For a bird’s-eye view of everyday performance, consider the results of the PCMark test. It stresses the CPU, storage subsystem, and RAM, but it can also take advantage of most GPUs to speed up the process of applying filters, so systems with powerful graphics chips or cards may see a boost.On the right edge, there are two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports, a rarity on ultraportable laptops these days, and handy for connecting one of the vast number of devices that haven't yet moved to USB-C. The USB-C port can be used to charge the laptop, and Lenovo includes an AC adapter with a USB-C plug, rendering the dedicated power port an anachronism.
It stresses the CPU, storage subsystem, and RAM, but it can also take advantage of most GPUs to speed up the process of applying filters, so systems with powerful graphics chips or cards may see a boost.Now, let's be clear: The Flex 5's dim screen likely helps it achieve this excellent result, since brighter pixels consume more power.
If you can stretch your budget by $100 or so, it's worth checking out one of the configurations sold at Lenovo.com, which are still excellent values and may be more readily available.PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services.
Instead of face recognition to log in to your Windows account, you can use the keyboard-mounted fingerprint reader to avoid cumbersome passwords.While the Radeon graphics may not be a distinguishing factor in running Adobe Photoshop, the Flex 5’s graphics prowess is immediately apparent on our game simulations. In addition to the excellent value, coronavirus-related manufacturing delays and general issues surrounding the launch of a new processor family likely have also played a part in the Flex 5's tendency to remain out of stock.
That way, you\u2019ll be able to charge the laptop and use the USB-C port at the same time.The results of the 3DMark test confirm this. While the camera lacks IR sensors for face recognition, it does come with a built-in physical privacy shutter for additional peace of mind when you\u2019re not using it. Image quality appeared quite noisy and occasionally washed out in my testing, although that's par for the course for laptop webcams. The Flex 5 is no gaming laptop, mind you, but you could eke out some play at the lowest settings.When it comes to image editing in Adobe Photoshop, the Flex 5\u2019s advantage isn\u2019t as great. The Graphite Gray color scheme of our review unit is also intriguing, making the laptop darker and moodier-looking than the mostly silver schemes of other Lenovo ultraportables. Lenovo uses a unique soft-touch plastic coating on the sides and the keyboard deck, which makes the laptop pleasing to hold. Also contributing are the laptop's capacious 52WHr battery and improvements unique to Renoir chips, like a redesigned power interface with three distinct states.
The Flex 5 measures 0.82 by 12.7 by 8.6 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.3 pounds, which just barely qualifies it as an ultraportable.You shouldn’t expect a $600 ultraportable laptop to have the graphics capabilities of a $2,000 gaming rig, nor the content creation capabilities of a $3,000 mobile workstation.