The ThinkPad T16 Gen 4 AMD: Good, But Could've Been *So* Much Better

Oh, the ThinkPad! Just hearing that name conjures up images of reliable, no-nonsense workhorses, doesn't it? So when Lenovo rolled out the ThinkPad T16 Gen 4 with an AMD heart, there was a definite buzz. We're talking about a classic, reimagined for today's professional landscape. But, and there's always a 'but,' it seems this particular iteration, while perfectly capable, left quite a bit on the table. It's like ordering your favorite dish and finding a few key ingredients missing, you know?

Let's kick things off with the display, shall we? On a 16-inch machine, you'd naturally expect some stellar visual options. But the T16 Gen 4 AMD? It’s stuck with just a 16:10 FHD+ panel (that's 1920x1200 pixels for the spec-savvy). And honestly, for a device targeting professionals who might spend hours staring at their screen, it feels a little... basic. Where's the glorious QHD+? The vibrant OLED? Those options are available in other ThinkPads, even some with AMD chips, so why not here? It's a missed opportunity to really elevate the user experience, in my humble opinion.

Then there's the port situation. Now, don't get me wrong, it's got a decent spread: two USB-C ports (though only USB 3.2 Gen 2, not the zippier USB4 or Thunderbolt equivalent), a couple of USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.1, Ethernet – all good, practical stuff. But for a premium business laptop, the absence of an SD card reader is a head-scratcher. And the big one: no USB4. This is an AMD machine, so Thunderbolt isn't on the cards, but USB4 should be. It's like offering a sports car but with a speed limiter you can't quite remove. Modern professionals need that versatile, high-bandwidth connectivity, you know?

Under the hood, we find the AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 7730U. On paper, it sounds robust, right? But here’s the kicker: the Ryzen 7030 series is essentially a rebadged Ryzen 6000 series, which means we’re looking at Zen 3+ architecture. While perfectly competent, it’s not the bleeding-edge Zen 4 that AMD has available. It's like getting a 'new' model car, only to find out it's mostly last year's engine with a fresh coat of paint. And speaking of power, there’s no dedicated GPU option whatsoever. The integrated Radeon 680M is decent for integrated graphics, sure, but for any demanding visual tasks, or even just future-proofing, a dGPU would have been a game-changer. Especially on a 16-inch chassis that could likely handle the thermal load.

Beyond these core points, there are a few other little things that add up. Battery capacity, for instance. While you can opt for a larger one, it would have been nice to see more generous options as standard. And let’s not forget about RAM. We're talking about LPDDR5 in other modern machines, but here it's DDR5, which is fine, but again, not quite pushing the envelope. And Wi-Fi 6E? Conspicuously absent. These might seem like minor quibbles individually, but collectively, they paint a picture of a laptop that perhaps played it a little too safe.

So, where does that leave us? The Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 4 AMD is, without a doubt, a reliable machine. It embodies that ThinkPad spirit of robust build quality and a fantastic keyboard (presumably, as it’s a ThinkPad!). But in an increasingly competitive market, where users are looking for that extra 'oomph,' that sense of innovation and cutting-edge features, the T16 Gen 4 AMD feels like it missed a few steps. It's a solid laptop, yes, but it’s hard not to look at it and think, 'Oh, what could have been!'