Why Lenovo's 2024 ThinkBook at Just $749 Could Dominate as the Top Value Windows Laptop - Insights by ZDNet

Why Lenovo’s Latest $749 ThinkBook Could Triumph as Top Value Pick for Windows PCs - Insights

Lenovo/ZDNET

Like Acer and Asus, Lenovo is making a big splash at IFA 2024, revealing multiple new Copilot+ PCs . However, the brand is taking a different direction than its contemporaries by focusing more on affordability. There are two that caught our eye: the seventh-generation ThinkBook 16 and the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1.

Also: 5 most interesting Copilot+ laptops revealed at IFA 2024 (including one for gaming)

Beginning with the former, the upcoming ThinkBook is aimed primarily at enterprise users. It houses Qualcomm’s new lightweight Snapdragon X Plus 8-core processor. The CPU is paired up with its own dedicated NPU enhancing the computer’s performance and enabling its AI features. Lenovo claims the chipset will allow users to enjoy “multi-day battery life,” though the company doesn’t mention the average runtime. They do, however, point out that the model possesses a large 84Whr battery, which is larger than most.

Newsletters

ZDNET Tech Today

ZDNET’s Tech Today newsletter is a daily briefing of the newest, most talked about stories, five days a week.

See all

Naturally, it’s a sizable laptop sporting a 16-inch display. The ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 won’t be cumbersome to carry around as it only measures 16mm (about half an inch) thick when closed. In our experience, ultrathin laptops tend to run hot; however, the 8-core processor shouldn’t cause too much overheating.

Also: I demoed Lenovo’s auto-swiveling ThinkBook at IFA 2024, and it’s as bizarre as it sounds

Lenovo’s ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 launches this October. While U.S. prices are unknown at this time, online reports claim it’ll cost around $749. That makes it the most affordable and accessible Copilot+ laptop to date. There will also be a ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 Plus launching in December. It has a slightly larger 85Whr battery, an AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 CPU, and a dedicated AMD Radeon GPU. Exact prices for the Plus version are unknown, although it may be around $1,300.

As for the IdeaPad 5x, this is a consumer-grade convertible laptop. It sports the same Snapdragon X Plus 8-core processor, so expect similar performance. The model comes equipped with 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM for “smooth multitasking” and an up to 1TB SSD.

Lenovo/ZDNET

The IdeaPad 5x’s biggest difference is its 14-inch WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) OLED touchscreen. Its display covers the entire DCI-P3 color gamut, delivering “crisp visuals” when used in laptop or tablet configurations. It’s also “highly portable,” clocking in at 3.3 pounds and measuring 17.5m (roughly 0.69 inches) thick.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 will be released later this month. Prices are also unknown for this model, but online sources state it’ll cost $849, making it similarly affordable for a Copilot+ laptop as the ThinkBook.