Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 vs Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14: Which Laptop Should You Buy?
Quick Verdict
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 scores 8.4 versus 8.4 for the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the cheaper option at $1,649. Choose based on the use cases below: the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 leads overall, while the Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Key Differences
- Faster overall: Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 (Geekbench multi 11,000 vs 9,850).
- Longer battery: Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 (15h vs 11.8h web).
- Lighter: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 (1.09 kg vs 1.23 kg).
- Display: OLED (Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12) vs AMOLED (Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14).
- Cheaper: Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 (saves about $550 CAD).
ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 vs Galaxy Book5 Pro 14: Full Breakdown
Performance: the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the stronger performer, posting a multi-core Geekbench score of 11,000 against 9,850 for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 — roughly 12% faster in CPU-heavy work like exports and compiling. In our 1080p gaming suite, the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 averaged 30 FPS versus 22 FPS. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the better pick if you game or edit video.
Battery and portability: the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 lasts longer away from a charger, running 15 hours in our web-browsing test versus 11.8 hours. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is also easier to carry at 1.09 kg versus 1.23 kg, which matters if you commute or travel.
Display: the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 uses a 14-inch OLED panel (2880 x 1800, 120Hz), while the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 has a 14-inch AMOLED panel (2880 x 1800, 120Hz). The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 measured brighter at 502 nits, and covered 100% of DCI-P3 — relevant for outdoor use and colour work.
Price and value: the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the cheaper option in Canada, about $550 less than the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12. Weighed against our test scores (8.4 vs 8.4 overall), the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 offers the better value for the money, while the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the stronger laptop outright if budget is not the deciding factor.
For the complete testing data, read our full Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 review and Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 review.
Where these laptops rank
Both the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 and the Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 feature in these BestLaptop.ca rankings:
Winner by Use Case
Specs & Scores Comparison
| Spec | ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 | Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 |
|---|---|---|
| Overall score | 8.4 | 8.4 |
| Price (CAD) | $2,199 | $1,649 ✓ |
| CPU | Intel Core Ultra 7 155U | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V |
| GPU | Intel Graphics (integrated) | Intel Arc 140V (integrated) |
| RAM | 16GB LPDDR5x | 16GB LPDDR5x |
| Storage | 512GB | 512GB |
| Display | 14" OLED | 14" AMOLED |
| Brightness | 412 nits | 502 nits ✓ |
| Battery (web) | 11.8 h | 15 h ✓ |
| Weight | 1.09 kg ✓ | 1.23 kg |
| Geekbench multi | 9,850 | 11,000 ✓ |
| Gaming (1080p) | 22 fps | 30 fps ✓ |
| OS | Windows 11 | Windows 11 |
| Warranty | 1-year limited (3-year available) | 1-year limited |
Which Should You Buy?
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 scores 8.4 versus 8.4 for the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the cheaper option at $1,649. Choose based on the use cases below: the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 leads overall, while the Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 or the Galaxy Book5 Pro 14?
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 scores 8.4 versus 8.4 for the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14, making it the stronger all-rounder. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the cheaper option at $1,649. Choose based on the use cases below: the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 leads overall, while the Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 can still be the better pick for specific needs.
Which is better for school?
The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the better choice for school.
Which is better for business?
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the better choice for business.
Which is better for gaming?
The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the better choice for gaming.
Which is better for multimedia?
The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 14 is the better choice for multimedia.
Which is better for programming?
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the better choice for programming.
Which is better for travel?
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 is the better choice for travel.
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