Lenovo ThinkBook 15p G2 ITH review: Everything a working pro needs, done with style

We have been reviewing Lenovo products for almost 10-years now, and it has been interesting to see the evolution of each of its product lines. The ThinkBook line is the company’s mid-tier business laptop, and it has improved substantially over the years. The Lenovo ThinkBook 15p G2 ITH is one of the latest additions, and it should be a crowd-pleaser.

Estimated reading time: 12 minutes

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15p G2 ITH has everything a working pro needs, and its design is attractive and useful. There are a few missteps, but the good outweighs the bad here. It is important to note that there are several configurations you can choose from, or you can build your own. Lenovo configured our review unit, so it may differ from yours. We will also refer to this laptop as the ThinkBook 15p G2 for the duration of this review. Let’s jump into it!

Specifications

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15p G2 ITH sent to us has the following features and specifications:

Performance
Processor	Intel Core i7-11800H (8C / 16T, 2.3 / 4.6GHz, 24MB)
Graphics	NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6
Chipset	Intel HM570
Memory	1x 16GB SO-DIMM DDR4-3200
Memory Slots	Two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots, dual-channel capable
Max Memory	Up to 32GB DDR4-3200 offering
Storage	512GB SSD M.2 2242 PCIe 3.0×4 NVMe
Storage Support	Up to two drives, 2x M.2 SSD • M.2 2242 SSD up to 512GB • M.2 2280 SSD up to 1TB
Card Reader	4-in-1 Card Reader
Optical	None
Audio Chip	High Definition (HD) Audio, Realtek ALC3287 codec
Speakers	Stereo speakers, 2W x2, Dolby Audio, Harman Speakers
Camera	720p with Privacy Shutter
Microphone	2x, Array
Battery	Integrated 57Wh
Max Battery Life	UHD model: Local video (1080p) playback: 6.5 hr
Power Adapter	135W Slim Tip (3-pin)
Design
Display	15.6″ UHD (3840×2160) IPS 600nits Anti-glare, 100% Adobe RGB, HDR 400, Factory Color Calibration
Touchscreen	None
Color Calibrator	Factory Color Calibration
Keyboard	Backlit, English (US)
Case Color	Mineral Grey
Surface Treatment	Anodizing Sandblasting
Case Material	Aluminum (Top), Aluminium (Bottom)
Dimensions (WxDxH)	359 x 249.5 x 19.9 mm (14.13 x 9.82 x 0.78 inches)
Weight	1.9 kg (4.19 lbs)
Software
Operating System	Windows 11 Pro 64, English
Bundled Software	Office Trial
Connectivity
Ethernet	100/1000M
WLAN + Bluetooth	Wi-Fi 6 11ax, 2×2 + BT5.2
Standard Ports	1x USB 3.2 Gen 1, 1x USB 3.2 Gen 2, 1x Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 40Gbps (support data transfer, Power Delivery 3.0, and DisplayPort 1.4)1x HDMI 2.0, 1x Card reader1x Ethernet (RJ-45)1x Headphone / microphone combo jack (3.5mm)1x Power connector
Docking	Various docking solutions are supported via Thunderbolt. For more compatible docking solutions, please visit Docking for ThinkBook 15p G2 ITH
Security/Privacy
Security Chip	Firmware TPM 2.0
Fingerprint Reader	Touch Style
Physical Locks	Kensington Security Slot, 3 x 7 mm
Other Security	Camera privacy shutter
Service
Base Warranty	1-year, Depot
Included Upgrade	None
Certifications
Green Certifications	ENERGY STAR 8.0ErP Lot 3RoHS compliant
Other Certifications	TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light (Software Solution)
Mil-Spec Test	MIL-STD-810H military test passed

What’s In The Box

• Lenovo ThinkBook 15p G2 ITH
• Power Cable
• Manual and Documentation

Design

The ThinkBook 15p G2 design sticks with what the company has been doing with this line for the past few years, and that’s not a bad thing. The colorway is called Mineral Gray and is somewhere in between an aluminum and Space Grey look. It’s very attractive, and fingerprints are not a real issue on this laptop.

The bottom of the laptop has a long vent for cooling, one long rubber foot towards the rear, and two smaller rubber feet toward the front. Ten Phillips head screws are holding the back panel on. The Harman branded speakers are also on the bottom; they are side-firing and integrated into the bottom panel flares.

The top of the ThinkBook 15p G2 has that familiar two-tone design that gives it personality; I like it. The ThinkBook branding is boldly placed in an offset position, with the Lenovo branding playing a secondary role. Both brand placements are tastefully done and thought out well. The top, or lid, also has a nice chamfered edge that gives it a lovely shiny accent that plays well with the Mineral Gray color. There’s not much on the rear but the hinge, which works well and moves freely.

Along the right side of the ThinkBook 15p G2 is a Kensington Lock Slot, USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, SD-Card slot, and another vent for cooling.

Along the left side of the ThinkBook 15p G2 are the proprietary power port, Ethernet Port, HDMI 2.0 port, USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port, Thunderbolt 4/USB4 40Gbps (support data transfer, Power Delivery 3.0, and DisplayPort 1.4) port, and a headphone jack. I’m not too fond of the proprietary power port; I think Lenovo could have made this a USB-C power delivery port.

You will also find the Novo Button on the left side. The Novo button comes with Lenovo Onekey recovery software. This allows you to enter Lenovo Onekey recovery if the PC fails to boot normally. Under the Novo Button Menu, there are options to perform a system recovery, enter the BIOS, or configure the boot menu. The button menu varies based on different software versions.

Opening the laptop up is finally a one-finger operation. It has taken Windows laptops a while to find the balance to open them with one finger properly, but at least we got there. The display is matte and is not a touch panel. The webcam is located on the top bezel and has a privacy shutter, kudos for that. But it is a 720p webcam; thumbs down to that, considering remote work is far more prevalent, business users need a 1080p camera.

The keyboard deck is full-sized and has a full number pad; kudos again. I’ve always been a fan of Lenovo’s keyboards; their ThinkPad line has the best keyboards. Travel is not shallow but also not overly far; it’s right in the middle, and the keys feel good and are not mushy.

The keyboard on the ThinkBook 15p G2 is also spill-resistant, and Lenovo has integrated its Unified Communication Keys here. These keys offer quick access to Lenovo’s support, answer calls, or hang up and decline calls. A short press of the F9 key will bring up the specific support page for your ThinkBook 15p Gen 2 system to help you troubleshoot any issues or speak with support. This keyboard is also backlit, controlled by holding the Fn key down and tapping the space bar.

The ThinkBook 15p G2 also includes a new way to power on your system with Flip to Start. It lets you flip the laptop’s lid open, and the 15p Gen 2 will automatically power on and boot up. This option can be turned on using Lenovo’s Vantage software.

The power button doubles as the fingerprint reader, and it works well and is reasonably fast. The trackpad is offset but centered with the letters portion of the keyboard. I’m not a fan of this method, I know why most manufacturers do it, but I wish the trackpad were centered on the deck. The trackpad works fine; all gestures work well, and tactile feedback is good. I still use a mouse on all laptops with an offset trackpad; I find myself triggering the trackpad more often than not when it is offset. But I do know many prefer this design.

Overall, the ThinkBook 15p G2 is a well-designed laptop with plenty of ports and looks for business professionals. I think a few quirks are more personal preferences that I don’t like, but the 720p webcam is a sin, and every laptop should have 1080p going forward.

Display

Our ThinkBook 15p G2 came with the factory-calibrated, 4K, 100% Adobe gamut, 600 nits, IPS display. Other versions available on this laptop are the 4K non-calibrated and FHD, sRGB, and 300 nits versions. I would highly recommend the 4K displays, as they have 600 nits of brightness.

The 4K display is fantastic for video and photo editing work, and the factory calibration was spot on. With 100% Adobe RGB, colors are vibrant and accurate. Whites are clean and crisp, and blacks are deep and inky. The matte finish also helps reduce glare, and the 600 nits of brightness make this an excellent laptop to use in bright light and sunlight conditions.

Overall, there’s not a whole lot to say about the display. I would recommend the 4K versions because you will get the best color and accuracy from them. But also because they will perform better in bright lighting with 600 nits of peak brightness.

Software/Ecosystem

The ThinkBook 15p G2 is running Windows 11, which is fantastic. I’ve generally been a Mac user, but I switch between Mac, Windows, and Linux. I had been impressed with Windows 10 when it came out, and Microsoft is going in the right direction with Windows 11. Windows 11 does have many more ways to track you for those concerned with privacy, but most of those can be denied at setup. Whether or not those permissions are turned off is another debate.

Windows 11 has the cleanest and best UI/UX ever, and it is a pleasure to use. Some system bits and pieces have the older Windows look, but most regular users rarely use those options. Many system admins do not want those bits and pieces to be changed over to the new aesthetic, but I would prefer a uniform UI/UX across both admin and user levels.

Lenovo does include some of its software on the ThinkBook 15p G2, such as Lenovo Vantage, Lenovo Smart Appearance, and Lenovo Hotkeys. These included bits of Lenovo software aren’t a huge deal. But I’m not too fond of the inclusion of bloatware such as McAfee.

There are also placeholders on the Start Menu for TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Disney+, etc. Most of these apps are not installed, but I could do without them being placeholders.

Overall, the software experience is a positive one. My biggest beef, and it has been for years, is the addition of McAfee. Users can uninstall it, but it is an annoying piece of bloat no one needs.

Performance

Our ThinkBook 15p G2 is sporting the Intel Core i7-11800H CPU and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6 GPU. The installed RAM on our system is 16GB SO-DIMM DDR4-3200. The Intel 11th Gen processors offer faster and more efficient productivity and introduce the most powerful integrated graphics solution. Additionally, with Thunderbolt 4 support, the 15p Gen 2 offers the most up-to-date connectivity options.

Our review unit came with the GeForce GTX GPU, but you can also get the GeForce RTX GPU. These NVIDIA GPUs are well suited to a wide range of businesses and industries; plus, you can game with them, and content creators can make use of them.

I was able to run Affinity Photo, ON1 Photo Raw, and DaVinci Resolve projects without an issue. Multitasking with Office applications, browsers, PDFs, and several other apps was easy, and I found no lag or stuttering in performance. Our system came with 16GB of RAM, but I recommend you max it out at 32GB. More RAM is always better and helps future-proof the laptop.

Normal day-to-day activities were a breeze. Email, web browsing, watching streaming content, and some light gaming in Steam worked well. I am not a heavy PC gamer, so I did not stress the system with gaming. This is a laptop designed for mid-sized businesses, and for that, this laptop performs very well.

Overall, I had no issues with performance, and the ThinkBook 15p G2 will perform as intended for the target business audience it is for.

Speakers/Sound

The integrated Harman speakers are placed on the beveled bottom edges of the ThinkBook 15p G2 and fire out to the sides. They work great for applications such as Zoom and podcasts. But they fall short when it comes to entertainment applications.

That’s not uncommon, laptop speakers are small, and this is a business laptop more than an entertainment laptop, so I can see why these speakers wouldn’t be paying attention to entertainment-level sound quality.

Overall, the speakers are okay, not stellar or exceptional, only fine. They will work; you can listen to music and movies with them, but do not expect powerful things. However, they are excellent for teleconferencing, and this is a business laptop.

Camera

Ugh. Here we are with a 720p webcam again. With remote work being more prevalent than ever, manufacturers need to put 1080p cameras in these laptops. Lenovo is not the only violater; it’s still relatively normal to see 720p cameras on laptops. But our hope is the norm be 1080p going into 2023.

Lenovo ThinkBook 15p G2 ITH Gallery

Battery Life

Battery life is very subjective, and it will depend on what the user is doing with the ThinkBook 15p G2. The 15p G2 does at least offer the Fn + Q shortcut, which allows you to choose from three performance presets. This can help with battery life if you don’t need the max performance from the laptop.

The best I was able to get was just over 4-hours, but the minute you need to stress the system with anything heavy, expect the battery to start going down quickly.

Overall, battery life is just okay. It could be better. The performance presets are helpful, but heavy users should expect to need an outlet sooner than later.

Price/Value

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15p G2 starts at US$772 and can be ordered in some pre-configured options. Or you can configure one yourself. My recommendation is to be sure to get the 4K display, the i7 CPU, and a minimum of 16GB of RAM to get the most value out of this laptop.

Wrap Up

The Lenovo ThinkBook 15p G2 is an excellent choice for business professionals. It has everything most pros will need, it looks great, and the few faults it has can be overlooked. Although I do think a 720p webcam is an absolute sin!

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