Tech

CES 2020: Lenovo debuting Yoga Creator 7, IdeaPad Creator 5 laptops, IdeaCentre Creator 5 desktop

The new notebooks will feature the latest mobile graphics cards and optimized displays, though neither will be available in North America. The IdeaCentre PC is coming to America, but not until October and at an $1,100 starting price point.

Written by Sean Portnoy, Contributor Jan. 4, 2020 at 6:38 p.m. PT

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In addition to announcing a new personal business communications device and a pair of 27-inch LCD monitors, Lenovo is using CES 2020 to introduce additions to its Creator line of PCs. That's the good news. The bad news is that the two new laptops will see limited availability, and the new desktop won't be released into well into this year.

Also: More CES coverage at CNET

Lenovo is launching the Yoga Creator 7 and IdeaPad Creator 5 laptops to tap into the market for on-the-go digital content creation (not to be confused with MSI's own Creator laptop), but the company has already stated that neither will be coming to North America. For the rest of the world, the new Yoga is built around a 15.6-inch full HD display with optional 100-percent sRGB color gamut support. It will include 10th-generation Intel Core processors, up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of solid-state storage, and the "latest" (and unspecified) Nvidia mobile graphics.

Several ounces heavier (4.8 pounds versus 4.2 pounds), the IdeaPad Creator 5 has a similar-sized screen and screen resolution, though its color gamut option is 100-percent Adobe RGB instead of sRGB. It likewise will offer 10th-gen Core CPUs and new Nvidia graphics, but it's a little thicker than the Yoga and is equipped with a smaller battery (8 hours versus 13 hours). Both systems have Lenovo Q-Control and Intelligent Cooling technology to boost performance while keeping things cool when needed for the most demanding tasks. They also come with a dark moss chassis that's different from the black and gray laptops of the world without being too ostentatious.

The IdeaCentre Creator 5 keeps that color scheme for its case, along with a bit of a geometric design to make it stand out from the average desktop tower. More than just flair, Lenovo claims the case design aids in cooling and quieting the PC, which can be equipped with up to the latest Core i9 processors and Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics cards as well as up to 32GB of RAM and two terabytes of hard drive space and a terabyte of solid-state storage. The IdeaCentre is an Independent Software Vendor certified to ensure content creation software runs optimally, and the PC maker includes its Lenovo Vantage dashboard to complement the Windows 10 experience.

Unlike the new Creator laptops, Lenovo is planning to offer the IdeaCentre Creator 5 in North America, though you'll have plenty of time to save up for its $1,099.99 starting price. That's because it's not expected to go on sale until October.