"Lenovo's Finest: A Balanced Look at the Best Laptops, Weighing Pros and Cons"

Evan Brooks - Aug 22 - - Dev Community

top-rated lenovo laptops
Credit: Sarah Chaney / Joe Maldonado /

Having had the privilege of reviewing a substantial number of laptops over the past few years, many of which were Lenovo laptops, I’ve developed a certain level of expertise in this area, if I do say so myself.

My evaluation process involves assessing the comfort and intuitiveness of a keyboard for typing, determining whether the display meets my expectations for brightness and crispness, examining how hot and noisy the laptop becomes under heavy use, and evaluating the quality of the speakers and webcam, among other factors.

Therefore, when I assert that these are the best Lenovo laptops available, I’m confident in my judgment.

Lenovo's Finest: A Curated Selection of Exceptional Laptops

Given Lenovo’s reputation for delivering high-quality laptops, selecting my top three favorites proved to be a challenging task. With numerous laptop lines under Lenovo’s umbrella, including ThinkPad, ThinkBook, the Legion and LOQ gaming laptops, Yoga, and IdeaPad, I haven’t had the opportunity to review every line in recent months.

However, out of all the Lenovo laptops I’ve tested this year, these three laptops have emerged as the crème de la crème.

1. Lenovo Yoga Book 9i: A dual-screen productivity powerhouse

When I first unboxed the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, I recall thinking, “This is incredibly innovative, but I’m not sure I’d want it as my daily laptop.” And yet, I soon found myself proven wrong. I even ended up keeping this laptop for an extra week before returning the review unit.

lenovo yoga book 9i in book mode
Credit: Sarah Chaney /

After just a few weeks with this laptop, I became thoroughly enamored. The two stunning 2880 x 1800-pixel OLED panels, the surprisingly satisfying keyboard, and the included wireless mouse enabled me to be more productive than ever before – it was like having my two-monitor desktop setup with me wherever I went.

Lenovo Yoga Book 9i
Credit: Sarah Chaney /

While the laptop’s dual display capabilities are undoubtedly its standout feature, they’re not the only impressive aspect. The Yoga Book 9i also boasts a rotating Bowers & Wilkins soundbar that had me listening to my favorite bass-heavy tracks on repeat. Furthermore, the webcam captures incredibly detailed shots.

During my time with the Yoga Book 9i, I didn’t experience any overheating or excessive noise, and I didn’t notice any lag while performing my daily tasks. That said, its Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 8,642 indicates middle-of-the-road performance, which is worth noting.

Source: carsnewstoday.com

One aspect that didn't entirely captivate me during my evaluation of the Yoga Book 9i was its battery longevity. In our 1080p video assessment, it only endured 7 hours and 5 minutes, which is relatively brief even for a Windows laptop. That being said, it does recharge swiftly – and if you're like me, there's rarely a moment where I'm not in proximity to an outlet, so I'd still highly recommend this laptop despite its limited battery life.

You can acquire the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i for $1,999 via Best Buy.

2. Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 is ideal if you’re on a budget

The Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Gen 9 is a newer iteration of my daily driver laptop (the Yoga 9i Gen 7), and if I needed to replace my existing laptop, this one would be a strong contender.

lenovo yoga 9i 2-in-1 on a wooden surface
Credit: Sarah Chaney /

Before delving into the hardware features I adore about the Yoga 9i 2-in-1, let’s discuss the price, as it’s a significant factor behind my recommendation. At full price, this laptop costs $1,449 — already an excellent value. Currently, you can snag the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 for just $1,099 via Best Buy.

To put into perspective why paying $1,099 for this laptop is an absolute steal, let me highlight its impressive specs. The Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Gen 9 boasts a stunning 2.8K OLED display, a rotating Bowers & Wilkins soundbar that produces rich, immersive audio, a comfortably responsive keyboard, and a flexible form factor that allows you to seamlessly switch between tablet, tent, and laptop modes.

This laptop is also equipped with one of Intel’s latest Core Ultra 7 155H chips, earning an impressive Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 12,345. In practice, the laptop ran a bit hot and noisy under pressure, but nothing too significant.

And like its close sibling above, the Yoga Book 9i, the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 doesn’t have the most impressive battery life. It only lasted 7 hours and 21 minutes in our 1080p video test, but with double-sided USB Type-C ports and fast charging, it wasn’t a major concern for me during testing.

3. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 has mind-blowing battery life

If you’re searching for a Lenovo laptop with exceptional battery life, look no further than Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 Gen 9. In our 1080p video test, this laptop lasted an astonishing 14 hours and 21 minutes, double that of both Yoga laptops mentioned above.

lenovo thinkpad x1 2-in-1 on a desk
Credit: Joe Maldonado /

The laptop's exceptional battery endurance can be credited to its Intel Core Ultra 155U CPU, the 1920 x 1200-pixel, low-power IPS display with a matte finish, or a harmonious blend of both. The display's soft, gentle quality is evocative of a Kindle, making it a pleasure to work with during prolonged periods.

I was impressed by the laptop's responsive keyboard, silky-smooth glass touchpad, and the unexpectedly robust speakers discreetly positioned beneath the keyboard. The overall port selection is also noteworthy, with the inclusion of HDMI ports and multiple USB Type-A ports being a particular highlight. The ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 delivers a commendable performance, achieving a Geekbench 6 multi-core score of 9,420.

The sole drawback of the ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 is its substantial price point. As a laptop designed with professionals in mind, if you don't require the generous 1TB of storage, you're essentially paying a premium for this specific configuration. The exact model I reviewed is currently available for $2,419 via B&H,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Terabox Video Player