The laptop industry is currently experiencing significant shifts, including changes affecting budget-friendly devices. This week, I’ve been keeping tabs on laptop prices and stumbled upon a few exciting deals that I just have to share. One standout is the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 powered by the Snapdragon X Plus chip.
This is a versatile Copilot+ PC that’s won accolades, such as the Windows Central Best Award, thanks to its stunning OLED display, remarkable efficiency, and an affordable price point. Best Buy has slashed the $859 price tag down to $559, offering a $300 discount. Senior Editor Zac Bowden described it as “The perfect Snapdragon X Plus laptop for daily office work and student tasks.”
So, is now a good time to invest in a new laptop? The answer is yes. The laptop market is in upheaval following new tariffs, making it wise to start shopping before prices skyrocket. Some brands like Framework and Razer have already halted some laptop sales in the U.S., and Acer recently announced a 10% price increase starting in February due to these tariffs, particularly impacting laptops made in China.
It seems likely that laptop prices will increase in the U.S. soon, but for now, retailers are still selling stock that arrived before these new regulations took effect. The Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 was already a fantastic deal at its regular price. With this additional $300 off, it becomes even more appealing.
Let’s dive a bit deeper into what makes the Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 stand out. Senior Editor Zac Bowden gave this model four stars and a Windows Central Best Award after a thorough review, originally based on its full price, which makes the current Best Buy discount even sweeter.
In his review, Bowden tested a $750 version and remarked, “The Lenovo IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 is among the first mid-range laptops I’ve tested featuring the Snapdragon X Plus. It’s a $750 machine offering all-day battery life, strong performance for productivity tasks, a comfortable keyboard and trackpad, along with a fantastic 14-inch OLED touchscreen supporting pen input. To get all of this for just $750 is remarkable, compared to a time when you’d generally have to compromise on display quality, trackpad efficiency, performance, or battery life to achieve this price point.”
As a Copilot+ PC, the IdeaPad 5x 2-in-1 includes the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus System-on-Chip (SoC) with a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capable of 45 TOPS for local AI activities. Even if you don’t use AI features constantly, you can still appreciate the Qualcomm’s incredible efficiency.
Bowden recorded a remarkable runtime of over 15 hours per charge in the Procyon battery test. Adjusting for real-world use, it’ll still easily power you through a full workday. While it’s true the laptop doesn’t offer cutting-edge design, and its camera and speakers are fairly standard, its display more than compensates for those trade-offs.
The 14-inch, 1080p OLED panel is exceptional, delivering rich colors and deep contrast. Additionally, it offers about 400 nits of brightness, which helps minimize glare when working in bright environments.