Wednesday, May 19, 2021
Well-balanced business PC
Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga
Pros
- Lots of ports, USB-C charging
- Better performance
- Colorful display with more brightness
- All-metal build is quality
- Good keyboard and touchpad
Cons
- Finish shows fingerprints
- Speakers could be better
- Glossy display still causes some problems
Those shopping for a new convertible 14-inch laptop for their small business will want to lean toward the Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga. It has a better display, better performance, better keyboard and touchpad, and a sleek all-metal design.
Lacking some key ingredients
Acer TravelMate Spin P4
Pros
- Durable alloy design
- Lots of ports
- Good audio
Cons
- Dim display with poor color
- Inferior keyboard and touchpad
- Middling performance and less battery life
- Chunky bezel
The Acer TravelMate Spin P4 hits the same price point as the ThinkBook 14s Yoga, but it doesn't have as good of a display, keyboard, touchpad, or performance. Unless you can find it for a great price, stick with Lenovo's PC.
ThinkBook 14s Yoga vs. TravelMate Spin P4: Specs
The TravelMate Spin P4 has limited configurations available at time of writing, but you should be able to choose between Core i5 and Core i7 models with different levels of RAM and storage. Here are the specs I could find for both laptops.
| ThinkBook 14s Yoga | TravelMate Spin P4 | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro |
Windows 10 Home Windows 10 Pro |
| Processor | 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 Core i7-1165G7 |
11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 Core i7-1165G7 |
| RAM | Up to 40GB DDR4 8GB soldered Open M.2 slot Upgradeable |
Up to 16GB DDR4 Dual slots Upgradeable |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe Integrated |
Intel Iris Xe Integrated |
| Storage | Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD Extra M.2 slot |
Up to 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD Extra M.2 slot |
| Display | 14 inches 1920x1080 (FHD) Touch, IPS 16:9 aspect ratio Glossy, 300 nits Dolby Vision |
14 inches 1920x1080 (FHD) Touch, IPS 16:9 aspect ratio Glossy, 250 nits |
| Pen | Integrated Smart Pen | Integrated Smart Pen |
| Ports | USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) Thunderbolt 4 HDMI 1.4b Two USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1) 3.5mm audio microSD card reader |
Thunderbolt 4 Two USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2) HDMI 2.0 RJ45 Ethernet 3.5mm audio microSD card reader |
| Audio | Dual 2W speakers Dolby Audio |
Dual 2W speakers Top-firing |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.1 |
Wi-Fi 6 Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Camera | Front-facing 720p ThinkShutter |
Front-facing 720p Cam shutter |
| Security | TPM 2.0 Fingerprint reader Kensington Nano lock slot Webcam shutter |
TPM 2.0 Fingerprint reader Kensington lock slot Webcam shutter |
| Battery | 60Wh | 56Wh |
| Dimensions | 12.60 x 8.62 x 0.67 inches (320mm x 216mm x 16.9mm) |
12.8 x 9.29 x 0.70 inches (325mm x 236mm x 17.9mm) |
| Weight | 3.3 pounds (1.5kg) | 3.08 pounds (1.4kg) |
| Color | Mineral Grey Abyss Blue |
Slate Blue |
| Material | Aluminum MIL-STD 810H testing |
Magnesium alloy MIL-STD 810H testing |
Design and features
Acer TravelMate Spin P4
The ThinkBook 14s Yoga and TravelMate Spin P4 are both 14-inch convertible laptops that have been certified for MIL-STD 810H durability, meaning they can withstand elements outside of what you might find in a regular office setting. Both should make for great travel or field partners. The 14s Yoga has a more compact footprint, but it weighs more due to the all-metal chassis. The Spin P4 uses a magnesium blend that helps shave off some weight.
Ports are nearly the same, though the Spin P4 has an extra RJ45 Ethernet port if you're looking for a wired internet connection. Both laptops feature Thunderbolt 4, and the 14s Yoga has an extra USB-C port that doubles for charging.
Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga
The TravelMate Spin P4's top-firing 2W speakers pump out better audio compared to the 14s Yoga; both devices have a decent front-facing 720p camera for video conferencing. Because this is a laptop intended for business use, both have a webcam shutter, TPM 2.0 chip, and fingerprint reader. The Acer laptop's reader doesn't work nearly as well, so stick with Lenovo if it's a feature you plan on using regularly.
Both laptops have upgradeable internal hardware, including RAM and storage. Note that while one RAM module is soldered in the 14s Yoga (8GB), the Spin P4 has both SODIMM slots accessible. This allows you to keep your PC relevant longer into the future, or it allows you to save some money at checkout and upgrade on the cheap. Our guide on how to upgrade the SSD in the Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga can help you through the process if you decide to go that route.
Display and inking
Neither laptop has a great selection of displays to choose from. You're looking at a single 1920x1080 (FHD) touch option for both, though they differ when you dig down into specs. The ThinkBook 14s Yoga's display hits about 329 nits brightness, whereas the Spin P4's display only manages about 256 nits at peak. With the glossy finish, this makes it difficult to see the Acer laptop's display in a well-lit room.
Color balances heavily in favor of the 14s Yoga, with 100% sRGB, 76% AdobeRGB, and 79% DCI-P3. The Spin P4 manages just 65% sRGB, 49% AdobeRGB, and 48% DCI-P3, all poor results. Bezel around the Spin P4's display is also much larger, giving it a more dated look.
Both laptops include an integrated and rechargeable active pen for inking. I love this addition, and with both laptops you're going to be able to pull out the pen to jot down some notes or make a few quick sketches. This plays well with the convertible nature of these devices. Flip the display around for tablet mode and enjoy much easier inking.
Performance and price
You can get essentially the same performance hardware in either laptop, with 11th Gen Intel Core i5 and Core i7 CPU options. Note that neither laptop is Intel Evo certified. Nevertheless, all-day battery life is a feature in both devices, with the Spin P4 hitting just more than nine hours and the ThinkBook 14s Yoga hitting just shy of 11 hours in the same test.
Despite having the same Core i7-1165G7 CPU, the TravelMate Spin P4 scored worse in all benchmarks we use save 3DMark Night Raid. If you want the best performance possible from your device, you will want to stick with the ThinkBook 14s Yoga.
As for price, both laptops sit in the same range. A ThinkBook model with Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD can be found for about $900, which is the same starting price for the Spin P4 with similar performance hardware. Prices climb accordingly as you add more hardware, but prices remain mostly the same.
If neither of these laptops really fits your needs, our roundup of the best Windows laptops out there right now has plenty more buying options.
Stick with the ThinkBook 14s Yoga to best spend your money
The ThinkBook 14s Yoga does almost everything better than the TravelMate Spin P4. Its display is brighter and more colorful, it has a better keyboard and touchpad, its battery lasts longer, and it delivers more robust performance. Considering it costs about the same as Acer's laptop, this is the clear way to go.
Well-balanced business PC
Lenovo ThinkBook 14s Yoga
Compared to the TravelMate Spin P4, Lenovo's ThinkBook 14s Yoga looks like it should cost a whole lot more.
Go with Acer's laptop if you need Ethernet, better audio
Acer's TravelMate Spin P4 falls behind the ThinkBook in almost every way, except when it comes to audio and wired internet. If these truly matter to you, it might be a better buy. Wait for a discount, though, to ensure you're not overspending.
Lacking some key ingredients
Acer TravelMate Spin P4
The TravelMate Spin P4 is a well-built convertible PC, but its main features don't measure up to what Lenovo has to offer from its ThinkBook 14s Yoga.
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