ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 offers Ryzen 5000 Pro in a compact format

A powerful Ryzen 5000 Pro from AMD should run on a just 13.3-inch notebook? Lenovo wants to prove this with its two upcoming ThinkPad L13 and ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 2 devices. We take a closer look at the powerful mobile computers.

AMD portfolio is expanded

The increasingly popular AMD CPUs are also reflected in Lenovo’s devices. Thus, the popular PC and notebook manufacturer now wants to launch two more notebooks that rely on the Intel competitor’s processor technology. The ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 2 is a real premiere from Lenovo. The company already launched a convertible with AMD architecture, but it was based on Chrome OS.

Now they want to ship it with Windows just like the new ThinkPad L13 Gen 2. The two new additions join a long line of other AMD-based ThinkPads that Lenovo has announced for this year. Indeed, current CPUs from AMD are also to be used in the T14, T14s, L14, L15 and X13. The fact that an AMD processor is at work inside is made clear by the name addition “Gen 2”.

Equivalent to Intel’s vPro

Lenovo obviously wants to launch a serious alternative to Intel’s vPro processor. Under the hood of both ThinkPads is the AMD Ryzen 5000 Pro, a CPU whose performance is roughly on par with Intel’s vPro. AMD’s 5000 Pro series offers different processors with different performance levels. The Ryzen 3 Pro 5450U makes a start. The Ryzen 5 Pro 5650U is in the mid-range and the Ryzen 7 Pro 5850U is the top of the line. All of them come with an integrated graphics unit. Depending on the processor, this is a Vega 6, 7 or 8 GPU.

Convertible with practical pen

The upcoming AMD Yoga is supposed to come with an exciting gadget ex-works – a stylus. This makes the 360-degree foldable notebook extremely interesting, especially for creative people. By the way, the smart stylus can be stored directly in the case of the 2-in-1. Once stored there, the pen’s battery is also charged directly. Both upcoming devices feature the same chassis with a corresponding color choice between black and silver. The display of the Yoga is also impressive.

Here, Lenovo promises a sharp and, of course, touch-sensitive FullHD display that comes in a 16:9 aspect ratio. The classic ThinkPad L13 Gen 2, on the other hand, gives its buyer a choice. Here you can get a FullHD display with touch, a FullHD display without touch and even an almost old-fashioned looking HD display. The features of the HD webcam are also optional. The mechanical covering of the lens (privacy shutter) is possible as standard. You have to accept surcharges with the choice of an IR sensor.

Perfect for business use

Particularly important for mobile use is not only the battery life, which Lenovo promises to last almost 11 hours. A certain connectivity is also elementary. And there seems to be very little to complain about. Besides USB-A and USB-C, there is also an HDMI port and a good old microSD card reader. Unfortunately, Thunderbolt 4 is not available due to AMD. This technology is (still) Intel-exclusive.  Lenovo relies on WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.1 to ensure fast wireless connectivity. Ironically, the corresponding module comes from Intel.

Prices and availability

It should be ready in August. The two new Lenovo notebooks are supposed to be launched then. The prices naturally differ between the ThinkPads. While the manufacturer lists an MSRP starting at 799 Euros for the Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 2, the convertible ThinkPad L13 Yoga Gen 2 is supposed to launch at an MSRP of 999 Euros. These are the prices of the basic version. Thus, users who want more features or performance will have to expect a surcharge.