United Kingdom
India
Deutschland
France
Canada
España
Belgium
Netherlands
Poland
Sweden
България
Australia
Singapore
Italia
中国
日本Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 (14, Gen 8) review – solid 2-in-1 laptop that isn’t pricey
Design and construction
The design of this device is stylish and up-to-date. The finish is smooth to the touch and it’s not exactly a fingerprint magnet which is nice to see. The laptop is made of a mix of plastic and fiberglass.
The lid is super sturdy because of the glass display cover. However, the base is kind of bendable. It’s not a big issue while typing but if you try to push the laptop around the keyboard area and the palm rest zone, you’ll spot some flexes. The profile thickness of this 14-incher is 17.8 mm and the weight is 1.55 kg. Nevertheless, there are thinner notebooks in this segment but this one right here isn’t a porker at all.
This is a 2-in-1 machine, so it can be transformed into a tablet really fast. The device can be also used as a standard laptop, or in a stand and tent mode. The latter is a good choice for watching videos on a desk or playing some casual game.
Expectedly, the lid can’t be opened with a single hand because of the nature of the gadget (the hinges are too stiff for a reason). On the other hand, the lid has a lever mechanism, that is lifting the backside of the base, when you get past the 90-degree angle mark. We like the presence of slim bezels around the panel. The top one is the place of residence of an optional 1080p Web camera (the base one is a 720p model) and a privacy shutter.
When you’re using the device in a tent form, you’ll notice that it’s stable and the same applies to the 360° hinges. Working with the Lenovo Digital Pen is a pleasant experience, the device glides with ease and it feels comfortable in hand thanks to its thick diameter.
Then comes the base. Naturally, it houses the keyboard. It is a backlit unit with decent key travel and clicky feedback. It is surrounded by two grills of the 2W speakers, which support Dolby Audio.
For such a small notebook, the touchpad is definitely big in size (75 x 120 mm). The unit has a smooth Mylar surface, which leads to good accuracy and tracking. The fingerprint reader is positioned on the right below the arrow keys section.
The bottom panel houses the rubber feet and a long ventilation grille. The hot air is being exhausted through a vent at the back of the base.
Ports
Let’s have a look at the I/O. On the left, there is a power plug, an HDMI 1.4b connector, a USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 2) port that supports Power Delivery and DisplayPort functionalities, and an Audio jack. On the other side, you’ll see two USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) ports (the former supports the Always On function), an SD card reader, and a power button.
