Notebook Review

Lenovo Yoga 9i review: the coveted convertible laptop

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  • Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch) Specifications
  • Features and versions
  • Design and construction
  • Laptop display
  • Keyboard and touchpad
  • Connectors and webcam
  • Stylus included
  • Dolby Atmos Sound
  • Iron productivity
  • Autonomy Lenovo Yoga 9i
  • Total
  • Should I buy?
  • Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Laptop - video

    • The 14-inch Lenovo Yoga 9i is a sequelthe Yoga C940, a premium convertible laptop. Its features are high performance thanks to the 11th generation Intel Tiger Lake processor and 18 hours of battery life.

    While one of the best models in this category is still the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (9310), the Yoga 9i is a great alternative.

    READ ALSO: HP ZBook Create G7 Review of Powerful and Stylish Laptop for Pros

    Lenovo Yoga 9i (14-inch) Specifications

    Laptop class

    Transformer 2-in-1

    CPU

    Intel Core i7-1185G7

    Processor core speed

    3 GHz

    RAM (test version)

    16 GB

    Load source type

    SSD

    Drive capacity (test version)

    512 GB

    Screen size

    14 inch

    Display resolution

    1920 × 1080

    Touch screen

    Yes

    Panel technology

    IPS

    Screen refresh rate

    60 Hz

    Graphics processor

    Intel Iris Xe

    Wireless networks

    802.11ax, Bluetooth

    operating system

    Windows 10 Home

    Battery autonomy (hours: minutes)

    17:55

    Dimensions and weight

    32.0 x 21.6 x 1.5 cm, 1395 grams

    Price

    1385 $

    Features and versions

    In the line of laptops transformers LenovoThe flagship Yoga 9i replaces the C940, where the benefits of Intel's new Evo platform are visible at a glance. The new ultrabook instantly wakes up from sleep mode, and the quad-core Core i7-1185G7 processor provides high-speed performance.

    Most powerful build includes 16 GBRAM, although the SSD is only 512GB - I would have liked at least 1TB. The main reason to choose the Lenovo Yoga 9i over a regular laptop like the Lenovo Slim 9i is its versatility. The 2-in-1 device can act as a laptop, tablet, and take the form of a stand or tent.

    Design and construction

    While we get great opportunities, Lenovo YogaThe 9i (14) is primarily a laptop, the 1.35kg 14-inch device is too big for a hybrid tablet. The 12.3-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 7 with a weight of 0.77 kg is still suitable for this role, but not the Yoga 9i, which is heavier than many 14-inch laptops in this price segment.

    The body is made of machinedaluminum alloy, which is currently the standard material for ultra-thin devices. But the edge-to-edge palmrest here is made of tempered glass to help keep you feeling cool while working.

    The lid is easy to open and rotate,pivoting around the soundbar, which protects the speakers from obstructing sound, whether you are using the device as a laptop or tablet.

    The Yoga 9i (14) retracts quite well andwarmth, with ventilation on the sides and behind the keyboard to allow hot air to escape from the two internal fans and a heat pipe. The fans mean it's not a silent system, but even under load the laptop isn't particularly loud.

    Laptop display

    Lenovo should have followed Dell's lead andenlarge the Yoga 9i's screen to a 16:10 aspect ratio. The 16: 9 ratio seems too narrow in portrait mode. At the same time, the IPS-panel has a Full HD resolution (1920 × 1080 pixels) and a brightness of 400 nits, the displayed colors are pleasantly saturated.

    There is a version of the Lenovo Yoga 9i with a brighter (500 nits) and detailed 4K screen, which costs a little less than the XPS 13 2-in-1.

    The colors are accurate, the screen is beautiful and bright.I often mention outdoor use because it really matters. The Yoga 9i 14's display does its job perfectly, in any environment, just like the previous generations of the 9 Series.

    The screen has narrow bezels on all sides and morelarge chin. There is a reverse notch at the top that has been part of Lenovo's design since the Yoga S940 debuted. This is now a pretty much an easy way to open the lid. Indeed, this laptop does not even offer a configuration with an IR camera for facial recognition.

    Keyboard and touchpad

    Another highlight of the Yoga 9i is its bright white backlit keyboard and pleasant key travel for a comfortable typing experience.

    I would like the arrow keys to be in the form of an inverted T. The buttons "up" and "down" here are half the size of the others, which is also not very convenient.

    The Lenovo Yoga 9i (14) touchpad does not have dedicated buttons, the pressure is a little harsh, but it is large and quite comfortable to use.

    Connectors and webcam

    Lenovo Yoga 9i has two Thunderbolt 4 ports(USB Type-C), one USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A and combo headphone / microphone jack. But, one Thunderbolt will be occupied by the charger, so I would have liked to have another USB-A and memory card slot. The bad thing is that all the connectors are on the left, only the power button is on the right.

    Unlike many other laptopstransformers, volume control buttons for tablet mode are not here. Wireless communication is provided by the Intel AX201 adapter with support for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5. For biometric functions, the Yoga 9i uses only the fingerprint scanner to the right of the touchpad.

    The 720p webcam has no IR technologyto unlock the face. The quality of her shooting is also not the highest, the image is too blurry, although this is a common practice for such devices. At least the camera is located above the display in the center and has a protective shutter.

    Stylus included

    Together with the laptop Lenovo Yoga 9i (14) we get a stylus - which is nice, because you usually have to buy it separately. The accessory is inserted into a special slot on the right side of the case.

    The stylus is only 6.5mm thick andcopes with its task very well. The principle of operation is based on Wacom AES technology with 4096 levels of clicks. This makes it feel like you're writing on paper when writing on the Yoga 9i's glass display.

    Lenovo estimates the Yoga 9i has 130 minutes of non-stop use on a single charge. Charging takes place inside the said slot.

    Dolby Atmos Sound

    The Lenovo Yoga 9i (14) hinge allows the display to rotate 360 ​​degrees. In addition, it is one large speaker with Dolby Atmos support.

    For a laptop of this size, the sound quality is hereincredible. Moreover, the hinge pivots so that the sound is not muffled and remains excellent in any position of the device. This is one of the best features of this transformer.

    Iron productivity

    Lenovo Yoga 9i (14) has an Intel processorCore i7-1185G7 with the highest core clock speed in the Tiger Lake lineup - 3.0 GHz (4.8 GHz in Turbo mode) and Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics. This chipset is slightly faster than the widespread Core i7-1165G7 (2.8 GHz / 4.7 GHz).

    Lenovo laptop shows itself in PCMark 10 testexcellent, gaining 4785 points and is second only to the Asus VivoBook Flip 14 (4920 points). This means that the overall performance of the device is very high. Even better than the Yoga 9i in graphics tests, the 3DMark Sky Diver scores 14,650 points, far superior to all competitors. The closest pursuer Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 has 11210 points.

    Partially such results are provided byefficient cooling system. Fortunately, the two rearward-facing fans are almost inaudible. The metal case always stays cool enough.

    Autonomy Lenovo Yoga 9i

    In addition to high performance, importantthe advantage of the Lenovo Yoga 9i is its autonomous battery. With the brightness set to 50%, the laptop can be fully charged for 18 hours of continuous video viewing from YouYube.

    Of course, in the version with a 4K display, autonomywill be lower - about 12 hours, but this result also beats the Asus ZenBook Flip S (UX371) with its 11 hours or the Asus VivoBook Flip 14 with 10 hours of operation. Only Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 (9310) is close to the basic Yoga 9i in this aspect, which shows fourteen and a half hours of battery life.

    Total

    Successful Yoga C940 solutions get even moredevelopment in Lenovo Yoga 9i. Yes, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 is still the best convertible laptop thanks to its higher screen resolution and attractive design. But, for many users, the Yoga 9i will prove to be no worse, moreover, it costs less.

    Should I buy?

    The Yoga 9i (14) has a flip-out display,superb audio system with quality sound, incredibly autonomous battery, included stylus and comfortable keyboard. High performance this device is one of the best 2-in-1 on the market.

    Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Laptop - video

    Alexander Shaman Alexander has been writing foralmost two decades. Initially, he collected technology news for the local media. His love of science fiction has sparked an immense thirst for knowledge. Trying to understand how it works and whether it can work better, he gets so carried away, as if he is plunging into a trance. For this, among his colleagues at TehnObzor, he received the nickname - Shaman. Lenovo's Best Transformer Laptop Design and Ergonomics 98/100 Display and Media 95/100 Keyboard and Input Devices 97/100 Connectors and Ports 87/100 Performance 97/100 Communication and Connectivity 95/100 Battery Life 97/100 Total 95.1 Lenovo's Elegant Metal Design The Yoga 9i's high-end features and incredible battery life make it a solid contender for premium convertible laptops. Advantages and disadvantages Comfortable keyboard and touchpad Stylus included Rotating speaker panel Stylish metal design Best-in-class battery life No IR webcam Limited port selection

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