Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15ALC7 2023 Business Laptop 15.6" Review
The Lenovo IdeaPad 1 delivers core specs like a 1TB SSD and 16GB RAM for under $750, but you'll compromise on screen quality and port selection. It's a solid budget pick for basic tasks.
Overview
So, the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15ALC7 is a bit of a mixed bag. It's a solid 15-inch touchscreen laptop with a decent 8-core AMD chip and a full 1TB of storage, all for under $750. That's a pretty good starting point for a general-purpose machine.
But you can see where the corners were cut. The screen is a basic 45% NTSC panel, the port selection is a little dated, and the overall build feels more budget than business. It's a capable workhorse, just don't expect any premium frills.
Performance
Performance is okay for the price. That AMD Ryzen 7 5700U is an older chip, landing in the 35th percentile for CPU power. It'll handle office work, web browsing, and light multitasking just fine. The integrated Radeon graphics are also decent for its class, scoring in the 64th percentile. But don't mistake it for a gaming laptop. That 55.6/100 gaming score tells you everything. It's fine for casual games, but that's it.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Great price for a 1TB SSD and 16GB of RAM. 81th
- Touchscreen is a nice bonus at this price. 77th
- Solid everyday reliability (75th percentile). 76th
- Wi-Fi 6 keeps you connected fast. 71th
Cons
- Screen quality is mediocre (29th percentile). 27th
- Port selection is outdated (21st percentile).
- CPU is a few generations old.
- Battery life is just okay at up to 8 hours.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U |
| Cores | 8 |
| Frequency | 1.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme |
| Type | discrete |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 16 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR4 |
| Storage | 1 TB |
| Storage Type | SSD |
Display
| Size | 15.6" |
| Resolution | 1920 (Full HD) |
| Panel | IPS |
Connectivity
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 6 |
Physical
| Weight | 1.6 kg / 3.5 lbs |
| Battery | 42 Wh |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro |
Value & Pricing
At $749, the value is honestly pretty good if you need a big screen and lots of storage on a tight budget. You're getting a functional Windows 11 Pro machine with specs that won't feel slow on day one. Just know you're paying for core specs, not a great screen, a sleek design, or long battery life.
Price History
vs Competition
Compared to something like the ASUS Zenbook Duo, you're giving up innovation and portability for a lower price and a simpler setup. Against a MacBook Pro, there's no contest on performance or screen quality, but you're also paying less than a third of the price. The real competition is other budget 15-inch laptops. Here, the IdeaPad wins on raw storage and RAM for the money, but might lose on screen or build quality to others.
| Spec | Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15ALC7 2023 Business Laptop 15.6" | Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro - Apple M5 chip with 10-core | ASUS ProArt ASUS - ProArt PX13 13" 3K OLED Touch Screen Laptop | Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Samsung - Galaxy Book5 Pro - Copilot+ PC - 14" 3K | MSI Prestige MSI - Prestige 13”AI+ - Ukiyoe Edition 13.3"OLED | Microsoft Surface Laptop Microsoft - Surface Laptop - 13.8" 2K Touchscreen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 5700U | Apple M5 | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 | Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100 |
| RAM (GB) | 16 | 24 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Storage (GB) | 1024 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 | 1000 |
| Screen | 15.6" 1920x1080 | 14.2" 3024x1964 | 13.3" 2880x1800 | 14" 2880x1800 | 13.3" 2880x1800 | 13.8" 2304x1536 |
| GPU | AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme | Apple M4 GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 | Intel Arc Graphics | Intel Arc Graphics | Qualcomm X1 |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro | macOS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home |
| Weight (kg) | 1.6 | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1 | 1.3 |
| Battery (Wh) | 42 | 72 | 73 | - | - | - |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Cpu | Gpu | Ram | Port | Screen | Compact | Storage | Reliability | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo IdeaPad 1 15ALC7 2023 Business Laptop 15.6" | 50.1 | 71.1 | 44.1 | 27 | 47.2 | 49.4 | 76.6 | 75.6 | 81.3 |
| Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch M5 chip Compare | 82.9 | 20.6 | 68.5 | 83.9 | 96.9 | 70.4 | 72.4 | 94.8 | 98.5 |
| ASUS ProArt PX13 13" 3K Compare | 87.2 | 77.3 | 94.2 | 93.6 | 93.1 | 91.6 | 72.4 | 55.7 | 94.6 |
| Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro Galaxy Book5 Pro 14" 3K Compare | 69 | 66.6 | 86.9 | 90.5 | 93.5 | 84.9 | 72.4 | 75.6 | 96.5 |
| MSI Prestige 13”AI+ Ukiyoe Edition 13.3"OLED Compare | 65.7 | 66.6 | 86.9 | 98.3 | 90.6 | 95.5 | 72.4 | 55.7 | 88.1 |
| Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8" 2K Touchscreen Compare | 95.1 | 42 | 86.9 | 94.7 | 81.2 | 87 | 72.4 | 75.6 | 97.4 |
Verdict
Buy this if you need a basic, large-screen laptop for school, home office, or general family use and your budget is firmly under $800. It gets the job done. Avoid it if you care about screen quality, need serious power for development or content creation, or want something that feels premium.