Lenovo Flex 5 14” - Ryzen 4700, 16gb and 512 SSD for $1029 ($999 in store)

Called Costco in Kitchener, Waterloo and Guelph and they were suppose to arrive yesterday but are delayed. Hopefully by tomorrow store will have them for sale. In-Store cost is $999.99 + tax. Plus adding ExcellencePlus+ 3-year Costco warranty for $99.99 does not seem like a bad deal.

Just purchased this at the Costco store for $999.99; will try it out, and if I like it will get the $99.99 warranty.

It did not come with a pen/stylus.

Anyone know where the best place might be to get one? Are the pens/stylus' normally around $50?

jagb77 wrote: ↑ Just purchased this at the Costco store for $999.99; will try it out, and if I like it will get the $99.99 warranty.

It did not come with a pen/stylus.

Anyone know where the best place might be to get one? Are the pens/stylus' normally around $50?

Which BC store did you find it?

I believe that any pen using Wacom tech will work (N-trig like the surface pen aren't compatible)

porteau wrote: ↑ Which BC store did you find it?

I believe that any pen using Wacom tech will work (N-trig like the surface pen aren't compatible)

I picked one up this morning at around 10:00 at the Port Coquitlam Costco, when I had called prior to arrival they had told me they had 13 of them in stock.

Presently on this laptop now.

Are we confident the 4700U version does not offer USB-C with Display Port 1.4 and Power Delivery?

The sexiest draw is the 14" form factor and Costco reseller.

redflagdealsguy wrote: ↑ Are we confident the 4700U version does not offer USB-C with Display Port 1.4 and Power Delivery?

The sexiest draw is the 14" form factor and Costco reseller.

side note: i've been following your posts to guide me through a variety of laptops on these forums and for that I just wanted to say thank you for your input.

redflagdealsguy wrote: ↑ Are we confident the 4700U version does not offer USB-C with Display Port 1.4 and Power Delivery?

The sexiest draw is the 14" form factor and Costco reseller.

Out of curiosity, is it possible to modify a USB-C port to allow for DP 1.4? Is it a component replacement? baked into the motherboard? a software hack? Just wondering if it's feasible, as that would make my life much easier (both my Amazon Flex and work laptop use HDMI, but my monitor accepts both HDMI and DP, so I wouldn't have to switch cables if I could get it on DP).

Bishop8 wrote: ↑ Out of curiosity, is it possible to modify a USB-C port to allow for DP 1.4? Is it a component replacement? baked into the motherboard? a software hack? Just wondering if it's feasible, as that would make my life much easier (both my Amazon Flex and work laptop use HDMI, but my monitor accepts both HDMI and DP, so I wouldn't have to switch cables if I could get it on DP).

Not really. The laptop HDMI should support 4K30 or 1440p60. You can also buy a USB 3.0 to HDMI adapter capable of 1440p60.

I believe Lenovo purposefully skipped HDMI 2.0 on the Flex 2020 units, I hope I'm wrong. It seems they skipped DP 1.4 over USB-C for yet another year, on this model.

Frustrating stuff.

Does anyone know if this 4700U model can accept a second SSD? What about the 4500U model on amazon?

DentDude wrote: ↑ Does anyone know if this 4700U model can accept a second SSD? What about the 4500U model on amazon?

I watched a teardown for the 4500u version and it only had one ssd slot.

Bishop8 wrote: ↑ Out of curiosity, is it possible to modify a USB-C port to allow for DP 1.4? Is it a component replacement? baked into the motherboard? a software hack? Just wondering if it's feasible, as that would make my life much easier (both my Amazon Flex and work laptop use HDMI, but my monitor accepts both HDMI and DP, so I wouldn't have to switch cables if I could get it on DP).

usb-c to DP (alternate mode) has a different implementation on hardware. Not worth the hack.

redflagdealsguy wrote: ↑ Not really. The laptop HDMI should support 4K30 or 1440p60. You can also buy a USB 3.0 to HDMI adapter capable of 1440p60.

I believe Lenovo purposefully skipped HDMI 2.0 on the Flex 2020 units, I hope I'm wrong. It seems they skipped DP 1.4 over USB-C for yet another year, on this model.

Frustrating stuff.

HDMI 2.0 can support 1440p @ 144Hz.

HDMI 1.4 can support 1440p @ 85 Hz (max) but some driver limit it to [email protected] I have an Acer monitor working at [email protected](its max) with HDMI1.4. But Dell s3220dgf only works at [email protected] with HDMI 1.4 while it supports [email protected] with DP1.4.

I think they skip HDMI2.0 & USB-C to DP1.4 fromFLEX for marketing reason so that people need these have to buy higher tier products

MrBigNose wrote: ↑ I think they skip HDMI2.0 & USB-C to DP1.4 fromFLEX for marketing reason so that people need these have to buy higher tier products

Friend, it's not just a thought. I would bet my left... my left heart ventricle.

I would skip this unit and go for the identical Amazon Lenovo 4500U for $810 Prime shipped. The $200-ish savings is worth it for the minor CPU downgrade. Both CPUs are monsters, and 16GB is plenty for 90% of users.

1. work from home
2. then back to school

lol is that marketing working for people with low iq and high eq?

porteau wrote: ↑ Which BC store did you find it?

I believe that any pen using Wacom tech will work (N-trig like the surface pen aren't compatible)

Richmond location had 9 when I picked up today (July 9) around 5:30ishpm

redflagdealsguy wrote: ↑ Friend, it's not just a thought. I would bet my left... my left heart ventricle.

I would skip this unit and go for the identical Amazon Lenovo 4500U for $810 Prime shipped. The $200-ish savings is worth it for the minor CPU downgrade. Both CPUs are monsters, and 16GB is plenty for 90% of users.

They are close to identical, however, the Costco one has 512GB SSD, where as the Amazon.ca one I could only find the 256GB SSD.

jagb77 wrote: ↑ They are close to identical, however, the Costco one has 512GB SSD, where as the Amazon.ca one I could only find the 256GB SSD.

Still not worth the $200 difference. You'll buy a 512GB NVMe drive for a nickel after Rona shakes out in early 2021. If you want a stock solution with more storage in a convertible, then I suppose for some people, they'll pay the $200 premium. I also understand the comfort of buying from Costco.

However, I paid $60 for 512GB NVMe on Amazon just two weeks ago.

My problem with the 4700U on this build is that it's a marketing gimmick if you're capped at 16GB. Might as well downgrade to the 4500U and time a proper NVMe SSD upgrade later on. In single threaded tasks the 4500U goes toe to toe or beats the 4700U.

Everything else is identical and you walk away with a thicker wallet.

That said, I respect the wishes of buyers here either way.

redflagdealsguy wrote: ↑ Still not worth the $200 difference. You'll buy a 512GB NVMe drive for a nickel after Rona shakes out in early 2021. If you want a stock solution with more storage in a convertible, then I suppose for some people, they'll pay the $200 premium. I also understand the comfort of buying from Costco.

However, I paid $60 for 512GB NVMe on Amazon just two weeks ago.

My problem with the 4700U on this build is that it's a marketing gimmick if you're capped at 16GB. Might as well downgrade to the 4500U and time a proper NVMe SSD upgrade later on. In single threaded tasks the 4500U goes toe to toe or beats the 4700U.

Everything else is identical and you walk away with a thicker wallet.

That said, I respect the wishes of buyers here either way.

I think you might have answered this before but isn't the integrated graphics of the 4700U a lot better than in the 4500U so that might make it worth it for casual gamers?

Also, what 1TB SSD would you recommend as an upgrade for these Lenovos and where to buy right now?

DentDude wrote: ↑ I think you might have answered this before but isn't the integrated graphics of the 4700U a lot better than in the 4500U so that might make it worth it for casual gamers?

Also, what 1TB SSD would you recommend as an upgrade for these Lenovos and where to buy right now?

The GPU performance is better, but the performance difference is not what I would consider large.

In light of alternatives, it is the next step up before the units start including dedicated GPUs and prices increase further. Therefore, I can't discount this differentiating factor for some buyers.

I almost feel like, if you're buying these laptops for gaming though, buying a prior year model with a dedicated GPU is better value... often at significant discount.

The price premium attached to the 4700U has left me unimpressed, it's significantly more than the price delta in the two tiers last year (some might argue rightfully so, I'm simply speaking from my pocketbook).

Hope that helps.

P.S. Maximum respect to buyers across the half dozen major manufacturer makes and models. We are not carbon copies on needs and desires.

MrBigNose wrote: ↑ HDMI 2.0 can support 1440p @ 144Hz.

HDMI 1.4 can support 1440p @ 85 Hz (max) but some driver limit it to [email protected] I have an Acer monitor working at [email protected](its max) with HDMI1.4. But Dell s3220dgf only works at [email protected] with HDMI 1.4 while it supports [email protected] with DP1.4.

I think they skip HDMI2.0 & USB-C to DP1.4 fromFLEX for marketing reason so that people need these have to buy higher tier products

So I'm still confused. I have a Lenovo G34W-10 144hz 3440 x 1440 monitor that I plugged the 4500u Amazon model into. Using a HDMI 2.0 (high speed) cable, Windows let me set it at full resolution with a max refresh rate of 100hz (8 bit RGB if that matters). Does that mean it's HDMI 2.0, but just not powerful enough to drive that size of a monitor to 144hz?