The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 (2021) is an ultraportable Windows laptop. It's available with various Intel 11th Gen. CPUs ranging from a Core i3-1115G4 to a Core i7-1195G7, and up to 16GB of memory and over 1TB of storage. For the display, you can choose between a 1080p TN or IPS panel. It has a full-size keyboard with a Numpad, a 720p webcam with a privacy cover, and Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity.
Its port selection includes two USB-As, a USB-C, an HDMI 1.4, an SD card reader, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The USB-C port supports charging and video output. There's a fingerprint sensor built into the power button for quick logins. This laptop is available in three colors: Abyss Blue, Graphite Gray, and Platinum Gray. You can see our unit's configuration and the available configurations options in the Differences Between Variants section below.
Our Verdict
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 is good for school use. It's a well-built ultraportable laptop that fits easily into most bags, and its battery lasts over 8 hours of light productivity. The screen gets bright enough for use in most settings, and the keyboard feels great to type on for extended periods. Its Intel 11th Gen CPU can handle light to moderately demanding workloads, but since you can only configure the laptop with an integrated or entry-level dedicated NVIDIA graphics processor, it isn't ideal for GPU-intensive tasks like 3D animation or graphic design.
- Easy to carry around.
- Sturdy aluminum chassis.
- Battery lasts nearly nine hours of light productivity.
- Display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings.
- Keyboard feels great to type on.
- USB-C supports charging and video output.
- Webcam image looks noisy and underexposed.
- Integrated and entry-level dedicated GPUs can't handle demanding workloads.
- HDMI port limited to 4k @ 30Hz output.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is mediocre for gaming. Its Intel 11th Gen CPU performs well, but you can only configure the laptop with an integrated or entry-level NVIDIA GPU, which isn't powerful enough to handle graphically demanding games. Also, it has a 60Hz display with a slow response time and no VRR support to reduce screen tearing. It doesn't throttle much under load, though, and has enough USB ports for wired peripherals.
- Keyboard feels great to type on.
- CPU can handle light to moderately demanding games.
- Minimal thermal throttling under load.
- Has enough ports for wired peripherals.
- Memory isn't user-upgradeable.
- Integrated and entry-level dedicated GPUs can't handle demanding workloads.
- 60Hz display with slow response time and no VRR support.
- HDMI port limited to 4k @ 30Hz output.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 is decent for media consumption. Its 15.6-inch screen gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings; however, its low contrast makes blacks look gray in the dark, and colors look washed out due to its narrow color gamut. The speakers sound good overall, though they're better suited for spoken content than music or movies as they don't have much bass. The battery lasts only a little over five hours of video playback; thankfully, its compact power adapter fits easily into most bags, and you can also charge the laptop over USB-C.
- Easy to carry around.
- Display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings.
- Display supports touch input.
- Blacks look gray in dim settings and colors look washed out.
- Speakers sound quiet and lack bass.
- Battery lasts only a little over five hours of video playback.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is good as a workstation. Its Intel 11th Gen CPU can handle some moderately heavy workloads; however, you can only configure the laptop with an integrated or entry-level dedicated graphics processor, which isn't ideal for GPU-intensive tasks like video editing or 3D animation. On the upside, it has a fast storage drive for quick file transfers, and the CPU doesn't throttle much under load.
- Keyboard feels great to type on.
- USB-C supports charging and video output.
- CPU can handle some demanding tasks like photo editing and rendering.
- Fast storage drive.
- Minimal thermal throttling under load.
- Memory isn't user-upgradeable.
- Integrated and entry-level dedicated GPUs can't handle demanding workloads.
- HDMI port limited to 4k @ 30Hz output.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 is good for business use. It's a well-built laptop that's easy to carry around, with a battery that lasts long enough to get you through a typical eight-hour workday. The display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings, the keyboard feels great to type on, and the touchpad responds to all movements and gestures. Its Intel 11th Gen CPU can handle most productivity tasks like text formatting, web browsing, spreadsheets, and presentations. Unfortunately, the webcam's image looks noisy and underexposed.
- Easy to carry around.
- Sturdy aluminum chassis.
- Battery lasts nearly nine hours of light productivity.
- Display gets bright enough for use in most indoor settings.
- Keyboard feels great to type on.
- USB-C supports charging and video output.
- Webcam image looks noisy and underexposed.
- HDMI port limited to 4k @ 30Hz output.
Changelog
- Updated Dec 07, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.2.
- Updated Nov 03, 2023: Converted to Test Bench 0.8.1.
- Updated Jun 08, 2023: Added mention of the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2023) as an alternative with longer battery life in the Battery section.
- Updated Apr 26, 2023: Added mention of the Acer Swift 14 (2023) in the Brightness section as an alternative with a brighter display.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
We tested the Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 (model 82FG015NUS) with an Intel Core i5-1135G7 CPU, integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics, 8GB of memory, and 512GB of storage. The screen, CPU, GPU, memory, and storage, are configurable; you can see the available options in the table below. Our review applies only to variants with a model number starting with '82FG'.
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You can see our unit's label here.
Popular Laptop Comparisons
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 is a good laptop overall. It's a well-rounded device that doesn't compromise too much on quality-of-life features, but it also doesn't stand out in any way compared to other laptops in its class.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best laptops, the best laptops for college, and the best business laptops.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 (2021) and the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15 (2021) are very similar overall, as the IdeaPad 5 is essentially a higher-tier model of the same lineup. The IdeaPad 5 provides a better user experience as its keyboard feels more comfortable to type on, and its touchpad tracks better. Also, the IdeaPad 5's USB-C port supports charging and video output, whereas the IdeaPad 3's USB-C can only transfer data. The IdeaPad 5's Intel 11th Gen processors perform better than the IdeaPad 3's AMD Ryzen 5000-series CPUs, but they aren't as power-efficient, meaning battery life is better on the IdeaPad 3, especially for video playback.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 (2021) is better than the ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 (2020) for most uses. The IdeaPad 5 has a sturdier aluminum chassis, a brighter display to combat glare, a much better backlit keyboard, and a more responsive touchpad. It has a wider port selection with a USB-C port that supports charging and video output, and a much better webcam for video calls. The IdeaPad 5's Intel 11th Gen CPUs are much more powerful than the VivoBook's Intel Celeron and Pentium processors, providing and smoother and snappier desktop experience. On the other hand, the VivoBook Flip is more portable as it's a smaller device, and you can use it as a tablet since it's a 2-in-1 convertible.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 (2021) is better than the ASUS X515 (2020) for most uses. The Lenovo has better build quality as it sports a full-aluminum chassis, and its battery lasts more than 2 hours longer for light productivity. It also has a brighter screen to combat glare, a more comfortable keyboard, and a much better webcam for video calls. The Lenovo laptop's Intel 11th Gen CPUs perform better than the ASUS' Intel 10th Gen processors, so they can handle heavier workloads and provide a snappier desktop experience. Both laptops have dedicated NVIDIA GPU options, but they don't perform much better than the Intel CPU's integrated graphics.
The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15 (2021) and the Dell Inspiron 15 3000 (2020) are both 15.6-inch ultraportable Windows laptops with Intel 11th Gen processors. The IdeaPad 5's full aluminum chassis feels sturdier, and its battery lasts a little longer, just enough to get you through a typical eight-hour workday. The IdeaPad also has a brighter display, a more comfortable keyboard, and a much better port selection, including a USB-C port that supports charging and video output.
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