The best Lenovo laptops have seen some exciting improvements over the last few years. There are quite a few to choose from, whether you need something for general use, for gaming, for heavy design and development work, or the corporate world. For most people, the Yoga 9i 14 (Gen 7) is likely the best bet thanks to its performance, design, and overall versatility. It’s also our pick for the best Windows laptop out there. There are plenty of other great Lenovo PCs rounded up here if you need something different.
Best overall: Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 (Gen 7)
Lenovo’s Yoga 9i 14 (Gen 7) is our pick for best Windows laptop, and it also comes out on top of Lenovo’s own stable. In his Yoga 9i 14 (Gen 7) review, Executive Editor Daniel Rubino called it the best 14-inch OLED convertible laptop of 2022, and went on to say that it’s easily the best laptop he’s recently used.
The seventh-gen models now have rounded edges for a more comfortable hold, especially when used as a tablet. There’s no longer a siloed pen, but Lenovo does include a full-size active pen with 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity and tilt detection with every PC. This works ideally with the high-end displays.
There are now three 14-inch options to choose from, all with touch and a 16:10 aspect ratio. The top option has a 3840×2400 (UHD+) resolution, OLED panel, 400 nits brightness, Dolby Vision, and VESA DisplayHDR 500, and 100% DCI-P3 color. There’s also a 2.8K version with the same specs, save for a boosted 90Hz refresh rate.
The lid and the body are joined by a rotating soundbar hinge with four Bowers & Wilkins speakers with Dolby Atmos tuning. These are louder than before, and they remain unmuffled no matter how you’re using the laptop. Intel’s 12th Gen Core P-Series CPUs are on board with killer performance, and they can be paired with up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 1TB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 storage. Battery life on the UHD+ OLED model lasted about 9 hours in our testing; that number can climb if you opt for a lesser resolution.
Overall, this is a superb laptop for just about anyone. It handles multitasking with ease, it’s comfortable for long days of typing, and the screens and audio make a great pairing for watching TV or movies.
Also great: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 7)
Lenovo’s high-end X1 lineup of laptops includes the convertible ThinkPad X1 Yoga, now in its seventh generation. Along with the 16:10 displays and 5G that came with the sixth-gen model, the seventh-gen refresh gets fresh performance hardware, new camera setup and comms bar, and an OLED display option. I’ve laid out the generational differences in broader detail in our ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 6) vs. X1 Yoga (Gen 7) comparison.
You get essentially the same premium convertible design with aluminum build, plenty of ports (including Thunderbolt 4 and HDMI), comfortable ThinkPad keyboard, and sizable touchpad with TrackPoint system. Speakers with Dolby Atmos tuning flank the keys, and there’s an incorporated fingerprint reader for added security.
Above the display is a new communication bar for easier collaboration. Three camera setups are available, all with an FHD resolution and 1.4µm sensor. The first is basic FHD, while the other is FHD with a hybrid IR sensor for facial recognition. The final option takes FHD and IR and adds Lenovo’s Computer Vision, essentially combining human presence detection and a neural processing unit to help out. If it senses it’s not you approaching the PC, it won’t wake up and unlock automatically. It can even dim the display when you’re not looking.
The UHD+ display with 3840×2400 resolution and 16:10 aspect ratio now uses an OLED panel with low power draw, anti-reflective finish, HDR 400, Dolby Vision, and 100% DCI-P3 color. There are also a couple of gorgeous FHD+ displays available if you’re looking to save some money. All versions support inking.
Thanks to Intel Evo certification, expect boosted battery life and snappy response. Intel’s 12th Gen Intel Core P-Series CPUs are available, as is up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 2TB of speedy M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD storage. If you’re looking for the best business convertible Lenovo has to offer, you’ve found it.
Best Gaming: Lenovo Legion 7i 16 (Gen 7)
Lenovo unveiled a seventh-gen Legion 7i 16 a couple of weeks ago, and it’s now available to buy at Lenovo. I most recently reviewed the Legion 7i 16 (Gen 6) model, coming away quite impressed with the new 16-inch displays with 16:10 aspect ratio, loud audio, and superb performance. Lenovo has kept the design mostly the same for the Gen 7 models, albeit with a tweaked rear port dashboard and exhaust system. The laptop, made up of aluminum and magnesium, is covered in customizable RGB lighting.
The Legion’s TrueStrike keyboard has been upgraded with keys that have a slight 0.2mm dip. They still have the deep 1.5mm travel, with per-key RGB lighting. The camera has also been upgraded to 1080p (FHD) for a clearer picture while streaming; Tobii Horizon and Tobii Aware software are on board for added immersion and security.
The 16-inch display has a 2560×1600 (QHD+) resolution with up to a 240Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time. It also packs in up to 500 nits brightness, 100% sRGB color, VESA DisplayHDR 400, Dolby Vision, NVIDIA G-Sync, and TÜV Rheinland certification. Games are going to look fantastic on this display.
It’s all powered by your choice of 12th Gen Intel Core HX-Series CPUs, up to a Core i9-12900HX with 16 cores and 24 threads. Combine the CPU with up to an NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU, 32GB of dual-channel DDR5-4800MHz RAM, and a 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD for maximum performance.
Best Performance: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (Gen 4)
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme is currently in its fourth generation, with a fifth-gen update expected in June. As it stands now with the Gen 4 model, you can get an impressive amount of performance from a durable laptop loaded with features. In my ThinkPad X1 Extreme (Gen 4) review I note that the new 16:10 displays, Thunderbolt 4, PCIe 4.0 storage, FHD webcam, and top-firing audio are all huge upgrades over the third-gen model.
The top-firing speakers flank the comfortable ThinkPad keyboard, and there’s still Dolby Atmos on board. The high-res camera has an IR sensor for facial recognition, as well as a privacy shutter when it’s not in use. There’s also a fingerprint reader built into the power button.
Display options include 2560×1600 (QHD+) and 3840×2400 (UHD+) resolutions, with up to HDR 400, Dolby Vision, anti-reflective finish, and 600 nits brightness. If you hold out for Gen 5 models, there will be an FHD+ option with a 165Hz refresh rate.
Performance hardware in the X1 Extreme (Gen 4) includes up to an Intel Core i9-11950H CPU and NVIDIA RTX 3080 Laptop GPU. If you can wait for the X1 Extreme (Gen 5), that gets bumped up to a 12th Gen Intel Core i9 with much better performance, as well as an NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU. DDR5 RAM and PCIe 4.0 storage are also available in the Gen 5 model.
Best Mobility: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 10)
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is now in its 10th generation, and it’s still your best option for a 14-inch business partner if you don’t need convertible hinges (X1 Yoga) or dedicated GPU (X1 Extreme). It’s been bumped up to Intel’s 12th Gen Core P-Series CPUs for even better performance; they’re joined by up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 2TB of fast M.2 PCIe 4.0 storage. There’s a new keyboard air intake to help keep everything cool. If you want to remain mobile, you can even configure optional 5G or 4G LTE connectivity at checkout.
A major new feature for the 10th-gen models is a communications bar akin to that in the latest X1 Yoga. The camera has an FHD resolution, and you can add a hybrid IR portion for improved security. You can also choose to include Lenovo’s Computer Vision tech, which combines Human Presence Detection with a neural processor. It analyzes who’s in front of the PC even when it’s asleep, unlocking it automatically if you approach.
Lenovo has always offered plenty of displays for the X1 Carbon, and it’s now added a 2.8K OLED screen for those who want the deepest color and contrast possible. It has an anti-reflective finish, 100% DCI-P3 color, 400 nits brightness, and low blue light. There are five other displays ranging from FHD+ to UHD+ to suit your needs.
Best Ultrabook: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano (Gen 2)
If you love the X1 Carbon but want something just a bit smaller, the X1 Nano is likely going to be an attractive option. We even wrote a Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano vs. ThinkPad X1 Carbon comparison to help you decide.
The X1 Nano (Gen 2) was announced at CES 2022, bringing Intel’s 12th Gen Core P-Series CPUs for impressive performance. You can also add up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to a 2TB M.2 PCIe SSD. The laptop is Intel Evo certified, and as expected you can get vPro chips.
The 13-inch display is available with a crisp 2K resolution (2160×1350), sized with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It comes in touch and non-touch versions, each with Dolby Vision, 100% sRGB color, and 450 nits brightness. Four speakers (two top and two bottom) pump out decent audio for a laptop this size, and you get the usual top-tier ThinkPad keyboard.
Like other X1 ThinkPads from this year, there’s a new communications bar above the display. It has an FHD resolution, IR sensor, shutter, and human presence detection to lock and unlock your laptop automatically. You can even add optional 5G or 4G LTE connectivity if you plan on working often from the field.
The bottom line
The Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 (Gen 7) is our top pick for a Lenovo laptop, but it can also be considered one of the best Windows laptops on the market today. Its convertible design makes it truly versatile. Need a tablet with inking? No problem. Need a productivity machine with extra display space (16:10 aspect ratio) and one of the best keyboards around? No sweat.
Its 12th Gen Intel Core CPU options can handle just about anything you throw its way, and thanks to Intel Evo certification you can bet on long battery life and excellent performance even when not plugged in. The displays are gorgeous, and the rotating soundbar hinge with Dolby Atmos is a compelling, unique feature.
If it’s not quite what you’re looking for, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 7) is a great alternative. It’s one of the best business laptops out there, with high-end specs, premium build, and a ton of performance.
