The best Lenovo laptops for 2023

Picking the best Lenovo laptop is difficult because whichever one you choose won't be perfect for everyone. With brands as unique and beloved as ThinkPad and Yoga, you've got a lot of choices on your hands. Do you go with the one that has the best internal hardware, the nicest display, or the greatest portability? What about the best bang for your buck?

While it's always a good idea to check out our list of the best laptops you can buy in general, these are the best options that Lenovo has for sale.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10

Lenovo's all-around best laptop

Why you should buy this: It offers the best combination of build quality, performance, and size.

Who's it for Anyone who wants a durable 14-inch laptop that gets the job done.

Why we chose the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10:

Lenovo continues to keep the Carbon line updated with the newest components, and this latest model is an excellent example of why. It's a powerful 14-inch laptop that can keep up with your busy life while still saving on space with its thin, focused design. It's incredibly well-built and maintains the ThinkPad black-on-black aesthetic through and through.

The current version of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 offers up to a 12-core CPU/16-thread Intel 12th-gen Core i7-1260, plus 8GB to 32GB of RAM and 256GB to 2TB of PCIe SSD storage. You can also upgrade the screen to a UHD+ model if you prefer better visuals. Wi-Fi 6E is supported, and this laptop includes the latest connections like Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports for the best wired speeds you can get.

Lenovo Yoga 9i 14

A sleek and comfortable convertible 2-in-1

Why you should buy this: It offers a standout design in a comfortable convertible 2-in-1.

Who's it for: Anyone who wants a gorgeous 2-in-1 that feels good in the hand.

Why we chose the Lenovo Yoga 9i 14:

The Yoga 9i 14 Gen 7 rivals the ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga in Lenovo's convertible 2-in-1 lineup. The Yoga 9i 14 received a complete makeover in its seventh generation, gaining rounded chrome edges that not only look great but feel great in tablet mode. The build quality is excellent, and the laptop exudes an elegance that no other Lenovo laptop we've tested can match.

What we liked most about the Yoga 9i was its excellent productivity performance thanks to 12th-gen Intel Core CPUs, with the Core i5-1240P, Core i7-1260P, and Core i7-1280P on offer. Up to 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of SSD storage can be configured, and there are three excellent 14-inch 16:10 display options, including an optional 4K UHD+ (3840 x 2400) display.

Multimedia is also a strength thanks to the Rotating Sound Bar that surrounds the hinge and provides rich audio in every mode – clamshell, tent, media, or tablet. Our only complaint here was some distortion at maximum volume, but turning it down just a bit alleviated that concern.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Pro

A larger, powerful laptop for a small price

Why you should buy this: It offers a large, 120Hz display and plenty of power at a near-budget price.

Who's it for: Anybody who wants a larger and more powerful laptop for not a lot of money.

Why we chose the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Pro:

It's not often that $1,000 will net you a 16-inch laptop with a lovely display and plenty of power, but that's exactly what you get with the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Pro. It all starts with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, which (as mentioned above) will be challenged by Intel's 12th-gen CPUs and AMD's Ryzen 6000. But for now, it provides superior performance for both productivity and creative tasks.

The IdeaPad Slim 7 Pro's value is further enhanced by the 16-inch 16:10 WQXGA (2560 x 1600) IPS display running at a blistering 120Hz. That enhances Windows 11's animations and makes everything on-screen so much smoother. But that's not all that's great about the display. It's also bright, offers above-average colors (although not quite what demanding creative types are looking for), and has excellent contrast.

There's not much to complain about with the IdeaPad Slim 7 Pro. It's a well-built and speedy laptop with a great display for not a lot of money.

Lenovo ThinkPad Z13

Taking the iconic ThinkPad in a new direction

Why you should buy this: It takes the ThinkPad in some new and innovative directions.

Who's it for: Anybody who wants a ThinkPad but also wants something different.

Why we chose the Lenovo ThinkPad Z13:

The ThinkPad Z13 bears the line's iconic name but not its iconic look and feel. That's not necessarily a bad thing unless you just like the ThinkPad's usual black-on-black aesthetic. With the ThinkPad Z13, you're getting a more modern design with an optional faux-leather lid cover that's warm and comfortable to hold. The red TrackPoint nubbin remains in the center of the excellent, snappy keyboard, and a new haptic touchpad works well and better than mechanical versions.

Inside is AMD, with the Ryzen 7 PRO 6860Z at the high end, along with up to 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The Ryzen chips provide excellent productivity performance and handle CPU-intensive tasks with ease, making the ThinkPad Z13 a solid choice for most 13-inch laptop users. Display choices include a 2.8K OLED or Full HD+ IPS panels, and connectivity is up to date. It may not look like a ThinkPad, but it's certainly built like one.

Lenovo ThinkPad Z16

A modern productivity-oriented 16-inch laptop

Why you should buy this: It's an attractive 16-inch with strong performance and a solid thin and light build.

Who's it for: Anyone who wants a larger laptop with good performance.

Why we chose the Lenovo ThinkPad Z16:

Like the smaller ThinkPad Z13, the ThinkPad Z16 takes the line in a completely new direction aesthetically. Yes, there's the red TrackPoint nubbin, but otherwise, the dark silver, all-aluminum chassis has its own look and feel. The keyboard is a more shallow version with a lighter touch that's still snappy and precise. The haptic touchpad is large and works well — not quite as good as Apple's Force Touch version, but still excellent. Lenovo also used a good amount of sustainable materials in the ThinkPad Z16, if that's important to you.

Inside is AMD again, up to the Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H. These are all 8-core/16-thread processors with excellent performance in CPU-intensive tasks. The discrete AMD Radeon RX 6500M GPU is available to help with demanding creative applications. Display options ramp up to a UHD+ OLED panel that provides spectacular colors and contrast.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3

The best multitasker's laptop you can buy

Why you should buy this: It has a widescreen display and secondary panel that's excellent for multitasking.

Who's it for: Anyone who needs to run multiple windows at a time.

Why we chose the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3:

The ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 is the latest iteration of Lenovo's dual-screen laptop. This time, there's an 8-inch panel sitting next to a full-size keyboard and touchpad and below a 17.3-inch 21:10 3K display. The combination results in a laptop that's the best you'll find for running multiple windows at once.

Performance is solid thanks to Intel 45-watt H-series 12th-gen CPUs, although the integrated Intel Iris Xe limit gaming and creative work. The keyboard is equivalent to that on a 13- or 14-inch laptop and provides a precise, snappy feel; the touchpad is large and comfortable, too. But the real key to the laptop is the wide display and secondary panel that combine to provide a ton of screen real estate for getting work done. It's an unusual layout but surprisingly useful.

Lenovo Legion 5i Pro

An excellent gaming laptop with creative chops

Why you should buy this: It's a fast gaming laptop that can also handle creative tasks.

Who's it for: Any 1440p gamer who's also a creator.

Why we chose the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro:

The Legion 5i Pro provides excellent 1440p gaming performance thanks to a fast 45-watt Intel 12th-gen CPU, a Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti CPU, and a 2500 x 1600 IPS display that can ramp up from 165Hz to 240Hz on demand. That ensures tear-free gaming as well as a smooth Windows 11 experience. The Legion 5i Pro doesn't stand out as a gaming laptop with its aesthetic, but its build quality is excellent.

The display doesn't have the widest colors, and its color accuracy is good but not great. Even so, its performance in creative applications like Adobe's Premiere Pro is outstanding. Creators might want to do their most accurate color work on a different monitor, but the laptop is more than capable of churning through their demanding creative workflows. The keyboard and touchpad are also good and work as well for gaming as for productivity work.

Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook

OLED and Chrome OS make for a great budget option

Why you should buy this: It's a Chromebook with good performance and an OLED display at a true budget price.

Who's it for: Any Chrome OS user who wants a superior display and solid performance.

Why we chose the Lenovo IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook:

You can get a lot of computer for not a lot of money by opting for a Chromebook, and for most people, Chrome OS will let them get their work done with little muss and fuss. The IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook comes in at a bargain-basement price of $500 yet offers satisfactory performance and a groundbreaking OLED display.

We'll start with the display, which was one of the first Chromebooks to utilize an OLED panel and the first detachable tablet with OLED, period. It's a 16:9 display, unfortunately, which has been giving way to taller 16:10 and 3:2 options, but it's still bright and colorful with OLED's usual inky blacks. It makes for a great tablet display, even with the old-school aspect ratio.

The Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 ARM CPU isn't the fastest around, but it can handle Chrome OS without any hiccups. And it offers up excellent battery life in the bargain. The IdeaPad Duet 5 Chromebook's kickstand add-on is a bit inconvenient and it's limited to Wi-Fi 5, but otherwise, this Chromebook offers an incredible bargain with only a few compromises.

Editors' Recommendations