Lenovo, which makes the beloved ThinkPad sequence, revealed at the moment a brand new era of “Slim” laptops. We’ve seen this branding earlier than, however gone are the complicated Yoga, Legion, and IdeaPad classifiers—these are simply “Slim.” The new clamshell programs intently match the convertible laptops in Lenovo’s flagship Yoga lineup and are positioned to go up towards the likes of the Dell XPS 13, HP Spectre x360 14, and MacBook Air.

So far, I like what I see. Lenovo’s new flagship, the Slim 9i, jogs my memory of the Yoga 9i however for folks (like myself) who don’t want the flexibleness of a 2-in-1. If you want extra energy, the Slim 7i Pro X brings discrete graphics and high-end CPU choices with out compromising on portability. Speaking of moveable, the Slim 7i Carbon is a uncommon 13-inch Lenovo that weighs a measly 2.2 kilos, probably making it a consumer-focused model of the beloved ThinkPad X1 Carbon.

Lenovo Slim 9i

At the highest of the stack is the flagship Lenovo Slim 9i, a skinny clamshell laptop computer with a design that mimics the Yoga 9i, top-of-the-line 2-in-1 laptops in the marketplace. It has the identical elegant rounded, polished edges however with a 180-degree hinge. The laptop computer is available in an “Oatmeal” coloration.

It weighs 3 kilos and measures 12.5 x 9.1 x 0.6 inches, making it barely lighter than the Yoga 9i. Ports are restricted to 3 Thunderbolt 4 inputs and a headphone jack, so that you lose a USB-A port going from the Yoga to the Slim.

The Slim 9i comes with two 14-inch, 16:10 OLED show choices, one with a 2.8K (2880 x 1800) decision and one other with a 4K (3840 x 2400) panel. Both rise up to 400 nits, are VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black licensed, and have low blue-light know-how. Only the lower-res panel will get the good thing about a 90Hz refresh fee.

In phrases of efficiency, the Slim 9i will be geared up with both an Intel Core i7-1280P or Core i5-1240P processor and as much as 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM. Storage is available in two types: a 512GB or 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD. Lenovo charges the battery life at 15 hours of video playback, although I warning placing a lot stake into that declare till we’ve examined it ourselves.

I’m keen to listen to the four-speaker Bowers & Wilkins-tuned audio system, contemplating this Slim 9i doesn’t have a soundbar hinge just like the Yoga mannequin. I’m additionally hoping the 1080p IR webcam is best than the one on its convertible twin. Overall, although, the Slim 9i is a svelte ultra-portable system with a premium design and good specs.

Lenovo Slim 7/7i Pro X

Available with both Intel or AMD processors, the Slim 7i Pro X and Slim 7 Pro X are barely heavier and thicker than the Slim 9i however pack sooner efficiency throughout the board. Based on specs alone, I’d argue that the velocity beneficial properties are well worth the minor tradeoff in portability.

And I actually imply “minor.” The Slim 7i Pro X and seven Pro X weigh 3.5 kilos and measure 12.9 x 8.7 x 0.6 inches, making them about the identical dimension because the Slim 9i however a half-pound heavier. The Intel-based Slim 7i Pro X is available in Dark Teal and Cloud Grey whereas the AMD-based Slim 7 Pro X is out there solely in Storm Grey.

With that further girth, Lenovo stuffed extra ports into these machines. Here’s the place the wonderful print issues: the Slim 7i comes with two Thunderbolt 4 inputs, a USB-C, a headphone jack, and an HDMI 2.0. The AMD model, nonetheless, has two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, and a headphone jack. That lacking HDMI connection goes to be a thorn within the facet of these on Team Red.

Whether you select the Intel (Slim 7i Pro X) or AMD (Slim 7 Pro X) model, you’ll get a 14.5-inch, 3K (3070 x 1920) IPS show with 400 nits of brightness and a 120Hz adaptive refresh fee with G-Sync assist. Unlike the well-equipped Slim 9i, the Slim 7i Pro X has solely twin Harman-tuned audio system.

That display screen might need ticked you off to it: these include discrete graphics within the type of both an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU or an RTX 1650. While in need of being “gaming-caliber” playing cards, the RTX 3050 held its personal once I examined it within the HP Spectre x360 16.

You get three CPU choices for every mannequin. The Slim 7i Pro X begins with an Intel Core i5-12500H and goes as much as a Core i7-12700H CPU. If you’re an AMD fan, you will get a Ryzen 5 600HS, Ryzen 7 6800HS, or Ryzen 9 6900HS. Interestingly, Lenovo says the AMD mannequin lasts three hours longer on a cost, at 15.5 hours versus 12.5 hours. Rounding out the specs are as much as 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and as much as a 1TB PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD.

Lenovo Slim 7i Carbon

Perhaps the closest rival to the Dell XPS 13 in each dimension and value, the Slim 7i Carbon has a 13-inch show, and a chassis that is available in at a measly 0.58 inches thick and a couple of.2 kilos.

Taking a web page from the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the Slim 7i Carbon employs an aerospace-grade magnesium alloy construct that’s strengthened with carbon fiber. If these numbers above don’t imply a lot to you: this factor is significantly light-weight—the MacBook Air, for reference, weighs 2.8 kilos.

Aesthetically, this appears pretty just like the Yoga and Slim 9i, with a rounded “comfort-edge” design obtainable in three coloration schemes: Moon White, Cloud Grey, and Storm Grey. The port choice is predictably restricted (although maybe not this restricted), consisting of a single Thunderbolt 4 and a USB 3.2 Type-C.

Lenovo couldn’t match many ports in right here, however I’m impressed by the efficiency elements it discovered room for: the Slim 7i Carbon comes with both a Core i5-1240P or a Core i7-1260P CPU. You can, slightly amazingly, equip the laptop computer with as much as 32GB of RAM and as much as a 1TB SSD (take that, M1 MacBook Air!).

Lenovo likes an excellent 14-inch panel, however this Slim 7i is without doubt one of the uncommon fashions with a 13-inch show at 2.5K (2560 x 1600) decision, with 400 nits of brightness, a 90Hz refresh fee, and a 16:10 side ratio.

Sorry Lenovo, however I checked out your specs sheet arduous sufficient to note the “HD webcam,” that means this uses a 720p lens. That doesn’t imply a lot, however the usual for 2022 is shifting to 1080p on high-end fashions. At least it’s an IR digicam with facial recognition.

You clearly need a system this moveable to final lengthy on a cost. We’ll have to do our personal testing to get a greater thought of real-world runtimes, however Lenovo charges the battery life at 13.5 hours of video playback.

Lenovo Slim 7/7i

And for the reason that naming conference hasn’t been complicated sufficient already, Lenovo can also be debuting the Slim 7 in 14 and 16-inch fashions. I received’t go too into element on these as they’re refreshes of the IdeaPad Slim 7.

There are a couple of attention-grabbing tidbits right here, although. The 16-inch mannequin is out there in each Intel (as much as Core i7-12700H) and AMD (as much as Ryzen 7 6800HS) variations, with as much as a 1TB SSD. Only the AMD-fueled Slim 7 will get as much as 32GB of RAM, whereas the Slim 7i is caught with 16GB.

The standout spec, nonetheless, is the Intel Arc A370M graphics discovered within the Slim 7i. Intel’s first foray into devoted graphics in additional than 20 years, the A370 is positioned as an entry-level GPU able to double the efficiency of built-in Iris Xe. This is the one GPU choice obtainable, whereas the Slim 7 comes with both an RTX 3050 Ti or an RTX 3050.

Pricing and availability

The Lenovo Slim 9i will likely be obtainable in June, beginning at $1,799. It will likely be branded “Yoga Slim” in sure markets, and sure, be happy to roll your eyes. The Slim 7i Pro X and seven Pro X may also go on sale subsequent month, beginning at $1,699 and $1,499, respectively.

That super-lightweight Slim 7i Carbon begins at $1,299, and goes on sale across the identical time because the others. It will likely be joined by the 14-inch and 16-inch Slim 7i, which will likely be priced at $1,199 and $1,599. The AMD model is out there solely in a 16-inch mannequin (within the US, not less than), at a value of $1,499.