From Phones to Laptops: What Changed in Portable Computing Since 2017
It’s easy to forget how much has changed since 2017. Phones from that era already looked like modern smartphones on the surface, but the gap in raw capability compared to today’s models is enormous — and the same is true, arguably even more so, for laptops.
Back then, a “thin and light” laptop usually meant compromising heavily on performance, battery life rarely cleared 6-7 hours of real use, and a fingerprint reader was still considered a premium feature rather than a default. Fast forward to now, and even mid-range laptops routinely ship with all-day batteries, fast NVMe storage instead of spinning hard drives, and screens that would have been flagship-tier a decade ago.
What hasn’t changed is the core buying logic: match the device to what you actually do with it, not to the biggest number on the spec sheet. That was true when shopping for a 2017-era phone and it’s just as true shopping for a 2026 laptop.
If you’re curious how far laptop lineups have evolved, Lenovo’s current laptop catalog on pcdepo.com is a good real-world snapshot — from budget-friendly everyday machines to serious workstation-class hardware, all listed with real specs and current prices.
Whether your interest is nostalgia for the old models or research for a new purchase, comparing eras like this is a good reminder of just how fast this category moves.
