Lenovo ThinkBook: Office laptop for millennials, Gen Z?

The Lenovo ThinkBook is an office laptop that combines business performance with stylish design.

This is how Lenovo Philippines is pitching the ThinkBook 14 and ThinkBook 15. In particular, they are targeting startup founders and small and medium-sized business (SMB) owners. Lenovo said the ThinkBook is perfect for the millennial and Gen Z employees that startups and SMBs want to attract and retain.

What millennials want

Millennials and Gen Z now make up almost 60 percent of the workforce. As such, business owners can’t afford to disregard their preference for stylish devices and a smartphone-like experience.

As this Entrepreneur article makes clear, millennials have different expectations when it comes to their work environment. For instance, they want more flexibility.

“In fact, managing millennials has become one of the key challenges faced by most of the organizations today.

“They have a different outlook on what they expect from their jobs. They have higher expectations in terms of pay and seek challenges in their jobs. They want flexibility in their jobs and friendly work culture. In fact, culture is key when they consider a job. It is the overall work experience they receive in terms of work environment, creativity and morale. They are the first generation to use the word ‘fun’ to describe their dream job. They want to enjoy their working experience in an organization.” 

What business owners want

At the same time, business owners don’t want to sacrifice productivity and security features.

“Some startups like stylish design but don’t want to compromise on security features,” Lenovo Philippines Country General Manager Michael Ngan told Digital Life Asia at the Philippine media launch of the ThinkBook 14 and ThinkBook 15 laptops.

This is why Lenovo apparently wants startup founders and SMB owners to have their cake and eat it, too.

Consumer features, enterprise-level benefits

Just as the ThinkPad has become an industry standard for enterprise users, so too is Lenovo positioning the ThinkBook for the startup and SMB market as a less expensive and more stylish alternative to the ThinkPad that still offers enterprise-level benefits.

Lenovo Philippines Product Manager for Commercial Francis Judan acknowledged that the startup and SMB market is fragmented. Business owners purchase different consumer laptops, or employees bring in their own devices. 

“The ThinkBook is a good investment for startups and SMBs,” Judan emphasized.

The ThinkBook includes in-demand features such as the collaboration tools required to remain agile, the durability to handle work on the go, enhanced connectivity, artificial intelligence-based technology, and enterprise-level support for greater peace of mind.

The laptops are also competitively priced, with the prices of the ThinkBook 14 starting at Php48,990 (roughly US$964) and the ThinkBook 15 at Php57,490 (roughly US$1,131).

Will millennials and Gen Z workers embrace the ThinkBook? Stay tuned.