Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 (14 AMD, Gen 8) review – cool, quiet, and powerful

Design and construction

This laptop can be found in two iterations. The first one has an aluminum lid and plastic base while the other version features an all-metal build. We got the latter in Abyss blue color. The machine is also available in Cloud Grey and Violet coloring schemes. The design is familiar and some other Lenovo machines look almost the same as the one here. That’s not bad though, the laptop seems like a modern device with its round edges and slight protrusion on the top of the lid.

The weight is 1.46 kg and the profile of the metal models is 16.9 mm while the variants with plastic bases are a bit thicker –  17.9 mm. The base is built like a tank, there is zero flex on it except for the zone between the Space key and the touchpad.

The lid can be opened with one hand very easily because of the “hump”. It’s stable when it’s closed and while it’s opened, you can bend it a bit but nothing serious.

The bezels around the display are narrow and the top one is the home of a 1080p IR Web camera with a ToF sensor and privacy shutter. Alright, that’s a good start.

Thanks to the Time of Flight sensor, the laptop can detect your presence so you can use the automatic wake or log-in function thanks to Windows Hello. The notebook will pause the video playback if you are no longer in front of the display.

The base houses two front-firing 2W Dolby Audio speakers that are placed on the keyboard’s sides. The board is comfortable for typing, the key travel is decent, and the feedback is super clicky which feels pleasant. We got the version with an optional backlight, and you’ll not spot a fingerprint reader on the pictures in this review because our device lacks this feature, which is also optional. If there is one, it should be placed on the right palm rest area.

The keyboard backlight intensity can be controlled via the Lenovo Vantage application.

The size of the touchpad is average (75×120 mm). Thanks to the Mylar surface, the pad is smooth and accurate for the class.

On the bottom panel, you can spot the big ventilation grill and three rubber feet. The hot air is being exhausted through a vent in between the base and the hinge. However, part of the heat is reaching the bottom area of the display which isn’t good.

Ports

On the left, you can see a USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, an HDMI 1.4b connector (that can handle 1080p 60Hz external displays), another USB Type-C 3.2 (Gen. 1) port, and an Audio jack. Both USB Type-C ports support Power Delivery 3.0, and DisplayPort 1.4 output (for up to 4K 60Hz external displays). On the other side, you can spot two USB Type-A 3.2 (Gen. 1) ports (the latter has an Always On function) and a MicroSD card slot.

Author: Nikolay Palaozov

Author: eng. Kroum NikolovHead of Engineering at LaptopMedia.com, inventor and innovator with 40+ years of experience in electronics and high technology.

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