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Lenovo has just unveiled a new laptop that takes direct aim at Apple’s popular MacBook Neo.
Called the IdeaPad Vibe, the entry-level Windows 11 PC comes in seven different colours, giving you more choice than Apple’s four-colour MacBook Neo lineup. It's meant to be great for everyday tasks, studying, remote work, and casual streaming, with your choice of either a 14-inch or 15-inch display, and upgradeable storage.
Here's everything packed into Lenovo's new colourful device.
The colour lineup seems like a real treat. Lenovo teamed up with the Pantone Institute to develop seven shades, each designed to evoke a particular mood or feeling.
For instance, you have Chill Blue for a fresh, modern look, Zen Green for nature lovers, Spicy Gold if you want something bold and warm, Radiant Coral for an uplifting pop of orange, Dreamy Violet for a calming vibe, Moody Blue for something more refined, and Lowkey Grey for a classic look.
"Colour is the most personal design decision people make when choosing a device," said Brian Leonard, VP of Design Innovation for Intelligent Devices Group at Lenovo.
Beyond the chassis, you can swap out the keyboard caps for different colours too, letting you mix and match to your heart's content.
On the other hand, the MacBook Neo's keyboard comes with its own matching colour keyboard.
The laptop weighs just 1.3kg and measures a slim 14.9mm thick, so it's portable enough for students and commuters alike. It is slightly heavier than the MacBook Neo — 1.23kg and measures 12.7 mm thick.
You can also pick between a plastic or metal body, with some configurations featuring a two-tone polymer and metal design. The latter costs a premium when customising at checkout on the Lenovo store.
Under the bonnet, Lenovo gives you the choice between two processors.
For instance, you could opt for the AMD Ryzen AI 400. This is the more powerful and flexible option. You can get up to 32GB of memory, and if you find the laptop is getting slow in the future, you can add more memory yourself.
This is designed to be more efficient, which can mean better battery life. However, you can only get up to 24GB of memory, and you can't increase it later because the memory is permanently built into the laptop.
Both versions offer up to 1TB of storage across dual SSD slots, meaning you can buy a cheaper configuration now and add more space when prices come down — a perk given how expensive memory has become lately.
The reason comes down to the massive boom in Artificial Intelligence (AI), with data centres taking up memory supplies faster than manufacturers can make them. This has affected the MacBook Neo after its release earlier this year, as well as Microsoft Surface laptops.
On the side of the laptop, you get a healthy range of ports, including two USB-C, two USB-A, full-size HDMI 2.1, a microSD reader, and a headphone port.
In contrast, MacBook Neo only provides two USB-C ports and a headphone jack.
Lenovo will kickstart its new range with the AMD-powered laptops in October, with versions powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipsets following in November. Lenovo has also confirmed that Intel Core Ultra configurations will arrive at a later date, though no specific timing has been given.
In the US, both the AMD and Snapdragon variants start at $699.99. European pricing begins at €799, and while Lenovo hasn't confirmed UK figures yet, a £699 starting price looks likely. If this price is confirmed in the UK, this would match the MacBook Neo in the 256GB model.
With electronics prices climbing thanks to a global RAM shortage, the fact that you can start on the more budget-friendly side and upgrade later appears to be a smart selling point. It's a laptop that grows with your budget rather than having you shell out so much up front.
