Lenovo’s ThinkPad and IdeaPad laptops get a welcome facelift

Today at MWC, Lenovo showed off the latest updates to their business-oriented ThinkPad and IdeaPad lines. The focus is on better performance from modern chips across the board, increased use of more eco-friendly materials, and so on.

While I was impressed with Lenovo’s many offerings, there were a couple of standouts for me, namely the fifth generation of the ThinkPad E14 and the first generation of the E16, as well as the IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook. From taller displays to punchier audio, I really liked what the upgrades the manufacturer made to these specific machines. Let’s get right into it.

Lenovo ThinkPad E14 and E16

When it comes to business-oriented laptops, a solid display can make a world of difference, especially where productivity tasks are concerned. Lenovo made a really smart move here by increasing the size of the ThinkPad E14’s display. The aspect ratio is now 16:10. The taller display makes scrolling through documents much easier, which is perfect for those who primarily use a laptop for work. The touchpad is also larger at 115mm, making it a more comfortable user experience. Now, let’s talk about what’s going on beneath the hood.

The E14 will have either a 13th-gen Intel Core or an AMD Ryzen 7000 Series processor, up to 40GB of DDR4 RAM (wow), and dual SSD storage up to 2TB. That’s a sufficient amount of power, especially for work-related tasks. The 14-inch display will have a touch option and, according to Lenovo, a maximum brightness level of 300 nits.

Lenovo also added the brand new ThinkPad E16 to their lineup, which has a bigger display and the same 16:10 aspect ratio. However, for the top-tier configuration, the maximum brightness level gets bumped up to 400 nits. The hardware is near-identical to the E14. The E16 will have the latest Intel or AMD processors, up to 40GB of RAM, and dual SSD storage up to 2TB.

The E14 and E16 will launch in May 2023 with a starting price of $739 and $759.

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook

Lenovo

It’s no secret that I love Chromebooks. They’re simple, affordable, and secure. They have great battery life, too.

Lenovo is updating its IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook with better speakers, brighter screen options, and so on. The Chromebook will now feature front-facing speakers with Waves MaxxAudio tuning as well as a 14-inch touch-enabled 1080p display with a maximum brightness of 300 nits. These upgrades add a great deal of versatility, as it’s ready for both work and play.

The Chromebook will feature a MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor, up to 8GB of RAM, and up to 128GB of eMMC storage. It’s not the most powerful Chromebook we’ve ever seen, but it should be fine for basic everyday use. The port selection is diverse, too. You’re getting one MicroSD card slot, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, and one combo audio jack.

The IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook will become available to purchase in May 2023 with a reasonable starting price of $340.