Students are on a tight budget usually. They have to pay tuition fees, buy books, pay rent, arrange meals, hang out with friends and have a multitude of other expenses. Consequently, they must strictly follow their planned budget if they want to continue their studies without being deeply entrenched in loans. Keeping in view the problems faced by students, we bring you the best Lenovo laptops for students with high utility and affordability.
Gaming laptops are machines that pack a lot of power and are normally big and bulky in size due to the heavy components inside. Another reason for being big in size for gaming laptops is that they need to maintain the temperature of the machine as they get hot while delivering optimal performance. Gaming laptops are a huge investment as well which requires a sound decision while buying one.
Thus, we also present you the best Lenovo laptops for gaming with their pros and cons below to help you select your new gaming laptop, so you may have enriched gaming experience.
10 Best Lenovo Laptops for Students & Gaming in 2020
1. Lenovo 14e Chromebook
When it comes to budget laptops for students, Lenovo 14e Chromebook cannot be a bad choice. It packs all the essential features in a modern, stylish body but at a low cost.
Lenovo Chromebook 14e comes with the Chrome Operating System. Unlike Windows, Chrome OS is somehow limited in its functionality but has more than enough functions for a student. However, Chrome OS has a bulk of applications for office and college work purposes.
Another big difference in this laptop from the other mainstream machines is the fact that rather than being powered by Intel processors, this laptop is packed with an AMD processor. Since it is a Chromebook and not a Windows PC, the AMD chipset is enough for its day to day tasks. It has a 4GB DDR4 RAM.
It comes with a 14 inches Full HD resolution IPS display panel. The panel has a peak brightness level of 250 nits. It has two options as far as the screen goes: a touch screen display and a non-touch screen display.
Since Chromebooks are meant for basic work, this laptop comes with only 32GB of eMMC storage. The port selection on this laptop is also admirable. It has 2 USB Type-A ports, 2 USB Type C ports, an audio jack and a micro-SD card slot.
As far as the built of this laptop goes, it doesn’t seem inexpensive at all. Unlike most Chromebooks, Lenovo’s 14e Chromebook is made of aluminum metal and looks and feels sturdy in hands. Moreover, a big advantage of its design is that it is spill-proof.
It has a 57 WH battery, which gives almost 10 hours of battery backup on a single charge.
Pros
- Slim and sleek design
- Long-lasting battery
- Fast storage
Cons
- Not a powerful laptop
- Only for specific types of consumers
Verdict
Since it is a Chromebook, this laptop is recommended only for those who do not require to run Windows-based heavy applications. This laptop is for basic college and office work.
2. Lenovo ThinkPad E15
Lenovo ThinkPad is a great laptop for students as well as for office work. Some of its unique features make it one of the best laptops for college and office work. These features include Lenovo’s U-shaped full-sized keyboard and the availability of plenty of ports. The keyboard on this product is not backlit. However, there is an option of getting a backlit keyboard with this model. The keyboard has one of the best typing experiences. It is surely better than most keyboards on 15-inch laptops.
Almost all types of ports are provided on this laptop which includes 3 USB Type-A ports, 1 USB Type C port, an HDMI port, an ethernet port and an audio jack.
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 comes with Intel’s 10th generation up to the i7 processor with DDR4 RAM that can go up to 16 GB. Although it is not made for gaming, Lenovo also gives an option of AMD Radeon RX 640 GPU to be installed in this model.
It has two display options: Full HD resolution TN panel and Full HD resolution IPS panel. Both are anti-glare display panels. There are also two options for storage: 1 TB PCIe SSD and 2 TB HDD.
It has a 45-watt-hour battery that can last around 10 hours of normal usage. Since it is a 15-inch laptop, it is slightly heavy at 1.9 kg or 4.3 lbs.
Pros
- A powerful laptop with a dedicated GPU
- One of the best keyboards for typing
- Plenty of ports
Cons
- Heavier than other laptops in its competition
- Old design
Verdict
Although this laptop does not look and feel modern, it has all the features required by a student. Even more so, some of its features such as an ethernet port and a comfortable keyboard are not found in most of the other laptops. It is recommended for those who are focused on their work and do not care about the looks of a laptop.
3. Lenovo Flex 6 (14”, 2020 model)
- Work with Intel Dual Core i7-8550U processor, deliver incredible responsiveness and smooth, seamless multitasking.
- 14 inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS Multi-touch Display; Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Windows 10 Home brings back the Start Menu from Windows 7 and introduces new features, Alike the Edge Web browser that lets you markup Web pages on your screen.
- 16GB DDR4 RAM Memory for full-power multitasking; 512GB SSD offer enough storage for your files
- 1 x USB 3.0 Type-C, 2 x USB 3.0 (one always on), 1 x HDMI, 1 x 4-in-1 card reader, 1 x Audio combo jack
Lenovo Flex 6 is a versatile laptop that offers dual usability. It can be used as a traditional laptop as well as a tablet PC.
The laptop offers 8th generation i7 processor, with up to 16 GB of DDR4 RAM. This combination is more than enough for the use of a student. To make the performance of this laptop even faster, Lenovo has equipped it with 512 GB of SSD.
When it comes to display quality, this laptop provides a decent quality display. It has a 14” FHD resolution display. It is a touch screen display. The display panel used in this laptop is IPS, which makes it more accurate in color reproduction. The hinge of this laptop rotates all the way to 360 degrees. It allows the laptop to be used as a tablet as well.
The keys on the keyboard of this laptop are Lenovo’s U-shaped keys which are always pleasing to type on. The trackpad is also very responsive.
Ports selection on this laptop is versatile and with high utility. It has 1 USB 3.0 Type-C, 2 USB 3.0 Type-A, 1 x HDMI, 1 x 4-in-1 card reader, 1 x Audio combo jack.
Lenovo Flex 6 14” is an all-rounder that offers all the necessary features. It is a versatile laptop that can be used in both ways: as a PC and as a tablet.
Pros
- 2-in-1 laptop
- Lightweight
- Fast storage
Cons
- Not a sturdy laptop
- Keyboard and trackpad are not as responsive as that of a traditional laptop
Verdict
Lenovo Flex 6 14” is an all-rounder that offers all the necessary features. It is a versatile laptop that can be used in both ways: as a PC and as a tablet.
4. Lenovo Ideapad 730s
- Work and play with the i5-8265u Processor, 8GB DDR4 Onboard RAM, 256GB NVMe SSD hard drive, and Windows 10 OS. Security: Fingerprint Reader
- Thinner than ever before - measuring a miniscule 0. 47-Inch (11. 9 mm) thin and featuring a simplified aluminum chassis, youll appreciate the sophisticated style
- Built with the latest generation of Intel Core i5 processing, youll get both power and speed. Whether youre streaming content, running multiple programs, or editing videos, The IdeaPad 730S is designed to multitask with ease
- Immersive entertainment – the 13. 3-Inch wide-angle full HD IPS Display (1920 x 1080 resolution) features razor-thin bezels. Along with the immersive sound of the Dolby Atoms speaker system, youll feel like youre inside the action
- Keep going with 10 hours of battery life. And just 1 hour plugged-in will give you a boost, providing up to 80% battery life
Students are always on a budget. They are always overburdened by college tuition fees, book expenses and monthly expenses. In this situation, a student always looks for a budget laptop for his daily usage.
When it comes to budget laptops, Lenovo offers a great deal with Lenovo Ideapad 730s. This is a mid-range 13-inch laptop. It is built of plastic but has a premium feel with good built quality. It weighs about 2.4 pounds (1.1 kg).
Unfortunately, the hinge is not firm and the screen bends downwards even if the little load is applied when the laptop is held from the side of the keyboard.
Lenovo’s Ideapad 730s is not behind the laptops of other leading brands when it comes to port selection. It has a headphone jack and a USB-Type C port on the left-hand side of the laptop while 2 USB-Type C ports (both thunderbolt 3) are on the right. The Type C port on the left can only be used to charge the laptop. It would have been better if it had a USB Type-A port. Moreover, it has a 720p webcam at the top of the screen.
The display of the laptop is one of its most important components. With each year passing, the displays of laptops are being improved. Lenovo Ideapad 730s has a 13.3-inch IPS panel display. The display quality of this laptop is great with 100% sRGB and 340 nits of maximum brightness level. It has a resolution of 1920×1080.
As far as the keyboard is concerned, the machine is equipped Lenovo U-shaped backlit keyboard. It also has a glass trackpad with Windows precision drivers.
Performance is another area of concern for students. A student’s laptop must be able to run all the basic types of software that may come in the daily use of a student. This laptop easily handles light to medium day to day tasks including programming and photoshop work. However, this laptop is not meant for gaming. Even the i7 variant of this laptop can barely run some popular titles such as Overwatch on low graphic settings. Lastly, it comes with a 42-watt-hour battery which gives around 6 hours of battery life.
Lenovo Ideapad 730s is available on www.amazon.com for $665 with 8 GB Ram and 256 GB SSD. Other than the built quality, the laptop packs more than what other laptops offer at this price point.
Pros
- Bright and color-accurate display
- Lightweight and portable
- Comfortable keyboard
Cons
- Average battery life
- Lack of USB Type-A port
Verdict
Lenovo Ideapad 730s is a great choice was a student. It not only looks good, but it also has all the necessary features. Moreover, the laptop has a far better display quality as it is bright enough at 340 nits to be used outdoors.
5. Lenovo ThinkBook 13s
For a student, this laptop is not the one that is always placed on his desk. Rather, it is always on the go. For this purpose, the laptop should be light and portable; one that can be carried anywhere with ease.
In this regard, Lenovo ThinkBook 13s is a great choice. It is a slim laptop which can be easily carried to and from college.
On the other hand, the typing experience on the keyboard of this laptop is also very pleasing. This laptop has Lenovo’s U-shaped keys with a sufficient amount of travel distance, which improves the typing speed on this laptop. Moreover, its trackpad is also bigger than many popular 13” laptop trackpads.
It comes with a 13.3-inch IPS touch display having a 1920×1080 (FHD) resolution. The display quality is brilliant with excellent viewing angles and deep blacks and vibrant colors. Moreover, it has quite small bezels around its display, which makes it pleasing to watch content on this laptop.
Lenovo ThinkBook 13s comes with Intel’s 8th generation processors with 16 GB of maximum RAM option. It offers fast performance for the tasks a student may carry out on a daily basis.
The port selection is also appreciable. It has got 1 USB Type C, 2 USB Type A, 1 HDMI and an audio jack. It has a 45-watt-hour battery which can last up to 10 hours of usage.
Pros
- Long-lasting battery
- Fast storage
- Variety of ports
Cons
- Slightly slower processor
Verdict
Like Ideapad 730s, this laptop also packs almost all the necessary features used by students. However, the looks of this model are less appealing than that of Ideapad 730s.
6. Lenovo Yoga 720 (13 inches)
- 7th Gen Intel Core i5-7200U mobile processor (2.5GHz), powerful dual-core processing performance.
- 13.3-inch 1920 x 1080 full HD touch screen for hands-on control. IPS technology. LED backlight.
- 8GB DDR4 SDRAM, 256GB SSD storage.
- Intel HD Graphics 620, 1 USB Type-C, 2 USB 3.0, Thunderbolt, Wireless-AC, Bluetooth, Built-in HD webcam, fingerprint reader.
- 360 degree flip-and-fold design. Weights 2.871 lbs, measures 0.6-inch thin. No DVD/CD drive. 64-bit Windows 10 Home.
Sometimes a student needs a laptop for basic college work whereas sometimes there is a need for an all-round heavy usage laptop for more complex tasks. In the latter case, Lenovo Yoga 720 is one of the wise options to go for.
The base variant of this laptop comes with Intel 7th generation Core i5 processor and 128 GB SSD. This configuration, however low power, is sufficient for daily tasks for a student.
The design of this laptop is compact, ideal for carrying around. It weighs 2.9 pounds (1.3 kg). Its body is made of metal, which gives it a premium look and finishes. The hinge of this laptop rotates all the way to 360 degrees which makes it easy to be used as a tablet.
Lenovo Yoga 720 offers great functionality as it offers 360 degrees rotating hinge and a touch screen display. It comes with a 13.3-inch Full HD (i.e. 1920×1080) or 4K IPS touch display. The display brightness goes up to 270 nits with 91% of sRGB and 71% of aRGB. The display also supports Lenovo Active Pen input.
As far as port selection is concerned, this laptop has 2 USB Type C (both Thunderbolt 3) ports, 1 USB Type-A port and an audio jack.
It has a backlit keyboard and a Microsoft precision trackpad.
It packs a 48-watt-hour battery which runs for around 9 hours on a full charge for 4K panel and around 10 hours for FHD panel. The long battery backup is because the maximum display brightness is less than 300 nits, which is a disappointment for an Ultrabook at this price point.
Pros
- 2-in-1 laptop
- Touch screen
- Long-lasting battery
Cons
- Dull display for the price
- Weak processor
Verdict
Lenovo Yoga 720 is one of the most versatile laptops by Lenovo. It looks modern, has the dual functionality of a laptop and tablet and it is also well built. It is for those who want an all-round package with a quality of a premium laptop.
7. Lenovo Legion Y530
In the category of gaming laptops, Lenovo offers affordable and high-performance laptops. One such laptop is Lenovo Legion Y530. It is a 15-inch gaming laptop.
Lenovo Legion Y530 offers a 15.6 inches Full HD resolution IPS display panel. Since it is a gaming laptop, to offer a lag-free gaming experience, the screen is 144 Hz and has a maximum brightness of 300 nits. Moreover, to make the screen pleasant-looking, Lenovo has kept its bezels very small in size.
When it comes to performance, this laptop has a lot to offer. It comes with 8th generation i7 and i5 processors. For a gaming laptop, its GPU is an extremely important component. This laptop comes with 3 GPU options: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060. Though it is not the most powerful GPU in the market these days, it provides good gaming performance. In practical terms, the 1050 Ti model can run Overwatch at 108 FPS and PUBG at 55 FPS.
The laptop is made of plastic, but the built quality is up to the mark. The hinge of this laptop rotates up to 180 degrees.
Being a gaming laptop, Lenovo Legion Y530 offers more than enough ports. It has 3 USB Type-A ports, a USB Type C along with HDMI and a mini display port as well.
It also has a full keyboard along with a numeric keypad. The trackpad is also nice with Windows precision drivers and dedicated hardware buttons.
As it is a gaming laptop, it requires significant power to run. The laptop offers a battery of 52 watt-hours with 4 hours of backup. The laptop weighs 5.1 lbs. or 2.3 kg.
Pros
- High refresh rate
- Lightweight gaming laptop
- Bright display
Cons
- Plastic built
- Below-average battery backup
Verdict
This laptop is for those gamers who want good performance at a low price and who do not care much about the built quality of the laptop.
8. Lenovo Ideapad L340
- The powerful 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300H Processor @ 2.40GHz(4 Cores, 8M Cache, up to 4.10 GHz), With ultra-low-voltage platform and quad-core, eight-way processing, provides maximum high-efficiency power to go. The Intel Turbo Boost technology delivers dynamic extra power when you need it.
- 15.6 FHD IPS (1920x1080) anti-glare 250 nits display; NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics backed by 4GB GDDR5 dedicated video memory for an ultrafast, advanced GPU to fuel your games.
- 16GB DDR4 2400 SDRAM Memory for full-power multitasking; 512GB PCIE SSD offer enough storage for your files. Pci-e SSDs are great for major gaming applications, multiple servers, daily backups, and more.
- 802.11 AC (2 x 2) + Bluetooth 4.2; 2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1, 1 x USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 1, 1 x HDMI 2.0, 1 x ethernet (RJ-45), 1 x combo audio/mic jack
- Windows 10 Home; Backlit Keyboard for easy typing in dim or dark locations.
It is quite normal to see big and bulky gaming laptops. A gaming laptop needs to be heavy and big due to its components and to manage proper heat management. However, Lenovo’s L340 is an exception. It is a gaming laptop but does not look like one. Rather, it has a sleek and stylish look.
It is a midrange gaming laptop with exceptional performance. It comes with Intel’s 9th generation i5 and i7 processor options, along with 8 GB DDR4 RAM. To make the working of this laptop even faster, Lenovo decided to go with PCIe SSDs only, 256 GB or 512 GB.
The display of this laptop is Full HD resolution IPS anti-glare panel. It has a maximum brightness level of 250 nits. Although this level of maximum brightness may be enough for indoor usage, one may find it dull during the daytime while outdoors. However, the display is only 60 Hz.
For a gaming laptop, its GPU is one of the most important components. Lenovo Ideapad L340 comes with either NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060.
The keyboard on this laptop is quite spacious and backlit. Since it is a gaming laptop, Lenovo decided to go with the colored backlight on the keyboard. The keyboard also includes a number pad.
Lenovo IdeaPad L340 comes equipped with a number of useful ports. There are 2 USB Type-A ports, 1 USB Type C, 1 HDMI, 1 Ethernet port and an audio jack.
the poor heat dissipation is a drawback. Owing to thermal throttling, the laptop’s performance drops.
The battery performance of this laptop is also good. It lasts around 6 hours on a full charge.
Pros
- Modern looking sleek design
- Latest processors
- Long battery backup
Cons
- Low refresh rate
- Low brightness display
- Costly
Verdict
Lenovo Ideapad L340 has changed the concept of a gaming laptop. Despite being a gaming laptop, it is slim and sleek. It is for those who can afford this combination of power and beauty.
9. Lenovo Legion Y700
- 15.6 Full HD Display With 1920x1080p Resolution
- Intel Core i7 6th Gen 6700HQ Quad Core (2.60GHz Processor to 3.5GHz with Turbo Boost), Graphics Card GeForce GTX 960M With 4GB dedicated video memory
- Storage 1TB HDD + 256GB SSD, 16 GB DDR4 RAM
- Backlit Keyboard, 720p Webcam, 10/100/1000Mbps, 802.11ac Wireless LAN, Bluetooth 4.0, JBL Speakers 2 x 2W + 1 x Subwoofer 3W
- 1 x HDMI 2 x USB 3.0 1 x USB 2.0, Windows 10 Home 64-Bit
Although it is always nice to have a sleek and stylish laptop, the identity of a gaming laptop is its bulk and size. And in this regard, Lenovo Legion Y700 is truly a gaming laptop.
The unique feature of this laptop is its size and thermal management. Owing to a large footprint, this laptop easily manages the temperature properly and keeps the performance of the laptop optimal. The built quality of this laptop is also outstanding and sturdy with aluminum-build. Another uniqueness of this laptop is that it has a sub-woofer at the bottom which delivers a better-quality sound than that of its competitors.
It also has an adequate number of ports. On the right, it has 2 USB Type-A ports, 1 HDMI port, and 1 Ethernet port. On the left, hand side it has 1 USB Type-A port, 1 SD card slot and an audio jack. Since it is an old gaming laptop by Lenovo, it does not have any USB Type C port.
The display on this model is 1080p, Full HD IPS panel. It also comes in Ultra HD resolution.
The keyboard on this model is a full-size keyboard with a number pad on the right-hand side. The keyboard is backlit with red color to give it a gaming look. The trackpad on this machine is a standard one.
It comes with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960M along with Intel 6th generation i7 processors. You can configure its RAM up to 16 GB of DDR4.
It has a 60-watt-hour battery which lasts around 4 hours of normal usage.
Pros
- Better thermal management
- Large keyboard and trackpad
- Sturdy and well-built
Cons
- Outdated processors and GPU
- Low battery backup
Verdict
Lenovo Legion Y700 is a gaming laptop with traditional looks and built. However, its processor and GPU are not the latest. Hence it is not suitable for the latest gaming titles.
10. Lenovo Yoga C940 (14 inches)
- Box will be openned for memory or storage upgrade. Upgraded parts will be covered a 2-year warranty by Apricot Power PC and original components will be covered a 1-year warranty by manufacturer.
- 10th Generation Intel Core i7 Processors i7-1065G7 (1.30 GHz Base Frequency, Up to 3.9 GHz, 8 MB Intel Smart Cache, 4 cores, 8 threads)
- 12GB DDR4 SDRAM & 2TB PCIe Solid State Drive
- 14 Full HD Widescreen LED Touch Screen (1920 x 1080)
- Microsoft Windows 10 Home (64-bit); Accessory includes Delca 16GB SD Card & Lenovo Active Pen
Lenovo Yoga c940 is a wonderful 2-in-1 gaming laptop by Lenovo. The cool fact about this laptop is that though it is a gaming laptop, its lid rotates all the way to the back of the laptop (i.e. 360 degrees rotation).
The display of this model comes in two configurations: 15” and 14”. The former comes in two variants: Full HD and Ultra HD. Both variants offer more than 400 nits of brightness levels, which is a great feature when it comes to the outdoor usability of the laptop. The screen also supports touch input and the laptop comes with Lenovo Pen.
The processors offered in this model can be configured up to Intel’s 9th generation i9 processors, with up to 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and up to 2 TB of PCIe SSD. It comes with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650. This laptop is focused on high performance since it is a premium 2-in-1 gaming laptop by Lenovo.
To manage the temperature of the laptop under heavy load, Lenovo has built 2 fans and 2 heat pipes inside the laptop to keep the components cool.
It has a decent port configuration with 2 USB Type C and 1 USB Type-A ports. Moreover, the product is also installed with an audio jack.
The Full HD variant of Lenovo Yoga c940 can last up to 10 hours on a single charge. It has a 67-watt-hour battery and weighs up to 2 kg (4.4 lbs.).
Pros
- Latest powerful processors and GPU
- Touch screen with more than 400 nits of brightness
- Long battery life
Cons
- Very expensive machine
Verdict
Lenovo Yoga C940 is a modern laptop with high-performance processors and GPU. It has a great display as well. The only difficulty is its price.
Final Verdict
In the list of these Lenovo laptops for students and gamers, Lenovo Ideapad 730s is a great choice for students. It has all the latest features and a modern look as well. It is also light and portable, as size and weight are usually the main concerns of a student. However, Lenovo ThinkPad E15 is also a great choice if there is not much need for a student to carry his laptop. This laptop has a very comfortable keyboard, which is good for long hours of typing. It is also less expensive than other laptops. On the other hand, Lenovo Yoga C940 is the best gaming laptop in this list. It has more power than any other laptop in this list. It also has a good look and design. However, it is the most expensive laptop in this list. If one cannot afford Yoga C940 and still wants a gaming laptop, then Legion Y530 is a smart choice.
If you have any more questions or want us to review more laptops, please keep us posted in the comments section. We look forward to hearing your queries.