Lenovo is providing a full spec list for the Yoga Pro 9n, the Nvidia RTX Spark-powered laptop it announced at Computex, and has a second Spark system ahead of IFA: the Yoga 9n 2-in-1, a 16-inch convertible.

Both systems are listed as using Grace CPUs with up to 20 Cores and Blackwell RTX graphics with up to 6,144 cores, suggesting there will be multiple RTX Spark chips to choose from for both systems. While the 2-in-1 will top out at 64GB of unified memory, the clamshell Yoga Pro will go up to 128GB. It's also notable that the 2-in-1 will use seemingly lower-end QLC storage, while that's not mentioned in the Pro specs. We also know that the 15-inch Pro will have up to 80W TDP, one of the first official TDPs we've heard for an RTX Spark system (we don't yet know that information for the 2-in-1).

Both are also pushing 9.2-megapixel cameras that connect directly to the processor, as well as the latest Wi-FI standards. The Yoga Pro 9n has a 15.3-inch, 2560 x 1600 OLED screen that sports variable refresh from 48 - 165 Hz, while the 2-in-1 has a larger 16-inch OLED screen at 2880 x 1800 and 30 - 120 Hz.

Both systems are all-black machines, with metal designs and a mix of reflective and matte materials, which we've seen in the Yoga line before, albeit usually in a dark blue color. The 2-in-1 brings back a soundbar in the hinge, which the company stopped using years ago, but allows for clear sound in any position.

Lenovo is pushing the clamshell Yoga Pro as an AI machine, using the Nvidia chip with its CUDA software to allow "increasingly sophisticated AI models to run locally on the device." Windows 11 is supposed to gain features to run more agentic AI, including OpenClaw and Hermes, using Nvidia's own openShell and Windows own security layer.

The system is also being advertised as capable of gaming, development work, video editing (the haptic touchpad features pen support for precise input), and rendering. Despite using Lenovo's premium consumer brand, the Yoga Pro 9n is arguably a workstation.

The Yoga 9n 2-in-1 is being pushed more heavily as a creativity device, with its touch-friendly design and the Yoga Pen Gen 2, though the company is touting AI models here, too. Specifically, Lenovo's blog posts calls out AI tools in ComfyUI and Adobe Premiere Pro, as well as local models like LTX (a model based on video rendering in physical space) and FLUX, a text-to-image model.

Lenovo is keeping the price and release date under wraps. The price, the company's press release says, will come at launch, but when that is isn't detailed. Previously, Nvidia announced that RTX Spark would release this fall.

The arrival of the MacBook Neo seems to have reminded other PC makers that people like color (and relative affordability), and the IdeaPad Vibe line appears to be Lenovo’s answer to both. Starting at $699 when they arrive later this year and offered in 14- or 15-inch screen sizes, the laptops will feature seven color options and either an all-metal chassis or a metal lid and keyboard deck, with a plastic bottom. In a twist, the company will also offer swappable keycaps (pretty uncommon in the laptop space) that can either match your laptop’s color or veer away from it for some striking contrast.

Lenovo says the laptops will start at 1.3kg (2.87 pounds), offer up to 24GB or 32GB of RAM (more with the AMD-based models, where you can also opt for a larger 65 WHr battery), and feature either 120 Hz IPS or OLED screens. Oddly, the OLED options will only be offered in the most subdued hues – lowkey gray and moody blue.

Internally, the Vibes feature two M.2 SSD slots and will be offered with either Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X or AMD’s Ryzen AI 400, and a 50 WHr battery as standard. Lenovo easily beats the MacBook Neo and Dell’s XPS 13 on ports, offering two USB Type-A and two Type-C ports (though they are all capped at 5 GB/s), along with HDMI, a headphone jack, and a microSD card slot.

Of course, given that both the AMD and Qualcomm chips feature prominent NPUs, Lenovo is also pushing its cross-platform Qira AI (also offered in Motorola phones), which the company says “features Workato-powered connections such as email, calendar, and collaboration services, helping users find relevant information and move from intent to action through natural-language requests with less app switching.”

Lenovo notes that Qira will only be offered “on select configurations,” and RAM is listed across the lineup simply as “up to 24GB.” Given the high price of memory these days, the $699 starting configs will almost certainly ship with just 8GB of RAM. So don’t expect the lower-end configurations to be particularly friendly when it comes to local AI tasks.

Lenovo says the AMD-based IdeaPad Vibe laptops will arrive first, starting in October, while Snapdragon models will land in November. And the company promises Intel options as well, arriving at an as-yet undisclosed date.

If you like the colors offered on the Vibe line, but don’t need portability, Lenovo will also be offering its IdeaCentre AIO i with Intel Core Series 3 CPUs and a 27-inch screen in similar colors. It will ship with a matching keyboard and mouse, starting at $939 in November.

Lenovo has a history of bringing concept laptops to the IFA trade show in Berlin, and this year’s pair are all about improving productivity and portability. They also feel closer to something you might actually buy than some concepts we’ve seen in the past.

First up, Project AeroBlade is a 14-inch laptop where, as the company’s press release puts it, “every component is re-engineered around mobility.” For starters, the laptop foregoes fans in favor of Frore Systems’ AirJet solid-state cooling tech, which uses piezoelectric membranes that vibrate ultrasonically, beyond the range of human hearing. There are four AirJet Mini modules here, which is three more than the single AirJet Mini we saw in Intel’s Wildcat Lake reference design back at Computex earlier this year. That should mean much better sustained performance than we’ve seen from passively cooled PCs in the past.

Frore System’s latest AirJet Mini modules are rated to dissipate 7.5 watts of heat, giving the AeroBlade laptop 30 watts of active heat dissipation. This pairs well with the 17-30W-TDP Intel Lunar Lake silicon Lenovo is using in this concept. The more recent Wildcat Lake chips are rated from 15-35W, so should also fare reasonably well with a similar solid-state cooling setup.

Project AeroBlade also uses a tiny motherboard, which, along with a magnesium-aluminum frame, results in a laptop that is just 0.39 inches (10 mm) thick and weighs less than 1.83 pounds (830 grams). The slimness means you’ll have to live on USB-C /Thunderbolt 4 ports alone, but the laptop includes three of them, along with an OLED screen and Wi-Fi 7.

The company is using Intel’s Lunar Lake here, but of course, if the concepts behind this design eventually become a laptop you can buy, it will ship with a more modern CPU. I’d love to see what kind of performance and battery life Wildcat or Panther Lake could deliver in this svelte laptop form factor.

The company is using Intel’s Lunar Lake here, but of course, if the concepts behind this design eventually become a laptop you can buy, it will ship with a more modern CPU. I’d love to see what kind of performance and battery life Wildcat or Panther Lake could deliver in this svelte laptop form factor.

A 17-inch screen in a 14-inch laptop

Project Swan sees Lenovo return to its rollable-screen ambitions, this time with a concept that at once feels more modest, mainstream, and achievable than previous attempts. Housed in a mostly standard-looking 14-inch ThinkBook chassis, the screen expands at the press of a button into a 17-inch, 16:9 display with a 2850 x 1672 resolution. That’s not quite 16:9, but there’s likely some small amount of the rollable OLED display that remains off the visible screen in this concept design.

As you would expect, this isn’t the thinnest or lightest 14-inch laptop, weighing in at 3.53 pounds (1.6kg) and measuring 0.7 inches (17.9 mm) thick. The extra bulk lives in the lid, which needs to house the rollable display mechanism, as well as bezels that expand out the sides. As is usually the case with these devices, the motor mechanism is louder than would likely be acceptable in a finished product, but at least it worked flawlessly during several open and close cycles – which is not always the case with concepts like this.

Hopefully Lenovo can shrink the required screen hardware slightly if a version of this design gets incorporated into a laptop you can actually buy. Because while I don’t love the extra bulk, the idea of a compact 14-inch laptop that can give me a 17-inch screen on the go is very appealing.

AMD's Gorgon Halo is breaking cover at IFA. Ahead of the show, Lenovo revealed the ThinkCentre X Ultra with up to an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ Pro 495 processor, with an integrated AMD Radeon 8065S GPU, and 128GB of RAM.

The system is set to release in November 2026 with an "expected" starting price of $3,669, which is surely not for the top-end model.

The system is fairly compact at 7.2 x 7.2 x 2 inches, about two inches longer than a Mac Mini on either side. The front of the system features two 10GBps USB-C ports and a headphone jack. The back boasts DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1, two 10GBps USB Type-A ports, a pair of Thunderbolt 4 ports (USB 40GBps, rare on AMD platforms), a 10Gb Ethernet jack, and a punch-out port to add additional output. Lighting on the system that you can see through the front air intakes shows the system status at a glance.

Lenovo is offering both Linux and Windows options. The system will come with AMD Ryzen AI Developer Center, which includes preconfigured AI models and tools, as well as example workflows to use. Up to four ThinkCentre X Ultras can be used in a cluster to run larger models, more agents, extra requests, or longer context windows.

Lenovo and AMD are set to have some competition in the mini PC space this year, as Nvidia is launching systems with its RTX Spark from OEM companies sometime this fall.

Buying a gaming laptop is a great way to sidestep the exorbitant costs of RAM, SSDs, and GPUs that are plaguing the PC component market in 2026. Right now, Best Buy is selling a premium Lenovo gaming laptop with a massive discount as part of its 60th anniversary sale. Normally $4,249, a $1,350 discount gets you a 2.5K, 16-inch OLED laptop with Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and Nvidia RTX 5080 GPU.

● Grab this deal at Best Buy

This premium laptop combines a hefty mobile GPU for gaming with an impressive 240Hz, 2560 x 1600 screen, plenty of RAM for multitasking, lots of storage, and great networking and connectivity options. We absolutely loved it in our review and this $1,350 discount makes it all the more enticing.

This is a premium gaming laptop that scored well in our Tom's Hardware review. The display in particular is outstanding, as is the sleek aluminum design, customizable RGB lighting, and sharp webcam. As you can see below, the laptop performs extremely well in our display measurements testing thanks to that impressive OLED panel.

We actually tested the 5080, 32GB RAM, 275HX variant of this laptop, which means we can tell you exactly how the device performs when gaming. In our gaming benchmarks, the Legion Pro 7i pumps out 163 frames per second in Shadow of the Tom Raider at 1080p, or 101 frames per second at the laptop's native resolution of 2560 x 1600. We also clocked Crysis Remastered at Very High, running in the mid-90s, with the 16 VRAM pool and 175W power draw putting in plenty of work.

This is a laptop that will handle anything you throw at it, work or play. Other noteworthy features include 32GB of DDR5 6400 RAM, 1TB SSD, HDMI, USB-C, and USB-A ports, as well as a headphone jack, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4. It also has an impressive 1440p webcam and scope for upgradeability thanks to its two M.2 drives. As per our review, this is an "outstanding" laptop that easily passes muster in terms of performance, while blowing us away with its OLED screen.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

The Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11 has the right idea to compete with the best budget gaming laptops: skip the flashy design extras and focus on the hardware that matters. Its RTX 5060 graphics, 144 Hz IPS display, solid keyboard, and generous internal upgrade options give budget-strapped gamers plenty to like on paper. The reality is that this configuration is compromised in the area that matters most: gaming performance. Its RTX 5060 is held back by a 65W power limit and the CPU is several generations old, allowing rival machines in the same price range to post stronger results. The LOQ is usable and practical, but at this price, it needs stronger performance to stand out.

Design of the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

Aptly named, the LOQ Essentials 15 embraces a no-frills design. Aside from LOQ branding on the lid, there’s little here meant to catch the eye, which is fitting for a laptop that’s intended to deliver performance at the lowest possible cost. Lenovo reserves premium materials and styling for its Legion gaming laptops.

Fortunately, the budget considerations are mostly aesthetic, as the LOQ’s plastic chassis feels solid and has the durability you’d expect for daily home or school use. Its 0.97-inch thick profile and 5.07-pound weight don’t make it a great traveling companion are in line with competing laptops like Acer's Nitro V 16S AI, Asus’ TUF Gaming F16, and MSI's Cyborg 15. The latter is the lightest in the group, at 4.36 pounds.

Lenovo’s port selection is practical: one USB-C port (10 Gbps), two USB-A ports (5 Gbps), an audio jack, Ethernet, and HDMI. You won't get truly high-speed ports like USB4/Thunderbolt 4 at this price. The Intel AX203 Wi-Fi 6 card is another example of this laptop's economical focus, though it shouldn't hold users back.

Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11 Specifications

Gaming and Graphics on the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

We evaluated the LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11 with a Core i7-13650HX processor, RTX 5060 graphics (65W), and 16GB of single-channel DDR5-4800 RAM. The processor is several years old though still packs a punch, with six Performance cores.

Playing 007 First Light at 1080p with medium lighting settings, post effects on, and DLSS set to balanced, the LOQ produced playable frame rates, ranging from the mid-50s to low-70s FPS depending on the scene. The experience was never poor, but it lacked the fluidity I expected from a laptop carrying Nvidia's latest midrange GPU.

Our benchmark comparison lineup consists of Acer's Nitro V 16S AI (Ryzen 7 260, RTX 5060 85W, $1,299.99 when tested), Asus' TUF Gaming F16 (Core i7-14650HX, RTX 5050 115W, $1,199.99), and MSI's Cyborg 15 C13WE (Core i5-13420H, RTX 5050 70W, $1,219.99).

Overall, the LOQ’s results were disappointing. With a 65W power limit, its RTX 5060 simply doesn't deliver the level of performance buyers might expect from the badge. It was routinely outperformed by the TUF Gaming F16 using an RTX 5050, while Acer's higher-powered RTX 5060 laptop also finished comfortably ahead. The result is a gaming laptop that works well enough but struggles to justify its price when similarly priced alternatives make better use of comparable hardware.

In Shadow of the Tomb Raider at the Highest detail preset, the LOQ’s 88 FPS only outpaced the Cyborg (82 FPS), while the Asus (95 FPS) and Acer (98 FPS) both pulled ahead. This story repeated in Far Cry 6 – with 75 FPS, the LOQ trailed Acer (82 FPS) and Asus (90 FPS), though it was within a few FPS of those units in Red Dead Redemption 2. The LOQ’s only real victory was Cyberpunk 2077, where it achieved 38 FPS, with the Acer (32 FPS) trailing. The LOQ was one of two laptops tested with Forza Horizon 3, where it predictably had no trouble outgunning the Cyborg, 58 FPS to 51 FPS.

To stress-test gaming laptops, we run 15 loops of the Metro Exodus stress test at RTX settings to simulate half an hour of gaming. The LOQ demonstrated stable performance throughout the test, averaging 59.79 FPS without a variance of more than one FPS across runs. During the test, the Core i7-13650HX ran at an average frequency of 2.73 GHz while the RTX 5060 averaged 1,919 MHz.

Productivity Performance on the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

Our LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11 is built around a Core i7-13650HX, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD.

Throughout our testing, the LOQ's outdated CPU struggled against the newer silicon in the competition, only consistently outpacing the Cyborg with its equally dated Core i5-13420H. In the multi-core portion of Geekbench, the LOQ's score of 11,300 was well behind the Ryzen 7 260-powered Acer (12,837) and couldn't touch the Core i7-14650HX-powered Asus (15,013). The Asus also dominated Handbrake, completing that test in 3 minutes and 33 seconds compared to the LOQ's 4:35.

The LOQ's average speed of 136 MBps in our 25GB file transfer is abnormal, but it also occurred on other drive benchmarks, though I never noticed any issues in loading games. The drive is a WD PC SN5000S using QLC.

Display on the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

Lenovo didn't cut too many corners with the LOQ's display. The 15.6-inch IPS panel pairs a smooth 144 Hz refresh rate with an anti-glare finish that minimizes reflections. While the 1920 x 1080 resolution isn't especially sharp by 2026 standards, it isn’t too hard for the RTX 5060 to drive in today’s games.

Watching X2: X-Men United and playing 007 First Light, the LOQ’s display stood out as one that’s better than typical budget laptop fare. Colors have enough punch to make game environments feel lively, and enough contrast to give darker scenes reasonable depth. Brightness is just adequate – the panel is best suited for indoor use and can't compete with the significantly brighter screen in Acer's Nitro V 16S AI. Still, for gaming, streaming, and everyday use, the LOQ's display is one of its better attributes.

Covering 86.1% of DCI-P3, the LOQ’s display proved more colorful than the Acer (77.4%) and effectively tied the others. Its 290-nit peak brightness was on par with the Asus (298 nits) and brighter than the MSI (233 nits) but not nearly as bright as the Acer (392 nits).

Keyboard and Touchpad on the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

Lenovo’s keyboard offers an ample 1.3 mm of travel for comfortable typing sessions. Its two-level white backlighting provides excellent visibility in low light. The number pad isn’t quite full-size but offers the expected layout. In MonkeyType, I reached 122 words per minute with 99% accuracy on the first try.

The touchpad is also well-designed, with a comfortably-sized surface and quiet physical clicks.

Audio on the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

The LOQ's twin 2W speakers produce acceptable sound for a laptop. Bass is lacking, but the sound is clear enough to pick out footsteps and shell cases dropping in games. Overall, the setup works for casual gaming.

The included Nahimic app is essential for sound quality – without it, the speakers are tinny and dull. The Music preset with bass and treble boost works well all around. The Smart preset also gets the job done; my ears didn't detect much of a difference versus the Music preset. The Movie preset's virtual surround adds a hollowness that I find unnatural.

Upgradeability of the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

Getting inside the LOQ is somewhat tricky. Removing the Philips-head screws is straightforward – they’re fortunately all the same size – but the bottom panel sits flush with the chassis edges, with no obvious entry points. I created one using my thumb to push in one of the rear chassis corners, which created a gap for my plastic pry tool.

Upgrade prospects are excellent, with two DDR5 SODIMM slots and two SSD slots, one M.2 2280 and one M.2 2242. The 512GB SSD in our model is M.2 2242 format and installed in the M.2 2280 slot. The M.2 2230 wireless card and the battery are also replaceable.

Battery Life on the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

Our battery testing consists of web browsing, running OpenGL tests, and streaming videos with the screen at 150 nits while connected to Wi-Fi. The LOQ's runtime of 4 hours and 54 minutes is short even for a gaming laptop, with the Asus lasting about two hours longer. Acer's Nitro completely outclassed it, lasting 10 hours and 17 minutes.

Heat on the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

We measure laptop surface temperatures while running the Metro Exodus stress test. The LOQ's peak temperatures were 108 degrees Fahrenheit (F) between the G and H keys while the touchpad was 79 F. The highest temperature was 112 F on the bottom near the cooling fan exhaust. Internally, the Core i7-13650HX measured 70 degrees Celsius (C) while the RTX 5060 was 66 C.

The LOQ’s fan noise is noticeable while gaming, but is no louder than other entry-level gaming laptops I’ve tested. Its speakers are easily loud enough to be heard over the fans.

Webcam on the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

Lenovo's webcam is a basic 720p model with a soft focus. It handles lighting reasonably well – a lamp behind me wasn't blown out – but detail is lacking and there's considerable grain. There's no physical shutter, but you'll find an e-shutter switch on the right edge.

Software and Warranty on the Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11

The LOQ includes two main apps. Legion Space shows component readouts like CPU speed and temperature, plus power profile toggles between Performance, Quiet, Balanced, and Custom. The app can also auto-disable the Windows key and auto-close specified apps when games are launched, and prioritize network traffic to apps you specify. An aim assist feature puts a crosshair in the center of the screen. The app also provides access to the Lenovo community and can be a game library.

The Vantage app is familiar across Lenovo laptops for support services, troubleshooting utilities, and system updates. System settings include battery smart charging (limits charge to 80% to extend battery lifespan). The app also has a security advisor that verifies anti-virus and firewalls are active and tells you if a Wi-Fi network is safe. The app contains upsells for Lenovo’s identity protection, system recovery, and performance tuneup subscription services.

Lenovo backs the LOQ with a one-year warranty.

Lenovo LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11 Configurations

We tested the LOQ equipped with a Core i7-13650HX processor, RTX 5060 graphics card, 16GB of DDR5-4800 single-channel RAM, and a 512GB SSD, retailing for $1,269.99 at Best Buy. It was not yet available directly from Lenovo at the time of this review.

An even more basic spec with a Core i5-13450HX and RTX 5050 is listed on Lenovo's site as "coming soon" but wasn’t at the time of publishing. All configurations include a 1920 x 1080 IPS display with a 144 Hz refresh rate and Windows 11 Home.

Bottom Line

Lenovo’s LOQ Essentials 15 Gen 11 is a reminder that spec sheets don’t tell the whole story. While it delivers an RTX 5060 and a 144 Hz display for a competitive price, its conservative GPU power limits and older platform leave it trailing rivals in real-world performance. Though it gets many fundamentals right -- its display, keyboard, and upgradeability are all solid – it’s ultimately a serviceable gaming laptop rather than a competitive one. At this price, Acer’s Nitro V 16S AI is a stronger value.

We recently toured China-based Lenovo’s new production facilities here in the US. Lenovo is the number one player in the global PC market (by shipments), with products spanning consumer, business, and enterprise sectors. But while Lenovo is a Chinese-based company, it has a significant business presence in the United States. Its U.S. headquarters, which opened in 2005, is in Morrisville, NC, right in the heart of the Research Triangle Park. The company also opened its first PC manufacturing line, a short drive away in Whitsett, NC, shortly after.

This past Friday, Lenovo took the latest step in its efforts to expand its U.S. manufacturing presence with a symbolic ribbon-cutting for the expansion of manufacturing at its Whitsett facility. The company invested millions of dollars into the facility, doubling its footprint to 890,000 square feet. There are currently 400 line workers, with the capacity to expand that number to 1,000 in the near future.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why Lenovo is making this investment, as it comes down to two words: artificial intelligence.

Lenovo in Whitsett

As Ashley Gorakhpurwalla, Executive VP and President for the Infrastructure Solutions Group, explained, for many of Lenovo’s customers, “AI is moving from the hype cycle now into the hero cycle.” With many of its customers looking to increase reliance on U.S.-produced hardware, an “infrastructure they can trust is going to be the catalyst for that.” So, it only made sense to tap into resources and the local community it has fostered over the past two decades

“Because behind every AI breakthrough, it's powerful, powerful infrastructure,” Gorakhpurwalla continued. “As technology becomes more advanced, I think that building high-quality infrastructure closer to our customers is becoming more important than ever.”

North Carolina might not always have been at the forefront of people’s minds when it comes to technological leadership, and it’s a question that Ben Massey, VP Supply Chain for Lenovo, has often fielded. “You know, people ask me all the time, how are you going to make that work in North Carolina?” Massey explained. “The way it's going to work is that we've got an arc from the Triangle to the Triad with thousands of engineers, thousands of manufacturing people in R&D who can work in supply chain, people who can all work together to bring this technology together with speed. Faster product development to mass production, shorter customer lead times, and greater end-to-end cost efficiency.”

Lenovo’s main U.S. R&D hub in Morrisville is just over an hour's drive away from the Whitsett facility along Interstate 40. In addition, the company can pull young talent from nearby universities like NC State, Duke, UNC-Chapel Hill, and Wake Forest, along with the state’s robust community college system.

Lenovo and its local contractors were able to take the facility from an empty warehouse to a fully functioning server production line in nine months. That included the necessary electricity capacity (up to 20 MW) from Duke Energy.

By the Numbers

I was given a full tour of the Whisett manufacturing facility (along with other members of the press, Lenovo dignitaries, and local lawmakers), from start to finish. It was an impressive operation; one that I wish I could express to you in photos. However, photos and videos were strictly forbidden due to the proprietary nature of the hardware and testing equipment, and to protect Lenovo's customers' privacy.

The kitting area, where the components like processors, memory, and storage are assembled, encompasses 26,000 square feet. There are 10 kitting lines, where workers currently assemble 200 racks per week, with the capability to double that number to 400. The 50 team members in this area process over 150,000 parts per day.

There are currently seven assembly lines, residing in a space roughly double the size of the kitting area (53,000 square feet). Lenovo has the capacity to produce 1,400 server nodes per day across 28 assembly stations (one server is produced every 60 seconds).

At full tilt, Lenovo says that it will have 1,000 operators running three shifts. However, there are currently around 380. Employees get roughly 1,000 hours of training, and they rotate throughout different phases of the building process to hone their skills.

After touring the kitting and assembly lines, we moved into the testing areas, where L10 testing takes place. There are 10 thermally controlled testing pods, with 16 test racks per pod. The room is chilled using massive Computer Room Air Handlers (CRAH), each with 1 MW of cooling capacity.

In addition, there are 30 Vertiv Liebert XDU direct liquid cooling units (expandable to 50), each with a capacity of up to 300 kW, to aid with testing finished packages for customers. Lenovo explained that Nvidia GB300 racks consume 140 kW, while Vera Rubin will consume 230 kW at peak load. For comparison, the average U.S. household consumes between 1 and 1.5 kW per day. That's a lot of power coming from a rack measuring 18 inches across and seven feet tall. Lenovo’s first taste of Vera Rubin is said to be making its way to the Whitsett facility by the end of August.

We also toured where the massive freshwater pipes enter the building to fuel the cooling operations, along with the utility room, where the impressive overhead electrical conduits feed power into the site from a nearby substation. Working with Duke Energy, Lenovo was able to go from temporary power at the site to full power within 7 months.

Closing Thoughts

I’m not a native to this state; however, I’ve lived in central NC for 40 of my 46 years on this earth. So it was rather impressive to see the Whitsett facility taking shape roughly 20 minutes from my childhood home. However, the sense of pride was also clouded by the realities of the times that we live in. The proliferation of AI in nearly every facet of our lives is the entire impetus behind the need to expand server manufacturing capacity for the homeland. Companies like Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, and others crave the computing hardware necessary to feed AI demands, which in turn is driving a wedge between big tech and local communities. From strains on local water supplies and power grids to the acquisition of land to build new data centers, we’re at a real crossroads where local communities, local governments, and big tech companies are each looking to have a say in how our future plays out.

You can save $1,000 on a truly high-end gaming laptop that, for many, is way over the top for the average user in both hardware and price. But if you want the most powerful laptop gaming setup, or a portable desktop replacement, then this Lenovo Legion 9i gaming laptop from B&H Photo, priced at $5,799, is something you should check out. It's certainly not your average gaming laptop, as it comes with the top-tier halo components from Intel and Nvidia, and is absolutely massive at 18 inches.

● Check out this deal at B&H Photo

Gaming laptops have always been more expensive than desktop gaming PCs with comparable components, even with the comparable components not being as powerful as their desktop counterparts due to the size, power, and heat limitations of stuffing hardware components into a smaller laptop chassis.

This model of the Lenovo Legion 9i contains the most powerful laptop graphics card available, Nvidia's RTX 5090 with 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM, and Intel's Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus 24-core processor, plus a massive 64GB of DDR5 RAM (2 x 32) with four RAM slots available, able to support up to 192GB of total RAM. For storage, there is a 2TB SSD, with Windows 11 Home edition pre-installed.

The luxurious 18-inch display features a detailed 3840 x 2400 resolution with a 3ms gray-to-gray response time. The display can reach up to 240Hz at native resolution and up to 440Hz when set to an FHD resolution. The display uses an IPS panel with 520 nits of brightness and a color gamut of 100% DCI-P3

The Lenovo Legion 9i also uses the latest Thunderbolt 5, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and 2.5GbE Ethernet. The keyboard is fully RGB backlit with chiclet-style keys. This is a very powerful gaming laptop that you can also use for some serious creative work and go hard on some smaller local LLM models if you want to dabble with some AI workloads.

It is a very expensive laptop, made more costly by the price of RAM and NAND in the current economy. Still, it's also $1,000 cheaper than the usual price, so if this kind of laptop is something you're interested in, then head to B&H Photo and check out the RTX 5090-powered Legion 9i available for $5,799.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

You can also join the Tom's Hardware deals Discord for up-to-the-minute hardware deals.

TCL CSOT, a subsidiary of Chinese electronics and TV giant TCL, has been developing inkjet-printed (IJP) OLED displays since 2024, and it seems that it has finally brought it to market with the Lenovo Legion R9000P. Lenovo says that this is the first laptop in the world to feature the TCL CSOT technology, which marks a significant step towards “the commercialization of this next-generation display technology.”

This Lenovo Legion laptop will feature a 16-inch IJP OLED that can hit a 240 Hz refresh rate while also covering more than 99% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. This isn’t exactly groundbreaking when it comes to OLED monitors, but the biggest advantage that IJP OLED displays have over the traditional vacuum thermal evaporation (VTE) method is that it’s cheaper and simpler to produce, resulting in higher yields. TCL CSOT’s IJP OLEDs also promise improved brightness, which is something that traditional OLED screens struggle with. This is especially important for laptops like the Legion R9000P, which are expected to face more varied lighting conditions due to their portable nature, compared to monitors and TVs that are often placed statically in one location for most of their lifetime.

If this technology catches on, it should reduce the cost of the best OLED gaming monitors, which, arguably, offer one of the best experiences when it comes to contrast and color. Unfortunately, Lenovo hasn’t revealed the specifications or the price of the Legion R9000P, so we cannot say for sure how the IJP OLED has affected its affordability and compare it with similar models that feature a more traditional OLED display.

While this is the first time that IJP OLED is being mass-produced for consumer electronics, TCL CSOT has been working on the technology for over 10 years now. In fact, the company has been mass-producing its 5.5-generation IJP OLED since 2024 (which is presumably used in commercial and industrial products like medical displays) and has started construction of its 8.6-generation IJP OLED production last year.

Aside from Lenovo, MSI is also using this new IJP OLED panel in the just-announced MSI Pro Max OLED 271UPJW12. While the company did not explicitly mention that it used a display from TCL CSOT, its specifications exactly match. Besides that, TCL CSOT is currently the only one manufacturing OLED screens using the inkjet printing technique.

Aside from laptops and monitors, we also expect to see this technology to eventually reach TVs and smartphones. This should make high-quality OLED TVs more affordable to more users and compete against cheaper TVs that use technologies like QLED and Mini LED. It could also allow for budget phones with beautiful screens that can give flagship models a run for their money.

Lenovo has just updated its current-gen Legion 7a 16-inch gaming laptop with a new GPU config: the 12GB version of the RTX 5070 mobile. Previously, the laptop 5070 was limited to just 8GB of VRAM, but Nvidia recently overhauled it, splitting the 5070 SKU into two distinct variants. Lenovo is one of the first vendors to feature the 12GB 5070 in a retail device, but it doesn't come cheap — this new Legion 7a is listed for a whopping $3,375 on Best Buy right now.

For that money, you're getting a flagship Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 CPU, 32GB of LPDDR5X-8000 memory, and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. Not to mention a gorgeous 2560 x 1600 OLED display with a 240 Hz refresh rate, solid build quality, and a plethora of cutting-edge I/O. This laptop is also the perfect recipient for the upgrade since its GPU topped out at a measly RTX 5060 before, making it less powerful than the last-gen Legion 7a devices.

Now, that RTX 5060 variant was almost $600 cheaper than this new 5070-equipped model, but it's actually expanded to a $1,000 delta right now because the 5060 SKU is on sale at the moment. When Nvidia first announced RTX 50-series laptops, it said RTX 5070 devices would start at $1,299; even if you consider the upgraded VRAM, you're paying just about double of what was initially promised to you.

In all seriousness, the Legion 7a is a premium gaming laptop with all the bells and whistles so it naturally commands a higher price, AI boom or not. The RTX 5070 in here is also rated at a 115W TGP instead of the 100W baseline Nvidia has set for the GPU. Regardless, you can still find cheaper laptops kitted with the new 12GB RTX 5070, such as Lenovo's own Legion 7i with a Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus processor.

The extra 4GB of VRAM in these devices, gained by swapping from 2GB GDDR7 modules to 3GB ones, should help improve performance in modern titles and AI workloads, especially where ray tracing is involved. Customers have already complained about Nvidia's insistence on packing 8GB video memory pools with various GPUs for years, and at this point, if you're buying a new GPU (or laptop) with that spec, you're killing any chances of future-proofing.

This Lenovo OLED gaming laptop, fitted with the fastest laptop GPU you can find, is back on sale. You can pick up the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i gaming laptop for $3,199 right now at B&H Photo, saving you $1,800 compared to its current list price.

● Check out this RTX 5090 gaming laptop deal at B&H Photo

The boom in AI adoption has caused PC and laptop hardware to skyrocket in price over recent months. That makes this Lenovo OLED gaming laptop, fitted with the best GPU available for gamers right now, an absolute steal at its current price, even if it was a touch cheaper when it last went on sale.

You'll struggle to find an RTX 5090 laptop, especially one with a high spec OLED display, for less than you'd pay for this laptop, with many of its rivals with similar specs costing hundreds of dollars extra (or even more). This deal is the perfect option for anyone looking for the best specs, whether it's for gaming or productivity, and it'll save you nearly $2,000 in the process.

Almost all of the other specs on this Lenovo Legion Pro 7i laptop are dwarfed by the mobile RTX 5090 with its 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM, but it's a powerful rig across the board. This fully-packed laptop features a spec sheet that includes a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD, giving you power to game at high resolutions on its 16-inch 1600p OLED display with a 240Hz refresh rate. It also has plenty of I/O for peripherals and external connections, including USB-A ports and a 2.5G Ethernet port for high-speed wired internet.

While we haven't reviewed this exact spec of laptop, we've tested its RTX 5080 sibling in our Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 review last year. That laptop scored very highly, thanks to its build quality and design, as well as overall performance, all points which this model shares. The OLED display, in particular, was praised for offering vibrant colors, great brightness and sharp detail quality in games, as the benchmark data below confirms. The aluminum chassis used on the Legion Pro 7i also gave it a luxurious build quality, which isn't always a certainty, even on premium models.

The RTX 5090 is the centerpiece component in this design. It's important to mention that the mobile RTX 5090 isn't as powerful as its desktop namesake, and that's largely due to the power constraints on mobile devices. That said, the RTX 5090 is still formidable, with 10,496 CUDA cores, as well as 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM, operating on a 256-bit memory bus.

This laptop comes with a 16-inch OLED display with a maximum native resolution of 2,600 x 1,600 and a 240Hz refresh rate. With an RTX 5090, you won't be troubled to hit 1600p resolutions in games, even with Ultra graphics presets and ray tracing enabled. DLSS 4 support included with this Nvidia Blackwell GPU gives you an extra boost, too, ensuring longevity. Multi-frame generation is the key here, as those AI-generated frames will give you a qucik and easy way to boost frame rates in more intensive games in years to come.

For the CPU, you're getting an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor. This comes with 24 cores, eight of which are performance cores, which are typically used for gaming. It also has 16 efficient cores, which will help with multi-threaded work. 32GB of DDR5 RAM ensures there isn't a memory bottleneck here, as this is the standard for high spec gaming laptops these days. You're also getting a 2TB SSD, which will give a good amount of space for games and documents.

WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support is included for the best modern wireless connectivity, and the laptop also ships with an RGB backlit keyboard, 5MP webcam with a built-in privacy shield, and

Other added extras you'd want on a premium laptop like this one are included, too, including an RGB backlit keyboard and a high-quality 5MP webcam with a privacy shield.

As we saw recently, this laptop's RTX 5080 sibling, which we did review, is also back on sale. It's the same spec and build, but with the GPU swapped out. This RTX 5080 laptop is on sale for $2,599, just a $100 more than we saw previously, and at a price that still makes it very competitive to its rivals, especially with that OLED display. If you don't need the full power of the RTX 5090, this laptop will save you an extra $600.

As it stands, the $3,199 sale price for the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i gaming laptop with an RTX 5090 GPU is still a monster price under current market conditions. The best GPU out there, with an OLED display, and no compromises to be made on storage, RAM, or build quality make this a must-buy laptop for gamers and workers alike.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

You can also join the Tom's Hardware deals Discord for up-to-the-minute hardware deals.

Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 (starts at $2,032; $2,217.30 as tested) enters the laptop market with the poise of a veteran. This series has spent years at the top of the ultralight business stack and shows no sign of slowing down. Light and refined as ever with Intel’s “Panther Lake” silicon and equipped with a class-leading keyboard, OLED display, and enterprise-ready tech, it’s every bit the flagship it’s intended to be. That said, consumer models like Dell’s XPS 14 have also raised the bar, so whether the ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s refinements keep it ahead of the pack remains to be seen.

Design of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 may have received a refresh, but its design principles remain unmistakable. Squared edges, matte black surfaces, and functional lines keep it faithful to the lineage that IBM established long ago. The webcam notch is the quickest visual cue that this is a current-generation model. Lenovo’s only real design flourish is the colorful X1 badge on the lid for this flagship; lesser ThinkPads simply have the brand name.

At just 2.15 pounds, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon feels unrealistically light, to the point that I wondered if the unit I received was hollow. Rest assured, there’s a real computer inside, and the build quality is excellent. The outsides are made mostly of lightweight magnesium, with precise fitment and a premium feel. True to the product name, carbon fiber is used, mainly in the lid cover and its internal frame. Rigidity is just average, though; the palm rest and surrounding deck feel solid, but the chassis flexes more than I expected. The lid, however, is impressively stiff, and the hinges are precisely tuned for one-handed opening.

Measuring 12.3 x 8.49 x 0.6 inches, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon has a similar footprint but is much lighter than the 3.4-pound Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch and the three-pound Dell XPS 14.

Port selection is decent for an ultraportable, with HDMI 2.1, two Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), and a headphone jack on the left and another Thunderbolt 4 and a USB-A port on the right. Intel wireless networking provides Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. Cellular WAN is available.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Specifications

Productivity Performance on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

We tested the ThinkPad X1 with a Core Ultra 7 355 processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD. This “Panther Lake” processor features four Performance and four Low Power Efficiency (LPE).

For performance comparison, we included the Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, 10-core M5; $2,349 as tested), Asus Zenbook Duo (Core Ultra X9 388H; $2,299.99), and the Dell XPS 14 (Core Ultra 7 355; $1,699.99). These are all premium systems that you might consider if you’re cross-shopping consumer models. The Apple and Asus use significantly stronger processors, though the ThinkPad X1 Carbon and the XPS 14 can be equipped with the Core Ultra X-series to compete in that tier if you're willing to spend even more.

On the cross-platform Geekbench 6 benchmark, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s single-core score of 2,635 points matched the XPS 14, an expected result considering they both use the Core Ultra 7 355, but the ThinkPad trounced it in multi-core, with 11,107 points to Dell’s 7,964. Neither machine proved a match for Apple’s M5, particularly in single-core. With both Apple and Asus scoring over 17,000 points in the multi-core portion, their processors are clearly in a different league.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon finished our 4K-to-1080p video transcoding test in 6 minutes and 12 seconds, more than 30 seconds quicker than the XPS 14 but not competitive with the Asus (4:22) and MacBook Pro (3:31).

Last, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon completed our 25GB file transfer test with an average transfer rate of 1,256.31 MBps, well behind the Asus’ 1,531.3 MBps and not anywhere close to the MacBook Pro’s leading 1,917.35 MBps.

To stress test productivity laptops, we run 10 loops of Cinebench 2026. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon scored 2,581 points in the first loop and stayed within the 2,500-to-2,600-point range for the remaining loops, demonstrating stable performance. The P-cores ran at an average clock of 3.73 GHz while the LPE-cores ran at 3.46 GHz.

Graphics on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

We run 3DMark Steel Nomad to gauge raw graphics horsepower. Scoring 596 points, the Intel Graphics inside the ThinkPad X1 Carbon are adequate for basic use but little else. The Arc B390 integrated chip in the Asus’ Core Ultra X9 proved far more robust, leading the group with 1,483 points, followed by the MacBook Pro with 1,122 points.

Display on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

Our ThinkPad X1 Carbon uses the 2880 x 1800 OLED panel, an upgrade over the base 1920 x 1200 IPS screen. It produces memorable visuals no matter what you’re viewing. In Dune: Part One, I noted the brilliant white sands of the desert and the inky depths of space. Disney’s Zootopia showed its deep, vibrant color that kept me watching longer than I intended. The anti-glare surface does a commendable job of reducing glare. This panel doesn’t support touch, but you can option touch versions of both the 1920 x 1200 IPS and OLED panels.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s numbers leave little doubt that it has an excellent display. Its color coverage – 82% of DCI-P3 and 115% of sRGB – were within a percentage point of the MacBook’s, just shy of Asus’ 87% and 123%, and ahead of the Dell’s 71% and 101%. Its 473-nit peak brightness is impressive considering it uses an OLED panel, which are often close to or just shy of 400 nits.

Keyboard and Touchpad on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon maintains Lenovo's standard for excellent input devices. The keyboard feels more cushioned than my older ThinkPad X13 yet still provides plenty of key travel for engaging feedback – my fingers intuitively knew when I reached the top and bottom of the keystroke. Keystrokes sound slightly rubbery, with less clack than my older ThinkPad, but still pleasant. The keyboard deck is rock solid and doesn't flex. Highly visible white backlighting makes typing in the dark a breeze.

The layout is highly intuitive, with an inverted-T arrow cluster, dedicated Home/Page Up/Page Down/End/Delete keys, and a programmable F12 shortcut key. The power button at top right is also a fingerprint reader. Classic ThinkPad users will notice Lenovo switched to the mainstream left Ctrl and Fn key arrangement, but they can be swapped in the Vantage app.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon touchpad that we tested is mechanical, but a haptic version is available as a no-cost option on customized models. The pad's top-hinged design works reliably and delivers a firm, satisfying click. The three buttons above the pad couple with the classic TrackPoint pointing solution in the middle of the keyboard. ThinkPads are the only laptops that have them anymore.

Audio on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

I listened to my test audio tracks multiple times on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon since the speakers sounded that good – who would have thought a business laptop could so easily double for entertainment?

In William Black & Luka's "Bleed 4 U", I heard crisp vocals, well-separated instruments, and detailed, impactful bass -- this setup didn't skip a beat or distort in any way when the drops hit.

The Atmos Detailed preset in the Dolby Access app (its default setting) evened out the soundstage for a clearer tone. I switched to the Detailed preset to sharpen the drum hits and vocals in a vinyl rip of "Shattered Dreams" by Johnny Hates Jazz, which also didn't show any distortion even at maximum volume. The realistic volume limit is around 80%, after which the setup doesn't get audibly louder. This setup is easily loud enough for personal listening.

Upgradeability of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

User-upgradeable components in the ThinkPad X1 Carbon are limited to its M.2 2280 SSD and battery pack; models with WAN can also have that module upgraded. Access through the bottom panel is straightforward – four captive Philips-head screws loosen it, then the clips need to be popped along the back edge, which were snugger than I thought. Lenovo maintains an excellent hardware maintenance manual and even provides a video walkthrough on YouTube.

Lenovo advertised a 9/10 iFixIt score, citing that the keyboard, daughter I/O board, and USB-C ports are also customer replaceable.

Battery Life on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon lasted 13 minutes and 10 seconds in our battery test, which consists of web browsing, running OpenGL tests, and streaming videos with the screen at 150 nits while connected to Wi-Fi.

Though not a leading time – the Zenbook Duo lasted 14:23 with one screen active while the MacBook Pro went for 18:14 – it’s still an impressive showing considering it uses an OLED panel. Dell’s XPS 14 lasted an astounding 20:41, but that’s with the IPS screen; equipped with an OLED screen and more powerful processor, it lasted only 12:23 (not shown in the charts), and that’s with a 70 Wh battery whereas the ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s is rated for just 58 Wh.

Heat on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

During our 10-loop Cinebench 2026 stress test, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon's surface temperatures peaked at 72 degrees Fahrenheit on the touchpad, 94 degrees between the G and H keys, and 106 degrees on the underside. Internally, the Core Ultra 7 355 averaged 91 degrees Celsius across all cores.

Webcam on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

This ThinkPad's 1440p webcam produces an impressively sharp and well-lit picture. I could make out the wood grain on a door about 10 feet away and even the individual hairs on my cat who was looking over my shoulder. Bright lights, like windows and lamps, were properly exposed, and didn't cause my person to be underexposed. The webcam includes an IR sensor for facial recognition and the security of a sliding privacy shutter.

Software and Warranty on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14

Lenovo’s main app is Commercial Vantage, a hub for support access, system updates, and user settings. Those settings include battery smart charging, OLED power settings (taskbar, background, and display dimming), Fn/Ctrl key swap, F12 user shortcut key configuration, and keyboard backlighting brightness. Some settings have moved out of this app into Windows Settings, such as presence detection and display color temperature.

Vantage also provides access to the Aura Edition’s special Smart Modes: Working, Gaming, Creating, Entertainment, Meeting, and Learning. The system automatically switches between the modes depending on the user’s activity. These modes are a combination of settings, some of which are or aren’t enabled for a given mode: auto-prompt VPN (launches a configured VPN client), attention timer (a time limit where notifications are silenced, with a default of 30 minutes), distracting domains (automatically blocks popular social media sites), Wi-Fi fencing (only connects to wireless networks that you designate “safe”), Dolby Audio (sets the mode to Voice, Movie, Music, and so on), and microphone noise canceling mode and listening range. If you move between different environments, like an office to a crowded café, you could tweak the settings and get some usefulness out of this, though I wouldn’t consider it an essential selling point.

As for other apps, Lenovo Smart Share lets you share content from your phone, such as photos, and assists connecting Bluetooth devices.

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon comes with a one-year minimum warranty with mail-in service, though preconfigured models often include three years with onsite coverage. Coverage and service plans are available up to five years with accidental damage protection.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Configurations

We tested a midrange ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition with a Core Ultra 7 355 processor, Intel Graphics, 32GB of memory, a 512GB SSD, and a non-touch OLED display, retailing for $2,217.30.

The starting model is $2,032 at this writing, though Lenovo’s frequent sales can change the price. CPU options begin with the Core Ultra 5 335 and top out with the vPro-enabled Core Ultra 7 365. Models with the Core Ultra X7 are also supposed to be available but I didn’t see them on Lenovo’s site at the time of writing. Memory is available in 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB configurations depending on the processor. The base 1920 x 1200 IPS display can be upgraded to a 2880 x 1800 OLED panel, with either panel available with touch, though only OLED offers a 120 Hz refresh rate. A privacy screen option only comes in 1920 x 1200 display.

Bottom Line

Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 delivers everything that a flagship ultraportable should. Its featherweight chassis, best-in-class keyboard, vibrant OLED display, and competent everyday performance make it an ideal fit for professionals or prosumers who take their work with them. It even doubles as a surprisingly capable entertainment machine thanks to its impressive speakers.

While consumer rivals like Dell’s XPS 14 offer similar performance, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon remains the productivity go-to because of its superior keyboard, broader port selection, and enterprise-ready options like vPro and WAN availability. For those willing to accept a thicker and heavier machine and use macOS, Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro remains the performance benchmark in this category.

Overall, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 remains an impeccable blend of portability, polish, and practicality, a mix that earns it a place among our recommendations.

As the memory and storage chip crisis continues to squeeze the market, some PC manufacturers began looking at alternative sources earlier this year just to meet consumer demand. Notebookcheck discovered in its review of the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G9 IPL that it came with a 512GB YMTC M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD. What’s more interesting is that the laptop is readily available in the U.S., and you can order it on Amazon for $1,124.25 at the time of writing -- although as noted above, Lenovo says the U.S. model (21UX000KUS) does not ship with a YMTC SSD.

This is the first recorded instance that a laptop from a major OEM is being sold in the United States with a YMTC SSD, which is particularly curious given that the company was added to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List in 2022. While this prevented the company from acquiring goods and services that were made with or contained American technologies, it does not prevent Lenovo, whose headquarters are in China, from importing such drives into the U.S.

Major PC manufacturers have traditionally relied on established storage chip makers such as Samsung, SK hynix, Kioxia, Micron, and SanDisk, but the ongoing AI buildout has driven prices through the roof. Even Apple, which previously held significant influence over suppliers, is now seeking a blessing from the U.S. government to buy memory chips from the Chinese firm CXMT. Although it’s not on the Entity List, it’s still designated as a Chinese military company, meaning that doing business with it would carry some risk for an American company.

Notebookcheck says that the YMTC drive’s performance “is below average for an SSD in an office laptop,” meaning it could not compete against the best SSDs you can buy today. Most buyers likely won't care about this, especially since the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G9 IPL is marketed as an office laptop for everyday use. This means that its target market will likely be unfamiliar with specifications like read/write speeds and will probably be satisfied as long as it’s faster than a hard drive.

Lenovo’s deployment of YMTC drives is particularly important because it’s one of the largest laptop brands in the U.S. by volume. In fact, even as PC shipments fell by 7% in the first quarter of 2026, Lenovo’s market share actually grew by 1.2%, making it the third largest desktop and notebook brand after Dell and HP. Since the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G9 IPL is a relatively affordable laptop designed for office use, it would likely sell many units through enterprise purchases and help increase the adoption of Chinese storage solutions in the U.S.

Since YMTC is also listed as a Chinese military company, institutions looking to buy this particular model may face procurement challenges, especially if they operate in sensitive industries or are government agencies. However, it seems that the memory chip crisis has grown to the point where it’s willing to offer a model it won’t be able to sell in some instances. Nevertheless, this helps ensure that buyers without restrictions have a more affordable option.

Hardware enthusiasts, server administrators, and all regular readers of this site will be well aware of the ongoing "RAMpocalypse," the memory and storage shortage affecting nearly every market and raising prices across the board in the tech sector. If you were hoping for relief, don't hold your breath; at the International Supercomputing Conference this past week, Lenovo reportedly said "it will never be like it was last year." Underlining the point, one of Lenovo's presentation slides was titled "The 5 Step RAMaggeddon Survival Guide."

That comes to us by way of our German friends over at ComputerBase, who note that "never" was said with a smirk, thus implying that it wasn't meant to be taken literally. Instead, the message from Lenovo is that memory prices were unusually low in early 2025, and it will be a long time before we see comparatively low prices on RAM, flash memory, and other components, as the #1 worldwide PC OEM expects AI demand to continue growing.

According to ComputerBase's report from ISC 2026, Lenovo's broader message is that the economics of the memory industry have fundamentally changed. The company reportedly argued that even as significant new manufacturing capacity comes online beginning around 2028, demand from AI infrastructure is expected to absorb much of that additional output, preventing DRAM and NAND prices from returning to the lows seen over the past two years.

The report points to SK hynix's recently announced plans to triple its memory production capacity by 2034 as supporting evidence. Lenovo's reasoning is straightforward: the notoriously profit-hungry memory manufacturers would be unlikely to invest so heavily in expanding production if they expected a return to the razor-thin margins and oversupply that characterized parts of the market in early 2025.

In case you needed extra evidence for its argument, Lenovo also suggested that memory capacity itself is becoming an increasingly important consideration when designing and purchasing servers. While vendors have traditionally advertised the maximum supported memory capacity of new platforms, actually populating those DIMM slots has become far more expensive. New dual-socket servers are on the way next year with 16 memory channels per processor, meaning that even a relatively modest configuration can require around 1 TB of installed memory to fully utilize the available bandwidth.

Lenovo is far from the only company predicting a prolonged memory crunch, although the industry's incentives are worth keeping in mind. Micron recently told investors it expects supply to remain constrained through at least 2027, with only gradual improvement beginning in 2028, while SK hynix has warned the shortage could persist until around 2030 as AI infrastructure continues absorbing wafer capacity. Those forecasts are backed by multi-year supply agreements worth roughly $100 billion that Micron has already signed with customers, underscoring how seriously hyperscalers are treating long-term memory availability.

Even companies that traditionally wield enormous purchasing power are feeling the squeeze. Apple reportedly has sought permission from the U.S. government to source DRAM from Chinese memory maker CXMT, a Pentagon-blacklisted company, illustrating just how valuable additional memory supply has become as prices continue to climb. At the same time, memory vendors are enjoying some of the strongest pricing power (and profit margins) they've seen in years, giving them little incentive to accelerate a return to the boom-and-bust pricing cycles that once defined the DRAM market.

Ironically, one consequence of the ongoing memory shortage is that HBM is becoming more economically attractive relative to conventional system memory. DRAM manufacturers have redirected significant production capacity toward higher-margin HBM for AI accelerators, reducing the supply of commodity DDR5 and LPDDR5 while demand for both remains elevated. As a result, the premium for HBM-backed computing has narrowed, not because HBM has become inexpensive, but because traditional system memory has become dramatically more expensive. Hyperscalers were going to buy the GPUs anyway, so maximizing their utilization to reduce DDR5 requirements suddenly becomes an attractive proposition.

That shift helps explain Lenovo's suggestion that GPU-accelerated computing may now make more financial sense for some workloads. If an application can keep much of its working set in GPU-attached HBM, it may require significantly less DDR5 installed in the host system. With system DRAM now representing a much larger share of overall server cost than it did just a year ago, reducing memory capacity requirements can materially lower the price of deploying large-scale infrastructure.

Obviously, we don't know whether Lenovo's long-term outlook will prove accurate, but memory pricing has historically been cyclical, with periods of oversupply often followed by sharp corrections. With hyperscalers continuing to pour billions into AI infrastructure and memory vendors increasingly prioritizing high-margin enterprise products, the company believes the unusually inexpensive DRAM and NAND prices of 2024 and early 2025 may prove to have been an anomaly.

The Yoga Slim 7x (starts at $1,049; $1,579 as tested) is Lenovo’s latest take on a premium ARM ultraportable, aiming to deliver standout performance and battery life with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite under the hood. Paired with a comfy keyboard, an OLED touch panel, and a sharp webcam, and this is a slick overall package provided you’re not reliant on x86 apps. Also prepare to pack a few adapters, as USB-C is the only port in town.

Design of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

Lenovo’s dark blue aluminum chassis feels premium and impressively rigid. The Slimi 7x didn’t creak or bend when I picked it up by a corner or the lid. (It’s not wise to pick up a laptop like that, but it happens.) Aesthetically, it offers an upscale, modern look though it doesn’t stand apart from the crowd outside its uncommon color.

At 12.28 x 8.7 x 0.55 inches (WDH) and 2.58 pounds, the Slim 7x has a slightly larger footprint but ducks under the weight of the 13-inch MacBook Air (11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches, 2.7 pounds). Dell’s XPS 14 is heavier but slightly trimmer (12.19 x 8.26 x 0.58 inches, 3 pounds). Lenovo’s own Yoga Slim 7i (13.54 x 9.27 x 0.55 inches, 2.15 pounds) is slightly larger but noticeably lighter.

Port selection is limited to just three USB4 ports. There’s not even a headphone jack, so be prepared to take adapters. The power button and the webcam privacy shutter e-switch are on the right edge.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Specifications

Productivity Performance on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

We tested the Yoga Slim 7x with its top CPU, the Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-88-100. It features 18 cores, 6 of which are high-performance, and boosts up to 4.7 GHz on two cores. The system also features 32GB of onboard memory and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD.

Our comparison systems match the performance focus of this system. Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air ($1,299) uses a 10-core M5, followed by two 14-inch laptops: Dell’s XPS 14 ($2,199) leverages a Core Ultra X7 358H while Lenovo’s Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition ($1,629) uses a Core Ultra 7 355. Asus’ 16-inch Zenbook A16 ($1,699) fills the last spot using an even higher grade of CPU than our Slim 7x – the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme X2E-94-100, which boasts 18 cores like the X2E-88-100 but offers a wider 192-bit (as opposed to 128-bit) memory bus for 228GB/s versus 152GB/s of bandwidth.

On Geekbench 6, the Slim 7x’s single-core score (3,822 points) was practically tied ith Asus (3,807), leaving only the MacBook Air with a higher score (4,168). The Intel-based systems were left well behind. The Slim 7x also produced impressive multi-core results, though its 20,563 points weren’t in the same league as the Asus (22,733), which uses the X2 Elite Extreme.

The Slim 7x made an excellent showing in our 25GB file transfer test, averaging 1,934.78 MBps to tie the MacBook Air (1,924.84 MBps) and land ahead of the Asus (1,744.38 MBps). The XPS 14 trailed the group (1,419.76 MBps).

On Handbrake, the Slim 7x completed the 4K to 1080p video transcoding in 2 minutes and 11 seconds, just three seconds slower than the Asus and easily outgunning the others – Apple finished in 4:41 while the Slim 7i trailed at 5:56.

To stress test the CPU in laptops, we run 10 loops of Cinebench 2026. The system started with a score of 5,926 but dropped to 5,168 on the second run, where it stayed within a few points for the remaining runs. During the test, the P2 cores ran at an average of 3.34 GHz while the P1 cores ran at 3.94 GHz.

Graphics on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

We run 3DMark Steel Nomad to gauge raw graphics horsepower. The Slim 7x’s Adreno X2-90 GPU scored 1,115 points, just behind the Asus (1,262) featuring the same silicon and bested Apple’s M5 integrated solution (1,005). The XPS 14, however, easily took the top spot with 1,446 points thanks to the potent Arc B390 graphics solution built into its Core Ultra X7 358H. The Slim 7i stood way in the back with just 513 points.

Display on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

Our Yoga Slim 7x comes with a 1920 x 1200 OLED touch panel. It offers a pleasant picture overall, but isn’t a standout due to its modest brightness – an all-white screen barely makes me want to squint in a dim room. Watching Star Wars: Andor, the stormtroopers’ armor and blaster bolts didn’t pop with the intensity I expected. Colors, however, look rich, and space scenes show off OLED’s trademark inky blacks. The 60Hz refresh rate is par for the course. On the plus side, touch input feels smooth and responsive against the solid glass surface.

Lenovo offers a 2880 x 1800 OLED panel on higher-end configurations, which offers nearly twice the HDR brightness (1,100 versus 600 nits) and a 120 Hz variable refresh rate. (This panel was featured in the Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition we reviewed.)

The OLED panel on the Slim 7x offers complete coverage of the DCI-P3 gamut, matching its stablemate, the Slim 7i. Its 321-nit peak brightness, however, isn’t impressive next to the Slim 7i’s 476 nits. Not even the IPS-equipped MacBook Air matches the latter.

Keyboard and Touchpad on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

Lenovo nailed the Slim 7x’s keyboard. The 1.5 mm key travel provides enough movement for your fingers to clearly tell when the key has reached the top or bottom of a stroke. The keys feel springy and snap back with a satisfying sound. Keycaps are slightly scooped with an 0.3 mm dish to help orient your fingers to the center of the key. I felt immediately comfortable on this keyboard, hitting 123 words per minute with 99% accuracy in MonkeyType on the first try. White backlighting, toggled with Fn + spacebar, provides excellent visibility.

Lenovo’s touchpad is also first-rate. Its matte surface is large relative to the 14-inch display. Physical clicks – this is a mechanical pad, not haptic – feel precise, require just the right amount of effort, and aren’t too loud.

Audio on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

The Slim 7x produces decent audio, with enough volume and fullness that you won’t regret forgetting your headphones. Clarity is a bit muffled by default, but enabling the Detailed equalizer in the Dolby Access app goes a long way towards addressing that, sharpening the soundstage.

Listening to William Black’s “Bleed 4 U”, I heard good separation between vocals and instruments, though the bass drop wasn’t that satisfying due to the lack of low-end response. This followed into Star Wars: Andor where explosions and footsteps didn’t quite have the impact for an immersive experience. Overall, though, two people in a quiet room can be easily entertained by this setup.

Upgradeability of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

Four Torx T6 screws secure the Slim 7x’s bottom cover, with the front screws (below the palm rest) shorter than the rear ones. I used a plastic trim tool to pop the clips around the perimeter, starting in the speaker cutouts. The panel still felt stuck after I did this – it turned out a foam pad in the center had some adhesive on it. A gentle lift with my fingertips finally broke it free.

As Snapdragon laptops use nearly all soldered or integrated components, upgradeability is limited – here, just the M.2 2230 SSD and the battery can be changed out.

Battery Life on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

Our battery rundown test sets the screen brightness at 150 nits while the system runs web browsing, streaming video, and light OpenGL tests while connected to Wi-Fi. The Slim 7x was in a class of its own, lasting 19 hours and 25 minutes. The next longest-lasting units were the Slim 7i (16:38) and the MacBook Air (15:28). The Asus lasted just 10:26 despite also using the same capacity battery as the Slim 7x.

Not shown in the charts, we tested a second version of the XPS 14 without the OLED screen and with a standard Core Ultra 7 355, which ran for an even more impressive 20:41.

Heat on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

We measure laptop surface temperatures while running our 10-loop Cinebench 2026 stress test. Peak surface temperatures on the Slim 7x were 70 degrees Fahrenheit on the touchpad, 87 F between the G and H keys, and 100 F on the underside. The laptop felt only lukewarm to the touch. I could hear the fans running, but they weren’t loud enough to

We’re unable to report chip temperatures since the HWInfo tool we use to collect data doesn’t yet support precise enough monitoring on Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon silicon.

Webcam on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

Lenovo’s 9MP webcam offers excellent video quality. The 1440p video resolution shows fine details – holding my wrist next to my face a couple feet away, I could read the rather small typeface on my Apple Watch and see the links on my necklace. Noise reduction is also superb, with no noticeable grain even in the shadows below my head. The camera furthermore works well in challenging lighting situations – it managed to expose my face properly despite a bright lamp behind me, which was also exposed properly and didn’t look like a blur.

The camera includes an infrared sensor for facial logins with Windows Hello. There’s no physical privacy shutter, but a switch on the laptop’s right edge disconnects it from the laptop, an arguably more secure solution.

Software and Warranty on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

Lenovo’s software stack starts with the familiar Vantage app. In addition to software updates, diagnostics, and support access, it features a security advisor which verifies you have antivirus, a firewall, and are connected to a safe wireless network. Available system settings include a battery lifespan protector that caps the charge at 80% and power mode, with adaptive (the default), battery saver, or maximum performance toggles. The app also includes upsells for Lenovo’s Smart Lock and Smart Performance subscription services.

Some unwanted software is present, including a McAfee trial.

Lenovo includes a standard one-year warranty.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x Configurations

We tested the Slim 7x with a 1920 x 1200 OLED touch display, Snapdragon X2 Elite X2E-88-100 processor, 32GB of memory, and a 1TB SSD. Its retail price was $1,579 from Best Buy, discounted from an $1,849 MSRP.

Models start at $1,049 from Lenovo.com with a Snapdragon X2 Plus X2P-42-100, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD, with a step-up $1,449 configuration offering an X2 Elite X2E-80-100 and 32GB of RAM. The range-topping $1,619 model upgrades to the X2 Elite X2E-88-100 and the 2880 x 1800 OLED display, which features a higher brightness rating and 120 Hz variable refresh rate.

The Slim 7x is priced on the lower side of Snapdragon X2 Elite laptops. Best Buy had Asus’ Zenbook A16 for $1,699 with 48GB of RAM. I also saw a 14-inch HP OmniBook Ultra featuring a 3K OLED screen for $2,049.

Bottom Line

Lenovo’s Yoga Slim 7x is a compelling case for an ARM laptop. Powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite, it pushes performance and battery life to new heights among 14-inch ultraportables. Aside from its USB-C-only approach, it offers standout usability thanks to its comfortable input devices, lightweight design, and crisp webcam. While its OLED touch screen is perfectly usable, the visually discerning will find its optional 2880 x 1800 panel worthwhile.

Competition is tight – Apple’s MacBook Air remains a benchmark while Dell’s XPS 14, and Lenovo’s own Slim 7i offer strong Windows alternatives. But if you’re not tied to x86 software, the Slim 7x’s mix of performance, battery life, and pricing is hard to beat.

Best Buy is back with yet another absolute banger gaming laptop discount, this time on an OLED Asus model that's nearly $600 off. Right now, you can score this Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 16" 2.5K OLED 240Hz gaming laptop for just $1,574.99, giving you $575 off.

● Grab this deal at Best Buy

The heart of this gaming laptop is Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5070 GPU, replete with 8GB of VRAM for solid gaming performance. That's paired with the flagship Intel Core Ultra 9 285H Arrow Lake, a blistering CPU for both work and play. Also included are 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a delightful OLED 240 Hz display with a resolution of 2560 x 1600.

There are quite a few headline specs on this build, starting with the aforementioned RTX 5070. Nvidia's mid-range mobile GPU comes with 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM, with support for DLSS 4 and the more recent 4.5 update.

The CPU is Intel's Core Ultra 9 285H, with 16 cores (6P, 8E, and 2 LP) and 16 threads, along with a CPU base clock frequency of 2.5 GHz that can boost to 5.4 gigahertz. This blend of power and efficiency should give you good gaming performance while also preserving battery life on the go.

The display is also an eye-catching 2560 x 1600 OLED with a 240Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness.

The 1TB SSD is plenty for storing games, with the 16GB of RAM enough for multitasking. While 32GB would have been ideal, you'll struggle to find a better laptop at this price thanks to this generous discount.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

An IBM ThinkPad user boasts that they can install “(almost) all versions of Windows from NT 4 to 10 22H2,” with driver support, without resorting to virtual machine (VM) technology. The ThinkPad T43 from 2005, used by Redditor MatiHalek, was already a firm favorite among retro tech enthusiasts and well known for being IBM’s final design prior to the Lenovo acquisition. The confirmation that it can run 26 years of Windows OSes certainly adds to the T43’s considerable charms.

So, what did Mati actually do? In the post embedded above, you can see they posted a gallery with 10 Windows screenshots, most of which show an iteration of the System > About control panel as evidence of the version of Windows installed and running. This gallery will take many readers on a journey down memory lane as the Windows UI evolves through the eras.

Mati says that they didn’t use VMs to install any of these Windows versions. They were all real software-to-metal installs on the single-core Pentium M CPU, though it wasn’t always an entirely straightforward process getting Windows to behave. We’d assume most difficulties would be due to support and drivers for graphics and storage interface hardware.

The Redditor didn’t install the 26 years of OSes sequentially in a strictly experimental fashion. “When I got this laptop, XP was installed, so I decided to dual-boot Vista with that XP. Then I did the upgrade path Vista-7-8-8.1-10RTM,” they explained. Subsequently, Windows 22H2 wrinkles forced them into doing a clean install for this pretty recent OS from Microsoft. However, modern OSes don’t appear to be Mati’s passion as “after that, I wiped the hard drive and multi-booted 98, NT 4, and 2000.” They end their post by indicating they will be keeping this 20th-century OS trio on the IBM ThinkPad T43, simply out of preference. It's probably the most responsive choice, given the hardware.

IBM ThinkPad T43 hardware

As we mentioned in the intro, the ThinkPad T43 was the final laptop from IBM’s stables, before Lenovo took the reins. Mati was correct to assert that it originally shipped with Windows XP, and it launched just a few months before Vista hit the scene.

Key components of the T43 were as follows:

• Intel Pentium M processor
• ATi Mobility Radeon X300 or X300SE graphics
• 14.1-inch screen in resolutions up to 1,400 x 1,050 pixels
• Support for up to 2GB of DDR2
• Storage config between 40GB and 100GB HDD
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, and modem connectivity options
• Ports included 2x USB 2.0 ports, a parallel port, VGA, S-Video, a PC Card slot, and a docking station port

Beyond the hardware tech specs, the IBM ThinkPad T43 earned a lot of praise due to its durable, perhaps legendary, build and keyboard quality. It isn’t light for a 14-incher in 2026 terms, of course, weighing in at approximately 2.3 kg (5.1 pounds).

Do any readers still cherish an IBM ThinkPad T43? If so, do you still run an older version of Windows like Mati does, or have you moved to an alternative OS like Linux?

There's an unbelievable deal to be had right now on this Lenovo Legion Pro 7i gaming laptop fitted with the best laptop GPU you can find. This RTX 5090 machine is down to just $3,049 at B&H Photo, with a massive $950 saving on offer right now, along with a free copy of Bitdefender and the new 007 First Light game thrown in for free.

● Check out this RTX 5090 gaming laptop deal at B&H Photo

An OLED gaming laptop, let alone one with the best GPU on the market, on sale for just over $3,000 is an absolute steal given the current market conditions, especially when its competitors with similar spec sheets are typically sold for several hundred dollars more. This is the ultimate deal for someone who needs a top spec rig for gaming and productivity on-the-go.

The RTX 5090 with its 32GB GDDR7 VRAM is the eyeline-grabbing kit in this Lenovo Legion Pro 7i laptop, but its packed spec sheet also includes a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, a 16-inch 1600p OLED screen with a 240Hz refresh rate, and a 1TB SSD. You've also got plenty of USBs and a 2.5G Ethernet port to wire yourself in with, too.

We've not reviewed this exact spec, but we did put its RTX 5080 sibling through its paces in our Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 review last year. It scored highly, thanks to the build quality and design, along with its overall performance. The OLED display, in particular, saw praise, with vibrant colors, brilliant brightness, and sharp details, as the benchmark graphs below show. Its s aluminum chassis gave the Legion Pro 7i a luxurious feel (which isn't always a given, even on a premium spec laptop), too.

The RTX 5090 mobile GPU used here isn't exactly as powerful as the juggernaut desktop alternative. There are power constraints to think about on mobile, but that doesn't mean you're losing out, as the RTX 5090 mobile GPU is still formidable in its own right. It has 10,496 CUDA cores, along with 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM and a 256-bit memory bus.

With the 16" OLED display supporting a max resolution of 2,600 x 1,600, along with a fast 240 Hz refresh rate, you'll be able to handle 1600p with ease using this GPU. Maxing out your graphics settings won't be a problem, with the added DLSS 4 support provided by this current-gen Nvidia Blackwell GPU ensuring longevity for years to come, especially with multi-frame generation at your disposal as a quick and easy way to boost your frame rates in the future.

This rig also comes with an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, giving you 24 cores to play with, split across eight performance cores (which are best used for gaming) and 16 efficient cores (which are good for any multi-threaded work you do). The build also comes with 32GB of DDR5 RAM, which is about standard for a high-spec laptop, with a big 2TB SSD providing enough space for a healthy games collection, or plenty of photos and documents.

Other added extras you'd want on a premium laptop like this one are included, too, including an RGB backlit keyboard, a high-quality 5MP webcam with a privacy shield, as well as WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 connectivity.

There's an awesome deal on the RTX 5080 version, which we did review, too. That spec and build is exactly the same as the one shown here, but it's on sale for $2,499 right now, saving you a cool $1,000 in the process. Not a bad alternative, with the RTX 5080 still an exceptionally powerful option for gaming at the display's native 1600p resolution.

The $3,049 sale price for this Lenovo Legion Pro 7i gaming laptop is as good as it gets right now if you're looking for a top-spec laptop that can play any game you can throw at it. The RTX 5080 alternative for $2,499 isn't a bad alternative, though. Either way, we'll expect to see these deals sell out quickly, so get your order in before they do.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

If you're in the market for a monster gaming laptop that wil serve you just as well on the go as it will at home, then Best Buy's $1,000 discount on this eye-catching Lenovo Legion Pro 5i might be the deal for you. Right now, you can score this 16-inch laptop, replete with one of Intel's top Arrow Lake mobile processors, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and Nvidia's RTX 5070 for just $1,749 at Best Buy. That's down from its usual price of $2,749 and even brings you within spitting distance of the savings we saw on this same model last year, pre AI-price crunch.

● Grab this deal at Best Buy

The CPU that powers this laptop is the excellent Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX. This 24-core beast has eight performance cores and 16 efficiency cores, with max boost clocks of up to 5.4GHz. Overall, given the current state of the PC market, this is an excellent gaming laptop at a very enticing price, just $150 more than when we saw it in October last year. While those prices are a thing of the past (and unlikely to return soon), this is one of the best gaming laptop deals we've seen in some time.

While we haven't reviewed this specific model of Lenovo Legion laptop, we have reviewed its big brother, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10, which features many of the same specs and a few key differences. One of the most impressive aspects of this laptop is the OLED display. You're getting the same 16-inch OLED panel with 2560 x 1600 resolution, which performs very well in testing versus rivals, as you can see from our benchmarks below.

Crucially, the model on sale is "only" 165Hz refresh rate, rather than the 7i's 240Hz. The screen is rated for 500 nits of brightness.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX features in not one but two of our best gaming laptop picks, including the best choice overall, the Razer Blade 18, so you know you're getting a great CPU that can handle productivity and games alike. The RTX 5070 comes with 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM and should make light work of most games at this resolution.

As mentioned, you also get 1TB of SSD storage and 32GB of DDR5 5600 RAM. Connectivity-wise, there's one HDMI 2.1 port, one Thunderbolt 4 port, three USB-A 3.2 ports, and a single USB-C 3.2 port (four total). There's also a headphone jack and a microphone, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi 7, as well as an Ethernet port. Finally, there's a 5MP webcam.

This would make a fantastic gaming companion or a college laptop for a student who can also support a bit of downtime on the sides. As noted, this is a really excellent discount on a great all-around gaming laptop.

The Lenovo Legion Pro 5i can be bought from Best Buy online or collected in store, but you'll want to move fast to secure one at this excellent price.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

A Lenovo-branded G02 retro handheld launched in China earlier this month, coming in at an affordable $63.56 on AliExpress compared to the thousands you have to pay for the Lenovo Legion Go 2. There were some questions if this was a legitimate Lenovo product or just another hardware manufacturer using the logo of a prominent brand, but a Lenovo employee in the company’s Product and Licensing department reportedly confirmed to Retro Dodo that it was an official, white-labeled device the company intended to sell only in China. More interestingly, they have unearthed that the handheld ships with thousands of copyrighted games, mostly from Nintendo.

“The G02 device is produced through a regional brand licensing agreement meant for the China market only and is not part of Lenovo’s official global product portfolio,” the company told the publication. “As such, products developed through these agreements may differ from Lenovo products sold through authorized channels.”

However, it wasn’t the handheld’s branding that caught Retro Dodo’s attention — instead, it was the fact that it came with thousands of copyrighted titles out of the box, most of them from Nintendo. It’s unclear if these games are licensed at all; after all, Nintendo is famously protective of its intellectual property, and it’s unlikely that it would readily allow a third-party hardware manufacturer to include Nintendo titles. Furthermore, the Japanese company built a reputation as a litigious company, targeting anyone that poses a threat to its IP.

The G02 is just a white-labeled device, meaning that its manufacturer just signed a deal with Lenovo to use its name for marketing purposes. However, the maker of the Legion Go handhelds still approved the regional licensing deal, even though we’re unsure if it reviewed the final product before it went on sale. One possibility is that the factory behind this retro handheld console loaded these ROMs after approval to boost sales, even though its AliExpress product page does not advertise that it comes with these games. Another alternative hypothetical scenario is that the developers behind this console accidentally included all the titles they were using to test the device in the general release.

Whatever the case, this could become a legal problem for Lenovo. After all, even if it’s just a white-labeled device made by a third-party manufacturer, it still carries the company’s branding. The company, in theory, could do some damage control to prevent this from becoming a bigger issue, like recalling the affected products or remotely deleting them, if possible. But the fact that Nintendo games were likely distributed outside of official channels would catch the attention of the Japanese company’s lawyers.

Pick up a new gaming PC for a song with this fantastic price on a new RTX 5060 Ti Lenovo gaming rig, which is on a limited-time sales discount at Woot. The Lenovo Legion Tower 5i is only $1149.99 while stocks last, or the sale timer runs out - whichever occurs first. The original list price for this gaming rig is $1559.99, so you're pocketing a substantial $410 saving on today's deal. Full of current PC hardware, the Legion Tower 5i is a good pick for a competent gaming machine, capable of playing the majority of games comfortably at 1080p and 1440p resolutions on medium to high settings.

● Grab this deal at Woot

The hardware components used inside the Lenovo Legion Tower 5i include the aforementioned RTX 5060 Ti from Nvidia, with 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM, an Intel Core Ultra 7 265F processor with 20 cores and 20 threads, a B860 mATX motherboard, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD for your games and operating system. The Intel CPU used in this config might not be the absolute best for gaming, such as an AMD X3D chip, but it's still a very competent CPU for gaming, and has the added bonus of being more effective for multi-threaded applications, perfect if you intend to use this PC for more than just gaming.

The Nvidia RTX 5060 Ti comes in two flavors: an 8GB and a 16GB version. This Legion Tower 5i is using the smaller 8GB variant, and that reduction does have an effect if you're intending to play games at higher resolutions. At 1080p, there shouldn't be any issues, but at 1440p with ultra settings and even 4K, you're going to start running out of precious VRAM very quickly. Below is a comparison chart between the 8GB and 16GB versions in our array of benchmarked gaming tests.

As gaming PCs go, this Lenovo Legion Tower 5i for just $1,149.99 is one to seriously consider, especially if you're looking for a capable rig from a trusted brand for under $1500. Gaming PCs with similar specifications are hard to find near this price point, and with a substantial $410 saving, you can pick up a bunch of games or some new peripherals to go with it.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is back to fight for its space on our list of the best laptops.. It’s been roughly a year and a half since we last tested a Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, and a lot has happened during that time. For starters, our particular review unit features a 14-inch POLED panel instead of a 15.3-inch screen, and it features Intel’s new Core Ultra 3 Series “Panther Lake” processors.

Intel’s Aura Edition initiative is aimed at fielding laptops that are thin, lightweight, and deliver superior battery life. The Slim 7i impresses on all three fronts, while delivering a crisp display and premium build quality.

Design of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

The Yoga Slim 7i made a lasting impression before I even laid eyes on it. The shipping box that contained the review unit was incredibly light; so light, in fact, that I thought maybe the laptop had gone “missing” on its way to my house. However, once I pulled the Slim 7i out of the box, I was taken aback by its featherweight design, weighing just 2.15 pounds. For comparison, the 13.6-inch MacBook Air weighs slightly more at 2.7 pounds.

Part of the reason for the extremely lightweight design is the use of a magnesium alloy in the chassis (which Lenovo says is designed and tested to MIL-SSTD-810H standards), finished in “Seashell,” which is basically off-white. In addition, the laptop is only 0.55 inches thick, which further contributes to the feeling of litheness.

The centerpiece of the Yoga Slim 7i is a 14-inch, 2880 x 1800 POLED touch display with a glossy finish. To protect the precious POLED panel, Lenovo covers it in Gorilla Glass 3.

Unlike the most recent Yoga Slim 7i we tested, the 2026 model drops the HDMI 2.1 port and adds another Thunderbolt 4 in its place. As a result, the Yoga Slim 7i now has three Thunderbolt 4 ports: two on the left side and one on the right. All three ports support up to 65-watt USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort 2.1. Interestingly, the HDMI port isn’t the only casualty with this redesign; the 3.5 mm headphone jack is also missing. It’s a curious omission for the Yoga Slim 7i, and one that will likely garner some backlash from the Yoga faithful. The USB-A port has also been abandoned, which means those reliant on compliant accessories will need to live the “dongle life” that Mac and Dell XPS users have grown accustomed to.

The only other items of note around the chassis are a dedicated power button on the right side (I fumbled around the keyboard deck for the power button for a few seconds at first) and an E-shutter switch for the 5-megapixel webcam.

The Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026) measures 12.31 x 8.42 x 0.55 inches and weighs 2.15 pounds. The Dell XPS 14 measures 12.19 x 8.26 x 0.58 inches and weighs 3 pounds, while the HP OmniBook X Flip 14 measures 12.32 x 8.60 x 0.58 inches and weighs 3.11 pounds. Finally, the 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) measures 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches and weighs 2.7 pounds.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026) Specifications

Productivity Performance on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026) is powered by Intel's Core Ultra 7 355 processor. The chip features 8 cores (4 performance, 4 efficiency), a base frequency of 2.3 GHz (performance cores), and a Max Turbo Boost frequency of 4.7 GHz (performance cores). Lenovo pairs the processor with 32GB of dual-channel LPDDR5x-7467 memory and a 1TB M.2 2242 PCIe 4.0 SSD.

In the Geekbench 6 CPU benchmark, the Yoga Slim 7i with its Core Ultra 7 355 processor achieved a single-core score of 2,729 and a multi-core score of 11,555. This result compares quite favorably to Dell XPS 14, which uses the same CPU: it mustered 2,685 on the single-core benchmark and just 7,964 on the multi-core benchmark. Among the Intel-based competition, the Omnibook X Flip 14 (AMD Ryzen AI 7 350) upped the ante with single- and multi-core scores of 2,889 and 13,106, respectively. However, Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) ran away from the competition, delivering a blistering 4,168 in single-core and 17,067 in multi-core.

The Windows machines were evenly matched on our 25GB file transfer test, with both the Yoga Slim 7i and the OmniBook X Flip 14 getting pretty close to the 1,700 MBps mark. The XPS 14 crossed that line, achieving 1,730.36 MBps. The MacBook Air was faster still, recording 1,924.84 MBps with its 1TB SSD.

Our Handbrake test transcodes a 4K video to 1080p, and here the Yoga Slim 7i completed the task in 5 minutes and 56 seconds, the slowest in the group. Interestingly, the XPS 14, which uses the same processor, was the fastest of all four systems, finishing in just 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

We ran Cinebench 2026 for 10 loops to stress-test the Yoga Slim 7i. The system started in the 2,465 to 2,485 range, before settling in the upper 2,500’s for the remainder of the runs. The internal fans were audible during the stress test to keep the system cool.

The four P-cores on the Core Ultra 355 ran at an average of 3.87 GHz, while the four E-cores clocked in at 3.49 GHz during the Cinebench 2026 stress test.

Graphics on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

The Yoga Slim 7i features integrated Intel Graphics, with 4 Xe cores operating at a maximum dynamic frequency of 2.5 GHz. During the 3DMark Steel Nomad benchmark, the Yoga Slim 7i scored just 513, putting it slightly behind the XPS 14.

The MacBook Air was the overachiever in this group, nearly doubling the Yoga Slim 7i’s score at 1,005.

Display on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

Lenovo ships the Yoga Slim 7i with a vibrant 14-inch POLED display panel, covered in Gorilla Glass 3 with a glossy finish (like most OLED panels). The display has a WQXGA+ (2880 x 1800) resolution and a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz.

Since we’re looking at an OLED panel here, it should come as no surprise that the colors were lush, while blacks were as deep as you could imagine for a laptop. OLEDs aren’t often known for going over the top with panel brightness, but the Yoga Slim 7i more than held its own, delivering 476 nits, the highest among the assembled laptops (the MacBook Air was in second at 458.8 nits).

That strong showing filtered over to the color gamut coverage, where the Yoga Slim 7i reached 120.6 percent of DCI-P3 and 170.3 percent of sRGB. But figures were second only to the OmniBook X Flip 14.

I used the Yoga Slim 7i’s display to watch the first trailer for Coyote vs. ACME, which deftly combines computer-generated cartoon graphics with real-world settings and human characters. From the light and dark blues of the Roadrunner’s feathers to the red and orange explosions through (this trailer does, after all, feature the silly antics of Wile E. Coyote), the POLED panel handled the presentation with aplomb.

Keyboard and Touchpad on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

I found the keyboard on the Yoga Slim 7i comfortable to type on, though the key surface felt a bit smoother and slipperier than what I’m used to. I wouldn’t say that it distracted from my typing experience; it just felt different. The one thing that I would be concerned about, however, is the white finish on the keys. I can only imagine how grimy the keys will look after a few months of constant use once the oils from your fingers permeate through the surface.

My only other comment about the keyboard would be that I’m not a fan of the half-height up/down arrows, which are flanked by full-size left and right arrows. I’d prefer all of the directional keys to be full-size, even if it came at the expense of a narrower right Shift key.

Using my go-to keyhero.com typing benchmark, I hit 89 words per minute with 96 percent accuracy, which is about average for me (I’m no fast-typing dynamo).

The keyboard deck and the touchpad, which I found highly responsive, are also covered in the same off-white color. The touchpad measures 4.72 x 2.95 inches and is buttonless; it uses a haptic mechanism for registering clicks (similar to MacBooks). I found that my fingers glided easily over the surface, and responsiveness was “just right” without requiring additional tweaks in Windows 11.

Audio on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

The Yoga Slim 7i features a four-speaker sound system comprising two 2-watt woofers and two 2-watt tweeters. The speaker grills flank the keyboard, and are precision-machined into the deck.

Sound quality was surprisingly good and vibrant for such a thin machine. Even more shocking was the amount of bass that the speakers were able to produce without seeming overpowering. I was bopping to the classic, “What a Fool Believes” by the Doobie Brothers, and could feel every bass line and drum hit with clarity. Michael McDonald’s soulful voice shined through, proving this classic is just as impactful nearly 50 years later.

To my delight, as “What a Fool Believes” finished playing, my YouTube Music playlist kicked over to “Fantasy” by Earth, Wind, and Fire, and I was again blown away by this ultraportable system. The rhythm guitars, bass, and staccato horns — it all came together beautifully. You can use the Dolby Settings app to select Dynamic, Game, Movie, and Music profiles to suit your audio tastes.

Upgradeability on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

The bottom panel of the Yoga Slim 7i is affixed with two eight screws and friction clips. With a well-placed finger between the panel and the gap in the display hinge, it popped off.

Unfortunately, the LPDDR5x memory is soldered on, so there’s no way to upgrade it. And while the 2242 M.2 SSD is technically replaceable, it is hidden behind the heatpipe system that also covers the CPU and memory. If you want to replace the SSD, do so with caution.

Battery Life on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

The Yoga Slim 7i proved to be a winner in our battery life test. The system lasted a healthy 16 hours and 38 minutes during the test, which encompasses web browsing, video streaming, and WebGL tests with the display set at 150 nits of brightness.

Interestingly, the Yoga Slim 7i’s result was over an hour longer than the perennial endurance champ: the MacBook Air.

Heat on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

We measured the surface and internal temperatures of the Yoga Slim 7i while running the Cinebench 2026 stress test. Surface temperatures were measured with a laser thermometer, while the process temperature was measured using internal sensors.

The Core Ultra 7 355 processor measured 83.4 degrees Celsius. The keyboard registered 91 C, and the touchpad came in at 76.9 C. The bottom measured 94.2 C at its hottest point, while the hottest overall temperature (106 C) was at the top of the keyboard deck near the display hinge, where hot air exhausts.

Webcam on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

Lenovo includes a 5-megapixel webcam on the Yoga Slim 7i, which is mounted above the display. A tiny hump is integrated into the display lid to accommodate the camera hardware (which includes an IR sensor for Windows Hello facial recognition).

I had no issues with the webcam’s performance, as color reproduction, sharpness, and clarity were on point. There were also no issues handling my overabundance of LED-based track lighting in my home office. Skin tones were also quite accurate, which is often an issue with my darker skin tone.

The Yoga Slim 7i includes an E-shutter switch mounted on the right side of the chassis. This can be used to electronically enable or disable the camera.

Software and Warranty on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026)

Our Yoga Slim 7i is an “Aura Edition,” meaning it has several smart features designed to make your life easier. The laptop includes Smart Modes (Working, Gaming, Creating, Entertainment, Meeting, Learning) that can be accessed within the Lenovo Vantage application. Based on the mode you select, the system can automatically configure settings (e.g., attention times, noise cancellation, or VPN access).

The laptop includes Smart Modes (Working, Gaming, Creating, Entertainment, Meeting, Learning) that can be accessed within the Lenovo Vantage application. Based on the mode you select, the system can automatically configure settings (e.g., attention times, noise cancellation, or VPN access).

Aura Smart Care provides real-time access to Lenovo technicians for troubleshooting, while Aura Smart Share lets you easily share media between a PC and a smartphone (including iPhones).

You’ll also find the usual assortment of Lenovo-branded apps, including Vantage, which gives you control over power settings, Smart Modes, and other customization options. Vantage is also where you’ll find controls for presence detection, which I had to disable because it would put the system to sleep if I walked away for more than 30 seconds.

But there's also some bloat: McAfee Security is installed by default, along with Adobe subscription apps, and a 90-day trial to the Dropbox 100GB plan.

The Yoga Slim 7i comes with a one-year warranty.

Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (2026) Configurations

Our Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 processor, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 2880 x 1800 POLED display, and it retails for $1,629.99.

You can customize the system if you wish: an upgrade to Windows Home Pro costs $50, while going from a 1TB SSD to a 2TB SSD will set you back $190.

Bottom Line

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition is a standout machine, made even more impressive by its ultra-thin chassis that barely weighs over 2 pounds. Lenovo has also delivered on visuals with a gorgeous 14-inch 2.8K OLED touch display and a bangin’ quad-speaker audio system. If that wasn’t enough, the Yoga Slim 7i also delivered over 16 hours of runtime, even besting the mighty MacBook Air.

However, that thin and light frame means that compromises had to be made on performance. The Core Ultra 7 355 came up short in our synthetic CPU test and real-world encoding tests (where it landed in last place). And when the CPU was being worked, the system fans were quite audible. Lenovo has also taken away some legacy ports that many people have come to rely on, including HDMI, USB-A, and even the 3.5mm headphone jack.

With a price tag of just over $1,600, the Yoga Slim 7i is not a cheap ultraportable by any means. However, if you can look past the CPU shortfalls and fully embrace Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, you won’t be disappointed with its portability, display, or endurance.

In a quest to build a thinner device, Lenovo has finally abandoned one longstanding feature that made the ThinkPad P series stand out from the competition — the use of a magnesium subframe, also dubbed the “roll cage,” to add strength and rigidity to the laptop model. Notebookcheck spotted the change, which marks the end of an era that began with the ThinkPad T60 in 2006, the company’s first ThinkPad model after taking over from IBM in 2005.

Magnesium alloy is widely used in premium laptop models because of its relative lightness and comparable rigidity, but it’s often used as a material for the external chassis. The ThinkPad P series was a different beast, though. Lenovo built this line of laptops as mobile workstations and ensured that it had the rigidity to face the physically most challenging of situations. While the magnesium roll cage added to the overall thickness of the device, it was something that Lenovo and its users were willing to compromise on in exchange for the reliability and durability that it offers.

“People will hold their machines in one corner of the keyboard, or the palm rest area, and that becomes a stress area,” Al Makley, Lenovo Executive Director of Workstation Development, told AEC Magazine. “So, we have to understand how is that area flexing, what is it in contact with on the motherboard, are you going to stress components? So, we look at the amount of flex in that area.” Lenovo Industrial Designed Sam Patterson also told AEC, “It does require some compromises on overall size – it adds a millimeter or two to the X, Y and Z dimensions, but it’s one of those things that’s not worth compromising on, because its value to the customer is so high. When you have a system that is this powerful, it becomes heavy quite fast, so managing the body and managing the strength of this chassis is difficult, so a roll cage is the logical thing to do.”

Aside from having the roll cage in the base of the laptop, its screen also features a magnesium subframe at the back of the display. “16 inches is a lot of panel, and you don’t want to get those videos on YouTube where someone’s bending it and going, ‘What is going on with this flex?’” adds Patterson.

Unfortunately, Lenovo’s latest P16 model, the ThinkPad P16 Gen 3, replaces the magnesium subframe with one that’s integrated directly in the frame. It’s unclear why Lenovo went ahead with this design change just to shave a few millimeters off the workstation’s dimensions. It could be that the company is trying to save on every ounce of expense as the memory chip shortage is taking a toll on computing.

After all, the P-series is already an expensive piece of kit, with the base model P16 Gen 3 starting at nearly $3,000 with just an Intel Core Ultra 5 245HX, an Nvidia RTX Pro 1000 Blackwell laptop GPU, 16GB of DDR5-4400 RAM, and a 512GB PCIe 4.0 SSD. The top-of-the-line trim features an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, with an Nvidia RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell laptop GPU, 128GB of DDR5-4000 RAM, and a 4TB PCIe 5.0 SSD. However, this costs an eye-watering $9,500 — something that’s just out of range for most common buyers.

All these specs might seem underpowered for the price, but companies are paying for the reliability that it delivers. But unless Lenovo developed a new manufacturing technique that allowed it to retain rigidity without the magnesium subframe, then this move to save a few dollars might actually be counterproductive to what its customers expect. If you find this to be too much for your needs, Lenovo also makes more reasonably priced devices with the latest Intel hardware, or you could pick a model from our list of the best laptops for productivity, portability, and battery life.

Would you like to own a gaming laptop with the most powerful laptop GPU available, and at a deal price? Well, you are in luck! Target is offering the superb Lenovo Legion Pro 7i gaming laptop with a 16-inch OLED screen and super-powerful RTX 5090 laptop graphics card for just $3199.99. This laptop has been heavily discounted by a whopping $800 from its original list price of $3999.99. This is a top-end gaming laptop with a price to match - even with the discount. But if you want the best and most powerful gaming laptop for a portable desktop replacement, then this is one of the best prices we've seen for an RTX 5090 laptop.

● Grab this deal at Target

The specs of the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i include the aforementioned Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU with 24GB of GDDR7 VRAM, a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, a 16-inch 2560 x 1600 pixel WQXGA OLED screen with a 240Hz refresh rate, 1TB SSD, and WiFi 7. There are also plenty of USB ports, with five ports available for your peripherals and more.

We reviewed a less powerful version of the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i with an RTX 5080 inside, but using the same Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU. We were thoroughly impressed with the build quality and solid overall performance of the laptop.

The OLED screen was outstanding, and the design of the aluminum chassis was superb; even the webcam had an excellent, sharp image. In our benchmark testing, the OLED display produced exceptionally vibrant colors, sharp detail, and brilliant brightness.

Things we didn't like so much included the original expensive asking price of the laptop, a lack of biometric features, a so-so battery life, and some annoying software ads on our test unit. Running an RTX 5090 GPU, along with an OLED panel, is sure to drain any battery very quickly, so do expect to be plugged in to the mains a lot when using this gaming behemoth.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

E-waste is a serious problem, and while laptops and PCs can rapidly become obsolete after only a few years of use, there’s a natural desire to keep these machines running for much, much longer. One intrepid YouTuber has salvaged an old Lenovo ThinkPad X230 laptop, circa 2012, and given it a ‘modern upgrade’ by swapping out its tired TN panel for a $25 IPS alternative that significantly improves the display quality.

When it comes to LCD technology, TN panels are the most basic form. This original tech, while offering fast response times, often delivered poor color accuracy and contrast levels, along with the worst viewing angles compared to its rivals. Most modern LCD displays and gaming laptops ship with an IPS or, if it’s budget, a VA panel. IPS is the best all-rounder, and for $25, it isn’t a bad upgrade on a 14-year old laptop.

The YouTuber, onionboots, explains in a recent video his quest to see how a “near-perfect” ThinkPad X230 could be improved. One of the “few” modifications that they’ve not tried on their Thinkpad-centric YouTube channel is an upgrade to an IPS display. A common complaint, he notes, is that the stock display panels included in the X230 had “plenty of critics.”

This laptop, which shipped with 3rd Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 CPUs and up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, typically came with a 12.5" LED-backlit anti-glare display with a 1,366 x 768 screen resolution. While one of the options available included upgrading to a higher-resolution display that bumps it to full HD, it requires soldering to the motherboard which onionboots doesn’t “quite trust [himself]” to do. Instead, he used a compatible IPS panel from the same period, using the same plug-in connector and the stock 1,366 x 768 resolution.

Most of the disassembly (and reassembly) of the X230 and its sibling, the X220, is “so easy” that onionboots “would almost call it fun.” After considering a $70 display, onionboots instead uses an almost identical alternative from eBay that lacks screw brackets to save the $45 difference. The display works and, for the money spent on this LG display from 2012, onionboots notes what a “visually noticeable upgrade” it is, giving him ideas to upgrade his X220 with the same upgrade.

He does note issues with the rigidity of the upgrade, believing that the missing display brackets lacking in the $25 purchase would help to keep the whole display assembly rigid and more secure, and while he can “live with the flex” himself, others may prefer the more expensive upgrade. He also notes some minor quality-of-life issues, such as mild ghosting, that he believes are simply typical of a panel of its era.

Enthusiasts like onionboots prove that there’s plenty of life left in old electronics. While plans for a whole series of upgrades, including a keyboard mod and a firmware jailbreak, are on the backburner for at least a few weeks, it’ll be interesting to see what other upgrades this YouTuber is able to make to this ThinkPad in the future.

IDC on Thursday sharply slashed its expectations for the PC and tablet markets, citing memory shortages, rising prices for 3D NAND, DRAM, and other components, and intensifying supply chain disruptions amid the AI sector boom. While unit shipments are expected to decline significantly year-over-year, higher average selling prices (ASPs) are projected to push total market value slightly upward.

The firm now expects global PC shipments to drop 11.3% in 2026 compared to 2025, a steep revision from the -2.4% decline projected in November 2025 and -8.9% in January 2026. In absolute numbers, this means PC sales will decline by 32.17 million units, from 284.7 million in 2025 to 252.53 million in 2026. To put the 32.17 million PC number into context: Apple shipped 25.6 million computers last year compared to 41.1 million systems for Dell.

Tablet volumes are also set to contract, and IDC forecasts shipments to fall 7.6% this year. Last year, vendors shipped 151.9 million tablets (up 5% compared to the previous year), with Apple leading the pack by a significant margin. If the new IDC forecast holds, then this year the market will decline by 11.54 million to 140.36 million systems. To put the number in context, Apple sold 17.1 million iPads in Q4 2025, while Samsung sold just 6.4 million units.

Even though unit shipments of PCs and tablets will decline, IDC expects market revenue to increase due to rising device prices. The firm estimates that the PC market will expand by 1.6% in value to $274 billion in 2026, while the tablet segment will grow by 3.9% to $66.8 billion.

"The era of bargain-priced PCs and tablets is behind us for now, as rising ASPs and component costs shift the market’s balance of power," said Jitesh Ubrani, research manager for IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Device Trackers. "Memory shortages will persist well into 2027. While we anticipate some easing of prices beginning in 2028, the market is unlikely to return to the pricing levels seen in 2025. Instead, we expect a new normal defined by structurally higher ASPs and a corresponding softening in long-term demand."

IDC noted that, at the time it compiled its forecast, the conflict in the Middle East had not yet escalated to its current level, adding another source of risk for global technology supply chains and economic development. Therefore, the analysts may revise their forecast downwards.

"The overall tech industry, as well as many others, continues to face uncontrollable headwinds that, when compounded, result in massive disruption," said Ryan Reith, group vice president, Devices and Consumer. "The lists of industry and geopolitical events that continue to grow is making decision‑making — and even survival in some sectors — nearly impossible. What has turned all of this from a million‑dollar question into a trillion‑dollar question is the complete uncertainty around when these pressures will subside."

Lenovo has made laptops with rollable screens and folding screens, but now it's bringing flexible panels to gaming handhelds (at least, as a proof of concept). The Legion Go Fold Concept utilizes a POLED screen that flips out from 7.7 inches to 11.6 inches.

The prototype, which we went hands-on with before its MWC 2026 announcement, is significantly smaller and lighter than Lenovo's current Legion Go laptop lineup. The system defaults to a 7.7-inch handheld mode with the display folded in half. The screen can then be folded vertically so that you can have something else running on the other half. Lenovo representatives suggested you might put game guides, YouTube playthroughs, or chat there.

But unlike the existing Legion Gos, you can attach the controllers to all four sides. If you unfold the display and rotate it 90 degrees, you can get a "horizon" full screen that lets you play games on the entire 11.6-inch panel.

In addition, Lenovo showed off the concept with a wireless keyboard that can be used with the device to operate like a Microsoft Surface, allowing for full access to Windows 11 with a mouse and keyboard. You could also use this for gaming, as the right controller works as a vertical mouse, allowing for standard first-person shooter controls.

For the first time, Lenovo also has a piece of plastic to go between the two controllers, allowing them to act as one piece when disconnected from the PC (just like Switch Joy-Cons). The right controller also features a screen, though I can't say looking at the time or silly characters is terribly useful. I did, however, appreciate the introduction of trigger stops to the controllers.

For the concept, Lenovo is opting for Intel's Core Ultra 7 258V "Lunar Lake" chips with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The screen has a resolution of 2435 x 1712 when it's unfolded. My hope is that Lenovo finds a way to get Core Ultra Series 3 chips with Intel's B390 graphics in, though Lenovo claims that the 258V can run at low TDPs to get the most out of the 48 WHr battery.

The idea is interesting, but the current state of the hardware is still quite early. While the hinge mechanism felt solid enough when it was closed, there was noticeable floppiness while it was open. The controllers were impressively light at 230 grams, but they almost felt like toys. For a machine I'm going to be folding, unfolding, and rotating around, I hope Lenovo can make it feel more sturdy if it approaches a full release.

I also worry that this only folds with the plastic OLED display facing the outside. That makes sense for the goal that Lenovo is trying to accomplish. But this is a plastic-covered screen, and if I'm using this as a portable laptop, then switching to gaming, I could be using this for the majority of my day. I hope a launch version, if it materializes, comes with a nice case to protect the screen.

There were some software hitches, too, in the early device. Lenovo didn't show us the system running a game, but I did open a copy of Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga. The game would only run with the screen open full-screen, and vertically, as the software wasn't there for me to adjust it to Lenovo's various screen settings. While this is an early device, Lenovo's rollable that did hit the market, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, didn't allow you to change either resolution or screen orientation. So I would like to see Lenovo get this part of the feature set working.

I found the keyboard to be a bit difficult to set up, but others with me checking out the Legion Fold quite liked the idea, as it would let them use the system as a full Windows 11 laptop to do work when they're not gaming.

There is no potential price or release date for the Legion Fold just yet. Lenovo has been toying (and working) quite a lot with foldable screens recently. It had two generations of the ThinkPad X1 Fold, and brought a previous concept, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, to market. Since then, it's been showing off gaming concepts, with a Legion Pro rollable with a screen that extends sideways, before revealing this foldable handheld. Time will tell if either Legion product shows up on shelves.

Some of Lenovo's laptops have one screen. Some of them have two. With a new concept device shown at Mobile World Congress 2026, the company is suggesting that it can split the difference with a "selectively modular" system that lets you move parts around based on the way you use the system.

The PC is built around a metal base with a single built-in top display. On both the deck (where the keyboard would normally attach) and the back of the display, Lenovo has added its Magic Bay to connect accessories with pogo pins. This gives you a lot of flexibility, allowing you to put the second screen on the keyboard deck, similar to a Yoga Book 9i or an Asus ZenBook Duo. When you don't need a dual-screen experience, you can swap it for a keyboard.

You can also place the second screen on the lid of the laptop, which Lenovo suggests is good for presentations or even using the system with the lid closed. I found this made the prototype way too top-heavy, and I feel like you could accomplish the same thing with an external display.

Clearly, Lenovo saw some of that, because the second display can be used with a kickstand and a USB-C cable to use it like the best portable monitors. The magnetic stand they had on hand was pretty flimsy and finicky, so if this makes it to release, I'd like to see something sturdier.

But you can't do anything you want. I tried putting the keyboard on the lid of the system, and while it fit, I couldn't actually type. (Honestly, fair.)

The other modular parts are the ports. There's room for two, with one on either side of the notebook. There are small divots in the modules that let you pull them out and insert new ones. Your options are USB-C, USB-A, and HDMI. Unlike Framework's laptops, which use USB-C adapters, these attach directly to the motherboard. Lenovo also has a fixed USB-C port and 3.5 mm headphone jack in the concept unit.

In some ways, the idea of the Modular AI PC is enticing. I don't always need or want two screens, so the ability to have it and then switch to a lightweight laptop on the go feels like a good idea. But I was also slightly overwhelmed with all of the parts in front of me. With Framework, you pick your internals and change those at most once a year or so. With this, you change your externals to suit your needs, which could be once a day, but also possibly even more often. It definitely seemed like a neat way to pack all your gear up in one place.

Lenovo was powering the concept unit with a Core Ultra 7 255H, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 33 WHr battery. That last one is a bit concerning, as it's far smaller than what you typically see in the best ultrabooks, and I'm worried about how long that battery could power a pair of OLED touch displays.

That being said, the battery is only really theoretical right now. Lenovo hasn't suggested any price or release date for a project based on the concept, so it has plenty of time to make changes — and make the keyboard work on the back of the display if they want to give me a laugh.

Lenovo is updating laptops across its enterprise, gaming, and productivity lines at Mobile World Congress. The new machines include ThinkPads in a striking blue colorway, and a Legion laptop using one of the new AMD Ryzen "Strix Halo" chips announced at CES earlier this year.The new ThinkPads are headlined by a new T-series, the ThinkPad T14 and T14s Gen 7, the T14s 2-in-1 Gen 2 and T16 Gen 5.

The T14 and T16 clamshells have a renewed focus on repairability, including a battery that can be removed with just your fingers. Intel-based models will use LPCAMM2 memory. These systems will use Intel Core Ultra 3 with vPro or AMD Ryzen AI Pro 400 processors. The T15s will have options with AMD, Intel, or Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X2 Elite processor.

The T14 and T14s are getting a new "cosmic" blue color option, which is rare for a ThinkPad. (Diehards can rest assured, the TrackPoint is still red.) It's subtle enough that it might appear black in dark rooms, but it is a fetching new addition for offices that might like a bit of color.

Lenovo is also updating the ThinkPad X13 Detachable, which only gets a refresh every few years. This version is also being bumped up to Panther Lake, with an improved keyboard with 1.5 mm of key travel and support to dock a pen in the keyboard. That’s similar to what Microsoft has been doing for the past few years on its Surface.

Gaming and Consumer

There's a single gaming laptop: the Lenovo Legion 7a. It's a 15.3-inch portable using an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 392 processor, similar to the Asus TUF Gaming A14 we saw at CES, along with an OLED screen.

The system weighs 1.65 kg (3.67 pounds), which is lightweight for a gaming rig. But despite the lack of conventional discrete graphics in a gaming laptop, the Legion 7a won't be cheap; it will start at $2,299 when it launches in July.

Lastly, Lenovo's Yoga line is seeing spec bumps in the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition (starting $1,949 in May), Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (starting at $1,449 in April), and Yoga Pro 7a (starting at $2,099 in August), which will also use a Strix Halo processor in the AMD Ryzen AI Max + 388.

A series of reports, both online and from hardware manufacturers, suggest that AMD has dropped support for one of its major handheld APUs after just two and a half years. While the company itself hasn’t directly addressed this issue so far, it appears that new driver support for devices running with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme has ended.

If confirmed, it would mean that several high-end handheld gaming PCs from recent years running Windows 11, including the top-level Asus ROG Ally and Asus ROG Ally X, as well as the Lenovo Legion Go and Go S, will no longer receive new drivers and haven’t for several months.

In Lenovo’s case, comments reportedly made by its Korean community representatives online suggest that there are “no more plans” to issue new drivers for the original Legion Go, either. This has driven discussion online, including on Reddit, about the state of affairs.

It’s important to point out what this could mean for handheld owners. Without official updates, these devices will effectively enter maintenance mode. The hardware itself won’t stop working, but the lack of new drivers means handheld owners will miss out on day-one optimizations for major game releases, potentially leading to crashes or poor performance in future titles.

It also provides an unusual discrepancy, at least in Lenovo’s case, as far as the Lenovo Legion Go S is concerned. That handheld is available with two different APUs, but it appears that the entry-level model with the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go isn’t affected by this decision so far, even though it’s technically based on older Zen 2 architecture versus the Zen 3-based Z1 Extreme.

While it may technically be possible to install alternative Ryzen drivers for these APUs, such as the ones issued for the Z2-based Lenovo Legion Go S, in Lenovo’s case, it’s actively warning against doing so. These devices use different and configurable TDP values for the Z1 Extreme, from 9W to 30W. Previously released drivers will have been tested by the OEMs to ensure maximum compatibility, and drivers for other handhelds might not be an exact match.

A good alternative, however, might be to ditch Windows. Linux-based handhelds, like those running Valve's SteamOS and Bazzite, use alternative open-source drivers that don’t rely on AMD’s release schedule. This could offer a lifeline for handheld owners in this situation who are willing to install a Linux alternative on their handheld and ditch Windows entirely, although like-for-like performance may not be guaranteed.

We’ve reached out to AMD for comment, which, to date, hasn't publicly announced any plans to deprecate the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme, and are awaiting a response.

Gaming laptops have become more enticing than ever amidst the ongoing industry volatility caused by the AI boom. It's difficult to find even GPUs at decent prices now, let alone RAM or storage devices, so a portable all-in-one machine can actually be a genuinely better buy in many cases. Lenovo has one such deal out right now: the Legion 5i is down to just $1,299 on B&H — discounted $400 from its list price.

• Check out this deal on B&H

For that money, you're getting a 115W RTX 5060, paired with the Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX processor with 20 cores boosting up to 5.2 GHz. That's a powerful hardware combo that can churn through both productivity and gaming tasks easily. Lenovo has equipped this Legion 5i with 32GB of DDR5-5600 RAM and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD, with one M.2 slot empty for drop-in future upgrades.

You can arguably get RTX 5060-level performance for cheaper, but you wouldn't want to once you experience the main draw of this machine — its display. Featuring a gorgeous 15.1-inch OLED display with a 165 Hz refresh rate, this screen has 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space. It's also rated for HDR True Black 600 and has a sharp 2560x1600 resolution that will make your games pop off the panel.

We haven't reviewed this particular Lenovo Legion 5i model, but we've taken a look at other RTX 5060 laptops, from which we can gauge the performance ballpark. The Legion 5i lineup in general is revered in the community for its excellent price to performance ratio. Expect solid 1080p gaming across a plethora of titles, made to look even better on that Dolby Vision certified display.

In terms of connectivity, you get Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, plenty of fast USB-C and USB-A ports, HDMI and Ethernet. There's an 80Wh battery onboard with fast charging that can take the device from 0 to 70% in under 30 minutes. The 5MP webcam is nothing to boast about, but hey, it's there. Lenovo includes a standard 1-year warranty for peace of mind as well.

The Legion 5i is also well-built, with an aluminum lid ensuring one-handed operation. It doesn't have an outwardly gamer aesthetic, so it can blend in at all those performative cafés where you pretend you're working. It's not unwieldy either, coming it at around 4 pounds, which is lighter than a 16-inch MacBook Pro. All in all, this Lenovo Legion 5i for just $1,299 is a great deal for anyone looking to upgrade.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

Lenovo (via CRN) has sent a letter to partners warning them of price hikes on select PC and server configurations coming in March due to a shortage of DRAM and 3D NAND memory, which will consequently increase costs, reports CRN. In a February 2 letter to partners, North America channel chief Wade McFarland outlined new ordering deadlines and repricing conditions that affect both the Intelligent Devices Group (IDG), which sells client devices like desktops and notebooks, and the Infrastructure Solutions Group (ISG), which sells servers.

The warning applies to 'certain products and configurations' within Lenovo's commercial IDG lineup, which includes a broad range of products, from smartphones to high-end ThinkPad laptops. Lenovo instructed partners to place their orders with distributors by February 25 and ensure they reach Lenovo no later than February 28 to receive their products at current prices, subject to availability and shipment timing. Lenovo explicitly stated that any orders received before February 28, but not shipped by March 31, 2026, will require repricing.

On the server side, ISG shortened quote validity to 14 days in its internal bidding system and 30 days on the external platform used by resellers and distributors. Lenovo announced that select larger ISG deals, both in backlog and in active quoting, have already been repriced due to cost increases. In addition, Lenovo suspended the new customer bonus nomination program on January 26. This program granted partners up-front discounts for securing Lenovo contracts with new customers, but in the current market situation, any up-front discounts can hurt Lenovo more than they benefit it.

The cost pressure on Lenovo is a consequence of 3D NAND and DRAM shortages and price hikes across the industry, driven by demand from the AI sector. Although large PC OEMs tend to secure memory through long-term supply contracts, CRN reports that Cisco, HPE, and now Lenovo have all adjusted their hardware pricing structures and ordering policies accordingly.

Channel reaction has been mixed. Camden Haley of Connection expects higher prices for some commercial PCs next month but praised Lenovo for providing clear order dates and sticking to communicated timelines, contrasting that approach with other OEMs that have repeatedly revised policies. Yet, the chief executive of another Lenovo partner, who remained anonymous, argued that the March 31 shipment condition effectively gives Lenovo the ability to reprice backlog orders if supply delays occur, though he expressed understanding of the supply environment.

U.S.-based Almeida Law Group, which specializes in class-action litigation, has filed a lawsuit against Lenovo, alleging that Lenovo transferred large amounts of data to China. According to the lawsuit [PDF], the company’s actions violate the U.S. Department of Justice’s Data Security Program, which prevents the transfer of large amounts of sensitive personal data to “countries of concern” or “covered persons.” Lenovo has denied the allegations.

“The DOJ Rule was thus implemented to prevent adversarial countries from acquiring large quantities of behavioral data which could be used to surveil, analyze, or exploit American citizens’ behavior,” the lawsuit said. It also added, “In direct violation of the DOJ Rule, Lenovo—through its automated advertising infrastructure and associated databases—transmits Plaintiff’s and potentially millions of other American consumers’ data to China.”

The Plaintiff here refers to one Spencer Christy of San Francisco, California, and “all other similarly situated,” with the case alleging that Lenovo and its Chinese parent company linked his “browsing activity to his identity, track his behaviors, and build detailed profiles reflecting his interests, locations, habits and other private attributes.” It further said that the data is more than just an invasion of privacy, but “a direct threat to national security as it greatly increases the potential for coercion, reputational harm, and/or blackmail.”

Lenovo is far from the only company gathering such data, but the U.S. entity’s parent, Lenovo Group Limited, is incorporated in Hong Kong, with its headquarters located in Beijing, China. Furthermore, its largest shareholder is Legend Holdings Corporation, a Beijing-based investment firm established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, a state institution of the People’s Republic of China.

So, aside from being based in one of the “countries of concern,” it also falls squarely under the “covered persons” provision of the DOJ regulation which include “individuals who either reside in ‘countries of concern’ or are controlled by entities in those countries or (ii) entities that are organized or chartered under the laws of, or have their principal place of business in, a country of concern, or are owned 50% or more by such entities.” More than that, the lawsuit asserts that Lenovo Group is subject to Chinese regulations like the National Intelligence Law, Cybersecurity Law, and Data Security Law, which compel individuals and institutions to cooperate with the authorities when asked for data.

When asked for comment, Lenovo told The Register, “Any suggestion that Lenovo improperly shares customer data is false. We take data privacy and security seriously and comply with all applicable data protection laws and regulations globally, including stringent U.S. requirements. Our data practices are transparent, lawful, and designed to protect our customers.”

Lenovo is the largest PC maker in the world, and the company has unleashed its Presidents' Day sale, giving you a host of discounts on some of its best laptops, desktops, gaming PCs, monitors, and more.

• See all Lenovo Presidents' Day deals

Lenovo's Presidents' Day offering includes some absolutely mammoth savings on its gaming desktops. There's up to 48% off its Legion gaming desktop range, with up to $1,600 off Intel Core Ultra offerings decked out with Nvidia's RTX 50-series GPUs. Unfortunately, there are very few AMD Ryzen options. However, because Intel is less popular for this generation of CPU for gaming, there are some big bargains to be had.

Conversely, gaming laptops with AMD's Ryzen chips are heavily discounted, with Intel Core machines also on display. There's up to 39% off the Legion Pro line, with savings of up to $1,500 on some models.

You can also score a bargain on some consumer and productivity laptops like the Lenovo IdeaPad range, as well as its Legion Tab Gen 3 2-in-1. If you've already got the hardware you need, you can always upgrade your viewing experience with a gaming monitor.

Here are some of the top picks in the Lenovo Presidents' Day sale.

Lenovo Desktop Deals

Lenovo Laptop Deals

Lenovo Monitor Deals

If nothing from Lenovo takes your fancy. You can always check out the Presidents Day deals from iBuyPower, Dell's Presidents' Day sale, Secretlab's Presidents' Day sale on gaming chairs and desks, or our roundup of all the best Presidents' Day tech deals.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

Lenovo's original Legion Go is at an excellent new price at Lenovo's Outlet store. The handheld, with detachable controllers and an 8.8-inch display, is $437.75 with the coupon code OUTLET10 at checkout.

This isn't the newest handheld; Lenovo already has supplanted it with the Legion Go 2. But at this price, the first Legion Go is still worth a look. You get an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, as well as the only major system with detachable controllers (well, besides its predecessor). The 8.8-inch screen is large, and while it's not OLED, we thought it looked great in our testing.

Perhaps more importantly, this deal makes the Legion Go cheaper than the Steam Deck OLED, which now starts at $549 after Valve axed the 256GB LCD base model. The Z1 Extreme and the custom chip in the Steam Deck OLED are often comparable, though Lenovo's system can get an extra boost on battery power.

The Legion Go comes running Windows 11, which may be a turnoff for some, but the Windows Full Screen Experience that debuted on the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X is rolling out, which might help ease that pain.

Either way, this is a pretty great price for a handheld, even if there's a more recent one available. While many of the goods on Lenovo's Outlet store are used, this one is new. You won't get an OLED screen, and sure, 2560 x 1600 might be overkill for gaming with this chip, but if you're looking to dip your toe into handheld gaming for less than $500, this deal is well worth considering.

In these uncertain times, when a simple memory upgrade can become cause for bankruptcy, integrated devices like laptops have become even more enticing than before. Lenovo makes some of the best portable machines around, and they've got a new deal that's bound to turn heads. The excellent Legion 5i gaming laptop is on sale for just $1,259 with a coupon code, saving you $735 on a device featuring an RTX 5070, Core Ultra 7, and an OLED display.

• Check out this deal at Lenovo (Use the code "GAMINGDEALS" to grab this huge discount)

To get the deal, simply add the laptop to your cart and use the code "GAMINGDEALS" at checkout to apply the discount. As for the laptop, you're looking at a premium 15-inch chassis, powered by a 115W RTX 5070 mobile GPU, a 20-core Intel Core Ultra 7 255HX CPU, and 16GB of DDR5-5600 RAM, with room to add in more. The same goes for storage, which is user-upgradable from the base 1TB you get out of the box.

That hardware paired with the gorgeous 15-inch 165 Hz OLED display is what rounds off the deal. This screen has 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space, a higher-than-1440p resolution, and an HDR True Black 600 rating. In terms of connectivity, you get Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, plenty of fast USB-C and USB-A ports, HDMI and Ethernet. There's an 80Wh battery onboard with fast charging. Lenovo includes a standard 1-year warranty for peace of mind as well.

The benchmarks above are from the Framework Laptop 16 we recently took a look at, and even though it features a different CPU from AMD, Intel's Core Ultra 7 255HX sits in the same class — it's actually a little better when compared head-to-head. So, these numbers should give you an idea of roughly what to expect from the Lenovo Legion 5i, which is to say, smooth 1080p gaming and a bit of 1440p fun if you dial in the settings right.

The Legion 5i is also built well, with an aluminum lid ensuring one-handed operation. It doesn't have an outwardly gamer aesthetic, so it can blend in at all those performative cafés where you pretend you're working. It's not unwieldy either, coming it at around 4lbs, which is lighter than a 16-inch MacBook Pro. All in all, this Lenovo Legion 5i for just $1,249 with the "GAMINGDEALS" promo is an amazing all-rounder for both gamers and professionals.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.

Intel has finally pulled back the curtain on Panther Lake, and in addition to a major process milestone with 18A, Intel is packing in the largest integrated GPU it has ever shipped in a handful of new X-series SKUs. These SKUs, including the Core Ultra X9 388H that Tom’s Hardware was able to test ahead of release at CES 2026, include 12 cores on Intel’s latest Xe3 graphics architecture and boast performance that can rival a discrete RTX 4050, at least according to Intel’s claims.

Testing the graphics performance in-person, Panther Lake is undoubtedly impressive, not only because of its raw capabilities, but also its clear efficiency. We aren’t able to publish power numbers today, but subjectively, Panther Lake delivered easily the coolest gaming experience I’ve seen out of a laptop, barely even getting warm during an hour and a half of heavy-duty benchmarks in a Lenovo reference design.

The silicon quality and process advancements are obvious, and Intel’s claims aren’t full of hot air. Panther Lake reaches that entry-level segment that Intel is targeting with its X-series parts, and does so with remarkable efficiency. The asterisk is software. Even in the benchmarking session, software issues crept up with a handful of popular titles Intel had pre-installed on the machines, which will only become more pronounced when extended to a larger sample of titles.

We’ll have full test results for Panther Lake once systems arrive on January 27 globally, including firm power and temperature numbers, along with productivity results. For now, we’re looking at some quick and dirty tests in games, along with the experience of using Panther Lake in the flesh.

Meet our Panther Lake test system

Intel set us up with a reference system made by Lenovo. You can see the system information above. This is an IdeaPad Pro 5 running the top-end Core Ultra X9 388H chip from Panther Lake, along with 32GB of memory. For testing, the system was perched on a stand for better airflow, and the games were running off of an external PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD connected via USB-C.

The native resolution for the display is 2880 x 1800, but I ran tests at either 1920 x 1080 or 1920 x 1200 depending on support in-game, along with XeSS upscaling (settings for each will be noted in the benchmarks below). This is in-line with the benchmark data Intel itself has shared on Panther Lake. Keep in mind, however, that upscaling works better with higher output resolutions. You’ll see a performance drop climbing up to native resolution, but with upscaling, the drop isn’t as severe as you’d expect.

Although we can’t publish power results, Intel confirmed that the Core Ultra X9 388H has a maximum turbo power of 65W (PL1) with a short-term limit of 85W (PL2). That’s power for the entire SoC, not just the integrated graphics. The performance results here for the SKUs sporting 12 Xe3 cores; the vast majority of the Panther Lake lineup only includes 4 Xe3 cores, with only the X-series SKUs getting the full 12.

As we dig into the benchmarks, keep in mind the limited time we had available for testing these systems. Most games only got a single benchmark pass as we tried to test as many titles as possible within an hour and a half. You should take the numbers as rough approximations of the performance you can expect ahead of launch, not the final word on the gaming prowess of Panther Lake.

Testing Panther Lake’s gaming performance

Now what you came for — the benchmarks. Broadly, you can expect frame rates nearing 60 fps in recent titles with Panther Lake at 1080p, with some assistance from XeSS upscaling. Multi-frame generation is available in titles that support XeSS 2 or newer through an override in Intel’s driver software. We didn’t look at frame generation when gathering performance results. However, in Spider-Man 2, we quickly looked at FSR frame generation and saw positive results. Given the limited availability of XeSS frame generation, FSR 3 (or newer) seems like the more practical route for frame generation on Panther Lake outside of tools like Lossless Scaling.

We tested two more titles, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Battlefield 6, but we weren’t able to capture performance data; more on that in the next section.

Overall, the average frame rates are solid considering the settings. With upscaling assistance, 60 fps is achievable even in relatively demanding titles like Baldur’s Gate 3, while heavily titles like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Doom: The Dark Ages fall slightly short of that mark while still providing a smooth experience for an efficient mobile platform. Actually playing a game like Doom: The Dark Ages brought out the experience Intel has been talking about. When you’re playing, the fluctuations below 60 fps aren’t apparent, and the complete lack of heat leads to a mobile gaming experience that’s refreshingly clean. Fan noise wasn't bad, either. In a room with about two dozen people with only a minor murmur, you couldn't hear the fans spinning.

Although the performance holds up, the software backing it has some issues. XeSS works and is available in a broad range of titles, but the quality of the implementation varies wildly. In F1 2025, it can go toe-to-toe with FSR 2 or 3 upscaling; in Cyberpunk 2077, the visual artifacts are immediately apparent. Intel still has a lot of work to do on XeSS, particularly when it comes to unifying the quality you can expect across titles.

We tested Spider-Man 2 with FSR frame generation, XeSS Quality, and 1080p resolution, which you can see the performance of in real-time in the video above. This provided a much better experience and clearly showed off the capabilities of Panther Lake without the drawbacks of Intel’s software ecosystem. Some of those drawbacks are too big to ignore. However, in many titles, moving over to FSR or Lossless Scaling can bring Panther Lake to life in a way that the limited support for XeSS 3 can’t.

The average frame rates are solid, but consistency is a bit different. There were titles where the consistency was great, such as Cyberpunk 2077, while others, like Baldur’s Gate 3, struggle. And there are still games that will prove too demanding for Panther Lake without heavy assistance from both upscaling and frame generation as evidenced by Monster Hunter Wilds.

Questions linger about Intel’s software stack

Intel has done a lot of work stabilising its Arc driver releases, and today, they’re much more robust than what we saw just a few years ago with the initial release of Alchemist GPUs. Still, I have some concerns about the software when it comes to using Panther Lake in a wider swath of games.

In addition to the titles above, we tried to test Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Battlefield 6, both of which we weren’t able to gather data for because Intel’s PresentMon — the monitoring tool available to us for testing — wasn’t able to hook into the game. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 also reduced the resolution to just 900p each time we toggled to fullscreen mode; a well-known bug in this game that shows up across GPU vendors.

In areas Intel can more directly influence, there were still issues. Monster Hunter Wilds had an unplayable level of stuttering on the first benchmark pass, while the quality of XeSS in Clair Obscur devolved into a shimmering mess while falling short of a 60 fps average. These, thankfully, aren’t issues in the driver, but it takes the claims about Intel’s all-in-one graphics ecosystem down a peg when looking at the real-world experience.

Although we didn’t focus on frame generation, others in the room did; just behind our station, another journalist spent the better part of 45 minutes troubleshooting Intel’s multi-frame generation overrides in the driver without success. The performance of Panther Lake is solid, and I’m confident in it when combined with tools like FSR and Lossless Scaling. You can expect some bumps in the road if you stay fully within Intel’s ecosystem, however.

That shouldn’t overshadow the impressive performance of Panther Lake. The performance is stunning considering the hardware, and even moreso when factoring in power and temperatures. We’re looking forward to sharing those results with you when we can, but broadly, Intel’s claims about Panther Lake hold up. It’s a relentlessly powerful and efficient SoC that hits a sweet spot few other chips can touch. Hopefully our initial testing results hold up once we can dedicated dozens of hours to putting Panther Lake through the full gauntlet.

Lenovo is updating its expansive productivity laptop lineup at CES 2026, including both its famed ThinkPad business notebooks and its consumer and creative-oriented Yogas. While Lenovo is aligning itself with all three big processor companies, Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm, its top-end systems all have one thing in common: Intel's new Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" processors.

Those systems are what Lenovo calls "Aura Editions," which the company uses to showcase AI-focused tools, like "Smart Modes" that can detect what you're doing and change settings, or "Smart Share," which lets you share photos and videos with selected devices.

ThinkPads and Business Laptops

The flagship ThinkPads are the X1 series. This year, the X1 Carbon and X1 2-in-1 are debuting new "Space Frame" chassis, which rearrange the interiors of systems so that components can be placed on either side of the motherboard. The company says this space efficiency also allows for higher sustained performance due to better cooling, as well as easier repairs with replaceable parts including the battery, USB ports, keyboard, fans, and speakers.

Lenovo says that these systems will have up to 20% increased heat dissipation due to updated thermal architecture. Both systems also come with a new 10MP camera with a 110-degree field of view.

Meanwhile, the ThinkPad X9 15p Aura Edition — a take on the laptop we called the prettiest business PC — is also jumping up to Panther Lake, including Intel Core X9 processors. The system features what Lenovo says is the largest ThinkPad haptic touchpad (135 x 85 mm), and will also get a 10MP camera.

These Aura PCs aren't cheap. They will all go on sale in March, with the X1 Carbon starting at $1,999, the X1 2-in-1 beginning at $2,149, and the ThinkPad X9 15p launching at $1,999. Interestingly, all of these laptops will come with both Windows 11 and Linux as configuration options.

In addition, Lenovo is bringing its motorized hinge-toting "Auto Twist" concept, which debuted as a concept at IFA in 2024, to a real laptop in its small business line, the ThinkBook Plus Gen 7 Auto Twist, which will go on sale starting at $1,649.

Yogas and Consumer Laptops

On Lenovo's consumer side, there are two dramatically different categories of device. The Yoga Pro 7i and 9i Aura Edition are both focused on creatives, with up to Intel's Core Ultra 9 386H processor and Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070. The Yoga Pro 9i has an option for a Tandem OLED display, a six-speaker sound system, and uses a power adapter going up to 245W (the 7i provides up to 140W over a standard USB Type-C connection). These will launch in Q2 starting at $1,799.99 for the 7i and $1,899.99 for the 9i.

The other extreme is the Yoga Slim 7i Ultra Aura Edition, a 14-inch white system coming in at less than 2.2 pounds. You'll still get up to an Intel Core ultra X9 with up to 12 Xe graphics cores and 9600 MHz RAM, as well as a new matte texture that Lenovo says will reduce fingerprints. This system will start at $1,499.99 in Q2.

Lenovo also has Yogas with AMD and Qualcomm processors. The latest AMD Ryzen AI 400 chips will power the Yoga Slim 7a, while the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Plus will come to the Yoga Slim 7x. These are both 14-inch devices with 2880 x 1800 touch screens, designed for mobility and power efficiency. The Slim 7x will start at $949.99 in Q2, while the 7a is only being sold in select markets.

Lenovo continues to experiment with rollable-screen OLED laptops here at CES 2026, and its latest Legion Pro concept laptop is sure to pique the interest of on-the-go gamers. Its 16-inch display fits nicely in the Legion Pro 7i chassis it's built around. But open the laptop up, and its screen expands sideways, in both directions, to become either a 21.5-inch "Tactical Mode" screen, or an even more immersive ultra-wide 24-inch "Arena Mode" display. The current firmware has you hit Fn and the arrow left/right keys to expand or retract the screen. Hitting the keys twice skips the middle mode and completely extends or retracts the screen.

The ultra-wide form factor has been popular among desktop gamers for years, but has been extremely rare in gaming laptops due to size constraints. But Lenovo is trying to make that an issue of the past with the Legion Pro Rollable — or at least it will if the company takes this concept further and creates a retail version.

Of course, you'll need some serious CPU and GPU power to push those extra pixels. But the Legion Pro 7i that this concept is built around tops out with a mobile RTX 5090 and Intel's Core Ultra CPUs. While I of course don't know how much a finished version of this rollable concept will cost, I am sure there are quite a few gamers who would love to be able to carry around a 16-inch laptop that can deliver a screen up to 24 inches diagonally.

Lenovo's press release positions the Legion Pro Rollable as a device for esports competitors who can "carry small but train big" as they travel to and from events. And sure, I can see that, but I'm pretty sure there's a larger market as well for more casual gamers and road warriors who would love a screen-morphing portable with a screen that can get very large when you need it, while rolling back to a 16-inch size so it can fit in your backpack.

In a hands-on with the concept device, the screen looked very much like a product in development. The bezels were chunky and some of the screen edges didn't line up right. It works, but I didn't get to try a game on it. The main thing Lenovo seems to need to do is to work on the tension mechanism to hold the screen taught. They have this in the ThinkPad rollable concept (see below) with two motors and steel cables, so they know how to do it. But in the Legion, the screen looks a little wavy.

The sample I tried also made a pretty loud creaking noise, though Lenovo representatives told me it was a quirk of the unit I tried. I saw others that didn't have the same issue.

The other thing that I couldn't really tell was how much weight this might add. Probably not a huge amount, but the base laptop they used here was already a powerful and heavy system.

ThinkPad Rollable XD Concept

The ThinkPad Rollable XD is a more traditional vertical rollable concept that expands from a 13.3-inch screen to 16 inches. But rather than house the unseen parts of the screen in the base, this design has it wrapping around the top of the lid, giving you a dynamic "world-facing" display when the laptop is closed, or you haven't expanded the primary screen.

Of course, the screen needs to be protected, and Lenovo worked with Corning on a dual-sided Gorilla Glass Victus 2 screen cover with a 180-degree bend that wraps around both sides. And while there are other ways to control the expanding screen mechanism (like using your voice), you can swipe on the top edge of the display to move it up or down. When it's expanded, you can see the motor mechanism on the back. I like that the company left some of the complex engineering on display, though I doubt this kind of choice would make it to a final product.

Lenovo also touts AI features under the hood of the XD concept, like "live translation, voice assistant, multi-modal, and lid-controlled interactions." But I think one of the most interesting things about the XD concept is that it's a ThinkPad, unlike previous rollable concepts – and the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 that the company brought to market last year. Perhaps the switch to arguably the company's flagship brand is an indication that the company sees a serious, productivity-focused future for the expandable screen tech it's been dabbling with for a few years now.

At the very least, housing the whole screen and the sliding mechanism in the lid should make it easier to take screens like this and add them to more laptops. And as someone who has taken a portable monitor and a mechanical keyboard to CES in previous years, pairing an expandable screen with one of the best laptop keyboards available has me at least a little more interested than I was before.

Lenovo is giving AMD’s Ryzen Z2 Extreme official SteamOS support for the first time. The Legion Go 2 launched in October last year, bringing the Z2 Extreme to the mobile gaming market and fixing many of the issues with Lenovo’s first handheld outing. Now, you can get it with official SteamOS support, combining the best aspects of the Legion Go 2 and Lenovo’s Legion Go S.

SteamOS is available directly from Valve for a DIY install, and Linux distros like Bazzite do a good job emulating Valve’s handheld interface. However, official support brings some perks. As we saw with the Legion Go S, SteamOS provides significantly better performance across games than Windows 11, even when comparing the exact same hardware inside the same chassis.

AMD’s Z2 Extreme is still at the heart of the Legion Go 2 with SteamOS. It’s an eight-core chip that leverages three Zen 5 cores and five Zen 5c cores, the latter of which trade peak clock speed for a space-optimized design. The Zen 5 cores can boost up to 5GHz while the Zen 5c cores top out at 3.3GHz. It defaults to a 28W TDP, though it has an adjustable TDP range from 15W up to 35W. The gaming grunt comes from the integrated RDNA 3.5 GPU, which sports 16 CUs.

Alongside AMD’s chip, Lenovo offers up to 32GB of LPDDR5x memory and 2TB of storage, plus an additional 2TB available through the microSD card slot. The memory is clocked at 8000 MT/s for the 32GB model and 7500 MT/s for the 16GB model. Lenovo is using the same OLED screen featured on the Windows 11 version of the Legion Go 2, which is an 8.8-inch screen with a resolution of 1920 x 1200, a 144Hz refresh rate, 10-point touch support, variable refresh rate, and a certification for VESA’s DisplayHDR True Black 1000.

Everything about the SteamOS Legion Go 2 is identical to the original model, short of the operating system. You still get dual USB 4 ports for charging or accessories, detachable controllers, a touchpad, six programmable buttons, and Hall Effect joysticks.

Lenovo says the Legion Go 2 with SteamOS should be available in June, starting at $1,199. The Legion Go 2 with Windows 11 is listed at $1,349 for the 32GB model, so the 32GB model of the SteamOS version should land somewhere around that price. It’s worth highlighting that the SteamOS version of the Legion Go S has a slightly lower price than the Windows 11 version, so hopefully that trend continues with the Legion Go 2. But with the way RAM prices are right now, who can predict what pricing might be like in six months?

Refreshed Legion laptops with new AMD branding

Lenovo is refreshing its Legion 5 and 7 ranges, and for the first time ever, properly noting configurations that come with an AMD CPU. Lenovo usually notes configurations with an Intel processor with an “i,” such as the Lenovo Legion 5i, while the AMD configuration would normally be called the Lenovo Legion 5. Now, Lenovo is adding an “a,” turning the Lenovo Legion 5 into the Legion 5a.

Naming aside, Lenovo is updating the Legion 7a, Legion 5i, and Legion 5a. The higher-end Legion 7a includes one of AMD’s new Ryzen AI 400 ‘Gorgon Point’ CPUs. The laptop carries up to an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470, which features 12 cores (4x Zen 5 / 8x Zen 5c) and an RDNA 3.5 iGPU with 16 CUs. You can also pack in up to an Nvidia RTX 5060 mobile GPU, 64GB of LPDDR5x-8533 (capped at 8000 MT/s), and 2TB of storage split across two M.2 2242 PCIe Gen 4 slots.

Although the design of the Legion 7a remains mostly unchanged, Lenovo claims the laptop is 10% lighter and up to 5% thinner than the previous generation.

The Legion 5 range tops out slightly lower. The Legion 5i carries one of Intel’s new Panther Lake CPUs, the 16-core Core Ultra 9 386H. It’s not technically the flagship SKU, which is a title claimed by the Core Ultra X9 388H with its beefy integrated GPU. The Core Ultra 9 386H is almost identical outside of the GPU, however, sporting 16 total cores split across four performance cores, eight efficiency cores, and four low-power efficiency cores, along with a 4.9 GHz maximum boost clock on the P-cores.

For the Legion 5a, Lenovo is releasing two versions – one tops out with a new Ryzen AI 9 465 with 10 cores and 12 RDNA 3.5 CUs, while the other uses the older Ryzen 7 250; a Zen 4-based chip with eight cores. All three configurations top out with an RTX 5060, up to 32GB of DDR5-5600 memory, and 2TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage.

You can configure all of the laptops with one of Lenovo’s TrueSight OLED displays. The Legion 5 models use a 15.3-inch panel with a 2560 x 1600 resolution and 165Hz refresh rate, while the Legion 7a comes with a 16-inch panel with the same resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. The Legion 5s carry a VESA DisplayHDR True Black 600 certification, while the Legion 7a holds a coveted DisplayHDR True Black 1000 badge.

Lenovo says all four variants should be available by April. The Legion 7a starts at $1,999, and the Legion 5a starts at $1,499 with Gorgon Point and $1,299 with Hawk Point Refresh. The Legion 5i is slightly more expensive, starting at $1,549.

In addition to Legion refreshes, the budget-focused LOQ range is getting a refresh with the LOQ15AHP11, starting at $1,149 with an AMD Ryzen 7 250, as well as up to an RTX 5060 mobile GPU and 32GB of DDR5-5600 memory. It’s a name bump alone, as this model already carries these same specs. Lenovo revealed the LOQ15IPH11, as well, which features one of Intel’s new Core Ultra 7 356H CPUs. However, Lenovo isn’t selling this model in the U.S.

A motivated Lenovo Legion Pro 7 (16IAX10H) owner has successfully gotten their system’s speaker issues fixed after setting up a bug bounty program on GitHub. Nadim Kobeissi, a Linux user, was fed up with the gaming laptop’s “tinny and muffled” speaker output and suspected an issue with the Realtek codec on the open-source OS. Kobeissi posted the project in October with $500 of their own money, and five others pledged their own funds, bringing the total to $2,000. Now the issue has been solved, and the fixer is getting $2,000 from the community that developed around this rallying call.

Bug bounties have proved to be a worthwhile avenue for even the biggest developers to explore – Apple, Google, and Microsoft are among the big-dollar program organizers. In this instance, it is interesting to see this level pulled on a much smaller scale, but for a quick and successful fix.

Kobeissi fired up support for this GitHub-based bug bounty program, which kicked off in October. “We are a bunch of Linux users with the Lenovo Legion Pro 7 (16IAX10H) and we are sick and tired of our speakers not working properly,” the frustrated Legion user wrote. They added that they “also suck at writing Linux kernel audio drivers,” before promising “we will send you a lot of money,” for a fix.

You can see, above, that the Kobeissi ended up being the second-biggest contributor (money wise) to this bug bounty program. It ended up raising a nice, neat $2,000 for the solution finder.

Kobeissi also did their best to help any potential fixer, with a few educated guesses about the source of the Legion Pro 7’s speaker audio annoyances. Chief suspect was the incorrect detection of the Realtek ALC3306 codec. But there was also an issue with “no integration between the codec and the amplifiers in the audio pipeline,” in this laptop, which sports both Tweeters and Woofers.

The bounty-fix is for everyone!

The fix for this audio issue was posted on GitHub just a couple of days ago, indicating the time from the beginning of the bug bounty program to a solution was approximately a month. Kobeissi provides a step-by-step guide here, which affected users can follow.

This guide works for Linux kernel version 6.17.8. Moreover, the guide will get updates for future kernel versions “until the fix is fully integrated into the kernel,” notes the bug bounty organizer. If when you follow the fix process, “Your audio should now work correctly and permanently. This fix will persist across reboots with no additional steps required,” says Kobeissi.

Developer Yakov Till, AKA Lepsus, is largely credited with the fix (for “95% of the engineering work”). They get the monetary reward and heartfelt thanks of those who pledged to support the bug bounty.

We conclude by pondering whether this kind of private bug bounty, organized to eliminate computing annoyances, could set a trend.

You've most likely seen or heard about the massive price hikes on RAM kits, with memory prices doubling as well. Soon, those price rises will be passed on to GPU and SSD purchases too. It's going to be another painful entry into the history books for PC component pricing, and more pain for PC builders looking for good prices on hardware components for their builds. With the aid of an ecoupon code from Lenovo, you can save 48% off the powerful Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Gen 10) PC, yours for only $1999 after the coupon is applied.

• Grab this deal at Lenovo

Most of us prefer to source and construct our own computers, but some of the pre-built PC deals that have been coming out recently might actually be more cost-effective, especially when you consider the warranties and hassle-free setup as an added bonus. Originally priced at $3849.99, the Lenovo Legion Tower 7i (Gen 10) is far too expensive and not worth the sum of its parts by a long way, but shave almost 50% off of that price, and we have an interesting offer. The Legion Tower 7i (Gen 10) in this deal contains an Nvidia RTX 5080 graphics card, and that alone eats up half the cost of this system. Use the coupon code LEGIONFIRE9 in the cart and reduce the price of this system by $1850.99.

Lenovo's Legion Tower 7i (Gen 10) contains the aforementioned Nvidia RTX 5080 GPU with 16GB of GDDR7 VRAM, an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and 2TB of SSD storage. Other notable mentions are the 850W power supply, the 360mm AIO cooler, ARGB fans, and a high-airflow case with a mesh front panel.

The RTX 5080 outperforms the RTX 4080 Super by 9% in our 4K ultra rasterization benchmarks, and is only outperformed by the flagship RTX 5090 and RTX 4090 from the previous 40-series generation. It's not a massive generational leap in performance for pure rasterization, but it is more of a step up if you take into account ray-tracing and MFG performance upgrades in combination with DLSS 4. The pictures below show the results from benchmarking tests in 4K, 1440p, and 1080p.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best early Black Friday PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, or CPU Deals pages.

Today's deal lets you get your hands on one of our favorite productivity mice that we've ever reviewed, Logitech's MX Master 3S. This mouse is still the go-to daily driver for some of Tom's Hardware's editors, thanks to the MX Master 3S's comfortable and ergonomic design. You can currently grab Logitech's MX Master 3S for just $69 at Lenovo when you use the coupon code EARLYBF in the cart.

• Grab this deal at Lenovo

The list price of the Logitech MX Master 3S mouse listed at Lenovo is $109.99, but if you use the EARLYBF coupon code once you've added the mouse to the cart, you can save $40.99 and grab the MX Master 3S for just $69. It's worth noting that the MX Master 3S is no longer the new kid on the block, as it's now been recently replaced by the newer, heavier MX Master 4 with haptic feedback.

There's a reason the MX Master range of mice from Logitech has been a mainstay of professional PC users over the years. It's a workhorse of a mouse that's had incremental generational improvements and alterations made to it to further improve its usability and all-day comfort. This version of the MX Master is the 3S for business and comes with quiet switches that don't annoy you or your colleagues while you're busy clicking away doing your work, and a more secure wireless dongle for connecting to PCs in an IT-managed office environment. It can still be used at home, obviously.

When we originally reviewed the Logitech MX Master 3S, we awarded it an Editor's Choice Award. It features a mouse wheel that can switch between a ratcheted feel or a smooth feel, customizable buttons, amazing comfort, and great build quality. There's plenty of connectivity, with the MX Master 3S able to connect to up to three different devices via either Bluetooth or the proprietary Logitech Logi Bolt USB receiver that comes with it. The MX Master 3S is, of course, a wireless mouse with great battery life, especially on Bluetooth, but if the battery should run out on you, you can still keep going using the play and charge cable.

If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best early Black Friday PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, or CPU Deals pages.