Lenovo has a track record of delivering laptops that offer excellent performance at affordable prices. The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 1 14AMN7 continues this tradition, boasting impressive specifications with its Ryzen 7000 Series processor.
Review Summary:
Display – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Battery Life – 9/10
Features – 9/10
Design – 8/10
Overall Rating: 8.2/10
Pros:
Reliable Ryzen 3 performance for daily tasks
Includes a fast SSD
Modern and premium design
Long-lasting battery
Abundance of appealing features
Webcam with Shutter Privacy
Cons:
TN panel for the display
Keyboard could be more satisfying
Lack of a fingerprint scanner
Review Details:
Design and Portability
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 1 features a design that is familiar in contemporary Lenovo laptops. The exterior exudes a minimalist aesthetic, with minimal adornments on the cover, except for the Lenovo logo in one corner.
The surface is finished in a silver shade that resembles metal, giving the laptop a premium appearance, despite its actual sturdy plastic frame. Additionally, the laptop lives up to its name by being compact and slim, further enhancing its premium appeal.
Weighing around 1.4 kg, this laptop is highly portable, making it easy to carry around. Moreover, it offers a fairly comprehensive selection of ports, eliminating the need for additional dongles. It includes USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, a 3.5mm audio combo jack, and an SD Card reader for versatile connectivity.
Upon opening the laptop, you’re greeted with a 14-inch display. Notably, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 1 has a feature that automatically powers on the laptop when the lid is opened, eliminating the need to press the power button.
Display Quality
The TN panel used in the display is a slight disappointment. There is noticeable color distortion when viewed from angles other than directly in front, particularly from extreme side angles. However, the display boasts Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080 pixels) with a brightness level of 220 nits and an anti-glare coating, ensuring that content remains visible.
While an IPS panel would have been preferable, the display performed adequately in day-to-day use. In terms of audio, the laptop is equipped with downward-firing speakers for stereo sound. Additionally, a 720p HD camera is embedded in the top bezel for teleconferencing needs, featuring a Privacy Shutter that can be slid to cover the lens for added security.
However, it’s worth noting that the keyboard’s surface is slightly elevated, causing the keys to sink in slightly when pressed. While this may not be a major issue, it could be a minor inconvenience for some users.
Keyboard and Touchpad
Lenovo laptops are known for their excellent keyboards, which is why it’s somewhat disappointing that the keyboard on the IdeaPad Slim 1 falls a bit short. Additionally, there’s no backlighting, which is a feature often found in Lenovo laptops.
The touchpad also has room for improvement. When the left and right buttons are pressed, they sink in, providing a less satisfying tactile experience. While not a major issue, it does detract from the overall quality that was initially reflected in the design.
Performance and Hardware
Where the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 1 truly shines is in its performance. It is powered by an AMD Ryzen 3 7320U processor, featuring 4 cores and 8 threads with a maximum speed of up to 4.1GHz. It also comes with Radeon Graphics based on RDNA 2 architecture for graphics processing, ensuring smooth multimedia playback.
Complementing this is 8GB of LPDDR5 Dual-Channel RAM and a 256GB NVMe SSD for storage. This configuration can be considered the minimum requirement for a laptop to run smoothly. Thanks to the use of an NVMe SSD, data processes not only become faster but also make the system more responsive.
Benchmark Testing
To assess the performance more objectively, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 1 underwent several benchmark tests. In Cinebench R23, it scored 1,109 points in Single Core and 4,469 points in Multi Core, showcasing its processing capabilities. In more comprehensive performance tests, the laptop achieved 3,977 points in PCMark 10 and 7,593 points in 3DMark’s Night Raid mode, indicating that it handles tasks admirably.
Storage performance was impressive, with read and write speeds of 1.7GB/s and 1.2GB/s, respectively. This is significantly faster than HDDs or eMMC solutions, making it a reliable option.
Everyday Usage and Gaming
In day-to-day usage, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 1 handled tasks like word processing and browsing with ease. Booting was swift, and navigation felt smooth thanks to the SSD storage. Additionally, the laptop can handle casual gaming without much trouble.
Thanks to the combination of the Ryzen 3 7329U and Radeon Graphics, it was able to run Shadow of The Tomb Raider at around 21 fps with Low graphics settings at 720p resolution. While not ideal for demanding games, it’s capable of handling casual and older titles.
Battery Life
The laptop is equipped with a 42Wh battery, providing ample power for untethered use. In a PCMark 8 Work test, it achieved an impressive 7 hours and 51 minutes. This is notably high for a mainstream laptop, considering they usually last around 2.5 hours. This ensures that the laptop can easily last through multiple conference calls or classes without worrying about running out of battery. Charging time is relatively standard, taking about 2 hours to reach full capacity.
Software and Conclusion
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 1 comes pre-installed with Windows 11 Home and is equipped with Lenovo Vantage as the system management center. This includes functions like updates and settings for battery conservation, such as limiting the charge to 80%, enhancing longevity, and automatically adjusting fan speeds.
In conclusion, the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 1 14AMN7 is a laptop worth considering if you’re in the market for a reliable everyday device. It boasts a modern design with a premium look, although compromises have been made in terms of keyboard and touchpad comfort, as well as the TN panel used for the display.
These sacrifices were likely made to deliver solid performance through the combination of the Ryzen 7000 Series CPU and the inclusion of a speedy SSD. For general use, this laptop is more than sufficient for most users.