Reviews Lenovo ThinkPad T1g review: A jack of all trades, but it works Powerful enough for work and light gaming. , PDT Intel Core Ultra 9 285H CPU and an Nvidia RTX 5070 GPU. That’s a classic combo for a mid-range gaming laptop or portable workstation. Lenovo also offers variants with Intel Core Ultra 7 and RTX 5060 graphics. CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 285H Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x-7467 Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 5070 8GB with 75-watt TGP NPU: Intel AI Boost Display: 16-inch 3840×2400 IPS 60Hz HDR Storage: 1TB M.2 PCIe 5.0 solid state drive Webcam and microphone: 5MP webcam with IR camera and privacy shutter Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 5 with DisplayPort 2.1 Alt Mode and 140 watts of Power Delivery (15 watts output), 1x Thunderbolt 4 with DisplayPort 2.1 and 140 watts of Power Delivery (15 watt output), 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1x SD card reader Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4 Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition, fingerprint reader Battery capacity: 90 watt-hours Dimensions: 13.95 x 9.49 x 0.62 inches Weight: 4.06 pounds Operating System: Windows 11 Pro Price: $2,489.99 current retail (similar configuration) With that said, the ThinkPad T1g configuration I received is probably the best value of the bunch. That’s because it pairs the RTX 5070 with a 4K IPS display and 32GB of memory. Lenovo also provides models with a tandem OLED display and up to 64GB of memory, both of which are nice upgrades. But choosing those options can increase the price by $1,000 or more. The specific model I reviewed, with Intel Core Ultra 9, IPS display and 32GB of memory, currently retails at $2,489 on Lenovo’s website. However, pricing is much different depending on the retailer—I saw prices up roughly $5,000. So, make sure you check multiple retailers if you go shopping for this machine. Lenovo ThinkPad T1g: Design and build quality Foundry / Matthew Smith At a glance, the Lenovo ThinkPad T1g looks like any ThinkPad sold in the last 10 years. That’s true of many ThinkPads, but even more so the T1g, as it’s a relatively large machine with a 16-inch display. While the specifications list the machine’s thickness at .62 inches, which is svelte, that number doesn’t include the laptop’s thick feet, which adds an extra tenth of an inch. There are some differences on close inspection, though. The lid isn’t the grippy magnesium alloy material of old but instead a smooth, sleek piece of aluminum. There’s also a camera bump, which doubles as a convenient way to open the lid when the laptop is closed. The laptop’s interior also differs from ThinkPads of old, though less so than the exterior. Signs of modernity are obvious across the touchpad and keyboard—more on that in a moment. However, the interior finish has a grippy, plastic-rubber feel that’s pleasant to touch and offers a nice sense of texture. But this is just a finish over an aluminum lower half, so the laptop is still extremely rigid. Picking the laptop up from a corner reveals no easily noticeable flex, though you’ll see it if you squint. The same is true of the display lid and, on the whole, the T1g comes across as a rugged and durable machine. Lenovo ThinkPad T1g: Keyboard, touchpad Foundry / Matthew Smith I’m a fan of the Lenovo ThinkPad T1g’s keyboard layout. It has a large, centered keyboard without a numpad. Skipping the numpad means there’s a lot of space for the remaining keys. The right side Alt, Copilot, and Control keys are truncated to make room for the arrow keys but, other than that (and the function row keys, which are always small on a laptop), most keys are nearly full-sized relative to a desktop keyboard. Key feel is less impressive, though still good. Old-school ThinkPad fans (like me) won’t be impressed by the tactile feel, which seems a tad shallow and wooden by historic standards. On the plus side, the keys have a crisp and definitive action, and I had no problem typing accurately at speed. The touchpad is so-so. It measures about 5.5 inches wide and 3.5 inches deep, which is a modest size for a premium 16-inch laptop. The Asus ProArt P16 is one of many competitors that offer more space. The touchpad has a pleasant glass surface, though, and includes haptics to provide a sense of tactile feel when you tap to click. No physical, clicky touchpad buttons are provided, but that’s true for virtually all laptops sold in 2026. And, yes, Lenovo’s classic TrackPoint nub remains. I must confess that I’ve found myself using the TrackPoint less and less over the years as touchpads have improved in quality and size, but it’s still a handy way to access the mouse without moving your hands from a standard typing position. Lenovo ThinkPad T1g: Display, audio Foundry / Matthew Smith Lenovo provides two display options for the ThinkPad T1g: a 3840×2400 IPS display and a 3200×2000 tandem OLED touchscreen. The T1g I reviewed came with the IPS display, which definitely isn’t as exciting as the Tandem OLED, but it has perks. First, the bad news. Like all displays of its ilk, the IPS display lacks contrast and looks a bit flat when displaying colorful, dynamic, and high-contrast content. It doesn’t jump out on first glance but compared to any OLED display—and a lot of laptops have an OLED display in 2026—it’s obvious. The IPS display also lacks color vibrance compared to OLED, though the difference there is less obvious and I think the IPS display’s color performance is good enough for most people. Now, the good news—this sucker is bright. That’s helpful if you plan to use the laptop in a space where you don’t have much control over the ambient light. The display also has a low-gloss finish, so the glare from bright lights will be minimized. I think the choice between IPS and tandem OLED is this: do you view the T1g as a portable workstation or a desktop replacement? The IPS display is better for portability, as the display is more readable and enjoyable in a wide variety of lighting scenarios. But the tandem OLED looks far better when using the laptop in a space where you have some control over the ambient light and can control any light sources that would cause glare. The IPS display is sharper, too. The tandem OLED is still sharp, but you won’t be able to view 4K content at its full resolution. Audio is provided by a pair of two-watt stereo speakers that support Dolby Atmos and Voice. While the specs don’t sound that impressive, the speakers’ audio quality is pa...
