Lenovo ThinkPad 14" L14 Gen 2 Black 2021

This ThinkPad's port selection is a standout, landing in the 92nd percentile, but the CPU is a real weak spot at the 23rd percentile. The 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD are generous for a sub-$400 refurb, but the dated processor and tiny battery hold it back. It's a capable office machine only if you can live with its performance ceiling and stay plugged in.

The quad-core i5-1135G7 is where things get a little dicey. It's a capable chip for Office apps and web browsing, but our benchmarks place it in the 23rd percentile overall. That puts it well behind the curve compared to newer silicon. You'll notice the age when pushing it with heavier multitasking or large spreadsheets. The integrated Iris Xe graphics are fine for driving the display, but don't even think about gaming. Our gaming score for this setup is a brutal 13.3 out of 100, which is one of the worst we've seen. This is strictly a productivity machine.

Stacked against the competition, the ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 feels like a time capsule. The Apple MacBook Air M4 and Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro absolutely crush it in CPU and GPU performance, not to mention battery life and display quality. Even the ASUS Zenbook UX3405CA runs circles around this Lenovo in raw speed. The ThinkPad's only real win is its port selection and, in this specific config, the 32GB of RAM. For anyone who doesn't need a built-in Ethernet port and a bunch of USB-A jacks, a newer laptop like the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition is a better experience in almost every other way.

Pricing on these refurbished units is all over the place, ranging from $320 to $500 depending on the seller. At the low end, you're getting a lot of RAM and storage for the money, which is hard to argue with. But as you creep toward that $500 mark, the value proposition gets shaky. The CPU and screen are just too dated to justify spending that much when a little more cash can get you into a much more modern machine. If you can snag the 32GB/1TB config for closer to $320, it's a fair deal for a basic office laptop.

The Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 is a bit of a mixed bag, but it nails the basics for a workhorse laptop. Our data puts its port selection in the 92nd percentile, which means you're getting Thunderbolt 4, multiple USB-A and USB-C ports, and even a full-size Ethernet jack. That's a connectivity suite you just don't see on most modern ultrabooks. The 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD in this configuration are also solid, landing around the 70th percentile, so multitasking and storage won't be a headache.

Anyone who values performance or display quality should look elsewhere. The CPU is in the 23rd percentile, which means it's slower than the vast majority of laptops we've tested. If you do any photo editing, coding, or even just keep a ton of browser tabs open, this machine will feel sluggish. The screen is also a weak point, so if you're picky about color accuracy or brightness, this isn't the laptop for you.

The Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 is a niche pick for a specific buyer. If your workflow demands a ton of wired ports and you need 32GB of RAM on a tight budget, a refurbished unit at the right price makes sense. For everyone else, the sluggish CPU and poor battery life are major drawbacks. You're better off saving up for a more modern machine that won't feel slow on day one.