This Lenovo laptop with 32 GB RAM offers a huge potential for future upgrades

Buying a laptop in 2026 feels like you are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Either you have to pay a lot of cash, or you have to accept many compromises. Especially buyers without a huge budget on hand get squeezed.

A possible approach to navigate this difficult market: Buy something more affordable and importantly, upgradeable. If a machine is needed ASAP, this is possible the best way to do it, as you can get the laptop, maybe make some compromises, and then spec it as you like down the line.

One laptop that would allow for such an approach is the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G9 IPL we recently reviewed. At first glance, this seems like a very unremarkable laptop. A 14-inch office laptop, below average screen, average performance, average battery life. What it does offer is a cheaper price than many other laptops, which is why a 32 GB variant, such as the one we reviewed, remains relatively affordable.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14 G9 IPL: An upgradeability dream

The superpower of this laptop, however, it is upgradeability. First off, the RAM: 32 GB DDR5 memory ex-factory are included in the configuration we reviewed, but since there are two SO-DIMM slots, it is possible to upgrade it even more. Up to 64 GB should be possible, maybe even 96 GB if two 48 GB modules are used. Should the RAM prices decrease, this laptop could be an option for local AI. Of course, you can also upgrade the SSD, as Lenovo uses an M.2 drive, like most Windows laptops these days. A single M.2 2242 SSD is not much, but still, upgrading the storage is possible.

Besides the memory, the ThinkBook offers even more potential for upgrades. The Wi-Fi card is a M.2 2230 module, so you can change it for a module of your choice. The 48 Wh battery can be exchanged for a bigger 64 Wh one, potentially elevating this to an endurance powerhouse. And even the mediocre screen could be potentially upgraded: It is a standard 14-inch 16:10 panel, mounted in a traditional way with a plastic screen bezel. While changing it may void the warranty, it is definitely a possibility.