Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 laptop review powerful performance and stunning OLED display

Description

Exceptional Build Quality and Sleek Design

The Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 immediately stood out to me with its robust build and professional look. As someone who values the durability of laptops, I was impressed by the sleek black finish and sturdy construction, which made it feel like it could withstand the rigors of daily use. The 16-inch OLED display is a feast for the eyes, offering a WQUXGA resolution (3840 x 2400) that provides unparalleled sharpness and clarity. Whether I was watching videos or working on intricate designs, the Dolby Vision support and HDR 500 True Black feature made everything pop with vibrant colors. It’s also anti-reflective and smudge-resistant, which is a godsend for someone like me who hates constantly wiping fingerprints off their screen.

Despite its professional-grade features, the laptop is surprisingly lightweight at just 4 pounds, making it easy to carry around. I found the keyboard to be another highlight; it’s backlit and offers satisfying tactile feedback, which is ideal for long hours of typing. However, the lack of a touchscreen might disappoint some users who are used to more interactive displays.

Performance That Packs a Punch

The performance of this laptop is nothing short of a powerhouse. With an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H processor, I found multitasking to be seamless, even when running demanding applications. Its 16 cores are a significant upgrade from most laptops in this category, and the E-cores reaching up to 3.80 GHz and P-cores up to 4.80 GHz ensure lightning-fast processing speeds. Whether I was rendering video projects or running multiple virtual machines for work, the system didn’t flinch.

Adding to this, the 64GB DDR5 RAM is a game-changer. I’ve used laptops with 16GB or 32GB of RAM, but having 64GB at my disposal made everything smoother, especially when working with large datasets. The 1TB SSD storage is equally impressive, offering ample space for files and programs while maintaining rapid read and write speeds. I noticed boot times were almost instantaneous, and file transfers were blazing fast.

The NVIDIA RTX 500 Ada Generation GPU with 4GB GDDR6 is another highlight, making this an excellent choice for creatives. Whether I was editing 4K videos or running 3D modeling software, the graphics performance was stellar. However, I wish the GPU had a bit more VRAM for even heavier workloads.

Key Benefits

• Stunning OLED display with WQUXGA resolution, Dolby Vision, and HDR support.
• Exceptional performance with a 16-core Intel processor and 64GB DDR5 RAM.
• Generous 1TB SSD storage with quick read/write speeds.
• Lightweight design at just 4 pounds, despite its powerful internals.
• Backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for added convenience and security.

Areas for Improvement

• The lack of a touchscreen could be a dealbreaker for some users.
• While the NVIDIA RTX 500 GPU performs well, it may not suffice for extremely demanding graphic-intensive tasks.
• The price point, while justifiable for the features, might be steep for casual users.

Connectivity and User-Focused Features

I found the laptop’s connectivity options to be more than adequate. With two USB 3.0 ports, Wi-Fi 6, and other standard input/output options, it’s well-equipped to handle modern peripherals. The fingerprint reader is a nice touch, making login both secure and lightning fast. While using it in a co-working space, I appreciated how quickly I could lock and unlock the system. It’s little features like these that make the ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 stand out.

The device runs on Windows 11 Pro, which, in my opinion, is perfect for professional use. The interface is intuitive, and the system leverages the hardware to deliver a smooth experience. I also noticed that the thermal management system works efficiently, keeping the laptop cool even during resource-heavy tasks.

Competing Products

When comparing this laptop to others in its category, the Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch were natural competitors. The Dell XPS 15 offers a similar OLED display but falls slightly short in terms of RAM and storage options. On the other hand, the MacBook Pro excels with its M-series chips, delivering impressive performance but lacks the upgradeability and customization options of the ThinkPad.

Where the ThinkPad P16s Gen 3 truly shines is in its balance between power and build quality. It feels more rugged and tailored for professional environments compared to the sleeker, more consumer-focused designs of its rivals. However, for those who prioritize design aesthetics and macOS, the MacBook Pro might be worth considering.

Cost Efficiency

The investment in this laptop feels justified for professionals who need reliable performance and top-tier features. While it may not be the most budget-friendly option on the market, the features it offers—64GB DDR5 RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a stunning OLED display—make it a true value proposition for those in creative or technical fields. If you’re someone who doesn’t need the power of a 16-core processor or the storage capacity, there are definitely more affordable options available. However, for heavy multitaskers or professionals, this laptop delivers great cost-effectiveness.

Additional information