Introducing Lenovo’s Colorful MacBook Neo Competitor: Two Sizes, Seven Colors

Lenovo Unveils IdeaPad Vibe as Competition to MacBook Neo

Lenovo has introduced the IdeaPad Vibe, a new productivity laptop targeting the MacBook Neo with a similar starting price point and an expanded color range. Available in 14- and 15-inch sizes, the Vibe offers AMD and Qualcomm chip options set for release in October and November, respectively. Intel versions, possibly featuring Wildcat Lake chips, are expected to launch at a later date.

In contrast to the MacBook Neo’s four color choices, the IdeaPad Vibe boasts seven vibrant hues. Lenovo has assigned whimsical names to each color, such as dreamy violet, spicy gold, and zen green. Customers can even customize their laptop with keycaps in any of the seven colors, or mix-and-match keycap sets for a unique aesthetic. Additionally, the Vibe features a backlit keyboard, a feature absent in the Neo.

The IdeaPad Vibe represents an evolution of the IdeaPad Slim, featuring an all-metal chassis (with some plastic components in certain colors) and a switch from a barrel plug charger to USB-C. The Vibe offers more ports than the MacBook Neo, although they are not particularly fast. Ports include two USB-C, two USB-A (all running at 5Gbps), HDMI 1.4, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a microSD card reader. Both the 14- and 15-inch Vibe models come with IPS LCD panels as standard, with select colors eligible for an upgrade to a touchscreen OLED display.

Lenovo has not disclosed the base model’s RAM capacity for the Vibe, hinting that it may start at 8GB. The Qualcomm Snapdragon X variant can be configured with up to 24GB of RAM, while the AMD Ryzen AI 400-series model supports up to 32GB of user-upgradeable dual-channel RAM. The Vibe offers up to 1TB of storage and includes user-accessible dual-slot SSDs, regardless of the chipset.

Despite the potential 8GB RAM starting point, the IdeaPad Vibe stands out with its variety of colors, ports, chip options, and size variations. Consumers can anticipate an exciting comparison between the Vibe and the Neo, particularly in terms of color customization and keycap options.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge