Lenovo unveils new ThinkPad Z Series laptops for eco-conscious business users | ZDNet

Lenovo on Tuesday unveiled the ThinkPad Z Series, a new set of laptops designed with sustainability in mind. The new ThinkPad Z13 and Z16 feature sustainable materials such as recycled aluminum, recycled black vegan leather, an AC power adapter that uses 90% Post-Consumer Content (PCC) and more sustainable packaging. 

The new devices are aimed at business users who increasingly care about their environmental impact. They will also help Lenovo itself reach its own environmental and sustainability goals. 

“As people become more eco-conscious, we set out to provide a smarter, environmentally responsible way forward and help our customers build a better future for their stakeholders –including the biggest stakeholder of all: our planet,” Lenovo VP Jerry Paradise said in an email to ZDNet. “Environmental, social and governance are also key priorities for Lenovo as a company.”

Lenovo is aiming for 100% of its PC products to contain post-consumer recycled materials by its fiscal year 2025-2026. 

Enterprises are prioritizing sustainability measures for a number of different reasons — they’re facing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint from employees, investors, customers and regulators. 

“The pressure on organizations to meet environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria is more widespread than most finance leaders might realize — 85% of investors considered ESG factors in their investments in 2020,” Gartner said last June. 

The
ThinkPad Z Series

 will feature next-gen AMD Ryzen PRO processors for mobile. Lenovo and AMD collaborated on the platform design, equipping the ThinkPad Z13 with an exclusive next-gen AMD Ryzen 7 PRO processor and integrated AMD Radeon graphics. It’s optimized to deliver seamless audio and video performance, maximize responsiveness, and deliver strong battery life in applications like Teams and Zoom. 

Next-gen AMD Ryzen PRO H-Series processors power ThinkPad Z16 with integrated AMD Radeon graphics or optional AMD Radeon discrete graphics. When paired with the Ryzen processors, AMD Smart Shift Max offers an instantaneous power boost for both CPU and GPU, and Smart Shift Eco is designed to maximize battery efficiency. 

The new devices will also feature the Microsoft Pluton security processor, which hardens new Windows 11 PCs with protection for user identity, data and applications.

More highlights:

• Communications Bar integrating an FHD camera with a larger sensor, electronic e-Shutter for privacy and dual-array microphones
• Highest screen-to-body (STB) ratio in ThinkPad portfolio — 91.6% (Z13) and 92.3% (Z16)
• Larger 120mm haptic ForcePad
• Vivid display options include touch-enabled 2.8K OLED on Z13 and 4K OLED on Z16, both with Dolby Vision support and low blue light
• Dolby Atmos Speaker System and Dolby Voice AI noise cancellation technology
• The new double-tap function on TrackPoint launches Communication QuickMenu for rapid access to camera and microphone settings