Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 mobile workstation review

Lenovo's ThinkPad lineup has always been a significant grouping of offerings for business professionals. The Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 is no different. It targets professionals who need workstation-grade performance on the go.

The ThinkPad P16 is one of the best Lenovo ThinkPad laptops around - ideal for heavy computational and graphical work. Compared to the P16, I view the P16v Gen 2 as a ThinkPad P16 lite. But that's not any official branding; it's just my viewpoint. It's a slightly less powerful P16, but still very much enterprise-focused and workstation-esque.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2: Price and Availability

The Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 starts at $1,791.92 (pre-tax) and quickly scales up to well over $3,500 before any pre-installed software options if you want to max out the hardware offerings.

These and custom builds are available on Lenovo's website, and pre-built models are available in places like Amazon or other computer retailers.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2: Unboxing and First Impressions

The ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 laptop comes in the Lenovo packaging, a beefy yellow-tipped Lenovo charger (though you can also charge via USB-C, albeit slower), and other essential documentation. I was immediately reminded of the P16, though the P16v is a bit slimmer and lighter (4.89 lb vs. 6.5 lb).

Another thing that I noticed right away was the port offering and location. I'll discuss this more later, but right off the bat, I was surprised to see a full ethernet port and ports on the back; then again, though thin, this is a workstation. Lastly, I genuinely like the matte black finish on this laptop. It feels professional, and I like it for the same reasons. Though I love some sweet backpack colors, I will always choose black. I love some splashes of color from Apple these days, but I always prefer simple colors. It's clean, goes with everything, and it looks professional.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2: Design and Build Quality

Unsurprisingly, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 is very similar to the ThinkPad P16 in design, much like the name. The P16v Gen 2 is slimmer and more portable than a ThinkPad P16. However, it still feels relatively robust and like any of the best mobile workstations I've tried, with actual portability in mind. Thanks to the real estate left behind due to the 16" screen, Lenovo could add a full numpad to the right of the entire keyboard, and better yet, it's comfortable to type on.

The port offering on this computer is excellent for the modern employee needing workstation-grade power. There is an SD Card Reader, an optional Smart Card reader, a full-size HDMI port, a USB-A Port, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a full RJ45 Ethernet port. What's fascinating and pretty brilliant is that one of the Thunderbolt ports and the Ethernet port are on the back of the ThinkPad P16v Gen 2. This makes it super easy to plug into a Thunderbolt Docking station and/or that ethernet port, both of which you'd want running away from your desk or workspace exactly how they will when plugged into the back of your laptop.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2: In use

I've had this laptop in my rotation for the last couple of weeks, and it has been a pretty good computer. It can easily handle my productivity suite of tasks, content creation and video editing, and photo editing. It can handle the 3D modeling software for my 3D printer and all of it at once. I really appreciate the ethernet port and Thunderbolt 4 port on the back, as I could have the not-so-flexible ethernet port run away from my computer when I needed to hardline into the internet at one of my job sites. Whenever I am at my desk, I can easily plug into the docking station I have set up running to my monitors and peripherals.

Another thing worth mentioning is the reliability and usability of the ThinkPad keyboards. While I never want to use the famous TouchPoint embedded within the keyboard, it's handy when I think about using it. On top of that, the typing experience is quite comfortable, even for all-day typing, as I do.

Lenovo has also chosen to utilize the space granted by the 16-inch screen to fit in a numpad. Some laptops, even with 16-inch screens, will just fit the exact size keyboard in the center of the allotted space. Lenovo chose to utilize that space fitting in a full-numberpad. For those who work with spreadsheets, phone numbers, or numbers in general, having a dedicated numpad makes data entry exponentially faster, and that's easy to do with the ThinkPad P16v Gen 2, adding to the allure for the business professional.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16v Gen 2: Final verdict

The ThinkPad P16v Gen 2 delivers an exceptional balance of power, portability, and professional features. While it doesn’t quite match the raw performance of the P16, its lighter build and price point make it an excellent choice for professionals on the move who need a reliable machine.

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