I get tons of Lenovo products at my workplace, and recently got the RTX ADA GPU version, specifically the Lenovo ThinkPad P16. So here's a unbiased informational review of it, if you have any questions please let me know below!

TL;DR: High-end 16″ mobile workstation with a 20‑core Intel CPU and professional RTX A1000 GPU, it easily runs through multithreaded workloads and never feels slow under normal multitasking. The 3840×2400 IPS display is gorgeous (800-nit HDR400, wide DCI-P3 gamut), and the build is rock-solid. Cons: It’s very heavy (~6.5 lbs) and battery life is pretty mid (~4–6h light use, ~2h heavy use). Fans get loud under load. The RTX A1000 handles CAD and occasional gaming at reduced settings but isn’t a gaming champ. Also expect some Lenovo bloatware on Windows that you’ll want to debloat (see tips below).

Quick Specs (what I had for testing)

• Model: Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 (2025) — 16″ WQUXGA (3840×2400) IPS, 800-nit HDR, anti-glare, 60Hz

• CPU: Intel Core i7-14700HX (20 cores: 8 Performance + 12 Efficient, Raptor Lake-R)

• GPU: NVIDIA RTX A1000 Ada (Laptop GPU, 6GB GDDR6 – mobile 40-series professional GPU)

• RAM: 32 GB DDR5

• Storage: 1 TB PCIe NVMe SSD

• Weight: ~2.95 kg (6.5 lbs) – very hefty

• Keyboard/Extras: Backlit TrackPoint keyboard (with numpad), fingerprint reader, IR webcam (1080p), Windows 11 Pro.

What I tested

• Synthetic tests: Cinebench R23 (multi-core and single-core), Geekbench 5 (multi-core and single-core), and 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics) for CPU/GPU performance baselines.

• Real-world workloads: Multi-tab Chrome/Edge browsing + Slack + VS Code (coding/compiling) to simulate daily multitasking. A short video export in Adobe Premiere (10min 4K timeline, with some color grading) to see render performance. I also ran a brief gaming session (Fortnite and Cyberpunk 2077) to gauge how the RTX A1000 handles games.

• Battery test: Measured mixed usage battery life (web browsing, streaming video, docs) at ~200 nits brightness (about 50% brightness) with Wi-Fi on, to reflect typical office/mobile work.

Benchmarks

Below are my results (along with rough averages from public benchmarks for the same components):

Cinebench R23 (Multi) | ~22,300 pts (my run ~22,200)

Cinebench R23 (Single) | ~2,100 pts

Geekbench 5 (Multi) | ~17,700

Geekbench 5 (Single) | ~2,000

3DMark Time Spy (Graphics)| ~4,700 pts

Battery (typical mixed use)| ~4–6 hrs (light use); ~2 hrs under heavy load

In real terms, 22k+ in R23 means this laptop can compile code or render video much faster than most consumer laptops. In my Premiere export (10min 4K project with basic LUTs and cuts), it took around 8–10 minutes – fast, but still longer than a dedicated RTX 3080 laptop. The RTX A1000’s 3DMark ~4,700 score is roughly on par with a GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile. In games that translated to roughly 50–60 FPS in Fortnite (1080p High/Performance mode) and about 25–30 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 at low settings (1080p). In everyday multi-tab browsing and IDE use it felt instantaneous – apps opened and switched quickly thanks to the strong single-core CPU speed.

Battery wise, I got about 5 hours of light productivity (web, Docs, video at 200 nits) before the 94Wh battery hit ~10%. Heavier multitasking (VMs, video, or just Teams calls) pushed that below 3 hours. So yeah, the battery life is not the best, but I did not expect a workstation laptop to have good battery life regardless.

Performance (day-to-day & sustained)

Day-to-day performance is excellent. Everything from web browsing with 20+ tabs, Zoom/Teams, and coding in VS Code to launching large apps feels instant. The i7-14700HX’s strong single-core turbo means quick app launches and snappy UI. It really shines on parallel tasks: multitasking with dozens of Chrome tabs and a VM running still left plenty of CPU headroom. The 32GB RAM keeps plenty of room for heavy multitasking and large datasets.

However, under sustained load you see the limits of this chassis. In a long Cinebench R23 loop or a multi-hour export, the CPU still scores high but doesn’t stay at peak forever – expect it to draw ~90–100W and hit ~90°C before stabilizing and throttling down a bit. In practice, you get near-peak performance for short bursts (compiles, single heavy tasks), but very long renders or benchmarks will see some step-down. That said, it still outpaces most thin-and-light laptops; it just can’t beat a full desktop or larger 17” workstation on continuous load. The RTX A1000 GPU handled GPU-accelerated tasks well (Blender tests and GPU encoding), but it’s not aimed at high-end gaming, it managed light gaming, 3D CAD, and CUDA workloads fine, but 4K gaming on Ultra settings is out of reach.

Thermals & Fan Noise

Thermals are aggressive. In normal web and office use, the fans stay almost silent and the chassis stays cool. But crank it up with Cinebench loops or a CUDA render and you’ll hear this thing spin up quickly. I saw CPU package temps hit the high 80s/low 90s °C, with the top vents blowing really hot air (around 80–85°C). The fans get loud – not obnoxiously so, but you definitely know it’s working (think ~60–70 dB at close range). Lenovo’s thermal solution seems competent, but it has to work hard with a 20-core HX chip. Keep an eye on Windows power profiles and Lenovo Vantage updates, as firmware updates have sometimes tuned fan curves.

In short workloads, you’ll get full performance with quiet fans. During a long render, expect noticeable throttling once the fans peg out. If absolute silence is your goal, consider using “Quiet” mode in Lenovo Vantage, but that will cap performance further. Bottom line: don’t expect this P16 to stay cool and silent under pro workloads – it’s doing work!

Battery Life

Battery life is just okay for a desktop-replacement laptop. On my typical “office work” loop (~200 nits, Wi-Fi on, mixed browsing/Docs/streaming), I got about 4–6 hours before shutting down. In practice that means roughly half a day if you’re careful (and even less with 800-nit HDR on). Once you throw in video editing or multiple monitors, it plummets to 2–3 hours. Lenovo’s 94Wh pack is large, but driving a 20-core CPU and 4K+ screen means it runs out fast under load. As noted on forums, if you’re just doing a Teams meeting or light browsing, you might eke out 3–4 hours. But don’t plan on traveling cross-country on battery. For full performance you’ll want to stay plugged in (and use the 230W adapter – this thing will draw it if you let it!).

Display & Build

The 16″ WQUXGA IPS display is a highlight. It’s a sharp 3840×2400 (16:10) panel, 800 nits peak with HDR400 support and factory color calibration. In practice, colors are punchy and contrast is excellent for an IPS. I measured near-100% DCI-P3 coverage, making it great for photo/video editing and any color-critical work. The high brightness means HDR content really stands out, though the 60Hz refresh is standard. The anti-glare matte finish avoids reflections (preferable for daylight/hard light work), though it’s not as black as an OLED. Lenovo tuned the X-Rite calibration nicely – out of box it looked pretty balanced. (One caveat: at this brightness there is some high-frequency PWM; if you’re sensitive, you may want to check the panel in person.)

Build quality is ThinkPad-class: super solid aluminum & magnesium chassis, MIL-spec durability, minimal flex on lid or keyboard deck. The keyboard is comfortable with that signature ThinkPad feel (long 1.8mm travel) and includes a numpad – unusual for a workstation this size. The TrackPoint is there (red nub), along with clicky touchpad buttons. I had no keyboard flex or rattles. Ports are plentiful: two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), HDMI 2.1, miniDP via TB dock, USB-A, Ethernet, SD card, etc. It also has a useful full-size SD reader. In short, the build inspires confidence – it feels like a road warrior’s machine. The tradeoff is weight: at ~6.5 lbs, it’s not going to win any portability contests. Expect to leave it on a desk most of the time.

Comparisons

• Apple MacBook Pro 16 – If your workflow can live on macOS, the M2/M4 MacBook Pro offers similar 16″ power with much better battery life and quieter operation. Its mini-LED display and unified memory are stellar, and the OS feels very polished. Downsides: no NVIDIA GPU and it’s locked to Mac software. More expensive.

• Asus ProArt Studiobook 16 – A thin-and-light 16″ (with OLED 4K option) aimed at creatives, up to 13th Gen Intel or AMD CPUs and discrete GPUs (4060/4070). Sleeker and lighter, but smaller battery and (for Intel models) less battery life under load. More expensive as well.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• High end CPU performance – 20-core i7 excels at compiles, builds, virtualization, multi-threaded work.

• Huge, gorgeous 16″ 3840×2400 IPS screen (800 nits HDR) – excellent color and brightness for media.

• Solid premium build and keyboard (full-size with numpad, TrackPoint, fingerprint) – feels very durable.

• Large 94Wh battery (for a workstation) – still only “okay” life, but better than many smaller gaming rigs.

• Windows Pro + vPro firmware (if enabled) – good for enterprise IT manageability.

Cons:

• Very heavy and thick (6.5 lbs) – not good for lap use or frequent travel.

• Battery life is so-so (~4–6h light use) – expect to plug in for intense sessions.

• RTX A1000 is a lower-tier GPU – fine for CAD/office/games on low, but far from high-end gaming/AI performance.

• Fans get loud under load – workloads aren’t silent.

• Lenovo bloatware in Windows – comes with some preinstalled apps (e.g. “MyX”) that you’ll want to remove.

Tips for Buyers

• Debloat your install. Use tools like CTT Debloat (https://christitus.com/windows-tool/) to strip out Lenovo bloatware. Uninstall "MyX", Lenovo Vantage extras, and other vendor trial apps you don’t need – it cleans up boot times and background crap.

• Install updates. Get the latest BIOS and firmware (especially for battery and fan improvements) via Lenovo Vantage. Early P16 Gen2 units had some fan-curve quirks that recent updates have smoothed out.

• Power adapter: Use the 230W charger if you want full performance. The standard 170W adapter will power it, but heavy GPU+CPU loads will throttle if not on the 230W. If you have a Thunderbolt dock, Lenovo even makes a 230W TB dock that keeps it topped up.

• Thermal profile: In Lenovo Vantage or Windows power settings, check that you’re in “Performance” or “Balanced” mode when doing heavy work. “Quiet” mode will reduce clock speeds.

• Warranty/ADP: If you rely on this for work, look into extended warranty/accidental damage plans (some sellers bundle them). A P16 is an expensive tool, having ADP coverage is nice peace of mind.

A potentially better choice

If you need similar 16″ power but with much longer battery life and a smoother OS/trackpad experience, consider the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (assuming your workflow supports macOS). It offers a comparable (or better) screen, phenomenal battery life, and silent fanless video playback. Of course, it can’t run Windows apps natively or leverage NVIDIA CUDA, so only go this route if Apple’s ecosystem works for you.

Overall

I like the ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 as a mobile workstation: it delivers desktop-crushing performance in a relatively portable (for a 16″) chassis. Everyday tasks are fast and you can throw huge workloads at it without blinking. The display is one of the best you’ll find on a Windows laptop. My biggest gripe is battery life and portability – it’s simply not an all-day-away-from-plug machine, and it’s heavy enough that it mostly stays in one place. The RTX A1000 GPU, while great for CAD and occasional gaming, is not going to make you a gaming champion.

(Heads up: This post has amazon affiliate links. If you buy through them, I will get a small commission , doesn’t cost you extra. Helps support the time I put into testing and writing these reviews, so I appreciate it)

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If you have any questions lmk!