The ThinkPad is Lenovo’s premium line of laptops, favored by business people who need power and portability. While the Lenovo brand is often known for its ThinkPad machines, the IdeaPad range has similar benefits marketed to a more mainstream consumer.
An IdeaPad is likely to be sufficient for most people’s needs. It may not have all the features of the ThinkPad, but most people probably don’t need all the features of the ThinkPad.
Throughout the Ideapad range, you can expect a comfortable, solid keyboard, a trackpad that feels lovely, and decent build quality. It will be one of the more durable laptops in its price range.
ThinkPad keyboards feel great, and the IdeaPad does not quite live up to this, but they still feel better than most laptop keyboards. The pleasure of typing and using the trackpad on an IdeaPad is one of the major selling points. They offer solid, large keys and a tactile, enjoyable typing experience.
For the budget-conscious, an IdeaPad makes a great alternative to a ThinkPad. If you know where to look, you can find some great deals on Lenovo IdeaPads on sale.
We think the IdeaPad range is one of the best on the market. A ThinkPad may offer slightly better features, such as longer battery life, more impressive screen quality, and more powerful components, but the IdeaPad is still impressive at its price point.
One of Our Favorite IdeaPads – The IdeaPad 3 14”
When it comes to a balance of performance and cost, don’t spend any money without looking at an IdeaPad 3. This is a solid and well-built laptop, despite the plethora of plastic. The plastic does make it very light and portable.
The combination makes it particularly interesting to users on the go who are not simply looking for a computer that takes up less space on a desk. Drop the IdeaPad 3 into a bag and experience the convenience of its portability and peace of mind from its solid construction.
If you want a laptop for light gaming, browsing, and streaming movies or TV shows, the IdeaPad will handle it all without batting an eyelid. While it is marketed as an affordable laptop for mainstream consumers, this machine is also plenty powerful for those who want to use it for work.
On the downside, the battery life is not as good as some other laptops in a similar price range. In “better battery” mode, however, you can extend the life to up to 6 hours of running time without significant loss of performance.
The screen could also be better. It may cause some frowns if you intend to use the machine outdoors on a sunny day. In typical indoor conditions and sitting in a usual position, however, the screen will be very clear.
If you see an IdeaPad 3 14” for under $500, this represents a good deal for what you get: portability, solid construction, and power. You could easily pay twice as much to another brand for a laptop with similar performance. An IdeaPad 3 may not impress you with its plastic construction, but it is nonetheless well-built and solid. Again, at this price point, you could do much worse.
The IdeaPad 3 will handle the most common tasks with ease and will feel great to use, making it a top recommendation for students writing essays, business people writing up reports and creating spreadsheets, or even novelists up for extended writing sessions.
Lenovo Chromebook Duet
For fans of netbooks – or those who want a truly budget option for surfing and light computer use – we recommend you look at the Lenovo Chromebook Duet. You should be able to pick one of these up for under $300.
These laptops are known for ultra-portability. Not only are they extremely lightweight, but you can expect a long battery life, too. By long, we mean more than 10 hours!
On the downside – there is almost always a downside at these prices – Lenovo have sacrificed the keyboard and trackpad. The keyboard is not the typical glorious experience we’ve come to expect from IdeaPads. The trackpad is unreliable. Also, the charger and the headphone share a port, which may require some thinking ahead, but with a 10+ hour battery life, that’s unlikely to be a regular issue.
If you’re looking for a cheap laptop or one of the best netbooks you’ve ever used, keep the Lenovo Chromebook Duet on your radar.
Lenovo IdeaPads are great laptops. While they may not have the prestige of the ThinkPad brand, they should be a top consideration for users looking for a good quality, affordable machine.
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