Lenovo ThinkPad 14" E14 Gen 6 Black 2023

The ThinkPad E14 Gen 6 nails the basics with a fantastic keyboard, solid Ryzen 7 performance, and a tough build. But the dim, washed-out display and small battery hold it back hard. It's a smart buy only if you find it near the $989 mark and don't care about screen quality.

The Ryzen 7 7735U is a proper work chip, landing in the 67th percentile for CPUs and chewing through browser tabs, Office apps, and light dev work without breaking a sweat. The integrated Radeon 680M graphics sit at the 60th percentile, which means it's fine for streaming and can even handle some light gaming in a pinch, but don't expect it to replace a dedicated GPU. The 16GB of DDR5 RAM is solidly average for this class, though the 512GB SSD is a weak spot, falling into the 38th percentile. You'll fill that drive faster than you think, especially with Windows 11 Pro and a few large projects.

Stacked against something like the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, the ThinkPad gets obliterated on display quality, GPU power, and overall speed, but it fights back with a better keyboard and a more professional, understated look. The HP OMEN Transcend 14 is in a different league for gaming and creative work, while the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition offers a vastly superior screen and build feel. The ThinkPad's real edge is its no-frills durability and port selection, but if you don't need Ethernet or MIL-STD toughness, almost every competitor here has a nicer screen and better battery life.

Pricing on this thing is all over the map, with a wild spread from $989 to over $3,000 depending on the vendor. At the low end, you're getting a durable, fast-enough business laptop that makes sense for a fleet purchase or a student on a budget. At the high end, it's a complete rip-off. If you can snag it closer to that $989 mark, the value proposition clicks into place. Just know that the cheap price is offset by a screen that feels like it's from five years ago and a battery that'll have you hunting for outlets by mid-afternoon.

The ThinkPad E14 Gen 6 is Lenovo's pitch for a no-nonsense workhorse that won't destroy your back or your wallet. You get a solid AMD Ryzen 7 chip, 16GB of RAM, and that legendary ThinkPad keyboard in a package that weighs just over three pounds. It's built for spreadsheets, coding marathons, and the occasional trip through airport security, complete with a MIL-STD 810H durability rating that means it can handle a bump or two.

But here's the thing. The display is a letdown, the storage is stingy for the price, and the battery is smaller than we'd like to see in 2025. It's a capable machine for getting real work done, as long as you're not picky about screen quality or planning to stray far from a power outlet.

Skip this if you care about screen quality at all. The 45% NTSC panel is rough for photo editing, watching movies, or even just working in a bright room. Also look elsewhere if you need all-day battery life, the 47Wh cell won't get you through a full workday without a top-up.

This is a laptop for the IT department ordering in bulk, or for someone who prioritizes a great keyboard and rugged build over a pretty display. It's a work tool, not a lifestyle device. If you spend your days in Excel, a terminal, or a browser-based CMS, the E14 Gen 6 will serve you well, provided you buy it at the right price and keep the charger handy.