Smartphones have a habit of adopting terrible names. “maximum” or “pro”, number of iterations, or perhaps a word that means nothing. However, we see a naming strategy like some kind of heraldic offspring for this device. The ThinkPad brand, once a darling of IBM, was merged into the ThinkPhone, and Motorola was added because Lenovo, the parent company of both brands, probably wasn’t “telephony” enough to let it fly.
We caught up with this brand’s Frankenstein at CES 2023 to see if it has any appeal despite its name.
Motorola Lenovo ThinkPhone
First impression
Motorola’s ThinkPhone is for business, with desktop support apps and programmable red buttons for flagship-like phones. It’s unlikely to give consumers a head start, but it could just be that your IT department has decided to equip it.
- Sturdy build
- great display
- Think 2 Think Software
- Cameras may lack consumer appeal
design and build
- 158.78×74.38×8.26mm, 188.5g
- Carbon black, aramid fiber case
- MIL-STD 810H, IP68
Motorola’s ThinkPhone borrows some of Moto’s design, and the camera on the back looks a lot like other Moto phones. But when it blends into the ThinkPad’s design, the carbon black finish is woven with aramid fibers that give the Think’s i a red dot.
It has square sides, a flat display in the front, and a punch hole in the middle. On the left is a programmable red key designed to look like the classic red TrackPoint on a ThinkPad keyboard, giving quick access to various functions.
Mostly an understatement (it’s designed for businesses, not consumers, so it’s probably understandable), but the frame is aircraft-grade aluminum and has MIL-STD 810H certification and an IP68 rating Therefore, it is designed to be sturdy.
There are also dual speakers with Dolby Atmos output.
display and hardware
- 6.6 inch OLED, 2400×1080, 144Hz, HDR10+
- Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1, 8/12GB, 128-512GB
- Wired 68W, Wireless 15W, 5000mAh
The hardware loadout may surprise you, as this is more than just a mid-range phone designed to meet the orders of companies around the world. It offers 6.6 inches square, but also supports many of the latest standards.
That means you get HDR10+, but also support up to 144Hz, usually reserved for modern gaming phones. You’ll probably need it for quickly scrolling through large, data-rich spreadsheets, but it’s more likely to be the same panel used in the Moto Edge 30 Ultra. It seems bright and lively. The display is finished with Gorilla Glass Victus and is scratch resistant.
In terms of hardware, the ThinkPhone, which launches in early 2023, finds itself with hardware launching in mid-2022. It’s not outdated, but it’s not his Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, the latest that many consumer devices are coming to soon. Start with That’s nothing to worry about, but it could still offer flagship performance.
This is also hinted at by the abundance of RAM and storage options. We don’t expect this phone to be a slouch. It should work just like any other flagship phone from late 2022 onwards. , at 5000mAh, there is a 68W charger in the box, which also powers the laptop.It also supports 15W charging.
serious software
I haven’t had time to test the software, but the phone launches with Android 13 and promises four years of security updates. It includes ThinkShield, which is designed to keep your device safe, but it also has Moto Threat Defense, Moto Secure, and Moto KeySafe.
Beyond security, though, there are Think 2 Think solutions designed to make ThinkPhones and ThinkPads work seamlessly together. It supports a universal clipboard that both phone and PC can access, notifications that appear on your PC, and instant connections between the two that launch apps on your laptop when clicked.
It also supports drag-and-drop of files, the ability to open your phone’s apps on your PC, and the ability to use it as a webcam and instant hotspot, providing broader support across these devices for a more seamless experience. will be .
camera
- Dual camera system:
- Main: 50MP, f1/8, 1.0µm, OIS
- Ultrawide: 13MP, f/2.2, 1.12µm
- Front: 32MP, f/2.45, 0.7µm
The ThinkPhone’s main camera uses quad binning to combine pixels and improve performance. Also, optical image stabilization helps reduce handshake. We didn’t test the camera, but this isn’t his one of Motorola’s advanced camera systems.
Support from ultrawide offers shooting options, but the front camera goes for megapixels with a 32-megapixel sensor.
As we said, we didn’t test these cameras, so we can’t draw any conclusions from our short time on the phone.
First impression
Motorola’s Lenovo ThinkPhone offers a variety of specifications. This isn’t just a standard business phone, it actually has several elements. From rugged construction with great protection to smart features to work seamlessly with your laptop, there’s a lot to consider.
The hardware loadout makes this phone almost a flagship device from late 2022 onwards, but the camera may be the weakest link when compared to a true consumer device. For us, the ThinkPhone will be a novel and fun device that captures some of the ThinkPad spirit in the form of a phone.
However, IT directors may have other ideas…
