Lenovo IdeaPad Range Adds 5G Laptop And More For CES 2021

Lenovo is revamping its IdeaPad range for 2021, debuting a handful of new laptops and convertibles for CES 2021, along with a new Tab P11 tablet. Among the features likely to prompt most excitement are optional embedded 5G in select models, along with 2K display options and a pair of new monitors. However, those in North America may not be entirely pleased with Lenovo's news today.

Lenovo's mainstream IdeaPad models will be offered in both Intel and AMD form, and with 14- and 16-inch display options. The screen is now 16:10 aspect, and the all-metal bodies will be offered in either Cloud Grey or Storm Grey. There's also 100-percent sRGB color coverage.

The IdeaPad 5i Pro gets up to 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processors, up to NVIDIA MX450 graphics, and up to 16GB of DDR memory. The 14-inch screen is a 2.8K IPS 90Hz panel with 400 nits of brightness; the 16-inch version is 2.5K with a 120Hz refresh rate, and 350 nits. Both can be had with up to 1TB of SSD PCIe M.2 storage.

The 14-inch has a 56.5 WHr battery and Rapid Charge Boost; the 16-inch bumps that to 75 WHr and Rapid Charge Express. The larger of the two also has Thunderbolt 4.

As for the Idea Pad 5 Pro, that gets the pick of AMD's next-gen Ryzen Mobile CPUs, with up to NVIDIA MX450 graphics. There's also up to 16GB of DDR memory and up to 1TB of SSD storage on the 14-inch model, which has the same 2.8K screen and 56.5 WHr battery. The 16-inch model bumps the graphics up to next-gen NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs, and doubles the maximum RAM to 32GB. It has the same screen and battery as its Intel counterpart.

The IdeaPad 5i Pro won't be offered in North America, either in 16- or 14-inch forms. EMEA will get the notebooks from March 2021. As for the 16-inch IdeaPad 5 Pro, that will go on sale in the US in May, priced from $1,149.99. North America won't be getting the 14-inch version, however, which will launch in EMEA in March.

The IdeaPad 5G skips Intel and AMD altogether, opting instead for Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8cx chipset. It's packed into a 14-inch notebook that's 14.9 mm think and tips the scales at 2.6 pounds. The 51 WHr battery is rated for up to 20 hours of runtime.

The 5G modem supports Sub-6 GHz connections – though not mmWave – along with 4G LTE; there's also WiFi 5 support. The screen runs at 1920 x 1080 resolution and supports 100-percent of the sRGB color gamut with 300 nits of brightness. Inside, there's 8GB of LPDDR4X memory and either 256GB or 512GB of PCIe SSD storage.

Outwardly, you'd be forgiven for not realizing this was an ARM-based notebook. Connectivity include two USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 1, DisplayPort 1.2, one USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1, an audio jack, and a SIM card slot. A 720p HD IR camera and 2x2W speakers are built in. Lenovo will also have a 4G LTE version of the notebook, which skips 5G.

Now for the bad news: according to Lenovo, the IdeaPad 5G will go on sale in "select markets" of which North America isn't one of them. Pricing will vary depending on those markets lucky enough to actually get it.

Something that actually is coming to the US is the Lenovo Tab P11, the company's latest detachable. An 11-inch 2K tablet, it runs Android 10 on its 2,000 x 1,200 IPS LCD display, with a Snapdragon 662 chipset and integrated LTE.

There's either 4GB or 6GB of memory, and either 64GB or 128GB of storage. Connectivity includes WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.1, and a USB Type-C 2.0 port; there's also GPS, an FM radio, and face unlock. The front gets an 8-megapixel camera, and the rear a 13-megapixel autofocus camera. Lenovo says the 7,500 mAh battery is good for up to 12 hours of web browsing.

What sets the Tab P11 apart from other tablets is the ToF (time of flight) sensor. Lenovo will also have various accessories, such as a Keyboard Pack with integrated trackpad that attached magnetically, and a Precision Pen 2 stylus that charges via USB Type-C and can track pressure and tilt. A Smart Charging Station 2 will charge the Tab P11 while keeping it upright for desktop use.

The Lenovo Tab P11 will go on sale this month, priced from $229.99.

For those who want more screen real-estate, Lenovo is bringing two new monitors to CES 2021. Both the L24i-30 and L27e-30 use IPS panels – 24-inches or 27-inches respectively – running at 1920 x 1080 resolution. They support up to 75Hz refresh rates via HDMI, along with AMD FreeSync.

Both will go on sale in March. The L24i-30 will be priced at $159.99, while the L27e-30 will be $189.99.