Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 (AMD) test – Entry into the business class

The Thinkpad – hardly any other laptop series is so legendary and has remained so true to itself. Originally developed by IBM, this series of laptops went to Lenovo over 20 years ago. Even though the first models were still equipped with the IBM logo. However, even though thinkpads usually look very similar from the outside, development has not stood still and there are also different classes of devices. The most expensive professional workstations run under the letter P, while the classic top models for everyday business use fall under the T series. X models are compact and slim. Below these are the L models and the most affordable models are labeled with the letter E, formerly “Edge”. We are testing the E16 G2 with an AMD Ryzen processor from this entry-level class. The exact equipment designation of the test device is 21M50022GE.

Specifications

Processor	AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS (8C / 16T)
RAM	32 GB DDR5-4800 (2 of 2 slots occupied)
Display	16″ 16:10, 1920 x 1200, 60 Hz, IPS
Data storage	1 TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 (1 of 2 slots occupied)
Graphics unit	AMD Radeon 680M
Size (W x H x D)	356.1 x 19.9 x 24.7 mm
Weight (W x H x D)	1.8 kg
Battery	57 Wh
Power supply unit	65 W
price	€ 994.21 *

Packaging and scope of delivery

• Most of the packaging is made of recyclable cardboard.
• A fabric-like cover for the laptop can be reused.

The Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 comes in a brown cardboard box with the Think logo printed on a large area. Where the seal already indicates sustainability, the concept is continued inside. There are no plastic bags, instead the laptop is held in place by a structure reminiscent of an egg carton. It is also made of a similar paper material, but is even softer than an egg carton. Next to it is a cardboard box containing the power supply unit.

For additional protection, the laptop is packed in a fabric-like cover made of bamboo fibers, which can in principle also be used to protect the laptop when it is placed in a bag together with other parts. However, this cover does not replace a laptop bag – it is too thin for that. However, the seal that closes the bag is ridiculous. It came halfway off before I even touched it and it came off completely without any damage, which kind of contradicts the concept of a seal.

Another envelope contains a quick guide and the warranty conditions. All in all, the packaging material can therefore be recycled as far as possible. Lenovo itself describes the packaging material as 100% plastic-free.

Design

• Simple black design that hardly differs from other models
• Red i-dot in the Thinkpad logo lights up during operation
• Striking red trackpoint, apart from that discreetly inconspicuous

The design of a Thinkpad is… unsurprising. And so the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 from this test is part of a series that is difficult to distinguish at first glance. Devices from the last 20 years are shown here, but the design features go back much further.

The classic matt black casing of the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 from this test bears the well-known Thinkpad logo, whose i-dot has been illuminated when switched on for a few generations. Apart from that, you can see the now emphasized Lenovo logo at the bottom.

When opened, you can see a keyboard that is also equipped with a number field. In the middle of the keyboard is the red trackpoint, one of the most distinctive features of a Thinkpad. Lenovo is therefore the last manufacturer to still use trackpoints in the Thinkpad series. Other manufacturers, such as Dell and Fujitsu, which until a few years ago also offered business models with trackpoints, have since done away with them.

Apart from that, thinkpads thrive on looking “boring” in a professional way. A basically inconspicuous design that looks classy precisely because of this. The frame is slightly raised in the middle above the screen. On the one hand, this area is where the webcam is located and on the other hand, it can be used as a handle to open the device more easily.

Build quality

• Workmanship has improved over the generations.
• Very thinly constructed keyboard.
• Robustness, however, is not at the level of higher-class models.

If you look purely at the specifications, Thinkpads always seem a little expensive. Laptops with similar or even better basic features are already available for considerably less money. But what you expect here is a high-quality finish, a good keyboard – in other words, a certain professionalism. And at this level, Thinkpads also have a certain legendary status. For example, Thinkpads are used exclusively on the ISS. Nevertheless, the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 from this test belongs to the entry-level Thinkpad series. What does this mean for the build quality and materials?

Overall, this business laptop also makes a good impression. The keyboard looks a little less impressive than on the upper-class models, but is still better than most of the competition. The underside of the case, like the display cover, is made of metal and a long rubber strip ensures a secure stand and a distance from the table surface so that the fan doesn’t suffocate. In the test, I often use the Thinkpad E590 from the same series, which is a few generations older. And the newer E16 G2 is an improvement on this in many respects. The power button now feels more precise and the workmanship – with the exception of the keyboard – seems better all round.

Despite the good workmanship, the robustness is not quite at the level of the T, X or P series. Nevertheless, the US military standard MIL-STD 810H is fulfilled. Lenovo itself provides this information on the tests that are carried out for this, even if the tests have since been updated, as the linked page previously referred to the older MIL-STD 810G.

Connection options

• Useful, expected connections.
• There is no longer a card reader.

When testing the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2, it is also important to take a look at the connections. With a business device, you have to be prepared for a wide variety of usage scenarios. There are two USB-C ports on the left-hand side, which not only charge the laptop, but can also be used as a DisplayPort 1.4 in addition to regular USB operation. There is also a full-size HDMI 2.1 port and two regular USB-A ports – one of which is located on the right-hand side of the casing. The last port on the left is a combined headphone and microphone port.

On the right, in addition to the USB-A port already mentioned, there is also an RJ-45 network cable connection and, in the event that the laptop needs to be physically secured, there is the obligatory Kensington lock.

What I miss is a card reader. Neither SD nor micro SD can be found here. What a shame – that was still a way of expanding the storage space, using the memory card as a removable drive or transferring images from a camera to the laptop. Another point for which USB now has to serve.

Power supply

• Power supply was wrapped in black paper.
• Laptop can be charged via both USB-C ports.
• The USB-C power supply can even be used to charge smartphones.

The power supply unit of the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 is a USB-C power supply unit according to current standards, which can also be used as a fast charger for many smartphones, for example. The power supply unit itself is still in a paper sleeve, which must be removed before use. The plug can then be attached to the power supply unit and the laptop can be charged. In fact, both USB-C ports on the laptop can be used for this, depending on the setup.

When charging, the LED between the laptop’s USB-C ports also lights up. If the charge level is low, the LED lights up red. If the battery is almost or completely full, the LED changes to white. The battery was completely discharged on delivery, so the mains adapter had to be connected for commissioning.

According to Lenovo, the plastic housing of the power supply unit is made of 90% recycled plastic.

First start and system software

• Initialization takes a while.
• McAfee was installed ex works, but is easy to uninstall.
• Lenovo Now can be forgotten, but Lenovo Vantage is a useful tool.

As with AMD desktop computers, you have to wait a while on the first start before anything happens on the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2’s screen. No drama, just a brief irritation if you are coming from an Intel computer. Then the usual setup begins, but this is a typical Windows process. The test computer comes from the factory with Windows 11 and also pulls a few updates after the WLAN has been set up.

Lenovo is cautious when it comes to bloatware. Only McAfee is installed and running – but it can be uninstalled quite easily. Apart from that, there are only a few Lenovo’s own programs. “Lenovo Now” can be safely ignored – they just want to sell you more software or subscriptions. This is also easy to uninstall if necessary.

“Lenovo Vantage”, on the other hand, is quite useful because it allows you to view device-specific data: Serial number, specifications, remaining warranty. In addition, updates can be carried out from drivers to the BIOS – and to be honest, the BIOS update is really simple. Simply start the update via the program and then the device does everything itself and reboots a few times. The only thing it seems to have messed up was my login via Windows Hello – this no longer worked after the update and had to be set up again.

Keyboard, trackpad and trackpoint

• Good, but flat keyboard
• Many settings possible in the BIOS to customize key assignments
• Trackpoint is the Thinkpad specialty

It’s difficult to describe the feel of a keyboard, but on the other hand, frequent typists often find it very difficult to switch from one Thinkpad to another laptop. And here, too, I have to say: Top! The keyboard still feels really good despite the rather flat design and the low key travel compared to older devices.

As a user of the TrackPoint – yes indeed! – I found it a little difficult to feel the middle dedicated button, the scroll button. Due to the flatter design, you quickly slip onto the other buttons. Otherwise, the trackpoint works like a joystick – the mouse pointer moves depending on which direction you press it. This is unusual for first-time users, but once you get used to it, it’s quite pleasant not to have to swipe around on the touchpad all the time.

Due to the dedicated buttons for the trackpoint, the trackpad itself is a little smaller than we are used to from some other laptop manufacturers. But these are also nuances. On the other hand, the trackpad works very well, which was rather semi-impressive on many older ThinkPads. Gestures with two and three fingers work well and intuitively here.

However, I personally use the trackpoint and here you often end up with your palm on the trackpad and this causes unwanted side effects. However, you can deactivate the trackpad (or the trackpoint) in the BIOS if necessary, so that there are no more problems.

You can also make further settings in the BIOS. For example, you can change the CTRL key and the Fn key if you can’t get along with the Fn key in the corner. You can also set the F1-F12 keys as the default, which I really like to do. I prefer to press the Fn keys to have access to the additional functions so that I don’t have to get used to the laptop keyboard and an external keyboard.

Screen

• 60 Hz is not designed for gaming.
• Very good viewing angle stability.
• Very narrow monitor frame.

As is so often the case with ThinkPads, unless you order an expensive top model, you will find a rather mediocre display on the Lenovo ThinkPad E16 G2. The special feature is the 16:10 resolution. The width of 1920 pixels has been retained here, but the screen height has increased from the 1080 pixels found on FHD displays to 1200 pixels. Although this results in bars when watching 16:9 videos, it simply gives you more room to maneuver in all other situations – be it in the browser, when working in the office or even when gaming. Despite the slightly larger screen diagonal, the device has not become larger compared to the 16:9 models, which is mainly due to the particularly narrow screen bezel.

Otherwise, the display is matte to avoid too much reflection. 60 Hz is sufficient for everyday use, but is clearly not designed for gaming. The viewing angle stability is extremely good thanks to the IPS panel.

Whether from the side, from below or above: everything remains visible. Very nice. But unlike professionally calibrated displays, the color fidelity is not perfect. For such work, we recommend either a different device or at least an external graphics monitor.

The brightness of 300 cd/m² is okay, but not impressive. I wouldn’t want to work with a black device in the blazing sun anyway, as it heats up quite a bit, but the display can be used well in shady areas.

In any case, the display has been visibly improved compared to a similar model a few years ago and the viewing angle stability is also excellent.

Sound

• Loud, clear speakers
• Weak bass foundation
• Bottom-mounted speakers whose sound is reflected by the surface

A brief section on the sound of the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2. Although it is advertised with “audio by HARMAN”, to be honest: It is still a laptop and no miracles are to be expected.

Although the sound is easy to understand and clearer than in previous models, the quality is still not a pleasure. In particular, the two downward-firing speakers lack bass, which is simply due to the design of these small speakers. If I take the Thinkpad E590, which is a few generations older, as a comparison, the E16 G2 is less muffled and noticeably louder at the upper end of the volume scale. So yes, the sound is better than on similarly priced models from a while ago.

Nevertheless, the integrated speakers are no match for external solutions, be it a sound system, closed headphones or in-ears. Useful yes – enjoyment no.

Webcam

• Webcam can be physically covered, so no glue is needed to securely close the webcam.
• 1920×1080 resolution is better than many other laptop webcams.
• Image is quite wide-angle and shows a lot of the room.

One always smiles at the quality of laptop webcams, but in the case of the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2, I naturally put it to the test. A special feature, although there are other laptops with this feature, is the fact that you can physically close the webcam. A small lever can slide a cover in front of the lens. So if you want to be absolutely sure that nothing and nobody can access the webcam, you no longer have to tape it shut, but can simply close it with the built-in mechanism. This also has the advantage that you can deliberately open it again at any time if necessary – without leaving any adhesive residue.

As far as the image quality of the webcam is concerned, I have to say that it’s quite okay for a built-in laptop webcam. It offers a Full HD resolution and you don’t have to be ashamed of the quality in calls. However, it is quite wide-angle and therefore shows quite a lot of the room. For a built-in webcam, I would have preferred a higher focal length to have the face larger in the picture and less of the background.

Performance

• Solid 8-core processor.
• Decent performance, but this is almost halved in battery mode.

The features of the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 (AMD) with the model number 21M50022GE prove to be solid in the test. An AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS is used here with 8 cores, 16 threads and a boost clock of up to 4.75 GHz. It also comes with 32 GB of RAM, which at 4800 Mhz is not exactly dramatically fast for DDR5, but at least it runs in dual channel ex works.

As a test, I chose Passmark, which tests all areas and compares them against each other. I carried out this test once with a fixed power connection and once in battery mode. As usual, the latter shows a sharp drop in performance. However, the reduced performance results in significantly lower power consumption and ensures that the battery life does not drop dramatically.

The performance in battery mode is significantly reduced, but still solid. However, if you really want to use the computer for gaming, it may make more sense to have the computer plugged in, depending on the title.

Gaming performance

• Not designed for gaming, as you can tell from the 60 Hz display.
• iGPU is relatively powerful, but does not come close to a dedicated GPU.

A ThinkPad is not built for gaming, but the integrated graphics unit that AMD has donated to the processor is quite respectable! You shouldn’t expect high-end performance from a dedicated graphics card, but some games can be played quite well as long as you don’t necessarily need more than the 60 Hz that the monitor can deliver.

I chose to test both 3DMark Time Spy and Steel Nomad. Apart from that, I only tested Final Fantasy XV as a reasonably graphics-intensive game, although there are more intensive titles that I wouldn’t want to put the integrated graphics card through.

The graphics performance is very satisfactory for an iGPU and DirectX 12 support increases compatibility with many games. As soon as you play games from 2015 or earlier, you don’t have to worry at all: These will run. And many newer games also run well if you’re not firing up performance-hungry AAA games.

The older Final Fantasy games run well and even classics like Starcraft II and Diablo III don’t cause any problems.

Battery life

• AMD version has a longer battery life than the Intel version.
• Good battery life, but the runtime from the specifications is not achieved in flexible everyday work.

When testing the battery life, the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 benefits from the fact that it uses a rather economical AMD processor. The efficiency of the processors is even more important for laptops than in the desktop sector – and AMD is currently ahead in both areas. The battery life is already specified as 13 hours ex works, whereas a comparably equipped Intel model with a Core Ultra 7 has a battery life of up to 11.5 hours in the specifications. But what about the practical test? Realistically, I don’t expect to achieve the “up to” battery runtimes in practice.

My working day involves different types of media work, from image editing and writing texts to checking YouTube videos. Here, the battery went into power-saving mode after around 5 1/2 hours with 30% remaining capacity. After around 7 hours, the laptop reached its limit. All in all, quite satisfactory, but not quite enough to complete a full working day without a power supply, as long as I don’t manually switch the laptop to power-saving mode from the outset and leave the brightness of the display at the lower half. On the test day, I changed the room several times and adjusted the brightness from very low to high accordingly.

Opening the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2

• Not entirely intuitive opening process
• In addition to a screwdriver, a robust, narrow plastic part is required.

Historically, thinkpads were very easy to upgrade, but this has diminished somewhat over time. In the meantime, however, there has been something of a turnaround in the trend. There are a few screws on the underside of the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 from this review, and the entire base plate is secured by a few clips that you have to carefully loosen around the case. But nothing is glued and so you can remove the entire base plate. This is not so easy, as you don’t just have to loosen the screws, which can be done quickly with a small Phillips screwdriver. The base is also secured all round with small clips.

To be able to remove the case back, you have to pry it open a little at one point, which worked best for me in the hinge area. Then you have to go around the case with a thin piece of plastic and gradually open the clips. It’s not as intuitive as with older Thinkpads, but the process is comparable to the E590 model often used for comparison in the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 test.

Once you are through here, you can completely remove the bottom cover and gain access to the internal components of the Thinkpad.

Upgrades and repair

• Two RAM slots are freely accessible.
• M.2 SSD is replaceable and an M.2 SSD can also be installed.
• Battery is screwed in and can be replaced if necessary.
• SSD and RAM from Samsung are used ex works.

The RAM is not actually soldered here, but both slots are directly accessible, which makes upgrading easier. M.2 slots are also accessible here – and not just one, in which the system SSD is located, but there is a free second slot that can be used to install an additional drive. So you can still carry out a solid upgrade. However, the factory-installed SSD is in the compact 2242 format – fortunately, the more common 2280 M.2 format can be used for expansion.

Of course – the processor is also soldered here – mobile processors are no longer manufactured with removable slots, which makes for a more compact design.

Incidentally, the battery of the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 is labeled L23X3PG2 and is secured with three screws. A quick search has shown that it is possible to find suitable replacement batteries. So if the battery gives up the ghost after a few years, it is possible to replace it.

The advertising for this was not as big as for the Thinkpad T16 G3, but the E16 G2 also achieves a repairability rating of 9/10 at iFixit (where the Intel model is presented) – very good!

Conclusion

The Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 (AMD) proves to be an interesting mix of classic design, solid technology and a good price for the components considering the build quality. The upgradeability is better than most other laptops in this price range. Overall, I am very pleased to find a solidly performing laptop with good build quality and robustness in this price range, which can also cope with occasional gaming, at least within certain limits.

This means that the ThinkPad offers hardly any room for criticism. The point that annoys me the most is the lack of an SD card reader. This may not be a relevant point for many, but I really miss it in my everyday work. All in all, however, the Lenovo Thinkpad E16 G2 (AMD) is a really solid notebook that fully meets most business requirements, so it’s getting really hard to justify the premium price over the popular T-series unless you’re looking for configuration details that are reserved for the higher class, such as color-fast screens or touch displays.