The best Lenovo laptops you can buy

Lenovo is well-known for its lineup of no-nonsense laptops. Productivity fiends are instantly enamored with the ThinkPad brand, and minus a few missteps, it has delivered. Here you'll find a healthy mix of consumer-friendly convertible laptops, heavy-duty work machines, and even a dash of high-performance gaming.

Article updated January 2016

Lenovo Yoga 900

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The Yoga 900 is Lenovo's replacement for the old, slightly underpowered Yoga 3 Pro. The Core M has been ditched for the new model, instead offering up full-blooded Intel Skylake i5 and i7 processors instead. And as this is a Yoga the party piece is the 3200x1800 resolution display, which folds all the way around until you're left with something resembling a Windows 10 tablet. The other most noticeable thing is Lenovo's now trademark watchband hinge. It's a real treat to use.

Elsewhere it's packing what you'd want from a high-end laptop. You can get 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage and for future proofing somewhat, a USB-C port with video out capabilities. If that gorgeous display isn't quite enough for you. It starts at $1199 but it can also seriously undercut a comparable Surface Book on price.

Yoga 900 at Lenovo U.S. (opens in new tab)

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon

The X1 Carbon is a familiar name atop Lenovo's notebook lineup and its latest iteration is certainly the best yet. For 2016 you can get this 14-inch Ultrabook with either a 1080p Full HD or QHD 2560x1440 display, but both are now non-touch. That's new for the latest version, with those looking for a touch option steered towards the Thinkpad X1 Yoga, instead.

Everything else about the X1 Carbon screams quality. There's still a fingerprint scanner but now you don't need to swipe over it, and it'll go great with Windows Hello in Windows 10. Lenovo's signature red pointer is still around, as is the excellent keyboard. It's slim, light, solid as a rock and has an LTE SIM card slot for the ultimate in mobile connectivity. A perfect companion to the road warriors out there. The 2016 model will be on sale until February 2016 with prices starting at $1299.

Lenovo Yoga 700

If you like the idea of the Yoga 900 but you're not so keen on the price, the cheaper, less powerful Yoga 700 could be for you. Where the Yoga 900 starts at $1199 the Yoga 700 tops out at $999. For the most part the experience is the same. You still have the screen that folds all the way around or any position in between but you're looking at a Full HD 1080p touch display and options ending at 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage.

You are still offered the latest generation Skylake processors from Intel, available in i5 or i7 form but you lose out on the fancy looking watchband hinge for something a little more traditional. There's a great keyboard, some loud and proud speakers and also up to 7 hours of battery life. A similar experience to its more expensive sibling but without the added price.

Review

Yoga 700 at Lenovo U.S. (opens in new tab)

Lenovo Ideapad Y700

If you like to game then the Y700 will be right up your street. Strictly speaking that's how it's being marketed, but it's also not as garish as many gaming laptops, nor is it as massive. You get a 15.6-inch notebook that forgoes the DVD drive still popular on a lot of gaming machines to keep it a little slimmer. It's no lightweight, but with Intel Skylake or AMD processors, Full HD or 4K displays, 16GB of RAM, massive storage options and NVIDIA 960M or AMD R9 graphics, the Y700 packs plenty of heat.

The Y700 doesn't have to be expensive, either. As is so often the case with gaming notebooks. The base model clocks in at $899 with Intel or $999 if you go for AMD. But it's got plenty to offer whatever your preference.

Ideapad Y700 at Lenovo U.S. (opens in new tab)

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 260

Another Yoga! Lenovo is one of the pioneers of the convertible notebook and its no surprise that it continues to put out some of the best you can find. The Thinkpad Yoga 260 will soon be usurped by the X1 Yoga (which isn't available for a few months yet) but right now, it's a great choice for someone looking for a premium laptop with benefits. And it's less than 13-inches in size, too.

That latest hardware includes Intel's new Skylake CPUs, an optional NVIDIA 940M graphics card, Full HD display and 16GB of DDR4 RAM. You also get a rechargeable pen included in the box, perfect for using with Lenovo's WRITEit software. It should also be good for around 10 hours of battery life, which is non too shabby. Prices start at $949.

Thinkpad Yoga 260 at Lenovo U.S. (opens in new tab)

That's a sampling of our top picks from Lenovo's lineup, but which of their laptops is your favorite? Sing out in the comments.

Richard Devine is a Managing Editor at Windows Central with over a decade of experience. A former Project Manager and long-term tech addict, he joined Mobile Nations in 2011 and has been found on Android Central and iMore as well as Windows Central. Currently, you'll find him steering the site's coverage of all manner of PC hardware and reviews. Find him on Mastodon at mstdn.social/@richdevine

109 Comments

I have the lenovo y50 laptop so I think that's my favorite ;)
Same. I just bought the Y50 touch and couldn't be happier with it!
You know, I never trusted in Lenovo as a brand till CES 2016. Damn, they got some beautiful products. Really want one now.
Why didn't you trust them?
Probably the whole superfish thing
I am sick of waiting for new device by MSFT, I have a lumia 730, exceptional phone no doubt, but now i am bored of waiting for a flagship or seeing any improvements on w10 for mobiles and so will be buying an apple iPad air 2, reason being I am being provided with quality hardware from apple along with innumerable quality apps designed for apple which are not there on windows store plus MS is already providing apps such as MSN, office, Skype and Cortana on apple products plus i will get faster update from MS on apple devices for it's services and software which might take years for MS to bring on its own platform lol! In short I don't think MS even cares about windows phone so I don't find any reason to come back.
Umm... cool?
Enjoy..... Have fun $_$....
Thanks man, I was disappointed disillusioned and distraught with MS behavior towards it's own platform..so taking this sad but necessary step..bye people, u guys take care of yourselves it was fun getting to know you all..miss u Daniel and co.
Why are you leaving? I understand moving on but you could still stay involved here. You still have a 730 =). I just dont see the need to move on. Enjoy the iPad Air 2 and Windows Central and the good moves MS makes in the future with its platform. Thats how I see it. But you gotta do what you gotta do =).
Thanks for your love and support scabrat :) I guess if I have friends like you, I could never leave MSFT or windows central :P just got a bit emotional today..
Hey no need to leave. Do as I did, leave the hardware, use the software.
Because there is no flagship phone you are getting an Apple tablet?
Yes, no flagship phone no flagship tablet in the line plus so many apps discontinuing their services on the store, ms providing their 'jool' of services to other platform, windows 10 for Mobile so slow to develop..I am feeling frustrated with activities of MS..i don't think they are ever going to change anything for good in the future at this rate.
There is a rumor that MSFT will announce a Surface 2 replacement using Intel-Atom or Item-M chipset's that will run "full" windows I.e. Pro or non RT at the upcoming Build conference.
Man, talk about impatient...have you not heard of the Surface Pro 3? Is that not a flagship tablet? There aren't very many apps leaving the store, they just get news time so it feels like there are a bunch. And you know there's a flagship phone coming. At this point, you really can't wait a few more months?
Wow you've got quite a lot of emotional involvement with your technology dont you? Personally with a Lumia 920, im not feeling left in the dust, because this phone is still excellent based on the latest phones from other companies, and we are guaranteed windows 10. And besides, you cant wait another half year for some reveals from Microsoft on their new products? Im guessing Microsoft is going to tease some cool stuff at Build in April - honestly your phone isn't terrible, and if you are so emotionally invested in this company (which seems like you are), I dont know why you would choose to leave in the midst of all this talk and exciting times of the Windows 10 era. Just saying. I think your phone with windows will be better than any apple product, no matter how new or $expensive$ it is!
Ever read The Tortoise and the Hare?? Microsoft is working hard to develop a software that is truly unique and universal. Apple is just sitting back and taking a nap, have been since 2007. Microsoft will soon surpass them. Have patience Windows 10 is near. http://www.bing.com/search?q=tortoise+and+the+hare&filters=ufn22tort...
Haha, Apple will wait for Microsoft to figure out how to run one OS on all form factors, then they will "reinvent" their own version and the tech media will go gaga.
These days, waiting for Microsoft seems similar to waiting for the Chicago Cubs to win the World Series.
Surface pro 3 is a flagship tablet. I get your frustration though. MS does update their apps much quicker on other platforms which I don't get. Outlook app and one drive app get several updates on my note 4 and hardly any on my windows phone. Yes I know about outlook.
Are you serious? My iPad Air 2 crazy ***** on the Surface Pro 3 i5 model with absolutely sick scores and fps that I never thought were possible on a mobile chip. Again, I'm not an Apple fanboy and I know that the Surface pro 3 is a hybrid but it was disappointing how the Pro 3 was hyped.
Wait, you mean that a game runs better when it's been highly optimized for the system it's been released on? Who knew?
All that matters is the end result which is better on the iPad.
You're right, all those Steam and GoG games run far better on the iPad than they do on the Surface Pro 3. Microsoft lied to us and no blame whatsoever should be put on the companies porting mobile games to the Pro. ;-)
The fuc****. Skype is useless in windows phone 8.1. No proper notifications and slow. And these people give regular updates to other OS devices. Dang it.
Flagship tablet? Surface pro 3! Flagship phone? Expect one to release with Windows 10. If anything, the best reason to leave windows phone is the lack of app support. No snap chat at all...
Besides, medium/low end Lumia have a charm to them. Lumia 830 is gorgeous. 930 also. Also HTC M8 for windows is really nice. Of course the phone itself came out a year ago.
Sweet, I'll take your phone!
I left for a bit, but came right back. We'll see you later!
Buddy wrong post !
Why not but a surface pro or pro 2 u will have a tablet and u can do what ever u want cause its a full blown PC????????
Bored? What are you 15? I think you're just a fanboy looking to rant on a Windows blog.
I think we all can sympathise with his leaving. Yeah, it's crazy and insulting to ms supporters that apple and android get better app support from MS themselves! Also, it's a double edge sword what they're doing - to get the exposure on other platform but also encouraging MS users to switch. Pretty ballzy strategy
You're making a good choice. Nobody should serve those who don't serve them. Simple as that. Being a type of engineer that only cares about efficiency, relevancy, speed, exclusivity and long-term usage and consumer satisfaction, I've found that Apple has the best “mobile” ecosystem on the planet. Windows will always remain a desktop-only option for me since I find Macs and OS X to be infuriatingly atrocious.
Firstly, is not a good idea to replace a smartphone with a tablet. Secondly, if you can live without Live tiles and the simplicity of Windows OS, then you should switch.
Do as I did: Buy used, but higher line lumia like 930 :)
On the one hand, you should get what works for you. On the other hand, this is so off-topic and such a self-centered and egotistical post that I feel disgusted reading it. If you want to leave, than leave like an adult and leave the comments to people who want to talk about the actual article instead of listening to your ranting. I get that you're disappointed but this should have gone on the forums.
My Lenovo G510 i5 4th Gen is quite fast with a SATA 2 SSD. Does all I need it to for my business.
I've Dell 5547 i7 4th Gen with 1 TB HDD. I'm thinking of installing 128 GB SSD and using the 1 TB HDD as external drive.
With five great varieties of fish.
Actually, it never had Superfish installed on it. Ran two different checkers - nothing...
It's been months, I think fishes have been removed from the pond after cleaning it.
Superfish is not installed on the Thinkpad line, only on the consumer line.
I just bought the new Edge 15, I haven't heard much about it from any review sites and it seems to be in the shadow of Flex and the Y series, but all in all it seemed the best balance, it's not super light but it's also good for light gaming (since it has dedicated video) and it's not as cheap as a similar Y series but it also has touch, so for the price it looked like the best fit for me, and apparently a hidden gem from lenovo. of course i haven't tried it yet as it doesn't arrive until tomorrow, but we'll see if that holds up!
I thought this list was GREAT Lenovo laptops? Why is the Yoga 3 on there? They removed the top keyboard row for Pete's sake! Users reviews have lambasted it!
That's just personal opinion. I have that device, I really enjoy it and never use those keys. I mean, you can see those keys not being there, so why you would buy that laptop and then leave a negative review is beyond me.
How dumb of me. You're absolutely right, Daniel. Next time I purchase a laptop, first thing I'll do is consult you so that I don't make this kind of fatal mistake again. I don't know how I could have made that mistake, except only if I bought the laptop to use and test while mine was repaired at Lenovo depot. Other than that, though, how could I live without your counsel? Now I can sleep at night. Again my gratitude.
Yes, he's absolutely right. Good we got that one settled
Look at pictures and read about it? There are two ways right there...
How about you cover some nice entry level laptops or netbooks? Something like Asus X205, HP Stream 11 etc. Wouldn't hurt you know. All I have seen covered in the last one month is Lenovos and Dells.
I've gone through 5 thinkpad 14 laptops, each one defective. But, it was a great laptop had I revieved one that worked. Just got the w550s delivered this morning. I've only used it for 5 hours now, but I've now found my new favorite laptop. Size itself is quite large, but it's still pretty thin and light. With great Battery life and small charger, 3k screen is really nice but I most definitely thought I ordered it with touch which really sucks that's not what I recieved. But overall, the laptop is great and gets my vote for best lenovo laptop
I'm leery of them after the Rocketfish thing.
Nonissue now
Superfish, if you don't even know what its called, I don't think you've done enough research to justify being leery. That shit got blown way out of proportion it seems. Most websites nowadays track what you do and show you ads based on what you look at anyway, of course it was a dumb move, but it wasn't as horrible as people made it out to be.
That Yoga 3 looks nice! =) Have you guys heard of or reviewed the new Core M Zenbook? That is also slick =).
ThinkPad X250 and Thinkpad Yoga 12.
However, think I'll wait until USB 3.1 / type-C
Yes, no flagship phone no flagship tablet in the line plus so many apps discontinuing their services on the store, ms providing their 'jool' of services to other platform, windows 10 for Mobil so slow to develop..I am feeling frustrated with activities of MS..i don't think they are ever going to change anything for good in the future at tho rate..
Anything else you need to get off your chest today?
Lol get a grip. You're not entitled to anything at all. Sp3 is a flagship device. And what's the matter with MS providing services to other platforms? Does it make you feel like a lesser human being?
At least be glad that ms is still supporting lower end phones like 520.
Lay off the booze before you go in a post rant frenzy.
No I feel as light as the apple iPad air 2 :P
Hahaha, you're an egomaniac!!!
Have fun playing angry birds and browsing the internet for $600
ugh, that tracking nub. Every time I see it I react like the Mole scene in Austin Powers....
Now you can get one on a Nintendo 3DS too
You've obviously never used it.
This. It's the best input method on the face of the earth. Close thread. Truth was just spoken.
Just some feedback, but I almost missed the "view all" at the bottom and almost clicked back. Why not just keep the article as one? Please don't turn into answers.
I have a ThinkPad twist. Sad to see they haven't kept that line going. I like the machine, although the hybrid HD is causing me some uneven performance now. But I am forever grateful for their excellent keyboards
Yeah they had a nasty batch of Hybrid HDD there for a while. I honestly just turned off the SSD part and haven't noticed a huge hit in performance.
Hmmm, thanks. I will have to try that.
Just bought Yoga 3 11!
I have a T450S through work, touch screen version, love it.
No thanks superfishy. Lenono....Lolnovo needs to pay for cash grabbing with ad software turned hack tools against loyal customers.
None of these have superfish...
Lenono and Lolnovo are pretty funny though
Why nothing is ever mentioned about ASUS ? They make excellent laptops .
Just don't mess with the power jack. Soldered to mb and circuit board is cut away, making it hard to remove.
I have a Helix and I like it, but the type of work I do struggles in 8 gb of RAM so I'm shopping / waiting for something similar in size & flexibility with more power.
My lenovo thinkpad is bricked because of their only In-Windows BIOS Update.. No more Lenovo Please.. It's time for Dell XPS.. Gonna save some bucks from wallet for XPS13 .. ;)
My wife just got the y50 with 1080 touch, 1tb, 8gbssd, 8gb ram, 4gb gtx 860, and external DVD player last week for 1300 off levovo's web site
Superfish makes the devices seem faster...
None of these have superfish.
I got the Lenovo Z580 I got it 2 years ago and it's still brilliant. I love Lenovo! I never get disappointed with their products!
Lol ! What about u430 ultrabook ? Is that a joke ??
Yoga 3 14-inch i7, 8gig, 250ssd, touch screen. Love it.
I just bought an X250 to replace my X220. Love the X Line of Thinkpads.
I have T440. Good laptop.
I have some Lenovo ThinkPad laptop. Not sure which one as it was given to me for free but it has made me forever love the plain cool style that the ThinkPad brings along with its great quality.
W540 for work. Great machine, multi tasks well, big ol' screen. Not light by any stretch but I don't have to travel so no biggie...
I really like these articles. Keep them coming!!
Lenovo x220 certified for Linux OS :D and of course for Windows.
Considering where the T series has been, the T450s is actually really lacklustre. You could get t series with 1920x1200 resolution displays back with the T60 models (circa 2007). Apart from the advances in hardware, they were far superior to the current models in just about every single way. So much for progress.
T series all the way, the best laptops ever made, I have the T61 & T420. Definitely will get the T450s when it reaches Dubai, thanks for pointing out that they upgraded the series.
T series that's my choice. Nothing better for SOHO...
I have the 2014 Carbon X1, love it even if it has its flaws. I also use the X240 (x250 2015) at work now and then and I would prefer that over the T450s.
Coming soon: "Five great [insert brand and item]" I'd expect this from sites like IGN, not from WindowsCentral.
I just got a Y50 they where 50% off 2 weeks ago it's a very nice laptop.
Bought a Think Pad Yoga 12 (2015) this summer that hates W10!! Ran great on 8.1 for two weeks, started getting glitchy when I upgraded. Became almost useless with the Fall Update. Videos won't play 70% of the time, Edge never loads a page, other browsers often fail to load. Entire machine freezes. I'm rebooting 2-5 times a day. Meanwhile, the aging Dell Latitude it replaced and a Dell Venue 8 Pro are running W10 without a single hiccup. But it does look and feel nice on the outside. Makes a good knick knack on my desk.
How about a full restore and use it again.
You're right. I was hesitating at the thought of starting over as if a brand new machine, but I'm now wasting more time attempting to stay productive each day than it would take to bite the bullet and try the full restore.
Lenovo X220 @ Kali Linux that's what I actually use :)
This analyst doesn't think to buy budgeted laptops, rather than to buy expensive.
Bought a ThinkPad Yoga 15 a bit back, great device. i7 5500.
I am having my 2 months purchased Lenovo G50-80. I love it.
Is the Radeon R9 more capable than the 940M? I'm just wondering if it's really worth an extra hundred dollars to get it. From what I've seen Nvidia typically kills AMD at the same price level.
Have a Flex 2-15. If you can get one, do it. Samsung SSD, 8GB RAM, i7 and a touchscreen. Best spent 799€ ever.
This article and one of Daniel's videos says that the X1 Yoga is not due out for a few months. I see some X1 Yoga 1st Gen devices available on the Lenova site. Are we waiting on the 2nd Gen devices?

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