Lenovo shows off newest AI-powered laptops at MWC
Mobile World Congress (MWC) begins on Monday in Barcelona, Spain, and some of the biggest tech companies will be on hand to show off their latest hardware.
Lenovo will be on hand to show its latest proof of concepts including a laptop with a display that folds vertically, a solar-powered laptop, and its Magic Bay ecosystem that can make a laptop into a tri-screen workstation.
The computer hardware company is also showing off its latest laptops at MWC. These include its newest ThinkBooks, Yoga laptops, and IdeaPads. One big focus on all these laptops is the inclusion of more AI features.
Lenovo added two Yoga AI laptops–Yoga Pro 9i Aura and Yoga Pro 7i Aura–to its Aura Edition lineup. These laptops come with AI features such as Smart Modes to give users higher control of PC customizability based on their needs, Smart Share provides AI-driven image sharing between smartphones and laptops whether it's on iOS or Android, and Smart Care for real-time support on the laptop's hardware and apps.
The Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition is a 16-inch laptop with an Intel Core Ultra processor and up to an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 GPU. The RTX5070 GPU provides the additional AI functionality, whether that's done to create video, photos, or music in their respective applications or to use AI to offer the highest fidelity while gaming. The 3.2K PureSight Pro display provides a double layer of OLED display, making the brightness peak at 1600 nits while the laptop's cooling system keeps it quiet. The Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition has a starting price of $1,799.00.
Lenovo will also introduce its IdeaPad Slim 3x. The 15-inch slim laptop is powered by a Snapdragon X processor while still providing on-device AI features. Users will even be able to add more storage thanks to the extra SSD slot.
Along with the new Aura edition laptop and IdeaPad, Lenovo will also release a new Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 16-inch and Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 14-inch with incremental upgrades to their hardware featuring newer processors starting at $849 for the 14-inch and $899 for the 16-inch. The new Yoga and IdeaPad laptops will start rolling out as early as this month, with some, like the Yoga Pro 9i, coming later in the year.
Along with the Yoga laptop, Lenovo has some new ThinkBooks and ThinkPads coming as well.
A first for the ThinkPad T line is a 2-in-1. The ThinkPad14s 2-in-1 is the first convertible laptop for the series. It has a 360-degree dual-hinge to go from a traditional laptop to tent mode or tablet mode. The ThinkPad14s 2-in-1 also has an optional Lenovo Yoga Pen that attaches to the laptop and handles handwriting and other pen functionality. Pricing on the ThinkPad14s starts at $1,719 and comes out in June.
For professionals who want power that's easy to carry, Lenovo is releasing the ThinkPad X13 Gen 6. The company says it's one of the lightest ThinkPads ever, coming in at just over two pounds. The laptop comes with either an Intel Core Ultra or AMD Ryzen AI Pro chip, up to 64GB LPDDR5x RAM, and a choice between a 41Wh or 54.7Wh battery. The ThinkPad X13 Gen 6 releases in June with a starting price of $1,139.
Lenovo also announced refreshes in its ThinkPad and ThinkBook lineup, including the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 (starting at $1,674), T14 Gen 6(starting at $1,359), T16 Gen 4 (starting at $1,623), ThinkBook 14 2-in-1 Gen 5 (starting at $1,374), ThinkPad E14 Gen 7 (starting at $849), and ThinkPad E16 Gen 3 (starting at $859). Most will hit stores starting as early as April while others will come later in June.
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Earnings live: Retail bellwethers Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and Lowe's on deck to report results
Second quarter earnings season is winding down, and with most of the reports in, the results have been mostly positive. Over 90% of S&P 500 index companies have reported results, and as of Aug. 8, analysts expected S&P 500 companies to report an 11.8% jump in earnings per share during the second quarter. Companies had lower expectations to clear coming into the quarter — analysts expected S&P 500 earnings to rise 5% in Q2, the slowest pace of earnings growth since Q4 2023 — amid President Trump's tariffs, stocks' lofty valuations, and uncertainty about the health of the US economy. Last week, results came in for Applied Materials (AMAT), Circle (CRCL), Lenovo ( AMC (AMC), Cava (CAVA), Cisco (CSCO), CoreWeave (CRWV), Deere (DE), On (ONON), and Oklo (OKLO). Highly anticipated reports from Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), Home Depot (HD), and Lowe's (LOW) are on deck next, which will provide insights into consumer spending. Other major companies reporting next week include BJ's Wholesale (BJ), TJX Companies (TJX), Ross Stores (ROST), Estée Lauder (EL), Intuit (INTU), Zoom Communications (ZM), Workday (WDAY), Xpeng (XPEV), Medtronic (MDT), La-Z-Boy (LZB), Toll Brothers (TOL), Palo Alto Networks (PANW), and Blink Charging (BLNK). Here are the latest updates from corporate America. Walmart, Target quarterly results on deck next week The focus turns to retailers next week as heavyweights Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), Lowe's (LOW), and Home Depot (HD) report results. Investors will be listening for changes in consumer behavior as tariffs and inflation remain top concerns for households. Earlier this earnings season, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy noted that the company wasn't seeing diminishing demand or meaningful price increases. Similarly, Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach said consumer spending remains healthy. However, recent data showed retail sales rose by less than expected in July. And some companies, particularly fast-casual restaurants, noted their customers were pulling back. With that mixed picture in the backdrop, the earnings calendar next week should provide additional insights from some of the big brands Americans shop. Here's what's on deck: Monday Palo Alto Networks (PANW), Blink Charging (BLNK) Tuesday Home Depot, Xpeng (XPEV), Medtronic (MDT), La-Z-Boy (LZB), Toll Brothers (TOL) Wednesday Target, Lowe's, Baidu (BIDU), TJX Companies (TJX), Estée Lauder (EL) Thursday Walmart, Intuit (INTU), Zoom Communications (ZM), Workday (WDAY), Ross Stores (ROST) Friday BJ's Wholesale (BJ) With Nvidia's Q2 earnings in sight, Trump deal could boost outlook Nvidia's (NVDA) deal with President Trump to give the US government a 15% cut of H20 chip revenue in China adds an interesting wrinkle to the company's earnings. China has responded by urging companies not to use the chips. Yahoo Finance's Daniel Howley writes that the payment, which could face legal challenges, won't show up in Nvidia's Q2 report but could boost its Q3 outlook if the administration moves quickly. Howley notes: Read more here. McGraw Hill posts profitable quarter in first post-IPO earnings report McGraw Hill (MH) stock gained 2% after reporting its first quarterly results since going public. It traded around $13.61 on Thursday afternoon. In July, shares opened at $17 apiece in the company's IPO. Total revenue increased 2.4% year over year to $535.7 million. The education solutions company also swung to a $0.5 million profit, compared to its $9.4 million loss a year ago. Market share gains, enrollment, and continued demand for digital learning solutions fueled the higher education business, which saw revenue jump 14.1% year over year. Revenue for the K-12 segment, however, declined 1.4%. These two business units make up the bulk of McGraw Hill's business. The smaller international business noted weakness, with an 11.7% decrease in revenue, while sales in the global professional business held steady. For 2026, McGraw Hill sees revenue in a range of $1.98 billion to $2.04 billion. Listen to the earnings call here. Quantum Computing stock slips as losses accelerate Quantum Computing (QUBT) CEO Yuping Huang said that the company continued to make progress in growing commercial traction in the second quarter, but the industry is still focused on reaching technology milestones. Second quarter revenue totaled approximately $61,000, compared to $183,000 in the same period a year ago. The company reported a net loss of $36.5 million, or $0.26 per share. In Q2 2024, Quantum Computing posted a net loss of $5.2 million, or $0.06 per share. Quantum Computing stock fell 2.3% after hours in what's been a whipsaw year for quantum stocks. In June, the stock spiked 25% in one day after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said quantum computing "is reaching an inflection point." But the industry is still in its infancy. The other big quantum player, Rigetti Computing (RGTI), reported a technology breakthrough in its recent results but also big losses. "We are talking of a market that's hundreds of billions of dollars a decade or two from now," Rigetti CEO Subodh Kulkarni told Market Domination Overtime. "But right now, we are clearly in the R&D stage. We clearly need to perfect the technology to get to that big milestone in about four years, which we call quantum advantage." Read more about quantum computing here. Applied Materials stock sinks as policy uncertainty weighs on Q4 guidance Applied Materials (AMAT) recorded an earnings beat for the July quarter but said that the "dynamic" policy environment is creating uncertainty for the business. That led the chip equipment maker to issue a revenue forecast of $6.7 billion for the fourth quarter, below what the Street was expecting. 'We are expecting a decline in revenue in the fourth quarter driven by both digestion of capacity in China and nonlinear demand from leading-edge customers given market concentration and fab timing,' CFO Brice Hill said. 'We are navigating and adapting to the near-term uncertainties by leveraging our robust supply chain, global manufacturing footprint and deep customer relationships.' The company, whose clients include Taiwan Semiconductor and Intel, posted record revenue of $7.30 billion in Q3, up 8% year over year, surpassing estimates for $7.2 billion. Earnings per share of $2.48 also beat estimates by $0.12. Applied Materials stock fell 11% in after-hours trading. Read more here. Earnings and revenue beats lift Dillard's stock Dillard's (DDS) stock rose 7% on Thursday after the department store chain reported revenue and profit beats for the quarter. Net income fell to $72.8 million compared to $74.5 million a year ago, but earnings per share rose $0.07 year over year after the Arkansas-based company bought back stock. Revenue of $1.53 billion beat Wall Street estimates of $1.52 billion, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Earnings per share of $4.66 also topped estimates of $4.00 per share. Total retail sales were flat, with strength in juniors' and children's apparel as well as ladies' accessories and lingerie. The weakest performing category was home and furniture. Other major retailers, including Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), and Macy's (M), will report second quarter results in the coming weeks, providing a more in-depth look into consumer spending habits. Dillard's stock is up 23% year to date. It has climbed 78% since its April 8 low. Advance Auto Parts stock sinks 14% on gloomy financial outlook Advance Auto Parts (AAP) stock sank 14% on Thursday morning after issuing a downbeat profit forecast. The Raleigh, N.C.-based company beat Wall Street's earnings estimates but lowered its full-year earnings per share outlook to $1.20-$2.20 from its previous range of $1.50-$2.50. Advance Auto Parts attributed this change to a higher net interest expense related to its recent senior notes offering. In the earnings call, executives noted that approximately 40% of the company's cost of goods is exposed to tariffs at a blended rate of 30%. During the quarter, Advance Auto Parts saw lower transactions but higher tickets, as prices increased by 2%. The company noted that its competitors are also raising prices in a similar fashion. "If you look at the maybe lower to mid-income cohorts, they are more pressured than others right now," CFO Ryan Grimsland said about the price impacts of tariffs. "The wages aren't necessarily fully keeping up with some of the inflation that's in there. And so there are trade-offs that they're making. And we're still seeing that. It'd be interesting to see how that plays out in the back half of the year." China's tops quarterly revenue estimates on steady e-commerce demand Chinese e-commerce giant (JD) rose 1% in premarket trading after the company beat estimates for quarterly revenue on Thursday, highlighting robust shopping traffic. However, profits halved year over year. Total revenue rose 22.4% to 356.66 billion yuan ($49.73 billion) during the second quarter, above analysts' average estimate of 331.63 billion yuan. Profit fell by more than 50% to 6.2 billion yuan ($864 million) from 12.6 billion yuan a year earlier as the company invests in new businesses such as food delivery, competing with Meituan (MPNGY) and Alibaba (BABA). Reuters reports: Read more here. Tapestry forecasts annual profit below estimates on tariff pain Tapestry (TPR) stock fell 8% before the bell on Thursday after the Coach handbag maker forecast annual profit below estimates. The company cited higher costs due to tariffs that have hit its margins. Reuters reports: Read more here. Lenovo stock drops despite profit beat Lenono Group LTD., the world's top PC maker, reported better-than-expected profit on PC sales but the stock dropped on worries over its cloud division. From Bloomberg Intelligence: Read more here. Deere's third-quarter profit falls, stock drops (Reuters) – Farm-equipment maker Deere & Co reported a lower third-quarter profit and tightened its annual profit forecast on Thursday, pressured by headwinds from U.S. tariffs and muted demand. ... Deere's net income in the third quarter came in at $1.29 billion, or $4.75 per share, compared with $1.73 billion, or $6.29 per share, a year earlier. Overall, quarterly sales fell about 9% to $12.02 billion from a year ago. Read more here. Birkenstock beats profit estimates on strong full-price footwear sales Reuters reports: Read more here. Nvidia partner Foxconn profit jumps after AI spending rises Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., ( HNHPF, HNHAF) said on Thursday it expects higher third-quarter revenue due to robust demand for its artificial intelligence servers, which has helped the world's largest contract electronics maker beat forecasts and see a 27% increase in second-quarter profit. Reuters reports: Read more here. Cisco forecasts higher-than-expected quarterly revenue on increased demand Cisco Systems (CSCO) reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.99 in the fiscal fourth quarter, barely beating estimates of $0.98. Revenue was $14.67 billion versus an estimate of $14.63 billion. Its fiscal first quarter forecast for revenue was also better than expected, as the AI boom boosted demand for networking equipment from cloud customers. However, Cisco stock fell 2% after hours. Reuters reports: Read more here Brinker International stock pops as Chili's drives earnings beat Brinker International (EAT) stock jumped 9% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the restaurant group reported earnings and revenue that topped estimates, powered by another quarter of strong sales at Chili's. The company reported net income of $107 million, or $2.49 per share on an adjusted basis, on revenue of $1.46 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter. During the same period last year, Brinker posted net income of $57.3 million ($1.24 per share) on $1.2 billion in revenue. The results were also better than Wall Street expected. Estimates going into the report were for adjusted diluted earnings per share of $2.47 and revenue of $1.44 billion. Chili's was the standout this quarter, with 23.7% sales growth and 16% traffic growth. Comparable sales at Maggiano's declined 0.4%. "With that sustained momentum, along with a strong pipeline of initiatives, we are confident in our ability to grow sales and traffic throughout Fiscal 2026," CEO Kevin Hochman said in a statement. "Chili's is officially back, baby back!" Brinker expects fiscal 2026 revenue to be between $5.6 billion and $5.7 billion. It sees full-year earnings per share at $9.90 to $10.50. Dutch Bros CEO says company in 'growth mode' as Starbucks turnaround stokes beverage competition Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Tencent's revenue beats estimates in boost for AI ambitions Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Cava stock plummets after company misses some of Wall Street's marks, cuts guidance Cava (CAVA) missed Wall Street's mark for revenue and same-store sales growth in its second quarterly earnings report. The company's revenue came in at $280.62 million, below the $285.56 million Wall Street expected, per Bloomberg consensus estimates. Adjusted earnings beat by $0.03, coming in at $0.16. Same-store sales came in lower than expected, up 2.1%, driven by menu prices and product mix. Meanwhile, guest foot traffic was flat, far less than the 6.14% jump expected by the Street. In the release, CEO Brett Schulman called it a "fluid macroeconomic environment," adding that it "continued to grow market share" during the quarter. For the full year, the company expects same-store sales growth of 4% to 6%, down from the previously expected range of 6% to 8%. CoreWeave Q2 revenue beats estimates, but results come up against high bar Nvidia (NVDA)-backed AI cloud company CoreWeave (CRWV) delivered solid revenue growth in its second quarterly report since going public, but its loss per share widened. The stock fell 6% in after-hours trading. Wall Street expected strong top-line numbers going into earnings, as robust AI demand, a deal with Core Scientific, and a $4 billion expansion deal with OpenAI ( fueled the quarter. Two of CoreWeave's key customers, Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META), also reaffirmed their spending plans going into the quarter in a bullish sign for AI demand. Here are some key figures CoreWeave reported versus estimates compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence: Revenue beat: $1.21 billion, versus $1.08 billion estimated and $395.4 million a year ago. Wider loss per share: $0.60 loss per share, compared to a $0.49 loss estimated. Operating expenses increased: $1.19 billion in the quarter, compared to $317 million a year ago. Lighter capital expenditures on property and equipment: $2.45 billion, compared to estimates of $3.54 billion. Revenue backlog increased: $30.1 billion, as of June 30. In the first quarter, the company's backlog was $25.9 billion. "Our strong second quarter performance demonstrates continued momentum across every dimension of our business," CEO and co-founder Michael Intrator said in the earnings release. "We are scaling rapidly as we look to meet the unprecedented demand for AI.' CoreWeave said it will provide forward-looking guidance on its earnings call at 5 p.m. ET. You can listen to that call live on the company's stock page. Read more here. offers robotaxi production update as revenue surges Chinese robotaxi operator (PONY) reported revenue grew 76% year over year in the second quarter as the business scaled its autonomous vehicle production. The stock was up more than 1% in premarket trading but pared gains during the earnings call (you can listen to it live here). The Toyota-backed (TM) company began mass production of its two robotaxi models in June and July, respectively. Robotaxi revenue also surged over 300% to $1.5 million in the quarter. "Since mass production started two months ago, over 200 Gen-7 Robotaxi vehicles have rolled off the production line, putting us firmly on track to hit the year-end 1,000-vehicle target," CEO James Peng said in a statement. The company is still on its journey to profitability. For the quarter, it posted a net loss of $53.3 million (loss of $0.14 per share), compared to a loss of $30.9 million in the same period a year ago. Walmart, Target quarterly results on deck next week The focus turns to retailers next week as heavyweights Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), Lowe's (LOW), and Home Depot (HD) report results. Investors will be listening for changes in consumer behavior as tariffs and inflation remain top concerns for households. Earlier this earnings season, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy noted that the company wasn't seeing diminishing demand or meaningful price increases. Similarly, Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach said consumer spending remains healthy. However, recent data showed retail sales rose by less than expected in July. And some companies, particularly fast-casual restaurants, noted their customers were pulling back. With that mixed picture in the backdrop, the earnings calendar next week should provide additional insights from some of the big brands Americans shop. Here's what's on deck: Monday Palo Alto Networks (PANW), Blink Charging (BLNK) Tuesday Home Depot, Xpeng (XPEV), Medtronic (MDT), La-Z-Boy (LZB), Toll Brothers (TOL) Wednesday Target, Lowe's, Baidu (BIDU), TJX Companies (TJX), Estée Lauder (EL) Thursday Walmart, Intuit (INTU), Zoom Communications (ZM), Workday (WDAY), Ross Stores (ROST) Friday BJ's Wholesale (BJ) The focus turns to retailers next week as heavyweights Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), Lowe's (LOW), and Home Depot (HD) report results. Investors will be listening for changes in consumer behavior as tariffs and inflation remain top concerns for households. Earlier this earnings season, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy noted that the company wasn't seeing diminishing demand or meaningful price increases. Similarly, Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach said consumer spending remains healthy. However, recent data showed retail sales rose by less than expected in July. And some companies, particularly fast-casual restaurants, noted their customers were pulling back. With that mixed picture in the backdrop, the earnings calendar next week should provide additional insights from some of the big brands Americans shop. Here's what's on deck: Monday Palo Alto Networks (PANW), Blink Charging (BLNK) Tuesday Home Depot, Xpeng (XPEV), Medtronic (MDT), La-Z-Boy (LZB), Toll Brothers (TOL) Wednesday Target, Lowe's, Baidu (BIDU), TJX Companies (TJX), Estée Lauder (EL) Thursday Walmart, Intuit (INTU), Zoom Communications (ZM), Workday (WDAY), Ross Stores (ROST) Friday BJ's Wholesale (BJ) With Nvidia's Q2 earnings in sight, Trump deal could boost outlook Nvidia's (NVDA) deal with President Trump to give the US government a 15% cut of H20 chip revenue in China adds an interesting wrinkle to the company's earnings. China has responded by urging companies not to use the chips. Yahoo Finance's Daniel Howley writes that the payment, which could face legal challenges, won't show up in Nvidia's Q2 report but could boost its Q3 outlook if the administration moves quickly. Howley notes: Read more here. Nvidia's (NVDA) deal with President Trump to give the US government a 15% cut of H20 chip revenue in China adds an interesting wrinkle to the company's earnings. China has responded by urging companies not to use the chips. Yahoo Finance's Daniel Howley writes that the payment, which could face legal challenges, won't show up in Nvidia's Q2 report but could boost its Q3 outlook if the administration moves quickly. Howley notes: Read more here. McGraw Hill posts profitable quarter in first post-IPO earnings report McGraw Hill (MH) stock gained 2% after reporting its first quarterly results since going public. It traded around $13.61 on Thursday afternoon. In July, shares opened at $17 apiece in the company's IPO. Total revenue increased 2.4% year over year to $535.7 million. The education solutions company also swung to a $0.5 million profit, compared to its $9.4 million loss a year ago. Market share gains, enrollment, and continued demand for digital learning solutions fueled the higher education business, which saw revenue jump 14.1% year over year. Revenue for the K-12 segment, however, declined 1.4%. These two business units make up the bulk of McGraw Hill's business. The smaller international business noted weakness, with an 11.7% decrease in revenue, while sales in the global professional business held steady. For 2026, McGraw Hill sees revenue in a range of $1.98 billion to $2.04 billion. Listen to the earnings call here. McGraw Hill (MH) stock gained 2% after reporting its first quarterly results since going public. It traded around $13.61 on Thursday afternoon. In July, shares opened at $17 apiece in the company's IPO. Total revenue increased 2.4% year over year to $535.7 million. The education solutions company also swung to a $0.5 million profit, compared to its $9.4 million loss a year ago. Market share gains, enrollment, and continued demand for digital learning solutions fueled the higher education business, which saw revenue jump 14.1% year over year. Revenue for the K-12 segment, however, declined 1.4%. These two business units make up the bulk of McGraw Hill's business. The smaller international business noted weakness, with an 11.7% decrease in revenue, while sales in the global professional business held steady. For 2026, McGraw Hill sees revenue in a range of $1.98 billion to $2.04 billion. Listen to the earnings call here. Quantum Computing stock slips as losses accelerate Quantum Computing (QUBT) CEO Yuping Huang said that the company continued to make progress in growing commercial traction in the second quarter, but the industry is still focused on reaching technology milestones. Second quarter revenue totaled approximately $61,000, compared to $183,000 in the same period a year ago. The company reported a net loss of $36.5 million, or $0.26 per share. In Q2 2024, Quantum Computing posted a net loss of $5.2 million, or $0.06 per share. Quantum Computing stock fell 2.3% after hours in what's been a whipsaw year for quantum stocks. In June, the stock spiked 25% in one day after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said quantum computing "is reaching an inflection point." But the industry is still in its infancy. The other big quantum player, Rigetti Computing (RGTI), reported a technology breakthrough in its recent results but also big losses. "We are talking of a market that's hundreds of billions of dollars a decade or two from now," Rigetti CEO Subodh Kulkarni told Market Domination Overtime. "But right now, we are clearly in the R&D stage. We clearly need to perfect the technology to get to that big milestone in about four years, which we call quantum advantage." Read more about quantum computing here. Quantum Computing (QUBT) CEO Yuping Huang said that the company continued to make progress in growing commercial traction in the second quarter, but the industry is still focused on reaching technology milestones. Second quarter revenue totaled approximately $61,000, compared to $183,000 in the same period a year ago. The company reported a net loss of $36.5 million, or $0.26 per share. In Q2 2024, Quantum Computing posted a net loss of $5.2 million, or $0.06 per share. Quantum Computing stock fell 2.3% after hours in what's been a whipsaw year for quantum stocks. In June, the stock spiked 25% in one day after Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said quantum computing "is reaching an inflection point." But the industry is still in its infancy. The other big quantum player, Rigetti Computing (RGTI), reported a technology breakthrough in its recent results but also big losses. "We are talking of a market that's hundreds of billions of dollars a decade or two from now," Rigetti CEO Subodh Kulkarni told Market Domination Overtime. "But right now, we are clearly in the R&D stage. We clearly need to perfect the technology to get to that big milestone in about four years, which we call quantum advantage." Read more about quantum computing here. Applied Materials stock sinks as policy uncertainty weighs on Q4 guidance Applied Materials (AMAT) recorded an earnings beat for the July quarter but said that the "dynamic" policy environment is creating uncertainty for the business. That led the chip equipment maker to issue a revenue forecast of $6.7 billion for the fourth quarter, below what the Street was expecting. 'We are expecting a decline in revenue in the fourth quarter driven by both digestion of capacity in China and nonlinear demand from leading-edge customers given market concentration and fab timing,' CFO Brice Hill said. 'We are navigating and adapting to the near-term uncertainties by leveraging our robust supply chain, global manufacturing footprint and deep customer relationships.' The company, whose clients include Taiwan Semiconductor and Intel, posted record revenue of $7.30 billion in Q3, up 8% year over year, surpassing estimates for $7.2 billion. Earnings per share of $2.48 also beat estimates by $0.12. Applied Materials stock fell 11% in after-hours trading. Read more here. Applied Materials (AMAT) recorded an earnings beat for the July quarter but said that the "dynamic" policy environment is creating uncertainty for the business. That led the chip equipment maker to issue a revenue forecast of $6.7 billion for the fourth quarter, below what the Street was expecting. 'We are expecting a decline in revenue in the fourth quarter driven by both digestion of capacity in China and nonlinear demand from leading-edge customers given market concentration and fab timing,' CFO Brice Hill said. 'We are navigating and adapting to the near-term uncertainties by leveraging our robust supply chain, global manufacturing footprint and deep customer relationships.' The company, whose clients include Taiwan Semiconductor and Intel, posted record revenue of $7.30 billion in Q3, up 8% year over year, surpassing estimates for $7.2 billion. Earnings per share of $2.48 also beat estimates by $0.12. Applied Materials stock fell 11% in after-hours trading. Read more here. Earnings and revenue beats lift Dillard's stock Dillard's (DDS) stock rose 7% on Thursday after the department store chain reported revenue and profit beats for the quarter. Net income fell to $72.8 million compared to $74.5 million a year ago, but earnings per share rose $0.07 year over year after the Arkansas-based company bought back stock. Revenue of $1.53 billion beat Wall Street estimates of $1.52 billion, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Earnings per share of $4.66 also topped estimates of $4.00 per share. Total retail sales were flat, with strength in juniors' and children's apparel as well as ladies' accessories and lingerie. The weakest performing category was home and furniture. Other major retailers, including Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), and Macy's (M), will report second quarter results in the coming weeks, providing a more in-depth look into consumer spending habits. Dillard's stock is up 23% year to date. It has climbed 78% since its April 8 low. Dillard's (DDS) stock rose 7% on Thursday after the department store chain reported revenue and profit beats for the quarter. Net income fell to $72.8 million compared to $74.5 million a year ago, but earnings per share rose $0.07 year over year after the Arkansas-based company bought back stock. Revenue of $1.53 billion beat Wall Street estimates of $1.52 billion, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence. Earnings per share of $4.66 also topped estimates of $4.00 per share. Total retail sales were flat, with strength in juniors' and children's apparel as well as ladies' accessories and lingerie. The weakest performing category was home and furniture. Other major retailers, including Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), and Macy's (M), will report second quarter results in the coming weeks, providing a more in-depth look into consumer spending habits. Dillard's stock is up 23% year to date. It has climbed 78% since its April 8 low. Advance Auto Parts stock sinks 14% on gloomy financial outlook Advance Auto Parts (AAP) stock sank 14% on Thursday morning after issuing a downbeat profit forecast. The Raleigh, N.C.-based company beat Wall Street's earnings estimates but lowered its full-year earnings per share outlook to $1.20-$2.20 from its previous range of $1.50-$2.50. Advance Auto Parts attributed this change to a higher net interest expense related to its recent senior notes offering. In the earnings call, executives noted that approximately 40% of the company's cost of goods is exposed to tariffs at a blended rate of 30%. During the quarter, Advance Auto Parts saw lower transactions but higher tickets, as prices increased by 2%. The company noted that its competitors are also raising prices in a similar fashion. "If you look at the maybe lower to mid-income cohorts, they are more pressured than others right now," CFO Ryan Grimsland said about the price impacts of tariffs. "The wages aren't necessarily fully keeping up with some of the inflation that's in there. And so there are trade-offs that they're making. And we're still seeing that. It'd be interesting to see how that plays out in the back half of the year." Advance Auto Parts (AAP) stock sank 14% on Thursday morning after issuing a downbeat profit forecast. The Raleigh, N.C.-based company beat Wall Street's earnings estimates but lowered its full-year earnings per share outlook to $1.20-$2.20 from its previous range of $1.50-$2.50. Advance Auto Parts attributed this change to a higher net interest expense related to its recent senior notes offering. In the earnings call, executives noted that approximately 40% of the company's cost of goods is exposed to tariffs at a blended rate of 30%. During the quarter, Advance Auto Parts saw lower transactions but higher tickets, as prices increased by 2%. The company noted that its competitors are also raising prices in a similar fashion. "If you look at the maybe lower to mid-income cohorts, they are more pressured than others right now," CFO Ryan Grimsland said about the price impacts of tariffs. "The wages aren't necessarily fully keeping up with some of the inflation that's in there. And so there are trade-offs that they're making. And we're still seeing that. It'd be interesting to see how that plays out in the back half of the year." China's tops quarterly revenue estimates on steady e-commerce demand Chinese e-commerce giant (JD) rose 1% in premarket trading after the company beat estimates for quarterly revenue on Thursday, highlighting robust shopping traffic. However, profits halved year over year. Total revenue rose 22.4% to 356.66 billion yuan ($49.73 billion) during the second quarter, above analysts' average estimate of 331.63 billion yuan. Profit fell by more than 50% to 6.2 billion yuan ($864 million) from 12.6 billion yuan a year earlier as the company invests in new businesses such as food delivery, competing with Meituan (MPNGY) and Alibaba (BABA). Reuters reports: Read more here. Chinese e-commerce giant (JD) rose 1% in premarket trading after the company beat estimates for quarterly revenue on Thursday, highlighting robust shopping traffic. However, profits halved year over year. Total revenue rose 22.4% to 356.66 billion yuan ($49.73 billion) during the second quarter, above analysts' average estimate of 331.63 billion yuan. Profit fell by more than 50% to 6.2 billion yuan ($864 million) from 12.6 billion yuan a year earlier as the company invests in new businesses such as food delivery, competing with Meituan (MPNGY) and Alibaba (BABA). Reuters reports: Read more here. Tapestry forecasts annual profit below estimates on tariff pain Tapestry (TPR) stock fell 8% before the bell on Thursday after the Coach handbag maker forecast annual profit below estimates. The company cited higher costs due to tariffs that have hit its margins. Reuters reports: Read more here. Tapestry (TPR) stock fell 8% before the bell on Thursday after the Coach handbag maker forecast annual profit below estimates. The company cited higher costs due to tariffs that have hit its margins. Reuters reports: Read more here. Lenovo stock drops despite profit beat Lenono Group LTD., the world's top PC maker, reported better-than-expected profit on PC sales but the stock dropped on worries over its cloud division. From Bloomberg Intelligence: Read more here. Lenono Group LTD., the world's top PC maker, reported better-than-expected profit on PC sales but the stock dropped on worries over its cloud division. From Bloomberg Intelligence: Read more here. Deere's third-quarter profit falls, stock drops (Reuters) – Farm-equipment maker Deere & Co reported a lower third-quarter profit and tightened its annual profit forecast on Thursday, pressured by headwinds from U.S. tariffs and muted demand. ... Deere's net income in the third quarter came in at $1.29 billion, or $4.75 per share, compared with $1.73 billion, or $6.29 per share, a year earlier. Overall, quarterly sales fell about 9% to $12.02 billion from a year ago. Read more here. (Reuters) – Farm-equipment maker Deere & Co reported a lower third-quarter profit and tightened its annual profit forecast on Thursday, pressured by headwinds from U.S. tariffs and muted demand. ... Deere's net income in the third quarter came in at $1.29 billion, or $4.75 per share, compared with $1.73 billion, or $6.29 per share, a year earlier. Overall, quarterly sales fell about 9% to $12.02 billion from a year ago. Read more here. Birkenstock beats profit estimates on strong full-price footwear sales Reuters reports: Read more here. Reuters reports: Read more here. Nvidia partner Foxconn profit jumps after AI spending rises Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., ( HNHPF, HNHAF) said on Thursday it expects higher third-quarter revenue due to robust demand for its artificial intelligence servers, which has helped the world's largest contract electronics maker beat forecasts and see a 27% increase in second-quarter profit. Reuters reports: Read more here. Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., ( HNHPF, HNHAF) said on Thursday it expects higher third-quarter revenue due to robust demand for its artificial intelligence servers, which has helped the world's largest contract electronics maker beat forecasts and see a 27% increase in second-quarter profit. Reuters reports: Read more here. Cisco forecasts higher-than-expected quarterly revenue on increased demand Cisco Systems (CSCO) reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.99 in the fiscal fourth quarter, barely beating estimates of $0.98. Revenue was $14.67 billion versus an estimate of $14.63 billion. Its fiscal first quarter forecast for revenue was also better than expected, as the AI boom boosted demand for networking equipment from cloud customers. However, Cisco stock fell 2% after hours. Reuters reports: Read more here Cisco Systems (CSCO) reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.99 in the fiscal fourth quarter, barely beating estimates of $0.98. Revenue was $14.67 billion versus an estimate of $14.63 billion. Its fiscal first quarter forecast for revenue was also better than expected, as the AI boom boosted demand for networking equipment from cloud customers. However, Cisco stock fell 2% after hours. Reuters reports: Read more here Brinker International stock pops as Chili's drives earnings beat Brinker International (EAT) stock jumped 9% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the restaurant group reported earnings and revenue that topped estimates, powered by another quarter of strong sales at Chili's. The company reported net income of $107 million, or $2.49 per share on an adjusted basis, on revenue of $1.46 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter. During the same period last year, Brinker posted net income of $57.3 million ($1.24 per share) on $1.2 billion in revenue. The results were also better than Wall Street expected. Estimates going into the report were for adjusted diluted earnings per share of $2.47 and revenue of $1.44 billion. Chili's was the standout this quarter, with 23.7% sales growth and 16% traffic growth. Comparable sales at Maggiano's declined 0.4%. "With that sustained momentum, along with a strong pipeline of initiatives, we are confident in our ability to grow sales and traffic throughout Fiscal 2026," CEO Kevin Hochman said in a statement. "Chili's is officially back, baby back!" Brinker expects fiscal 2026 revenue to be between $5.6 billion and $5.7 billion. It sees full-year earnings per share at $9.90 to $10.50. Brinker International (EAT) stock jumped 9% in premarket trading on Wednesday after the restaurant group reported earnings and revenue that topped estimates, powered by another quarter of strong sales at Chili's. The company reported net income of $107 million, or $2.49 per share on an adjusted basis, on revenue of $1.46 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter. During the same period last year, Brinker posted net income of $57.3 million ($1.24 per share) on $1.2 billion in revenue. The results were also better than Wall Street expected. Estimates going into the report were for adjusted diluted earnings per share of $2.47 and revenue of $1.44 billion. Chili's was the standout this quarter, with 23.7% sales growth and 16% traffic growth. Comparable sales at Maggiano's declined 0.4%. "With that sustained momentum, along with a strong pipeline of initiatives, we are confident in our ability to grow sales and traffic throughout Fiscal 2026," CEO Kevin Hochman said in a statement. "Chili's is officially back, baby back!" Brinker expects fiscal 2026 revenue to be between $5.6 billion and $5.7 billion. It sees full-year earnings per share at $9.90 to $10.50. Dutch Bros CEO says company in 'growth mode' as Starbucks turnaround stokes beverage competition Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Yahoo Finance's Brooke DiPalma reports: Read more here. Tencent's revenue beats estimates in boost for AI ambitions Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Bloomberg News reports: Read more here. Cava stock plummets after company misses some of Wall Street's marks, cuts guidance Cava (CAVA) missed Wall Street's mark for revenue and same-store sales growth in its second quarterly earnings report. The company's revenue came in at $280.62 million, below the $285.56 million Wall Street expected, per Bloomberg consensus estimates. Adjusted earnings beat by $0.03, coming in at $0.16. Same-store sales came in lower than expected, up 2.1%, driven by menu prices and product mix. Meanwhile, guest foot traffic was flat, far less than the 6.14% jump expected by the Street. In the release, CEO Brett Schulman called it a "fluid macroeconomic environment," adding that it "continued to grow market share" during the quarter. For the full year, the company expects same-store sales growth of 4% to 6%, down from the previously expected range of 6% to 8%. Cava (CAVA) missed Wall Street's mark for revenue and same-store sales growth in its second quarterly earnings report. The company's revenue came in at $280.62 million, below the $285.56 million Wall Street expected, per Bloomberg consensus estimates. Adjusted earnings beat by $0.03, coming in at $0.16. Same-store sales came in lower than expected, up 2.1%, driven by menu prices and product mix. Meanwhile, guest foot traffic was flat, far less than the 6.14% jump expected by the Street. In the release, CEO Brett Schulman called it a "fluid macroeconomic environment," adding that it "continued to grow market share" during the quarter. For the full year, the company expects same-store sales growth of 4% to 6%, down from the previously expected range of 6% to 8%. CoreWeave Q2 revenue beats estimates, but results come up against high bar Nvidia (NVDA)-backed AI cloud company CoreWeave (CRWV) delivered solid revenue growth in its second quarterly report since going public, but its loss per share widened. The stock fell 6% in after-hours trading. Wall Street expected strong top-line numbers going into earnings, as robust AI demand, a deal with Core Scientific, and a $4 billion expansion deal with OpenAI ( fueled the quarter. Two of CoreWeave's key customers, Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META), also reaffirmed their spending plans going into the quarter in a bullish sign for AI demand. Here are some key figures CoreWeave reported versus estimates compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence: Revenue beat: $1.21 billion, versus $1.08 billion estimated and $395.4 million a year ago. Wider loss per share: $0.60 loss per share, compared to a $0.49 loss estimated. Operating expenses increased: $1.19 billion in the quarter, compared to $317 million a year ago. Lighter capital expenditures on property and equipment: $2.45 billion, compared to estimates of $3.54 billion. Revenue backlog increased: $30.1 billion, as of June 30. In the first quarter, the company's backlog was $25.9 billion. "Our strong second quarter performance demonstrates continued momentum across every dimension of our business," CEO and co-founder Michael Intrator said in the earnings release. "We are scaling rapidly as we look to meet the unprecedented demand for AI.' CoreWeave said it will provide forward-looking guidance on its earnings call at 5 p.m. ET. You can listen to that call live on the company's stock page. Read more here. Nvidia (NVDA)-backed AI cloud company CoreWeave (CRWV) delivered solid revenue growth in its second quarterly report since going public, but its loss per share widened. The stock fell 6% in after-hours trading. Wall Street expected strong top-line numbers going into earnings, as robust AI demand, a deal with Core Scientific, and a $4 billion expansion deal with OpenAI ( fueled the quarter. Two of CoreWeave's key customers, Microsoft (MSFT) and Meta (META), also reaffirmed their spending plans going into the quarter in a bullish sign for AI demand. Here are some key figures CoreWeave reported versus estimates compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence: Revenue beat: $1.21 billion, versus $1.08 billion estimated and $395.4 million a year ago. Wider loss per share: $0.60 loss per share, compared to a $0.49 loss estimated. Operating expenses increased: $1.19 billion in the quarter, compared to $317 million a year ago. Lighter capital expenditures on property and equipment: $2.45 billion, compared to estimates of $3.54 billion. Revenue backlog increased: $30.1 billion, as of June 30. In the first quarter, the company's backlog was $25.9 billion. "Our strong second quarter performance demonstrates continued momentum across every dimension of our business," CEO and co-founder Michael Intrator said in the earnings release. "We are scaling rapidly as we look to meet the unprecedented demand for AI.' CoreWeave said it will provide forward-looking guidance on its earnings call at 5 p.m. ET. You can listen to that call live on the company's stock page. Read more here. offers robotaxi production update as revenue surges Chinese robotaxi operator (PONY) reported revenue grew 76% year over year in the second quarter as the business scaled its autonomous vehicle production. The stock was up more than 1% in premarket trading but pared gains during the earnings call (you can listen to it live here). The Toyota-backed (TM) company began mass production of its two robotaxi models in June and July, respectively. Robotaxi revenue also surged over 300% to $1.5 million in the quarter. "Since mass production started two months ago, over 200 Gen-7 Robotaxi vehicles have rolled off the production line, putting us firmly on track to hit the year-end 1,000-vehicle target," CEO James Peng said in a statement. The company is still on its journey to profitability. For the quarter, it posted a net loss of $53.3 million (loss of $0.14 per share), compared to a loss of $30.9 million in the same period a year ago. Chinese robotaxi operator (PONY) reported revenue grew 76% year over year in the second quarter as the business scaled its autonomous vehicle production. The stock was up more than 1% in premarket trading but pared gains during the earnings call (you can listen to it live here). The Toyota-backed (TM) company began mass production of its two robotaxi models in June and July, respectively. Robotaxi revenue also surged over 300% to $1.5 million in the quarter. "Since mass production started two months ago, over 200 Gen-7 Robotaxi vehicles have rolled off the production line, putting us firmly on track to hit the year-end 1,000-vehicle target," CEO James Peng said in a statement. The company is still on its journey to profitability. For the quarter, it posted a net loss of $53.3 million (loss of $0.14 per share), compared to a loss of $30.9 million in the same period a year ago.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
What you need is another screen, and here's an excellent one with $50 off
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. We spend our lives looking at multiple screens, whether it's having five external monitors attached to a Mac Studio or just scrolling on our phones while watching TV with half an eye. Adding another screen is something tech manufacturers would very much like us to do, though it can be hard to see where one could be fitted in. - Get the Samsung Galaxy S10 FE + for $659 $599 at Best Buy Enter the tablet. These screens with brains are probably the least essential of all the portable techno-wizardry we commonly use, as they don't have the general functionality of laptops or the very specific functionality of phones, but instead sit somewhere in the middle as a large phone that can't make calls or a highly restricted laptop when paired with a keyboard. They do have their uses, however, as Creative Bloq's list of the best tablets for drawing and note-taking shows. Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ has been one of my favourites out of those I've used recently. It has a big screen and a bundled stylus, and if you head over to Best Buy you can get $50 off both the 128GB and 256GB versions of the big 13.1in model. It's the size of the screen that sets this tablet apart. Those with smaller displays might be more portable, but can feel like little more than a large phone. The 13in panel makes it feel more like a sketchpad, or even a printed magazine (albeit heavier, unless you're into some serious paper stock and page counts). This makes them a joy to read from, with digital publication pages filling the screen at a size that makes them legible, rather than being something you'll need to zoom into. The Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ also comes with a stylus in the box, which instantly elevates it above tablets that don't, or offer them as an optional extra. A stylus is an essential tool for a creative, as being able to draw or write naturally, just as you would on a sheet of paper, only with the ability to quickly change line thicknesses and erase your mistakes. Being able to instantly sync your sketches into Photoshop or another image-editing app, or OCR your notes into editable text, are essential features too. Of course there are keyboards available to help manipulate that text later, turning the tablet into a pseudo-laptop with office apps and cloud storage. Being an Android tablet, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ has access to the full Google Play store, as well as the software giant's AI offerings, so it's a handy general-purpose device that you can use for watching movies or reading once you're done sketching. So if you're looking for another screen to add to your collection, and the idea of digital art appeals, it's a tablet well worth looking at.
Tom's Guide
5 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
I was Chromebook hater, but the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 taught me to love a Google laptop — here's why
OK I've got a confession to make — I've been a Chromebook hater for years. While I appreciate what they offer, I don't think dirt-cheap Google laptops are worth it. It's better to spend a little more for a Windows laptop or MacBook with more features. Google's AI ambitions ushered in the world of Chromebook Plus laptops in late 2023, which I started to warm to, but it's the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 that has finally helped me see the light. I'm the grumpy old man who's been yelling at kids on his lawn for years and finally offers them all ice cream (yes, I look forward to being this person when I retire). This is easily the best Chromebook you can buy, and I had no problem whatsoever switching from my daily driver MacBook and using this for a week. So what changed? Well, it comes down to three key things: Plus, it all comes in a seriously good-feeling laptop with a gorgeous OLED display, a fantastically tactile keyboard you'd expect from Lenovo, and a utilitarian aluminum construction that adds a great premium feel to it all. I know the news broke recently about Android and Chrome OS 'combining' into a single platform, and make no mistake about it, the $649 Chromebook Plus 14 should be at the front of the line for this. It's easily one of the best laptops I've used all year, and a fantastic notebook for college students. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 Price From $649 Display 14-inch 1920x1200 OLED (optional touchscreen) Chipset MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 Memory 16GB Storage 256GB UFS Battery life 13:19 (rated) Ports 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-C, 1x USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A, 1x 3.5mm audio jack Connectivity Bluetooth 5.4 & Wi-Fi 7 Dimensions 12.4 x 8.6 x 0.6 inches Weight 2.58 pounds (non-touchscreen), 2.78 pounds (touchscreen) I fired up the Chromebook Plus 14, put my MacBook on ice (not literally) and daily drove this as my work system for a week. And all it took was seven days to become a full Chrome OS convert. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Let's get into what's most important here. With Chrome OS being a much more simplistic system to run, you see laptop makers compromise on the system specs. Not that you'd overtly feel it — these Chromebooks are usually zippy enough. But under multitasking pressures, they can quickly crumble and the lower-end battery takes a serious hit. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is built different — packed with a MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 Arm chipset, 16GB of RAM and a beefy 60Wh battery, you're getting all that speed of an Arm chip with the stamina to boot. Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 (MediaTek Kompanio 910) Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x (Snapdragon X) Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus (Intel Core i3-1315U) Geekbench 6 (single-core) 2,461 2,124 1,845 Geekbench 6 (multi-core) 7,628 10,505 5,310 And aiding that further is the 50 TOPS NPU built onto the chipset too — making this the first Chromebook to have its own AI-focused brain for offline processing for tasks like photo editing. This puts this system into worry-free battery life territory for a whole day's usage. Laptop Battery life (hh:mm) Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 13:19 Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x 16:29 Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus 07:36 Oh, and shoutout to the thermal management here. Much like the M4 MacBook Air, the Chromebook Plus 14 is able to run at an impressive sustained speed without the need for a fan. Whisper-quiet performance is a joy when I want to embrace complete silence while working. But of course, working by day is one thing. A great laptop has to be just as effective at being an all-in-one entertainment machine by night too (or for background Lo-Fi while you work), and the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 delivers this in spades. It all starts with a gorgeously vivid 14-inch OLED display up top. Sporting impressive color accuracy and deep, inky blacks, this panel is fantastic for not only getting stuff done on, but for immersing yourself in whatever you're binge-watching on Netflix. Laptop Average brightness (nits) DCI-P3 color gamut (% closer to 100 is better) Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 355.6 84.1% Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x 296.2 48.4% Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus 309.4 45.5% Topping it all off are the speakers, and I have to be honest here — these give MacBooks a serious run for their money. They're loud, crystal clear, and have a nice amount of warmth to the lows. Out the box, you're getting the Google AI Pro Plan for 12 months — a $200-per year suite of features including higher levels of access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, NotebookLM with higher limits, Gemini across the entire Google suite, access to the AI filmmaking tool Flow (with Google Veo 3), Jules AI coding agent and 2TB of Drive storage. I'm never one to include the freebies companies include in their laptops into my judgement, but the fact of the matter is that AI brings everything together in the best of ways. Chrome OS is already the better choice when it comes to sneaking AI into your workload — adding it into the right click options contextually rather than overlaying it clumsily on everything. But NotebookLM has become an incredible thinking partner for me across everything I do (and is a fantastic tool for college studies), Gemini is a top tier brainstormer, and while I'm sure Veo 3 can be utilized for incredible professional video uses, I'm still having so much fun with it. It's the glue that brings this collage of one of my favorite laptop of 2025 together. Let's not forget the fundamentals of being a good laptop. Its utilitarian aesthetic is a premium sight to behold, which is a huge jump forward from the cheap plastic options you find across the Chromebook market. The slimline, lightweight aluminum construction is nice and durable, while being easy enough to throw into a backpack between classes (or meetings). The 5MP webcam is a seriously sharp shooter with great color. And of course, the ergonomics have got to be rock solid. With Lenovo behind the wheel, you can expect that and more. The tactile feel of that keyboard feels spectacular, and is paired with a silky smooth touchpad with great multitouch controls. Plus, if you spring the extra hundred bucks, that touchscreen is super responsive to any input. This all comes together to become a laptop you're genuinely happy using — seriously unexpected for a former Chromebook denier like myself. Honestly? There's only one downside to this, and it's something that comes with the territory of Chromebooks always being dirt cheap. Don't get me wrong — you do really get what you pay for here. It's a premium laptop with great performance and battery life, and the best AI suite for a year. But when Chromebook Plus laptops have typically fit into that $350-$500 space over the past year, this price is definitely on the higher end for a Chromebook. For example, you could get the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x for a very similar price (or cheaper during sales season), and you get a full version of Windows for a far wider range of apps supported. Of course, you get a way worse display, but it's a trade-off you'd have to think about. The Chromebook Plus 14 is, indeed, value for money when you see what you get. But this puts it in more direct competition with other laptops, and kind of eliminates that value message. My days of dunking on Chromebooks are over. The Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 is one of the best laptops I've used all year. Not only is it all really well-put together with a great design, ergonomics, a beautiful OLED display and sharp webcam, but Chrome OS has come along leaps and bounds to be a seriously good AI-fueled system that can help you get things done. If $649 is in your budget for heading to college or looking for an all-dayer for productivity, this stamina monster is a fantastic buy, and the true realization of the Chromebook vision that has turned me into a fan.
