{"id":202255,"date":"2020-02-13T23:17:05","date_gmt":"2020-02-13T20:17:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ww-vb.mine.nu\/w108\/the-dongle-hiding-lenovo-thinkbook-14-is-great-if-you-get-the-right-screen\/"},"modified":"2020-02-13T23:17:05","modified_gmt":"2020-02-13T20:17:05","slug":"the-dongle-hiding-lenovo-thinkbook-14-is-great-if-you-get-the-right-screen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hameed.nwar.uk\/sa\/the-dongle-hiding-lenovo-thinkbook-14-is-great-if-you-get-the-right-screen\/","title":{"rendered":"The dongle-hiding Lenovo ThinkBook 14 is great if you get the right screen"},"content":{"rendered":"

[ad_1]
\n<\/p>\n

\n

Since it acquired IBM\u2019s personal computer business back in 2005, Lenovo\u2019s been cranking out excellent ThinkPad laptops for folks who want the best business hardware money can buy. But if you don\u2019t have plenty to spend on your next laptop, you can check out the company\u2019s ThinkBook line, which borrows some nifty features from ThinkPads, but are designed to be more affordable.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been testing one of the recently launched models in this lineup \u2014 the ThinkBook 14 \u2014 and there\u2019s a lot to like about this discreet, no-nonsense laptop. Aside from its commendable performance and selection of ports, I want to tell you about two notable features on this baby \u2014 one that every laptop should have, and another no laptop should even offer as an option.<\/p>\n

\"Lenovo's
Credit: Abhimanyu Ghoshal<\/figcaption>
<\/a>Lenovo\u2019s ThinkBook 14 comes in a simple Mineral Grey colorway<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The must-have: A secret compartment for your USB dongle<\/h2>\n

You know how most wireless mice and keyboards come with tiny USB dongles that jut out of your laptop when plugged in? They\u2019re terrible, because they can snag on your bag\u2019s laptop slot, get bent out of shape if you bump them on a hard surface, or take up a crucial port that you need to run more demanding peripherals. The ThinkBook 14 has a recessed USB 2.0 port in a hideaway compartment for these dongles so it doesn\u2019t stick out of the laptop\u2019s body. It\u2019s genius.<\/p>\n

\"The
Credit: Abhimanyu Ghoshal<\/figcaption>
<\/a>The Lenovo ThinkBook 14 has this neat hideaway slot for USB dongles<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The compartment can handle pretty much any dongle up to 16mm long and 8mm wide. It\u2019s a thoughtful touch that makes this laptop a little easier to live with. Now, it\u2019s not perfect, because it can be difficult to yank your dongle out of the narrow compartment. Still, this is one feature every laptop brand should consider stealing.<\/p>\n

The screw-up: Offering the option of a TN panel for the display<\/h2>\n

While the ThinkBook 14 comes with several up-to-date features like USB-C charging, the latest generation Intel processors, and a fingerprint reader built into the power button, this customizable laptop lets you select a TN panel for the display in lieu of an IPS panel. TN panels are cheaper, but they\u2019re far worse than an IPS panel, especially on a laptop.<\/p>\n

\"If
Credit: Abhimanyu Ghoshal<\/figcaption>
<\/a>If you\u2019re considering the Lenovo ThinkBook 14, make sure you opt for the IPS panel display, not the TN panel<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You see, TN panels suffer from poor viewing angles, meaning that if you look at the laptop from anywhere but exactly in front of the screen (even if you lean a bit to your left or right), the colors and contrast won\u2019t look right. This makes everything from typing up documents to watching videos a pain. And you can\u2019t easily fix this after you\u2019ve made your purchase.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no reason to offer a TN panel on anything but budget devices, and this isn\u2019t exactly a budget device. At Rs. 80,000, it costs more than an entry-level MacBook Air, and more than a decently specced Dell Inspiron or XPS with similar specs. I say all this because the review model I received was top-of-the-line (therefore performing exceedingly well) but it came with this. Why????<\/p>\n

There\u2019s plenty else to like<\/h2>\n

It may not look like anything special, but the keyboard is a delight to type on. There\u2019s just enough feedback to let you know you\u2019ve hit a key, but the resistance is otherwise minimal if you\u2019re looking to bang out a document right quick.<\/p>\n

\"I
Credit: Abhimanyu Ghoshal<\/figcaption>
<\/a>I love the keyboard on the Lenovo ThinkBook 14<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I was also impressed by the battery life: I was able to get close to eight hours on a full charge. There\u2019s also a privacy lock on the webcam, loads of ports (including a full-size HDMI port, an ethernet jack, and an SD cart slot), and it\u2019s pretty portable at around 1.5kg. It also doesn\u2019t hurt that you can get this with a 10th-gen Intel Core i7 processor, up to 16GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. That makes for light work with everything from running 40+ tabs in Google Chrome to editing images in Adobe Photoshop.<\/p>\n

\"Look
Credit: Abhimanyu Ghoshal<\/figcaption>
<\/a>Look at all the ports on the Lenovo ThinkBook 14<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My only gripes with the ThinkBook 14 is that the overall look in Mineral Grey is rather drab \u2014 I\u2019d have liked to have seen some distinctive colors or textures on the body panels\u00a0\u2014 and the sound from the speakers is barely loud enough to hear even in a quiet room.<\/p>\n

Who is this for?<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re looking for a work laptop that can go all day without breaking a sweat, this is a good choice. Lenovo currently has the ThinkBook 14 listed at $876 in the US; that\u2019s plenty cheaper than Dell\u2019s Vostro 14 with similar specs at $1,200. However, I understand it\u2019s closer to the $1,200 mark (Rs. 80,000) in India, at which point you can consider other options including ThinkPads with comparable configurations.<\/p>\n

But if I\u2019m being honest, I love that hideaway dongle slot a whole lot, so this gets a few bonus points from me over the competition.<\/p>\n

Find the ThinkBook 14 on Lenovo\u2019s site.<\/p>\n

For more gear, gadget, and hardware news and reviews, follow Plugged on
\n Twitter<\/a> and
\n Flipboard.
\n <\/i><\/p>\n

\n Published February 13, 2020 \u2014 17:25 UTC\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n