7 best Lenovo laptops, notebooks and Chromebooks for every budget and need

Best: Overall

Rating: 9/10

• CPU: MediaTek Helio P60T Octa-Core
• OS: Chrome OS
• Screen: 10.1in FHD (1920 x 1200) touchscreen
• Memory and storage: 4GB LPDDR4X; 64GB or 128GB
• Dimensions and weight: 7.35mm x 159.8mm x 239.8mm (tablet only); 450g (tablet only)

This Chromebook is a quick, sleek and versatile piece of kit. It boots up rapidly, and the detachable keyboard – thanks to a five-point magnet design – is a handy aspect that keeps the duet as compact as possible. The fabric cover fits nicely, protecting or propping up the screen while also looking the part.

The software is streamlined on Chrome OS, so it depends on what you’re using your laptop for, but it would be more than enough for most activities, from word processing to presentation writing to art projects. The sound is surprisingly well-rounded for a laptop at this price point, and while memory isn’t great, Google drive ensures that this isn’t a problem. Overall, the ideapad duet is great value for its specs, it looks much more expensive than it actually is, and is a great centrepiece or addition to anyone’s laptop roster.

Best: Slimline laptop

Rating: 9/10

• CPU: Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7
• OS: Up to Windows 10 Pro
• Screen: 13.3in QHD (2560 x 1600) touchscreen
• Memory and storage: Up to 16GB LPDDR4X; up to 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD
• Dimensions and weight: 13.9-14.9mm x 296.9mm x 208.55mm; less than 1kg

The yoga slim 7i carbon really takes its name seriously: this thing is a slender, lightweight, sophisticated bit of tech. When brands decide to make such a lightweight laptop, you can usually expect a certain level of sturdiness to fall by the wayside, but the yoga slim 7i manages to retain its solidity while being light enough to carry with your fingertips (although we wouldn’t recommend this as a technique).

In fact, everything about the yoga slim 7i feels premium: the keyboard has a pleasing heft to it, the trackpad is clean and reactive, and it offers some of the richest sound on this list. The screen isn’t world-beating when compared to the higher-end laptops here, but it still produces a clear picture with impressive brightness.

It’s one of our favourite Lenovo laptops: it has all you need from a classic laptop, with the modern advantages that make using it that little bit more of a joy. It’s a snappy, sleek notebook.

Best: Connectivity versatility

Rating: 8/10

• CPU: Intel Core i3-1115G4 dual core
• OS: Windows 10
• Screen: 14.0in FHD (1920x1080) touchscreen
• Memory and storage: 4 GB DDR4, 128GB
• Dimensions and weight: 17mm x 310mm x 214mm; 1.35kg

Lenovo’s two-in-one ideapad flex 5i might not have the curves of its Chromebook sibling, but what it lacks in aesthetics it makes up for in performance. The screen is clear, with very little contrast loss when looking from different angles, and Dolby Audio performs well, especially in tablet mode and when playing music.

The flex 5i has both USB-A and USB-C ports, making the slow march towards a fully USB-C world a little easier. Another appreciated little touch is the privacy shutter on the webcam – no more sticking blu-tack over the camera when not in use. Battery life is pretty good, and stated as up to 10 hours: we were averaging out at about seven hours, even with heavy media usage (such as going down a YouTube rabbit hole).

Best: For overall versatility

Rating: 8/10

• CPU: Up to AMD Ryzen 7 4700U with Radeon graphics
• OS: Windows 10 Home
• Screen: 13.3in FHD (1920 x 1080) touchscreen
• Memory and storage: Up to 16GB DDR4; up to 1TB SSD
• Dimensions and weight: 308mm x 17-18.2mm x 206.4mm; 1.32kg

There’s something to be said for a left-field design. The yoga 6 features a fabric-covered lid, similar to the ideapad duet, that immediately elevates the yoga 6 to a more premium-looking product.

Like many of the devices on this list, the yoga 6 is flexible (hence the name), with the option of folding it inside out for presentations or media usage. The touchscreen is reactive and accurate and offers a great picture, while the sound is even more impressive. It’s a versatile notebook that delivers on multiple fronts.

Best: Low-budget laptop

Rating: 7/10

• CPU: MediaTek 8173C; Intel Celeron N4000
• OS: Chrome OS
• Screen: 11.6in HD (1366 x 768) touchscreen
• Memory and storage: 4GB; up to 32GB
• Dimensions and weight: 204mm x 20.85mm x 290mm; 1.32kg

As one of the cheapest devices on this list, you’d expect the Lenovo 300e Chromebook to cut plenty of corners for the sake of price. On the whole, however, you’d be wrong. The keyboard isn’t the best, and along with the trackpad feels a little cheap and clunky, but the touchscreen is the real deal – a beautiful glass display that works well in both laptop and tablet modes.

The MediaTek processor does a perfect job of running Google apps: the Chrome education apps are especially impressive. The 300e feels pretty premium, and is a great lower-budget option for anyone looking for a multi-use Chromebook.

Best: Mid-range gaming laptop

Rating: 8/10

• CPU: Up to AMD Ryzen 7-5800U
• OS: Windows 10 Pro
• Screen: 14in 2.8K (2880 x 1800)
• Memory and storage: Up to 16GB; up to 1TB
• Dimensions and weight: 15.99–17.99mm x 312.2mm x 221mm; from 1.38kg

The ideapad 5i pro punches above its weight. It’s ready-made especially for new gamers: the keyboard in particular feels well ahead of rivals at this budget, with solid, defined, separate keys that offer the right resistance. And while the 5i pro is definitely a sturdy unit, it’s still very light.

The screen is also impressive, being visible from every angle, with no tell-tale budget darkness when you’re not looking directly at it. The quality is also good, with a real richness for video, and the sound does the job with minimal fuss. Using the 5 pro is a snappy experience – its Ryzen processor and NVIDIA graphics run AAA games with ease.

Overall, the 5 pro is a great gaming laptop that has been put together in a considered, sophisticated fashion – it’s a good sign when the lid hinge doesn’t pull the laptop with it when opening and closing. It’s the little things.

Best: High-end laptop

Rating: 8/10

• CPU: Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 vPro
• OS: Windows 10 Pro
• Screen: 15.6in HD IPS (3840 x 2160)
• Memory and storage: Up to 48GB; up to 2TB
• Dimensions and weight: Starting at 17.9mm x 329mm x 227mm; starting at 1.75kg

This is what you could describe as a “proper laptop”. It’s a heavy-hitting, reliable companion for your whole day. The attractive matte body opens up to a fantastically ergonomic keyboard that reflects the laptop’s general solid frame well. It’s a sleek but hefty beast – fine to take on a trip, but maybe one that deserves a more permanent spot on your desk.

The screen is flawless from all angles, with discernibly high clarity to the picture, thanks to the Dolby Vision UHD panel. The sound could be more sophisticated, but there’s plenty of volume power to blast out. Its performance is up there among the best at this budget, with almost immediate reaction to commands and a consistently high operation level. Plus, it comes with that classic red Lenovo trackpoint button – we’ve never used it, but what’s not to love about a bit of tradition?