Lenovo have really ramped up on the amount of laptops and 2-in-1s they offer over the last few years. In 2019, there are plenty of options to suit your needs, from ThinkPads to Yogas to the company’s new Legion gaming sub-brand. There’s something for everyone and it’s hard to know where to begin when looking for your next laptop.
Here’s everything you need to know before you buy your next Lenovo laptop or notebook PC.
How many kinds of laptops does Lenovo currently offer?
Lenovo offer a broad range of laptops and notebook PCs that vary from traditional clamshell designs to more-modern and flexible 2-in-1 alternatives. Independent of form-factor, Lenovo’s laptop range is broken out into five sub-brands: Yoga, ThinkPad, IdeaPad, Legion and Lenovo V.
What’s the difference between the Yoga, ThinkPad, IdeaPad, Legion and Lenovo V ranges?
Lenovo’s mainstream consumer lineup is divided into five sub-brands.
The Lenovo V series consists of some of the OEM’s more-affordable workhorse laptops. They’re light on features, minimalist in design and big on battery life.
Meanwhile, the ThinkPad lineup consists of modern workstations that deliver top-notch durability and performance. They’re envisioned as solid machines that you can rely on at home, in the office or anywhere in-between.
Then, the IdeaPad range represents Lenovo’s most entry-level laptops. They’re essentially ThinkPads with a few compromises and a more-modest starting price. Though the form-factors and spec-configurations vary, Lenovo’s IdeaPad devices are a good place to start if you’re looking to pick up an inexpensive “first laptop”.
As for Lenovo’s Yoga range, it’s envisioned as flexible 2-in-1 devices first and foremost. They’re pitched at those working in creative industries, pairing up slim and portable form-factors with hefty specs, and those who want their next laptop to offer a solid entertainment consumption experience in addition to productivity.
Finally, the Legion lineup represents Lenovo’s foray into the gaming laptop world. Available exclusively in clamshell-designs, the current roster of Legion device services a variety of performance needs and price-points.
Yoga
If you’re after one of Lenovo’s Yoga laptops, there are a few things you can expect. Most Yoga laptops feature 360-degree hinges that allow them to be used as either a tablet or a laptop. Some Yoga laptops also come with styluses and powerful 8th-Gen Intel processors, making them a good option for creative professionals. Others have more unique features like an e-ink keyboard or a glass build.
The Yoga lineup breaks down into the following, with several spec-variants on offer for each:
C Series
Yoga C930 Glass
Yoga C930
Yoga Book C930 (e-Ink keyboard)
900 Series
Yoga 920 Bronze (Windows Home)
Yoga 920 Bronze (Windows Pro)
700 Series
Yoga 730 (15.6-inch display)
Yoga 730 (13.3-inch display)
Yoga 730 (13-inch display)
500 Series
Yoga 530
Yoga 530 with Pen
300 Series
Yoga 330 Black (Intel Celeron N4000)
Yoga 330 Black (INtel Pentium Silver N5000)
Yoga Book
Yoga Book C930
Yoga Tab
Yoga Tab 3 Plus
While the Yoga lineup also features processors that go all the way to Intel’s i7-8550U, the range’s capabilities are more limited when it comes to graphics. Most Yoga Books rely on integrated graphics, with the 500-series offering NVIDIA GeForce MX130 as an alternative. For that reason, the Yoga range isn’t recommended for gaming.
ThinkPad
Since Lenovo acquired ThinkPad from IBM back in 2005, they’ve wasted no time in cranking out powerful, enterprise-focused notebook PCs that continue to push the legacy of the brand forward into the modern era.
There are six series of ThinkPads on offer. The X-series is the option for those who want a flagship ThinkPad experience with premium performance and design.
The T-series is more everyday in form and function. Available in a variety of designs and spec configurations, this series is all about finding the ThinkPad that suits your specific needs and budget.
The P-Series offers up a more portable rendition of the usual ThinkPad experience, emphasizing mobility at the expense of performance.
The A-Series consists of ThinkPad laptops that exclusively integrate AMD CPUs rather than Intel’s.
Then, the E-Series is positioned as an entry-level option for those who want a ThinkPad on a budget.
This pitch is built on by the L-Series, which brings in ThinkPad-specific features like spill-resistant keyboards and improved web conferencing but pushes the asking price a little higher.
To recap, there are six series here of ThinkPad to choose from:
X Series
X1 Extreme
X1 Carbon (Gen 6)
X280
X380 Yoga
X1 Yoga (Gen 3)
X1 Carbon (Gen 5)
X1 Yoga (Gen 2)
T Series
T480
T480s
T580
T470
P Series
P1
P72
P52
P52s
A Series
A485
A285
E Series
E490
E490s
E590
E485
E585
E480
E580
L Series
L390 Yoga
L390
L380 Yoga
L380
L480
L580
IdeaPad
Set up as the more-affordable, mainstream sibling to the ThinkPad range, Lenovo’s IdeaPad laptops are a little-less enterprise in their aesthetics and affordable in price.
The 100-series offers the essentials and little else.
The 300-series rely on hyper-conventional aesthetics to disguise feature surprisingly robust specs.
The 700 and S-Series IdeaPads are more slim in form-factor and emphasize longer battery life over beefier specs.
Last but not least, the D-Series offers entry-level 2-in-1 experiences built around a detachable keyboard.
Once again, the IdeaPad lineup is broken out into
IdeaPad 100
IdeaPad 150
IdeaPad 300
IdeaPad 330 S (15-inch)
IdeaPad 330 (15-inch)
IdeaPad 330 (17-inch)
IdeaPad 700
IdeaPad 720 S
IdeaPad S Series
IdeaPad S130
IdeaPad S530
IdeaPad D-Series
IdeaPad D330
Legion
Lenovo launched their Legion gaming sub-brand several years back and while the brand currently consists of only a single series of products, there are a few options on offer when it comes to specs and features.
Legion Y Series
Y740 (15-inch display)
Y740 (17-inch display)
Y530
Y730 (17-inch display)
Y730 (15-inch display)
Compared to more dedicated gaming brands like MSI and Alienware, Lenovo’s Legion sub-brand is often a little light on gaming-specific features but heavy on performance-per-dollar.
If you’re looking for a decent laptop that’ll run live service games like Overwatch, League of Legends of Fortnite, there’s a strong value-based argument to be made in their favor.
Lenovo V
Lenovo’s V Series of laptops are all about slim design, long battery life and light form-factors. Design-wise, V series laptops are super thin and sometimes feature fast-charging similar to that found in modern smartphones.
The Lenovo V-Series lineup is broken out as follows:
V330 (Intel CPU)
V330 (AMD CPU)
V730 (13-inch display)
Which Lenovo Laptop Should I Buy?
It might sound like a bit of a cop-out but the easy and obvious answer here is that it’s usually best to go for the laptop that actually meets your needs.
If you’re a power user looking for that classic ThinkPad experience, don’t stop at the IdeaPad lineup. If you’re a gamer looking for decent performance and the price to match it, the Legion lineup has you covered. If you’re after a laptop that’s as good for watching content as it is creating it, then the Yoga lineup is the way to go.
Just make sure you do your research.
