Hands On: Lenovo IdeaPad 5 14Q8X9
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 14Q8X9 is one of the first 2-in-1 laptops powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Plus—a chip that promises long battery life, whisper-quiet performance, and baked-in AI features thanks to its onboard NPU. It’s part of Microsoft’s new Copilot+ PC lineup, aiming to redefine what thin-and-light Windows laptops can do.
Design
Photo: Jorge Jimenez Despite its thin chassis, the IdeaPad Slim 5 is generous with ports. You get two USB-C (both with charging and DisplayPort), two USB-A, HDMI 2.1, a microSD card reader, and a headphone/mic combo jack. Wireless connectivity isn’t an afterthought, with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 support baked in. Oh, and we can’t forget the stylus for doodling on the touchscreen.
The keyboard is classic Lenovo—comfortable, well-spaced, and quiet. The trackpad is large and responsive. Audio is a weak spot; the downward-firing speakers get the job done but lack depth and volume, especially in tent or tablet mode. The 1080p webcam is fine and will be enough for most users. The inclusion of a physical privacy shutter is a nice touch.
Photo: Jorge Jimenez Performance
That said, the ARM-based chip does come with caveats. Some legacy Windows apps still don’t run natively. While emulation has improved dramatically, you might see hiccups or compatibility quirks in software like certain Adobe tools and some games on Steam.
Battery Life
Copilot+ Features
Copilot+ PCs feature Microsoft’s on-device AI, and Lenovo has several features built to showcase its potential in more real-world scenarios. Live Captions is a standout—it can transcribe and translate audio from any language in real-time into English, which is great for accessibility. Cocreator is another highlight, allowing users to generate art or visuals from text prompts, directly on the device using the built-in NPU. I used Copilot+ to help create a monster truck-themed invitation to my son’s birthday party, though it took a couple of revisions since it struggled to get the wheels right for some reason.
Another underrated use for Copilot+ is the kitchen, where it offers me recipes based on whatever is left in the fridge. Setting the IdeaPad in tablet mode on the counter while being able to shout questions to Copilot+ was a lot more useful than I imagined while cooking lunch.
Photo: Jorge Jimenez Is the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 the 2-in-1 for me?
If you’re looking for a quick answer, The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 is a good option for the multitasker looking for a convertible on a budget. While it lacks some of the power for more serious tasks, it's gorgeous OLED touchscreen and impressive battery life is why you’ll never want it to leave your side.
The (slightly) longer answer is that the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 5 14Q8X9 Copilot+ is a glimpse into the ARM-powered, AI-enhanced future of Windows laptops. It nails the fundamentals: battery life, portability, quiet operation, and a solid typing experience. It also gets you in the door on Copilot+ without the sticker shock of higher-end Dell or HP models.
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Jorge Jimenez is a hardware writer from the enchanted lands of New Jersey, where he reviews all sorts of gaming hardware, from laptops with the latest mobile GPUs to gaming chairs with built-in back massagers. He's been covering consumer tech for over 15 years and has written for Gizmodo, PC Gamer, Dualshockers, WCCFtech, Tom's Guide, and a bunch of other places on the World Wide Web.
