Disclosure: I received this device as a review unit from Lenovo. All opinions are my own, no one from Lenovo is receiving copy approval before this review is posted.
Configuration tested: AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 6860Z, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD.
Lenovo's new Z line of ThinkPad laptops aim to deliver a progressive and sustainable design, complete with vegan leather and sustainable materials, with the underlying DNA of a ThinkPad business laptop. Let's take a deeper look at what the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 1 has to offer.
Specs and Configuration Options
The ThinkPad Z13 can be configured with either an AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 6650U (base frequency of 2.9GHz and a max frequency of 4.5GHz), a Ryzen 7 Pro 6850U (base frequency of 2.7GHz and a max frequency of 4.7GHz), or a Ryzen 7 Pro 6860Z (base frequency of 2.7GHz and a max frequency of 4.725GHz).
There are two options for memory: either 16GB or 32GB. The memory is soldered to the system board and is not user-upgradable.
In terms of storage, there is one M.2 2242 PCIe Gen 4x4 slot that supports an M.2 2242 SSD.
There are two options for memory: either 16GB or 32GB. The memory is soldered to the system board and is not user-upgradable.
In terms of storage, there is one M.2 2242 PCIe Gen 4x4 slot that supports an M.2 2242 SSD.
Unboxing Experience and Packaging Sustainability.
Unboxing the ThinkPad Z13 was quite a unique experience. It started with a normal cardboard box featuring the Think logo, but with a recycled cardboard handle instead of plastic:
Upon opening the discrete cardboard box, I found a very interesting box holding the laptop itself. This box is made from 100% renewable bamboo and sugarcane, and as a bonus, is 100% home-compostable.
Another fun-fact: the included AC power adapter is extremely compact and uses 90% Post-Consumer Content, which is essentially content created by consumers after a product has reached the end of its use.
It's awesome to see Lenovo's focus on sustainability with the Z13 - it plays a key role in the whole experience of the product, not just the device itself but also the packaging and included accessories.
Design and Build
There are two case options currently offered on the Z13: a black vegan leather case with Bronze accents (left) or an Arctic grey top and grey accents (right).
Left: Recycled black vegan leather with Bronze color accents. Right: Arctic Grey top with Grey color accents.
These designs offer a more flashy design than the traditional all-black ThinkPads, but also retain the ThinkPad's most notable features: the light-up ThinkPad logo, the TrackPoint, and a rock-solid build quality (more on that later).
My model with the Black Vegan Leather top looks and feels extremely premium; some people I've showed this laptop to have asked if it was an aftermarket leather skin on my laptop, and were taken aback when I mentioned that it was the original design of the laptop.
The Z13 Gen1 has a 13-inch display (with extremely thin bezels) and weighs a little less than three pounds (1.26 kg).
This is an extremely thin laptop at only 0.55 inches thick. A tradeoff of this thinness is the port selection: there are just two USB4 C ports, a 3.5" headphone/microphone jack, and a SIM card slot. There are two dongles included, however: a USB-C to USB-A and a USB-C to HDMI dongle.
Speaking of the SIM card slot, the Z13 supports 4G LTE through a physical nano-SIM card or eSIM (depending on carrier). This is no 5G support at this time, unfortunately.
Even though the Z13 is super thin and light, this does not compromise the build quality of the laptop - the Z13 truly embodies the quality reputation of ThinkPad. The chassis is extremely stiff, with minimal keyboard and display flex. The Z13 is backed by a MIL-STD-810H certification, meaning it was tested to withstand conditions such as extreme temperatures, shocks, vibrations, and sand. The keyboard is also spill-resistant, which is impressive for such a compact device.
One pleasantly surprising feature of the Z13: Lenovo designed the hinge in a way that the laptop can be opened with just one finger. This is a feature MacBooks have had for a while and I'm thrilled to see it on this laptop because it makes lifting the lid significantly easier.
One pleasantly surprising feature of the Z13: Lenovo designed the hinge in a way that the laptop can be opened with just one finger. This is a feature MacBooks have had for a while and I'm thrilled to see it on this laptop because it makes lifting the lid significantly easier.
Unlike Lenovo's Yoga line of products, the Z13 is a traditional clamshell - this means it only opens to a 135 degree angle at its max. While this is a decent angle for most work, I do find myself wanting to be able to push the display all the way back to be able to display the screen to others.
Sustainability is a major theme with the Z13, and that extends to the raw materials of the product.
There are many of aspects of the product - from materials to packaging - where Lenovo has worked to make the experience more sustainable:
There are many of aspects of the product - from materials to packaging - where Lenovo has worked to make the experience more sustainable:
- 75% post-consumer recycled aluminum
- 97% PCC recycled plastic used in speaker enclosure
- 97% PCC recycled plastic used in the 50Wh battery
- 95% PCC recycled plastic used in standard 65W adapter
- Low-temperature solder
- 90% recycled and/or sustainable packaging
Security
The Z13 does not shy away from security features - this device has many of the features one expects from ThinkPad.
There is an electronic e-Shutter for disabling the camera when not in use. Windows Hello for authentication is supported by both an IR camera in the communications bar and a fingerprint sensor on the keyboard - both have been extremely quick to unlock the device. Inside, there is a discrete TPM 2.0 chip with Microsoft Pluton. Mirametrix's Glance software, a software suite that provides additional security features such as detecting if someone is peaking at your laptop screen, is also available on the Z13.
There is an electronic e-Shutter for disabling the camera when not in use. Windows Hello for authentication is supported by both an IR camera in the communications bar and a fingerprint sensor on the keyboard - both have been extremely quick to unlock the device. Inside, there is a discrete TPM 2.0 chip with Microsoft Pluton. Mirametrix's Glance software, a software suite that provides additional security features such as detecting if someone is peaking at your laptop screen, is also available on the Z13.
Performance
The Z13 is powered by AMD's Ryzen Pro U-series processors with integrated AMD Radeon graphics. The Z13 I'm testing has an exclusive AMD Ryzen Pro 6860Z processor.
This manifests itself in very solid performance in day-to-day tasks. Coupled with the 32GB of RAM, the Z13 has no trouble simultaneously keeping up with coding, 3D simulation apps, and 50 Chrome tabs open.
In benchmarks on Balanced mode, the Z13 scored 9796 pts in the Multi-Core CPU test on Cinebench R23 and 1495 pts in the Single Core CPU test. Both of these is superior to Intel's i7-1165G7 @ 15W TPU.
This manifests itself in very solid performance in day-to-day tasks. Coupled with the 32GB of RAM, the Z13 has no trouble simultaneously keeping up with coding, 3D simulation apps, and 50 Chrome tabs open.
In benchmarks on Balanced mode, the Z13 scored 9796 pts in the Multi-Core CPU test on Cinebench R23 and 1495 pts in the Single Core CPU test. Both of these is superior to Intel's i7-1165G7 @ 15W TPU.
On Geekbench 5, the Z13 scored 1523 in the Single-Core test, 8742 in the Multi-Core test, and 32534 in the OpenCL test.
For such a thin and light laptop, the Z13 does a good job at maintaining a cool temperature even with heavy workloads. There are two fans on the Z13, and they are very quiet in medium loads and completely silent in low loads. The only time I can notice the fans are when I am running a simulation which consumes a lot of processing power.
Display
There are three display options for the Z13; 1920x1200 IPS touch or non-touch displays, and a 2880x1800 OLED touch display. The 1920x1200 displays have a max brightness of 400nit, whereas the 2880x1800 display has a max brightness of 500nits in HDR mode. All display options have an aspect ratio of 16:10. Most laptops have a 16:9 aspect ratio, so the 16:10 aspect ratio on the Z13 is a nice bonus that fits more text on the display.
The 2880x1800 display on my test unit is gorgeous - with Dolby Vision tuning, the colors are vibrant, the blacks are extremely dark, and text is extremely crisp. The display gets plenty bright to handle outdoor use as well. Overall, the display on the Z13 is one of the best I've tested in a laptop. If you're one for content creation or consumption, the OLED display option is definitely worth it.
The 2880x1800 display on my test unit is gorgeous - with Dolby Vision tuning, the colors are vibrant, the blacks are extremely dark, and text is extremely crisp. The display gets plenty bright to handle outdoor use as well. Overall, the display on the Z13 is one of the best I've tested in a laptop. If you're one for content creation or consumption, the OLED display option is definitely worth it.
For those concerned about potential burn-in of the OLED display, Lenovo has software options to disable static components of the display after a certain time period, which can help with preventing burn-in.
Haptic ForcePad, TrackPoint, Keyboard
The keyboard on the Z13 is slightly different than traditional ThinkPads. For starters, the Control and Function keys are in the position non-ThinkPads would typically be (that is, Control on the far-left and Function to the right). If you're coming from a laptop brand other than ThinkPad, this layout will be familiar.
There is also less key travel on the Z13 that other ThinkPads, but the keys are very clicky and tactile. It's very comfortable to type on this keyboard for extended periods of time and particularly when taking notes quickly because of the quick feedback of the keys.
There is also less key travel on the Z13 that other ThinkPads, but the keys are very clicky and tactile. It's very comfortable to type on this keyboard for extended periods of time and particularly when taking notes quickly because of the quick feedback of the keys.
The traditional TrackPad is also replaced by a 120mm haptic ForcePad. This means that the surface itself does not physically click down - a vibration motor underneath the ForcePad's surface vibrates simulating a button click. I got used to this ForcePad quite quickly, and it performed very accurately in my usage. Very rarely did the ForcePad not register my press or detected presses that were not intended.
For ThinkPad traditionalists, the red TrackPoint is still present on the Z13. It is slightly lower profile than the one on my X1 Yoga (Gen 5), but the feel and finish is nearly identical.
In addition to performing all the traditional TrackPoint features, the TrackPoint on the Z13 has a hidden feature up its sleeve: tapping the TrackPoint twice launches a Communication QuickMenu for rapid access to camera and microphone settings (more on that in the next section).
For ThinkPad traditionalists, the red TrackPoint is still present on the Z13. It is slightly lower profile than the one on my X1 Yoga (Gen 5), but the feel and finish is nearly identical.
In addition to performing all the traditional TrackPoint features, the TrackPoint on the Z13 has a hidden feature up its sleeve: tapping the TrackPoint twice launches a Communication QuickMenu for rapid access to camera and microphone settings (more on that in the next section).
Speakers & Communication
In today's remote work environment, communication is more important than ever. The Z13 has a prominent Communications Bar near the top of the lid that also doubles as a ridge to lift up the lid of the laptop.
Camera quality is excellent - there is a FHD camera with a larger sensor than most laptops on the market, and that results in sharper images in video calls. There is also an electronic e-Shutter which disables the camera via a Keyboard command or through Settings.
Microphone quality is also excellent. There are tuning options from Dolby that tune the microphone's performance depending on the environment. I found this to help, especially selecting Collaboration mode helps the people on the other end of the call better hear the room.
As mentioned previously, double-tapping the TrackPoint brings up a handy Communications QuickMenu to control Camera and Microphone settings in a pinch - create for changing your settings quickly without digging through menus during a call. In the QuickMenu is also an option to start Microsoft Diction, which essentially translates your voice into a text.
Speaker quality is surprising good for such a compact laptop. The speakers are downward-facing, which can get muffled if on a soft surface, but when the laptop is on a hard surface, the audio quality is great. Voices are clear, and there is a decent amount of bass from these speakers. The speakers can get quite loud, easily filling a mid-sized room.
Battery
The 51.5Wh battery is rated for up to up to 7.4 hours @250nits on MobileMark 25. The 2.8K OLED display does consume more power than its FHD counterparts because more power is needed to push those additional pixels, so if battery is your top priority, I would recommend going the FHD route.
Overall, the battery is good - it lasted 7 hours of general usage (web browsing, social media, document editing). The included 65W charger does support Rapid Charge, giving the laptop up to 80% in one hour.
Overall, the battery is good - it lasted 7 hours of general usage (web browsing, social media, document editing). The included 65W charger does support Rapid Charge, giving the laptop up to 80% in one hour.
Linux Support
Yes, the Z13 AMD supports Linux! I tested it as a dual-boot and booting to a USB drive - just a couple of tweaks of the BIOS (disabling Secure Boot and changing the Boot Sequence) is needed to get Linux up and running. All core functionality (trackpad, keyboard, speakers, internet, camera, microphone) is working with the latest version of Ubuntu.
Odds & Ends
There is an option with the Z13 to add LTE support - no 5G at this time.
You'll need a data plan for it to work, and in my testing with a T-Mobile data plan, coverage and speeds are similar to what I get on my phone.
Getting into the laptop is quite easy with Philip head screws, but only the storage (M.2 2242 SSD) is user-replaceable.
There are several operating system options for the Z13; depending on your use case, it may make sense to inquire about O.S.'s other than Windows:
You'll need a data plan for it to work, and in my testing with a T-Mobile data plan, coverage and speeds are similar to what I get on my phone.
Getting into the laptop is quite easy with Philip head screws, but only the storage (M.2 2242 SSD) is user-replaceable.
There are several operating system options for the Z13; depending on your use case, it may make sense to inquire about O.S.'s other than Windows:
- Windows® 11 Pro 64
- Windows 11 Home 64
- Windows 11 DG Windows 10 Pro 64
- Fedora Linux
- Linux
- Ubuntu Linux
- No operating system
Conclusions
If you're looking for a business-grade laptop with more consumer-focused modern design, the Z13 should be on your shortlist. It's a unique category but one that Lenovo ticks all the boxes: a focus on sustainability, a classy design, strong performance, and the reliability and security of a business laptop - all in one package.
- Check out the Z13 here: www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpadz/thinkpad-z13-(13-inch-amd)/len101t0036
- And the Z16 (the Z13's bigger brother) here: www.lenovo.com/us/en/p/laptops/thinkpad/thinkpadz/thinkpad-z16-(16-inch-amd)/len101t0037
RSS Feed
