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| Lenovo goes MacBook Neo: Hands-on review with Lenovo's best-looking $699 laptop |
The consumer laptop market has been turned on its head this year. When Apple dropped the MacBook Neo earlier in 2026, the industry—and its customer base—was caught somewhat off guard. It wasn't just the sleek hardware that made waves; it was the aggressive pricing. The Neo proved that a high-quality, metal-clad laptop from a premium brand didn't have to break the bank, instantly becoming the benchmark for value in the entry-level segment.
Since that launch, there have been many claimants for the title of MacBook Neo competitor. The great success of Apple's most affordable MacBook laptop has certainly rocked the market, with PC manufacturers seemingly unable to respond immediately. For months, Windows-based alternatives have felt a step behind, often sacrificing build quality to hit similar price points or failing to capture the same "premium for less" energy.
A few months later, it seems like the big fish of the laptop world have found their footing again. Although it is maybe unfair to attribute everything to the Neo—product development cycles are typically measured in years, not months—the emergence of more budget-friendly systems with attractive, non-plastic designs is likely less than a coincidence. It is clear that the "Neo Effect" has lit a fire under major OEMs.
Case in point: The new Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe that Lenovo unveiled at IFA 2026 in Berlin. This new laptop series will be available in 14- and 15-inch configurations, and it sports one of the most interesting designs of the IFA laptop crop. We were able to get some hands-on time with the 14-inch version to see if it truly has what it takes to steal the crown. For a full breakdown of how the market shifted earlier this year, you can read our analysis of the Apple MacBook Neo’s disruption here.
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| Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe 14 in Radiant Coral with custom colored key-caps. |
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| Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe 14 in Moody Blue. |
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| Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe 14 in Chill Blue. |
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| Colored keycap sets for the Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe. |
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| Keycap removal tool for the Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe. |
Colors, Keys, and Aluminum: An Expressive Lenovo Laptop Design
One problem many affordable Windows laptops face is a distinct lack of structural integrity; simply put, they feel cheap. This is something the Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe mostly avoids by utilizing aluminum for the screen lid and bottom cover. The laptop feels solid and dense in the hand, and even the plastic palmrest does not feel like a cost-cutting afterthought. Plus, the hinges are tuned well enough to allow for single-handed opening, a small ergonomic luxury often missing in this price bracket.
Of course, Lenovo still had to make compromises to reach the attractive $700 starting price point. There is a version with a plastic bottom cover for those looking to save a few extra dollars, and while there is a backlit keyboard—a feature that the MacBook Neo notably does not offer—it is only optional on lower tiers.
The 1.35 mm travel keyboard is the focus in another way, as Lenovo takes the colorful design language to the next level. The IdeaPad Vibe will be available in seven distinct colors, but Lenovo isn't stopping at the chassis. They will also offer color-matching keyboard keys. This will enable users to customize the look of their laptop, as the keys are designed to be user-removable.
At the product demo, Lenovo demonstrated how to remove the keys with a special tool, which is included if you buy a set of colorful keyboard caps. We tried to remove the keys without it, but it is not possible—at least not without long fingernails and a high tolerance for frustration. According to Lenovo, it will also be possible to customize the keyboard colors at the point of purchase. Sadly, Lenovo is not going to sell single keycaps, so if you want a specific accent color for your WASD keys, you’ll have to buy the whole set.
For more details on the official announcement and the specific Pantone color options, check out our dedicated coverage on the Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe debut here.
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| Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe: Upgradeable internals. |
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| Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe: Left-side ports. |
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| Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe: Right-side ports. |
AMD and Qualcomm Now, Intel Wildcat Lake in the Future
Under the hood, Lenovo is casting a wide net. Lenovo will launch the IdeaPad Vibe with AMD Ryzen AI CPUs, as well as Qualcomm Snapdragon X chips, but this will not be the whole lineup. The product managers at the IFA event confirmed that a version with Intel's budget-oriented Wildcat Lake CPUs is also planned for a later date.
When this Intel version launches, it seems like a natural fit for this affordable series. However, it will bring a notable limitation: Lenovo touts the IdeaPad laptop for its upgradeability. Indeed, the AMD model boasts two SO-DIMM slots and two M.2 2242 SSD slots. That, however, is only true for the AMD model, as the Qualcomm IdeaPad will ship with soldered RAM. And since Intel Wildcat Lake only supports single-channel RAM, Lenovo would likely reduce the future Intel IdeaPads to a single SO-DIMM slot.
The PC Advantage
In any case, versatility is the big advantage the IdeaPad Vibe holds over the Apple MacBook Neo. With multiple USB ports and HDMI, as well as its user-accessible internals, the IdeaPad Vibe is arguably more usable for the average tinkerer than the limited MacBook, even going as far as including a microSD card reader—a feature Apple seems allergic to.
To us, that seems to be the right mix against the Apple device. Lenovo has managed to keep the advantages of the PC world—versatility and upgradeability, giving the user choice—while also adopting a fresh, more premium and expressive design language in the lower price tier. If the performance matches the looks, Apple finally has a real fight on its hands.
