The ThinkPad laptop brand’s success formula may be summarised as a black plastic chassis, a red TrackPoint, a long travel keyboard, and an overall design that stresses usability. This is still true today, as Lenovo laptops are among the most popular in the corporate world, even though today’s models are typically slimmer.
Maintaining the status quo may be appealing to Lenovo. Despite this, Lenovo’s new ThinkPad Z line, at least in part, turns the ThinkPad formula on its head. Apart from the large ThinkPad Z16, the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 is one of the two first models in the Z series.
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 G1: AMD instead of Intel, metal instead of plastic
It used to be an unwritten rule that all ThinkPads, especially the high-end ones, had to bear the “Intel Inside” branding. Even here, the new ThinkPad Z13 deviates from tradition: it will be sold entirely with AMD processors, with no Intel alternative. Though the ThinkPad Z13 is reported to have a “next-gen” AMD Ryzen Pro R7z – a customized CPU that AMD makes particularly for this Lenovo ThinkPad – the AMD CPUs Lenovo is employing are unknown.
The processor is brand new, and the same can be said of the design. There is no usage of plastic in construction. Lenovo, on the other hand, makes use of recyclable aluminum. If a model with the Bronze metal rim is chosen, the palm rest is composed of glass, and the screen lid is available in a “vegan leather” form. On all variants, Lenovo uses a two-tone design, with the palm rest being black. The ThinkPad Z13 is rounder all around than other ThinkPad notebooks, and the large webcam bulge stands out both visually and physically. It’s where the new 1080p f2.0 camera may be found.
WQXGA OLED, extremely small screen bezel, changes to the input devices: Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1
The new design is centered on a 13.3-inch 16:10 screen with a slender screen bezel. Even the ThinkPad X1 series doesn’t come close to the 91.6 percent screen-to-body ratio. When it comes to the screen panel, Lenovo follows the ThinkPad formula in that it offers a variety of options. A Low Power IPS display with a WUXGA resolution will be included in the cheapest variants (1,920 x 1,080). Lenovo offers an OLED panel with WQXGA resolution for more high-end models (2,560 x 1,600 pixels).
The ThinkPad Z13 is a business notebook with an optional 4G modem. The port selection is less business-like, as Lenovo only provides two USB C 4.0 connectors – hardly a first for the ThinkPad brand, but the equivalent ThinkPad X1 Nano (available from Amazon, affiliate link) is significantly lighter. The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 G1 isn’t exactly light, weighing in at 1.25 kg.
One ThinkPad characteristic remains in the Z13: the red ThinkPad TrackPoint. The discrete TrackPoint mouse keys, on the other hand, are absent from the equation; instead, Lenovo includes a considerably larger trackpad with integrated TrackPoint buttons. Lenovo tried this approach with the 2013 ThinkPads and it failed miserably; with the 2015 ThinkPads, Lenovo returned to dedicated TrackPoint buttons. This time, though, Lenovo uses a “Haptic Force pad,” rather than a mechanical approach.
The keyboard has undergone some alterations, some of which may be contentious. On the plus side, the keyboard is full-sized, unlike other 13.3-inch ThinkPads, like the X1 Nano, which employs a 95-percent-keyboard. On the other hand, the very small vertical arrow keys and the absence of specific PageUp/Down buttons are disadvantages. Furthermore, some of the keys are no longer rounded, except the alpha-numerical keys, which retain the conventional ThinkPad key design.
Lenovo also takes the risk of moving the Fn and Ctrl keys around; the ThinkPad Z series devices are the first ThinkPads to have the Ctrl button to the left of the Fn key. This is consistent with the majority of the PC industry, although it is distinct from all previous ThinkPad notebooks.
Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1: Pricing and availability
The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 is going to be available in May 2022. The base model will cost $1,549.
| Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 Specifications | |||
| CPU | Next Gen AMD Ryzen Pro U series | Webcam | IR FHD f2.0, eShutter |
| OS | Windows 11 | Battery | 50 Wh, Rapid Charge |
| RAM | Up to 32 GB LPDDR5 (on board) | Security | Match-on-Chip FPR in keyboard, TPM 2.0, Microsoft Pluton Security Processor |
| Storage | Up to 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD | Ports | 2x USB C 4.0, 3.5mm Audio |
| GPU | Integrated AMD Radeon | Input | Edge-to-Edge keyboard, 1.35mm travel, backlit, 120mm Haptic ForcePad |
| Audio | Dolby Atmos Speaker System, Dolby Voice | Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2, 4G LTE CAT 16 |
| Display | 13.3 inch 16:10, WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) IPS 400 cd/m² Low Power (Touch optional)13.3 inch 16:10, WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) OLED 400 cd/m², Touch, Dolby Vision, Low Blue Light | Chassis | 1.25 kg, 294.4 x 199.6 x 13.99 mm Black Recycled AluminumArctic Grey Recycled AluminumBlack Vegan Leather, Bronze Recycled Aluminum |
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