Lenovo Unveils New AI-Powered Laptops with Intel and AMD Chips

Lenovo's new AI-powered Yogas and IdeaPads use Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen AI 300

Lenovo brought new premium Yoga laptops, as well as a handful of its entry-level IdeaPads, to IFA in Berlin. Between those PCs, the company has new computers based on Intel Core Ultra (Series 2), AMD Ryzen AI 300, and Qualcomm's new 8-core Snapdragon X processors, though only a few of them are making it to the US market. The flagship model is the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition, a 15-inch ultraportable, which Lenovo collaborated on with Intel, and suggests it offers "premium build and innovative technology." The Aura Edition a new Evo model using the latest Intel Core Ultra chips, code-named Lunar Lake, specifically listing the Core Ultra 7 258V with up to 32GB of RAM on the chip. The system also goes up to 1TB of storage and supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. (There's also a new Aura Edition version of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon.) It's notable to see that on the lid, the Lenovo logo is far more prominent than ever before, with the Yoga brand taking a bit of a backseat by being placed exclusively on the palmrest. Lenovo lists a catalog of "Smart Modes" that it says change "on-the-fly." They include an "Attention Mode" to "block distracting websites"; features to protect eye wellness and provide posture warnings; video call settings including low light improvements, background blur, and more; and "Shield Mode"with privacy alerts and "auto prompt VPN". There's also a "Smart Share" option for "seamless AI-driven image sharing between smartphones and laptops", (though both Microsoft and Apple have offered this without the need for AI, and other OEMs like Dell and HP have included similar software with PCs before), and "Smart Care" support from Lenovo technicians over the phone or computer. On the ground at IFA, Tom's Hardware managing editor Matt Safford found Smart Share a bit awkward, reporting that you have to physically bump your iPhone or Android device against the display. He also said that he only saw it work when trained Lenovo demonstrators did it, and that members of the press seemed to struggle with it. Matt pointed out that you have to pair your phone with the laptop, and that attendees at Lenovo's demo used pre-paired phones. Lenovo reps said it only shows the last 45 images you've taken. The only other model coming to the US (IFA is a European trade show, after all), is the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1. That system is using the new 8-core Snapdragon X Plus, which Qualcomm announced ahead of the show. This 2-in-1 is a Copilot+ PC starting at $849, as prices drop with the cheaper processor. Other specs include 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of PCIe Gen 4 storage (specifically on an M.2 2242 TLC drive), as well as Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, and two USB Type-C and USB Type-A ports each. There is an AMD flagship, but it's not coming to the US. The Lenovo Yoga Pro 7 is a 14-inch notebook with AMD's Ryzen AI 9 365 CPU and Radeon 880M graphics, as well as 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. That notebook has a 2880 x 1800 display with 120 Hz refresh rate, with options for both OLED or LCD. It will start at €1,699 in September 2024. Other notebooks Lenovo announced today include the IdeaPad Slim 5 series, using older Ryzen 7000 processors, as well as a clamshell IdeaPad Slim 5x using the 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus.

Lenovo goes big at IFA 2024, and the new ThinkPad X1 Carbon is lighter than ever

HP's new OmniBook Ultra Flip comes with Intel Lunar Lake and everything you love about the Spectre x360 Key Takeaways Lenovo unveils new laptops powered by Intel's Core Ultra Series 2, AMD Ryzen AI 300, and Qualcomm Snapdragon. ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 and Yoga Slim 7i feature Aura Edition series with unique smart modes. Lenovo introduces Snapdragon X Plus 8-core laptops to bring Windows on Arm performance to lower price tiers. At any given trade show, Lenovo seems to have the biggest offering, but at IFA 2024, it seems to be even bigger. The firm has new laptops powered by Intel's Core Ultra Series 2, AMD Ryzen AI 300, and Qualcomm Snapdragon. From a si licon perspective, it's the most diverse range of laptops we've ever seen from Lenovo. While the AMD and Qualcomm products are mostly refreshes, the Intel ones stand out above the rest. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 and Yoga Slim 7i (2024) It's all about Aura Edition Close The products are a mouthful to say, but both the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 and Yoga Slim 7i have "Aura Edition" attached to the end. Aura Edition is a new series of laptops co-developed between Intel and Lenovo, meaning you're not going to see this stuff elsewhere. First off, we have smart modes, which there are four of. Attention mode lets you do things like block websites for a period of time. If you're in the habit of getting distracted and checking Facebook or Instagram, you can keep yourself from doing that. Wellness features will watch you and tell you to correct your posture, in case you're constantly slumping over your laptop. Shield mode is pretty neat. It's about security, as the name implies. It can alert you when someone is looking over your shoulder and blur your screen, and it can automatically connect to a VPN. This feature didn't work in the demo, as the drivers weren't ready. Finally, there's collaboration mode, which really doesn't do anything Windows Studio Effects doesn't do. It can blur your background and such. That's not all Aura can do. You can tap your phone against the side of the screen to share photos, which is powered by Intel Unison. All of the demos showed the feature working with iPhone, but mainly because so many tools like this don't work with iOS. Android obviously works too. Close As for the actual hardware, the big change is that they both include Core Ultra Series 2, which Intel previously referred to as Lunar Lake. These are the chips that are meant to beat Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite at both performance and battery life, while also packing an NPU that will support Copilot+. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 is even lighter now, which seemed impossible at the previous 2.4 pounds. Now, it comes in at under 2.2 pounds. New Snapdragon X Plus laptops ThinkBook 16, IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1, and IdeaPad Slim 5x Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7 While Intel had Lunar Lake at IFA, Qualcomm announced the new Snapdragon X Plus 8-core, bringing Windows on Arm performance to lower price tiers. The new chips are solid from a CPU perspective, but scale back significantly on the GPU. First up is the ThinkBook 16 Gen 7. Obviously, Think is aimed at business users, so you can probably guess what Lenovo is getting at here. It's a 16-inch business laptop that supports Copilot+, but it starts at $749, which is pretty much the lowest price for a laptop that has those things. Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5x The IdeaPad Slim 5x and 5x 2-in-1 are along the same lines, but for consumers. They have metal chassis, 14-inch OLED displays, and more. The IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 will start at $849, and since it supports Copilot+, that also means you get at least 16GB RAM. The IdeaPad Slim 5x isn't coming to North America. New AMD Ryzen AI 300 laptops ThinkPad T14s, ThinkBook 16+, and IdeaPad Slim 5 Close On the Ryzen AI 300 end of things, we have more variants of the ThinkBook 16 and IdeaPad Slim 5, both of which aren't coming to the United States. But then, we have the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6. This is a product that's already on the market with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100, so now we're getting the AMD variant of it. There's an Intel Core Ultra Series 2 model on the way as well. ThinkPad T-series is sort of the hero of the bunch, if not the flagship (X1 is the flagship). It's the best-selling ThinkPad class, so while the T14s isn't quite as exciting as the X1 Carbon, it's definitely notable. The ThinkPad T14s AMD starts at $1,699, and like everything else announced today, it's Copilot+-ready. Of course, this launches in October and Copilot+ isn't coming to AMD or Intel machines until November.

Lenovo Levels Up Its Laptop Lines Worldwide With AMD 'Strix Point' AI Chips

IFA has been heavy on laptop news this year, as a batch of new chips from the three major manufacturers push new machine-learning and AI capabilities into the thinnest and lightest laptops. Lenovo isn't the only laptop maker betting on the new Copilot+ PC concept, but it might be the biggest, leveling up home, work, and play systems with new, more powerful AI-driven features. The ThinkPad T14s Gen 6, ThinkBook 16 Gen 7+, and Lenovo Yoga Pro 7 (14-Inch) are all part of Lenovo's global AI PC strategy to enhance productivity and creativity for enterprise customers. These three new models will feature AMD's latest Ryzen AI 300 Series chips (code-named "Strix Point"). However, one note before we dive into the three new models: Only one of these models is presently announced for US release. We expect the others will get similar updates soon, but nothing is set in stone. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6: Business Ryzen The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD is a corporate laptop with a three-times performance boost, thanks to its AMD Ryzen AI technology, and it's one of Lenovo's only work-oriented Copilot+ PCs. The laptop is designed to meet the demands of modern professionals, providing a redesigned thermal architecture, improved display brightness, and a more immersive user experience. The device is also equipped with AMD PRO technology, a feature suite that provides enterprise-grade security and manageability for enterprise IT departments. Most interestingly, Lenovo hasn't named the specific processor, with specs stating that the ThinkPad will have "Next Generation AMD Ryzen AI PRO processors." The ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD will also get features like Wi-Fi 7 connectivity and optional 5G sub-6GHz mobile broadband. The system can be outfitted with up to 64GB of LPDDR5x dual-channel memory and up to 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD storage, all in an energy-efficient machine that weighs less than 3 pounds and has a battery that Lenovo claims should last more than 17 hours. The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD will be available this October and is expected to start at $1,699. Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7+: Tops of the TOPS The Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7+ is another AI-powered laptop, here with an advanced AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor. The CPU is rated for 50 trillion operations per second (TOPS) for next-gen AI performance and exceptional speed for multitasking and content creation. The laptop's sleek metal design, sizeable haptic touchpad, and expansive 16-inch, 3.2K display make it a sharp-looking machine ready to be put to work. The ThinkBook 16 Gen 7+ is lightweight and durable, making it easy to carry. It features a hefty 85-watt-hour battery for extended use, rated for more than 17 hours of 1080p video playback. The laptop also supports Wi-Fi 7 connectivity for fast, reliable internet access. The Lenovo ThinkBook 16 Gen 7+ will not be sold in North America but will be available in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa with a starting price of €999. The Yoga Pro 7 (14-Inch): This Yoga Doesn't Bend Finally, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 7 (14-Inch) will run with the same AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 processor, bringing that 50-TOPS CPU and NPU and several AI-accelerated features for content creation and workflow automation. Lenovo's Yoga lineup has been a 2-in-1 staple for years, but recent rebranding by Lenovo has also extended the Yoga name to include standard non-convertible laptop designs. The Yoga Pro is just such a laptop, presenting a relatively basic 16-inch design with average portability and weighing in at 3.4 pounds. The newly announced Lenovo Yoga Pro 7 (14-Inch) won't be sold in the United States, but it will be available in the European, Middle Eastern, and African markets starting this month at an expected starting price of €1,699. We expect a similarly outfitted AMD model to land stateside sometime later this year, and we expect to have the opportunity to fully test at least two of these laptops before then.