Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 Review: Balancing Portability and Performance

Introduction

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 is a newly released 14-inch business laptop. It is the latest iteration in Lenovo’s popular ThinkPad T-series line that is geared towards business and enterprise users.

The ThinkPad T14 G4 comes with either AMD Ryzen 6000 Series or 12th Gen Intel Core processors. It can be configured with up to 32GB of RAM and 2TB of SSD storage. The T14 G4 features a durable military-grade chassis and is MIL-STD 810H certified to withstand extreme conditions. It also touts a best-in-class keyboard that ThinkPad laptops are known for.

Some key highlights of the ThinkPad T14 G4:

• Business-oriented 14-inch laptop ideal for office use
• Powerful processor options – AMD Ryzen 6000 or Intel 12th Gen Core
• Up to 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD storage
• Rugged and durable MIL-STD 810H certified construction
• Excellent keyboard with ThinkPad pedigree
• Enterprise security and manageability features

The T14 G4 brings refreshing updates to the revered ThinkPad T-series. It offers strong performance packed into a durable yet portable chassis – making it an appealing choice for business users and IT departments.

Design and Build

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 has a durable yet lightweight build made primarily of reinforced, carbon-fiber hybrid material. Measuring 12.42 x 8.64 x 0.72 inches and weighing 3.2 pounds, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 is highly portable while still feeling sturdy thanks to its military-grade durability testing.

Lenovo designed the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 to pass over a dozen MIL-STD 810H certification tests for extreme conditions. This included high pressure, humidity, vibration, high and low temperatures, shocks, and drops. As a result, users can feel confident taking this durable laptop on the go without worrying about damage.

The base, display lid, and interior deck sport a smooth, matte black finish that looks professional yet helps minimize smudges and fingerprints. Overall, the ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 strikes an excellent balance between portability, durability, and aesthetic appeal in its design and construction. Business users will appreciate being able to take this lightweight yet resilient laptop wherever work takes them.

Display

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 features a 14 inch IPS display with a 1920 x 1200 resolution. The screen provides vibrant colors and sharp text thanks to its 400 nit peak brightness and 100% sRGB coverage.

With a 16:10 aspect ratio, the display offers more vertical space compared to the typical 16:9 ratio, making it well-suited for productivity work and business applications. The panel supports a 144Hz refresh rate for smoother visuals and reduced motion blur. This makes a difference when scrolling through documents or web pages.

Overall, the ThinkPad T14 G4’s display provides an excellent viewing experience, with the bright, high resolution panel enabling clear and vivid imagery. The taller 16:10 screen is advantageous for productivity use cases, while the fast 144Hz refresh rate improves visual fluidity for a great experience whether working or consuming media.

Keyboard and Trackpad

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 has a comfortable, full-sized backlit keyboard that provides a satisfying typing experience. The keys have a slightly concave shape and offer decent travel of 1.5mm. There is good spacing between the keys to avoid mistakes. The keyboard utilizes a standard layout, making it easy to transition from other keyboards. The keys feel snappy and responsive when typing, aided by the internal metal plate providing stability.

Users mention appreciating the larger CTRL and FN keys in the bottom corners. For those who frequently use key commands, the dedicated Function keys along the top are appreciated. The keyboard is also spill-resistant, an important feature for a mobile work device.

The glass trackpad measures 4.5 x 2.5 inches, providing a good amount of room for navigation. It utilizes precision drivers for accurate tracking. Multi-touch gestures like two-finger scrolling and pinch-to-zoom work smoothly. The trackpad has a matte finish that creates just the right amount of friction for controlling the cursor. The trackpad also incorporates dedicated physical click buttons which many users prefer over force-touch clickpads. Overall, the keyboard and trackpad provide a best-in-class input experience.

Ports and Connectivity

The ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 offers a decent selection of ports for business use. On the left side, there is a USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A port, HDMI 2.1 port, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port with DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery, and an optional Smart Card reader. On the right side, there is an audio jack, two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A ports, Ethernet extension connector, Kensington lock slot, and an optional nano SIM card slot.

For wireless connectivity, it comes with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. The Wi-Fi 6E brings the latest Wi-Fi standard with speeds up to 2.4Gbps, less interference, and lower latency. Bluetooth 5.2 provides improved power efficiency and range.

The ThinkPad T14 Gen 4 offers solid connectivity options for business professionals. The HDMI port allows connecting an external display, while the USB-C port with Power Delivery enables charging high-powered devices. The optional LTE with nano SIM card slot provides internet connectivity on the go. Overall, it has all the essential ports required for everyday office use.

Performance

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 delivers excellent overall performance for productivity tasks and some light content creation workloads. It comes configured with Intel 12th Gen Core processors, up to an Intel Core i7-1280P. The i7 models provide strong multi-core performance thanks to having 14 cores (6 P-cores and 8 E-cores).

For memory, you can configure the ThinkPad T14 G4 with up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM clocked at 4800MHz. Having DDR5 provides a nice boost to performance over previous DDR4 options. The base 8GB is likely sufficient for general office work, but 16GB provides more headroom for multitasking and having lots of browser tabs open.

Storage options range from 256GB up to 2TB of PCIe NVMe SSD storage. Opting for at least a 512GB drive is recommended for having enough space for apps, files and media. The SSD provides incredibly fast load and boot times, which keeps the system feeling very responsive.

Overall, the combination of a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor, plenty of fast DDR5 RAM, and speedy SSD storage makes the ThinkPad T14 G4 a productivity powerhouse. It has more than enough performance for office workloads, moderate media editing, and even some light gaming during downtime.

Battery Life

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 comes with a 57Whr battery. Lenovo claims that it can deliver up to 15.5 hours of battery life on a single charge. However, as with any battery life claim, actual results will vary depending on usage.

For general productivity tasks like web browsing and office work, you can expect around 8-10 hours of use from the T14 G4’s battery. This should get most users through a full workday without needing to charge. Video streaming or other more intensive tasks will drain the battery faster, but you should still get a solid 6+ hours in these scenarios.

One area where the T14 G4 shines is its fast charging capabilities. It can charge from 0 to 80% in just over an hour when powered off. Even just a 15 minute quick charge can give you several extra hours of use in a pinch. So you can quickly top up during a lunch break if needed.

The battery itself is internal and not removable. But Lenovo provides excellent battery health management tools within its Vantage software. You can set charging thresholds to protect battery longevity when plugged in for long stretches. Overall for a slim 14″ business laptop, the ThinkPad T14 G4 offers excellent battery life that should satisfy road warriors and business users alike.

Features

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 comes equipped with a good set of features that business users will appreciate.

Webcam

The laptop has a 720p HD webcam above the display. While it’s not the highest resolution, the image quality is decent enough for video calls and conferences. The webcam also supports IR for face recognition login through Windows Hello.

Security

For security, there is a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button which allows for quick biometric authentication. The ThinkPad T14 G4 also includes a discrete TPM 2.0 security chip for encrypting sensitive data.

On the software side, Lenovo offers its ThinkShield suite of security tools including there is anti-virus protection, encryption, and a self-healing BIOS. Together these security technologies help protect the laptop against threats and keep data secure.

Audio

The ThinkPad T14 G4 features stereo speakers that provide adequate audio output for system notifications and video calls. For more immersive audio, users can connect headphones or external speakers via the audio jack or Bluetooth. The microphones are also decent for voice and video meetings.

Pricing and Configurations

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 starts at $1,299 for the base model. This configuration comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 5650U processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD, and a 14-inch FHD display.

There are several customization options available when ordering the ThinkPad T14 G4:

• Processor – Upgrades up to an AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 5850U processor are available. The Ryzen 7 boosts performance for demanding workflows.

• RAM – RAM can be upgraded to 16GB or 32GB for improved multitasking.

• Storage – Up to a 2TB PCIe SSD can be configured for increased storage capacity.

• Display – The 14-inch display is available with touch and non-touch options, as well as FHD and UHD resolution configurations. Touch support and higher resolution displays improve the viewing experience.

• Graphics – Discrete AMD Radeon graphics can be added for better performance with graphics-intensive applications.

• Wireless – WiFi 6E and 4G LTE connectivity are available as upgrades for faster wireless performance.

Many business-centric features like vPro, SmartCard reader, and Windows 10/11 Pro can also be customized when ordering. With the wide range of upgrades, the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 can be configured to suit various budgets and needs.

Verdict

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 is an excellent business laptop that balances performance, battery life, and premium design. It’s ideal for professionals who need a powerful and durable laptop for productivity on the go.

Pros:

• Attractive and sturdy build quality with MIL-STD 810H certification

• Bright 14-inch 2.2K IPS display with great viewing angles

• Best-in-class keyboard with soft-touch deck provides comfortable typing experience

• Good port selection including HDMI, Thunderbolt 4, and USB Type-A

• Fast performance thanks to 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB RAM

• Long battery life up to 10 hours on a single charge

• Webcam shutter and fingerprint reader provide extra security

Cons:

• GPU performance could be better for graphics intensive tasks

• Speakers lack bass and max volume could be higher

• No microSD card slot

• Pricey configuration options drive up the cost

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14 G4 is an excellent enterprise laptop for busy professionals and corporate users. It delivers robust productivity performance thanks to cutting edge 12th Gen Intel processors and ample RAM. Road warriors will appreciate the military-grade durability and long battery life when working on the move. While the GPU performance won’t satisfy creative pros or gamers, it handles day-to-day office tasks, web browsing, and streaming with ease. With its top-notch keyboard, vibrant display, and premium metal chassis, the T14 G4 continues the ThinkPad legacy as a first-class business laptop.