Lenovo is one of the world’s most beloved laptop brands, offering a vast selection of models to meet different needs. Some are perfect for business travellers while others can be used exclusively for gaming.
Lenovo laptops boast superior performance and long battery life, as well as being durable with an easy-to-read display.
1. Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7
The Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7 is their newest 2-in-1 laptop, boasting an array of impressive features that make it one of the top choices for this price range. Featuring a new Comfort Edge design and powered by an upgraded Intel 12th Gen processor, its biggest distinguishing factor is its 14-inch 16:10 OLED display – making it one of the best laptops to choose from in this price range.
The 12-core Core i7-1260P CPU inside the Yoga 9i is one of the first 12th-gen P-series chips, so it should provide significant speed improvements over last year’s model even for light workloads. On Geekbench 5.4, it achieved a single core score of 1,792 and multi-core score of 9,516 — significantly higher than comparable laptops using last year’s CPUs.
On most tests, it outperformed both the Asus ZenBook 13 OLED (Geekbench 5.4: 1,710, 4,825; Cinebench R11.5 Performance test: 1,512, 6,824) and Samsung Galaxy Book Pro 360 (Geekbench 5.4: 1,548, 5,570; Cinebench R11.5 Performance test: 3,502, 8,701). For instance, on HandBrake video transcoding from 4K video to 1080p took 12 minutes and 18 seconds compared to 11:34 for average premium laptops and 9 minutes and 34 seconds for Samsung convertible.
Overall, the Yoga 9i’s performance was impressive but it fell behind its competitors when it comes to battery life. On PCMark 10 Battery (Modern Office), which simulates video calls, photo editing, and web browsing simulations, the Yoga 9i only lasted 8 hours and 54 minutes at 150 nits of brightness.
Furthermore, the unit is exceptionally well-made, featuring a thick and sturdy aluminum chassis and high-quality screen. The OLED panel boasts VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black certification and produces just shy of 400 nits of brightness for vibrant colors.
The Yoga 9i has curved edges to make it easier to hold than its predecessor, making it a nice feature. Furthermore, the included stylus is larger and easier to use than those included with previous generations; however, this stylus lacks versatility as it doesn’t have dedicated storage space for data.
2. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a business-oriented laptop with impressive features and an attractive design. It’s lightweight and durable, making it convenient to take on-the-go. Boasting 14″ display with full HD resolution and powered by Intel Core i7 processor, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon makes for ideal choice for professionals who need to get more work done in less time.
The X1 Carbon is equipped with a range of security measures, such as a fingerprint reader and physical switch for the webcam that can be used to protect privacy. Furthermore, this laptop is compatible with Tile which helps track it in case of theft.
It features a 14-inch touchscreen that responds quickly to touches and gestures. Furthermore, the non-reflective surface has a matte finish for optimal viewing in bright light conditions.
This is beneficial, as it provides for more comfortable use and reduces glare that can make computer viewing difficult. Furthermore, the X1 Carbon has a WUXGA native resolution – offering more pixels than an ordinary 1080P FHD screen does.
In addition to its screen, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon features a keyboard that extends nearly the full width of the laptop. It offers two backlighting options, ThinkPad function key shortcuts and a red TrackPoint button for precise mouse movements.
On the right side of the keyboard, there is a touchpad with fingerprint reader. Furthermore, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon features two USB Type C ports with 40Gb/s transfer speeds.
For added convenience, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon features an external docking station that connects to both your screen and keyboard. Furthermore, it has a Wi-Fi antenna so that you can connect to the Internet without plugging in your laptop, saving you from having to lug around cables.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the Mercedes-Benz of business laptops, boasting high-quality materials and an elegant design. While its price may be high, you’ll get what you pay for in terms of a well-made and long lasting machine.
For mainstream users who need a powerful laptop with excellent build quality and plenty of features, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is an excellent option. Though its battery life may not be as long as that of the XPS 13 or MacBook Pro, this laptop remains top choice for professionals needing professional-grade equipment that can handle daily business tasks.
3. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga is an ideal 2-in-1 laptop for users who value touch screens and pen input. Additionally, it boasts plenty of business-focused features like Intel vPro technology and standard Kensington lock receptacles.
The X1 Yoga’s thin and light design is one of its standout features. Weighing just 2.8 pounds / 1.27 kg and measuring half an inch thick, it’s super portable – perfect for carrying around with you wherever life takes you!
This 14-inch 2K display with optional OLED technology features sharp and crisp visuals with good color reproduction. Plus, its built-in stylus supports drawing directly on the chassis for added convenience.
This stylus is a Wacom AES pen running on Lenovo’s WRITEr technology, making it capable of writing in almost any input field. It’s highly responsive with 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity; though not as comfortable to use as a mouse, the stylus provides fine control over line thickness and redrawing.
Battery life is impressive, with independent benchmarks placing it on par with the Dell XPS 13. Its 52 watt-hour internal battery should provide ample power for most workdays if you’re not using WiFi or powering up the OLED display.
In addition to the standard ports, Lenovo includes a Kensington lock slot and Micro SD card reader. There’s also a 3.5mm audio jack, plus you can expand your connectivity with a Thunderbolt 4 hub or dock.
The X1 Yoga is an impressive laptop that has passed a variety of MIL-Spec tests. It was even resistant to blasts of sand and extreme temperatures.
Fans of the ThinkPad brand for years might experience a sense of satisfaction with this latest version of the X1 Yoga, especially those used to its tank-like build. Plus, it’s one of the thinnest and lightest models in its series at just 2.8 pounds / 1.27 kg.
The X1 Yoga Gen 7 is an impressive business laptop, boasting excellent manageability, security, and durability. While it may be pricey, you get excellent value for your money.
4. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2-in-1
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is one of the top business laptops in its class. It boasts a well-built, ultrathin and lightweight design with impressive battery life and performance.
This model is an ideal choice for gamers due to its powerful Intel Core i7 processor and dedicated NVIDIA graphics. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon can easily handle even the latest games without breaking a sweat, plus its exceptional battery life will allow you to keep playing for hours on end.
Like all Lenovo ThinkPads, the X1 Carbon features an iconic black design with subtle splashes of red. These include illuminated red “i” in ThinkPad, TrackPoint pointing stick located on the keyboard and illuminated ThinkPad logo that lights up when in use.
Lenovo hasn’t made many improvements to the X1 Carbon over the years, but this latest iteration has brought some key enhancements. Most notably, it now sports a 16:10 display for more vertical screen space than before (a 16:9 option is also available), making it easier to navigate while using multiple apps and less likely you’ll experience glare than before.
Displays come with a range of options, including FHD and 4K Dolby Vision panels that can show high dynamic range (HDR) images. Furthermore, you can opt for a display with PrivacyGuard security which blocks out some blue light that may cause eye strain or migraines.
Our test configuration featured an Intel Core i7-1260P processor and 16GB of RAM, providing outstanding performance for everyday tasks like web browsing, video editing and multitasking. Furthermore, its 512GB SSD helped it load pages quickly and smoothly too.
The X1 Carbon is an impressive mid-range business laptop, boasting many useful features at a reasonable price point. Unfortunately, it’s not quite as fast as gaming laptops and its speakers aren’t particularly loud, so if you need something that can play games then this might not be your ideal pick.
