NOVEMBER 2019 PCWorld 43Price: $1,189 MSRP (Lenovo.com [go.
pcworld.com/b13s]); with coupon, $713.49;
$749 at Newegg (go.pcworld.com/13il)
Amazon: $754 (go.pcworld.com/lnam).
Other configurations range from $1,049 to
$1,649 MSRP on Lenovo.com (go.pcworld.
com/b13s).
Lenovo’s ThinkBook 13s manages to
exude an aura of stability while still not
breaking your back. It’s chunky, though not
overly heavy. Officially, it’s made of aluminum
and magnesium metal and sports a Mineral
Grey finish, with a zinc-alloy hinge. I couldn’t
discern any
keyboard flex,
and the display
steadfastly
refused to flop
about while
shaking it.
While it’s not
a 2-in-1, the
attractive IPS
display folds
back flat. Total
luminosity is 301
nits maximum,
close to but
exceeding the
250 to 260 nits
we consider
appropriate for
daily use. Note
that our review
model was not equipped with a touchscreen.
A generous vent underneath the chassis
helps pull air from the outside, venting it out
through the back of the chassis via a small
grille running along one half of the hinge’s
length. I did notice a slight fan whine while it
was running, which can kick in—though very
quietly—even during mundane, innocuous
tasks such as typing this sentence.
Officially, the ThinkBook 13s is built to
withstand dousing with up to 2 ounces of
water, extreme temperatures, and vibrations.
(We didn’t test any of those claims.) The hinge...while a more complex arrangement of USB-C and an HDMI port is mounted on
the left. Note that there is no ethernet jack, so you’ll have to use Wi-Fi or a dongle.A pair of USB Type A ports adorns the right side of the chassis...