I went hands-on with all of Lenovo's new laptops at IFA 2024 - these are the most exciting
At a huge tech show in Berlin, Lenovo showed off a slew of new laptops, and I got to play with all of them
💻 Lenovo just unveiled nine laptops at IFA
🪶 Stand-outs include new IdeaPads and a lighter ThinkPad X1 Carbon
🌪️ Lenovo previewed a Twistable laptop concept that follows you
📦 The new Lenovo laptops will begin shipping this month
Lenovo had a lot to talk about in Berlin, Germany. At one of the biggest tech shows of the year known as IFA, the company unveiled nine new laptops that expand its push into AI, integrate with more smartphone platforms, and demonstrate the company’s willingness to get a little weird.
I had a chance to play with all of the new laptops during my briefing, and while there isn’t anything revolutionary here, the incremental improvements Lenovo makes each year have certainly added up to some good-looking machines.
Here’s my hands-on with Lenovo’s fresh fleet of laptops in the quickest format possible.
MacBook Pro-like power for under $1,000
💨 These IdeaPads are legit. The IdeaPad 5x and IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 seem like ordinary, budget-friendly laptops at first, but look a bit closer and you'll realize they're powered by the Snapdragon X Plus processor. This chip gives these laptops performance that's comparable to Apple’s MacBook Air and MacBook Pro in both raw power and efficiency.
This means they're some of the fastest sub-$1,000 laptops around, and in my brief hands-on, they certainly felt speedy. I also appreciate their solid designs and 14-inch OLED screens, which look beautiful. Read more in our full IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 hands-on.
There's also a new ThinkBook powered by the same Snapdragon X Plus processor, but it won't be coming to the United States.
A super-light ThinkPad and a spiffy ThinkBook
😍 The new X1 Carbon has a special “Aura.” Lenovo revamped the ThinkPad X1 Carbon with a sleeker, lighter design that weighs under two pounds. It's an impressive machine to pick up and hold - you can immediately feel how thin and light it is, which made me excited to review it since I'll barely feel it in my backpack.
It's souped up with the latest Intel Core Ultra processors and graphics, as well as a gorgeous screen and Lenovo's signature ThinkPad keyboard.
Lenovo is calling this an Aura Edition laptop, which adds a few extra software features to enhance your experience. There are new Smart Modes that can help improve the security of your laptop, and your well-being with usage timers and posture corrections, collaboration with video call enhancements, and more. You also get Smart Share, which lets you instantly share files between your smartphone and laptop using a special app provided by Intel. It works with both iOS and Android, which I found to be the best part of them all.
Aura Edition laptops also get access to a 24/7 customer support agent for anyone who needs extra help using their computer. Overall, they’re solid additions to the ThinkPad experience and make it a bit extra special compared to the rest of the lineup.
💪 The T14s Gen 6 and ThinkBook 16 Gen 7+ lean into power. I also got to check out the new ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 and ThinkBook 16 Gen 7+, which both get upgraded AMD Ryzen AI processors for improved AI performance and power. You get a ton of graphics options with both machines, as well as premium designs. In-person, they looked and felt a lot like their predecessors, which was fine since there’s nothing inheritely wrong with their designs in the first place.
The new Yoga laptops are beautiful
✨ Another laptop with “Aura.” The Yoga Slim 7i made its debut with a thin-and-light form factor that looked striking in Lenovo’s hands-on area. It comes with the latest Intel Core Ultra processors for solid performance, as well as Wi-Fi 7, Thunderbolt 4 ports, and a 70Whr battery.
It shares the same Aura Edition branding as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon so you’ll get all the same Smart Modes, customer support, and Smart Share functionality. I think this laptop in particular will be appealing to those who need something to rely on and want to experience the perks of Lenovo’s latest software efforts.
🤖 The Yoga Pro 7 is AI-ready. Lenovo is also leaning into AI for the Yoga Pro 7, which comes with AMD’s Ryzen AI 9 365 processor that powers new features like graphics boosters and improved cooling. You also get a soft-touch coated keyboard, which felt amazing in person, as well as upgraded speakers and a 14.5-inch OLED display. This laptop might be an underdog among the rest because of how solid its spec sheet is.
Here's one with a Twist
🌪️ The Lenovo Auto Twist is crazy. Of course, Lenovo had to show off a concept laptop at the show, and it decided to go with the Auto Twist. It’s a laptop that features a rotating motor that can swivel the display from side to side to track your face during video calls, take panoramic pictures, and more.
It can also open and close on command - literally. Just say “Hey Twist, open the lid” and watch it spring to life. It’s pretty trippy at first, but wildly cool nonetheless.
We have a full hands-on with the Lenovo Auto Twist if you want to see it in action.
What about Copilot+?
Microsoft’s Copilot+, which gives you access to a suite of AI tools in Windows 11, will be supported on a lot of the laptops Lenovo is announcing. While it isn’t exactly clear whether all of them will be given the same Copilot+ treatment, it’s safe to say that most of them will be capable of things like Recall, Live Captions, image generation, and more.
Pricing and availability
Lenovo has confirmed that a lot of these laptops will start shipping in September, with others shipping in October and the remainder of the year. Prices vary from $749 all the way to the $2,000 range.