Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Snapdragon First Impressions

The ThinkPad T14s combines iconic ThinkPad design elements with Qualcomm’s magical Snapdragon X processor. It even includes a Windows Hello ESS-compatible fingerprint reader, the first I’ve encountered on this platform.

For those unfamiliar with Lenovo’s ThinkPad model lineup, the T-Series dates back to IBM’s stewardship of the brand, with the “T” signifying low weight thanks to its unique titanium (later, magnesium) composite construction. After Lenovo acquired ThinkPad from IBM, it expanded the T-series to include slimmer models with an “s” (for “slim”) suffix. And until the introduction of the first ThinkPad X1 Carbon in 2012, the Ts were the slimmest 14-inch ThinkPads available.

Lenovo still sells “normal” (non-s) T-series ThinkPads as well as thinner Ts variants, and the naming scheme now indicates the size of the display. So the ThinkPad T14s is a 14-inch T-series ThinkPad in the thinner of two available form factors. Recent generation T14 models have included Intel and AMD variants, usually in both Ts and non-s form factors. The Snapdragon X is the only Gen 6 ThinkPad T-series laptop, and it’s only available in Ts form. But Lenovo also sells the Gen 5 ThinkPad T-series in both Intel and AMD versions, albeit not in the Ts form factor.

So let’s start there.

The AMD and Intel versions of the ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 laptop are identical in size at 0.70 x 12.44 x 8.81 inches, while the AMD, at 2.86 pounds, is a bit lighter than the Intel (at 2.96 pounds). By comparison, the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 Snapdragon is smaller, at 0.67 x 12.35 x 8.64 inches, and even lighter, at 2.72 pounds. These PCs are, to be clear, very similar, and while I haven’t tested a Gen 5 T-series laptop, I did review the ThinkPad T14s Gen 4 (Intel last December).

These laptops all share certain attributes, including the vaunted ThinkPad full-sized keyboard with TrackPoint dual-pointing system, the iconic ThinkPad branding and design elements, a 14-inch lay-flat display panel, a nice mix of legacy and modern expansion ports, and a round power button with an integrated fingerprint reader. But the Gen 5 (Intel and AMD) versions come in far more models and with many configuration options. The Gen 6 (Snapdragon) version I’m reviewing, by comparison, is a one of a kind.

I mean that literally: There is one configuration of this laptop as I write this. It features the suddenly familiar Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E78100 processor, 32 GB of soldered LPDDR5x 8448MHz RAM, 1TB of M.2 PCIe Gen 4×4 SSD storage, and a Full HD+ (1920 x 1200) low-power IPS display panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, 400 nits of brightness, and 100 percent sRGB color accuracy. These are terrific specs, but by comparison, the Gen variants each offer multiple processor, RAM, storage, and display options. And the Gen 6 comes in a single color, Eclipse Black, where Gen 5 also offers a Luna Grey option.

The expansion is roughly identical, which is interesting. You get two USB4 Type-C ports (40 Gbps, Power Delivery, and DisplayPort), a full-sized HDMI 2.1 port, and a combo headphone/jack on the left. And then two full-sized USB Type-A ports (5 Gbps, one of them always-on) on the right.

The only thing missing from the Intel and AMD versions is an Ethernet port (and, for now, an optional nano-SIM card slot for 5G connectivity, though it’s coming in the future).

Connectivity is modern, with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 (and, again, 5G optionally in the future). And the speakers—two top-firing 2-watt speakers—and microphone systems—two dual-array mics—with Dolby Audio are similar (but not identical, I suspect; the Gen 6 lacks Dolby Voice for the microphones). Oddly, the Gen 6 webcam is just Full HD (1080p), where the Intel/AMD-based Gen 5 laptops get 5 MP webcams. That, I think, is just a parts issue: As a Copilot+ PC, the T15s Gen 6 requires Windows Hello ESS-compatible parts, and there just aren’t as many options.

The display may be a sticking point for some. But I very much prefer this type of non-reflective matte display, even at a lower resolution. And it should help with battery life: The T14s has a smaller 58 watt-hour (Whr) battery than the OLED-equipped Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (70 Whr) I just reviewed.

The thermals are quite different from the ThinkPad T14s I reviewed last year: Where that system featured a large exhaust vent on its right side and a bottom-facing intake vent, the Snapdragon X-based Gen 6 relies on a similarly sized exhaust vent on its rear, below the hinge and display, plus a bottom-facing intake vent. So it will work best on hard, flat services. I wrote much of this article on the bed, and I was treated to a low hum of fan noise the entire time. It wasn’t objectionable, but my Surface Laptop 7 is silent when used on the bed.

Beyond that, there is nothing unusual to report so far. There’s a standard Lenovo 65-watt USB-C power supply in the box, and no preinstalled crapware at all. Lenovo bundles its Vantage Commercial configuration app (with no ads or upsells), a link to the PC’s user guide, a TrackPoint Menu app, and Dolby Access. That’s it.

The ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 may seem a bit expensive at about $1745 ($2700 list). That’s undercut a bit by a comparably configured AMD Gen 5 model (about $1500, or $2555 list). But a comparably configured Intel Gen 5 model costs about $2080 ($3465 list). Yikes.

More soon.