Throughout my extensive career reviewing laptops, this occasion marks only the second instance in which a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon has been presented for evaluation. (Quite remarkable, is it not?) I previously reviewed the X1 Fold shortly after its release in March 2024; however, it has been five years since my last interaction with a ThinkPad. 

The most notable aspect of that experience was its considerable thickness and weight— a stark contrast to the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition. The latter is remarkably lightweight and slim, comparable in size to a standard number two pencil. If not for the distinctive features characteristic of the ThinkPad brand, one might mistakenly classify it as a Yoga or IdeaPad.

While I hold a great appreciation for this contemporary ThinkPad, it is equipped with a processor that does not exhibit superior multitasking capabilities. Its battery longevity, although commendable, is surpassed by numerous competitors. Despite its comprehensive security features, the starting price of the X1 Carbon Gen 13 at $2,000 is likely prohibitive for many individuals seeking one of the premier business laptops.

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Specs

Price	$1,999 (as tested)
Processor	Intel Core Ultra 7 258V
GPU	Intel Arc 140V (16GB) integrated graphics
RAM	32GB
Storage	512GB SSD
Display	14-inch (2880 x 1800) 120Hz OLED
Battery	11 Hours and 28 Min
Weight	12.3 x 8.5 x 0.56 inches
Dimensions	2.13 pounds

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Price and Configuration

The $1,999 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon I evaluated is equipped with a robust Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (eight-core) processor and integrated Intel Arc (eight-core) graphics, rendering it a reputable choice. It features 32GB of RAM, a 512GB solid-state drive, and an elegant 14-inch 2.8K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. For those requiring additional storage, there exists a $2,519 variant with a 1TB SSD and a $2,719 model with a 2TB SSD, providing options tailored to various requirements.

The $520 increase in price from the 512GB to the 1TB model appears substantial. Even if the $1,999 model includes a 1TB SSD, the X1 Carbon may not represent the most advantageous option when compared to other business laptops, such as the Asus Expertbook P5. Priced at $1,099 (or merely $999 during promotional periods), it offers the same Core Ultra processor and equivalent memory capacity. Although it features an IPS display rather than an OLED, it compensates with a higher 144Hz refresh rate and a display that is nearly 100 nits brighter.

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Design

I used to think I was over black laptops, but I still have a soft spot for their sleek, untextured look that my goth heart loves. The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon’s smooth, matte coating really catches my eye, making me wish my Yoga Book 9i had the same finish. The classic ThinkPad logo is always there, and I adore the small touch of the red dot in the “i” that blinks gently when the system sleeps with the lid closed — such a tiny detail that’s both subtle and memorable.

The black coating accumulates more and more distinct fingerprints than any laptop I have tested recently. I am referring to visible arches and loops that are sufficiently sharp for notarizing documents. Consequently, it serves as an effective surface for fingerprint collection by a crime scene investigator. I applied makeup powder to dust my prints and removed them using clear mailing tape. (This technique was inspired by an episode of CSI, which I decided to emulate.) With the X1 Carbon, your fingerprint can serve both as a security feature and as evidence.

Much of the modern aesthetic is attributable to the slim display bezels, measuring less than a quarter of an inch on both sides, and the slender, angled chassis that reaches a maximum thickness of 0.56 inches. Weighing 2.13 pounds, it is marginally lighter—by 0.03 pounds—than the newly released Asus Zenbook A14 equipped with a Snapdragon X Elite processor. 

The keyboard and touchpad are proportionately designed in harmony with the overall dimensions of the laptop. Notably, the 4.7 by 2.7-inch touchpad, inclusive of the top-mounted button, is precisely aligned with the alt keys and the spacebar.

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Ports

The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon features the ports you’d expect on a high-end business laptop, admirably integrated into a thin, lightweight chassis. Kudos to Lenovo for achieving this balance!

• 2x USB-C Thunderbolt 4 (DisplayPort and charging support)
• 2x USB-A (one with charging support)
• HDMI 2.1
• Headphone/mic combo jack
• Kensington Nano Security Slot
• Nano SIM slot

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Display

The display functions exceptionally well for a business laptop. The 14-inch, 2.8K OLED screen enhances contrast and renders colors more vibrantly, which may appear less vivid on an IPS display with comparable color coverage. (The coverage is not inadequate; 81% of DCI-P3 is commendable for a laptop not specifically designed for visual tasks.) All visual content viewed on the X1 Carbon appeared exemplary, with smooth motion facilitated by its 120Hz refresh rate.

The glowing lights of the slot machines and the softly outlined dark furniture in the Crow’s Nest in Poker Face set a lively scene, while the X1 Carbon’s display captured the changing moods of a desert casino. Natasha Lyonne’s tousled, blonde hair added a vibrant touch, matching the colorful backdrop behind her.

The display also captured numerous fine details in *The Serpent Queen*, such as young Catherine Medici’s lightly white-powdered face upon seeing her husband in person for the first time. Additionally, there were scenes deliberately desaturated to enhance emotional impact; however, the display maintained the subtle colors present, thereby preserving a consistent mood.

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Keyboard & Touchpad

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 features an intriguing keyboard design, not referring solely to the conspicuous red dot positioned centrally. The typing experience is characterized by a combination of softness and clarity, an uncommon tactile sensation encountered during laptop evaluations. 

The act of pressing the keys is comparatively slow and gentle, in contrast to the rapid rebound of the keys; nonetheless, this softness did not impede my typing efficiency. Testing my typing speed on Monkeytype.com indicated a delay of only 5 WPM from my typical average.

It served more as a cushion for my vigorous typing style. The TrackPoint initially posed some difficulty in typing, as the surrounding keys have grooved cutouts at the corners; however, I acclimated to it.

However, despite my desire to eliminate the use of the touchpad, I have become accustomed to scrolling through web pages using two fingers. Retraining my brain to adapt to an alternative method would require over a week of practice. This is somewhat disappointing, as the 4.7 by 2.7-inch touchpad lacks the smoothness of more advanced models. Nevertheless, the touchpad and its top-mounted buttons are responsive and provide firm feedback.

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Performance

As long as you’re not multitasking excessively, you shouldn’t experience performance issues. The laptop manages a dozen Edge tabs and several applications—including Spotify, Excel, and Teams—smoothly, akin to a skilled juggler. It also performs reasonably well with tasks like video transcoding and opening Photoshop files.

Nevertheless, I encountered similar performance limitations as observed in other Lunar Lake laptops I have recently reviewed. Maintaining over thirty open tabs of YouTube videos, Etsy listings, and multiple Google Docs and Sheets gradually impairs the system’s performance.

I watched a full episode of Poker Face and curled up with The Serpent Queen on my couch. The chassis never felt too hot, remaining cool even after playing Palia for about an hour using Nvidia’s GeForce Now in the cloud.

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Gaming Performance

The performance of discrete graphics remains significantly superior to that of integrated graphics; however, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is equipped with an Intel Arc 140V 16GB iGPU. Should your professional activities extend beyond basic formula editing in Excel spreadsheets, you will be adequately equipped, even for occasional gaming.

The X1 Carbon performed admirably with point-and-click adventure games such as Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator and Norco. (And I certainly employed the TrackPoint when playing those titles.) The overall experience was consistent with other Lunar Lake-configured laptops I have evaluated previously. It also managed Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm effectively during our testing. With graphics settings on Medium at the native resolution of 2880 x 1800, the system achieved an average of 34 frames per second (fps).

Nevertheless, it is more advisable to play graphically demanding 3D games via cloud gaming services. This laptop was unable to sustain a minimum of 30 fps in the majority of tested games, even at a resolution of 1080p, despite the graphics settings being configured to their maximum.

The performance of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition was evaluated across several standard gaming benchmarks in comparison with competing models.

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Software and Warranty

This Aura Edition laptop provides extra features to enhance your experience beyond a regular ThinkPad. One notable feature is Smart Care, a helpful customer service and support app. You can access it through the Lenovo Commercial Vantage PC or download it as a standalone phone app. With Smart Care, you get direct support from Lenovo if your laptop encounters any issues, and it allows you to manage multiple devices seamlessly under a single Lenovo ID.

The Vantage app includes a useful feature called Smart Modes, offering five preset options—Shield, Attention, Collaboration, Wellness, and Power—that you can easily activate or deactivate by pressing the Mode (F8) key on your keyboard.

The Vantage application assists in monitoring the overall health of the laptop, evaluating its performance through a comprehensive suite of benchmarks, viewing system information, and determining the remaining duration of the one-year warranty.

Thinkpad X1 Carbon: Verdict

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition presents a sleek and refined aesthetic. Its lightweight design is such that one could easily forget it is within a briefcase. The display delivers bright and vivid colors suitable for movies and video calls, and it efficiently manages light multitasking. Additionally, the use of the TrackPoint was particularly appreciated.

Paying over $2,000 for a laptop with limited multicore performance and battery life is difficult. If my employer covered the cost or provided the device for work, I would gladly use it. Otherwise, I can’t justify buying it myself unless it has better multitasking capabilities or longer battery life, as both are essential.

Should the X1 Carbon be causing you indecision due to its price, I advise considering the budget-friendly Asus Expertbook P5 or Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 5. Even if your budget exceeds $2,000, I still recommend evaluating options such as the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6, as it provides significantly enhanced battery life and superior multitasking capabilities.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x signifies a substantial advancement in portable computing innovation, marking Lenovo’s bold foray into the Snapdragon X Elite ecosystem. Priced competitively at $1,199, this Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Snapdragon laptop challenges conventional Intel-powered devices while offering superior battery longevity and AI-enhanced functionalities. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Copilot+ PC features highlight Microsoft’s latest AI integration, rendering it an attractive option for professionals seeking state-of-the-art technology.

This Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Gen 9 offers significant upgrades from earlier models, blending elegant design with strong ARM-based performance. The Yoga Slim 7x differentiates itself in the competitive ultrabook market by serving as both a productivity tool and an AI-enabled computing device.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Specs: Technical Excellence

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x specs reveal impressive engineering choices that prioritize efficiency and performance:

Price	$1,199-$1,699
Processor	Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite (12-core)
GPU	Qualcomm Adreno GPU
RAM	16GB-32GB
Storage	512GB-1TB SSD
Display	14.5-inch 3K (2944 x 1840) OLED touchscreen
Ports	3x USB-C (USB4), 1x USB-A 3.2, microSD
Webcam	1080p IR camera with Windows Hello
Size	12.76 x 8.92 x 0.51 inches
Weight	2.82 Pounds

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x’s processor is equipped with Qualcomm’s top-tier Snapdragon X Elite chipset, featuring a 12-core CPU that offers strong performance and excellent power efficiency. This configuration marks a significant shift from conventional x86 architecture to ARM-based computing.

Design and Build Quality: Premium Aesthetics

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x boasts a premium all-aluminum chassis finished in an elegant Storm Grey. Its dimensions are 12.76 x 8.92 x 0.51 inches, and it has a weight of merely 2.82 pounds, thereby harmonizing portability with durability.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x 14 laptop showcases a sleek design that highlights Lenovo’s dedication to aesthetic quality. The subtle Yoga branding and streamlined lines give it a professional look suitable for business settings.

The construction quality feels top-notch all around, with a sturdy keyboard deck and display assembly that don’t flex. The Lenovo Slim Yoga 7x stays solid even during intensive use, making it a reliable choice for your everyday professional needs.

Build Materials and Durability

The chassis is crafted from high-quality aluminum alloy with precision CNC machining, giving it a sleek look that resists fingerprints and stays looking great over time. The Yoga Slim 7x is built to endure tough conditions thanks to military-grade testing standards (MIL-STD-810H), so it’s reliable whether you’re dealing with temperature changes, humidity, or mechanical jostling. 

The reinforced lid helps protect the screen from flexing, and the bottom has well-placed ventilation slots to keep things cool. Plus, the gentle curves and chamfered edges of the design not only look elegant but also feel comfortable to hold during use.

Keyboard and Trackpad Experience

The full-size backlit keyboard offers great comfort for typing, with 1.5mm key travel and tactile feedback that are on par with premium business laptops. The key spacing follows standard layouts, making it easier for users switching from other devices to get accustomed quickly. Plus, the Yoga Slim 7x keyboard features a handy fingerprint reader built into the power button for effortless biometric authentication.

The spacious trackpad, measuring 4.7 x 3.1 inches, provides plenty of room for multi-finger gestures and smooth navigation with Windows 11. The glass surface coating of the device facilitates smooth cursor movement, while the haptic feedback system guarantees precise click responses across the entire trackpad, rendering the user experience both responsive and pleasurable.

Display Excellence: Vibrant OLED Technology

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x’s touchscreen boasts a beautiful 14.5-inch 3K OLED display with a resolution of 2944 x 1840. This screen offers outstanding color accuracy, rich blacks, and vivid colors, enhancing both entertainment and creative tasks.

Display Performance Metrics:

• Brightness: 400 nits peak brightness
• Color Gamut: 100% DCI-P3, 133% sRGB coverage
• Contrast Ratio: 1,000,000:1 (OLED)
• Response Time: <1ms
• Touch Support: 10-point multitouch with pen support

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x’s pen compatibility offers great versatility for creative professionals and those who love taking notes. Its display provides wide viewing angles and features an anti-reflective coating, making it comfortable to use in different lighting environments. 

Color accuracy tests showed exceptional Delta-E values below 1.0, ensuring it’s perfect for work that requires precise color. Additionally, the OLED technology delivers deep blacks and an infinite contrast ratio, greatly enriching the visual experience over standard LCD screens.

Performance Analysis: Snapdragon X Elite Power

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Snapdragon review reveals impressive performance capabilities that challenge traditional Intel and AMD processors. In benchmark testing, the Snapdragon X Elite processor delivers.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x delivers impressive real-world performance during daily tasks, smoothly managing multiple browser tabs, productivity apps, and light creative projects without noticeable slowdowns. Its ARM architecture ensures seamless operation with a whisper-quiet fan. 

Video editing surprises with efficient 4K transcoding, completing standard 4K to 1080p conversions in about 8 minutes. Although it doesn’t match dedicated gaming laptops, the built-in Adreno GPU handles casual gaming and creative tasks effectively.

Thermal Management and Fan Noise

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x’s processor features advanced thermal engineering that optimizes performance while keeping surface temperatures comfortable. During heavy workloads, its thermal system maintains CPU temperatures below 85°C, preventing thermal throttling and ensuring consistent performance. 

Fan noise stays exceptionally low during regular use, seldom surpassing 35dB even under moderate stress. The Snapdragon X Elite processor’s efficient design produces less heat than traditional x86 processors, allowing for quiet operation suitable for libraries or offices.

Gaming and Graphics Performance

Although not built primarily as a gaming laptop, the Yoga Slim 7x offers impressive graphics performance suitable for casual gaming and creative tasks. Its integrated Adreno GPU can run popular titles such as:

Creative applications leverage GPU acceleration, with Adobe Premiere Pro employing hardware encoding to achieve smooth 4K timeline scrubbing and reduced export durations relative to integrated Intel graphics.

Software Compatibility and Emulation

The ARM architecture necessitates software optimization to achieve optimal performance; however, Microsoft’s x86 emulation layer (Prism) manages most applications seamlessly. Native ARM64 applications provide exceptional performance and power efficiency, whereas emulated x86 software sustains acceptable functionality with minimal performance degradation.

Popular applications with native ARM64 support include the Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Cloud (select applications), Chrome, Firefox, and most Windows Store applications. Reviews of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x consistently emphasize improvements in software compatibility as more developers optimize their applications for ARM processors.

Battery Life: All-Day Performance

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x battery life represents one of its strongest selling points. Real-world testing revealed:

Battery Performance Results:

• Video Playback: 18-20 hours
• Web Browsing: 14-16 hours
• Productivity Tasks: 12-14 hours
• Mixed Usage: 10-12 hours

The Snapdragon X Elite offers impressive power efficiency, supporting all-day use without sacrificing performance. Its 70Wh battery, optimized with ARM architecture, provides endurance that outperforms many Intel-based rivals. 

Fast charging features enable reaching 80% charge in about 90 minutes with the included Yoga Slim 7x charger. Additionally, the USB-C port allows flexible charging from compatible third-party chargers.

Connectivity and Ports

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x provides comprehensive connectivity options:

• 3x USB-C ports with USB4/Thunderbolt 4 support
• 1x USB-A 3.2 port for legacy devices
• MicroSD card slot for storage expansion
• 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack
• Wi-Fi 7 for future-proof wireless connectivity
• Bluetooth 5.3 for accessory connections

Port selection balances modern connectivity with practical legacy support. The USB4 capability enables high-speed data transfer and external display connectivity up to 8K resolution.

Copilot+ PC Features: AI Integration

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Copilot+ PC designation brings exclusive AI-powered features:

Copilot+ Capabilities:

• Windows Studio Effects for enhanced video calling
• Live Captions with real-time translation
• Paint Cocreator for AI-assisted image generation
• Photos Search with natural language queries
• Recall feature for comprehensive activity tracking

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Copilot PC uses a neural processing unit (NPU) for on-device AI, which maintains privacy while providing quick AI support.

Advanced AI Functionality

The Snapdragon X Elite’s integrated NPU provides 45 TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second) of AI performance, facilitating advanced on-device machine learning tasks. The Yoga Slim 7x Copilot+ PC executes AI workloads locally, thereby decreasing latency and preserving data privacy in comparison to cloud-based alternatives.

Windows Studio Effects enhances video calls by providing real-time background blur, eye contact correction, and automatic framing that tracks your movements. These features integrate smoothly with popular apps like Teams, Zoom, and Skype, without needing extra software.

The Paint Cocreator feature transforms digital art creation by producing images from text prompts or converting basic sketches into detailed artwork. It operates entirely on the device, safeguarding user privacy and providing results in seconds, unlike cloud-based options that take longer.

The Live Captions feature offers real-time transcription of any audio content, supporting over 40 languages with remarkable accuracy. The Yoga Slim 7x processes speech recognition locally, thus allowing caption generation even in the absence of internet connectivity.

The improved voice typing function accurately interprets natural speech patterns, punctuation commands, and technical terminology, surpassing traditional speech recognition systems in precision. This functionality is especially advantageous for content creators and professionals who routinely dictate documents or emails.

Competitive Comparisons

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x vs Surface Laptop 7:The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x vs Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 comparison reveals distinct advantages for each device. The Yoga Slim 7x offers better value pricing, superior battery life, and more comprehensive port selection. However, the Surface Laptop 7 provides premium materials and tighter Windows integration.

ASUS VivoBook S 15 vs Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x: 

The comparison between the ASUS VivoBook S 15 and the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x reveals that the Lenovo provides better build quality, improved display technology, and extended battery life. In response, the VivoBook S15 offers more storage choices and is generally priced slightly lower.

Detailed Competitive Analysis

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x demonstrates competitive single-core performance in comparison with conventional Intel-based competitors and excels in multi-threaded applications. Concurrently, the Snapdragon X Elite’s efficiency-driven design guarantees stable performance during extended usage sessions without thermal throttling, a common issue observed in numerous Intel ultrabooks.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x offers markedly better battery life than competing devices in its price range. While most Intel-based laptops usually last 6-8 hours during real-world use, the Yoga Slim 7x reliably provides over 12 hours, easing charging worries and boosting productivity on the go.

The OLED technology in the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x touchscreen exceeds most LCD panels in competing devices. Its infinite contrast ratio, true black levels, and excellent color accuracy deliver a viewing experience usually associated with high-end creative workstations.

Value Proposition Analysis

At its initial pricing level, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x offers high-end features commonly associated with more expensive segments. The integration of an OLED display, extended battery life suitable for the entire day, superior build quality, and the Copilot+ AI functionalities constitute a compelling value proposition when compared to conventional options. 

The four available configurations of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x accommodate diverse user needs and financial capacities, ranging from the basic model designed for mainstream consumers to the advanced configuration intended for creative professionals and power users.

Accessories and Upgradability

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x accessories enhance functionality:

• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x case options for protection
• Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x pen for creative work
• External monitors via USB-C connectivity
• Wireless mice and keyboards via Bluetooth

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x SSD upgrade options are limited because of ARM architecture restrictions, so choosing the right initial storage is important.

Essential Accessories and Compatibility

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x offers a variety of case options, including official Lenovo leather sleeves, third-party hardshell cases, and convertible backpacks tailored for its 14.5-inch size. Premium cases feature magnetic closures and built-in accessory pockets for better organization. 

The device supports the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x pen, allowing precise digital inking and creative tasks. The stylus has 4,096 pressure levels, tilt sensitivity, and palm rejection. Its battery lasts over 10 hours of continuous use and can be magnetically attached to the laptop for storage and charging. External display support allows connecting multiple 4K monitors via USB-C ports, supporting expansive workspaces for productivity. 

There is no Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x with an Intel processor, as this model is only available with Snapdragon chips, but its USB-C compatibility broadens accessory options across brands.

Upgrade Limitations and Considerations

The ARM-based architecture and compact design restrict user upgrades. RAM is soldered to the motherboard, making the initial memory choice permanent. Upgrading the SSD on the Yoga Slim 7x requires professional service because the M.2 slot is integrated with the cooling system and needs ARM-compatible drivers. 

Storage can be expanded using the microSD slot, which offers a practical way to add capacity for media files and less-used documents. High-speed UHS-II microSD cards provide adequate performance for storing 4K videos and photo collections without significantly affecting system responsiveness.

Availability and Pricing

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is priced starting at $1,199 for the base 16GB/512GB model, and higher-end versions go up to $1,699. You can find the Yoga Slim 7x at Best Buy, making it easily available in many stores, or you can order directly from Lenovo to customize your features.

Verdict: Revolutionary ARM Computing

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x review highlights a transformative computing experience that effectively challenges x86 dominance. This Yoga Slim 7x Copilot+ PC from Lenovo offers impressive battery life, reliable performance, and innovative AI capabilities within an attractive and durable design.

Strengths:

• Outstanding battery life (12+ hours)
• Premium OLED display quality
• Solid ARM-based performance
• Comprehensive Copilot+ AI features
• Competitive pricing
• Excellent build quality

Considerations:

• Limited software compatibility (improving rapidly)
• ARM architecture learning curve
• Modest gaming performance
• Restricted upgrade options

For users focusing on battery life, display quality, and future AI features, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x is a great choice. It effectively showcases ARM computing’s potential while offering practical benefits for everyday productivity. 

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Snapdragon laptop is highly recommended for professionals who need advanced technology, portability, and all-day battery life. As ARM software compatibility improves, this Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x 14 Gen 9 puts users ahead in the computing evolution.

Finding an affordable laptop that offers optimal value for money remains challenging, and although the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 aimed to fulfill this niche, it ultimately does not succeed.

Priced at $799, the device appears to have a sleek exterior; however, closer inspection reveals that it falls short in several critical areas. The display could be brighter, the keyboard might feel a bit soft, and overall performance is just okay, with battery life that could be better. Hopefully, future updates will improve these aspects! Since its 2022 release, the model has significantly declined in stature.

IdeaPad Flex 5: Specs

Price	$799
Processor	Intel Core i5-1335U
GPU	Intel Iris Xe Graphics
RAM	16GB
Storage	512GB
Display	14-inch, 1200p
Battery (HH:MM)	8:30
Size	12.3 x 8.85 x 0.7 inches
Weight	3.4 Pounds

IdeaPad Flex 5: Design

The IdeaPad Flex 5 doesn’t look cheap, featuring Lenovo’s Abyss Blue on its metal lid rather than typical black or silver. It features smooth, curved edges and the elegant Lenovo logo in the top left, giving it a modern and stylish look. 

The interior features a plastic deck and a grey keyboard that looks a bit awkward — it probably would have looked better in black. There’s a nice-sized touchpad, and on the right side, you’ll find a fingerprint reader. Around the keyboard, you’ll see top-firing speakers, adding to the overall design. The display features slim bezels, with a slight lip at the top for extra webcam protection.

This is a 2-in-1 device, allowing the Flex to rotate freely up to 360 degrees, thereby providing tent and tablet modes for versatile use.

Weighing in at 3.4 pounds and measuring 12.3 x 8.85 x 0.7 inches, the Flex 5 is quite similar in size to many competitors. The only exception is the 16-inch Lenovo Yoga 7i (Gen 8), which is a bit heavier at 4.5 pounds and larger with dimensions of 14.3 x 9.8 x 0.7 inches. Meanwhile, the Acer Swift Go 14 (2.9 pounds, 12.3 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches) and Asus ZenBook 14 OLED (3.1 pounds, 12.4 x 8.7 x 0.7 inches) are noticeably lighter and more compact.

IdeaPad Flex 5: Ports

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 offers a good selection of ports to keep your connections versatile. On the left side, you’ll find the power jack, an HDMI port, a Thunderbolt 4 port, and a headphone jack, making it easy to connect your devices. The right side is equipped with two USB Type-A ports, an SD card slot, and a power button, giving you plenty of options to suit your needs.

IdeaPad Flex 5: Display

Even for a laptop priced below $1,000, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5’s 14-inch, 1920 x 1200 display demonstrated subpar performance across all evaluated metrics.

I watched Dimension 20’s A Court of Fey & Flowers, and I noticed the set’s greenery looked a bit dull and muted. When the background shifted to a softly lit scenic view, it almost felt like watching the show in battery-saving mode, especially with its glossy panel. Still, the panel was clear enough to showcase the stunning details in Aabria Iyengar’s beautiful lashes.

Based on our colorimeter tests, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 covered just 42.2% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which is quite a bit below the mainstream laptop average of 91.8%. In comparison, the Yoga 7i (45.8%), Swift Go 14 (175.7%), and ZenBook 14 (95.6%) offered much better coverage and outperformed the IdeaPad.

With a brightness of 288 nits, the IdeaPad Flex 5 did not surpass the average of 341 nits. It performed better than the Yoga 7i, which achieved 267 nits, but it fell short of the Swift Go 14 at 395 nits and the ZenBook 14 at 375 nits.

IdeaPad Flex 5: Keyboard & Touchpad

Typing on the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 felt odd — the shallow, mushy keys lacked satisfaction. Despite this, I scored 83 words per minute on the 10fastfingers.com typing test, surpassing my usual 78 wpm. The well-spaced keys, typical of Lenovo keyboards, probably helped my performance, though I still didn’t like them.

The 4.9 x 2.9-inch touchpad demonstrates a smooth surface, though it provides shallow clicks, consistent with the overall design of the laptop. Nevertheless, Windows gestures such as two-finger scrolling and three-finger tabbing functioned correctly.

IdeaPad Flex 5: Performance

Within the chassis of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 resides an Intel Core i5-1335U processor complemented by 16GB of RAM. It demonstrated seamless performance when managing numerous Google Chrome tabs and multiple YouTube videos.

In the overall performance assessment conducted using Geekbench 5.5, the IdeaPad Flex 5 achieved a score of 8,440, which is below the average for mainstream laptops (9,064). It lagged behind the Yoga 7i equipped with a Core i7-1355U processor (8,663), the Swift Go 14 featuring a Core iH processor (11,815), and the ZenBook 14 powered by a Core i5-1240P processor (8,590).

	Geekbench Score	Handbrake time	SSD (Mbps)
Ideapad Flex 5	8,440	11:41	788
Lenovo Yoga 7i	8,663	10:12	1380
Acer Swift Go 14	11,815	5:35	1481
Asus Zenbook 14	8,590	8:40	246

The IdeaPad Flex 5 took 11 minutes and 41 seconds to transcode a 4K video to 1080p, thereby falling short of the category average of 8 minutes and 10 seconds. It ranked lowest in comparison to the Yoga 7i (10 minutes and 12 seconds), Swift Go 14 (5 minutes and 35 seconds), and ZenBook 14 (8 minutes and 40 seconds).

Lenovo’s 512GB SSD offers a transfer rate of 788 Mbps, close to the typical mainstream laptop average of 833 Mbps. It significantly outperforms the ZenBook 14’s 256GB SSD at 246 MBps but falls short of the Yoga 7’s 512 GB SSD at 1,380 MBps and the Swift Go 14′s at 1,481 MBps.

IdeaPad Flex 5: Graphics

The Flex 5 does not provide any exceptional features concerning graphics, as it remains equipped with the standard Intel Iris Xe Graphics chip, in line with its competitors. 

Nevertheless, it ultimately ranked last again on the 3DMark Fire Strike synthetic graphics benchmark. The IdeaPad Flex 5 achieved a score of 3,936, which is below the average for mainstream laptops (5,073), as well as below the scores of the Yoga 7i (5,027), Swift Go 14 (5,533), and ZenBook 14 (4,048).

In the benchmark for Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (Medium, 1080p), the system achieved a frame rate of 28 frames per second. Although this may not meet the standard 30 fps, it surpasses the performance of the Yoga 7i (25 fps), Swift Go 14 (27 fps), and ZenBook 14 (21 fps).

IdeaPad Flex 5: Battery Life

While things could be worse, there’s definitely room for some positive changes. The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 lasted for 8 hours and 22 minutes during our battery test. Although this is a bit below the average for mainstream laptops, which is around 9 hours and 54 minutes, it still performed better than the Swift Go 14 with its 8 hours and 5 minutes. On the brighter side, it was outpaced by the Yoga 7i, clocking in at a fantastic 12 hours and 4 minutes, and the ZenBook 14, which lasted an impressive 10 hours and 52 minutes.

IdeaPad Flex 5: Verdict

The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 exhibits several shortcomings. Despite its economical pricing and sleek design, all aspects of its internal components and external build fell substantially short of the quality standards anticipated for a laptop within this price range.

For example, the Asus Zenbook 14 (Q409ZA) OLED is priced at $749 and provides a luminous, high-resolution display, enhanced battery life, and superior performance despite its limited components.

We are unable to, in good conscience, endorse the acquisition of the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5. There are more suitable alternatives available at more competitive prices.