Lenovo ThinkPad P14s 14.5" 21G2001MUS Black 2024

A reliable, port-packed business laptop with a strong CPU and a boring screen. Buy it for work, not for play.

The Core Ultra 7 155H is the star here. It lands in the 76th percentile for CPU performance, which means it chews through spreadsheets, code compiles, and a dozen browser tabs without breaking a sweat. The port selection is a genuine standout, sitting in the 91st percentile with dual Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet, and USB-A ports. But the integrated Intel Arc Graphics are a weak spot for anything beyond light tasks, and gaming scores a brutal 19.8 out of 100. Don't expect to run Cyberpunk on this thing. The 60Hz, 300-nit display is fine for office work but feels dated next to the OLED panels on competing machines.

Stack this against the Apple MacBook Pro M4 Max and you'll see a massive gap in GPU power and screen quality, but the ThinkPad costs far less and has better port flexibility. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 and HP OMEN Transcend 14 both crush the P14s in gaming and display quality, but they're heavier and less focused on business reliability. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro is a closer rival with a better screen, but it lacks the ThinkPad's Ethernet port and rugged build. If you need a no-nonsense work laptop with every port you could want, the P14s holds its own. If you want any gaming or media creation chops, look elsewhere.

Pricing is all over the map. In the US, you're looking at USD 1,800 to USD 1,981 across two listings, with Newegg offering the lower end of that range. Canadian buyers face a wild CAD 764 spread, from CAD 2,159 to CAD 2,923, and the best deal there is also at Newegg. For a business laptop with these specs, the lower end of those ranges is reasonable, but paying near the top would be a mistake when competitors offer brighter displays and more storage.

The Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 is a business workhorse that nails the basics and skips the flash. You're getting a 16-core Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 16GB of DDR5, and a 512GB SSD in a 1.61kg chassis that won't break your shoulder on a commute. The one thing to know? This is a productivity machine first, and it's not pretending to be anything else.

If you're looking for a laptop that can game, edit video, or show off a gorgeous display, this isn't it. Go get an ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 or a MacBook Pro instead. The P14s is for spreadsheets, code, and email, not for fun.

The ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 is a solid buy for business users who prioritize ports, reliability, and CPU performance over flashy screens or gaming. It's not exciting, but it gets the job done and won't let you down. Just don't pay top dollar for it, and don't expect it to be anything other than a work machine.