Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 Review: Too Many Corners Cut

Performance is lackluster but connected par with the Asus ProArt, the lone different Snapdragon Plus instrumentality I’ve tested to date. In examination to Snapdragon Elite systems, connected wide applications and web work, expect astir a 20 percent show driblet and importantly much connected graphics-related tasks, wherever the IdeaPad runs astatine astir fractional the framerate. Some Copilot+ PC features struggled, specified arsenic translated Live Captions, though the Cocreator AI representation instauration strategy was reasonably expedient.

I figured determination would beryllium a metallic lining to the laptop’s sluggishness successful that the IdeaPad would surely beryllium to person outstanding artillery life, but that unluckily wasn’t the case. While the ProArt pulled down a near-record 19+ hours of moving time, the IdeaPad mustered hardly implicit 9 hours successful my full-screen YouTube trial and nether 12 hours connected a 2nd run-through. That whitethorn beryllium good for entertaining the kids for the day, but it pales successful examination to astir different Snapdragon machines.

Another issue: At 3.3 pounds and 22 mm thick, the IdeaPad 5x is alternatively gargantuan for its surface size. I had to scroll backmost to 2016 successful my investigating records to find thing with a 14-inch surface that was heavier. (That said, immoderate 14.4-inch systems released since person besides been connected the beefy side.) The value is noticeable, some connected the thigh and if you’re trying to usage it arsenic a tablet—though connected the positive side, the strategy is dormant quiescent either way. I couldn’t get the instrumentality to registry truthful overmuch arsenic a hum, adjacent nether a stress-test load.

The terms nevertheless makes this laptop astatine slightest vaguely appealing, and connected a price-performance level, the numbers don’t look each that bad. However, immoderate basal level of show is inactive a request fixed however power-hungry modern applications thin to be, adjacent connected a fund machine, and astatine $850 the IdeaPad 5x isn’t truthful incredibly inexpensive arsenic to let its drawbacks to beryllium easy overlooked.