Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14 Ryzen 7 Review: Fastest 14-inch Convertible In The Market

The IdeaPad Flex series is home to some of the cheapest convertible laptops from Lenovo. As this review will show, however, that doesn't necessarily mean these models are inferior or slower than many others in its class or even those that costs hundreds of dollars more. The latest Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14 convertible carries the latest Ryzen 7 5700U Zen 2 Lucienne processor from AMD to be one of the very few (if not only) 14-inch convertibles with a U-class octa-core processor.
Specifications otherwise read like a textbook including the 1080p IPS touchscreen, 16 GB DDR4 3200 MHz RAM, and 512 GB NVMe SSD. Our exact configuration can be found online for just $750 USD. Competing models include other budget convertibles like the Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1, HP Pavilion x360, Asus VivoBook Flip 14, and Acer Spin 3.
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potential competitors in comparison
Rating | Date | Model | Weight | Height | Size | Resolution | Price |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
79.2 % v7 (old) | 05 / 2021 | Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS R7 5700U, Vega 8 | 1.6 kg | 20.8 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | |
86.9 % v7 (old) | 02 / 2021 | Lenovo Yoga 9 14 ITL 4K i7-1185G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.5 kg | 16.5 mm | 14.00" | 3840x2160 | |
79.1 % v7 (old) | 06 / 2021 | Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TP470EZ i5-1135G7, Xe MAX | 1.5 kg | 18.7 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | |
81.2 % v7 (old) | 04 / 2020 | LG Gram 14T90N i7-10510U, UHD Graphics 620 | 1.2 kg | 18 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 | |
89.4 % v7 (old) | 12 / 2020 | HP Spectre x360 14t-ea000 i7-1165G7, Iris Xe G7 96EUs | 1.3 kg | 17.2 mm | 13.50" | 1920x1280 | |
87.8 % v7 (old) | 06 / 2019 | Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 i7-8665U, UHD Graphics 620 | 1.5 kg | 15 mm | 14.00" | 1920x1080 |
Case
When compared to the 2019 Flex 14, the 2021 version has a thinner "chin" bezel for an overall smaller footprint. Its visual design is otherwise very similar including the integrated ports and thick lid. Build quality remains above average for its budget category as creaking is minimal and flexing is only moderate at worst when applying pressure down the center of its keyboard. The overall plastic makeup and soft-touch surfaces don't feel nearly as luxurious as the metal Spectre x360, Yoga, or carbon fiber ThinkPad models.
At 1.6 kg with a thickness of 20.8 mm, the IdeaPad 5 14 is somewhat large and heavy for its category. Other 14-inch convertibles like the Latitude 7400 2-in-1 or LG Gram 14T90N are noticeably smaller and lighter albeit more expensive as well.
Connectivity
Port options are plentiful but with a couple of limitations. Firstly, the HDMI port is 1.4b and not 2.0 meaning there is no 4K60 support. Secondly, the USB-C port does not support Thunderbolt or even DisplayPort unlike on most Ice Lake or Tiger Lake laptops. Users can charge the laptop with either a proprietary barrel charger or a generic USB-C charger.
SD Card Reader
SD Card Reader | |
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs) | |
Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II) | |
HP Spectre x360 14t-ea000 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 32GB) | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
LG Gram 14T90N (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II) | |
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TM420IA (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) | |
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB) | |
Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II) | |
HP Spectre x360 14t-ea000 (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 32GB) | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS (AV PRO microSD 128 GB V60) | |
LG Gram 14T90N (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 64 GB UHS-II) | |
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TM420IA (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 microSDXC 64GB) |
Communication
Webcam

Maintenance
Accessories and Warranty
There are no extras in the box outside of the AC adapter and paperwork. Interestingly, our package includes a USB-C AC adapter instead of a barrel AC adapter even though the system supports both. The active stylus pen is an optional accessory.
A standard one-year limited manufacturer warranty applies.
Input Devices
Keyboard
IdeaPad keyboards don't hold a candle to the pricier ThinkPad keyboards as they have always been noticeably shallower and lighter to reflect their cheaper starting prices. The Space and Enter keys in particular are too soft here and could have benefited from firmer feedback. Even so, we find the keys on the IdeaPad Flex 5 14 to be overall crisper than on the competing Asus VivoBook Flip 14 or HP Pavilion x360 series.
Touchpad
The clickpad is decently sized (10.5 x 7 cm) with a smooth and slightly rubberized texture. Fingerprints accumulate extremely quickly as a result and so users can expect the clickpad to look unsightly after just a few short weeks of use. Its integrated mouse keys are also spongy, loud, and with weak feedback when pressed for an unsatisfying experience.
Display
The display here is perhaps the biggest aspect differentiating the IdeaPad series from the Yoga series. Visual quality is noticeably worse on the IdeaPad as exemplified by the lower maximum brightness, narrower gamut, and more poorly calibrated colors. It works well enough for browsing, emailing, and the occasional games, but you'll definitely want to look at the pricier Yoga convertible if picture editing, outdoor visibility, and more vibrant colors are of high priority. Connecting an external monitor with more accurate colors is also an option.
|
Brightness Distribution: 81 %
Center on Battery: 236.7 cd/m²
Contrast: 1184:1 (Black: 0.2 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 7.83 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.9, calibrated: 3.8
ΔE Greyscale 8.6 | 0.5-98 Ø5.2
62.3% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
40.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
43.87% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
62.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
42.32% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 1.96
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS Chi Mei N140HCA-E5B, IPS, 14", 1920x1080 | Lenovo Yoga 9 14 ITL 4K Lenovo CSOT3 MNE001EA1-2, IPS, 14", 3840x2160 | LG Gram 14T90N LG Philips LP140WFA-SPY1, IPS, 14", 1920x1080 | HP Spectre x360 14t-ea000 LG Philips LGD0663, IPS, 13.5", 1920x1280 | Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 SHP14A2, IPS, 14", 1920x1080 | Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TM420IA BOE NV140FHM-N49, IPS, 14", 1920x1080 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Display | 91% | 53% | 56% | 60% | -4% | |
Display P3 Coverage | 42.32 | 94.4 123% | 65 54% | 65.8 55% | 68.6 62% | 40.47 -4% |
sRGB Coverage | 62.7 | 99.3 58% | 95.7 53% | 98.2 57% | 99.6 59% | 60 -4% |
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 43.87 | 84 91% | 66.7 52% | 67.9 55% | 70 60% | 41.81 -5% |
Response Times | 1% | -41% | -66% | -55% | -13% | |
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 38.4 ? | 45.6 ? -19% | 54 ? -41% | 62 ? -61% | 56 ? -46% | 36.4 ? 5% |
Response Time Black / White * | 23.2 ? | 18.4 ? 21% | 32.8 ? -41% | 39.6 ? -71% | 38 ? -64% | 30.4 ? -31% |
PWM Frequency | 1667 ? | |||||
Screen | 57% | 38% | 59% | 41% | -2% | |
Brightness middle | 236.7 | 493 108% | 322.2 36% | 443.5 87% | 277.2 17% | 272.5 15% |
Brightness | 221 | 453 105% | 301 36% | 394 78% | 263 19% | 260 18% |
Brightness Distribution | 81 | 85 5% | 86 6% | 78 -4% | 83 2% | 88 9% |
Black Level * | 0.2 | 0.3 -50% | 0.25 -25% | 0.17 15% | 0.2 -0% | 0.42 -110% |
Contrast | 1184 | 1643 39% | 1289 9% | 2609 120% | 1386 17% | 649 -45% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 7.83 | 2.2 72% | 3.62 54% | 2.7 66% | 2.1 73% | 4.65 41% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 23.74 | 5.6 76% | 6.9 71% | 4.36 82% | 5.91 75% | 17.78 25% |
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 3.8 | 1.2 68% | 1.22 68% | 2.61 31% | 1.03 73% | 4.34 -14% |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 8.6 | 3.6 58% | 3.9 55% | 3.4 60% | 3.4 60% | 4.4 49% |
Gamma | 1.96 112% | 2.17 101% | 2.43 91% | 2.09 105% | 2.241 98% | 2.2 100% |
CCT | 5901 110% | 6754 96% | 6344 102% | 6144 106% | 6030 108% | 6984 93% |
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998) | 40.3 | 75.2 87% | 61.3 52% | 62.1 54% | 64 59% | 38.4 -5% |
Color Space (Percent of sRGB) | 62.3 | 99.3 59% | 95.6 53% | 98.5 58% | 100 61% | 59.8 -4% |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | 50% /
56% | 17% /
31% | 16% /
43% | 15% /
33% | -6% /
-4% |
* ... smaller is better
X-Rite colorimeter measurements reveal a poorly calibrated display out of the box with an overly warm color temperature. Images look very yellow and "off" even without having a second display to compare to. Grayscale and RGB balance improve dramatically after calibrating the display ourselves as shown by our Calman results below and so we recommend applying our calibrated ICM profile above to get the most out of the display. Colors become increasingly more inaccurate at higher saturation levels due to the aforementioned narrow color space.
Display Response Times
↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
---|---|---|
23.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 12.4 ms rise | |
↘ 10.8 ms fall | ||
The screen shows good response rates in our tests, but may be too slow for competitive gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 49 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (20.9 ms). | ||
↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
38.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 23.2 ms rise | |
↘ 15.2 ms fall | ||
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 54 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (32.7 ms). |
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
Screen flickering / PWM not detected | |||
In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8627 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. |
Outdoor visibility is mediocre at best due to the limited maximum brightness of the display. In fact, maximum brightness will drop from 236 nits to only 204 nits if running on battery power unless if AMD Vari-Bright is disabled. Glare is ever present even if working under shade.
Performance
The Ryzen 7 5700U is Lenovo's wild card for this particular IdeaPad 5 14 configuration. As one of the first laptops in our database equipped with the Zen 2 5000U series Lucienne CPU, this IdeaPad will have a lot to live up to as users will inevitably compare it to the latest 11th gen Tiger Lake options from Intel. It also carries a notable distinction of being an octa-core U-series CPU with 16 simultaneous threads much like the last generation Ryzen 7 4800U.
We recommend owners become familiar with the Radeon software as all graphical settings are found here. The software UI is organized arbitrarily and confusingly, but it integrates more features than Intel Command Center. Users should also become familiar with the pre-installed Lenovo Vantage software for Lenovo-specific drivers and performance settings. Our unit was set to "Extreme performance" mode prior to running any performance benchmarks for the highest possible scores out of the laptop.
Processor
Raw CPU performance is incredible with CineBench scores that outperform even the Core i7-10875H in both single-thread and multi-thread loads. When compared to the already impressive Ryzen 7 4700U that our Ryzen 7 5700U replaces, multi-thread performance can be about 25 percent faster. Intel Core U options continue to be limited to just 6 cores and 12 threads at most.
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 -mmt1 | 7z b 4
Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 -mmt1 | 7z b 4
Geekbench 5.5: Single-Core | Multi-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
* ... smaller is better
System Performance
PCMark 10 Score | 5372 points | |
Help |
DPC Latency
DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS | |
HP Spectre x360 14t-ea000 | |
LG Gram 14T90N | |
Lenovo Yoga 9 14 ITL 4K | |
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TM420IA |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Devices
Internal storage is limited to just a single M.2 2280 slot with no secondary options. The 256 GB Western Digital SN530 NVMe SSD is advertised with a maximum read speed of 2400 MB/s which we are able to confirm with both CrystalDiskMark and DiskSpd tests. Performance is faster than the competing Samsung PM991 in the VivoBook 14 Flip.
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS WDC PC SN530 SDBPMPZ-265G | Lenovo Yoga 9 14 ITL 4K WDC PC SN730 SDBPNTY-1T00 | HP Spectre x360 14t-ea000 Samsung SSD PM981a MZVLB512HBJQ | Dell Latitude 7400 2-in-1 Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV512G | Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TM420IA Samsung PM991 MZVLQ512HALU | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
AS SSD | 69% | 72% | -27% | 8% | |
Seq Read | 2159 | 2793 29% | 2188 1% | 2289 6% | 1397 -35% |
Seq Write | 1753 | 1292 -26% | 1320 -25% | 1163 -34% | 783 -55% |
4K Read | 30.99 | 46.5 50% | 53.5 73% | 22.29 -28% | 48.08 55% |
4K Write | 133.7 | 220.8 65% | 123.7 -7% | 28.92 -78% | 134.6 1% |
4K-64 Read | 762 | 1118 47% | 1010 33% | 415.6 -45% | 835 10% |
4K-64 Write | 394.6 | 1573 299% | 1808 358% | 199.5 -49% | 734 86% |
Access Time Read * | 0.072 | 0.041 43% | 0.055 24% | 0.122 -69% | 0.081 -13% |
Access Time Write * | 0.172 | 0.017 90% | 0.076 56% | 0.143 17% | 0.084 51% |
Score Read | 1009 | 1444 43% | 1282 27% | 667 -34% | 1022 1% |
Score Write | 704 | 1923 173% | 2063 193% | 345 -51% | 947 35% |
Score Total | 2212 | 4037 83% | 3970 79% | 1300 -41% | 2474 12% |
Copy ISO MB/s | 1148 | 1812 58% | 1644 43% | 1767 54% | 1212 6% |
Copy Program MB/s | 490.2 | 528 8% | 920 88% | 379.4 -23% | 374.3 -24% |
Copy Game MB/s | 1068 | 1134 6% | 1725 62% | 1055 -1% | 829 -22% |
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6 | 17% | 9% | -41% | -16% | |
Write 4K | 161 | 161.8 0% | 82.2 -49% | 35.06 -78% | 121.2 -25% |
Read 4K | 49.96 | 40.67 -19% | 45.7 -9% | 23.64 -53% | 49.91 0% |
Write Seq | 1840 | 1873 2% | 2000 9% | 1537 -16% | 1090 -41% |
Read Seq | 1989 | 2059 4% | 2206 11% | 1782 -10% | 1533 -23% |
Write 4K Q32T1 | 354.1 | 530 50% | 451.2 27% | 100.3 -72% | 393.3 11% |
Read 4K Q32T1 | 452.3 | 440.4 -3% | 351 -22% | 62.7 -86% | 406 -10% |
Write Seq Q32T1 | 1842 | 3005 63% | 2982 62% | 2698 46% | 1225 -33% |
Read Seq Q32T1 | 2447 | 3370 38% | 3529 44% | 1073 -56% | 2277 -7% |
Total Average (Program / Settings) | 43% /
50% | 41% /
49% | -34% /
-32% | -4% /
-1% |
* ... smaller is better
Disk Throttling: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
GPU Performance
Graphics performance hasn't changed since last year's Ryzen 4000 series which is good because the Radeon RX Vega 8 is still impressive for an integrated GPU, but it's also bad as Intel has now caught up with its competing Iris Xe series. At best, our Radeon-powered Lenovo is able to match Iris Xe or, at worst, underperform by about 30 percent depending on the game.
3DMark 11 Performance | 5746 points | |
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score | 21838 points | |
3DMark Fire Strike Score | 3257 points | |
3DMark Time Spy Score | 1273 points | |
Help |
GTA V | |
1024x768 Lowest Settings possible | |
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7-14ARE | |
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 4000/5000) (53.6 - 160, n=47) | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS | |
1920x1080 Lowest Settings possible | |
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7-14ARE | |
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 4000/5000) (30.5 - 101, n=32) | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS | |
Asus VivoBook Flip 14 TP470EZ | |
1920x1080 Normal/Off AF:4x | |
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7-14ARE | |
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 4000/5000) (31.7 - 104, n=32) | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS | |
1920x1080 High/On (Advanced Graphics Off) AA:2xMSAA + FX AF:8x | |
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7-14ARE | |
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 4000/5000) (13.8 - 40.6, n=44) | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS | |
1920x1080 Highest Settings possible AA:4xMSAA + FX AF:16x | |
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7-14ARE | |
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 14ALC05 82HU002YUS | |
Average AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 (Ryzen 4000/5000) (6 - 18.2, n=41) |