Technologies
Lenovo Slim Pro 7 Review: Portable Power for Content Creators
The 14.5-inch Slim Pro 7 is the rare content-creation laptop that serves up Nvidia RTX graphics in a compact package.
Like
- Unusual combination of power and portability
- Sharp, fast display
- Rugged chassis
- Long-running battery
Don’t like
- Drab exterior
- Limited storage space
- «Clacky» touchpad
Geared toward content creators whose work has them on the go, the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 offers an uncommon combination of power and portability. It’s built around a 14.5-inch, 90Hz display and powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 and entry-level Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 discrete graphics. Content creation laptops usually pair a dedicated GPU with a larger 16- or 17-inch display that provides a larger canvas on which to work at the expense of travel ease. With a 14.5-inch display and thin, compact chassis, the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 weighs only 3.5 pounds and makes a better travel companion than a full-size mobile content creation station.
And while the display may be smaller than the usual, it’s fine and fast with a 2.5K resolution that’s finer than the usual full-HD resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate that’s faster than the typical 60Hz panel. Add in long battery life and a rugged chassis, and the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 makes a compelling case for wandering content creators or part-time gamers. The laptop’s pedestrian looks, however, may underwhelm graphics pros with an eye for style.
Lenovo Slim Pro 7
| Price as reviewed | $1,200 |
|---|---|
| Display size/resolution | 14.5-inch 2,560 x 1,600 90Hz IPS Touch Display |
| CPU | 3.2GHz AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS |
| Memory | 16GB DDR5 6,400MHz |
| Graphics | 6GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 |
| Storage | 512 GB PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD |
| Networking | Wi-Fi 6E* 802.11AX (2 x 2) Bluetooth 5.1 |
| Operating system | Window 11 Home 22H2 |
Lenovo makes only one model of the Lenovo Slim Pro 7, and it’s not customizable. It’s available direct from Lenovo and also at Best Buy for $1,200 and, at the moment, it’s only $900. It features a 14.5-inch display powered by AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS, 16GB of RAM and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics. It also supplies a 512GB SSD. The 14.5-inch, 16:10 display features a 2.5K resolution (2,560×1,600 pixels), a 90Hz refresh rate and touch support. The Ryzen 7 7735HS CPU is a member of AMD’s latest Ryzen 7 7000 series and has eight cores, 16 threads and a base frequency of 3.2GHz. The RTX 3050 is the entry-level GPU in Nvidia’s previous RTX 30 series.
In lab testing, the Slim Pro 7 proved itself to be a strong performer and long runner. Along with the AMD-based HP Dragonfly Pro, it trailed the two Intel-based laptops, the Asus ROG Flow Z13 and Dell XPS 15, on the PCMark and Geekbench tests, but the AMD pair was able to flip the script on Cinebench. Although the Slim Pro 7 isn’t designed to be a gaming laptop, we ran our 3D graphics and gaming benchmarks to see what the RTX 3050 could handle. And it performed admirably on these tests, keeping pace and in some instances outpacing the Asus and Dell laptops that feature RTX 3050 Ti graphics. And the Slim Pro 7 was the runaway winner on our battery life test, easily outpacing the others here with a running time of more than 12 hours on our demanding online streaming battery drain test.
Dull gray but rugged chassis
The Slim Pro 7 has an all-aluminum chassis with a staid, all-business look. It’s entirely a dark gray color that Lenovo calls Storm Gray. The lid is dark gray, the keyboard deck is gray, the keys are dark gray and the bottom panel is dark gray. That’s a lot of a rather dull, dark gray. We’ve asked laptop makers in the past why color options regularly lean toward drab in the US and the standard answer is, «Other colors don’t sell well.» And this dark gray is the result.
The only accents are small silver Lenovo badges on the left edge of the keyboard deck and the left edge of the lid. It lacks the style of the HP Dragonfly Pro, which features a gorgeous, minimalistic design with a matte-black finish and gently rounded edges.
What the Slim Pro 7 lacks in looks, it makes up for in ruggedness. The chassis feels very firm and has passed MIL-STD 810H tests, proving an ability to withstand drops, vibration, shock, dust, altitude and extreme temperatures. The military-grade ruggedness doesn’t turn the Slim Pro 7 into a hulking laptop, though. It measures a trim 12.8 inches wide by 8.9 inches deep and is only 0.6-inch thick. It weighs 3.56 pounds, which is basically the same as the 3.52-pound MacBook Pro 14 and slightly heavier than the 14-inch HP Dragonfly Pro which weighs 3.42 pounds.
The display hinge is stellar. It might seem odd to praise a hinge, but it runs nearly the width of the laptop and holds the display firmly in place while also gliding smoothly when you open and close the lid. And the lid is easy to open, thanks to the notch that gently juts out from the center of the top edge of the display.
The keyboard feels roomy and comfortable with snappy feedback for fast and accurate typing. The touchpad, however, sounds a bit «clacky.» It offers a bit too much travel and emits a louder-than-usual sound when clicked. The keyboard offers two-level backlighting, and there’s also an Auto setting that turns on the backlighting when conditions darken.
The keyboard lacks a fingerprint reader, but the webcam is an IR camera that lets you skip entering a password and log in using facial recognition. The camera also has a 1080p sensor that creates better-balanced images with less grainy noise than previous-generation 720p webcams. And when you aren’t video conferencing, you can flip the kill switch on the laptop’s right edge to kill the power to the camera to protect your privacy.
A fine display
The 14.5-inch display’s 2.5K resolution sits at the midway point between the 14-inch HP Dragonfly Pro’s Full HD (1,920×1,200-pixel) panel and the 14-inch MacBook Pro’s Liquid Retina XRD display that has a 3,024×1,964-pixel resolution. Having just reviewed the Dragonfly Pro and using the 14-inch MacBook Pro as my everyday laptop, I can state with authority that the Slim Pro 7’s display is closer to that of the MacBook Pro than Dragonfly Pro. Text looks crisp and inky black as it does on the MacBook Pro, with none of the blurriness I saw with text on the Dragonfly Pro. The Slim Pro 7 is the least bright, however, of this trio. It’s rated for 350 nits of brightness, and I measured a peak brightness of 375 nits with a lux meter. The Dragonfly Pro is rated for 400 nits and hit 450 nits in my testing, while the MacBook Pro hits a peak of 500 nits.
Video editors will appreciate the panel’s 90Hz refresh rate, which is 50% faster than the typical 60Hz panel. I was unable to detect smoother movement in watching videos, but video pros ought to notice a difference when engaged in their detailed editing work.
Video editors may not appreciate the Slim Pro 7’s 512GB SSD, which could quickly reach full capacity if you are working with large video files. Even an option to upgrade the SSD to a larger size would be useful, but Lenovo offers only one model of the Slim Pro 7, and it’s a fixed configuration.
Narrow speaker grilles flank the keyboard, and behind each one is not one but two speakers. The Slim Pro 7’s audio output is fuller than that of typical laptop stereo sound. Music playback lacks bass, but the four speakers produce enough oomph to fill a small room.
The Slim Pro 7 features a pair of USB-C ports — one USB 3.2 Gen 2 port with 20Gbps speed and a faster 40Gbps USB 4 connection — along with a USB Type-A port on the right side to connect a mouse or an older USB peripheral. You also get an HDMI port and a headphone jack but no Ethernet jack, which would be handy for uploading large photo and video files.
If the staid design and smallish SSD don’t trip you up, there’s a lot to like about the rugged and compact Lenovo Slim Pro 7, especially when it’s on sale with a hefty $300 discount. It’s a rarity among content creation laptops in packaging RTX graphics in a laptop that’s smaller than 15 inches; most at this size are for gaming. What you sacrifice in screen real estate with the 14.5-inch display you gain in portability with a 3.5-pound travel companion. And stepping down in display size doesn’t also step you down to a full-HD resolution — the display’s 2.5K resolution looks incredibly sharp across the 14.5-inch panel. The Slim Pro 7’s long battery life also extends its portability — this is a laptop that will likely get you through the workday on a single charge.
How we test computers
The review process for laptops, desktops, tablets and other computer-like devices consists of two parts: performance testing under controlled conditions in the CNET Labs and extensive hands-on use by our expert reviewers. This includes evaluating a device’s aesthetics, ergonomics and features. A final review verdict is a combination of both objective and subjective judgments.
The list of benchmarking software we use changes over time as the devices we test evolve. The most important core tests we’re currently running on every compatible computer include: Primate Labs Geekbench 5, Cinebench R23, PCMark 10 and 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra.
A more detailed description of each benchmark and how we use it can be found in our How We Test Computers page.
Geekbench 5 (multicore)
Cinebench R23 (multicore)
3DMark Wild Life Extreme
PCMark 10 Pro
Guardians of the Galaxy (High @1920×1080)
The Riftbreaker GPU @1920×1080
Online streaming battery drain test
System configurations
| Lenovo Slim Pro 7 (14ARP8) | Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 3.2GHz AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS with Radeon Graphics; 16GB DDR5 6,400MHz RAM; 6GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050; 512GB SSD |
|---|---|
| HP Dragonfly Pro | Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2.7GHz AMD Ryzen 7 7736U with Radeon Graphics; 16GB DDR5 6,400MHz RAM;512MB AMD Graphics; 512GB SSD |
| Asus ROG Flow Z13 | Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2.5GHz Intel Core i9-12900H; 16GB DDR5 6,400MHz; RAM 4GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050Ti; 1TB SSD |
| Dell XPS 15 9520 | Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2.3GHz Intel Core i7-12700H; 16GB DDR5 4,800MHz RAM; 4GB Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050Ti; 512GB SSD |
Technologies
My Early Time Testing the Galaxy Z Flip 7 Brought a Smashing Surprise
Commentary: Samsung rolled out a major change to its foldable phones. And I can definitely vouch for the Galaxy Z Flip 7’s sturdiness.
If you’re concerned about how durable Samsung’s foldable phones are, I’m here to tell you not to worry. And that’s especially true when it comes to the new Galaxy Z Flip 7, which holds its own among today’s best smartphones.
After less than six hours with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, I accidentally performed my own informal drop test. At a catered affair in Brooklyn, I walked outside to get a view of the waterfront, and when I pulled the Z Flip 7 out of my pocket, I fumbled it. I watched helplessly as Samsung’s newest foldable phone fell to the ground. The noise it made when it clacked against the concrete caused everyone around to look at me with a knowing, sympathetic expression that said, «Aw, that’s a shame. Your phone is toast.»
Have you ever dropped your phone? There’s that Schrödinger’s cat-like moment before you pick it up when you’re anxious to see if the phone survived.
Fortunately, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 was fine. The 4.1-inch cover screen didn’t have any cracks or scuffs. The 6.9-inch inner display was unharmed because the phone was shut. The only tell that it kissed the ground was a tiny scuff on the bottom of the phone near the microphones. Samsung’s claim that its new «Armour Flex Hinge» is built to withstand impact is indeed true.
In the early days of foldable phones, one of the biggest unknowns was their durability. It’s amazing that about six years later, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 can handle being dropped on concrete like it had landed on a velvet pillow. Now, I still wouldn’t take the Flip 7 (or any foldable phone) to the beach, as it can only withstand particles that are 1mm or larger. So going to a confetti factory would be fine, but a salt factory is a definite no-no.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s thin design
The star of Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event was the Galaxy Z Fold 7. At 8.9mm thick when closed, the Fold 7 is ridiculously thin. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 looks like it also went on Ozempic, but it’s 13.7mm thick when closed. That’s slim, but not Fold 7 slim. Why couldn’t the Flip 7 be super slim like the Fold 7? I just keep imagining a Galaxy Z Flip 8 with the same thinness as the Fold 7.
For some perspective, here’s how the Flip 7 compares to its clamshell kinfolk:
Galaxy Z Flip 7 thickness vs. other flip phones
| Phone | Closed | Open |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 | 13.7mm | 6.5mm |
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 | 14.9mm | 6.9mm |
| Motorola Razr Plus | 15.32mm | 7.09mm |
| Motorola Razr Ultra | 15.69mm | 7.19mm |
| Motorola Razr (2025) | 15.85mm | 7.25mm |
The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s big cover screen
The original Galaxy Z Flip had a tiny, 1.1-inch pill-shaped cover display. It was perfect for showing the time but pretty much useless for anything else. The defining feature on the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is its 4.1-inch cover display. The screen looks incredible. I was checking my notifications on the screen under direct sunlight and was able to read everything. One of the hang-ups I had reviewing the Galaxy Z Flip 6 was switching from the inner screen to the cover display outdoors. There would be times on sunny days where I could barely make out what was on the cover display, despite having no issues with the main screen.
Samsung has increased the maximum brightness of the Flip 7’s cover screen to 2,600 nits, which is the same as the inner display. Both screens now top out at 120Hz, too, which should make for a much more consistent experience by having system animations, gameplay and scrolling through a social feed look super smooth.
The 6.9-inch inner screen is big, but it doesn’t feel unwieldy when I use it. The Flip 6 had a 6.7-inch display, but that extra 0.2 inches on the Flip 7’s screen makes it feel much bigger, which my middle-aged eyes are grateful for.
In terms of functionality, the cover screen’s natural state is widgets. And some, like Spotify’s widget, are all I need in lieu of using full apps. But I want apps on the home screen, so I need to enable this functionality in the Labs section of Settings and download the MultiStar app. It takes a couple of minutes to set up, but I do wish the interface supported apps by default.
The Galaxy Z Flip 7’s cameras
The Flip 7 has three cameras: a 50-megapixel wide-angle, a 12-megapixel ultrawide and a 10-megapixel selfie camera (in the main 6.9-inch screen). The cameras are the same as those on the Flip 6 and Flip 7 FE. But the phones run on different processors, so differences or improvements in photos and videos (if any) will come from Samsung’s processing and machine learning.
Here are some of my favorite photos from the Galaxy Z Flip 7 so far:
Galaxy Z Flip 7 final thoughts for now
Samsung gave its foldable line a major overhaul. And while the Galaxy Z Fold 7 feels like an entirely different phone from previous Folds, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 seems like a nice refinement. I will say that I’ve had only two days with the phone. And as enamored as I am with the larger cover screen, I’m excited to see how the battery life measures up.
Samsung gave the Flip 7 a 4,300-mAh battery (compared with the Galaxy Z Flip 6’s 4,000-mAh battery), but I wonder if the increased capacity will be offset by the power needed for its Exynos 2500 chip and those larger, brighter displays.
I have a lot more testing to do. But as I work my way toward a full review, I’ll try not to drop the Flip 7 anymore.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 specs vs. Motorola Razr Ultra, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
| Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 | Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) | Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 | |
| Cover display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate | 4.1-inch AMOLED, 948×1,048p, 120Hz refresh rate | 4-inch pOLED, 2,992×1,224p, up to 165Hz variable refresh rate | 3.4-inch AMOLED; 720×748 pixels; 60Hz refresh rate |
| Internal display size, tech, resolution, refresh rate | 6.9-inch AMOLED, 2,520×1,080p, 1-120Hz refresh rate | 7-inch AMOLED; 1,272×1,080p, up to 165Hz variable refresh rate | 6.7-inch AMOLED; 2,640×1,080 pixels; 1-120Hz refresh rate |
| Pixel density | Cover: 342ppi. Internal: 397ppi | Cover: 417 ppi. Internal: 464 ppi | Cover: 306 ppi. Internal: 425 ppi |
| Dimensions (inches) | Open: 2.96×6.56×0.26 Closed: 2.96×3.37×0.26 | Open: 2.91×6.75×0.28 Closed: 2.91×3.47×0.62 | Open: 6.5 x 2.83 x 0.27 Closed: 3.35 x 2.83 x 0.59 |
| Dimensions (millimeters) | Open: 75.2×166.7×6.5 Closed: 75.2×85.5×13.7 | Open: 73.99×171.48×7.19 Closed: 73.99×88.12×15.69 | Open: 165.1×71.9×6.9 Closed: 85.1×71.9×14.9 |
| Weight (grams, ounces) | 188 g (6.63 oz) | 199 g (7 oz) | 187 g (6.6 oz) |
| Mobile software | Android 16 | Android 15 | Android 14 |
| Cameras | 50 megapixel (main), 12 megapixel (ultrawide) | 50 megapixel (wide), 50 megapixel (ultrawide) | 50 megapixel (wide), 12 megapixel (ultrawide) |
| Internal screen camera | 10 megapixel | 50 megapixel | 10 megapixel |
| Video capture | 4K at 60fps | 4K | TBD |
| Processor | Samsung Exynos 2500 | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| RAM/storage | 12GB + 256GB, 12GB + 512GB | 16GB + 512GB, 1TB | 12GB + 256GB, 512GB |
| Expandable storage | No | None | None |
| Battery | 4,300 mAh | 4,700 mAh | 4,000 mAh |
| Fingerprint sensor | Yes | Side | Side |
| Connector | USB-C | USB-C | USB-C |
| Headphone jack | None | None | None |
| Special features | One UI 8, IP48 water resistance, 25-watt wired charging, Qi wireless charging, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, Galaxy AI | IP48 rating, 68-watt wired charging, 30-watt wireless charging, 5-watt reverse charging, dual stereo speakers, Corning Gorilla Glass Ceramic cover display, 3,000 nits peak brightness on cover display, 4,500 nits peak brightness on main display, 5G. | IP48 rating, 25-watt wired charging, wireless charging + powershare, 3x optical zoom (up to 10x digital and 30x Space Zoom with AI Super Resolution tech) |
| US price starts at | $1,100 | $1,300 | $1,100 |
Correction, Jul. 12: The Galaxy Z Flip 7 runs on Samsung’s Exynos 2500 chip.
Technologies
The GameSir G8 Plus Is a Solid Mobile Controller, With One Big Caveat
If you don’t mind a bad app, the G8 Plus is a solid controller.
Pros
- Great hardware
- Fits phones and small tablets
- Extra back buttons
- Good battery life
Cons
- Buggy app
- No extra faceplates available
- No case included
If you don’t think gaming on your phone could be fun, you’ve likely never tried using it with a controller. Once you do, you’ll realize why mobile gaming is continuing to grow exponentially. It really is, pun very much intended, a game-changer.
There are a ton of mobile controllers out there. Most of them are bad but there are some great ones out there too. The G8 Plus from GameSir is one of the latter. It works with Android, iOS and Nintendo Switch. And it feels great to use, but the app leaves a lot to be desired.
Great hardware
There’s a lot to like about the G8 Plus, starting with the hardware. Arguably, the most important aspect of any controller is how it feels to hold and use, and luckily the G8 Plus does well there. It’s not my favorite hardware on a mobile controller — that’s currently a tie between the Razer Kishi Ultra and the Elo Vagabond — but it’s still solid.
It’s comfortable to hold, even for long periods of time. It feels like an Xbox controller that stretches in half to make room for your phone, which is a good thing. The textured grip on the back means it won’t slip out of your hands and it’s light enough not feel too heavy after an hour or so.
The buttons are nice and clicky with plenty of travel, and the D-Pad is decent too. D-Pads often gets overlooked on mobile controllers, but it’s solid here. There’s also a Home button on the front for launching the GameSir app, a capture button for recording in-game content, and an M button for switching connection modes.
I was impressed by the two programmable back buttons. They aren’t mushy like on the PowerA Fusion and they sit where my fingers naturally rest, so they’re easy to use. These buttons are always hit or miss on mobile controllers, but here, they’re great.
The Hall Effect joysticks and triggers are good as well. While there is no physical hair trigger setting, you can adjust the triggers digitally in the app. More on that later. GameSir also offers a couple different joystick tops so you can pick the one that suits your gameplay. They aren’t different heights, just differently shaped tops.
The best part of the G8 Plus is the range of compatible devices. The two halves stretch out far enough for probably every phone and it can even fit some small tablets like the iPad Mini or the fantastic Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3. Since it’s Bluetooth, there’s no need to mess with connecting to USB-C. Plus, it will automatically wake up and connect to your phone as soon as you pull it apart, and it will sleep as soon as you remove your phone.
Frustrating software
Sadly, the biggest frustration and reason I hesitate to recommend the G8 Plus is the same one that’s been plaguing GameSir controllers for years: the software. GameSir’s app is not only barebones, it’s barely functional and it has some annoying bugs.
The UI is just… basic. There’s nothing flashy or exciting about it, and it looks like the company just threw it together just to say it has an app. The games tab that’s supposed to highlight the latest games for you is instead full of things that don’t even exist anymore like Apex Legends: Mobile. Your own games are hidden behind a tab on the Device page.
To be fair, you can do a lot within the app, including remap buttons, customize joystick and trigger dead zones, even adjust the vibration intensity. This is also where you setup the virtual touch mapping for games such as Call of Duty: Mobile that don’t natively support controllers.
The GameSir app will sometimes override the settings for other controllers. For example, after playing COD:M on the G8 Plus, I switched back to the Elo Vagabond to find it no longer worked; my phone didn’t recognize it at all. Not even a restart would solve this. I had to uninstall and reinstall the app, which also means redownloading the dozens of gigabytes necessary to play it. Very annoying. I realize most people don’t have more than one controller, but just be aware of that if you do switch controllers.
Worth it if you can get past the software
If you don’t care much about the lackluster app, then the G8 Plus really is a solid controller. It feels great, responds well, and has respectable battery life. But it’s also pricey at $100, especially with the poor app experience. If GameSir put some work into its app, the G8 Plus would be much easier to recommend. I also wish it came with a case, but there are some on Amazon that don’t look too bad. Still, it’s a great controller, even for $100.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, July 19
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 19.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s Mini Crossword is a delight. I was thrilled to spot a cute salamander with a funny name in the clue for 9-Across. Good thing I remembered how to spell it! Keep reading for help with today’s Mini Crossword. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: See-through
Answer: CLEAR
6A clue: «Anybody home?»
Answer: HELLO
7A clue: Winged horse of Greek myth
Answer: PEGASUS
9A clue: Salamander known for its regenerative abilities (and adorable appearance)
Answer: AXOLOTL
10A clue: Texting format, for short
Answer: SMS
11A clue: Birthplace of bossa nova
Answer: RIO
12A clue: Even score
Answer: TIE
13A clue: Insect seen in Dalí’s «The Persistence of Memory»
Answer: ANT
14A clue: Directory abbr.
Answer: EXT
15A clue: Metroid console, for short
Answer: NES
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Party snack made with cereal and pretzels
Answer: CHEXMIX
2D clue: Gift with many interlocking pieces
Answer: LEGOSET
3D clue: Airline whose name comes from the Book of Hosea
Answer: ELAL
4D clue: Election loser
Answer: ALSORAN
5D clue: Stand-up comic’s act
Answer: ROUTINE
7D clue: Command that uses the «V» key
Answer: PASTE
8D clue: Pulling their arms might win you money
Answer: SLOTS
