Latest news with #laptop
CNET
15 hours ago
- Business
- CNET
Today Only, You Can Get the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i for Just $220
Getting a new laptop can cost a lot of money, which is why it's always worth keeping two things in mind. The first is what you actually want the laptop for, since getting higher specs than you'll ever use is a waste. The second is keeping an eye out for deals. For today only (July 29), you can grab yourself a Lenovo 16-+inch IdeaPad Slim 3i for just $220 at Best Buy -- which is $230 off the standard price. It's a great laptop option for college students, but you'll need to be quick to actually get it while it's discounted. This model of the laptop still boasts some fairly decent specs. It has an Intel i3-N305 processor with 8GB of RAM, so it's capable of keeping up with most standard tasks. You won't be gaming on it, but it'll cover you for studying, watching shows, and all the other stuff you'd normally want a laptop for. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Keep in mind that it only has 128GB of memory, but since most people store documents online now anyway, that shouldn't be an issue. You can also get two more hours of use in just 15 minutes of charging, which is great for last minute study sessions. All things considered, this is one of the best cheap laptops you can buy right now, and it being on sale makes it even more appealing. This deal won't last long though, so make sure you snap it up if you do want it. Why this deal matters The chance to pickup a reliable laptop for this cheap doesn't come around very often. Lenovo is a reliable brand, and the IdeaPad range has proven itself as being one of the best for students, or those who just need a good laptop for work. With over 50% off the asking price, the IdeaPad Slim 3i is a no-brainer -- just make sure to order it today if you want it.
Gizmodo
a day ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
Amazon Clears Out This Intel i5 Lenovo ThinkBook for 70% Off, a 4.9-Star Laptop Steal (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD)
Clearance deals are usually associated with older, out of date items, especially when you're talking tech. So when you see a 70% off clearance deal on a state of the art laptop like the Lenovo 16-Inch ThinkBook that's fully loaded with maxed-out RAM and internal storage and even has Windows 11 Professional already loaded and ready to go, it's an attention grabber. On the off chance your attention is not sufficiently grabbed yet, this Lenovo ThinkBook with Windows 11 Pro preloaded normally sells for $2,699, and this crazy Amazon deal sends that price plummeting to just $799. It's also timed perfectly for back to school if you have a high schooler or college student who's due back to class in just a few weeks. See at Amazon Sitting at the heart of this 16-inch Lenovo ThinkBook is a 13th Gen Intel Core i5 processor that makes any level of productivity, multitasking, or online work and play move with silky smooth speed. It has 8 cores and a brisk regular speed of 2.1 GHz, but is also able to punch it up to a blistering 4.6 GHz when you need more power. Backed by 32GB of RAM (which is able to be expanded to 64GB), the processing power packed into this Lenovo ThinkBook ensures all of your apps will load, open, and run quickly. The display on this Lenovo ThinkBook is also a serious eye-catcher, and also an eye protector. The 1920 x 1200 FHD screen can shine with up to 300 nits of brightness, but it also has an anti-glare treatment and TÜV Eyesafe to cut down on the blue light that can wear out your eyes. When it's time to switch from work to play, the Intel UHD Graphics card supports DirectX and OpenGL for maximum streaming and gaming capabilities. Assuming you or your student will need to be able to make video calls or take part in remote work or conferencing, the 720p HD camera built into the Lenovo ThinkBook has that amply covered, along with the stereo speakers that deliver Dolby Audio sound, and the two-microphone array. The connection will always be fast and lag-free thanks to the built-in WiFi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. A huge array of ports, including two USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 and Thunderbolt ports that both support data transfer and DisplayPort 1.4, an HDMI 2.1 that can support a 4K external monitor, and an SD card and Ethernet port, virtually future-proof this 16-inch Lenovo ThinkPad. The price has never been more right than it is right now at Amazon — just $799 after a massive clearance discount of 70% that saves you nearly $2,000. See at Amazon
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
Dell Inspiron 16 Touchscreen Laptop Is Over $2,000 Off, A Freebie-Like 5-Star PC (64GB RAM, 4TB SSD)
Juggling spreadsheets, video calls, and the occasional Netflix break is easier when your laptop feels like a quiet desktop that folds shut at night. The Dell Inspiron 16 Business Touchscreen Laptop lands right in that sweet spot. Its roomy display keeps two full pages visible side by side, the touchscreen invites quick taps and swipes, and the brushed metal chassis stays light enough to carry between meetings without becoming a shoulder workout. Head over to Amazon to get the Dell Inspiron 16 Business Touchscreen Laptop for just $1,360, down from its usual price of $3,500. That's a discount of $2,140 and 61% off. See at Amazon Open the lid and the first thing you notice is space. The 16‑inch panel stretches edge to edge with a tall 16:10 aspect ratio, so long documents and coding windows show more lines before you scroll. Full‑HD Plus resolution keeps text crisp and colors lively, making photo tweaks and movie nights equally comfortable. A glossy touch layer turns the screen into a digital notebook for quick sketches or pinch‑zoom map searches, handy when the mouse is out of reach. Underneath, an Intel Core i7 processor teams with 32 gigabytes of memory. That combo handles dozens of browser tabs, video editing timelines, and light gaming sessions without stutters. A fast one‑terabyte solid state drive boots Windows in seconds and stores massive project folders with room to spare. Intel Iris Xe graphics keep streaming smooth and lend a hand in creative apps like Lightroom or Illustrator. Practical features stack up quickly. A fingerprint reader in the power button signs you in while the system wakes, and a privacy shutter slides over the 1080p webcam between calls. Thunderbolt 4, USB‑A, HDMI, and a microSD reader line the edges, so external drives and second monitors plug in without an adapter hunt. Wi‑Fi 6E locks onto crowded networks in apartments and conference centers, while Bluetooth 5.2 pairs headphones in a snap. Battery life reaches well into the workday, usually leaving charge to spare for evening browsing. When the gauge does dip, ExpressCharge pushes the battery to about 80 percent in an hour, perfect for short layovers. The backlit keyboard offers satisfying travel, and the spacious precision touchpad glides through multitouch gestures with minimal effort. For professionals who need both muscle and mobility, this Inspiron provides desktop comfort in a commuter‑friendly size. The Dell Inspiron 16 Business Touchscreen Laptop is still available for $1,360 at Amazon, a serious savings compared with its regular $3,500 price. See at Amazon
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Business
- Gizmodo
HP 17.3-Inch Laptop (32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) Drops by 72% Off, This Won't Last With Back-to-School Coming
The mass clearance of high-level laptops at Amazon is still going full steam ahead, with this fully tricked-out 17.3-inch HP 17 Laptop for Business and Students bundled with lifetime licenses to both Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office joining the club. The original $2,700 price has been slashed by 72% to just $760 — nearly $2,000 back in your pocket. As the HP naming says, this laptop is perfect for business and students, along with pretty much anyone and everyone who's interested in scoring a seriously souped-up laptop packed with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB solid-state drive, a beautiful large HD+ display, a hot Intel processor, and more. See at Amazon The HP 17 Laptop for Business & Students is not shy about flexing its considerable power. The 17.3-inch display has an anti-glare coating and it rocks 1.4 million pixels — 1600 x 900 HD+ — and a super bright 250 nits so it can be used for work or play indoors or out. The Intel UHD Graphics card makes ultra-smooth 4K performance a given whether you're streaming or playing. Regardless of what you're using the HP 17 for, the all-day battery life has your back, as does HP's Fast Charge tech that brings the battery from 0% to 50% in just 45 minutes. The Intel Core i3-N305 processor has 8 cores and 8 threads and hits 3.80GHz effortlessly in Turbo mode. Combine that with the 32GB of RAM and you'll soon discover what a multitasking and productivity powerhouse the HP 17 Laptop is. And you won't need to use a part of the nearly $2,000 you're saving on this insane Amazon deal to buy extra storage — the HP 17 comes with a 1TB solid-state drive. If you're grinding away on spreadsheets and other work activities, use the lift-hinge keyboard to improve your ergonomics and reduce the chance of repetitive stress injuries. If you're playing, turn up the dual-tuned stereo speakers to make your game more immersive. If you need to jump into a video meeting or just want to make a video call, the HP TrueVision HD camera guarantees a superb, clear connection, and when you're done, close the built-in shutter for privacy. We don't know just how many of these brand-new, high-end, fully-loaded PC laptops Amazon has lying around or why they're clearing them out with such crazy offers, but we're totally here for it. Upgrade yourself or your business to the power of an HP 17 Laptop for Business & Students for just $760, or make one a fantastic back to school gift for your high schooler or college kid. The nearly $2,000 in savings isn't going to last forever. See at Amazon
CNET
3 days ago
- CNET
Breaking From Tradition, ThinkPad X9 Offers a Cheap Path to OLED Ultraportable
7.8 / 10 SCORE Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition $1,337 at Lenovo Pros Thin, sturdy design Includes OLED display for a great price Excellent haptic touchpad Great battery life Cons So-so performance Keyboard isn't up to ThinkPad standard Heavier than it looks Aura Edition stuff is more marketing fluff than anything actually useful Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition 7.8/10 CNET Score $1,337 at Lenovo For a laptop line steeped in tradition like the ThinkPad, one that goes back before Lenovo acquired IBM's computer business, the Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition marks a radical departure. For starters, it lacks a ThinkPad's familiar boxy shape and matte black finish. There's also no red TrackPoint pointing stick in the middle of the keyboard, and the keyboard itself isn't very ThinkPad-like. Flip it over, and you'll notice a pair of unusual design elements: a grooved bottom cover and what Lenovo calls an Engine Hub, a vented strip that houses the ThinkPad X9 14's cooling fans and ports. This hub protrudes from the bottom panel to optimize thermals while also allowing the rest of the laptop to be impressively thin. While I like the sleek look of the ThinkPad X9 14 and love its rigid, sturdy aluminum enclosure, it's significantly heavier than the carbon fiber ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition. The X9 might force you to carry around some extra weight, but its price is lighter. The X9 costs hundreds less while offering two key items found on the X1 Carbon: a beautiful OLED display and a generously proportioned haptic touchpad. If you can do without the pointing stick, then the ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition offers a well-rounded package at a more budget-friendly price than flagship business ultraportables like the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 and the HP EliteBook Ultra G1i. Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition Price as reviewed $1,337 Display size/resolution 14-inch 2,880x1,800 120Hz OLED display CPU Intel Core Ultra 5 226V Memory 16GB LPDDR5-8533 Graphics Intel Arc 130V Storage 512GB SSD Ports 2 x Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, combo audio Networking Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 Operating system Windows 11 Pro Weight 2.84 lbs (1.28 kg) The ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition starts at just over $1,000, which is significantly less than the entry point for the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13. You'll spend closer to $2,000 for even the cheapest X1 Carbon Gen 13, and it won't have an OLED display or haptic touchpad, both of which come standard on all ThinkPad X9 14 models. The entry-level ThinkPad X9 14 features an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V processor, 16GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 1,920-by-1,200 OLED display with a 60Hz refresh rate and a rated 400 nits of brightness. My test model features three upgrades: a 512GB SSD for $100, a 2,880-by-1,800 OLED for $100, and Windows 11 Pro for $60. The 2.8K OLED panel not only supplies a higher resolution than the base display, it also comes with touch support, a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz and a rated 500 nits of brightness. At the time of this review, my test system was discounted to $1,337 at Lenovo. Other upgrades include two slightly higher-end Core Ultra 5 processors as well as a pair of Core Ultra 7 options, all of which come with 32GB of memory. The Core Ultra 5 228V upgrade with 32GB of RAM for only $20 is a great deal for just the memory upgrade alone. You can also outfit the laptop with up to 2TB of storage. One upgrade not offered that you can get with the X1 Carbon is mobile broadband, a feature many road warriors require for times when they can't connect to a Wi-Fi network. The ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition starts at £1,020 in the UK and AU$1,945 in Australia. Matt Elliott/CNET Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition performance My ThinkPad X9 14 test laptop isn't a speed machine. It features the baseline duo of the Core Ultra 5 226V and 16GB of RAM, which are the same specs you get with the Acer Aspire 14 AI, which is a fine laptop in its own right but a truly budget model that you can pick up for between $500 and $700. The ThinkPad X9 14 costs double that and beyond, once you start adding upgrades. You don't necessarily need to upgrade the ThinkPad X9 14 with one of the Core Ultra 7 processors, but either of the other Core Ultra 5 options would go a long way toward snappier performance simply for the 32GB of RAM that they include. As configured, the ThinkPad X9 14 finished near the back of the pack on our application benchmarks and was particularly lackluster on the multicore tests for Geekbench 6 and Cinebench 2024. Graphics performance from the integrated Intel Arc 130V was also so-so, trailing that of Core Ultra 7-based laptops with Intel's integrated Arc 140V graphics but ahead of models with integrated GPUs from AMD and Qualcomm on the 3DMark Steel Nomad test. Its score on Procyon's AI Computer Vision benchmark, which measures integer math proficiency for AI workloads, was slightly behind the scores from other laptops with current-generation AI CPUs but well ahead of the HP Pavilion Plus 14, which features a first-gen Intel Core Ultra chip. What the ThinkPad X9 14 lacks in raw performance, it makes up for in efficiency. It ran for more than 17 hours on our YouTube streaming battery-drain test, which is an excellent result for an Intel-based laptop. You can get longer battery life from a laptop based on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X series CPU, where we've regularly seen battery life of more than 20 hours, including Microsoft's 13-inch Surface Laptop, which lasted for more than 24 hours on the same test. The Core Ultra 5 226V from Intel's Lunar Lake series has none of the potential Windows-on-Arm software compatibility issues, however, and it still provides battery life long enough that you can leave your charger at home, take the ThinkPad X9 14 to work all day and return home with plenty left in the tank. Check out CNET's mobile CPU explainer for more details on what to expect from different laptop processors in 2025. A ThinkPad that thinks different Without the matte black finish and slightly chunky, boxy shape, the ThinkPad X9 14 doesn't look all that much like a ThinkPad. And the keyboard has a different look and feel, even without considering the distinct lack of the red TrackPoint in its center. I mean, there are still some ThinkPad touches, like the ThinkPad logo in the corner of the lid with the "i" getting the glowing-red-dot treatment, the notch above the display for the webcam and the sturdier single hinge for the display that runs nearly the width of the laptop. Matt Elliott/CNET Instead of the traditional matte black, the ThinkPad X9 14 features a brushed aluminum finish in a dark gray that's between Apple's space gray and midnight black options for its MacBooks. It's fairly rigid but doesn't have a very distinctive look, which maybe you won't mind if you aren't looking to make a statement with your work laptop. The keyboard also lacks distinction. The squared-off keys are a departure from the usual ThinkPad shape, where the keys have a rounded bottom. There's a hint of the rounded shape as the bottom edge of the X9's keys is gently sloped, but the keys certainly have a different look. They also have a different feel -- one that's not quite as plush as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon's. Because the ThinkPad X9 14 is so thin, key travel is shallower than on the X1 Carbon and feels rather generic, bordering on mushy. Matt Elliott/CNET The ThinkPad X9 14 scores points for being very thin -- it's less than 18 millimeters thick, or roughly 0.7 inches -- but it's not very light. At 2.8 pounds, it's merely average for its size. Other 14-inch laptops are much lighter, including the 2.2-pound ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 and the 2.6-pound HP EliteBook Ultra G1i. And among similarly sized consumer models, the 13.6-inch MacBook Air weighs 2.7 pounds and the Asus Zenbook A14 weighs just 2.2 pounds. Matt Elliott/CNET The ThinkPad X9 14 achieves its remarkable thinness by putting the cooling fans in the Engine Hub, a rectangular bump-out on the bottom panel. Between the two cooling fans is the Core Ultra 5 226V CPU and its integrated memory module. The ports are also located on either end of this hub: a Thunderbolt 4 port on either side, along with an HDMI out on the left and a headphone jack on the right. By placing these items in this vented strip, Lenovo says, the cooling and performance are optimized. I don't know if it helped the X9's performance any, but the laptop did stay cool and quiet during my time with it. The ThinkPad X9 14 lacks many of the advantages you get with the flagship X1 Carbon, but it includes two features I'd want in my primary work laptop: an OLED display and a haptic touchpad. Even the baseline X9 model comes with an OLED, and our unit included the upgrade option that delivers a higher resolution, a higher (and variable) refresh rate, increased brightness and touch support. It's a 2.8K-resolution OLED panel (2,880-by-1,800 pixels) with a variable refresh of up to 120Hz. Text and images look incredibly crisp with such a high resolution on a 14-inch display, and you get the vibrant colors and stellar contrast you'd expect from an OLED. It's definitely worth the modest $100 up-charge. Matt Elliott/CNET The haptic touchpad comes standard, and it's excellent. It's generously portioned, especially for a ThinkPad whose touchpad surface is usually squeezed by the two added mouse buttons wedged between it and the spacebar for the pointing stick. But without a pointing stick, there's more space for the touchpad. I loved having a consistent and customizable click response across its entire surface instead of just along its bottom half, as you'd get with a basic mechanical touchpad. So, what's with this Aura Edition business, you might be wondering. It comes from Lenovo partnering with Intel on a handful of "smart" features, such as smart sharing for swapping files between the laptop and your phone via Intel's Unison app. There's an attention mode where you can set a timer to limit or disable notifications, and a wellness mode that reminds you to take a break to rest your eyes or sit up straight when you begin to slouch. I don't like the idea of the camera monitoring me as I work, but maybe you miss having your mom or dad giving you proper posture reminders. Perhaps the most useful part of the Aura Edition thing is Smart Care, which provides specialized support for one year, where you get access to dedicated virtual and live agents. Matt Elliott/CNET The ThinkPad X9 14 offers both biometric options -- facial recognition via the webcam and a fingerprint scanner on the power button -- for secure logins. These are appreciated features on a consumer laptop and must-haves on a business machine. And the webcam itself is great: an 8-megapixel sensor that captures sharp, well-balanced images and video. Should I buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition? If you're a ThinkPad traditionalist, then it's best to pass on this model. But if you're looking for a business laptop for basic office tasks and want an OLED display and roomy haptic touchpad for a great price, then the ThinkPad X9 14 starts to look like a winner. Hide our expert take Photo Gallery 1/1 How we test computers Photo Gallery 1/1 The review process for laptops, desktops, tablets and other computerlike devices consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our expert reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments. The list of benchmarking software we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. The most important core tests we're currently running on every compatible computer include Primate Labs Geekbench 6, Cinebench R23, PCMark 10 and 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra. A more detailed description of each benchmark and how we use it can be found on our How We Test Computers page. Hide our expert take Geekbench 6 CPU (multi-core) HP Pavilion Plus 14 11646 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 11079 HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 11032 Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10 Aura Edition 11029 Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13 inch 10985 Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (DR04255) 10554 Acer Aspire 14 AI (A14-52MT) 10082 Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition 9844 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance Geekbench 6 CPU (single-core) Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (DR04255) 2792 HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 2777 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 2742 Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10 Aura Edition 2728 Acer Aspire 14 AI (A14-52MT) 2567 Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition 2563 Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13 inch 2400 HP Pavilion Plus 14 2267 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance Cinebench 2024 CPU (multi-core) HP Pavilion Plus 14 643 Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13 inch 639 Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10 Aura Edition 583 Acer Aspire 14 AI (A14-52MT) 567 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 557 Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (DR04255) 537 Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition 532 HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 518 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance Cinebench 2024 CPU (single-core) HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 123 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 121 Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10 Aura Edition 121 Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition 113 Acer Aspire 14 AI (A14-52MT) 112 Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (DR04255) 111 Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13 inch 107 HP Pavilion Plus 14 98 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance 3DMark Steel Nomad HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 820 Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10 Aura Edition 728 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 680 HP Pavilion Plus 14 640 Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition 561 Acer Aspire 14 AI (A14-52MT) 525 Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13 inch 228 Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (DR04255) 220 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance PCMark 10 Pro Edition Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 7114 HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 6815 Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10 Aura Edition 6812 Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (DR04255) 6752 HP Pavilion Plus 14 6707 Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition 6589 Acer Aspire 14 AI (A14-52MT) 6403 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance Procyon AI Computer Vision (integer) Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13 inch 1935 Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (DR04255) 1766 Acer Aspire 14 AI (A14-52MT) 1729 HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 1705 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 1675 Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10 Aura Edition 1585 Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition 1392 HP Pavilion Plus 14 577 Note: Longer bars indicate better performance Online streaming battery-drain test Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13 inch 24 hr, 20 min Acer Aspire 14 AI (A14-52MT) 18 hr, 56 min Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 17 hr, 54 min Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition 17 hr, 19 min Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (DR04255) 14 hr, 55 min HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 13 hr, 39 min Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 Gen 10 Aura Edition 13 hr, 27 min HP Pavilion Plus 14 13 hr, 21 min Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
