Lenovo ThinkPad T15 Gen 2 review
Lenovo ThinkPad T15 Gen 2 — from 2021, 1.75 kg, performance 58.
Technical specifications
| Type | Business |
| Release year | 2021 |
| Screen | 15.6" · 1920x1080 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 1135G7 , Intel Core i5 1145G7 , Intel Core i7 1165G7 , Intel Core i7 1185G7 |
| Graphics | GeForce MX450 2GB |
| Max. RAM | 48 GB |
| Weight | 1.75 kg |
| Battery | 57 Wh |
Performance scores
Lenovo ThinkPad T15 Gen 2: the $686 veteran with a working MX450
The 2021 ThinkPad T15 Gen 2 at $686 still does the job it was built for: an i5 1135G7 with an MX450 2GB and 48GB of RAM, posting a graphics score of 44.73 — 1064.8 percent above the business-class median of 3.84 — alongside a performance index of 57.95 that runs 39.7 percent above the class median. The flagged weakness is mobility: 50 against a class median of 60, a 16.7 percent shortfall consistent with the vintage's battery years.
Where it holds up
The MX450 still earns its slot: recommended-level clearances for Overwatch and Grand Theft Auto V with a measured Far Cry 5 result of 34 frames per second at recommended settings, plus Photoshop and Visual Studio Code minimums. Photo design reaches 71 high-band, value posts 67.55 high-band, and the CPU score of 70 runs 32.2 percent above the class median. The 48GB of RAM is generous for the vintage and keeps the machine relevant for memory-hungry office work.
Where it falls short
Mobility at 50 is the flagged weakness — the class's battery-first middle sits at 60, and five-year-old cells rarely argue with the data. Gaming at 44 is clearance-level comfort: playable in older titles, modest in modern ones. Modeling at 42 and CAD at 44 sit mid-band, office at 73.19 is the lowest high-band tier, and portability of 47.5 is mid-pack. The sheet is the honest shape of a well-kept veteran: capable, unflashy, discounted.
Price and depreciation
$686 is mid-tier money for 2021 silicon. No listing history anchors this unit, so the class rate of about 9.45 percent a year is the anchor — among the gentlest in this batch, the standard arithmetic of hardware that has already given back its premium.
Alternatives to consider
The E14 Gen 2 and E15 Gen 2 (models 1856 and 1859) at the same $686 post matching MX450 sheets with the same game clearances — the consumer-badge versions of this money. The IdeaPad Slim 5i 14 of the same year (model 1851) offers the same card at $399 with a third of the memory. This T15 stands on chassis and 48GB.
Bottom line
Fairly priced for the class. A working discrete card, verified clearances, generous memory and one of the batch's gentlest depreciation rates at $686 — the T15 Gen 2 is a rational veteran buy whose mobility figure is the age showing, nothing more.
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⭐ What stands out
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graphics performance is higher than typical business class (+200%) (mainstream tier).
top 25% of its category -
overall performance is higher than typical business class (+39.7%) (mid).
top 25% of its category -
CPU performance is higher than typical business class (+32.2%) (high tier).
top 25% of its category
🎮 What it can run
⚙️ Configuration analysis
Top configuration suits everyday productivity, light photo editing, and esports titles.
🤔 How to choose
Universal advice for any use case.
- Reliability vs price: reliability (median 42.5) ↔ price (median 297.4).
- Weight vs CPU: mobility (median 60) ↔ overall performance (median 41.5).
- Upgradeability vs battery: upgradability (median 62.5) ↔ battery life (median 3.3).
ThinkPad T15 Gen 2: verdict
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