If you're looking for a laptop primarily for general use, and you're concerned about budget, the Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers good value for money with the added versatility of a 2-in-1 design that can be handy for presentations and casual use. However, if your work involves more intensive tasks, or you need a more rugged and durable machine, you may find the extra investment in the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 worthwhile. ThinkPads are known for better build quality, superior keyboards, and generally, longer battery life, which can be important if you travel often or need to work for extended periods without access to a power outlet. Keep in mind that the ThinkPad X13 is also likely to have better performance which can be crucial for more demanding software and workloads. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Lenovo Flex 5 14
Very good battery life
Advantages of the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
Very good for general use
Very good for engineering and design
Very good for software development
Very good for content creation
Very good overall build quality
Good speakers
Excellent keyboard
Key differences
General Use
7.7/10
8.4/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
277.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
11.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.5 Hours
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
8.3/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.9/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for general use, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers a balance of performance and versatility with its adequate CPU and RAM, convenient touchscreen, and good battery life, making it a solid option for everyday tasks. Meanwhile, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 delivers superior CPU performance, excellent build quality, a high-quality keyboard, and better screen quality, thus providing a more robust experience for intensive workloads while still being lightweight for portability.
Engineering and Design
7.0/10
8.0/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
3.6/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
4.0/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for engineering and design, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers a versatile 2-in-1 design with a touchscreen that may benefit design tasks, supported by sufficient processing power and memory for demanding engineering software, while its graphics capabilities and high screen quality enhance visual work. In contrast, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13, known for its durable build and exceptional keyboard, also provides robust CPU and RAM for engineering, but with a focus on portability and lower operating noise, it may appeal more to users who prioritize a machine that's easier to carry and less disruptive in quiet environments.
Content Creation
7.6/10
8.2/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for content creation, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
7.4/10
8.1/10
6.9/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
8.8/10
16.0 GB
RAM
32.0 GB
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
7.0/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
9.0/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is very good for software development, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 is good.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
6.4/10
6.9/10
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
1920 x 1200
RESOLUTION
1920 x 1200
IPS
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
60Hz
REFRESH RATE
60Hz
277.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
321.0 nits
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has a better screen than the Lenovo Flex 5 14 for general use, gaming and AI, engineering and design, content creation, and software development.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 offers acceptable screen brightness and resolution for everyday tasks and office applications which makes it suitable for general use, but its modest color accuracy and coverage don't meet the high standards needed for professional engineering and design work. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 improves upon that with a screen that provides better color representation and accuracy, vital for detailed and color-sensitive engineering projects. However, both models lack the high refresh rates and optimal resolution desired for smooth and immersive gaming and 3D experiences.
Battery
11.5 Hours
8.5 Hours
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has 11.5 hours of battery life. The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has 8.5 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Very Good
Very Good
14.0in
SIZE
13.3in
3.4 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.7in
THICKNESS
0.6in
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and Lenovo Flex 5 14 both have very good portability, though the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has somewhat better portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
7.0/10
8.5/10
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has very good build quality, while the Lenovo Flex 5 14 has good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$440
$948
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
$1,400
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 has a price of $440 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 costs $948.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 and Lenovo Flex 5 14 are both only fair for gaming and AI.
The Lenovo Flex 5 14 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 both have integrated graphics that can handle lighter gaming and 3D tasks, but for more demanding graphics, they might not provide the high performance desired by gamers or professionals. While their CPUs can manage general tasks with ease, and the screens are of decent quality, they lack the high refresh rates preferred for smooth, competitive gaming visuals.
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How the Lenovo Flex 5 14 and the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 compare to other laptops
"The highlight of the latest IdeaPad Flex 5 14 is clearly its AMD CPU. The octa-core Ryzen 7 5700U is insanely fast even when compared to the best Tiger Lake Ultrabooks in the market or even Core H CPUs in many gaming laptops. It's a lot of raw processing power for what is supposed to be a budget 14-inch convertible. If your daily workloads can benefit from extra multi-thread CPU performance, then look no further than the inexpensive AMD-powered Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14. For regular on-the-road browsing or video streaming, however, a slimmer and lighter 10th gen Core Yoga, Spectre, or XPS would be a more balanced option."
"The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 G4 has very good input devices, a wide array of security features and ports as well as 5G in the tested configuration. It is more compact and lightweight compared with its predecessor, and it has improved speakers and a slightly better webcam. On the other hand, the fan is more annoying and the performance is barely improved. The battery is worse as well, but this is primarily attributable to the OLED screen - if this aspect is important, buyers should choose the IPS Low Power LCD."
Get a great deal on the Lenovo Flex 5 14 or the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
About Lenovo
Lenovo is a Chinese technology company, and one of the largest personal computer vendor. They are well known for a variety of technology products, including laptops. Their consumer series include their entry level IdeaPad and LOQ series and mid-to-high-end Yoga and Legion series. On the business-oriented side, their series include their entry-level ThinkBook series and mid-to-high-end ThinkPad series. Lenovo laptops offer strong performance for reasonable prices, and are often on sale.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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