Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 14" G8, Core i7-1365U, 32GB, 1TB SSD, Grey

At $749 refurbished, the X1 Yoga G8 packs 32GB RAM and a 1TB SSD into a 0.86kg convertible that's among the lightest we've tracked, with a compact score in the 95th percentile. The i7-1365U is a competent workhorse but the integrated graphics cap this at productivity tasks only. It's a great buy for road warriors who want a premium ThinkPad keyboard and serious multitasking headroom, but gamers and creative pros should look elsewhere.

The i7-1365U is a 10-core chip with a mix of performance and efficiency cores, and it's a solid fit for this form factor, though not a barn burner. It lands in the 41st percentile for CPU performance in our database, which puts it about average for the category. In plain English, that means it handles everyday business workloads without complaint, but it's not going to win any render races. Think smooth, not spectacular.

The Iris Xe integrated graphics tell the other side of the story. That 49th percentile GPU score is middle of the pack, which is fine for driving the 1920x1200 display, light photo editing, and maybe some casual older titles. But don't expect anything beyond that. The gaming score of 18 out of 100 tells you everything you need to know. This is a work machine, full stop. If you want to decompress with a game after hours, you'll be limited to indie titles and cloud streaming.

The MacBook Pro M5 Max is in a completely different galaxy on performance, but it's also a completely different price bracket. If you need genuine CPU and GPU muscle for creative work or development, the MacBook is the obvious choice, but you'll pay triple or more. The X1 Yoga is for people who prioritize portability and keyboard quality over raw horsepower.

The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro is a closer philosophical rival. It's also a thin-and-light with a premium display, and Samsung's OLED screens tend to beat the X1 Yoga's 50th percentile panel handily. But the ThinkPad counters with the 32GB RAM config at a lower refurb price, plus Lenovo's legendary keyboard and TrackPoint nub. If you type all day, that keyboard alone might be worth it.

The ASUS Zenbook Duo is the wildcard. It has a second screen built in, which is genuinely useful for multitasking on the go, but it's heavier and pricier. The MSI Prestige is a solid alternative if you want similar specs with a newer chip, though it doesn't have the convertible hinge. HP's OMEN Transcend is aimed at a different buyer entirely, that's a gaming laptop wearing a business suit, and it'll crush the X1 Yoga on graphics while being noticeably heavier.

At $749 for a refurbished unit with 32GB RAM and a 1TB SSD, the value equation is strong. New ThinkPad X1 Yogas with this kind of memory and storage config typically run well north of $2,000, so you're getting the flagship build quality at a serious discount. The trade-off is that you're buying refurbished, which means battery health and cosmetic condition can vary depending on who did the refurb work.

The 68th percentile storage score reflects the 1TB capacity, which is generous for this price bracket. Most laptops under $800 give you 512GB, so having double that means you won't be juggling external drives for a while. For a business machine that'll live in a bag and travel constantly, that's real peace of mind given it's hard to upgrade the SSD on these thin convertibles.

The ThinkPad X1 Yoga G8 is Lenovo's convertible business flagship, and this refurbished config at $749 is a lot of laptop for the money. You're getting a Core i7-1365U, 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM, and a 1TB SSD wrapped in a 0.86kg chassis that folds back into a tablet. That's the kind of spec sheet that would've cost well over two grand new, so the refurb angle is doing some heavy lifting here.

This machine is built for people who live in spreadsheets, slide decks, and browser tabs. The 32GB of RAM is the real star. In our database, that puts it in the 81st percentile for memory, which means this thing will chew through multitasking scenarios that would make a 16GB ultrabook start sweating. If you're a consultant running Excel models alongside a dozen Chrome tabs and a video call, you'll feel the difference immediately.

Where it gets interesting is the portability story. At 0.86kg, this is one of the lightest 14-inch convertibles we've seen. The compact score hits the 95th percentile, which is the absolute best right now. Combine that with the touchscreen and active pen support, and you've got a machine that's equally comfortable on a desk or held like a clipboard while walking a factory floor or taking notes in a client meeting.

If you do any kind of creative work that leans on graphics, this is not your laptop. Video editors, 3D modelers, and photographers who need color-accurate displays will be frustrated by the Iris Xe graphics and the 50th percentile screen. You'd be better off with a MacBook Pro M5 Max or something with a discrete GPU and a better panel, even if it costs more.

Gamers should also steer clear. The 18/100 gaming score is one of the weakest we've seen, and trying to game on this machine will just lead to disappointment. The HP OMEN Transcend 14 is a much better fit if you want a portable machine that can also play games. And if you mostly work at a desk with an external monitor, the X1 Yoga's portability advantage is wasted, so you could get more raw performance for the same money in a heavier chassis.

If you're a road warrior who values weight and keyboard feel above all else, this refurbished X1 Yoga G8 is an easy recommendation at $749. The 32GB of RAM future-proofs it for years of multitasking, and the 1TB SSD means you can carry your whole work life without external drives. The 0.86kg weight is the kind of thing you appreciate every single time you pick the thing up.

But if your day involves video editing, 3D work, or any gaming whatsoever, look elsewhere. The Iris Xe graphics and that 18/100 gaming score disqualify this machine for creative pros. And if you're mostly desk-bound, the screen's 50th percentile ranking might start to grate. You'd be better served by something with a brighter, more color-accurate panel, even if it means carrying a few hundred extra grams.