Lenovo ThinkBook 16p G4 IRH 16" Review

The ThinkBook 16p G4 IRH is a budget-friendly big-screen laptop with a decent CPU but weak graphics. Its 16-inch 1600p touchscreen is the main draw for under $1,000. However, the GPU, storage, and RAM are mediocre, and it's not portable. Buy it if you prioritize screen size over peak performance; look elsewhere if you need power for creative work or gaming.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 16p G4 IRH is a bit of a puzzle. It's a 16-inch laptop with a touchscreen, a dedicated NVIDIA GPU, and a 12-core Intel i5 processor, but it's priced under $1,000. That's a lot of screen and power for the money, but it's not trying to be the fastest thing on the block. This feels like Lenovo's answer for someone who wants a big canvas for work or entertainment but doesn't need to chase the absolute top specs.

Who is this for? Our scoring says it leans towards entertainment and creative tasks, though it's not a specialist in either. The 16-inch, 1600p touchscreen is a solid middle-of-the-pack display, and the Intel 13500H CPU is a capable 12-core processor. It's for the user who wants more than a basic office laptop—maybe some light photo editing, comfortable multitasking, or enjoying movies on a nice screen—but isn't planning to render 3D animations or compile massive codebases all day.

What makes it interesting is the package. You're getting a big touchscreen laptop with discrete graphics at a price point where those features are rare. It's factory sealed with a satisfaction guarantee, which adds peace of mind. But it's also heavy, not very portable, and some of its components, like the RAM and storage, are frankly underwhelming. This isn't a sleek ultrabook; it's a practical, screen-first workstation at a budget-friendly price.

Performance here is a mixed bag, and the benchmarks tell the story. The Intel Core i5 13500H is the star. With 12 cores, it's a strong multitasking CPU, landing in the 63rd percentile. For everyday work, browsing, and even some lighter creative apps, it's going to feel fast and responsive. You won't be waiting on this processor.

But other areas drag it down. The dedicated NVIDIA GPU is a nice inclusion, but its ranking is disappointing, sitting in the 18th percentile. This means it's not a powerhouse for gaming or heavy GPU tasks like video rendering. It'll handle basic graphics acceleration and maybe some older games, but it's far from a gaming laptop's performance. Similarly, the 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD are both in the lower third of all laptops we track. The RAM is enough for now, but it's not future-proofed for heavy workloads, and the storage is just adequate—you'll likely need an external drive or upgrade sooner than you'd like.

At $980, the value proposition is clear: you're trading peak performance for screen size and a few premium features. You won't find many 16-inch, 1600p touchscreen laptops with a discrete GPU at this price. Compared to something like a base model MacBook Air, you get a much bigger screen and more potential for light creative work. Compared to gaming laptops at this price, you get a better screen but much weaker graphics.

The catch is that you're accepting middling specs in key areas like storage, RAM, and GPU power to get that big screen. It's a budget-conscious choice for someone who prioritizes workspace over raw speed. If your budget is firmly under $1,000 and a large, high-res display is your top need, this is a compelling option. If you can stretch your budget a few hundred dollars, you'll find laptops with much better balanced specs.

Let's look at a few competitors. The Apple MacBook Pro is a different universe in price and performance, but it highlights what this ThinkBook lacks: compactness, top-tier efficiency, and seamless integration for creatives. This ThinkBook is the budget, Windows alternative for those who need screen real estate.

More directly, the ASUS ProArt PX13 or MSI Creator M14 are aimed at creators. They often have better, sometimes OLED, screens and more powerful GPUs (like an RTX 4050) in smaller, more portable chassis. They cost more, but they're better tools for actual creative work. The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i is a gaming-focused machine at a similar price; it would demolish this ThinkBook in GPU performance but likely have a lesser screen and more aggressive, gaming-focused design. This ThinkBook sits between them: less portable than the 14-inch creators, less powerful than the gaming laptop, but offering its big screen as the main attraction.

This laptop is a bad fit for two main groups. First, anyone who needs serious graphical power. If you're a video editor, a 3D artist, a data scientist using GPU acceleration, or a gamer, the weak GPU performance will frustrate you. Look at the ASUS ProArt, MSI Creator series, or Lenovo Legion instead, even if they cost more.

Second, skip this if you're always on the move. With a low portability score and 2.2kg weight, it's a desk anchor. Students needing a campus companion, digital nomads, or salespeople constantly traveling should look at lighter 13 or 14-inch options, like the Microsoft Surface Laptop or many ultrabooks. This ThinkBook's big screen is a trade-off you only benefit from if you're mostly stationary.

If you're a student, a general home user, or a professional who primarily needs a large, comfortable screen for documents, spreadsheets, web research, and light media editing, this ThinkBook 16p is a good buy. The CPU is capable, the touchscreen is a bonus, and the price is right. You'll appreciate the workspace without overspending.

But you should skip this if your work is GPU-intensive (video editing, 3D modeling, gaming), if you need to carry your laptop everywhere (its portability score is abysmal), or if you need lots of built-in storage or RAM for heavy projects. For those users, the value fades quickly, and you'd be better served by a more specialized laptop, even if it costs a bit more.