Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 vs ThinkPad P1 Gen 5

Lenovo makes a lot of great laptops, especially ThinkPad branded business laptops. But even while this brand is particularly focused on businesses, there is still a wide range of devices that are a part of it, from thin and light laptops to complete workstations. And if you want something more powerful, there are still quite a few options, such as the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 and ThinkPad P1 Gen 5. If you find yourself deciding between these two options, we’re here to help.

First, it is worth clarifying that these are laptops very similar. So much so that Lenovo provides one hardware maintenance guide for both devices. So, the differences are very slight in terms of design and even specifications. Still, let’s take a closer look.

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 vs ThinkPad P1 Gen 5: Specifications

Performance: Professional or GeForce GPUs

As you might have inferred from the spec sheet above, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 and ThinkPad P1 Gen 5 are pretty much identical in terms of performance. They have the same Intel processor options available, although there are some differences worth noting.

Lenovo ThinkPad P1

Since the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 is a true workstation, it already comes with professional Nvidia GPUs, even the Nvidia RTX A5500. You can still get it with high-end GeForce cards, but most of the spectrum includes professional RTX cards. In terms of raw performance, Nvidia GeForce GPUs and professional GPUs are no different – for example, the Nvidia RTX A5500 and GeForce RTX 3080 Ti are based on the same GPU.

However, workstation GPUs are more optimized for business workloads such as computing, artificial intelligence, and other types of display. Some professional GPUs also include Error Correction Code (ECC) memory, which can help prevent crashes and other issues during critical workloads — at the cost of some performance. GeForce cards are further optimized for gaming, so you might get a better experience with them if you want to play some games on the side.

Another difference worth noting is that, at the time of writing, you can’t configure the ThinkPad X1 Extreme without Nvidia’s discrete graphics, while the ThinkPad P1 gives you the option to only get an Intel Iris Xe in some configurations. What that means is that you can get a more CPU-focused device that uses less power if you go with the ThinkPad P1, which actually comes with a smaller 135W charger as a result.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme

As for RAM and storage, the two laptops are again the same. Both come with up to 64GB of RAM and in similar configurations across the board, along with up to 8TB of SSD storage via two M.2 slots. They also share the same limitation where, if you use two M.2 slots, you can’t get the most powerful discrete GPUs. With the ThinkPad X1 Extreme, you’ll be limited to a GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, and with the ThinkPad P1 you’ll get the most with an Nvidia RTX A2000.

Display and design

The remaining differences are less between the two laptops. Both offer exactly the same display options – a 16-inch panel with a 16:10 aspect ratio, which comes in either Full HD+, Quad HD+ or Ultra HD+. There is nothing different on that front or in the sound system.

Lenovo ThinkPad P1

However, there is one small difference in the webcam configurations. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 always includes an HD webcam with infrared support for Windows Hello, while the ThinkPad P1 gives you the option to opt out of the infrared camera.

In terms of design as well, the laptops are nearly identical. Aside from the slight differences in thickness and weight, the two laptops are about the same dimensionally. If you want to be awkward, there is a small visual difference on the cap. The ThinkPad X1 Extreme has a logo that reads “ThinkPad X1,” while the ThinkPad P1 just says “ThinkPad,” so it’s much cleaner. Other than that, the color and materials are the same, and they both come with a carbon fiber weave pattern on the lid if you choose one of the Ultra HD+ screen options.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme

Finally, in terms of ports, this is the same laptop again. You’ll find two Thunderbolt 4 ports, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, a headphone jack, an SD card reader, and an optional nano-SIM slot on both. The only difference is that if you choose a ThinkPad P1 without discrete graphics, the HDMI port only supports HDMI 2.0 (4K at 60Hz), while models with discrete graphics support HDMI 2.1. Both mobile devices also support NFC, although the ThinkPad P1 gives you the option to remove it. Cellular (5G) support is also optional in both.

Price and final thoughts

The biggest difference here at the end of the day is really the pricing. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme starts at a much lower price than the ThinkPad P1, so it may be the obvious choice for many considering the similarity of the two laptops.

The only major difference here is with the GPUs, and that may or may not change your mind. ECC memory is a feature often found in high-end workstations, and it essentially provides a layer of protection against errors, which might otherwise lead to failures. In a business environment, reliability is very important, so the additional cost may be justified in the long run. Although it is worth noting that only GPU memory supports ECC, not system memory in general.

Otherwise, these laptops are really the same, and if you don’t think you need ECC, you probably don’t. You’d better save some money by using the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5. No matter which method you take, you can buy both laptops in the links below. If neither is your jam, maybe check out the best Lenovo laptops for more consumer-oriented devices.