line laptops you should buy.

Lenovo’s new ThinkPad Z16 takes the ThinkPad line in a brand new, extra trendy route, providing a couple of attention-grabbing options that the XPS 15 lacks. Are they sufficient to dethrone the king?

Specs and configurations

The laptops begin at across the similar worth, with the entry-level ThinkPad Z16 costing $1,424 for an AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650H CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD, a 16-inch 16:10 Full HD+ (1,920 x 1,200) IPS show, and AMD Radeon built-in graphics. For $1,449, you get an XPS 15 with an Intel Core i5-12500H CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, a 15.6-inch 16:10 Full HD+ IPS show, and Intel Iris Xe built-in graphics. So it’s a trade-off between RAM and storage with every laptop computer’s low-end mannequin.

For $2,482, the ThinkPad Z16 comes with a Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H CPU, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, a 16-inch 16:10 4K+ (3,840 x 2,400) OLED show, and AMD Radeon RX 6500M discrete graphics. The XPS 15 tops out at $4,629 for a Core i9-12900HK CPU, 64GB of RAM, an 8TB SSD, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti GPU, and a alternative between a 4K+ IPS panel or a 3.5K (3,456 x 2,160) OLED show.

The XPS 15 may be configured as a extra highly effective laptop computer, and also you’ll pay the worth.

Design

The ThinkPad Z16 departs significantly from the long-lasting black-on-black ThinkPad aesthetic, with a silver lid and chassis backside that extra intently resembles the XPS 15 than one other ThinkPad. Open the lid and also you’ll discover a black palm relaxation and keyboard deck with the crimson TrackPoint nubbin, however the XPS 15 additionally has the identical form of black inside (albeit within the XPS 15’s case, it’s constructed of carbon fiber). The strains are totally different, with the ThinkPad Z16 being boxier and the XPS 15 being extra streamlined, however these two modern and engaging laptops have extra similarities than variations. The ThinkPad Z16’s reverse notch that accommodates a 1080p webcam (in comparison with the XPS 15’s 720p model) stands out most.

They’re each constructed nicely, too, with stable all-aluminum chassis and lids that don’t give in to flexing, bending, or twisting. The hinges on each open easily with one hand and maintain the lids in place. They’re equally stable premium laptops.

Additionally they boast tiny show bezels, each affording a larger than 90% screen-to-body ratio that enables for minimal chassis dimension. The ThinkPad Z16 is simply barely deeper due to its bigger 16.0-inch show versus the XPS 15’s 15.6-inch panel, nevertheless it’s thinner at 0.63 inches versus 0.73 inches and lighter at 3.99 kilos versus 4.62 kilos. The XPS 15 positively feels denser than the ThinkPad Z16, however they’re properly sized machines given their bigger shows.

The ThinkPad Z16’s keyboard seems so much just like the ThinkPad customary with its sculpted keycaps and loads of spacing, nevertheless it’s lighter than traditional with a snappier really feel. It’s simply pretty much as good because the XPS 15’s model, which additionally has good keycaps and key spacing. Typing on each laptops is a breeze. The ThinkPad Z16 has a smaller touchpad than the XPS 15’s large floor, nevertheless it’s additionally a haptic touchpad that gives suggestions and clickability throughout the complete floor. An odd strip alongside the highest is ready as much as assist the TrackPoint buttons, nevertheless it’s simple sufficient to work round. The XPS 15’s touchpad has a pleasant mechanical really feel, however the ThinkPad Z16’s haptic model is best.

Each laptops include the identical variety of USB-C ports, however the XPS 15 helps Thunderbolt 4 due to its Intel chipset. Each have full-size SD card readers, which is a plus for creators, and each have the most recent in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The ThinkPad Z16, although, provides LTE 4G WWAN, which the XPS 15 lacks.

Efficiency

The ThinkPad Z16 is constructed round AMD’s 6000-series Ryzen PRO processors, and we reviewed it with the 8-core/16-thread Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H CPU operating at 45 watts. The XPS 15 may be geared up with as much as the 45-watt Intel Twelfth-gen Core i9-12900HK with 14 cores (six Efficiency and eight Environment friendly) and 20 threads, and we reviewed the laptop computer with the 45-watt Core i7-12700H with the identical variety of cores and threads and slower Turbo frequency of 4.7GHz versus 5.00GHz.

The 2 laptops have been intently matched in multi-core efficiency (aside from Geekbench 5), particularly when the XPS 15 was in its efficiency mode. The XPS 15 was sooner in single-core benchmarks, although, and our overview unit was geared up with the RTX 3050 Ti GPU, so its gaming and creativity efficiency was sooner. On the excessive finish, the XPS 15 would probably be sooner, however that’s not one thing we have been in a position to check.

Each laptops are quick for demanding productiveness workflows, however as configured, the XPS 15 can be sooner operating apps that may use the GPU, like Adobe’s Inventive Suite.

Show

The ThinkPad Z16 provides quite a lot of wonderful shows, as much as a 4K+ OLED panel that we’re positive is spectacular. We reviewed it with the low-end (and low-power) Full HD+ IPS panel, and whereas it was brighter than the XPS 15’s 3.5K OLED show that we examined, it couldn’t sustain in some other metrics.

Each shows have been wonderful for productiveness work, however when you’re a creator or need the most effective media consumption expertise, you then’ll need to improve the ThinkPad Z16 to its OLED panel.

Portability

The AMD Ryzen line of CPUs is extra power-efficient than Intel’s Twelfth-gen CPUs, which confirmed up in our battery benchmarks. Despite the fact that the ThinkPad Z16 had a smaller 72 watt-hour battery in comparison with the XPS 15’s 86 watt-hour battery, it managed longer battery life in each our web-browsing and video-looping checks. That can be written off to the ThinkPad’s low-power Full HD+ show in comparison with the XPS 15’s higher-resolution and extra power-hungry OLED panel.

Equip them with extra comparable shows, and these outcomes could be very totally different. In that case, the ThinkPad Z16 would profit from a bigger battery.

The XPS 15 stays the most effective 15-inch laptop computer

Efficiency is analogous, and the battery life would possibly even favor the XPS 15 if each laptops are geared up with OLED shows. They’re each well-built laptops that look extra alike than totally different, and so they each have wonderful keyboards. The ThinkPad Z16 has a greater haptic touchpad and provides always-connected WWAN.

However in the long run, the XPS 15’s general design is extra cohesive, and it’s sooner. You’ll pay for the privilege, however the XPS 15 holds on to its place as the most effective 15-inch-class laptop computer.

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