Lenovo ThinkPad P14s 14.5" P14s Gen 5 Black 2024 Review

The Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 is a compact workstation laptop with excellent performance for business apps, a fantastic port selection, and solid build quality. However, its dull 45% NTSC display and average GPU hold it back for creative or gaming needs. It's a great value if you find one priced around $2,200.

If you're hunting for a compact workstation laptop that won't weigh you down, the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 should be on your radar. It packs an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD into a 14.5-inch chassis that tips the scales at just 1.61kg. This is the kind of machine engineers, CAD designers, and developers reach for when they need real horsepower for business applications without tying themselves to a desk. Lenovo kept it practical with port selection, too. Two Thunderbolt 4 ports, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, and a pair of USB-A ports mean you won't be living the dongle life. The backlit keyboard and TrackPoint nub are classic ThinkPad, and overall build quality is reassuringly solid. But there's a catch: the 1920x1200 IPS panel only covers 45% NTSC and peaks at 300 nits, which might make creative pros think twice.

Under the hood, the Core Ultra 7 155H is a 16-core chip that handles multitasking and threaded workloads without breaking a sweat. In our database, it lands in the top quarter of laptop CPUs, so apps like SolidWorks, MATLAB, and Visual Studio feel snappy. The 32GB of RAM sits comfortably in the upper tier as well, making virtual machines or large datasets much less painful. The NVIDIA RTX 500, though, is a different story. It's a pro-grade GPU with 4GB of VRAM, suitable for light 3D modeling and accelerated rendering, but it ranks right around the middle of the pack. That means it's fine for CAD viewports and some CUDA tasks, but don't expect to game on it or breeze through complex Blender scenes. The 1TB NVMe SSD is also solidly above average, so load times are quick. Port selection is where this thing really shines; it's in the 92nd percentile, so connectivity is essentially best-in-class for a laptop this size.

Pricing for the ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 is weirdly inconsistent. We've seen it as low as $2,202 and as high as an absurd $423,048 (seriously, don't pay that). At around two grand, the spec combo of a Core Ultra 7, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and a pro GPU is competitive against something like a Dell Precision or HP ZBook. You're getting a lot of upgrade potential and classic ThinkPad reliability for the money. But if you spot a listing asking for over three grand, walk away; that's MacBook Pro money with a much better display.

Stacked against the Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max, the P14s feels like a different beast entirely. The MacBook has a far superior mini-LED display, faster GPU, and better battery life, but you can't upgrade it later and macOS might not run your CAD software. The HP ZBook Ultra G1a is a more direct Windows rival, often with a higher-res screen, but it typically costs more and isn't as light. The ASUS ROG Flow GZ302 is faster for gaming and GPU work, but it's bulkier and less business-focused. For most office-bound engineers, the ThinkPad hits a sweet spot of portability, ports, and performance, though the MSI Prestige and Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro offer better screens if that's your priority.

Skip the P14s Gen 5 if you need a vibrant, color-accurate display for photo or video editing. The 45% NTSC panel won't cut it, and you'd be better off with a MacBook Pro or a Dell XPS with an OLED screen. Gamers should also look elsewhere; the RTX 500 is too underpowered for modern titles. If you just need a basic office laptop, you're overpaying for workstation features you won't use, so check out a ThinkPad T-series or a Dell Latitude instead.

So, should you buy the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5? If you're an engineer or developer who needs a reliable, lightweight workstation with a great keyboard and tons of ports, it's a solid yes. The CPU and RAM spec make it a beast for compiling code or running CAD assemblies, and you can pop in more memory down the line. But if your work revolves around color grading, photography, or any task where screen accuracy matters, this laptop will frustrate you. The display is simply too washed out. And if you're looking for a gaming machine, look elsewhere. For the right person, though, it's a portable powerhouse that won't let you down.