Lenovo Flex 5 14" 81X20005US 2020, Ryzen 5 4500U, 16GB, 256GB SSD

A budget 2-in-1 that nails the basics with 16GB of RAM and a Ryzen 5, but the tiny 256GB SSD and mediocre screen hold it back. Buy it for the flexibility, not the performance.

The Ryzen 5 4500U is a workhorse for everyday tasks. Six cores and 16GB of DDR4 means you can have 30 Chrome tabs open, Spotify running, and a Zoom call going without the thing grinding to a halt. The integrated Radeon graphics sit at the 70th percentile in our database, which is fine for light photo editing and older games, but don't expect to run Cyberpunk on this. The 256GB SSD is the real bottleneck here. That's the 16th percentile for storage, and it fills up fast if you're installing anything beyond the basics.

Stacked against the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition, the Flex 5 loses on build quality and screen, but wins on price and RAM. The Surface is a premium machine with a gorgeous display, but you'll pay a lot more for similar specs. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is in a completely different league for gaming and performance, but it's also heavier and way more expensive. If you're comparing to the HP OMEN Transcend 14, that's a gaming-focused machine with a much better GPU, but again, you're paying for it. The Flex 5 is the budget-friendly everyday option in this crowd.

At $900 USD, this is a fair deal but not a steal. You're paying for the 2-in-1 flexibility and the included pen. If you don't need the touchscreen or tablet mode, you can get a traditional laptop with better specs for the same money. But if you want a convertible that won't feel sluggish, this is a reasonable choice.

The Lenovo Flex 5 81X20005US is a budget 2-in-1 that gets the basics right. You get a Ryzen 5 4500U, 16GB of RAM, and a 14-inch FHD touchscreen in a 3.64 lb chassis that won't wreck your shoulder. It's not going to blow anyone away, but for around $900 USD it's a solid everyday machine that doubles as a tablet when you need it. The included digital pen is a nice touch that most competitors charge extra for.

If you need serious storage, a high-quality display, or gaming performance, this isn't it. Go get a traditional laptop with a 512GB or 1TB SSD and a better screen instead. And if you're a creative professional who needs color accuracy, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition is worth the extra cash.

The Lenovo Flex 5 81X20005US is a solid budget 2-in-1 for students, casual users, and anyone who wants a laptop that can occasionally pretend to be a tablet. The 16GB of RAM and Ryzen 5 4500U are a good combo for multitasking, and the included pen sweetens the deal. Just know that the 256GB SSD is going to feel tight, and the screen won't win any awards. If you can live with those compromises, it's a decent buy.