• Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 4

  The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 brings some big changes over previous models beyond just simple spec bumps. There are newer sleeker bezels, better user-facing speakers, a new optional 5MP webcam, and the option for a 2.8K resolution OLED display. 

  Pros

  • OLED screen option
  • Redesigned with slimmer bezels
  • Speedy fast Intel CPUs

  Cons

  • Not all configurations avaialble right now
  • Integrated graphics performance will be slow

  $1119 at Lenovo

• ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2

  The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 brings minor changes over last year's Gen 1 model, but there are the newest AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs under the hood, along with the option for a new lid that has woven Flax material.

  Pros

  • Features new AMD CPUs
  • Has OLED screen option
  • Great integrated graphics performance

  Cons

  • Not yet for sale
  • No Thunderbolt

Lenovo makes some of the best laptops, many of which fall under its ThinkPad line. For business users who want an extremely fancy-looking laptop, there's the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2, powered by an AMD CPU. Other enterprise users, meanwhile, might also be interested in the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4, which has a sleek display, options for both AMD and Intel CPUs (though it's Intel-only right now), and even an OLED display just like the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2.

There are a lot of areas where these two laptops are similar, so we're going to break down what separates these two great business laptops to see which one is best for you.

Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 vs Z13 Gen 2: Price, specs, and availability

Only one of these devices is available for sale right now. The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 is available in many configurations, but Lenovo.com only is stocking models with 13th-generation Intel CPUs for now, even though it mentioned models with AMD CPUs are on the way. The most affordable model you can find is the custom Build your PC version, which starts at $1,600. It comes with the 13th-generation Intel Core i5-1335U CPU, 8GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, and the standard 1920x1200 resolution non-touch display.

Meanwhile, the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 was announced back in March 2023 and has yet to go on sale. Lenovo said it will be coming in July 2023 starting at $1,249.

• 	Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 4	ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2
  Brand	Lenovo	Lenovo
  Color	Deep Black, Storm Gray	Flax Fiber Bronze or Aluminum Arctic Grey
  Storage	Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD	Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD
  CPU	13th-generation Intel Core processors with vPro or AMD Ryzen 7000 series Mobile Processors	Latest generation AMD Ryzen 7000 series mobile processors
  Memory	Up to 32GB LPDDR5	Up to 64GB LPDDR5x RAM
  Operating System	Windows 11	Windows 11
  Battery	41Whr or 54.7Whr	51.5Wh
  Ports	2 x Intel Thunderbolt 4 (USB4 on AMD) 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A 1 x HDMI 2.0b 1 x Audio Jack	2 x USB 4 1 x Audio Jack
  Camera	FHD RGB with privacy shutter or 5MP RGB IR with Privacy shutter	FHD RGB + IR with e-shutter FHD Hybrid with e-shutter
  Display (Size, Resolution)	13-inch, 16:10 aspect ratio, up to 2.8K OLED, or WUXGA IPS Low Power, WUXGA IPS Touch, or WUXGA IPS 300 nit	13.3-inch, WQXGA 2.8K OLED, 16:10 aspect ratio, 400 nit brightness, Touch option/13.3-inch, WUXGA IPS, 16:10 aspect ratio, 400 nit brightness, Touch option
  Weight	2.51 pounds	2.62 pounds (1.19 kg)
  GPU	Intel Iris Xe (intel models) or AMD Radeon Graphics (AMD model)	AMD Radeon Graphics
  Dimension	11.78 x 9.51 x 0.62 inches	11.59 x 7.85 x 0.55 inches
  Network	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, Optional 4G LTE WWAN	Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 5.1 Optional: 4G LTE WWAN
  Speakers	2 x user facing speakers with Dolby Audio	2 x speakers with Dolby Atmos support

Design: A simple laptop vs a luxurious one

You'll see some of the biggest differences between these two laptops on the outside. The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 is your standard business laptop. It comes in either Deep Black or Storm Gray, and is made of a mix of aluminum and magnesium, making it a durable laptop that meets military-grade standards. The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2, meanwhile, looks more luxurious. It has shiny squared edges, and the lid features either an aluminum finish or a flax fiber finish.

Port selection is also quite different. The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 comes with a solid port selection, making it easy to avoid a dongle. You'll get Thunderbolt 4 on Intel models or USB4 on AMD models, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, an HDMI port, and even an audio jack. You won't get that many ports on the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2. It only has two USB4 ports and an audio jack, so a great dock or dongle will be a must.

However, their measurements are similar. The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 measures around 0.62 inches thick and weighs about 2.52 pounds. Meanwhile, the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 measures 0.55 inches thick and weighs 2.62 pounds. If you're the type of person that likes really compact laptops, the Z13 Gen 2 will be for you, but the X13 Gen 4 is slightly lighter if portability is a factor.

Display: Do you want a laptop with super slim bezels?

The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 and the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 share a common theme: slim bezel displays. However, the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2's bezels are slightly slimmer than what you'll find on the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 4. It's a small detail most people might not notice, but the Z13 Gen 2 gets closer to the bezel-less look that you'll find on an XPS 13. The X13 Gen 4 still has some thicker bezels to the side of the panel.

Other than the bezels, these 13.3-inch displays are identical in terms of screen resolution. The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 sports a standard tall 16:10 aspect ratio 1920x1200 resolution panel, with a touch option and brightness as high as 300 nits. You also can upgrade the IPS display to the 2880x1800 resolution OLED panel for more pixels, more vibrant colors, and a higher 400-nit peak brightness. The same applies to the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2, where you can pick either a 2800x1800 resolution OLED panel or a standard IPS 1920x1200 resolution panel. Touch is standard across all models, though, unlike on the X13 Gen 4. Either one should be great for multitasking and opening windows side by side.

As for the webcams, you get a few options on the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4: either 720p, 1080p, or a 5MP webcam, although higher-quality ones are paid upgrades. On the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2, you get an FHD webcam as stock, along with the option for a 5MP webcam as an upgrade. The more pixels in the webcam, the better the image looks, so always consider upgrading the webcam when possible.

Performance: Do you want a choice of AMD CPUs or Intel CPUs?

The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 technically comes in two flavors. You can find it with either 13th-generation Intel Core CPUs or AMD's new Ryzen 7000 series CPU with up to 32GB RAM. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 is only available with Intel CPUs on Lenovo's website. The ThinkPad Z 13 Gen 2, meanwhile exclusively sports AMD Ryzen 7000 chips, with up to 64GB RAM. The laptop you buy might depend on if you're a fan of Intel or AMD

Let's get more into specifics. Intel's 13th-generation CPUs are hybrid processors, so they have a combination of performance and efficiency cores for superb performance in everyday productivity tasks like web browsing. Core counts max out at 14, and the lowest-end model comes with just 10 cores, so there's plenty of speed. Compared to the last generation, the clock speeds have also gotten a light speed boost. You also can choose either P-series chips or U-series chips. P-series runs at 28W and the U-series at 15W. We're only seeing the U-series options for now, though, which is better for battery life thanks to the lower wattage.

We're uncertain which CPU parts Lenovo is using on the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2, but we know that they sport the new Radeon 700M integrated graphics. This should mean added graphical performance for video editing and even light gaming, improved battery life, and less thermal throttling on the battery. You even can pack more RAM into this laptop, since there's the option for 64GB RAM for the first time, a lot more than the 32GB RAM on the X13 Gen 4.

As you can see above, we'd lean towards the AMD CPU in the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 for tasks that need more CPU power. It also outscored both the 13th-generation P-series and U-series chips from Intel in Cinebench. Meanwhile, it's slightly ahead in the PCMark 10 test, showing that for everyday web browsing and performance, things should be the same between these systems.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 is right for most people

We get that the ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 isn't a fancy laptop. It's your standard ThinkPad with a magnesium and aluminum finish. It also doesn't currently have the option for AMD CPUs, but it is a pretty great everyday laptop. It also still has super slim bezels and a superb port selection, which makes it a perfect laptop for most people.

Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 4

The everyday laptop

The ThinkPad X13 Gen 4 brings some big changes over previous models beyond just simple spec bumps. There are newer sleeker bezels, better user-facing speakers, a new optional 5MP webcam, and the option for a 2.8K resolution OLED display. 

$1119 at Lenovo

If you're the more adventurous type, and you love a fancy-looking laptop, then the ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 will be for you. It straight up looks more luxurious with squared-off shiny edges, and an option for a flax fiber lid. You'll also get better performance for tasks beyond simple web browsing. It's a more sophisticated and powerful laptop. Just keep in mind that the port selection is really poor on this laptop, and you might have to wait a few more months to buy it.

ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2

The more sophisticated laptop

The ThinkPad Z13 Gen 2 brings minor changes over last year's Gen 1 model, but there are the newest AMD Ryzen 7000 series CPUs under the hood, along with the option for a new lid that has woven Flax material.