Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6" Lenovo Cloud Gray 2023

The IdeaPad 1i is a cheap, lightweight laptop with 16GB of RAM and a fast enough CPU for schoolwork. The screen is genuinely bad, one of the worst in our database. At the low end of its price range it's a solid buy, but don't overpay.

The Core i5-1335U keeps things snappy for web browsing, documents, and video calls. 16GB of RAM is a real plus at this price, and owners consistently mention the laptop feels fast for everyday tasks. The integrated Iris Xe graphics are fine for light games like Roblox and Minecraft, but don't expect much beyond that. Gaming is the weakest area here at 13.5 out of 100, so this is not a machine for anything demanding. The 256GB SSD is small, sitting in the 16th percentile for storage, so you'll want to lean on cloud storage or an external drive.

Against something like the Apple MacBook Pro Core i7 2.6GHz, the IdeaPad 1i gets destroyed on screen quality, build, and performance, but it costs a fraction of the price. The HP OmniBook X Flip and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge both offer far better displays and more premium builds, but again, you're paying significantly more. The ASUS Vivobook TP3407SA-DS74T is a closer competitor in spirit, though it tends to offer a better screen and convertible flexibility. The IdeaPad 1i wins on raw value when priced low, but loses on almost every quality metric when compared head to head.

Pricing is all over the place. In the US, listings range from USD 296 to USD 549, a USD 253 spread. At the low end, this is a genuinely good deal for a student laptop. At the high end, you're getting into territory where better screens and more storage exist. If you're shopping in Europe, expect to pay between EUR 716 and EUR 946, which is a much harder sell for what you get. Shop around and don't pay full price.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 1i is a budget laptop that punches above its weight for everyday schoolwork and browsing. You get a 10-core Intel Core i5-1335U, 16GB of RAM, and a 15.6-inch 1080p screen in a 1.61kg chassis that won't wreck your backpack. It's not flashy, but it gets the job done for the price.

The catch is the screen. It's a TN panel rated at 250 nits, which lands in the 9th percentile in our database. That's rough. If you mostly work indoors and don't care about viewing angles, you'll live. If you edit photos or watch movies from the side, this display will annoy you.

Skip this if you care about screen quality at all. The TN panel is a real letdown for anyone who watches movies, edits photos, or works near a window. Also skip it if you need serious storage, since 256GB disappears fast. And if you're paying anywhere near the top of the price range, you can do better elsewhere.

This is a solid pick for students and casual users who need a reliable machine for writing papers, browsing, and video calls. The 16GB of RAM and decent battery life make it a practical daily driver. Just know that the screen is the big compromise, and the webcam won't win any awards. If you can find it near the USD 296 mark, it's an easy recommendation.