Best Lenovo laptops in 2023

The best Lenovo laptops consistently rank near the top of our overall best laptops rankings. From the excellent ThinkPad business laptops to the sleek Yoga notebook and affordable IdeaPad laptops, Lenovo offers something for all types of laptop users. 

Whether it's the best business laptop or the best 2-in-1 laptop on the market, Lenovo will always have a laptop that's among the best of them. It comes as no surprise that Lenovo makes some of our favorite laptops, from the business-focused ThinkPads to the gaming-centric Legion laptops. In fact, the Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 nabbed our Best Innovation award in our best of CES 2022.

Still not sure which Lenovo business laptop to buy? Check out our best Lenovo ThinkPad guide that compares the top models. And to maximize productivity at work, make sure you buy the right ThinkPad accessories. If you're a business user and aren't sold on buying a ThinkPad, check out the best Dell Latitude and Precision laptops

Quick List

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Best overall

Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon is, once again, the best business laptop thanks to its sleek design and fast performance.  (Image credit: Phillip Tracy/Laptop Mag)
Best overall business laptop

Specifications

CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i5/Core i7
GPU: Iris Xe
RAM: 8GB/16GB/32GB
Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB SSD
Display: 14-inch, 1920 x 1200-pixel 16:10
Size: 12.4 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches
Weight: 2.5 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Slim, lightweight design
+
Good 14-inch, 16:10 FHD+ display
+
Class-leading keyboard
+
Great quad speakers
+
Epic battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Poor 720p webcam
-
No card slot

Lenovo made several welcome changes to the 9th Gen edition of its flagship business model. On top of fast performance from 11th Gen Intel CPUs, you get epic battery life, powerful quad speakers, a new 14-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio, and plenty of ports, all in an impossibly lightweight chassis (2.5 pounds). 

But it's still those classic ThinkPad features — a durable design (with MIL-STD-810G strength), best-in-class keyboard, and stealthy black/red aesthetics — that carry the X1 Carbon to greatness.

Yes, we wish the ThinkPad X1 Carbon hadn't ditched the SD card reader in the previous, and top configurations can get very expensive, but you'd be hard-pressed to find a better overall business machine.

See our full Lenovo ThinkPad Carbon X1 (Gen 9) review

Best under $1,000

If you want a value pick, the ThinkPad X13 is the best Lenovo laptop for under $1,000.  (Image credit: Laptop Mag)
The best laptop for under $1,000

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 4650U
GPU: AMD Radeon
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 256GB
Display: 13.3-inch, 1080p
Size: 12.3 x 8.6 x 0.7 inches
Weight: 2.8 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Outstanding performance
+
Durable chassis
+
Best-in-class keyboard
+
Plenty of ports

Reasons to avoid

-
Subpar battery life
-
Thick display bezels

A Lenovo business laptop for under $1,000? It's time to have a chat with your IT manager. The budget-friendly ThinkPad X13 with AMD chips delivers some of the best elements of the ThinkPad lineup at a much lower price than we're used to. 

Some of those features include a portable, minimalist chassis with military-grade durability, an outstanding keyboard, and plenty of security features, including a fingerprint sensor and IR camera. Thanks to its AMD Ryzen CPUs, the ThinkPad X13 has incredible performance at this price. The only major downside is the subpar battery life, but around 8 hours isn't terrible. 

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon remains the best Lenovo laptop if you can afford one, but the ThinkPad X13 is an excellent, low-price alternative. 

See our full Lenovo ThinkPad X13 (AMD) review

Best 2-in-1

Lenovo's Yoga 9i refines a proven formula, making it one of the best Lenovo laptops around.  (Image credit: Laptop Mag)
The best 2-in-1 laptop

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-1185G7
GPU: Iris Xe
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB
Display: 14-inch, 1080p
Battery life: 11:15
Size: 12.6 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
Weight: 3 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Fast overall performance
+
Colorful 14-inch, 1080p display
+
11+ hour battery life
+
Great rotating speaker

Reasons to avoid

-
No IR camera

The successor to the excellent Yoga C940, the Lenovo Yoga 9i takes a proven formula and refines it. Subtle design improvements, long battery life (11:15) and refreshed 11th Gen Intel processors make the Yoga 9i a worthy successor to one of last year's top 2-in-1 laptops. 

As you'd expect from a Yoga-series laptop, the Yoga 9i has a premium, ultra-portable chassis, and a unique hinge that doubles as a rotating soundbar speaker. As a 2-in-1, that hinge can rotate 360 degrees to convert the Yoga 9i into a tablet or be placed in tent mode so you can watch movies without a keyboard in the way. When it comes to viewing content, the Yoga 9i's 1080p (4K is available) display is crisp, vibrant, and bright.

For all the basics it gets right, my favorite things about the Yoga 9i are its extra features, which include a webcam cover (no more need to buy tape), a slot for the improved Active Pen, and a fingerprint sensor. Unfortunately, there is no IR camera. 

The Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7 is the latest iteration and is also a fantastic option. 

See our Lenovo Yoga 9i review

Best gaming laptop

(Image credit: Future)
Best Lenovo gaming laptop

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-12700H
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti
RAM: 16GB DDR5
Storage: 512GB PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD
Display: 16-inch, 1440p, 165Hz, IPS
Size: 14.1 x 10.4 x 1 inches
Weight: 5.5 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Stylish, sleek form factor
+
Gorgeous display
+
Strong performance
+
Quiet fans
+
Plenty of ports

Reasons to avoid

-
Webcam = potato
-
SSD is slightly slower than competition

As far as fantastic gaming laptops go, the Lenovo Legion 5i Pro is up there as one of the best. For its price, you’re getting a power-packed system in a sleek chassis with decent battery life, excellent thermal performance and plenty of ports for all your gaming needs.

With excellent performance from its  Intel Core i7-12700H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, and 16GB of DDR5 RAM, Lenovo has made a compelling (and stylish) gaming laptop worth the price tag (especially at an inevitable discount).

It also sports a decent selection of ports for all your gaming and productivity needs, and its 16-inch IPS panel with QHD resolution and an 165Hz refresh rate is, put simply, quite the looker.

See our full
Lenovo Legion 5i Pro review

Best 16-inch laptop

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 is the best 16-inch Lenovo laptop for professionals (Image credit: Future)
The best 16-inch laptop for professionals

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-11800H
GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 (6GB of VRAM)
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 16-inch, 2560 x 1600-pixel
Size: 14 x 10 x 0.78 inches
Weight: 4 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Durable chassis
+
Ultra-fast file-transfer rates
+
Zippy video transcoding
+
Robust speakers
+
1080p webcam

Reasons to avoid

-
Fingerprint-attracting chassis

Lenovo couldn’t have picked a better name for the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 — extreme is the operative word here. This 16-inch laptop, packed with extreme internals such as a top-of-the-line 11th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and powerful Nvidia 30-series graphics, was built to make its rivals sweat. Someone check on the Dell XPS 15!

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 is ideal for handling extreme workloads for professionals, whether you’re a creator, architect, or engineer. As a cherry on top, they can relax and play their favorite graphics-intensive games after a long day of productivity. With a durable chassis, crisp 1080p webcam, great performance, and graphics, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 is one of the best business laptops on the market. 

See our full Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 review

Best Ultraportable

(Image credit: Future)
The best ultraportable

Specifications

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 6850U
GPU: Radeon graphics
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB
Display: 13-inch, 2.8K
Size: 11.59 x 7.86 x 0.55 inches
Weight: 2.78 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Gorgeous, premium build quality
+
Super small and lightweight
+
Decent AMD Ryzen performance
+
Impressive battery life
+
Ergonomic keyboard (and Trackpoint)

Reasons to avoid

-
Just two USB-C ports
-
Slow SSD speed
-
Tinny speakers
-
Pretty mid display

The Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 is easily the most gorgeous ThinkPad I’ve ever seen. It’s almost as if the ThinkPad just went through a hot girl summer — hitting the beach and putting a lot of other laptops to shame with its sleek size and ultra luxurious aesthetic.

However, this thing isn’t just about looks. The battery life is insane, the ergonomics of that keyboard are oh-so-sweet, and the performance under the hood is surprisingly good for conquering your workload.

Sure, there are compromises in the lack of ports, that touchpad, and the average IPS display. But if you’re always on the go and you require something that suits your lifestyle, this is up there as one of the best options.

See our full Lenovo ThinkPad Z13 review

Best dual-screen laptop

The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 7 Carbon is a fantastic all around laptop (Image credit: Lenovo)
Best Lenovo dual-screen laptop

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i5-12500H
GPU: Intel Iris Xe
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB SSD
Display: 17.3-inch, 3,072 x 1440-pixel, touchscreen
Second display: 8-inch, 1,280 x 800-pixel, touchscreen
Size : 16.1 x 9.0 x 0.6~0.7 inches
Weight: 4.4 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Rival-beating performance
+
Extremely useful second display
+
Innovative, smart design

Reasons to avoid

-
Buggy, slow second screen
-
Mushy keyboard

The Lenovo Thinkbook Plus Gen 3 is the first laptop of 2023 to actually wow us. Dreary-gray clamshell notebooks, lame-o Chromebooks, and black business workstations have been boring us to tears, and Lenovo has hit the scene with this invigorating dual-screen laptop.

The Thinkbook Plus Gen 3 has a beautiful main 17.3-inch, 3K display. It’s ultra-wide AF with a dazzling 21:10 aspect ratio. (I don’t think I’ve ever reviewed a laptop with a 21:10 aspect ratio!) And the secondary display is a sight to behold — it looks like someone shoved the keyboard to the left, cut a rectangle into the deck, and dropped in an 8-inch tablet for maximum productivity. 

As someone who’s constantly cross-referencing different documents on Google Docs and Sheets, this dual-display setup has boosted my workflow beyond my wildest expectations.

See our full Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 3 review

Best Chromebook

Whether you're a student or just love Chrome, the Chromebook Duet is the best Lenovo Chromebook.  (Image credit: Laptop Mag/Sean Riley)
The best Chromebook

Specifications

CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2
RAM: 8GB LPDDR4X
Storage: 128GB eMMC
Display: 13.3-inch, 1920x1080-pixel OLED touchscreen
Size: 12 x 7.4 x 0.28 inches
Weight: 2.24 pounds (with keyboard/case); 1.5 pounds (tablet only)

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent battery life
+
Detachable 2-in-1 design
+
Bright, vivid OLED display
+
Keyboard and cover included

Reasons to avoid

-
Stylus not included
-
Weak performance for the price

The Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook is a significant departure from last year’s affordable Chromebook Duet. Although the higher price tag may drive some away, the considerable hardware upgrades make this 2-in-1 just as compelling. 

The Duet 5 still features a fabric rear case and keyboard cover like the previous model, but open it up and the 13.3-inch OLED display will make you check that sub-$500 price again. The changes run deeper than that with a dramatically improved Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 processor, while also delivering over 13 hours on a single charge.

While it may not be the scrappy budget champ that the original Chromebook Duet was, the Duet 5 has bulked up and is ready to take on some heavyweight competition.

See our full Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook review

Best Workstation

Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 is the best workstation on the market. (Image credit: Laptop Mag/Sean Riley)
The most powerful workstation

Specifications

CPU: Intel Core i7-11950H vPro
GPU: Nvidia RTX A5000
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB SSD
Display: 15.6-inch, FHD (1920x1080)
Size: 14.7 x 9.9 x 1.2 inches
Weight: 6.2 pounds

Reasons to buy

+
Class-leading performance
+
Excellent array of ports
+
Bright display
+
Durable build

Reasons to avoid

-
Heavy

The Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 improves on what was already a winning formula with the original ThinkPad P15 with upgraded performance and stellar battery life for the 1080p model.

The laptop’s 11th Gen Intel Core i9-11950H CPU, Nvidia RTX A5000 GPU, and 32GB of RAM make it an absolute workhorse of a workstation. If raw performance is your goal, it will be hard to beat the ThinkPad P15 Gen 2. The one concern for creatives will be the display, but if that’s crucial for you consider the OLED panel option or perhaps an external display.

See our full Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2 review

How to pick a Lenovo laptop

Lenovo's our top-rated laptop brand for good reason. The company offers an extensive product lineup with some of the best notebooks you can get from any manufacturer. Lenovo makes laptops for just about every type of user, from children in school to gamers and business executives.

We've listed our favorite current Lenovo laptops above, but if you're doing research, it helps to know the difference between the company's major product lines.

  • ThinkPad: Lenovo's business laptops have some of the best keyboards in the world and many have extremely long battery life. They're a great choice, even if you're not planning to use them for work.
  • Yoga: These premium 2-in-1s have great designs, colorful screens, and strong battery life.
  • Legion: The gaming line offers solid performance at reasonable prices.
  • Flex: A line of 2-in-1s that is less expensive than Yoga, but still full-featured.
  • IdeaPad: These mainstream consumer laptops range in price from low-end budget systems to more premium Ultrabooks.

How we test Lenovo laptops

Why you can trust Laptop Mag Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

We put each Lenovo laptop through extensive benchmark testing — both synthetic and real-world — before they end up in the hands of our reviewers. We evaluate each aspect of the laptop, including its performance, battery life, display, speakers and heat management.

In our benchmark testing, we use a Klein K10 colorimeter to detect the brightness and sRGB color gamut of the laptop's display. For performance testing, we run the laptop through a gauntlet of benchmarks, including Geekbench 5.0 and 3DMark professional graphics tests. 

To determine real-world performance, we task the laptop to convert a 4K video to 1080p resolution and to duplicate a 25GB multimedia file. Our real-world graphics test is the Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gathering Storm benchmark with medium settings at 1080p resolution. 

We also run heat tests by playing a 15-minute full-screen video and measuring temperatures in different areas of the laptop. Last but not least, our battery test consists of continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness. For MacBooks and premium Windows 10 laptops, a runtime of over 9 hours is considered a good result whereas gaming laptops and workstations that can stay powered for longer than 5 hours deserve praise. 

These tests are complemented with extensive hands-on testing from our reviewers who critique everything from the laptop's materials to the feel of its touchpad. 

Jason England
Content Editor

Jason brings a decade of tech and gaming journalism experience to his role as a writer at Laptop Mag. He takes a particular interest in writing articles and creating videos about laptops, headphones and games. He has previously written for Kotaku, Stuff and BBC Science Focus. In his spare time, you'll find Jason looking for good dogs to pet or thinking about eating pizza if he isn't already.