If you read my review earlier this year of Lenovo's flagship ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 and agreed with my conclusion that it's too expensive unless your organization is making volume purchases, then the ThinkBook line might be of interest. Geared toward smaller shops and individual buyers looking for a solid and secure two-in-one laptop, the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 offers a low-cost alternative to pricier ThinkPads for business buyers. 

Not only is it more affordable than a ThinkPad, but it is also more upgradeable. Most modern laptops and two-in-ones, including Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 and ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 as well as its consumer-oriented Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 and Yoga 7 14 Gen 9, feature RAM that is soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded after purchase (the case with most laptops now). The ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4's upgradeability can increase your ROI by letting you (or your IT department) add more RAM and a second SSD instead of needing to purchase a new machine at the first signs of it slowing down. The rest of the package is fairly basic -- from the plain overall look to the dim display -- but the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4's solid build quality and expandability could lend it a long and useful life for budget-conscious business buyers.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 Price as reviewed $1,046Display size/resolution 14-inch 1,920x1,200 touch IPS LCDCPU Intel Core Ultra 5 125UMemory 16GB DDR5-5600 RAMGraphics Intel GraphicsStorage 512GB SSDPorts USC-C Thunderbolt 4, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, HDMI 2.1, SD card reader, combo audioNetworking Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.2Operating system Windows 11 ProWeight 3.58 libs (1.6 kg)

This fourth generation of Lenovo's ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 is based on Intel Core Ultra processors. The baseline model has been consistently discounted to $939 at Lenovo and features a Core Ultra 5 125U, 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 14-inch IPS touch display with a 1,920x1,200-pixel resolution. 

Lenovo offers a few customization options for the CPU (to a Core Ultra 7 155H), RAM (up to 32GB) and SSD (up to 1TB). Our test system cost $1,046 and included 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD as well as the upgrade from Windows 11 Home to Pro.

The ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 starts at £708 in the UK and AU$1,683 in Australia. 

Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 performance

There are fewer differences than you might think between the Core Ultra 5 125H CPU in our test system and the step-up Core Ultra 7 155H that Lenovo offers for an extra $209. The Core Ultra 7 155H runs at slightly higher CPU and GPU frequencies than the Core Ultra 5 125H, but both chips feature a total of 12 processing cores -- two performance cores, eight efficient cores and two low-power efficient cores.

Given the two processors have the same number of cores and the differences in frequencies are slight, I was surprised to see the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 trail a pair of Core Ultra 7 155H-based systems in the HP Spectre x360 14 and Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 on the Geekbench 6 single- and multi-core tests by such wide margins. It even finished behind the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 with a previous-gen Core i7 U-series CPU and a pair of AMD Ryzen 7 8860H-based models in the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 7445 and Lenovo Yoga 7 14 Gen 9. 

Matt Elliott/CNET

The ThinkBook managed to top the ThinkPad X1 Yoga on PCMark 10 but trailed the other Intel and AMD models on this benchmark, which measures overall application performance across mixed workloads.

It also produced a lackluster result on 3DMark Time Spy. It finished ahead of the previous-gen ThinkPad X1 Yoga and narrowly edged the Microsoft Surface Pro 11, but the Arm-based Surface Pro 11 had to use emulation to run the test, which holds back performance. Neither of these 3DMark Time Spy victories ought to be celebrated.

After a series of disappointments in lab testing, the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 flipped the script with battery testing and produced an excellent runtime of roughly 13.5 hours. That's the best among this group of laptops and two-in-ones and more than enough to get you through most workdays on a single charge. 

Plain looks, solid build

The ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 is designed not to turn heads but to put your head down and work. It features a sturdy, all-aluminum enclosure in a dull gray color with a dull gray keyboard to match. The only hint of a design flourish is the two tones of gray on the lid, with the standard dull offset by a slightly lighter but still dull gray on the bottom third.

Matt Elliott/CNET

While it may be lacking in the looks department, the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 boasts a rock-solid build quality. This laptop is a workhorse that will be able to stand up to daily abuse. The metal chassis has little to none of the flex felt in flimsier enclosures, and the display hinges feel firm and keep the display rooted in place with little to no wobble in its many modes, from laptop to tablet with tent and presentation modes in between. The ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 has passed MIL-STD 810H tests to prove its ability to withstand drops, vibration, shock, dust, extreme temperatures and more.

Unsurprisingly, the tank-like laptop is heavier than the average 14-inch two-in-one. It weighs 3.6 pounds, which is not too heavy for daily travel and the same weight as the Lenovo Yoga 7 14 Gen 9. The 2.9-pound Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9, 3.1-pound Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 and 3.2-pound HP Spectre x360 14 are better options if you're looking to travel lighter.

Matt Elliott/CNET

The keyboard is spill-resistant to protect the internals from coffee, Diet Coke or whatever beverage helps you get through the workday. It feels roomy, but the keys themselves lean toward mushy and lack the snap you get with a ThinkPad keyboard. I do like getting four nearly full-size arrow keys instead of the half-height buttons usually on offer.

I also like the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 upgradeability. We are in an era where most laptops feature RAM that's soldered to the motherboard and not upgradeable after purchase. So, it's refreshing to see a laptop with an actual RAM module that can be removed or replaced. Better yet, there's a second RAM slot so you -- or the IT department managing a small fleet of ThinkBook 14 -- can easily add more memory as needed. 

Matt Elliott/CNET

There's also an open M.2 slot to add a second SSD for storage. And getting inside the laptop is easy as long as you have a Torx screwdriver; nine Torx screws hold the bottom panel in place.

Matt Elliott/CNET

Like the overall design, the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4's display is unremarkable. It's a standard 1,920x1,200-pixel IPS touch panel rated for a ho-hum 300 nits of brightness. The resolution suffices for the display's size -- text and images look sharp enough -- but I wish it was brighter. 

In testing with a Spyder X Elite colorimeter, it failed to hit its meager rating and measured a peak brightness of just 285 nits. This is a display in which you'll have the brightness dialed all the way up at all times. And you'll wish you could push it higher when you are sitting in a sunny room or under bright artificial lights. Color performance was better than expected, though. The display covered 100% of the sRGB gamut and a decent percentage of the larger color spaces -- 78% for AdobeRGB and 80% for P3. 

The display doesn't get nearly bright enough to help with reflections.  Matt Elliott/CNET

Lenovo includes the Slim Pen 4.0, an active pen that can be charged via USB-C and attached magnetically to the laptop's right side. Its flat shape isn't the most ergonomic for writing, but it's wide enough that I grew comfortable using it.

The 1080p webcam produces a fuzzy, poorly balanced image that looks more like the quality you'd get with an older 720p cam. It's not great, but it does feature a physical privacy shutter. Lenovo offers an IR cam upgrade, but the upgrade doesn't include a bump in resolution. Without the webcam upgrade, you can use the fingerprint reader that's integrated into the power button on the system's right side for secure biometric logins.

Matt Elliott/CNET

The external port selection is excellent with Thunderbolt 4 on board along with a pair of USB-A ports, HMDI and even a microSD card slot. With just Wi-Fi 6 instead of Wi-Fi 6E to say nothing of the current Wi-Fi 7 standard, however, the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4's wireless networking is behind the times. 

Is the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 a good laptop?

Given that it costs hundreds less than similarly configured ThinkPads, the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 offers good value despite its shortcomings. And its value will only increase if you plan to take advantage of its upgradeability to add more RAM or a second SSD to extend its lifespan. Plus, with its rugged build, the ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 ought to hold up for years and years.

Geekbench 6 (multi-core) Microsoft Surface Pro 11 13253HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) 12897Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 12574Lenovo Yoga 7 14 Gen 9 11212Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 7445 10279Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 8702Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 8405 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Geekbench 6 (single-core) Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 7445 2534Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 2467Lenovo Yoga 7 14 Gen 9 2444Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 2363Microsoft Surface Pro 11 2329HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) 2301Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 2144 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
PCMark 10 Pro Edition Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 7445 7074HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) 6893Lenovo Yoga 7 14 Gen 9 6867Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 6772Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 6098Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 5452 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Cinebench 2024 CPU (multi-core) Lenovo Yoga 7 14 Gen 9 751Microsoft Surface Pro 11 743Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 673Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 7445 631Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 481Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 476 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
3DMark Time Spy Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 3804HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) 3358Lenovo Yoga 7 14 Gen 9 3107Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 7445 2861Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 1875Microsoft Surface Pro 11 1825Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 1407 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Online streaming battery drain test Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 809Microsoft Surface Pro 11 771Lenovo Yoga 7 14 Gen 9 739Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 728HP Spectre x360 14 (2024) 595Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 7445 555Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 526 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
System Configurations Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 4 Microsoft Windows 11 Pro; Intel Core Ultra 5 125U; 16GB DDR5 RAM; Intel Arc Graphics; 512GB SSDHP Spectre x360 14 (2024) Microsoft Windows 11 Pro; Intel Core Ultra 7 155H; 32GB DDR5 RAM; Intel Arc Graphics; 2TB SSDLenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 Microsoft Windows 11 Home; Intel Core Ultra 7 155H; 16GB DDR5 RAM; Intel Arc Graphics; 1TB SSDDell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 7445 Microsoft Windows 11 Home; AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS; 16GB DDR5 RAM; AMD Radeon Graphics, 1TB SSDLenovo Yoga 7 14 Gen 9 Microsoft Windows 11 Home; AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS; 16GB DDR5 RAM; AMD Radeon Graphics, 1TB SSDLenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 Microsoft Windows 11 Pro; Intel Core i7-1355U; 16GB DDR5 RAM; Intel Iris Xe Graphics; 512GB SSDMicrosoft Surface Pro 11 Microsoft Windows 11 Home; Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite; 16GB DDR5 RAM; Qualcomm Adreno 741 Graphics; 512GB SSD