The brand new Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 (aka ThinkBook Plus G3 IAP) is pitched by Lenovo as an “epic multitasker.” It options two built-in shows and an e-Pen, making it probably the most revolutionary laptops of 2022. This design might be a boon to somebody that travels loads however largely work at a desk, in a resort (no exterior monitor), or at a shopper’s facility.

Specs Highlights

Our particular unit configuration got here with an Intel i5-12500H (16 cores), 16GB of LPDDR5-4800 RAM, and 512GB of SSD storage. As such, it is without doubt one of the extra inexpensive SKUs, beginning at $1,927 on the official Lenovo website.

The upper CPU possibility can be the Intel Core i7-12700H (20 cores), and each choices permit as much as 32GB of RAM. The reminiscence is soldered to the motherboard, so that you’ll need to determine at order time. When unsure, I like to recommend prioritizing the RAM over the CPU improve, particularly for those who’re not doing one thing that saturates the CPU. 16GB is okay, however not all that a lot.

The utmost order-time SSD capability is 1TB (), and just one single M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 x4 slot exists. I’ve not opened the again cowl, however Lenovo normally tries to make the SSD as accessible as doable in case you wish to change it later.

Industrial Design

The ultrawide type issue of the ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 opens new prospects. This time, Lenovo brings two glorious productiveness options: the ultrawide 17.3” main show and a secondary 8” show to the keyboard’s proper. We’ll get again to each shows intimately shortly, however for now, let’s check out the remainder of the chassis design.

This laptop computer has a unibody-type design which appears to be made from CNC aluminum. It, subsequently, feels extraordinarily inflexible when closed or open. The show has little or no flex, and I just like the design’s total “Premium” really feel.

The laptop computer can be barely rugged and is licensed to endure a battery of MIL-STD-810H army transport endurance checks that almost all laptops don’t even try. On that observe, the keyboard can be spill-resistant, which coffee-goers would significantly recognize.

The underside cowl is detachable for straightforward servicing and incorporates a meshed space for chilly air consumption. The new air comes out from the again by way of massive exhausts, and the general cooling appears fairly environment friendly, which ends up in the pc being low noise. More often than not, the followers are completely quiet.

The Energy button is above the F7 key and doubles as a fingerprint reader. The built-in ePen is neatly tucked behind the laptop computer the place it prices. This successfully means the pen is all the time charged and prepared. You could possibly get an non-obligatory Lenovo Pen which is greater and extra ergonomic for those who sketch loads, however the built-in pen is snug sufficient for informal use.

Lastly, I discover the 4.4 Lbs weight glorious for a twin 17.3” + 8” shows laptop computer. Thus far, it’s one of the best “productiveness per weight” setup I’ve seen, and that’s an enormous deal for a lot of customers.

Keyboard and Trackpad

The keyboard is harking back to what Lenovo makes use of in its high-end shopper laptops. It appears and feels just like the Lenovo Slim 7i Pro X, which we lately reviewed. If you happen to’re seen older fashions, such because the Lenovo Yoga 9i, it’s comparable.

Typing feels nice, and I just like the agency key tactile suggestions. Truthful warning: that is fairly completely different from the ThinkPad keyboards, which generally have a barely deeper key journey and softer key floor (paint). I exploit each extensively, and maybe, the ThinkBook’s keyboard is nearer to what chances are you’ll discover in non-Lenovo high-end laptops. The ThinkPad keyboard stays a novel expertise.

Ports

Regardless of its massive dimension, the variety of ports just isn’t as spectacular as anticipated. There are two USB-C (TB4 and USB 3.2 Gen 2), two USB-A (USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 3.2 Gen 2), one full HDMI, and the standard 3.5mm audio port. Many of the ports are tucked behind the laptop computer, which is a good location.

The relative thinness of the decrease a part of the chassis most likely explains the unremarkable variety of ports. The beveled Left/Proper sides are too skinny for full-size ports. It appears beautiful, however I’d counsel that Lenovo have a non-beveled space with at the very least a multi-card reader (Ethernet can be good too).

Sound

The dual-speaker system of the ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 delivers good sound for watching motion pictures and in addition for video-conferencing. Nevertheless, it’s not on the stage of Lenovo’s greatest laptop computer sound system outfitted with a sound bar or up-firing quad audio system.

As a substitute, the 2 audio system are bottom-firing, and a few sound power is misplaced. The Dolby Atmos software program does an excellent job with spatial audio, however total, the sound might have had extra physique and energy with a costlier speaker setup.

Nonetheless, the laptop computer is satisfying when watching motion pictures on a desk or your lap, particularly since its show reclines to nearly 180 levels.

Show

The shows are definitely the highlights of the ThinkBook Plus Gen 3, beginning with the first 17.3” one. It incorporates a 3K (3072×1440) decision: a superb stability between pixel density and battery life. The 99% DCI-P3 coloration gamut makes it very appropriate for color-sensitive artistic work.

For most individuals, 4K is overkill on a laptop computer, and for those who want 4K, you must know exactly why and settle for the battery life tradeoffs that include that alternative. The 3K possibility appears noticeably higher than a 1080p-equivalent show for everybody else. You’ll be able to see the advantages, and also you’re not paying an excessive amount of for it (in cash or autonomy).

This display screen is massive sufficient to have a 2-split horizontal setup that genuinely works for productiveness duties equivalent to doing analysis or engaged on a doc whereas having your emails on one facet. The mixtures are infinite, but it surely’s like having at the very least two fully practical side-by-side home windows.

The secondary 8” display screen seems like an actual second Home windows monitor. You’ll be able to set it up identical to every other “exterior” monitor, making it suitable with all Home windows apps. What you do with it’s as much as you, however since it’s Pen-compatible (the big show just isn’t), that’s the place you’ll take notes, for instance.

I like to make use of that second monitor for apps like Calculator, Notepad, YouTube, Visible Studio Code output, Cat apps, and extra! I wager my accountant would set up a digital NumPad on this pc.

The one restrict is the comparatively small dimension of the fonts, however you may change the PPI scale within the Home windows settings. To me, it’s a superb show for issues that will not require my focus however that I’d examine usually.

I discover it way more versatile to most customers than some Artistic laptops’ elongated secondary show above the Keyboard. Whereas these are nice for video-editing timelines, Lenovo’s portrait mode show is genuinely useful, extra usually, to extra folks.

Relating to exterior shows, this pc might be related to three exterior displays by way of HDMI, USB-C, and Thunderbolt.

• HDMI as much as 3840×2160@60Hz
• USB-C as much as 5120×3200@60Hz
• Thunderbolt as much as 5120×3200@60Hz

Webcam

The 2 Megapixel digicam has a large angle and can be appropriate for a video name with a few folks within the body, sitting subsequent to one another. Relying in your video name software program, you would possibly have the ability to body the picture additional.

The digicam is noticeably higher than your typical 0.7 Megapixel digicam however stays nicely beneath most midrange smartphone selfie cameras. That’s how issues are within the laptop computer world.

There’s additionally an infrared sensor to unlock the laptop computer utilizing a face detection algorithm securely, and I like setting that up along with the fingerprint reader. There’s additionally a bodily privateness shutter, which is all the time good to have.

Efficiency

Working key benchmarks equivalent to Geekbench, Cinebench R23, 3DMark, and GFXBench, Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 (17” Intel) reveals itself as a superb productiveness laptop computer because it options superb CPU efficiency as demonstrated by Geekbench and Cinebench.

The comparability with the Lenovo Slim 7i Professional X reveals what to anticipate if you choose the i7-12700H CPU as a substitute of our i5 mannequin.

From a graphics perspective, the efficiency is first rate, however the lack of a discrete GPU possibility retains this pc from being a gaming machine or a system optimized for GPU-accelerated workloads equivalent to heavy video processing.

It’s a pity since this manner issue can be unbelievable for video enhancing, however Lenovo does have 17” laptops with discrete graphics choices. Within the meantime, this stage of efficiency is greater than sufficient for any workplace work, mild artistic duties, and growth.

On the SSD entrance, we famous that the learn speeds are similar to different high-end Lenovo laptops just like the X1 Carbon Gen 10, however the write speeds have been barely slower. Most customers gained’t discover, but it surely’s good to know for those who’re doing one thing that requires intense disk writes.

Battery Life

The 69Wh capability of the battery is nice, however we’ve seen laptops this dimension with 99Wh batteries. That stated, I think the capability has been tuned to maintain the laptop computer’s weight to 4.41 Lbs, which can be a vital issue.

This technique just isn’t optimized for extra-long battery endurance because of the show dimension and the very fact you now have two of them. However this battery ought to get you ~5-6hrs of workplace work, relying on the display screen brightness.

and will, in idea, final for ~7-8 hours of native video playback (150 NITs brightness) in case you have beforehand downloaded motion pictures.

When you want to replenish the battery, it does use Lenovo’s quick charging, and it appears just like the 100W PSU (USB-C) helps the laptop computer cost quicker than the X1 Carbon’s 65W charger. Charging pace might be much more necessary than the battery capability in case you have quick access to energy shops. The telephone market has confirmed that, and the identical logic applies to laptops.

Conclusion

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 options a superb chassis design and dual-display setup, and that’s its predominant energy and the principle motive folks wish to get one. Taking a look at Google Search knowledge, it’s evident that individuals are not even evaluating it with every other 15.6” competitor as a result of there’s nothing prefer it.

The query is: is it quick sufficient on your job, and is the consolation price it? Hopefully, we’ve given you adequate efficiency knowledge, and most productiveness customers will possible be happy by the efficiency stage.

This laptop computer will enhance your every day life in case you are a cell employee who tends to work at a desk with out quick access to an exterior monitor. The first show alone can be similar to having two 13.3” shows facet by facet, and the additional 8” monitor can brighten your day for those who continuously need to be on Slack or desire a digital numeric pad.

If I needed to do prolonged journey with a single pc, that’s the one I’d go for. The 4.41 Lbs weight makes it mild sufficient that weight just isn’t a problem, and the productiveness increase is simply too good to cross. Lastly, the licensed MIL-STD sturdiness and the spill-resistant keyboard improve survivability throughout journey.

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