Do you want to buy a new computer but can’t choose among the numerous brands and models on the market?
Have you heard contrasting opinions about the Lenovo computers and doubt whether they’re worth the money?
This article presents the pros and cons of having a Lenovo computer and helps you decide whether the brand is a good choice.
We’ll also give you tips for choosing the best laptop based on your needs.
Is Lenovo A Good Computer?
Lenovo is a good computer brand, especially if you want to buy one of its laptops.
The company manufactures highly functional, fast laptops and offers them at fairly affordable prices compared to other computer brands.
It also provides a wide variety of quality laptops at a broad range of prices you can choose based on your budget.
Although Lenovo may not be as recognizable as Dell, HP, or Apple, it’s gradually gaining broad recognition primarily because of its versatility, reliable battery life, and innovative designs.
For example, Lenovo’s best laptops, its Thinkpad series, focus on great usability and computing power.
They’re reliable for both everyday tasks and business use.
The casing in most high-end Lenovo laptops is so durable that it’s known as a “workhorse.”
It’s not just the design you’re investing in.
It’s the durable hardware that does the charm.
However, like many other brands, Lenovo has good and bad products.
You should consider each model’s features to decide whether they suit your needs.
When looking for a new laptop, you need to compare different models based on design, durability, battery life, processing speed, connectivity, and cost, among other things.
Then, you’ll be able to choose what’s best for your use.
Below, we’ve listed a few of the top points you should consider when deciding whether a Lenovo computer is your best choice:
Pros
Lenovo usually offers its laptops at lower prices than its rivals, including Dell and HP.
According to Gartner, the company owned a one-quarter share of the global PC market in 2021.
1. Innovation
One great feature that sets Lenovo apart in the PC market is that it doesn’t only develop new products every year.
It also puts innovative features in them that will give you a better experience with a laptop.
Among the recent improvements in Lenovo computers, we can point to the powerful processors and graphic cards.
Also, the new models are much thinner and lighter now, making them more convenient and portable.
For example, the Thinkpad X1 Yoga is one of the most popular Lenovo PCs with exceptional, innovative features.
The 360° rotation feature that comes with the laptop allows you to use it as a tablet.
It also features a digital pen that’s very handy if you’re into digital arts or taking digital notes.
Besides these innovative features, Lenovo consistently enhances its laptops by extending the battery life and charging pace.
Additionally, HDR technology gives the laptops a better screen display.
Lenovo produces ergonomic keyboards that have been among the best in the industry for decades.
The screen-based keypad is one of the most innovative features of many Lenovo laptops.
This traditional keyboard converts to an e-reader or illustration pad at the touch of a button.
Another Lenovo innovative feature is the E-ink display on the closed lid of the ThinkBook Plus that allows you to access certain files without turning on your computer.
2. Cost-Effectiveness
Buying a laptop can be a financial burden, especially if you need a high-end product.
Therefore, a brand that can fulfill your technological needs and not drain all your money can get very popular.
Lenovo computers offer similar features to some top-notch brands at much lower prices.
In other words, they provide more value for the same price.
But lower prices don’t necessarily indicate a compromise in quality.
The company gets many of the hardware parts in bulk from IBM, its parent company.
The rest of the money goes to constantly updating other components, such as RAM and CPU, to maintain quality and remain competitive.
You can get a Lenovo device for $300 to $5,000, depending on your requirements and financial ability.
If you’re low on budget and looking for a laptop to cover everyday needs, you can go for the basic versions or refurbished models.
Some of the most affordable Lenovo laptops include Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3, Legion Y530, Lenovo Chromebook 300E, and Lenovo ThinkPad V130.
3. Brand Versatility
Lenovo is a computer brand with a wide choice of PCs on tap.
The specific machine you get determines what quality you’ll enjoy.
Lenovo’s versatility means you’ll have a greater chance of finding what best suits you among its laptops.
Regardless of your requirements, Lenovo can offer you a laptop that will meet your needs for a reasonable price.
Lenovo offers multiple options that can cover everyone’s needs, from innovative 2-in-1 laptops for students to powerful high-end laptops for gamers to ultraportable laptops for active business people.
A. Budget Laptops
If you want a laptop that can deliver daily tasks like streaming and web browsing, you can choose among Lenovo’s budget laptops.
Although these laptops might have minor shortcomings, they give you high value for money.
If you want a Lenovo budget laptop, you can go for any model of the Ideapad line or the Yoga series.
B. Business Laptops
If you are a student in need of a functional, powerful laptop, or you need a reliable machine for your business, the ThinkPad series is for you.
The laptops in this lineup are suitable for coding.
On the other hand, if you want a powerful business laptop with a nice look, the Yoga C930 from the Yoga series can get you what you need.
C. Gaming Laptops
Lenovo doesn’t limit its laptops to budget and business needs.
It also offers high-end gaming laptops with maximum operational efficiency.
If you’re a gamer and need to run heavy games on your laptop or a digital creator working with demanding software, Lenovo has good options for you.
The gaming laptops in the Lenovo Legion lineup give you a power-to-performance ratio that can compete with the strongest models in the market.
4. Battery Life
One reason you might choose a laptop over a desktop computer is that you won’t be in constant need of an outlet.
Laptops are portable, so battery life is one of the most critical considerations when deciding which device to buy.
If you’re a student or have a job that constantly keeps you on the go, you can’t always have access to charging points.
Lenovo is known for its many laptops with decent battery performance.
However, your laptop’s battery life depends on its model and how you use it.
Many of Lenovo’s most recent laptops run up to 15 hours of casual applications like web browsing before needing a recharge.
If you use them for more power-demanding tasks, they will probably last for half a day.
Laptops in the ThinkPad series usually show good power with decent battery life, but the Legion series may need quicker recharges.
Some of Lenovo’s best laptops with the longest battery life include:
- ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 (up to 15 hours)
- Lenovo ThinkPad T44Os (up to 14 hours)
- Lenovo IdeaPad Duet (up to 10 hours)
- Lenovo Flex 5G (8-10 hours)
5. Reliability
To determine a laptop’s reliability, you need to consider several aspects, including its level of performance and how long it can sustain that performance.
Not all Lenovo laptops offer exceptional operational efficiency.
Still, compared to other brands with the same price, they have something to say.
Among the several subcategories of Lenovo laptops, the ThinkPad series is the most popular, and some consider it the best business laptop in the market.
ThinkPads have top-notch processors with a clock speed above 2.4 GHz that you can easily boost up to 5 GHz—if the processor supports overclocking.
The high-end build quality in the ThinkPads allows the smooth running of heavy games and demanding software.
They are also suitable for coding.
Lenovo’s gaming laptops in the Legion series have exceptional hardware configurations to offer dependable functionality with minimal lag.
The company offers one to three years of warranty, depending on the model, and has multiple customer support channels.
6. Durability
When you buy a new computer, you want it to last for at least five years.
Lenovo makes tough laptops that small daily incidents won’t easily damage and will work properly for several years.
The build quality and efficient design of Lenovo laptops enhances their durability and ensures they’ll last long enough.
For example, the Polycarbonate build in the IdeaPads ensures they won’t get damaged by small bumps.
The ThinkPad goes one step further in that respect.
The carbon-fiber body that is resistant to shock, vibration, dust, and temperature makes this one of the most rugged laptops on the market.
On average, most Lenovo devices last about three years, but if you buy a high-end laptop and take good care of it, it can last up to a decade.
One factor that can determine a device’s durability is its price tag.
If you buy a Lenovo laptop that costs more than $1,000, you can expect it to stand the test of time.
However, models that cost $500 or less may not have the durability of a top-class machine.
The following ranking shows which Lenovo models tend to be more durable overall:
- ThinkPad Series
- Yoga Series
- Legion Devices
- Ideapad Series
Cons
1. Poor Support
According to some Lenovo users, contacting customer service is hopeless.
Phone support is the weakest part as you need a software warranty subscription to get answers.
Users say the foreign operators pass you around and redirect you to different departments several times, extending the call for endless hours.
On the other hand, Lenovo’s social media support team seems to do a good job giving step-by-step instructions to solve your problem.
Live chat support is also helpful but slower than social media.
Therefore, if you face any problems with your Lenovo, the most effective solution is to go to their website or contact them on social media for faster and better answers.
Some users have complained about incompetent technicians who ended up worsening the situation.
2. Safety
Unfortunately, Lenovo PCs have been plagued with various security risks and vulnerabilities throughout the years.
For example, the Lenovo laptops shipped to customers in late 2014 had a preinstalled malware called Superfish Visual Discovery.
This malware came as typical bloatware that analyzed images, checked if they were products, and showed you cheaper alternatives.
It hijacked the HTTPS connection, enabling Superfish to stop internet traffic.
Although the problems in Lenovo laptops can be easily removed, the point is that they shouldn’t exist in the first place.
Some say Lenovo doesn’t deal with the security breaches because they bring more money to the company and compensate for their laptops’ low prices.
We can’t be so sure about the reason.
Still, it’s a fact that Lenovo devices have faced security issues repeatedly over the years.
3. Design
Although Lenovo is doing well in adding innovative features to their new products, the overall look of their laptops is too generic for some people.
The straightforward business design of many of their laptops might not look so appealing if you’re looking for a cool laptop to buy.
Also, Lenovo’s efforts to make its laptops thinner while boosting their performance have caused problems with overheating and noise.
4. Overheating
Laptops, in general, tend to overheat quickly.
However, Lenovo laptops seem to be at the top of this list.
Because of the increasing demand for improved performance and sleek design, Lenovo has faced problems with cooling its devices.
The laptops have restricted access to airflow, and the built-in fans are mainly for pushing hot air out, not bringing cool air in.
To prevent or solve this problem, you must keep your Lenovo laptop in the coolest environment possible to achieve optimal performance.
Laptop stands that have a coolant system can also help in this matter.
As accumulated dust can cause overheating, frequently removing dust from the internal components and turning your PC off at night can also help.
5. Noise
Although Lenovo seems to be a reliable brand overall, some users complain about the annoying noise from their laptops.
Various minor factors may cause this issue, but your laptop may get damaged if you don’t attend to them.
Overheating is one of the main reasons your Lenovo laptop makes noise.
When you use your laptop for an extended period or run too many programs simultaneously, your fan will move faster to cool down the CPU.
Dust can also block the air vents of fans, making your laptop noisy and slow.
Another reason for your noisy Lenovo laptop can be a weak or failing hard drive.
6. Hardware
Most high-end Lenovo laptops, like the ThinkPad series, have stood the test of time due to their world-class hardware configurations.
However, you may not enjoy the utmost durability on its cheaper devices.
Users of many budget models have faced hardware problems over the years, even with the newly purchased devices.
Lenovo makes many thin and light laptops and sells them at affordable prices.
In some cases, this has resulted in compromising the structural integrity.
7. Hinge Cracks
Although many Lenovo laptops are durable, some Yoga series users report the hinges crack easily and for no reason.
The hinge crack can often damage the screen and make the laptop almost useless.
Crack damages aren’t usually covered under warranty, so it may cost a lot to repair them.
Changing a laptop screen can cost you around $35 to $125 plus the installation price.
8. Keyboards
One of the most common problems with Lenovo laptops is the keyboard issue.
Some users say that after a year of use, the keyboard buttons fall off, and they can’t use their external keyboard anymore.
Instead, they have to use the digital keyboard.
Another problem is that whenever you press a key on the keyboard, the laptop board is pushed inside.
9. Power Jack
Some Lenovo users have experienced problems with their power jack.
When they wanted to charge their laptop, the power jack pushed in, and they couldn’t charge.
You can easily repair this defect, but why should it be there at all?
Verdict
Overall, Lenovo is an innovative brand of laptop that offers a versatile range of options at significantly affordable prices.
Whether you want a laptop for gaming, business, school work, video editing, or everyday use, you can find it among Lenovo products.
From powerful ThinkPads and fast Legions to sleek Yogas and affordable Ideapad, Lenovo has something for everyone.
The company gives you many options, but it doesn’t mean that every one of them will meet your requirements.
Although the best Lenovo laptops are usually highly reliable, you might face some problems with the cheaper models.
Also, it seems that Lenovo has to work on the safety of its laptops to give its users a more satisfying experience.
If you want to buy a Lenovo laptop, search for the features of different models, and go to a nearby store and check the design.
The video below helps you choose among the best Lenovo laptops in 2022:
Tips For Choosing The Best Lenovo Laptop
- If you want the best quality, go for the business-grade models like Lenovo ThinkPads, as they tend to be more reliable.
- Computer manufacturers charge you for different features they put in their laptops. Therefore, choose a laptop with the features you know you’ll use.
- Purchase a laptop with an SSD because mechanical hard drives are slow and fail easily.
- After narrowing down your choices, search online to see what issues users have faced with each model. Some issues may be easy to solve or ignore, but others may cost you time and money.
- If possible, talk to a repair technician to see what they recommend.
- Go to a nearby store and test drive the model you want to buy.
Jennifer,
I have had a Lenovo Ideapad P500 that I purchased in 2011.
I have had to make a few minor repairs, mostly as a result of my own fault.
(Dropped and cracked screen, spilled coffee in H portals .
It is still running well 11 years later but getting time for new one.
Because of my great experience with this computer, I want another one
I am 74 and use is not highly demanding anymore,
but like to stream at times on the device.
I appreciate your article tremendously, as it addresses all questions and concerns a buyer may contemplate. Thank you for what I consider still a sound reccomendation of a Lenovo.
of a