ZDNET's key takeaways The Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 6 has configurations that start at $800.
It's a solid budget business laptop with a wide range of configurations.
The display and webcam might not be good enough for most users, and opting for higher-end hardware can nearly double the price. View now at Lenovo
On the surface, Lenovo's sixth-generation ThinkPad E14 doesn't look much different from the previous model; it's a quintessential ThinkPad with the familiar red TrackPoint button and left/right mouse buttons above the trackpad in a compact, matte black chassis.
The E14 is a budget productivity laptop with a focused use case: the office. It brings many of the ThinkPad's unique features but keeps the hardware on the modest end, making it a solid workhorse for most workflows and a reliable laptop for teams that don't need high-powered, specialized devices.
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That said, the hardware on board is respectable. It's armed with an Intel Core Ultra 5 or 7 processor to power multitasking and working in the cloud while also enabling the device's thin and light form factor. IT teams will appreciate the device's generous set of ports, Kensington lock slot, and self-healing BIOS to extend its lifecycle.
The E14 is best compared to its more premium siblings, particularly Lenovo's X1 Carbon series. Where the X1 Carbon features an OLED display and sleeker, more robust form factor, the E14 offers more modest visuals and a slightly plasticky build (but retains many of the features that make ThinkPads what they are).
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For example, the keyboard is comfortable and well-optimized with Lenovo's scissor-lift mechanism for satisfying key travel. Additionally, the function keys are useful and well-telegraphed for their purposes.
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