External surface temperature ~63°C above keyboard – ThinkPad P1 Gen 5

[Tiziano M]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for an independent technical opinion regarding external surface temperatures on a mobile workstation.

I own a Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 5 mobile workstation. During normal to moderate professional workloads (CAD / 3D / design applications), I measured surface temperatures of approximately 63°C on the external chassis area directly above the keyboard, close to the display hinge.

During regular daily use, my fingers naturally rest in this area when using keyboard shortcuts. At these temperatures, the surface becomes very uncomfortable and difficult to keep in contact with for prolonged periods.

I had reported similar behaviour last year. Shortly afterwards, the laptop experienced an unexpected shutdown and could not be powered on again. Under warranty, Lenovo carried out a major internal repair, including (I think) replacement of the system board together with the integrated thermal assembly and internal battery.

Recently, the same thermal behaviour has reappeared. Concerned about a potential recurrence, I contacted Lenovo support. After extensive diagnostics, log analysis, temperature checks, BIOS updates and configuration changes suggested by their technical team, Lenovo concluded that the device is operating within its expected design parameters and closed the support case.

At this point, I am continuing to use the laptop as-is. However, the elevated surface temperature in that specific area significantly affects comfort during prolonged professional use. If anyone has experience with similar behaviour or can offer advice on how to deal with this situation, I would really appreciate your input.

Thank you very much for your time and insights.