The best Lenovo laptops in 2021

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

The best Lenovo laptops consistently rank at the top of our rankings

best laptops

Rankings.From the excellent ThinkPad business laptops to the slim Yoga notebook to the affordable Ideapad laptops, Lenovo has something for all types of users.

We recently did

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold

, the first PC with a flexible, foldable display. It didn't make this list, but it's still worth checking out. If you're after something more traditional, the ThinkPad X1 Nano is a 13-inch competitor to the XPS 13 .

Still not sure which Lenovo business laptop to buy? Check out ours

best Lenovo ThinkPad

Guide that compares the top models. And to maximize productivity at work, make sure you're buying the right one

ThinkPad accessories

.If you are a business user and are unsure about purchasing a ThinkPad, read the

best Dell Latitude and Precision laptops

.

Which are the best Lenovo laptops?

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is not only the best Lenovo laptop, it is also one of the best laptops on the market. The X1 Carbon is ideal for business users, but also for students or everyday users who want a lightweight device. Weighing just over 2 pounds, it still offers fast performance in a military-tested package. The only subset of consumers that the X1 Carbon isn't for are budget consumers and gamers.

If you're looking to save money, the ThinkBook 13s is another great option. It offers fast speeds, a comfortable keyboard, and decent battery life. If you prefer a personal rather than a business laptop, the Lenovo Yoga 9i is an excellent option and one good alternative to the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 or HP Specter x360 14. You should also check out the new ThinkPad X1 Nano on your list if you need the absolute most-potable business laptop.

For gamers, the Legion Y740 and Legion Y7000 are solid choices and can play the latest AAA games depending on configuration. And if you're on a very tight budget, the Chromebook Duet is a fantastic detachable 2-in-1 that Selling for just $279.

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon is once again the best business notebook thanks to its slim design and fast performance.

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

1. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (8th Gen)

Best business notebook overall

specifications

CPU:

10th Gen Intel Core i5/Core i7

GPU:

IntelUHD

R.A.M:

8GB/16GB

Storage:

256GB/512GB/1TB SSD

Advertisement:

14 inches, 1080p or 4K

Size:

12.7 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches

Weight:

2.4 pounds

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Reasons to Buy

+

Slim, lightweight design

+

Bright, vibrant 1080p and 4K display options

+

Class-leading keyboard

+

Fast performance

reasons to avoid

-

Weak graphics

Lenovo hasn't made many changes to our favorite business laptop, but the new ThinkPad X1 Carbon now showcases 10th Gen Intel CPUs. Alongside fast performance, you get long battery life (on the 1080p model) and two beautiful 1080p and 4K display options, all in an incredibly light body (2.4 pounds).

But it's still those classic ThinkPad features -- a rugged design (rated at MIL-STD-810G strength), a premium keyboard, and a stealthy black-and-red aesthetic -- that make the X1 Carbon great.

Yes, we wish the ThinkPad X1 Carbon hadn't ditched the SD card reader, and top configurations can get very expensive, but you'll be hard pressed to find an overall better business machine.

See our full

Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 (8th generation) in review

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Lenovo's Yoga 9i refines a proven formula, making it one of the best Lenovo laptops out there.

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2.Lenovo Yoga 9i

The best consumer 2-in-1 laptop

specifications

CPU:

Intel Core i7-1185G7

GPU:

Iris Xe

R.A.M:

16 GIGABYTES

Storage:

512GB

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14 inch, 1080p

Battery life:

11:15

Size:

12.6 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches

Weight:

3 pounds

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Reasons to Buy

+

Fast overall performance

+

Colorful 14 inch 1080p display

+

11+ hours of battery life

+

Great rotating speaker

reasons to avoid

-

No IR camera

As the successor to the excellent Yoga C940, the Lenovo Yoga 9i takes a proven formula and refines it. Subtle design improvements, long battery life (11:15), and refreshed 11th Gen Intel processors make the Yoga 9i a worthy successor to one of the best 2nd generation -in-1 laptops of the last year.

As you would expect from a Yoga series laptop, the Yoga 9i features a premium, ultra-portable chassis and a unique hinge that doubles as a rotating soundbar speaker. As a 2-in-1, this hinge can be rotated 360 degrees to turn the Yoga 9i into a tablet, or put it into tent mode so you can watch movies without a keyboard getting in the way. When it comes to viewing content, the Yoga's 1080p (4K is available) display excels 9i razor sharp, vibrant and bright.

For all the basics it gets right, what I like about the Yoga 9i are the extra features, which include a webcam cover (no need to buy duct tape anymore), a slot for the upgraded Active Pen, and a fingerprint sensor. Unfortunately, there aren't any IR camera.

See ours

Lenovo Yoga 9i review

.

If you are looking for value for money, the ThinkPad X13 is the best Lenovo laptop for under $1,000.

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3. Lenovo ThinkPad X13 (AMD)

The best laptop under $1,000

specifications

CPU:

AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 4650U

GPU:

AMD Radeon

R.A.M:

8GB

Storage:

256GB

Advertisement:

13.3-inch, 1080p

Size:

12.3 x 8.6 x 0.7 inches

Weight:

2.8 pounds

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Reasons to Buy

+

Outstanding performance

+

Durable chassis

+

Top notch keyboard

+

Many ports

reasons to avoid

-

Below average battery life

-

Thick display frame

A Lenovo business laptop for under $1,000? It's time to talk to your IT manager. The budget-friendly ThinkPad X13 with AMD chips offers some of the best elements of the ThinkPad lineup at a much lower price point than we're used to are.

Some of those features include a portable, minimalist chassis with military-grade durability, an excellent keyboard, and plenty of security features including a fingerprint sensor and IR camera. And thanks to its AMD Ryzen CPUs, the ThinkPad X13 offers incredible performance at this price point. The only big one Disadvantage is the below-average battery life, but around 8 hours

is not terrible.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon remains the best Lenovo laptop if you can afford one, but the ThinkPad X13 is an excellent budget alternative.

See our full

Lenovo ThinkPad X13 (AMD) review

.

Artists and writers who prefer writing/drawing by hand will appreciate the ThinkPad X1 Yoga, the best 2-in-1 laptop.

(Image credit: Laptop Mag)

4. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (5th Gen, 2020)

The best 2-in-1 laptop

specifications

CPU:

Intel Core i7

GPU:

Intel Core i5-10310U;Core i7-10610U

R.A.M:

16 GIGABYTES

Storage:

256GB;512GB SSD

Advertisement:

14 inches, 1080p and 4K

Size:

12 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches

Weight:

3 pounds

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Reasons to Buy

+

Bright, vibrant 1080p and 4K displays

+

Super performance (super fast SSD)

+

World class keyboard

reasons to avoid

-

Thick display frame

-

Weak graphics

Lenovo took a bold step with the ThinkPad X1 Yoga, the first metal ThinkPad, and it paid off. While we still love the signature matte black carbon fiber found on most ThinkPads, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga is made of aluminum and magnesium a great change of pace. Not only does it have a sleek design, but this convertible 2-in-1 boasts a bright display and offers a top-notch keyboard and long battery life. This combination makes for the best Lenovo laptop for anyone looking are after a convertible.

You also get loads of extras, like an integrated stylus slot and webcam cover. We still love the ThinkPad X1 Carbon for its super-light chassis, but you should definitely get the Yoga instead if you want to use a pen. If you are looking for something unique, this is it

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga

Boosts things with a durable yet ultra-lightweight design.

See our full

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (5th generation, 2020) in review

.

Take the X1 Carbon, scale it up, and add more performance, and you have the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2, Lenovo's best 15-inch laptop.

(Image credit: Future)

5. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (Gen 3)

The best 15 inch laptop

specifications

CPU:

Intel Core i7-9850H CPU

GPU:

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q

R.A.M:

32GB

Storage:

1TB SSD

Advertisement:

15.6 inch, 4K HDR

Size:

14.2 x 9.7 x 0.7 inches

Weight:

3.8 pounds

Reasons to Buy

+

Attractive, lightweight chassis

+

Beautiful 4K HDR anti-glare display

+

World class keyboard

reasons to avoid

-

Poor battery life (on 4K HDR model)

-

Expensive

Lenovo's high-end consumer business laptop, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme (Gen 2) features a stunning 15.6-inch 4K HDR display and incredibly fast performance thanks to its 9th Gen Core i7 CPU and a fast SSD. A luxurious and durable design combined with an excellent keyboard make the ThinkPad X1 Extreme an impressive piece of hardware.

The X1 Extreme delivers more power than the X1 Carbon or X1 Yoga thanks to its six-core H-series processors. It also has a larger screen and more ports, making it a better laptop for productivity. And yet, this one is Machine still very portable at 3.8 pounds. Just note the limited battery life of the 4K model.

See our full

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 review

.

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Nano is Lenovo's best 13-inch laptop.

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6. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

The best 13 inch laptop

specifications

CPU:

Intel Core i7-1160G7

GPU:

Iris Xe

R.A.M:

16 GIGABYTES

Storage:

512GB

Advertisement:

13-inch, 2K (2160x1350)

Size:

12.7 x 8.5 x 0.66 inches

Weight:

2 pounds

Reasons to Buy

+

Stylish, unobtrusive design

+

Bright 13-inch, 2K display

+

Weighs 2 pounds

+

12 hours of battery life

reasons to avoid

-

Limited ports

-

Small touch pad

The X1 Nano is the newcomer on the block and has a few tricks up its sleeve. Weighing in at just 2 pounds, the Nano is the lightest ThinkPad laptop ever. It gains portability by trading screen real estate. The 13-inch However, the 2K panel is gorgeous and the 16:10 aspect ratio makes up for the smaller size.

In addition, the X1 Nano pulls stunning performance out of its 11th Gen Intel CPUs.

There are a few downsides, like the limited ports and small touchpad, but overall the X1 Nano achieves what Lenovo set out to do - everything you already love about the ThinkPad brand, in the smallest package yet.

See our full

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano in review

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The Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable is the closest thing to a Surface Pro 7 and even better.

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7. Lenovo ThinkPad X12 detachable

The best Surface Pro alternative

specifications

CPU:

Intel Core i5-1130G7

GPU:

Intel Iris Xe

R.A.M:

16 GIGABYTES

Storage:

512GB

Advertisement:

12.3-inch, 1920x1280 pixels

Size:

11.2 x 8 x 0.3 inches

Weight:

1.7 pounds (2.4 pounds with keyboard)

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Reasons to Buy

+

Long battery life

+

Good 12.3 inch display

+

Excellent keyboard

+

Accessories are bundled

reasons to avoid

-

Terrible speakers

-

No USB Type-A

In a nutshell, the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable is a better version of the Surface Pro 7. It shares the same detachable form factor and uses a stand that rotates roughly the same 160-degree angle. The 12.3-inch display is almost identical to the Surface and the detachable keyboard, like the Pro 7, is fantastic. You even get military-grade durability thanks to the rigid chassis.

Why is it better than the Surface Pro 7 and Pro 7+? Because the ThinkPad X12 Detachable lasts longer on charges, lasts over 11 hours and weighs slightly less than its magnesium alloy competitor. Better yet, the X12 Detachable comes with a keyboard and Pen supplied, although you'll have to spend a pretty penny for this business-focused detachable.

If you need good speakers or a USB Type-A port you can opt for the Surface Pro 7, otherwise we prefer the X12 Detachable.

See ours

Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Review

(Image credit: Future)

8.Lenovo Legion Y545

The best budget gaming laptop

specifications

CPU:

Intel Core i7-9750H

GPU:

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti

R.A.M:

16 GIGABYTES

Storage:

128GB

Advertisement:

15.6 inch, 1080p

Size:

14.2 x 10.5 x 1.1 inches

Weight:

5.3 pounds

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Reasons to Buy

+

Elegant, understated design

+

Great game and overall performance

+

Comfortable keyboard

+

Excellent audio quality

reasons to avoid

-

Below average battery life

The Lenovo Legion Y545 is an entry-level gaming laptop that delivers on both promise and delivery. Priced at $999, the laptop's discrete Nvidia graphics chip delivers a surprising amount of performance with above-average results.

And when you're not gaming, you can use the laptop's Core i7 processor to create spreadsheets, do light video editing and, of course, watch some movies on that beautiful 1080p display.

See our full

Lenovo Legion Y545 review

.

If you want to run the latest games with the highest graphics settings, get the Legion Y740, Lenovo's best premium gaming laptop.

9. Lenovo Legion Y740 (15 inch)

The best premium gaming laptop

specifications

CPU:

Up to Intel Core i7

GPU:

Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060

R.A.M:

8GB/16GB

Storage:

256GB/512GB

Advertisement:

15.6 inch, 1080p

Size:

14.2 x 10.5 x 0.9 inches

Weight:

5.3 pounds

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Reasons to Buy

+

Strong performance and graphics

+

Smooth 144Hz display

+

Comfortable RGB keyboard

reasons to avoid

-

Below average battery life

-

Has a "nose camera"

If you want the best graphics performance, choose a GeForce RTX equipped laptop like the Legion Y740.Available in 15 inches and

17 inch models

, the Y740 is Lenovo's premium gaming machine. As such, it can even play the latest games like Shadow of the Tomb Raider or Battlefield V with high graphic settings thanks to its Intel Core i7 CPU and Nvidia RTX 2080 Max-Q GPU. These games move you fluidly on the laptop's 1080p, 144Hz display, and you'll enjoy clicking on the Y740's comfortable RGB-backlit keyboard.

See our full

Lenovo Legion Y740 (15 inch) in review

.

Whether you're a student or just love Chrome, the Chromebook Duet is the best Lenovo Chromebook.

(Image credit: Future)

10. Lenovo Chromebook Duet

The best Chromebook

specifications

CPU:

MediaTek Helio P60T

GPU:

ARM G72 MP3

R.A.M:

4GB

Storage:

64GB

Advertisement:

10.1 inch, 1920x1200

Size:

9.6 x 6.7 x 0.7 inches

Weight:

2 pounds

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Reasons to Buy

+

Long lasting against charging

+

Comes with keyboard/stand

+

Colorful screen

+

Decent performance

reasons to avoid

-

Cramped keyboard

The Chromebook Duet is one of the most affordable computing devices out there, yet it delivers in so many areas. First and foremost is the battery life. This detachable 2-in-1 tablet lasted nearly 13 hours in our battery test, making it one of the longest-lasting Chromebooks around the market.

What really makes this device such an incredible value is that for $279 you get a 10.1-inch tablet with stand and accompanying keyboard. And that panel is both sharp, despite the Chromebook Duet's incredibly low cost as well as lively. No, it won't break any speed records, but for those on the tightest budget, the Chromebook Duet is the best choice.

See our full

Lenovo Chromebook Duet review

.

How to choose a Lenovo laptop

Lenovo is ours

Top rated laptop brand

And with good reason. The company offers a wide range of products with some of the best notebooks you can get from any manufacturer. Lenovo makes laptops for almost every type of user, from school children to gamers and executives.

We've listed our current favorite Lenovo laptops above, but if you're doing your research, it helps to know the difference between the company's key product lines.

ThinkPad:

Lenovo's business laptops have some of the best keyboards in the world, and many have extremely long battery life. They're good choices even if you don't intend to use them for work.

Yoga:

These high-quality 2-in-1 devices have great designs, colorful screens and long battery life.

Legion:

The Gaming line offers solid performance at reasonable prices.

To bend:

A range of 2-in-1s that are less expensive than Yoga but still fully featured.

Idea pad:

These mainstream consumer laptops range in price from low-end budget systems to premium ultrabooks.

This is how we test Lenovo laptops

We put every Lenovo laptop through extensive benchmark tests—both synthetic and real—before they get into the hands of our testers. We evaluate every aspect of the laptop, including performance, battery life, display, speakers, and thermal management.

In our benchmark tests, we use a Klein K10 colorimeter to determine the brightness and sRGB color space of the laptop's display. For performance testing, we run the laptop through a series of benchmarks, including Geekbench 4.3 and 5.0 and professional 3DMark scores. graphics tests.

To determine real-world performance, we task the laptop to upconvert a 4K video to 1080p resolution and duplicate a 4.97GB multimedia file. Our real-world graphics test is the Dirt 3 benchmark with medium settings at 1080p -Resolution.

We also run heat tests by playing a 15-minute full-screen video and measuring temperatures in different areas of the laptop. Finally, our battery test consists of continuous web browsing over WiFi at 150 nits brightness. For MacBooks and Premium Windows -10 laptops, a runtime of over 9 hours is considered a good result, while gaming laptops and workstations that can be powered longer than 5 hours deserve praise.

These tests are supplemented by extensive hands-on testing from our testers, who critique everything from the laptop's materials to the feel of the touchpad.

Best Business Laptops

in 2020

The best 13 inch laptops

in 2020

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