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💻 ThinkPad P16s Gen 5 vs Dell Pro Max 16
AI-powered analysis across 23 matched specifications
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
Lenovo
Overall Score
Best for mobile professionals in the UK needing an AI-ready, lightweight business laptop.
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Dell Pro Max 16
Dell
Overall Score
Best for UK-based engineers and data analysts requiring maximum expandability and workstation-class power.
View Full DetailsPerformance Overview
Scores based on quantifiable specification values (1-10 scale)
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
Dell Pro Max 16
Performance
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
6.5
Dell Pro Max 16
9.5
Display
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
6.0
Dell Pro Max 16
9.0
Battery & Thermals
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
6.5
Dell Pro Max 16
8.5
Manageability & Security
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
7.0
Dell Pro Max 16
7.5
Expandability & Repair
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
5.0
Dell Pro Max 16
9.5
Ecosystem & Software
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
6.5
Dell Pro Max 16
8.5
Value
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
6.3
Dell Pro Max 16
8.8
Detailed Specifications
| Specification | ThinkPad P16s Gen 5 Lenovo | Dell Pro Max 16 Dell |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ||
| Processor | Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (16-core: 4P+8E+4 LP-E, to 4.7 GHz) · AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (8-core/16-thread, to 5.1 GHz, 8 MB L2 / 16 MB L3) | Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX / Ultra 9 285HX (up to 24 cores) |
| CPU cores | Core Ultra 7 356H — 16 cores (4P+8E+4 LP-E); AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (8C/16T) | Up to 24 cores (Core Ultra 9 285HX) |
| Graphics | NVIDIA RTX PRO 500 (6 GB GDDR7) / 1000 / 2000 (8 GB GDDR7) Blackwell discrete GPU configurable on both platforms — stocked Intel: RTX PRO 500; stocked AMD: integrated Radeon 860M | NVIDIA RTX Pro 1000 / 2000 / 3000 / 5000 Ada Generation mobile (up to 16 GB GDDR6 ECC) |
| Discrete GPU | Discrete NVIDIA RTX PRO 500 Blackwell 6 GB on stocked Intel build; AMD stocked integrated | NVIDIA RTX Pro Ada Generation mobile, up to 16 GB GDDR6 discrete |
| Memory & storage | ||
| Maximum memory | 32 GB LPDDR5X on one LPCAMM2 module (dual-channel), upgradeable to 96 GB | ✓Up to 128 GB DDR5-5600 ECC SO-DIMM (4 slots) |
| Memory type | LPDDR5X on LPCAMM2 (upgradeable, dual-channel) | DDR5-5600 ECC SO-DIMM (4 slots) |
| Maximum storage | 1 TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, TCG Opal 2.0; up to 2 TB (Intel slot PCIe 5.0 x4, AMD slot PCIe 4.0 x4) | 4× M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD bays (up to 16 TB total, RAID 0/1/5) |
| Display | ||
| Display size | 16.0″ | 16.0" |
| Resolution | 1920×1200 (WUXGA); 2880×1800 OLED option | 2560 × 1600 (or 3840 × 2400 OLED) |
| Brightness | 400-nit WUXGA (stocked); 500-nit touch and 2.8K OLED 500-nit options | ✓IPS 500 nits |
| Panel | WUXGA IPS anti-glare; 500-nit multi-touch WUXGA, 2.8K OLED 120 Hz DisplayHDR True Black 1000 options | 16.0" QHD+ (2560 × 1600) IPS 500 nits, or 4K UHD+ (3840 × 2400) OLED touch, Pantone validated, 16:10 |
| Touchscreen | 500-nit multi-touch WUXGA and 2.8K OLED options | 4K UHD+ OLED touch panel option |
| Connectivity | ||
| Thunderbolt / USB4 ports | 2× Thunderbolt 4 (140 W PD in, DisplayPort 2.1) | 2× Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C, PD, DP2.1) |
| Ports | 2× Thunderbolt 4 (PD 3.1, DP 2.1, 140 W in), HDMI 2.1 (4K/60), 2× USB-A 5 Gbps (1 always-on), GbE RJ-45, 3.5 mm combo, Kensington Nano; optional nano-SIM, SD Express 7.0, smart-card | 2× Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C, PD, DP2.1), 3× USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, SD UHS-II, RJ-45 2.5 GbE, 3.5 mm combo, Smart Card |
| Mobile broadband (4G/5G) option | 5G Sub-6 upgradeable with embedded eSIM (Snapdragon X61) | 5G Sub-6 (Quectel) — eSIM (option) |
| Physical | ||
| Weight (from) | ✓from 1.75 kg (AMD) / 1.79 kg (Intel) | From 2.55 kg (5.62 lb) |
| Dimensions | 357.9 × 247.9 × 11.45–23.3 mm | 358.5 × 254.4 × 24.0 mm |
| Security & management | ||
| Intel vPro | Intel vPro on selected CPUs (stocked 356H non-vPro); AMD PRO Manageability | Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE201 + Bluetooth 5.4 (vPro) |
| Copilot+ PC (40+ TOPS NPU) | Copilot+ PC — 40 TOPS (Core Ultra 7 356H) / 50 TOPS (Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450) NPU | -- |
| Battery | ||
| Battery capacity | 60 Wh or 90 Wh Li-ion, Rapid Charge to 80% in 1 hour | ✓6-cell 100 Wh (ExpressCharge 2.0) |
| Rated battery life | -- | ExpressCharge 2.0; 240 W barrel adapter (top configs), 180 W / 100 W USB-C options |
| Support | ||
| Operating system | Windows 11 Pro; MIL-STD-810H, ENERGY STAR 9.0, EPEAT Gold, TCO Certified gen 10 | Windows 11 Pro / Pro for Workstations, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, RHEL 9 |
| Base warranty | 1-year Lenovo Premier Support (uplifts quoted) | 3-year ProSupport (extendable to 5-year ProSupport Plus + ADP) |
Performance
Processor
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5Intel Core Ultra 7 356H (16-core: 4P+8E+4 LP-E, to 4.7 GHz) · AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (8-core/16-thread, to 5.1 GHz, 8 MB L2 / 16 MB L3)
Dell Pro Max 16Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX / Ultra 9 285HX (up to 24 cores)
CPU cores
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5Core Ultra 7 356H — 16 cores (4P+8E+4 LP-E); AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450 (8C/16T)
Dell Pro Max 16Up to 24 cores (Core Ultra 9 285HX)
Graphics
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5NVIDIA RTX PRO 500 (6 GB GDDR7) / 1000 / 2000 (8 GB GDDR7) Blackwell discrete GPU configurable on both platforms — stocked Intel: RTX PRO 500; stocked AMD: integrated Radeon 860M
Dell Pro Max 16NVIDIA RTX Pro 1000 / 2000 / 3000 / 5000 Ada Generation mobile (up to 16 GB GDDR6 ECC)
Discrete GPU
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5Discrete NVIDIA RTX PRO 500 Blackwell 6 GB on stocked Intel build; AMD stocked integrated
Dell Pro Max 16NVIDIA RTX Pro Ada Generation mobile, up to 16 GB GDDR6 discrete
Memory & storage
Maximum memory
ThinkPad P16s Gen 532 GB LPDDR5X on one LPCAMM2 module (dual-channel), upgradeable to 96 GB
Dell Pro Max 16Up to 128 GB DDR5-5600 ECC SO-DIMM (4 slots)
Memory type
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5LPDDR5X on LPCAMM2 (upgradeable, dual-channel)
Dell Pro Max 16DDR5-5600 ECC SO-DIMM (4 slots)
Maximum storage
ThinkPad P16s Gen 51 TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD, TCG Opal 2.0; up to 2 TB (Intel slot PCIe 5.0 x4, AMD slot PCIe 4.0 x4)
Dell Pro Max 164× M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD bays (up to 16 TB total, RAID 0/1/5)
Display
Display size
ThinkPad P16s Gen 516.0″
Dell Pro Max 1616.0"
Resolution
ThinkPad P16s Gen 51920×1200 (WUXGA); 2880×1800 OLED option
Dell Pro Max 162560 × 1600 (or 3840 × 2400 OLED)
Brightness
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5400-nit WUXGA (stocked); 500-nit touch and 2.8K OLED 500-nit options
Dell Pro Max 16IPS 500 nits
Panel
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5WUXGA IPS anti-glare; 500-nit multi-touch WUXGA, 2.8K OLED 120 Hz DisplayHDR True Black 1000 options
Dell Pro Max 1616.0" QHD+ (2560 × 1600) IPS 500 nits, or 4K UHD+ (3840 × 2400) OLED touch, Pantone validated, 16:10
Touchscreen
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5500-nit multi-touch WUXGA and 2.8K OLED options
Dell Pro Max 164K UHD+ OLED touch panel option
Connectivity
Thunderbolt / USB4 ports
ThinkPad P16s Gen 52× Thunderbolt 4 (140 W PD in, DisplayPort 2.1)
Dell Pro Max 162× Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C, PD, DP2.1)
Ports
ThinkPad P16s Gen 52× Thunderbolt 4 (PD 3.1, DP 2.1, 140 W in), HDMI 2.1 (4K/60), 2× USB-A 5 Gbps (1 always-on), GbE RJ-45, 3.5 mm combo, Kensington Nano; optional nano-SIM, SD Express 7.0, smart-card
Dell Pro Max 162× Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C, PD, DP2.1), 3× USB-A 3.2, HDMI 2.1, SD UHS-II, RJ-45 2.5 GbE, 3.5 mm combo, Smart Card
Mobile broadband (4G/5G) option
ThinkPad P16s Gen 55G Sub-6 upgradeable with embedded eSIM (Snapdragon X61)
Dell Pro Max 165G Sub-6 (Quectel) — eSIM (option)
Physical
Weight (from)
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5from 1.75 kg (AMD) / 1.79 kg (Intel)
Dell Pro Max 16From 2.55 kg (5.62 lb)
Dimensions
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5357.9 × 247.9 × 11.45–23.3 mm
Dell Pro Max 16358.5 × 254.4 × 24.0 mm
Security & management
Intel vPro
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5Intel vPro on selected CPUs (stocked 356H non-vPro); AMD PRO Manageability
Dell Pro Max 16Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE201 + Bluetooth 5.4 (vPro)
Copilot+ PC (40+ TOPS NPU)
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5Copilot+ PC — 40 TOPS (Core Ultra 7 356H) / 50 TOPS (Ryzen AI 7 PRO 450) NPU
Dell Pro Max 16--
Battery
Battery capacity
ThinkPad P16s Gen 560 Wh or 90 Wh Li-ion, Rapid Charge to 80% in 1 hour
Dell Pro Max 166-cell 100 Wh (ExpressCharge 2.0)
Rated battery life
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5--
Dell Pro Max 16ExpressCharge 2.0; 240 W barrel adapter (top configs), 180 W / 100 W USB-C options
Support
Operating system
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5Windows 11 Pro; MIL-STD-810H, ENERGY STAR 9.0, EPEAT Gold, TCO Certified gen 10
Dell Pro Max 16Windows 11 Pro / Pro for Workstations, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, RHEL 9
Base warranty
ThinkPad P16s Gen 51-year Lenovo Premier Support (uplifts quoted)
Dell Pro Max 163-year ProSupport (extendable to 5-year ProSupport Plus + ADP)
★
Expert Analysis
Specs web-verified from manufacturer datasheets · Servnet-reviewed · Last reviewed 26 Jul 2026
The Dell Pro Max 16 is the more capable workstation, offering superior expandability and performance, while the Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 5 wins on portability and AI features. For UK businesses, the Dell stands out with up to 128GB of ECC RAM, 16TB of storage across four bays, and more powerful GPU options, making it ideal for data-heavy tasks. Its 16-inch display is brighter at 500 nits and offers higher base resolution, plus a larger 100Wh battery and a 3-year ProSupport warranty. However, it weighs over 2.5kg. The Lenovo counters with a lightweight design from just 1.75kg, making it far easier to carry. It also includes a Copilot+ NPU for AI workloads and supports 5G, which the Dell lacks. But its maximum memory is 96GB, storage peaks at 2TB, and the base screen is dimmer at 400 nits. Choose the Lenovo for mobility and AI readiness, or the Dell for uncompromising power and expandability.
ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
Best for mobile professionals in the UK needing an AI-ready, lightweight business laptop.
Dell Pro Max 16
Best for UK-based engineers and data analysts requiring maximum expandability and workstation-class power.
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ThinkPad P16s Gen 5
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