Previous models had problems with poor battery life and overheating, but I can assure you that these have been solved. With its long battery life and improved cooling performance, there is nothing stopping me from loving the Flex 5. However, the lack of an included pen and the dim display definitely dampen that love.
Lenovo has discontinued the IdeaPad Flex 5 14ITL05. Fortunately, you can still find the laptop at other retailers, but the configuration I reviewed with an 11th generation Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD is nearly extinct. The closest I could find had 12GB RAM and is on sale at Staples for $649 (opens in new tab). Other configurations include an AMD Ryzen 5 CPU or Intel Core i3, 4GB to 8GB RAM and a 256GB SSD. These configurations vary in price depending on the retailer, but generally fall between USD 499 and USD 679.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is suitable for school use. It is impressively lightweight and portable, and build quality is decent. The battery lasts a day for normal work and the model with Ryzen 5 4500U CPU performs well with multitasking and light productivity. The keyboard has a good typing feel and the touchpad has a decent feel. However, the screen does not brighten up much, so it is not suitable for use in very bright environments. In addition, the webcam and microphone are mediocre.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 is suitable for business use. The build quality of this laptop is felt to be satisfactory, with a lightweight, easy-to-carry frame, and the battery provides a full day of use. The keyboard feels comfortable to type on for long periods of time and the plastic touchpad is of a reasonable size. The CPU in the lower-end models is good enough for smooth web browsing and word processing, but not for heavy multitasking. Unfortunately, the built-in webcam and microphone are not suitable for video calls.
The elevated mechanism is fairly smooth and we didn’t experience any problems; Lenovo claims the hinge can withstand up to 25,000 opening and closing movements over a four-year period, which means an average of 17 times a day. On the left side of the laptop, there is a barrel charging port, an HDMI 1.4b port, a USB-C port with power delivery certification and a microphone combo jack. On the right side are two USB 3.1 (Gen 1) ports, an SD card reader and a power button. The power button performs the same role as the normal power button on a smartphone. It can be used in laptop mode or tablet mode. On the bottom, there are vents and a rubber pad that provides grip.
