Lenovo IdeaPad 15.6" 1i 2025 Review

The Lenovo IdeaPad 1i is a budget laptop with a weirdly specific trick up its sleeve. It packs a huge 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD into a package that costs under $500. That's a lot of memory and storage for the money, but you're making some serious compromises to get there.

The Intel Core i5-1235U processor is fine for basic tasks, but its performance lands in the 28th percentile. Don't expect to do anything heavy. The integrated Intel UHD graphics are predictably weak, scoring in the 42nd percentile, so gaming is basically off the table. The good news is that 24GB of RAM means you can have a hundred browser tabs open without a hiccup, and the 1TB SSD is fast for booting up and loading files.

For around $500, you're getting an insane amount of RAM and storage. That's the value proposition, full stop. If your main need is to have fifty Chrome tabs and a dozen Word docs open at once without slowing down, this delivers. Just know you're sacrificing screen quality, portability, and processing power to get that spec sheet.

Compared to a base model MacBook Pro or a gaming laptop like the MSI Vector, this isn't even in the same league for performance. Its real competition is other budget Windows laptops. The ASUS Zenbook Duo offers a far better, more innovative screen for more money. Against something like a cheaper Acer Aspire, the IdeaPad 1i wins on raw RAM and storage capacity, but you might get a better screen and lighter chassis elsewhere. It's a trade-off.

Buy this only if your number one priority is maxing out RAM and storage on a tight budget, and you don't care about screen quality or weight. It's perfect for a student or home user who multitasks heavily with basic apps but never edits video or plays games. For anyone else, the awful screen is a deal-breaker.