Lenovo announced the Slim 7 Pro X earlier this yr as a brand new addition to its laptop computer household. The Slim lineup may be seen as an alternative choice to the Yoga model, although there’s some crossover in naming. On this case, the Slim 7 Professional X may be in comparison with the Yoga 7i 14 (Gen 7) that I also reviewed, although the Slim laptop computer focuses extra on interesting to creators who want a succesful laptop computer that is still transportable.
The Slim 7 Professional X shares some design cues from the brand new Yoga laptops — just like the rounded consolation edges and full aluminum chassis — regardless of not having any convertible talents. And as for efficiency, the Slim 7 Professional X’s discrete NVIDIA RTX 3050 Laptop computer GPU and Ryzen 9 6900HS CPU are forward of the built-in graphics and U-Collection chips within the smaller Yoga 7i (Gen 7).
Does it make the reduce as one of many best Lenovo laptops on the market? I have been utilizing the Slim 7 Professional X for the final couple of weeks to see the place it excels, the place it wants some work, and, in the end, whether or not or not it is value your cash.
Lenovo Slim 7 Professional X: Value, availability, and specs
Lenovo provided Home windows Central with a overview unit of its Slim 7 Professional X. This particular mannequin has a 35W AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS Creator Version processor (CPU) with 8 cores and 16 threads, 32GB of LPDDR5-6400MHz dual-channel built-in RAM, 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and discrete NVIDIA RTX 3050 Laptop computer GPU with 4GB of VRAM.
There’s solely the one 14.5-inch contact IPS show choice obtainable, however it’s stacked. It has a 3072×1920 (3K) decision, 16:10 facet ratio, 120Hz refresh fee, Dolby Imaginative and prescient, and extra. You’ll be able to select between AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS or Ryzen 9 6900HS Creator Version CPUs, 16GB or 32GB of RAM, and a 512GB or 1TB SSD. The NVIDIA RTX 3050 Laptop computer GPU is the one discrete choice and is available in all configurations.
Here is a take a look at the precise specs present in my overview unit.
| Lenovo Slim 7 Professional X | |
|---|---|
| OS | Home windows 11 House |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS Creator Version |
| RAM | 32GB LPDDR5-6400 |
| Twin-channel, soldered | |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Laptop computer (4GB) |
| Storage | 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD |
| Show | 14.5 inches, 16:10 facet ratio, contact, IPS, shiny, Dolby Imaginative and prescient |
| 3072×1920 (3K), 400 nits, 100% sRGB, 120Hz refresh fee, TÜV Low Blue Gentle, TÜV Eyesafe | |
| Ports | Two USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), two USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), 3.5mm audio |
| Audio | Twin 2W audio system, Dolby Atmos |
| Twin array microphone, noise-canceling, Lenovo Voice Assistant | |
| Wi-fi | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Digicam | IR + FHD hybrid, ToF sensor, webcam shutter |
| Safety | Firmware TPM 2.0, IR digital camera, webcam shutter |
| Battery | 70Wh |
| Dimensions | 12.92 x 8.72 x 0.63 inches |
| (328.2mm x 221.4mm x 15.9mm) | |
| Weight | From 3.2 kilos (1.45kg) |
| Colour | Onyx Gray |
| Materials | Aluminum |
This precise mannequin may be discovered at Costco for about $1,300. It will also be configured at Lenovo’s official web site for about $1,765. Different fashions beginning with an AMD Ryzen 7 6800HS CPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and RTX 3050 GPU price about $1,320 at Lenovo.
The present upside of purchasing at Lenovo’s official web site is the power to configure particular {hardware} to your liking. However in the event you’re trying to max out {hardware} choices, Costco is at present by far the very best vendor. Lenovo will doubtless function some massive reductions (because it nearly at all times does) sooner or later.
There’s additionally an Intel model of the laptop computer. The Slim 7i Professional X is at present obtainable with as much as a twelfth Gen Intel Core i7-12700H CPU, 32GB of LPDDR5-5200MHz RAM, 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 3050 Laptop computer GPU, and the identical 14.5-inch show. It begins at about $1,595 at Lenovo.
Lenovo Slim 7 Professional X: What I like
The Slim 7 Professional X obtained the identical chassis therapy because the Yoga model’s newest refresh; rounded, clean edges make it simpler and extra snug to carry onto, and the CNC-machined aluminum used for the lid and keyboard encompass ensures that all the pieces matches collectively completely. There is a little bit of a wedge form that tapers towards the entrance, much less noticeable on a laptop computer with no lid that rotates round 360 levels. There is a small Lenovo badge on the lid and a large consumption vent on the underside, however aside from that the end is uniform.
The Slim 7 Professional X is a pleasure to make use of because of its assortment of high-end options, together with human presence detection, Atmos-tuned audio system, FHD webcam, and comfy keyboard.
For a laptop computer with RTX 3050 discrete laptop computer GPU and sizable cooling to deal with the Ryzen 9 6900HS, measuring 0.63 inches skinny is not a foul factor. Weight begins at 3.2 kilos (1.45kg), which once more is respectable for an all-metal laptop computer with this degree of {hardware} inside.
Opening the lid (which may be executed with one hand) reveals a backlit keyboard that I’ve now used fairly a bit after reviewing the Yoga 7i 14 and 16 (Gen 7) and the Yoga 6 (Gen 7). Cupped keys have only a little bit of grit to them, and journey is nice sufficient that you simply should not expertise any typing fatigue. Flanking the keyboard are 2W audio system with Dolby Atmos. You’ll be able to tune for various Atmos eventualities (voice, music, film, and so forth.) inside the Vantage app, and it does make an enormous distinction. You get extra quantity, extra bass, and better highs. Voices are simple to listen to whereas on calls, and tunes sound nice once you want a little bit of accompaniment whereas working.
Above the show is a 1080p (FHD) webcam with IR hybrid for facial recognition by way of Home windows Hi there. The digital camera’s image is obvious and offers properly with publicity; you shouldn’t have any issues utilizing it for frequent video conferencing. The array’s Time of Flight (ToF) sensor supplies human presence detection talents, successfully making your laptop computer safer in public areas. If you happen to stroll away it robotically locks, and once you method it robotically unlocks because the IR sensor scans your face.
A dual-array microphone has noise canceling baked proper in for clearer calls, and it helps Lenovo’s Voice Assistant (LVA) function in the event you like giving instructions with out touching the PC.
The 14.5-inch contact show within the Slim 7 Professional X is likely one of the first to have Lenovo’s new PureSight branding. This designation requires a display to have a minimum of a 2.5K decision with 90Hz refresh fee, 100% sRGB coloration copy, Dolby Vision, and TÜV Low Blue Gentle certification.
Lenovo has gone past its personal necessities right here, providing up a 3072×1920 (3K) decision with 16:10 facet ratio, 120Hz refresh fee, TÜV Low Blue Gentle and TÜV Eyesafe certifications, and an anti-fingerprint coating to scale back smudges. Animations are tremendous clean on the full 120Hz, and the boosted decision makes for a crisp image.
That is the only real show choice obtainable with the Slim 7 Professional X, however it’s a pleasant compromise between FHD and 4K. Not going all out with 4K OLED undoubtedly retains the price down, although I am certain some creators will want for the total bundle.
I measured coloration copy and brightness with my SpyderX Professional colorimeter. The display hit 99% sRGB, 75% AdobeRGB, and 76% DCI-P3, in addition to managing 435 nits brightness on the peak and a couple of.7 nits on the minimal. I might wish to see higher AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 coloration for creators on the market, however the sRGB copy will however go well with lots of people. Slim bezels encompass the display, and there is hardly any chin beneath for a contemporary look.
Lenovo Slim 7 Professional X: A be aware on AMD efficiency
This is likely one of the first laptops we have examined with AMD’s Ryzen 6000 mobile CPUs. Previously, we have seen some AMD laptops reduce system performance for better battery life, as Government Editor Daniel Rubino wrote about final yr. All the pieces from CPUs to GPUs to SSDs had been getting nerfed on DC energy, whereas Intel methods weren’t having the identical subject (although, on the whole, battery life wasn’t nearly as good). There’s probably not a “correct” option to arrange a laptop computer’s energy management, however AMD wasn’t precisely making the efficiency drop evident to customers.
This was most evident in Ryzen 4000 and Ryzen 5000 chips, and I used to be curious to see whether or not AMD had made up any floor with its Ryzen 6000 {hardware}. The quick reply? You are still going to see efficiency drops within the CPU, GPU, and SSD on battery energy. You’ll be able to see how the AC and DC outcomes evaluate within the graphs beneath.
Even with Home windows 11 set to Finest Efficiency and Lenovo Vantage set to Excessive Efficiency, Geekbench 5 multi-core scores nonetheless noticed a couple of 2,500 level drop. That is not insignificant. Likewise, SSD learn speeds had been practically reduce in half on DC energy, with write speeds shedding out on greater than 1,000MB/s in comparison with AC energy.
Cinebench R23 AC and DC outcomes had been a lot nearer matched, and I believe this represents significantly better the precise really feel of the laptop computer. I often used the laptop computer on DC energy whereas testing basic use and did not actually discover a slowdown. I think about a heavier workflow involving specialised apps would endure extra, however filling spreadsheets, phrase processing, photograph enhancing, and heavy internet shopping all went easily on battery energy. Lenovo markets the laptop computer as a PC for “content material creators on the transfer,” however they’ll, in lots of instances, need to carry an AC adapter alongside for the journey.
General efficiency from the Ryzen 9 6900HS even on AC energy is a bit underwhelming in among the benchmarks. This might need to do with Lenovo’s new “X Energy” tuning that balances warmth and efficiency for the CPU and GPU. The laptop computer runs very quietly even underneath load, however I believe the CPU is not being allowed to hit its full potential in some instances. Be aware additionally that this isn’t a gaming laptop computer regardless of the discrete GPU. The system is geared for productiveness, and any of the best gaming laptops will ship a significantly better expertise.
So … efficiency nonetheless takes a a lot bigger hit on DC energy with AMD in comparison with Intel, however what’s the tradeoff for battery life? I examined first utilizing Home windows 11’s Finest Efficiency and Lenovo’s Clever Cooling profiles. With these circumstances, the Slim 7 Professional X managed 6 hours and seven minutes in PCMark 10’s Trendy Workplace rundown. Be aware that this was with the display set at a 120Hz refresh fee.
I ran the check once more with the Home windows 11’s Balanced profile and Lenovo’s Battery Saver profile, which robotically regulate display brightness, disables Dolby Audio, and extra. I additionally lowered the show’s refresh fee to 60Hz. With these circumstances, the Slim 7 Professional X’s battery lasted 10 hours and 25 minutes.
Actual-world battery life will not be fairly nearly as good, however you must nonetheless count on someplace between 6 and 10 hours relying in your workload. I discovered that it takes about 75 minutes to completely cost the battery with the offered 100W AC adapter.
Lenovo Slim 7 Professional X: What I do not like
I really like the development of giant touchpads that Lenovo has keyed in on with most of its 2022 laptops. Pointing is straightforward with a lot house, as are dealing with Home windows 10 shortcuts. The one disadvantage right here is that the clicking feels only a tad hole. Nothing egregious, however the Yoga touchpads appear to be firmer when urgent down all the way in which.
Because of the AMD platform, Thunderbolt 4 (which is an Intel creation and have to be licensed) is sadly lacking. There are as an alternative two USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) ports with knowledge, DisplayPort 1.4 and Energy Supply 3.0 to deal with exterior shows and equipment.
You will not be capable of profit from a powerful Thunderbolt 4 dock, however you may nonetheless simply be capable of hook up with an ordinary laptop computer dock. Different ports embrace two USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1) and a 3.5mm audio jack. Having HDMI and an SD/microSD card reader can be a terrific addition to the Slim 7 Professional X, particularly because it’s marketed as a creator laptop computer.
The show provides contact performance, and together with it you get a shiny end. This causes some points with glare, and a matte or anti-reflective end can be a significantly better match.
Lenovo Slim 7 Professional X: Competitors
Lenovo provides an Intel model of the identical laptop computer, which is virtually equivalent save for the twelfth Gen Intel Core H-Collection CPUs. A mannequin with Core i7-12700H chip, NVIDIA RTX 3050 Laptop computer GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB M.2 SSD begins at about $1,595 at Lenovo, so you can be paying fairly a bit extra in comparison with the AMD fashions. I want to have been in a position to check the AC vs. DC efficiency on the Intel laptop computer as properly; sadly, I did not obtain an Intel unit for testing.
If we need to take a look at one other 14-inch laptop computer with Core i7-12700H and discrete GPU, we additionally just lately reviewed the HP Pavilion Plus 14. Government Editor Daniel Rubino known as it “the very best $1,000 you possibly can spend on a strong OLED laptop computer proper now.” It is obtainable with Intel’s twelfth Gen U-, P-, and H-Collection processors, with costs beginning at simply $799. The two.8K OLED display is there for many who need the very best coloration and distinction doable, and you will get NVIDIA MX550 or RTX 2050 discrete graphics. The i7-12700H got here out simply forward of the Ryzen 9 6900HS in Geekbench assessments, although the AMD platform got here out forward in PCMark 10 and Cinebench R23.
Dell’s Inspiron 14 Plus is one other contender. A mannequin with Core i7-12700H CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3050 Laptop computer GPU, 16GB of DDR5-4800MHz RAM, 512GB M.2 PCIe SSD, and 14-inch 2.2K show with 300 nits prices about $1,150. It has a greater port choice, together with Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, and a microSD card reader, although it falls behind in relation to among the high-end options like human presence detection, show decision (and Dolby Imaginative and prescient), and total design.
Our roundup of the 20+ best Windows laptops has a bunch extra choices to select from if none of those are fairly what you are searching for.
Must you purchase the Lenovo Slim 7 Professional X?
Who it is for …
- Those that want a transportable laptop computer with discrete GPU
- Those that eat media, edit images and movies
- Those that need to spend about $1,300 on a strong laptop computer
- Those that respect additional options like human presence detection, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Imaginative and prescient
Who it is not for …
- Those that need an OLED show
- Those that need a greater port choice, together with HDMI, SD card reader, or Thunderbolt 4
- Those that need a true gaming laptop computer
The Slim 7 Professional X is positioned as a non-convertible various to the Yoga model, however it additionally packs in a discrete GPU and AMD’s Ryzen HS-Collection processors for boosted efficiency. It has just a few downsides, like the shortage of Thunderbolt, HDMI, and SD card reader, in addition to the ho-hum battery life and shiny show end. However total it is a well-rounded laptop computer, particularly for the asking value.
Contemplating you will get an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS CPU, NVIDIA RTX 3050 Laptop computer GPU, 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD for about $1,300, this laptop computer is little doubt going to draw lots of people who want some additional efficiency in a compact construct. And that is with out mentioning all the additional options.
The 14.5-inch show has a 3K decision and 120Hz refresh fee, in addition to Dolby Imaginative and prescient and a bunch of certifications to make it simpler on the eyes. Human presence detection mixed with the IR digital camera and FHD webcam make for a terrific consumer expertise, and the top-firing audio system with Dolby Atmos produce high quality audio. Uncooked efficiency from the CPU is not jaw-dropping, however it will possibly maintain its personal for many workflows outdoors of specialised work.
If you happen to’re probably not into the convertible Yoga brand however however need one thing with an analogous design and want that additional efficiency, the Slim 7 Professional X is value trying out.
The Slim 7 Professional X is a Yoga various with discrete NVIDIA RTX 3050 Laptop computer GPU and AMD’s Ryzen 6000 HS-Collection CPUs. It is a variety of laptop computer for the asking value and will enchantment to creators.