Updated Lenovo Slim Laptops Get The Latest Tech

Lenovo has significantly refreshed its “Slim” line of premium laptops, with models of various sizes and capabilities selling for $1200 to $1800+. All models share some design language and software updates, such as the AI-powered cooling and battery optimization drivers.

From a high level, Lenovo covers three categories: Graphics-heavy Creative (Slim 7i Pro X, Slim 7 Pro X), Light Creative (Slim 9i, Slim 7, Slim 7i), and Ultralight (Slim 7i Carbon). Note that the “i” in the product names means “Intel CPU.”

The graphics-heavy laptops feature a discrete graphics chip (up to RTX 3050) and CPU models that support a higher TDP. These are suited for workloads very reliant on GPU performance like video editing and 3D gaming.

Light creative laptops are fantastic for web development and light photoshop/illustrator usage. They would also excel for any multimedia and entertainment purposes.

Lenovo Slim 9i ($1,799+)

This 14” laptop is the flagship as it is arguably the most luxurious-looking and has the best display options. I love the glass display back cover, making the laptop extremely classy.

Technically, it is similar to how smartphones use glass back covers, and if that wasn’t enough, Lenovo claims this laptop is carbon-neutral, which is no small feat for any electronic device.

The 4K OLED  touchscreen reproduces 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and reaches 400 NITs of brightness (certified DolbyVision). Optionally, you can select the 90Hz version if you want superior smoothness.

One of the best features of this laptop is the 2x 2W + 2x 3W (sub-woofers) speaker setup. That is something to pay attention to because that would make it a multimedia beast.

Inside, the Intel i7-1280P (4+8 cores) is the highest performance CPU available, with up to 32GB of LPDDR5-5600 memory. At the order time, it’s possible to have up to 1TB of SSD storage.

Finally, the 75Wh battery capacity (~15hrs video playback) and the overall design are desirable for a laptop that weighs only 3.02Lbs. That’s a very impressive outcome for a thin & light.

Lenovo Slim 7i Pro X and Slim 7 Pro X

These two laptops have a higher emphasis on raw performance when compared to the Slim 9i we just discussed.

As you can see, there’s an Intel version that features the i7-12xxH CPU. The H-Series Intel 12^th generation processors support higher wattage and performance than the P-series seen in the Slim 9i.

The AMD version has a Ryzen 9 6900 HS Creator Edition specifically for graphics applications, so it’s hard to go wrong with any of these. That said, the 7i Pro X is the one with Thunderbolt USB-C ports.

The discrete GPU (up to GeForce RTX 3050 4GB) makes all the difference in the world for graphics-intensive and AI-driven applications. In the past year, we’ve seen the arrival of these fast GPUs into thin & light chassis designs (3.5 Lbs here), and I couldn’t be happier.

The graphics output goes to the 14.5” 3K IPS display, which is capable of 400 NITs of brightness and a refresh of 120Hz (compatible with G-SYNC).

Lenovo Slim 7i Carbon

The Lenovo Slim 7i Carbon ($1299+) has a straightforward “ultralight” appeal. The goal was to create a no-compromise productivity laptop that was as light as possible. At 2.2 Lbs, with the performance and capabilities shown here, it’s a success.

The 13.3” 2.5K display offers excellent display quality (400 NITs, 100% sRGB, optional touchscreen). At the same time, it’s the perfect size for a no-compromise typing and trackpad experience. It is well known that smaller laptops will have to compromise due to human ergonomics.

Yet, the laptop can pack “up to” an i7-1260P 12-core processor, up to 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. Don’t tell me that your favorite MS Office application will “max out” this exquisite laptop.

Lenovo Slim 7 Pro and Slim 7i Pro

These two laptops are potentially great computers for productivity work or light graphics tasks such as illustration or web development.

They come in many different CPU and GPU configurations, going from the Core i5/Ryzen 5 to the Core i7/Ryzen 9 options. The Intel version can have a discrete RTX 2050 chip on the GPU front, while the AMD model is limited to integrated graphics.

The AMD platform might provide the best value if you don’t need a powerful GPU, but we need more data before forming a final opinion on that.

Lenovo has 14″ and 16″ (2.2K and 2.8K) display options (4 in total) for the laptops, and you can optimize your budget based on your needs. Even the basic option is quite capable, so I’m not worried about this.

Overall, these are very balanced and capable laptops for which Lenovo has tons of configuration options. If you do your research, there’s a great opportunity to build an excellent premium system to match your needs at the best price.

Hubert Nguyen
Categories: Computers
Tags: AMD, Intel, Lenovo, NVIDIA, Social Hit