On Thursday, Lenovo introduced a series of laptops with different options and designs. The Slim laptops, formerly known as the IdeaPad Slim, are a new line of clamshells that will compete in June with thin and light designs, high-quality components, high-resolution OLED displays, and some unique textures.
Clamshell Creator
The standout products are the 14.5-inch Slim 7i Pro X and Slim 7 Pro X, where the “i”means that it is equipped with an Intel processor. Lenovo launches the “X”moniker to refer to laptops built for creatives. In addition to offering the RTX 3050 (4GB GDDR6) laptop GPU, Lenovo is also in the business of fine-tuning the hardware of the machines, a Lenovo spokesperson told Ars Technica when we inspected the laptops in person. The AI software also helps manage performance and battery usage.
Lenovo doesn’t reveal TDP numbers, but says the Slim 7/7i Pro X has a higher TDP than the non-Pro X versions (which will only be available as 16-inch models in the US), especially if you get it with a dedicated GPU for a laptop that is disabled in versions other than Pro X.
The new laptops also have a 70 Wh battery, compared to the non-X’s 60 Wh. Lenovo said the battery will last up to 12.5 hours of 1080p video playback with the Intel processor and 15.5 hours for the AMD version.
The laptops use the respective series of processors from Intel and AMD aimed at creators. H-series chips top the pyramid of Intel’s 12th generation mobile processors, with Slim 7i Pro X going up to i7-1200H with six Performance or P-cores clocked at 2.3-4.7GHz, 8 Efficiency cores or E-cores (1.7 GHz). -2.3 GHz), 20 streams and 96 EU.
Meanwhile, the AMD laptop version goes all the way up to the Ryzen 9 6900 HS Creator Edition with eight cores, 16 threads and a base clock of 3.3GHz that can boost up to 4.9GHz. It also features a 12-core AMD Radeon 680M GPU.
Lenovo has also equipped the creator machines with ultra-fast RAM. Intel machines support up to 32GB of LPDDR5-6000 memory across two channels, while AMD’s version can go up to 6400MHz – as fast as LPDDR5.
Ultimately, they’re not as rugged as Lenovo’s ThinkPad laptops, which include workstation-compatible laptops like the 16-inch ThinkPad X1 Extreme. This laptop costs around $2,800 with an i7-11850H octa-core processor, RTX 3070 (8GB) and DDR4-3200 RAM.
Pro X laptops prioritize resolution and speed over color gamut, although 100 percent sRGB is fine for Windows creators, for example. 3072×1920 screens have a fast 120Hz refresh rate and Nvidia G-Sync Adaptive-Sync technology to combat screen tearing. Maximum brightness is a claimed 400 nits for an IPS panel.
Lenovo Slim 9i: a touch of glass
The flagship of the Slim series, the Slim 9i, has a higher starting price of $1,800.
Most of that price comes from the machine’s 14-inch OLED touchscreen. You can get a high-contrast screen with a resolution of 3840×2400 (323.45 pixels per inch) at standard 60 Hz or lowered to 2880×1800 (242.59 ppi) at up to 90 Hz. Either way, the 16:10 aspect ratio screens are VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black certified, which promises the deepest blacks and at least 500 nits of brightness.
The Slim 9i at least looks like a flagship thanks to the glass tint. Like a modern smartphone, the cover is covered with 3D glass. A Lenovo spokesperson told us that the glass does not provide additional protection, but does make the laptop look sleeker. The glass also paired well with the rounded, shiny edges of the laptop’s deck. However, the glass body seemed susceptible to fingerprints, and we didn’t want to imagine the look of the laptop if you ever broke the glass.
The Slim 9i only comes with Intel processors up to the i7-1280P. The processor has four P cores (2.1-4.7 GHz), eight E cores (2.1-3.4 GHz) and 16 threads. Memory is slower than on the aforementioned Pro X laptops, up to a maximum of 32GB LPDDR5-5600 across two channels.
You’ll be able to squeeze more battery life out of the Slim 9i’s 75Wh battery compared to Pro X machines. Lenovo claims up to 15 hours of 1080p video playback.
Another advantage over so-called maker machines is the sound; The Slim 9i has two 2W tweeters and a pair of 3W subwoofers. If you want even more power and a similar design, consider the Lenovo Yoga laptops, which include the same setup as well as a hinged soundbar.
Carbon
As the name suggests, the Slim 7i Carbon’s lid uses a combination of magnesium alloy and carbon fiber. You won’t find carbon fiber in a deck as magnesium alloy provides better heat management and lower costs. This design had a matte soft surface with a delicate texture that helped with my grip. It also matched the premium feel of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, which uses the same case materials.
The 13-inch Slim 7i Carbon comes with an i7-1260P, 32GB LPDDR5-4800, 1TB SSD, and an IPS panel with 2560×1600 resolution and up to 90Hz. Its 50 Wh is supposedly enough for 13.5 hours when playing 1080p video.
The Slim 7i Carbon will start at $1,300.
Listing image of Sharon Harding