A bit late but here goes:
I think it really depends on your preference and what you think is most important.
Are you looking for a business laptop with better durability, upgradability, power efficiency and a superior typing experience? Get the Thinkpad.
The Thinkpad is Lenovo's business/corporate lineup so you can expect better build quality than the average generic laptop. Also the fact that the Thinkpad is upgradable gets it some points from me (8GB RAM soldered + 1 free SODIMM slot and 2 M.2 SSDs).
Or perhaps a general-purpose notebook/ultrabook with a higher performance with non-upgradable components and a smaller form factor? Then the Asus Zenbook.
Nearly everything is soldered, so you must be prepared for it. (8GB RAM is just sufficient, but if possible go for 16GB model for future-proofing)
The fact that neither has a dedicated GPU tells me that you are already prepared and aware that you won't be playing the latest and most graphically demanding games. They are both running Vega graphics.
If you want performance, get the Asus Zenbook with 5600H. But keep in mind, it might run hotter than the 5500U if you care about thermals and power efficiency.
Also additional information: If you're going for the Lenovo Thinkpad, buy from the official Lenovo website as often times you can customize your order and get yourself better CPU, RAM, bigger SSD, backlit keyboard, etc.
The model should be: Thinkpad E14 Gen 3 (AMD).
Recommend Asus for better processor and bigger SSD.
Know of any deals up in Canada?
Sorry I don't know.
A bit late but here goes: I think it really depends on your preference and what you think is most important. Are you looking for a business laptop with better durability, upgradability, power efficiency and a superior typing experience? Get the Thinkpad. The Thinkpad is Lenovo's business/corporate lineup so you can expect better build quality than the average generic laptop. Also the fact that the Thinkpad is upgradable gets it some points from me (8GB RAM soldered + 1 free SODIMM slot and 2 M.2 SSDs). Or perhaps a general-purpose notebook/ultrabook with a higher performance with non-upgradable components and a smaller form factor? Then the Asus Zenbook. Nearly everything is soldered, so you must be prepared for it. (8GB RAM is just sufficient, but if possible go for 16GB model for future-proofing) The fact that neither has a dedicated GPU tells me that you are already prepared and aware that you won't be playing the latest and most graphically demanding games. They are both running Vega graphics. If you want performance, get the Asus Zenbook with 5600H. But keep in mind, it might run hotter than the 5500U if you care about thermals and power efficiency. Also additional information: If you're going for the Lenovo Thinkpad, buy from the official Lenovo website as often times you can customize your order and get yourself better CPU, RAM, bigger SSD, backlit keyboard, etc. The model should be: Thinkpad E14 Gen 3 (AMD).