Lenovo ThinkPad P52 - Mobile WorkStation

ThinkPad laptops have always been famous for their boxy design and a keyboard system that outperforms competitors, most clearly demonstrated in high-end workstations. And the Lenovo ThinkPad P52, released in early 2018, carries those same advantages along with several notable upgrades.

The Most Powerful Workstation

The Lenovo ThinkPad P52 utilizes high-performance 8th Gen Intel Coffee Lake CPUs, helping users perform heavy tasks that require high CPU consumption, such as rendering 3D frames or running demanding simulation programs. Notably, the machine is available with an optional Xeon E-2176M CPU, helping the device run heavy programs durably for long periods.

In addition, the machine is equipped with a Quadro Pascal graphics system, helping to smoothly handle powerful 3D graphics tasks or running AI testing programs. With three options—Quadro P1000, Quadro P2000, and Quadro P3200—users can choose a graphics card that suits their specific needs.

Display – A Comprehensive Change

The Lenovo ThinkPad P52 is equipped with a Full HD screen featuring a standard IPS panel. The screen has an average brightness of 300 nits; however, the color gamut is excellent, with 90% sRGB and 55% AdobeRGB. With this display, users can fully perform graphic design and image editing tasks with high accuracy.

Additionally, the machine offers 4K and 4K TOUCH display options, with a brightness of 400 nits and high color coverage at 100% AdobeRGB; however, Lenovo has removed the Pantone color calibration feature found in previous generations for the 4K option.

Lenovo ThinkPad P52 Design

At a glance, the Lenovo ThinkPad P52 is not much different from the P50. The entire chassis is reinforced with an aluminum-magnesium alloy, providing durability and sturdiness during use. The lid is robust and still features a smooth carbon fiber coating; however, the “Lenovo” logo has been completely removed, leaving only the familiar “ThinkPad” text in the right corner.

The screen bezels remain thick to ensure stability for the display panel. The ThinkShutter slider is neatly located in the middle of the camera, making it convenient to cover the webcam. The hinges are designed on both sides, providing stability without obstructing the two side ventilation slots. All LED lights on the power button, as well as the LED indicators on the CapsLock and NumLock keys, have been changed to white. The port layout has also changed slightly.

Keyboard and Touchpad

Overall, there is not much difference between the Lenovo ThinkPad P52 keyboard and the previous generation. However, if you look closely, the character system has been slightly modified, appearing smaller than its predecessor. The key travel is deep at 1.7mm, and the keycaps are more concave, making them more ergonomic for typing.

The touchpad has been made wider and integrated with Windows Precision Drivers. The surface is made of a smooth, matte plastic, which, while not as premium-feeling as glass surfaces, offers smooth movement. The gesture system is highly responsive.

The machine retains the familiar Trackpoint system of the ThinkPad line. The Trackpoint remains highly sensitive, and the supporting hard keys have been moved closer and offer a quiet click. The mouse scroll button is no longer stylized with blue dots but has been replaced with black raised dots for a more synchronized look.

Connectivity System

Unlike previous generations, the connectivity system of the ThinkPad P52 is distributed evenly on both sides, rather than being concentrated at the back. The machine is equipped with 3 USB Type A 3.1 Gen 1 ports, 2 USB Type C 3.1 Gen 2 ports supporting Thunderbolt 3, 1 HDMI 2.0 port, 1 mini DisplayPort, a 3.5mm combo audio jack, an RJ-45 network port, and 1 SD card slot. Lenovo has removed the outdated Express Card slot to maximize internal circuit space and to rearrange the ports more effectively.

Upgradeability

As a traditional workstation, the ThinkPad P52 offers incredible hardware upgradeability. The machine has 4 DDR4 RAM slots, supporting up to 128GB, or up to 64GB of ECC RAM. Additionally, the machine has 2 SSD slots supporting the NVMe standard, and 1 2.5-inch hard drive bay right next to it. This upgrade capability has existed in previous versions; however, on the P52, the hard drive upgrade system has been rearranged to be more compact and aesthetic, occupying less space than the previous version.

Is the Lenovo ThinkPad P52 a Worthy Workstation?

Even though it is not a thin and light workstation like its sibling, the ThinkPad P1, nor does it have the unconventional design lines of the HP Zbook 15 G5, the P52 remains a Mobile Workstation with powerful performance, excellent upgradeability, and a rich array of ports to serve users. The only downside for users might be the weight of the machine.