Ranking: Best workstation laptops tested by Notebookcheck
Mobile workstations come with extensive support options, system-specific accessories, long-term spare parts availability, and a wide range of warranty services. These devices often retain legacy ports that have been phased out in consumer laptops but remain essential in many professional environments. The product cycles in this segment are notably long, with chassis designs lasting three or more years. Pricing typically starts well above 1,000 euros and can quickly climb into the thousands.
A major cost driver in this category is the inclusion of professional-grade graphics chips. Unlike consumer GPUs, these are optimized for stability, compatibility, and reliability with certified software, making them essential for business applications but less relevant for casual users.
The following list includes only notebooks that we have thoroughly tested. Detailed reviews are linked in the table for further insights into each model.
Best workstation laptops reviewed by Notebookcheck
Image | Model / Review | Price | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. 85.9%  | Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 Intel Core i7-14700HX ⎘ NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU ⎘ 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | Amazon: $4,653.35 List Price: 3500 USD | 3.1 kg | 30.23 mm | 16.00" | 2560x1600 | matte |
2. 85.9%  | HP ZBook Fury 16 G11 Intel Core i9-14900HX ⎘ NVIDIA RTX 3500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU ⎘ 64 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | Amazon: 1. $3,899.93 HP ZBook Fury G11 16" Mobile... 2. $2,779.93 HP ZBook Fury G11 16" Mobile... 3. $4,122.61 HP ZBook Fury G11 16" Mobile... List Price: 3300 USD | 2.6 kg | 28.5 mm | 16.00" | 3840x2400 | matte |
3. 85.4%  | HP ZBook Power 16 G11 A AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS ⎘ NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU ⎘ 64 GB Memory, 2048 GB SSD | Amazon: 1. $1,449.99 HP ZBook Power 16 G11 Mobile... 2. $1,999.99 HP ZBook Power 16 G11 Mobile... 3. $1,449.99 HP ZBook Firefly 16 G11 AI B... List Price: 2100 USD | 2.2 kg | 22.9 mm | 16.00" | 2560x1600 | matte |
4. 85.1%  | SCHENKER Key 17 Pro (M24) Intel Core i9-14900HX ⎘ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU ⎘ 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | List Price: 4273€ | 3.4 kg | 24.9 mm | 17.30" | 3840x2160 | matte |
5. 84.2%  | HP ZBook Studio 16 G11 Intel Core Ultra 9 185H ⎘ NVIDIA RTX 3000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU ⎘ 64 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | Amazon: $3,680.61 List Price: 4300 USD | 1.8 kg | 19 mm | 16.00" | 3840x2400 | matte |
6. 83.5%  | Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 21KV001SGE Intel Core Ultra 7 155H ⎘ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU ⎘ 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | Amazon: $2,679.95 List Price: 3239 Euro | 2 kg | 20.5 mm | 16.00" | 2560x1600 | matte |
7. 82.5%  | Lenovo ThinkPad P14s G5 21G3S00A00 Intel Core Ultra 7 155H ⎘ Nvidia RTX 500 Ada Generation Laptop GPU ⎘ 65 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | Amazon: $1,438.95 List Price: 1929€ | 1.7 kg | 22 mm | 14.50" | 3072x1920 | matte |
8. 80.3%  | HP ZBook Firefly 14 G11 Intel Core Ultra 7 165H ⎘ NVIDIA RTX A500 Laptop GPU ⎘ 32 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | Amazon: $2,578.99 List Price: 3500 USD | 1.5 kg | 19.2 mm | 14.00" | 2560x1600 | matte |
The table above shows an overview of the best workstation notebooks tested by Notebookcheck in the last 12 months and relevant products that are still available. If several products have the same rating, the newer review will be listed higher. The prices shown in the table are automatically updated daily and thus subject to change.
Link: all tested products in this class
Editorial comment
Performance plays a crucial role in assessing a mobile workstation. While ultrabook-format mobile workstations prioritize portability, they often fall short of the top rankings due to their significantly lower computing and graphics performance. These lightweight models may still be well-built and efficient for less demanding tasks, but they generally cannot match the raw power and expandability of larger, high-performance workstation laptops.
1st place - Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2
The Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 is a minor refresh following a major overhaul in the previous generation. The workstation now features Raptor Lake and Raptor Lake Refresh processors, along with slight GPU upgrades. RAM capacity has been increased from 128 GB to 192 GB. However, Lenovo has not addressed previous criticisms, such as the lack of an RJ45 Ethernet port and the inclusion of only two M.2 2280 slots in a workstation of this size.
2nd place - HP ZBook Fury 16 G11
The HP ZBook Fury 16 G11 builds on the success of its predecessor, which ranked highly in last year’s workstation list. The new model remains largely unchanged aside from an update to Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs. It retains its strengths, including excellent upgradeability, a bright and fast display, and high performance, though performance stability could be improved. Despite this minor drawback, the ZBook Fury remains a solid choice in 2024.
3rd place - HP ZBook Power 15 G11a
For those seeking a budget-friendly workstation, the HP ZBook Power 16 G11a is a strong contender. As the more affordable variant in HP's lineup, it still delivers solid performance and maintains a high level of build quality. Equipped with AMD Ryzen 8040HS CPUs, it benefits from quieter operation under low and medium loads compared to many workstation laptops. However, its lower price comes with trade-offs, including limited display options and SSD performance throttling under continuous load.
4th place - Schenker Key 17 Pro
Schenker's Key 17 Pro takes a retro approach with its 17-inch, 16:9 aspect ratio display—a format that is nearly extinct. Despite using older Raptor Lake Refresh CPUs, the laptop remains highly powerful, featuring an RTX 4090 and the rare inclusion of Thunderbolt 5 on a Windows machine. However, its battery life is weak, making it less ideal for portability, and it runs quite loud under load.
5th place - HP ZBook Studio 16 G11
The HP ZBook Studio 16 G11 aims to strike a balance between performance and mobility. Weighing just 1.8 kg, it is impressively lightweight for a powerful workstation. It is also highly upgradeable and features an excellent display. However, it has only one SSD slot, a subpar webcam, and mediocre battery life.
6th place - Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7
Lenovo’s ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 continues its tradition of combining performance with mobility, positioning itself as a premium option alongside the ThinkPad X1 series. This latest version enhances quality with a haptic touchpad and an aluminum lid, making it more premium than its predecessor. While it no longer offers the highest-end GPUs, overall performance remains excellent. The inclusion of a 120 Hz display and improved battery life enhances the user experience, though the high price may be a deterrent.
7th place - Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5
The Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 Intel is the company’s smallest and lightest mobile workstation, built independently from the ThinkPad T series. Thanks to a redesigned cooling system with dual fans, performance is significantly improved. The 14.5-inch display is also a major upgrade, featuring 3K resolution, a 120 Hz refresh rate, and nearly 100% DCI-P3 color coverage. However, it lacks a suitable sRGB color profile and does not support WWAN.
8th place - HP ZBook Firefly 14 G11
The HP ZBook Firefly 14 G11 competes with the ThinkPad P14s Gen 5, offering built-in WWAN connectivity. It is also lighter than Lenovo’s alternative. However, its slim design sacrifices performance, as it still relies on a single fan. Additionally, HP continues to use the outdated Nvidia RTX A500 instead of the newer RTX 500 Ada, resulting in slightly weaker performance than its competitors.
Best workstation laptops: Overview
Measurements
| Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 | HP ZBook Fury 16 G11 | HP ZBook Power 16 G11 A | SCHENKER Key 17 Pro (M24) | HP ZBook Studio 16 G11 | Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 21KV001SGE | Lenovo ThinkPad P14s G5 21G3S00A00 | HP ZBook Firefly 14 G11 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | ||||||||
| Display P3 Coverage | 68.4 | 98.4 | 69.1 | 93.51 | 97.7 | 69.4 | 98.4 | 98.9 |
| sRGB Coverage | 96.9 | 99.9 | 97.7 | 99.86 | 99.9 | 97.6 | 100 | 99.9 |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 70.6 | 86 | 71 | 84.33 | 85.7 | 71.8 | 87.4 | 86.6 |
| Response Times | ||||||||
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 14.1 ? | 11.4 ? | 13.6 ? | 11.593 ? | 14.2 ? | 11.2 ? | 30.2 ? | 12.3 ? |
| Response Time Black / White * | 9.9 ? | 8.4 ? | 8.4 ? | 6 ? | 10.6 ? | 10.6 ? | 15 ? | 8.3 ? |
| PWM Frequency | ||||||||
| PWM Amplitude * | ||||||||
| Screen | ||||||||
| Brightness middle | 531.5 | 457.6 | 470.7 | 548 | 404.3 | 516 | 439 | 554.1 |
| Brightness | 499 | 466 | 431 | 505 | 405 | 505 | 406 | 540 |
| Brightness Distribution | 89 | 83 | 88 | 86 | 92 | 89 | 87 | 93 |
| Black Level * | 0.38 | 0.43 | 0.57 | 0.54 | 0.28 | 0.41 | 0.32 | 0.58 |
| Contrast | 1399 | 1064 | 826 | 1015 | 1444 | 1259 | 1372 | 955 |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.82 | 2.78 | 2.16 | 3.81 | 2.63 | 3.5 | 2.1 | 2.54 |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 4.1 | 5.53 | 4.39 | 7.9 | 4.48 | 8.8 | 6.2 | 4.99 |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 0.63 | 1.37 | 1.37 | 2.54 | 1.46 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 0.56 |
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.2 | 2 | 3.7 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 5.6 | 3.9 | 1 |
| Gamma | 2.15 102% | 2.28 96% | 2.38 92% | 2.062 107% | 2.3 96% | 2.27 97% | 2.2 100% | 2.3 96% |
| CCT | 6484 100% | 6806 96% | 6765 96% | 7224 90% | 6810 95% | 6071 107% | 7013 93% | 6556 99% |
| Noise | ||||||||
| off / environment * | 23.9 | 23.2 | 23.5 | 23.41 | 23.8 | 24.7 | 24.6 | 24.3 |
| Idle Minimum * | 29.1 | 23.2 | 23.8 | 25.33 | 23.8 | 24.7 | 24.6 | 24.6 |
| Idle Average * | 29.1 | 23.2 | 24.2 | 25.33 | 26.4 | 24.7 | 24.6 | 25.2 |
| Idle Maximum * | 29.1 | 29.5 | 24.2 | 25.33 | 26.4 | 24.7 | 27.5 | 26.8 |
| Load Average * | 41 | 43 | 25.4 | 33.57 | 33.7 | 43.7 | 41.2 | 38.9 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra * | 52.8 | 48.2 | 43 | 61.97 | 46.1 | 53.2 | 46.8 | 41.8 |
| Load Maximum * | 52.9 | 48.2 | 45 | 62.14 | 53.2 | 53.3 | 46.8 | 45.8 |
| Heat | ||||||||
| Maximum Upper Side * | 46.6 | 42.2 | 40.6 | 51 | 36.6 | 50.3 | 41.3 | 42.8 |
| Maximum Bottom * | 51 | 48 | 40.6 | 64 | 47.8 | 38 | 47 | 44 |
| Idle Upper Side * | 24.8 | 37 | 26 | 42.3 | 31.4 | 28.3 | 30.2 | 30.6 |
| Idle Bottom * | 25.6 | 36.8 | 26.6 | 46 | 35.6 | 27.3 | 33.2 | 31.4 |
| Battery Runtime | ||||||||
| WiFi v1.3 | 148 | 402 | 582 | 203 | 290 | 595 | 473 | 517 |
| Reader / Idle | 1566 | |||||||
| Load | 103 | 64 | 114 | 78 | ||||
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra 150cd | 67 | |||||||
| Power Consumption | ||||||||
| Idle Minimum * | 7.9 | 8.6 | 4.6 | 12.16 | 14 | 7.3 | 7.5 | 6.6 |
| Idle Average * | 13.1 | 14.8 | 10 | 15.97 | 22.4 | 12.3 | 13.5 | 12.7 |
| Idle Maximum * | 24.2 | 15.7 | 10.6 | 23.71 | 25.7 | 17.9 | 14.2 | 13.3 |
| Load Average * | 127.4 | 129.4 | 60.9 | 113.06 | 90.2 | 78.2 | 100.2 | 67 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra external monitor * | 219 | 192.6 | 92.8 | 280 | 120.3 | 117.7 | 84.6 | 58.1 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra * | 225 | 199.4 | 96.8 | 274 | 125.4 | 123.5 | 86.7 | 63.4 |
| Load Maximum * | 248.5 | 236.1 | 154.8 | 301 | 142 | 167.5 | 137.4 | 94.9 |
* ... smaller is better
Benchmark scores
Cinebench R15 Multi loop (performance endurance test)
