Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14 (Intel) evaluation
Hybrids, or 2-in-1 laptops, have change into common for at-home professionals and college students as of late. Nonetheless, there’s solely a small number of high-performing fashions priced at below $1,000. Too usually, the query turns into “Do I persist with my finances and cope with sluggish speeds or do I stretch my finances skinny this month to optimize my workflow?” Lenovo’s IdeaPad Flex 5 14 finds a incredible center floor.
In earlier iterations, we’ve had points with disappointing battery life and overheating, however I can guarantee you that these have been addressed. Now delivering lengthy battery life and improved cooling, nothing can cease me from loving the Flex 5. Nonetheless, the shortage of an included pen and a uninteresting, dim show undoubtedly tempers that love.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 worth and configuration
Then there are availability points. Monitoring down the Flex 5’s configuration choices was harder than I anticipated.
Lenovo discontinued the IdeaPad Flex 5 14ITL05, in accordance with its web site. Thankfully, you’ll be able to nonetheless discover the laptop computer at different retailers, however the configuration I reviewed with an eleventh Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD is sort of extinct. The closest I might discover had 12GB RAM and is bought at Staples for $649. Different configurations embody an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU or an Intel Core i3, 4GB to 8GB RAM, and 256GB SSD. These completely different configurations differ in worth from retailer to retailer however usually fall between $499 and $679.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 design
There’s nothing distinctive or flashy concerning the IdeaPad Flex 5’s design, but it surely definitely would not look unhealthy. It is really fairly fashionable with its charcoal gray metallic coating on the entrance with the Lenovo brand inlaid on the top-right nook. Open the laptop computer and also you’re greeted with a 14-inch show with decently skinny bezels. The webcam sits within the middle on the highest bezel and has a useful slider that engages the bodily webcam cowl. Masking the deck is a nice soft-touch plastic coating that makes for a comfortable typing expertise. The keyboard is about between two front-facing audio system.
Beneath the keyboard, you may discover a centered touchpad and the fingerprint scanner on the appropriate. There’s yet one more Lenovo brand on the underside proper, just under the scanner. Flipping the system over reveals one other easy, all-gray plastic design. There’s a massive vent within the middle for airflow and rubber stoppers to stop the laptop computer from sliding round on a easy floor.
Laptops, particularly hybrids, are usually soured by a hinge that’s too stiff or too unfastened. Fortunately, the IdeaPad Flex 5 discovered a superb compromise between sturdy and versatile. I simply opened the laptop computer with one hand with out a lot hassle, and changing it into pill mode was all the time a easy expertise. However the hinge was additionally sturdy sufficient to prop the system up in tent mode and held agency as I jotted down a couple of notes.
Touring with this laptop computer was a breeze. Measuring 12.7 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches and weighing 3.3 kilos, this 2-in-1 simply matches into any backpack and surprisingly, my purse. That mentioned, it is a contact heavier than the HP Envy x360 13 (2.9 kilos, 0.7 inches), the Lenovo Yoga C740 (3 kilos, 0.7 inches) and about the identical measurement because the Acer Spin 3 (3.3 kilos, 0.7 inches).
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 ports
For a mid-range laptop computer, the IdeaPad Flex 5 comes with a stunning quantity of ports. On the appropriate edge, you’ll discover two USB 3.0 Sort-A ports and a full SD card reader, each of that are helpful but more and more uncommon.
The left facet of the laptop computer has a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB Sort-C enter, an HDMI and an AC energy jack.
Whereas there’s an AC port, the charger included with the laptop computer makes use of the only USB-C port. In the event you’re going to wish the USB-C port whereas charging this laptop computer, it might be a good suggestion to get a USB-C hub.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 show
At first look, the 14-inch, 1080p show appeared brilliant with good distinction. Then I took it outdoors and could not see something, even with the display screen at its brightest setting.
Whereas watching the brand new Spider-Man: No Manner Residence trailer, the greens within the Time Sq. digital screens and within the foliage in parks have been vibrant; nevertheless, the reds in Spider-Man’s costume solely stood out when he was the only determine on the display screen, in any other case, he tended to get misplaced within the crowds.
The colour protection was a bit higher within the Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora recreation trailer; the blues and purples appeared brilliant and vibrant, however once more, the reds and oranges have been subdued. That is not stunning contemplating the show covers solely 45% of the DCI-P3 coloration gamut, a far cry from the 68.9% mainstream common and Yoga C740 (79%), Spin 3 (63%), and the Envy x360 13 (77%).
In accordance with our checks, the IdeaPad Flex 5’s show brightness reached solely 200 nits which is dim in comparison with the mainstream laptop computer common of 290 nits and the Envy x360 13 (364 nits). Even the Spin 3 (279 nits) and Yoga C740 (250 nits) get brighter, and we knocked these laptops for having dim panels.
Complaints on the uninteresting colours and brightness apart, I loved the touchscreen on this system. Each responsive and intuitive, I usually discovered myself scrolling by internet pages utilizing the display screen as a substitute of the trackpad. Nonetheless, I actually want Lenovo had included a pen with this technique. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than I used to be reaching for a fabric to wipe away fingerprints and smudges.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 keyboard and touchpad
As somebody who usually makes use of a mechanical keyboard for on a regular basis duties, I used to be able to be thrown off my rhythm by a extra shallow keyboard. As an alternative, I used to be pleasantly stunned by the snug typing expertise that awaited me on the Flex 5. Sure, the keyboard was extra shallow than I am used to, however the keys’ actuation was met with a tactile click on on the finish. If something, it was the smaller measurement of the keyboard that took time to get used to greater than something.
Whereas scripting this evaluation, I periodically converted to 10fastfingers to see how snug I used to be getting. I made it to 64 phrases per minute with a 91% accuracy, which is 10wpm sooner than I usually kind on my Corsair Strafe keyboard.
The touchpad feels plasticky, however was nonetheless very easy and supplied little resistance as I swiped my fingers throughout the floor. Each motion translated as rapidly on the touchpad as they did when utilizing the touchscreen, and each the appropriate and left clicks had simply sufficient of a tactile click on.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 audio
I used to be pleasantly stunned by the total, wealthy sounds produced by the audio system, even at full quantity. Whereas listening to Lorde’s Photo voltaic Energy album, I appreciated the total harmonies and the way one factor by no means overpowered the opposite. The audio system get loud sufficient to listen to from throughout the room, and may even overpower ambient espresso store noise (apologies to my fellow clients, however all of us love Lorde, proper?).
For songs with heavier bass, nevertheless, the story is completely different. In Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA” the bass line was shrouded by the vocals. Thankfully, the treble by no means grew to become tinny so the sonics weren’t disagreeable — I simply want there was extra low finish.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 efficiency
The speedy efficiency supplied by the IdeaPad Flex 5 is an understated workhorse sporting an eleventh Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 processor with 16GB of RAM. I saved 25 tabs open in Microsoft Edge, half of them that includes YouTube movies, Twitch streams, and BBC movies, earlier than noticing any lag. And even then, the slowdowns weren’t sufficient to be annoying. The laptop computer actually began working once I hit 35 tabs, though it was nonetheless very usable.
Within the Geekbench 5.4 total efficiency take a look at, the Flex 5 scored a 3,841 for multi-core efficiency which falls shy of the mainstream laptop computer common of 4,247. It fell wanting the Envy x360 13 (4,548, AMD Ryzen 5 4500U CPU) and Yoga C740 (3,915, Core i5-10210U CPU) however handily topped the Spin 3 (3,600, Core i3-8130U CPU).
This does not sound spectacular when mixed with the outcomes of our Handbrake enhancing take a look at, wherein it took the Flex 5 25 minutes and 30 seconds to transform a 4K video to 1080p. That’s slower than the Spin 3 (22:04), Yoga C740 (20:42) and Envy x360 13 (13:44). The mainstream common stands at 16:11.
The place this laptop computer actually shines is in its 512GB SSD. It took the Flex 5 simply 47 seconds to switch 25GB of multimedia recordsdata for a charge of 565.9 megabytes per second. As compared, the HP Envy x360 (337.1 MBps, 256GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD) and Spin 3 (389 MBps, 1TB SSD), have slower drives.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 graphics
Geared up with Intel Iris Xe built-in graphics, the identical GPU utilized in laptops such because the ThinkPad X13, Envy 13, and Floor Professional 7+, the Flex 5 has sufficient oomph for picture and video enhancing. Nonetheless, something extra graphics-intensive must be left alone on this system.
Through the 3DMark Fireplace Strike take a look at, the Flex 5 scored a 2,697, which was barely higher than the HP Envy x360 (2,569, AMD Radeon Graphics), leagues above the Acer Spin 3 (1,637, Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU), however far under the class common of 4,601.
Only for funsies, we determined to see simply how properly it might deal with gaming. Utilizing the Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (1080p) benchmark, the Flex 5 reached a measly 16 frames per second. Whereas it beat the Lenovo Yoga C740 (8 fps), it’s wanting our 30-fps threshold, which even the Envy 13 (27 fps) practically matched. Then once more, we didn’t precisely have excessive hopes when the class common is simply 19 fps.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 battery life
Lenovo boasts all-day battery life, after which some. On the Laptop computer Magazine battery take a look at, which entails steady internet looking over WiFi at a brightness of 150 nits, this laptop computer made it a formidable 14 hours and 16 minutes. That’s greater than 5 hours greater than the mainstream laptop computer common of 9:16 and hours higher than the 7:56 of the Acer Spin 3. It even outlasted the Envy x360 (11;52) and Yoga C740 (10:18).
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 webcam
Whereas the period of Covid video calls is slowly dwindling down, having a superb webcam is a pleasant plus for these working or education from house.
The 720p webcam on the IdeaPad Flex 5 does the job. The few selfies I took had first rate distinction, and the colours weren’t unsaturated. Nonetheless, I observed some blooming and pictures have been grainy. That is definitely not an amazing digicam for streamers, but it surely’ll do for on a regular basis video chatting. Plus, you get that added peace of thoughts with the bodily webcam shutter.
Nonetheless, if you’d like higher picture high quality, try our greatest webcams web page.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 warmth
In the event you’re like me, you might have the tendency to do most of your internet looking from the sofa whereas utilizing your knees as a desk (it’s referred to as a LAPtop for a cause, proper?). So you understand how irritating it’s while you’re watching a video and abruptly it looks like your legs are on hearth.
Fortunately, the IdeaPad Flex 5 would not get very popular below a heavy workload. The most popular it acquired after enjoying a 15-minute 1080p video at fullscreen, was at 76 levels Fahrenheit on the touchpad, and 87 levels on the keyboard. The 94 levels on the underside was the height temperature which continues to be cool sufficient to stop cooking your thighs. It’s only a diploma under our 95-degree consolation threshold.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 software program and guarantee
You will not discover a lot additional software program weighing down the Flex 5 out of the field. Positive, you might have the standard Microsoft Workplace pre-installations, however I might solely discover three Lenovo branded apps, versus the 9 HP apps I dug up on the Envy x360 13.
The primary of those apps was Lenovo Hotkeys, which is a useful resource for studying and altering the shortcuts assigned to the varied perform keys. Lenovo Pen Settings is simply related when you selected to have a stylus included in your configuration; it reveals your pen’s battery proportion and allows you to alter the pen tip really feel and the shortcuts assigned to the two-barrel buttons. It additionally offers you the choice to customise a radial menu when you select to assign it as a shortcut on considered one of these two buttons.
Lastly, Lenovo Vantage is an app that compiles the entire info concerning your system into one central hub. You will discover your {hardware} statuses, comparable to reminiscence and storage availability, system updates, plus safety and guarantee statuses. It’s like a management panel for straightforward entry to issues referring to your particular system.
The IdeaPad Flex 5 comes with a 1-year guarantee. See how Lenovo fared in our Tech Assist Showdown and Finest and Worst Manufacturers experiences.
Backside Line
So far as reasonably priced laptops go, the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is an effective alternative. Whereas the dim show is disappointing, it was a pleasure utilizing this laptop computer. I had no issues browsing the online irrespective of what number of tabs have been open, and I might depend on the lengthy battery life to maintain me entertained all through the day. And whereas it’s made largely of plastic, the Flex 5 nonetheless appears and looks like a glossy, sturdy system that’s properly definitely worth the funding.
That’s if you’ll find it in inventory. Sadly, Lenovo seems to have discontinued this laptop computer, and pricing from third-party retailers varies wildly. In the event you’re not into searching down your most popular configuration or cannot discover a whole lot on the Flex 5, try the equally priced HP Envy 13 x360.
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