Lenovo V14 83A0004GUS 2024, Core i3-1315U, 8GB, 256GB SSD, Black

A light, reliable office laptop with a screen that feels like a punishment. Fine for email and spreadsheets, rough for everything else.

The Core i3-1315U is a 6-core chip that wakes up fast and handles a dozen browser tabs without crying. What surprised us is how usable this thing feels for basic work given the CPU sits in the 29th percentile. But the integrated Intel UHD Graphics are a weak spot, landing in the 36th percentile, so don't expect anything beyond video streaming. The 8GB of RAM is fine for now but sits near the bottom of our database, and that 256GB SSD fills up faster than you'd think once Windows 11 Pro and a few apps move in.

Stacked against the MacBook Pro M4 Pro or Surface Laptop 7th Edition, the V14 looks like it's from another decade. Those machines crush it in screen quality, speed, and storage. But they also cost several times more. The real comparison is against other budget business laptops like HP's ProBook or Dell's Latitude 3000 series. Against those, the V14 holds its own on reliability and portability, but the TN screen and 256GB SSD are compromises those rivals sometimes avoid.

Without a listed price in USD it's hard to judge, but the CAD 1,228 and GBP 1,251 listings feel steep for what you get. You're paying for Windows 11 Pro and Lenovo's business reliability, not performance. If you can find this under $500 USD, it's a reasonable office beater. Anything more and you should look elsewhere.

The Lenovo V14 is a budget business laptop that gets the basics right and not much else. The one thing to know: it's a cheap, light machine for email, docs, and web browsing, and it won't pretend to be anything more. The Core i3-1315U and 8GB of RAM handle everyday office work fine, but that TN display and tiny 256GB SSD are reminders you're shopping at the bottom of the stack.

If you care about screen quality, storage space, or any kind of graphics performance, this isn't it. Go get a used ThinkPad with an IPS panel or a newer Ryzen 5 laptop instead. You'll be happier.

The Lenovo V14 is a no-frills work laptop for people who need Windows 11 Pro, a light chassis, and don't care about screen quality. It's reliable and portable, but the display and storage are serious compromises. Buy it only if the price is right and your workload is basic.