Lenovo ThinkPad P16 G1 RTX A5500 workstation review: Faster than the Dell Precision 7670

The ThinkPad P16 G1 is a new generation of 16-inch ThinkPad workstations designed to surpass the existing 16-inch ThinkPad P1 series . It carries some of the fastest mobile CPUs and workstation GPUs currently available up to the Core i9-12950HX and RTX A5500, respectively, to be one of the fastest mobile workstations in the market. Our unit as configured retails for approximately $9000 USD.

Of course, lower-end SKUs with slower integrated UHD graphics or the Intel ARC Pro A30M are also available with starting prices of $3400 instead. The model competes directly with other high-end mobile workstations and some Nvidia Studio laptops like the Dell Precision 7670 , Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro 16 , MSI CreatorPro Z16P , or the HP ZBook Studio 16 G9 . See our full review on the ThinkPad P16 G1 RTX A2000 configuration to learn more about the chassis and other physical features of the model.

This review will focus on what users can expect from the ThinkPad P16 G1 in terms of performance if configuring with the highest-end CPU and GPU options. More Lenovo reviews: The integrated card reader offers just average transfer rates. Moving 1 GB of pictures from our UHS-II test card to desktop takes about 14 seconds compared to under half that on the Precision 7670.

For a high-end mobile workstation like our ThinkPad P1, we were expecting a little bit more. The bottom panel is secured by 12 Philips screws. The keyboard must be removed to access the WAN module, primary M.

2 SSD slot, and two of the four SODIMM slots. Lenovo has an official maintenance manual for end users to follow. Interestingly, the ThinkPad P16 G1 is one of the very few laptops shipping with a removable GPU.

Swapping out a laptop graphics card is not typically recommended except for servicing or replacement purposes. There are no extras in the retail box other than the AC adapter and paperwork. A one-year limited warranty applies whereas the Dell Precision 7670 comes with three years as standard.

Lenovo offers on-site service during the one year duration if needed, however. Lenovo offers four different 60 Hz display options all of which are Pantone factory calibrated with DC dimming. Our measurements below reflect only the bolded option while our second unit with the RTX A2000 GPU comes equipped with the 1600p option.

Our independent measurements can confirm the full AdobeRGB coverage and 600-nit brightness. Brightness distribution, however, is only average despite the 600-nit target. The top left quadrant of our display, for example, is 29 percent brighter than the bottom right quadrant (642 nits vs.

497 nits). Opting for the OLED panel would improve brightness distribution, but we expected better from our IPS panel when considering the asking price of the ThinkPad P1 G1. It’s worth noting that Lenovo utilizes the same LP160UQ1-SPB1 IPS panel on the ThinkPad P1 G1 for its other 16-inch ThinkPad models including the ThinkPad P1 G4 and ThinkPad X1 Extreme G4 .

The color profile can be changed via the pre-installed X-Rite Color Assistant software. It appears to be buggy at the moment since colors are not as accurate as they should be out-of-the-box despite the full AdobeRGB coverage of our panel. When set to sRGB mode, for example, average grayscale and color deltaE values would be just 2.

6 and 2. 45, respectively, compared to 4. 8 and 3.

87 when set to AdobeRGB mode. Outdoor visibility is decent as the display is brighter than on most other laptops where the 300 to 400 nit range is more common. It’s still recommended to work under shade whenever possible, however, as direct sunlight will degrade image quality and colors.

We set our unit to Performance mode and dGPU mode via Windows and the Nvidia control panel, respectively, prior to running any performance benchmarks below. It’s recommended that users become familiar with the pre-installed Lenovo Vantage software as it is the central hub for Lenovo-specific BIOS updates, features, warranty status, and more. There are no Xeon CPU options and so ECC RAM is unsupported.

However, the ECC state for the GPU can be toggled on or off via the Nvidia control panel. Raw multi-thread performance is about 10 percent faster than the Core i9-12900H in the competing MSI CreatorPro Z16P . Upgrading from the Core i7-12850HX configuration to our Core i9-12950HX one will boost performance by 15 percent.

Perhaps most notably, the Precision 7670 is roughly 15 to 20 percent slower even though it ships with the same Core i9-12950HX CPU as our Lenovo. Turbo Boost sustainability is good but not perfect. When running CineBench R15 xT in a loop, for example, the original score of 3141 points would fall to ~2830 points over time for a performance dip of 10 percent.

PCMark scores are some of the highest we’ve seen on any mobile workstation. Our system even edges out the Dell Precision 7670 which ships with the same CPU and GPU options as the ThinkPad P16 G1. LatencyMon reveals minor DPC issues when opening multiple browser tabs of our homepage which is disappointing for a workstation.

4K video playback at 60 FPS is otherwise excellent with just a single dropped frame during our test video. Whereas our A2000 configuration would ship with a Micron 3400 SSD, our A5500 configuration ships with a WD SN810 OPAL SSD instead. Sequential read and write rates are comparable between the two, but our WD drive appears to have issues maintaining maximum transfer rates after about 5 minutes of stress as shown by our comparison graph below.

The RTX A5500 in our Lenovo is performing roughly 10 percent faster than the same GPU in the competing Precision 7670. This is despite the fact that the GPU in the Dell is rated for a 135 W TGP versus the 130 W TGP in our Lenovo according to the Nvidia control panel. Moving down to the lower-end RTX A2000 SKU will reduce graphics performance by as much as 50 to 65 percent.

When on the default Balanced mode, the fans would remain quiet for longer periods than expected despite the high-performance processors inside. When running 3DMark 06, for example, fan nose would top out at just 28 dB(A) by the end of the first benchmark scene. It would take multiple runs before the fans would pulse to louder RPMs of up to the 40 dB(A) range.

Fan noise when running more demanding loads on Performance mode would top out at just over 50 dB(A) to be noticeably louder than competing workstations including the Precision 7670 as shown by the table below. Of course, these alternatives are also slower than our Lenovo configuration. Surface temperatures are warmer than expected even when idling on desktop with no running applications.

The bottom, for example, can be as warm as 37 C compared to just 31 C on the Precision 7670. If running higher loads, these same hot spots on the Lenovo can reach 49 C or warmer while the keyboard center can reach 40 C. Skin temperatures can feel uncomfortable if the laptop is on the lap instead of on a table.

The system is definitely straining when the processors are under heavy load. When running Prime95, for example, CPU clock rates and board power draw would boost to 4. 1 GHz and 135 W, respectively.

Unfortunately, core temperature would spike to 100 C almost immediately and so clock rates would quickly fall to prevent even warmer temperatures. The processor would eventually stabilize at 3 GHz, 82 W, and 100 C meaning that it is pushing the limits of the ThinkPad P16 G1 cooling solution. Repeating this test on the Precision 7670 equipped with the same processor would result in a slower stable clock rate of 2.

3 GHz and a cooler core temperature of 78 C. When running Witcher 3 to represent high loads, GPU clock rate, memory clock, and temperature would stabilize at 1477 MHz, 2000 MHz, and 78 C, respectively, compared to 1417 MHz, 1750 MHz, and 82 C on the Precision 7670 when under similar conditions. Board power draw would also be higher on our Lenovo at 129 W compared to just 100 W on the Dell which would explain the GPU performance advantages mentioned above.

Running on battery power limits performance. A Fire Strike test on batteries would return Physics and Graphics scores of 18903 and 12395 points, respectively, compared to 31226 and 28885 points when on mains. Power consumption when idling is lower than on the Precision 7670 by several watts likely because of the more demanding OLED panel on the latter.

When running higher loads like Witcher 3 , however, consumption would become noticeably higher on the Lenovo than on the Dell (208 W vs. 159 W). The higher power draw coincides with the faster CPU and GPU performance over the competing Dell model as shown through our benchmarks above.

Though power users may appreciate the extra performance, our fully loaded Lenovo is significantly more demanding than most other mobile workstations. In fact, the medium-sized (~15 x 8. 6 x 2.

6 cm) 230 W AC adapter may not be enough to power the machine when the CPU and GPU are at high utilization. We’re able to measure a temporary maximum draw of 286 W from the 230 W adapter before it eventually falls and stabilizes at around 223 W. Thus, expect the battery charge rate to slow or even become negative when running demanding loads.

When running Witcher 3 for 90 minutes straight, for example, we observed our battery level drop from 100 percent to 87 percent. A similar behavior was observed on the older XPS 17 or Precision 5750 . It’s too bad that Lenovo does not offer AC adapter options higher than 230 W at checkout.

Configuring with the lower-end RTX A2000 would cut consumption down by about one half. In this case, the 230 W AC adapter would be sufficient. Runtime is several hours shorter than on our lesser RTX A2000 SKU for a total of just under 6 hours if set to the Balanced power profile.

Charging from empty to full takes about 2 hours. Lenovo’s estimated charge time isn’t so accurate, however, as Vantage may show it to be as long as 4 hours at first before automatically recalibrating itself. Keep in mind that charging rate will slow significantly if running demanding applications as mentioned above.

The system cannot be recharged via USB-C. From a purely performance perspective, the ThinkPad P16 G1 is one of the fastest mobile workstations currently available regardless of screen size. Its Core i9-12950HX CPU and RTX A5500 GPU slightly but consistently outperform the Precision 7670 even though the Dell model comes with similar processor options.

There are two key drawbacks that we hope Lenovo can address on future iterations. Firstly, CPU temperatures are much warmer than average when running demanding loads. High temperatures are not unexpected, of course, but plateauing at 100 C is just too warm for comfort when the same CPU in the aforementioned Dell model would barely crack the 80 C mark under similar conditions.

The high temperature is perhaps the price to pay for the slightly faster performance. Secondly, the 230 W AC adapter is sweating bullets trying to power a 100+ W CPU and a 130 W GPU. The struggle is observable when running demanding loads as the system charge rate would slow significantly or even begin to drain the battery in certain scenarios.

When we’re able to measure a peak draw of 285 W from an AC adapter rated for just 230 W, then there’s clearly a bottleneck here. A larger 280 W or 330 W AC adapter would have been more appropriate given our configuration level. The ThinkPad P16 Gen 1 maximizes performance even if it means higher power consumption and higher core temperatures.

The 230 W AC adapter may be too conservative, however, given the very demanding processors of our top-end configuration. The overall high system performance is nonetheless undeniable despite the high temperatures and insufficient 230 W power brick. Be sure to exit out of any demanding applications for decent charging speeds.

The ThinkPad P16 G1 is now shipping at Best Buy and Amazon at lower configuration levels starting at $2570 or $3850 USD, respectively. We recommend purchasing directly from Lenovo as they have the most configurable options in stock. .