Lenovo is preparing to launch the IdeaPad Vibe, a laptop aimed at the budget end of the market, positioning it as a rival to Apple's MacBook Neo. Prices for the new model start at $700.
The IdeaPad Vibe will come in a metal casing available in several colours, a design choice Lenovo hopes will appeal to younger buyers. The IdeaPad line has traditionally sat in the shadow of Lenovo's Yoga, ThinkBook and ThinkPad series, but the company is positioning the Vibe as a more eye-catching addition to the family.
Processor and memory options
Buyers will be able to choose between a Qualcomm Snapdragon X chip or an AMD Ryzen AI 400 series processor. Memory will run up to 24GB or 32GB depending on the configuration chosen, while storage options go up to 1TB.
Unlike the MacBook Neo, the IdeaPad Vibe will be offered in two screen sizes, letting buyers choose between a 14-inch or a 15-inch model.
AMD-powered versions will come with a choice of two battery capacities, 50Wh or 65Wh. Some configurations will offer OLED display panels capable of a 120Hz refresh rate.
Connectivity and camera
The laptop will have two 2-watt speakers and a 5-megapixel camera for video calls. The camera supports Windows Hello facial recognition and includes a physical privacy shutter. On the connectivity side, the Vibe offers four USB ports in total, two USB Type-A and two USB Type-C, alongside a 3.5mm headphone jack, a microSD card reader and a full-size HDMI port.
Base model ships with just 8GB of RAM
While the $700 starting price looks attractive, the entry-level configuration comes with only 8GB of RAM, a notable drawback for long-term use on a Windows laptop, according to the report. It noted that a Weather app alone was found last month to use 1GB of RAM. Buyers who can afford it were advised to choose a configuration with 16GB of RAM or more.
Staggered release
The IdeaPad Vibe models will not all launch at once. The AMD-powered versions are due to go on sale in October, followed by the Snapdragon X versions in November. Lenovo has not yet announced a release date for the Intel-powered models, saying only that they will arrive at a later date.
