Lenovo V15

The Lenovo V15 pairs 16GB of DDR5 RAM with a Ryzen 3 7320U that only lands in the 22nd percentile for CPUs, so it's fast enough for everyday work but not much else. The 250-nit screen is dim and the 256GB SSD is tight, but Windows 11 Pro and an Ethernet port are nice touches at $580. Owners love the speed and value, but the USB-C charger hogging the only USB-C port is a recurring gripe.

The Ryzen 3 7320U is a 4-core, 8-thread chip that boosts up to 4.1GHz. That's fine for everyday stuff, but it lands in the 22nd percentile for CPUs in our database, which means most laptops we track will outrun it. The integrated Radeon Graphics are even weaker, sitting at the 14th percentile. Don't expect to game on this thing. The gaming score of 10.6 out of 100 is the weakest area by a mile.

Where this machine actually shines is the RAM. 16GB of DDR5 is solid, and while it only ranks at the 51st percentile, that's plenty for the kind of multitasking this laptop is built for. Multiple owners mention it runs smooth for IT school workloads and feels fast compared to older machines. The 256GB NVMe SSD is quick for boot times and app launches, but you'll fill it up faster than you think. At least there's room to add a second drive, with support for a 2.5-inch HDD up to 1TB alongside the M.2 slot.

Stacked against the Apple MacBook Air M4, the V15 gets absolutely demolished on CPU, GPU, screen, and battery. The Air's M4 chip is in a different universe from the Ryzen 3 7320U, and the display quality gap is massive. But the MacBook costs way more, so that's not really a fair fight. The ASUS Zenbook UX3405CA and Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition are similarly out of reach on price. The more honest comparison is against other budget business laptops, and here the V15 holds its own on RAM and connectivity. The Ethernet port is something none of those premium competitors offer, and the numeric keypad is a genuine productivity win for spreadsheet work. You're trading performance and screen quality for ports and price, and for the right buyer that's a fair trade.

At $580 USD, the V15 is priced like a budget laptop and mostly delivers on that promise. The 16GB of RAM and Windows 11 Pro are the standout value plays here. You'd typically pay more for a business-focused OS with BitLocker and Remote Desktop. But the 256GB SSD feels stingy, and the dim 250-nit screen is a reminder of where corners got cut. The GBP listing at 756 is a different story entirely, and that price is harder to justify for what you're getting. If you're in the US, this is a reasonable deal for a student or office machine. If you're paying in pounds, shop around first.

The Lenovo V15 sits in a weird spot. It's got 16GB of DDR5 RAM, which lands it right around the middle of the pack in our database, but the Ryzen 3 7320U processor only hits the 22nd percentile for CPUs. That mismatch tells you a lot about who this laptop is for: people who need memory headroom for browser tabs and office apps, not anyone doing serious compute work. The 256GB NVMe SSD is also on the small side, ranking in the bottom quarter of laptops we track.

At 1.63kg with a 15.6-inch IPS display, it's a perfectly portable budget business machine. The 4.4-star rating from 23 reviews suggests owners are mostly happy, and the sentiment data backs that up with performance and value getting the most positive mentions. But there are some real annoyances hiding in the details, and the screen brightness is one of them.

If you care about screen quality, look elsewhere. The 250-nit display ranks in the 32nd percentile and owners consistently call it out as not bright or crisp enough. Anyone who needs to work outdoors or in bright rooms will be squinting. Gamers should also steer clear, the integrated graphics land at the 14th percentile and the gaming score of 10.6 out of 100 is the weakest area on this machine. And if you're the type who fills up storage fast, the 256GB SSD in the 25th percentile will have you shopping for an external drive within months. The USB-C charger blocking the only USB-C port is another daily annoyance that might push you toward a machine with better port design.

The Lenovo V15 is a competent budget workhorse with a few annoying compromises. The 16GB of DDR5 RAM and Windows 11 Pro are the headline features, and owners consistently praise the speed and value. But the 250-nit screen is a real letdown, the 256GB SSD fills up fast, and the USB-C charger blocking the only USB-C port is the kind of design oversight that'll drive you nuts daily. If you need a cheap machine for school or office work and can live with a dim display, this is a solid pick at the US price. Just know what you're giving up.