I bought this computer after initially buying the Slim 7i (15″) model. That laptop was simply too big and the build quality left a lot to be desired. When I saw that that this laptop, with a 4k display and excellent performance was on sale for $999 (normally around $1800), I jumped on it.
First impressions were, to say the least, not great. First, some of the specs of the model I purchased: Model: IdeaPad Slim 9 14ITL5 Display: 3840×2160, glossy, HDR, 450 nits Processor: i7-1195G7 with Intel Iris Xe RAM: 16GB Of the bat, I was impressed with the packaging – much higher quality than the simple cardboard box the 7i had come in.
It also came with a carrying case so +1 Lenovo. The vegan leather cover is beautiful and the build quality is amazing. It doesn’t flex, creak, or anything else. The glass palm rest/touchpad looks beautiful as well (though it is a fingerprint magnet).
Then I started using it. The touchpad – the haptic glass touchpad. awful. Marketed as Lenovo”s response to Apple’s amazing touchpads – it falls extremely short. There are a lot of problems with this touchpad (enough that I purchased a mouse just in case).
The haptic response is hit or miss, with no clear pressure point that needs to be achieved to “click”. Sometimes if I am scrolling with two fingers it will click. Google it, its an issue being discussed on Reddit and other sites.
The touchpad also has no clear indication of where it starts and ends, meaning that when I am selecting text and dragging and dropping, I will often accidentally leave the trackpad surface, as the textured surface of the rest of the glass just is not enough.
I thought it must just be a driver issue at first with the haptics, or that I could adjust the sensitivity, but no – there are no options, no updates, and no response from Lenovo other than to reboot it or trade it in for a new one (which hasn’t fixed the problem for anyone else).
For a nearly $1800 laptop, I would expect WAY more from Lenovo. The touchpad is listed as HID-compliant mouse under Device Manager, so there is no way to update the drivers or anything. That being said, I have adapted to it fairly quickly and am using it more “correctly?” now I suppose? For the price I got this machine at, I can deal with it, but don’t get this for over $1000.
Now the screen – gosh is it beautiful. And that’s coming from a Huawei Matebook X user. The screen is sharp and detailed, with deep blacks and the ability to stream HDR content. It’s 60hz and 16:9, which is becoming a bit outdated but it works for me.
That being said, however, it has a huge ghosting issue. If I am working on a document and switch over to a different program, I can still see the ghost of the document on that other program. Like, I am still able to see a faint image of what I was just working on.
It’s not terrible, per se, but it’s definitely an issue that seems to have gotten cleared up on other models by a software update, so I am waiting on that. Definitely something to consider when you are paying this much for a laptop (never had that problem on my Huawei with a similarly specced display).
Performance: This laptop is fast. The 1195G7 is a beast for a laptop as slim and light as this one. No stuttering when turning on or logging in, Photoshop, Lightroom, and other intensive programs run smoothly and without a hitch.
The 16GB of RAM is the faster version and is more than enough for my education and work needs. I can play Cities Skylines and Binding of Isaac smoothly at near 60 FPS. No complaints on this part. The Keyboard: Fantastic.
The Huawei I had was basically a Macbook clone so the keyboard was similar – not great, not fantastic. I am loving the Lenovo keyboard here, enough key travel and fairly quiet. The camera: awful. Trash.
Why don’t we have 1080p camera modules in laptops yet? My phone has a 40MP camera on the front – can’t we get more than 1MP on a $1800 laptop – I digress, however. Audio: Not the best, but definitely premium.
It’s got a great stereo system that really is immersive, and the profiles you can choose from are fantastic. I wish it had more base, but one can always wish. Battery life: Definitely shorter than advertised but not bad at all.
The Rapid Charge feature is a life-saver and I can confidently leave my cord at home if I’ve got a few back-to-back classes and its fully charged. But don’t be fooled – if you are using HDR, at maximum brightness, and using the GPU in any way, the battery is going to go fast.
It is also a 4k display so that was a sacrifice I was willing to make as I’m really never far from a wall outlet. The performance modes are great, with intelligent cooling really doing its job and rarely spinning up the fans.
In intensive mode, I can hear the fans but they are really decently quiet. I’m happy to share anything else anyone wants to know. I’m a bit back and forth on this laptop, to be honest, as I only paid $1000 for $1800 worth of computer, and it works well enough for me.
But that being said, if the trackpad could be given an update to give us some control over pressure intensity or haptic feedback and the screen’s ghosting issues resolved, I would update my rating to 4 stars.