Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 Comparison

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Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3

14 inches | February 2022

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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12

14 inches | December 2023

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Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 Comparison Overview

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In this review, we will be comparing ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12, two laptops by Lenovo. Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 was introduced to market in February 2022 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 was launched in December 2023. There is 22 months difference between ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 so it would still give an advantage to younger ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12.

Click for Available Configurations of the Laptops

Here is a brief look at the main features of Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 Key Specs

Launched in February 2022
14.0" IPS LCD, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core i5 1240P
GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU)
8GB Ram
317.7 x 226.9 x 17.9 mm (12.51 x 8.93 x 0.7 inches)
Weight: 1.24 kg (2.73 lbs)

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 Key Specs

Launched in December 2023
14.0" Touchscreen - OLED, 16:10 Aspect Ratio Display
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5 125H
GPU: Intel Arc iGPU (7-Cores)
16GB Ram
312.8 x 214.75 x 14.96 mm (12.31 x 8.45 x 0.59 inches)
Weight: 1.09 kg (2.4 lbs)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 compares and decide which one is better for you.

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 over Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12

Screen Type	Matte vs Glossy	potentially less reflections on screen
Upgradable RAM	Yes vs No	More RAM Options
Ethernet RJ45 Port	Yes vs No	Connects to the local network via Ethernet RJ45
Avg. MSRP Price	$1200-1600 vs $2800-3200	Lower Price (*may change depending on config, seller, location, and time)

Reasons to choose Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 over Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3

Weight	1.09 kg vs 1.24 kg	0.15 kg lighter
Screen-to-Body Ratio	~84.6% vs ~78.8%	Larger screen area ratio
Side Bezel Thickness	5.7 mm vs 8.1 mm	2.4 mm thinner bezels
Refresh Rate	120 Hz vs 60 Hz	Smoother media experience
Contrast Rate	1000000:1 vs 1000:1	more pleasing colors
Screen PPI	243 ppi vs 162 ppi	More pixels per inch
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Interact with your fingers
Screen Resolution	2880 x 1800 pixels vs 1920 x 1200 pixels	Higher pixel count screen
CPU Fabrication Process	7 nm vs 10 nm	Newer Generation CPU
GPU Fabrication Process	5 nm vs 10 nm	Newer Generation GPU
GPU FLOPS	4.92 TFLOPS vs 1.41 TFLOPS	Faster RAM Type
RAM Type	LPDDR5X vs DDR4	Better Sound capture
Number of Microphones	4 vs 2	More advanced Wi-fi connectivity
WiFi Standard	v7 vs v6E	More advanced Bluetooth connectivity
Bluetooth	v5.3 vs v5.2	Faster USB-C connection
USB-C Port Type	v4.0 vs v3.2	Better HDMI connectivity
HDMI Version	2.1 vs 2.0

Common Strengths of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 and Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3

Launch Dates	February 2022 vs December 2023	Both laptops are recent models
Fast Charging Support	Yes vs Yes	Charge the battery in a shorter time
USB Power Delivery	Yes vs Yes	Charging via USB port gives flexibility
RAM Type	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x) vs PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	Fast RAM type
Upgradable Storage	Yes vs Yes	Option to increase the Storage size
SSD Type	NVMe vs NVMe	Faster Data Transfers
Dolby Atmos Support	Yes vs Yes	3D Surround Sound Support
Thunderbolt Port	v4 vs v4	Fast data and power transfer via Thunderbolt Port
HDMI Output	1x HDMI 2.0 vs 1x HDMI 2.0	Connect to External Displays via HDMI cable
VGA Output	No vs No	Connect to External Displays via VGA cable
Keyboard Backlight	Yes vs Yes	Easily see the keys under low light

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12: Physical Specs Comparison

In this section, we will be comparing the physical specifications and body features of the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12.

Physical Specs
Weight	1.24 kg (2.73 lbs)	1.09 kg (2.4 lbs)
Surface Area	721 cm2 (111.7 inches2)	672 cm2 (104 inches2)
Screen to Surface Ratio	~78.8%	~84.6%
Side Bezel Thickness	~8.1 mm	~5.7 mm
Weight per Inch of Screen	0.09 kg/inch	0.08 kg/inch
	0.198 lbs/inch	0.176 lbs/inch
Colors	Black, Gray	Black
Cover Opening Angle	180Â°	180Â°

Comparison of the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 External Dimensions

Weight

ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 weighs 1.24 kg (2.73 lbs), whereas the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 weighs 1.09 kg (2.4 lbs). There is a notable difference in weight between these two laptops. The weight difference between the two laptops is not significant.

Weight Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 1.24 kg

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 1.09 kg

Min 0.88 kg

Average 1.42 kg

Max 2.19 kg

Thickness Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 17.90 mm

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 14.96 mm

Min 8.40 mm

Average 17.12 mm

Max 32.50 mm

Another value that we use for comparing the weights of the laptops is the Weight per Inch of Screen, which is calculated by dividing the total weight of the model with its usable diagonal screen size. This value for the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 is 0.09 kg/inch.In comparison, this value for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is 0.08 kg/inch.Here are some of the best performing laptops in this area:

Microsoft Surface Go 4: 0.05 kg/inch
LG Gram SuperSlim 15.6 2023: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus ProArt PZ13 HT5306: 0.06 kg/inch
Asus Zenbook A14 UX3407: 0.06 kg/inch
Dell Latitude 7330: 0.07 kg/inch
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2022: 0.07 kg/inch
LG Gram 14 2-in-1 2022: 0.07 kg/inch

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12: Internals (CPU, GPU, RAM, Battery, SSD, etc.) Comparison

CPU Comparison

CPU Model	Intel Core i5 1240P Intel Core i5 1250P Intel Core i7 1260P Intel Core i7 1270P Intel Core i7 1280P	Intel Core Ultra 5 125H Intel Core Ultra 5 135H Intel Core Ultra 7 155U Intel Core Ultra 7 165H
Base Frequency	1.7 GHz	3.6 GHz
Turbo Frequency	4.4 GHz	4.6 GHz
Number of Cores	12	0
Number of Threads	16	18
L3 Cache	12 MB	18 MB
Integrated GPU	Intel Iris Xe Graphics (80EU)	Intel Arc Graphics (7-Cores)
CPU Fabrication Process	10 nm	7 nm
Cinebench 23 (Single)	1516	1726
Cinebench 23 (Multi)	9305	14856

Above you can see the CPU options and the CineBench and GeekBench test scores for both laptops, which gives an idea about what kind of performance difference you may experience between the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12.

You may also read reviews of latest laptops with the same CPUs and compare them:

Laptops with: Intel Core i5 1240P

Laptops with: Intel Core Ultra 5 125H

GPU Comparison

GPU Model	Intel Iris Xe Graphics G7 (80EU)	Intel Arc iGPU (7-Cores)
Base Clock Frequency	300 MHz
Boost CLock Frequency	1100 MHz	2200 MHz
TGP (Total Graphics Power)	15 W
Type	Integrated	Integrated
FLOPS	1,408 GFLOPS	4.92 TFLOPS
Memory Size	System Shared	System Shared
Memory Type	System Shared	LPDDR5X
Memory Bus	System Shared
Memory Speed	System Shared	7.47 Gbps
Shading Units Cores	640	112
TMUs	40	7
ROPs	20	4

GPU is as critical as the CPU for graphic heavy applications and the table above gives a picture of how the two GPU compares. FLOPS is a measure of a GPU's performance based on the number of floating-point arithmetic calculations that the processor can perform within a second. Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 has a FLOPS value of 1.41 TFLOPS whereas the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 ' has a FLOPS value of 4.92 TFLOPS. If graphical performance of the laptop is important for your use type, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 may be the better choice between these two setups.

RAM Comparison

RAM	8GB 16GB 32GB 40GB 48GB	16GB 32GB 64GB
Memory Bus	1x8 GB	2x8 GB
RAM Clock	3200 MHz	7467 MHz
RAM Type	DDR4	LPDDR5X
Upgradable	Yes	No
Max RAM Size	48 GB
Total Slots	1
Memory Bus	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)	PCI-E Gen 4.0 (4x)

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 provides a larger RAM capacity of 16 GB, which allows for smoother multitasking and improved performance in memory-demanding tasks compared to the ThinkPad P14s Gen 3's RAM capacity of 8 GB.

LOCAL LLM Compatibility Evaluation

This quick guide shows what types of large language models (LLMs) each of these laptops could support, based on their respective hardware specifications. It's meant to help you compare their suitability for running AI models locally.

LLM Category	Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3	Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12
Small Models(1-3B):Examples: Phi-2, Qwen-1.8B	✔ Run smoothly.	✔ Run smoothly.
Medium Models(7-8B):Examples: Mistral-7B, Qwen-7B	✖ Not supported.	✔ Good performance.
Large Models(13-30B):Examples: Mixtral, Qwen-14B	✖ Not supported.	✖ Not supported.
Extra-Large Models(65B+):Examples: LLaMA2-70B, Qwen1.5-72B	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.	✖ Not supported on most systems. Requires high-end GPU or advanced setup.

Note: Optimized (e.g., 4-bit) models may run on limited hardware. Performance depends on runtime and setup.

📌 MoE Models: Some models like Mixtral 8x7B and Qwen3-30B-A3B use a Mixture of Experts (MoE) design, activating only part of the model during inference. This means they can often run efficiently on laptops with 12–16 GB of VRAM when quantized.

BATTERY

BATTERY	39.3 Wh 52.5 Wh	57 Wh
Battery Type	Li-Po	Li-Po
Replaceable	No	No
Fast Charging	Yes	No
USB Power Delivery	Yes	Yes
Charging Port Position	Left	Left
Charge Power	65 / 100 W	65 W

On the other hand, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 features a higher battery capacity of 57 Wh, delivering longer usage time compared to the ThinkPad P14s Gen 3's 39 Wh.

Battery Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 39 Wh

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 57 Wh

Min 32.00 Wh

Average 55.79 Wh

Max 90.00 Wh

STORAGE
Both laptops, the ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 have similar max. storage capacities of 2 TB, allowing for ample space to store files and applications.

Storage Options	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB	256 GB, 512 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Upgradable	Yes	Yes
Total Slots	1	1
Storage type	SSD (M2)	SSD (M2)
NVMe	Yes	Yes

If your budget allows, we recommend opting for the largest possible disk size, considering the potential increase in storage capacity needs in the future. However, please keep in mind the question 'What will the laptop be used for?' when making this decision. Of course, you can later upgrade the hard disk capacity by getting a larger disk. However, if your laptop has only one disk slot, it may not be as straightforward as a RAM upgrade, where you simply add or replace a module, as moving or cloning files to a new disk may be necessary.

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12: Display Comparison

The display is an essential aspect to consider when comparing the Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 since its is the component that you interact the most and significantly impact the experience.

Screen Area and Dimensions

Now let's look at the comparison of the actual display areas of both laptops below, keeping the bezels around the screens out of the equation. Both ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 screens have the same size of 14.0".The total usable screen area of the ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 is 568cm² / 88inch² whereas the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12's total usable screen area is 568cm² / 88inch².

PPI (Pixels per Inch)
Additionally, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 features a higher pixel density with 243 pixels per inch (PPI), ensuring sharper image details.

Screen PPI (Pixels Per Inch) Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 162 ppi

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 243 ppi

Min 112 PPI

Average 173 PPI

Max 323.00 PPI

Refresh Rate
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 offers a higher refresh rate of 120 Hz, resulting in smoother motion and improved visual experience.

Brightness
Both ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 offer the same maximum brightness of 400 nits (cd/m²).

Brightness Comparison

Displays size 14.0-14.9 inches

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 400 nits

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 400 nits

Min

200 nits

Average 383 nits

Max 1200.00 nits

Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 vs Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 Connectivity Comparison

In terms of connectivity,

Wifi
ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 features a more advanced Wi-Fi standard v7, providing faster and more reliable wireless connections compared to ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 (v6E).

Below, you'll find a Wi-Fi Versions Table, along with their release dates and speeds, to provide a brief overview of its development.

Wi-Fi Versions and Speeds

Standard	Speed	Release Date	Network	Frequency Bands (GHz)
Wi-Fi 7	up to 40 Gbps (5 GB/s)	2023	802.11be	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6E	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2020	802.11ax	2.4, 5, 6
Wi-Fi 6	up to 9.6 Gbps (1.2 GB/s)	2019	802.11ax	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 5	up to 6.93 Gbps (866.25 MB/s)	2014	802.11ac	2.4, 5
Wi-Fi 4	up to 600 Mbps (75 MB/s)	2009	802.11n	2.4, 5

* Please note that the provided transfer rates are maximum theoretical values, and real-life performance may vary based on environmental factors.

USB
Both ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 feature 2x USB 3.2 USB-A ports.
Both ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 have USB Type-C ports. ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 has 2x USB 3.2 USB Type-C ports, while ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 has 2x USB 4.0 USB Type-C ports.

Below, you'll find a table of USB ports, along with their release dates and speeds.
To mitigate the confusion caused by generation names, the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) suggests using marketing names like USB 5Gbps, USB 10Gbps, and so forth, based on their respective transfer rates.

USB Type and Speeds

USB Type	Version	Speed	Date	Other Features/Explanations
USB4	Gen 4 (2.0)	80 Gbps	2022	Also known as USB 80Gbps
USB4	Gen 3×2	40 Gbps	2019	Also known as USB 40Gbps
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2x2	20 Gbps	2019	Double the data transfer rates of Gen 2
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.1
USB 3.2	3.2 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2017	Previously known as USB 3.0
USB 3.1	3.1 Gen 2	10 Gbps	2013	Faster data transfer rates
USB 3.0	3.1 Gen 1	5 Gbps	2010	SuperSpeed USB, improved data transfer rates
USB 2.0	2.0	480 Mbps	2000	High-speed data transfer
USB 1.0	1.0	1.5 Mbps	1996	Original USB standard

Thunderbolt
Both ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 are equipped with Thunderbolt 4 ports.

HDMI
Both ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 feature an HDMI port. ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 offers 1x HDMI 2.0, while ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 offers 1x HDMI 2.1.

Below, you'll find a comparison table detailing different HDMI versions, including their bandwidth, color depth, maximum resolution, and release dates. This information can be helpful in understanding the capabilities of each HDMI version and choosing the most suitable one for your needs.

HDMI Comparison Table

HDMI Version	Maximum Resolution	Bandwidth (Gbps)	Color Depth (bits)	Release Date
HDMI 2.1-2.1b	7680 x 4320 *(8K)* @ 60p 3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 120p	48.0	48	2017
HDMI 2.0-2.0b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 60p	18.0	48	2013
HDMI 1.4-1.4b	3840 x 2160 *(4K)* @ 30p	10.2	48	2009
HDMI 1.3-1.3a	2560 x 1440 @ 60p	10.2	48	2006
HDMI 1.0-1.2a	1920 x 1200 @ 60p	4.95	24	2002

* Please note that the provided resolution values represent the maximum supported resolution, and actual display quality may depend on other factors such as source content and connected devices.

SD Card Reader
Neither ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 nor ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 has an SD Card Reader.

Audio Jack
Both ThinkPad P14s Gen 3 and ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 are equipped with a 3.5mm Audio Jack, providing seamless connection to headphones and speakers.

To summarize the connectivity and ports details, please refer to the table below to see them listed.

Connectivity and Ports
WiFi Standard (latest: v7)	v6E	v7
Bluetooth (latest: v5.4)	v5.2	v5.3
USB-A (latest: 3.2)	2x USB 3.2	2x USB 3.2
USB Type-C (latest: USB4 2.0)	2x USB 3.2	2x USB 4.0
Thunderbolt (latest: 4)	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 4
HDMI (latest: 2.1)	1x HDMI 2.0	1x HDMI 2.1
Display Port (latest: v2.0)	No	No
VGA	No	No
Fingerprint Sensor	Optional	Yes
Optical Drive	No	No
Audio Jack 3.5mm	Yes	Yes
Ethernet RJ45	Yes	No
SD CardReader	No	No
Proprietary Charging Port	No	No