For decades, the Lenovo ThinkPad has been the undisputed king of the business laptop. Its legendary keyboard, bulletproof build quality, and that iconic red TrackPoint have earned it a cult-like following among professionals. But for almost as long, there has been one consistent, glaring weakness in an otherwise stellar package: the display.
If you've used a mainstream ThinkPad T-series model anytime in the last 15 years, you know the story. Weathered, low-resolution TN panels with washed-out colors and terrible viewing angles were the norm. The first glimmer of hope arrived around 2015 with the introduction of IPS technology, but it was a slow crawl to modernity. It wasn't until the beloved ThinkPad T480 that users could finally get a resolution higher than basic Full-HD, with a WQHD (2560 x 1440) option.
So, have things changed? The answer, frustratingly, is a tale of two realities.
The Modern ThinkPad Screen Dilemma
Fast forward to today, and the standard screens on a new ThinkPad T series are still a weak point. While brightness has improved, it's still common to find base configurations sporting WUXGA (1920 x 1200) panels with a low color gamut, making colors look dull and lifeless compared to the competition.
The good news is that Lenovo now offers stunning, high-quality OLED displays on some models. These 2.8K (2880 x 1800) panels boast vibrant HDR, exceptional color coverage, and buttery-smooth refresh rates. The bad news? You can't always get one.
This brings us to a perfect case study: the brand-new Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 6 with Intel Lunar Lake.
This laptop represents Intel's latest architectural shift, promising huge leaps in efficiency and AI performance. It's a laptop we were eager to test, and as our in-depth review confirms, this is how Intel beats AMD in the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 6 laptop review. The performance and battery life are indeed impressive.
However, for some baffling reason, Lenovo is not offering an OLED screen option for this specific Lunar Lake configuration. This means buyers are trapped in the world of WUXGA IPS panels. And the selection available is a minefield for the uninformed.
Navigating the T14 Gen 6 Screen Maze
If you configure a T14 Gen 6 (Intel) today, you're presented with four WUXGA screen choices. Let's break them down:
- WUXGA IPS, 400 nits, 45% NTSC, 60Hz
- WUXGA IPS, 400 nits, 45% NTSC, Touch, 60Hz
- WUXGA IPS, 500 nits, 100% sRGB, Low Power, 60Hz
- WUXGA IPS, 500 nits, 100% sRGB, Touch, ePrivacy, 60Hz
The review unit of the Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 6 Intel we tested (available on Amazon) used the Low Power panel. Let's be clear: for any individual buying this laptop with their own money, this is the only panel that is truly worth considering.
The two base panels with a meager 45% NTSC color gamut are a disservice to the machine. They exist solely to allow Lenovo and corporate resellers to advertise a lower starting price. The ePrivacy screen, which narrows the viewing angle so others can't see your screen, is a niche corporate feature that often degrades the image quality for the user and is unnecessary for most people.
This leaves us with the "best" available option: the 500-nit, 100% sRGB Low Power panel.
The "Best" Isn't Good Enough
So, how is this premium Low Power panel? It's adequate, but far from impressive in 2024. The brightness and color coverage are finally acceptable, but the panel suffers from a high response time and is locked to a 60Hz refresh rate.
While 60Hz is technically fine for spreadsheets and emails, the computing world has moved on. Even casual scrolling in a web browser feels noticeably less fluid on a 60Hz panel once you've experienced something better. For a personal PC that costs well over a thousand dollars, users deserve a more modern and responsive experience.
Other manufacturers have already proven that this is possible. Competing business and professional laptops now routinely offer 90Hz or even 120Hz refresh rates on their IPS displays, providing a tangibly smoother and more responsive user experience without sacrificing battery life or color accuracy.
A Call to Action for Lenovo
It is high time for Lenovo to step up its display game across the board. The ThinkPad T series is a premium product with a premium price tag. Burying a great screen as an expensive, sometimes unavailable upgrade—while still pushing dated, low-color-gamut panels as base options—is a strategy that feels stuck in the past.
We know Lenovo can do it. The stunning OLED options prove it. The next step is to bring fluidity and responsiveness into the fold. The ThinkPad doesn't just need to be the best laptop for your fingers on its keyboard; it needs to be a joy for your eyes, too. Adding a 90Hz WUXGA IPS panel as a new standard would be a fantastic start.
Looking for a new ThinkPad? Be sure to check the spec sheet carefully before you buy. The difference between the base display and the upgraded panels is night and day.