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ThinkPad Z series
Series of laptop computers From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The ThinkPad Z series was initially a very short-lived series of laptop computers focused on multimedia features and capabilities that came about after the Lenovo acquisition in 2005. It introduced a few features to the ThinkPad brand, including 16:10 displays,[1][2] and webcams (only Z61m and Z61t[3]). The series was introduced in 2005 with the Z60m and Z60t (which were equivalent to the R52), which are 15.4" and 14.1" respectively.[4][5] Z series would however eventually get merged with T60 and result in a new widescreen model (15.4" only, however) being announced in November 2006, effectively invalidating its existence at the time.[4]
 | This article is missing information about detailed specs and options. (October 2024) |
In 2022, Lenovo released new variants in the Z series in the form of the Z13 and Z16. The brand was marketed as a true slim and light premium device that showcased AMD's Ryzen 6000 series mobile processors, in line with the X1 Carbon. It was meant to compete against a similar offering in the form of Apple's MacBook Air and the Dell XPS 13. Due to the last generation being released at the tail end of 2023, some question whether the line has become abandoned once more.
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History and reception
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The ThinkPad Z60m and Z60t were announced on 20 September 2005. Reviewers praised them for their design, including the new titanium lid, as well as performance with the then-current Dothan architecture Pentium M and, for the Z60m, Mobility Radeon X600 graphics.[1][2][5][6] On the 16th of May 2006, the first two models were replaced by the Z61m and Z61t, featuring a new architecture built around the Intel Core platform, a 0.3mp webcam, as well as a proper 16:10 aspect ratio screen for the Z61t instead of the somewhat uncommon 5:3 screen of the Z60t.[5][7][8] The cost reduced Z61e was also announced then, using the chassis of the Z61m, although lacks a trackpad, dedicated graphics, among other features, as with the R60e to the R60[4]
The new Z61m and Z61t were also quite well received, although NOTEBOOKCHECK noted that the Z61m was oversized,[9] while a user on forum.thinkpads.com pointed out that the Z61t was smaller than the 14.1" widescreen T61.[5][10] Later models came with Core 2 Duo processors.
The new high-end Z61p model was announced on the 18th of July 2006. It introduced a higher resolution 1920×1200 screen, ATI FirePro V5200, and came with the option of newer Core 2 Duo CPUs right from the start. However, like the Z61e, it lacked a titanium lid option.[5][11]
On the 28th of November 2006, the Z61m and Z61p would be replaced by the 15.4" widescreen T60 and T60p. The Z61t wouldn't get properly replaced until the 9th of May 2007, when the 14.1" widescreen T61 was announced, based on an updated architecture. It would also get a 15.4" widescreen and 14.1" 4:3 release, though the latter was very short-lived[4][5]
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Modern Redesign
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The modern release of the laptops came in January 2022. The Z13 initially came with a redesign with 3 different variants. The first came with a leather top and bronze accents with a black bottom plate, The second was an all-black model without the bronze highlights and leather top, and the last was a silver variant that was made out of recycled aluminum and was similar to the all-black variant. The Z16 did not contain the leather top option and only came in silver top with black bottom. These premium materials were to signify the flagship position that Lenovo was marketing these devices towards. Directly competing with similar offerings from ASUS, Apple, and Dell at the time.
The keyboard was redesigned to be slimmer. Red trackpoint is present, but removed dedicated trackpoint buttons in favor of a haptic trackpad. There is an added “Communications Bar” on the lid that houses the webcam, Windows Hello IR sensor, and microphone array. All USB ports are USB-C only, but are capable of supporting 40Gbit/s throughput using Thunderbolt 4/USB4.
The modern devices do not have any Intel variants, all have AMD Ryzen processors. Due to this, some have speculated that this line was meant as a showcase for AMD processors and their integrated GPUs.
2022
Z13 Gen 1
AMD's Ryzen 6000 Pro series processors were the only configurable option on the device. All ran 6xx Radeon integrated graphics. The RAM was able to configured up to 32 GB of soldered LPDDR5-6400Mhz. The storage could be configured up to a 1 TB NVMe 2242 SSD. A WWAN slot was available to add 4G-LTE connectivity.
Z16 Gen 1
Similar to the z13 1st gen, the Z16 1st gen had AMD's Ryzen 6000 Pro series processors. However, the laptop could be configured with either 6xx Radeon integrated graphics or the Radeon 6500M dedicated graphics. The RAM was able to configured up to 32 GB of soldered LPDDR5-6400Mhz. The storage could be configured up to a 2 TB NVMe 2280 SSD. A WWAN slot was available to add 4G-LTE connectivity.
2023
The Z13 and Z16 Gen 2 was announced in July 2023, with the official launch in October that year. The overall design of the device remains similar to the 1st gen. The internals of the device were refreshed to include AMD Ryzen 7000 Pro series and options to increase the memory up to 64 GB of LPDDR5x-6400Mhz (The RAM was rated at 7500 MHz, but needed to be downclocked due to platform limitations.)
Z13 Gen 2
One of the notable design differences between the first and second generations is the removal of the Leather-topped lid in favor of a Flax Fiber cloth lid. The all-black option was also removed from this generation, but the recycled aluminum option was still available.
Z16 Gen 2
The only notable feature difference between the first and second generations was the removal of the optional WWAN slot in the machine. Interestingly, the Z13 keeps the feature with the same optional 4G Modem as the first generation.
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Modern Reception
Critics rated the devices favorably upon release. Often pointing out the performance per watt, the portable form factor, and the new look as being general positive overall. However, critics argued against the redesign, favoring only USB-C connectors. Lamenting the use of USB-C dongles in order to connect non-USB-C devices.
There was also the issue of heat dissipation, as some reviewers noted that the keyboard gets particularly hot under stress. The keyboard itself was also a point of contention due to the size not accommodating those with larger fingers.
The looks were also polarizing. Some did not feel that the redesign made the device feel more of a fashion statement rather than a laptop. Others question the design from straying away from the rest of the ThinkPad line-up. Arguing that the device should not be considered a ThinkPad and was more in line with consumer-focused laptops.
Gallery
Z61t with the titanium lid, partially open
Z61t with the titanium lid, this time mostly open
See also
References
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