Lenovo Yoga 9i Laptop Review: The Best 2-in-1 Companion

Lenovo makes a number of the greatest laptops, so my expectations have been fairly excessive with the latest Yoga 9i model. I’m ecstatic to say that this laptop computer exceeded these expectations a lot that I’m tempted to exchange my present laptop computer with this mannequin.

Though its predecessor, the Yoga 7i, is a stable laptop computer, there are fairly a number of enhancements within the 9i mannequin. Most noticeably, the 9i has a shocking 4K OLED show, in comparison with the 7i’s 1080p show. The Yoga 9i additionally has a bigger trackpad, a 1080p webcam, a rotating soundbar, and higher inside parts.

Normally, one or two detrimental issues stand out with each laptop computer I evaluate, however not with this gem. I’ve completely cherished my Lenovo Flex 5 for the previous 12 months or so, and experimenting with Lenovo’s Yoga 9i jogged my memory of that first-time-love feeling I had with my present laptop computer. When my present laptop computer kicks the bucket (or perhaps even earlier than), the Yoga 9i is on the high of my checklist.

Specs as Reviewed

• CPU: twelfth Gen Intel Core i7-1260P (2.10 GHz)
• RAM: 16GB LPDDR5-5200
• Storage: 1TB (One M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4×4 slot)
• Graphics: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
• Show: 14-inch IPS OLED 4K (3840 x 2400) at 60Hz, Touchscreen, 400 nits, VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 Dolby Imaginative and prescient
• Battery: 75Wh Li-Polymer, Helps Speedy Cost Enhance
• Connectivity: Intel Wi-Fi® AX211, Bluetooth 5.2
• Working System: Home windows 11 Residence
• Ports: 1 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2 x Thunderbolt 4, 1 x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, Audio jack
• Digicam: 1080p IR & RGB hybrid webcam
• Audio: 2x 3W (woofers on the facet), 2x 2W (front-facing tweeters on hinge bar),
  optimized with Dolby Atmos, Bowers & Wilkins audio system
• Dimensions: 12.52 x 9.06 x 0.6 inches
• Weight: Beginning at 3.09 lbs

Design and Construct High quality: Constructed to Final

I completely love aluminum chassis laptops as a result of they really feel glossy and look extra premium than different laptops. Along with trying nice, a laptop computer with an aluminum chassis additionally helps regulate warmth and preserve your laptop computer from getting too scorching throughout intensive duties, which is all the time appreciated.

All the opposite visible components of the Lenovo Yoga 9i have been stunning as properly. The laptop computer’s edges and corners are additionally aluminum, however they’re shiny and resemble a chrome materials you may see your reflection in. The keyboard is barely concaved, stopping the keys from touching and doubtlessly scratching the display screen. With a 4K OLED display screen, it is a good function.

Individuals are choosy on the subject of keyboards on a laptop computer or a desktop, particularly since there are such a lot of types of key switches and methods to customise the texture of a keyboard. Personally, I like quiet keys that require some effort out of your fingers to get a response; due to that, the Yoga 9i’s keyboard is a dream for me.

The keys have a soft-landing swap that makes it really feel like there’s a small cushion beneath every key, bouncing again with each faucet of your finger. It’s extremely satisfying to kind on this laptop computer, barely hear something, and have a nice actuation expertise.

Lenovo has just about mastered the 2-in-1 design. It appears as if greater than half of Lenovo’s laptops include this 2-in-1 performance that provides you a laptop computer and a pill. My Lenovo Flex 5 is a 2-in-1 laptop computer as properly, and the one factor that bugs me probably the most when utilizing it in Stand Mode is that the audio will get muffled. On the Yoga 9i, the Bowers & Wilkins rotating soundbar solved this downside and made streaming media a extra gratifying expertise.

On the laptop computer’s left facet, there’s a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port that solely helps information transfers and two Thunderbolt 4 ports. On the suitable facet, there’s a 3.5mm jack, one other USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, and the facility button.

Show and Efficiency: Completely Beautiful

Not many laptops on the market have a 4K OLED decision proper now, however man, it’ll be nice when this turns into the norm. The image beneath doesn’t even do that laptop computer’s show justice, and that’s saying one thing. From simply trying on the scenic screensaver, the blue water regarded as vivid as I think about it will have in actual life. Watching Netflix nature exhibits in 4K on the Yoga 9i is unimaginable as a result of you may see every part brightly and clearly.

To check out the gaming capabilities of this laptop computer, I made a decision to play Ori and the Will of the Wisps. This isn’t an excellent demanding recreation, so I anticipated it to play properly. After I was downloading the sport, the followers kicked on however weren’t too loud. Each the followers and the aluminum chassis did an important job retaining the laptop computer cool.

Sadly, I didn’t have probably the most seamless expertise with enjoying the sport, which actually pissed off me. All the pieces else about this laptop computer is so improbable, however the truth that it struggled with Ori—a recreation that’s removed from demanding—is disappointing.

The primary time I opened the sport, I performed for perhaps 10 minutes, after which it crashed. I assumed I noticed the Lenovo Vantage app pop up, so I assumed perhaps it was interfering and tried to uninstall it. After two tries, I uninstalled Lenovo Vantage and restarted the sport.

All the pieces was going easily for about 10 minutes when the sport froze. I may hear the sport sounds at any time when I pressed the keys, however the display screen was frozen. I took a have a look at the duty supervisor, and RAM utilization was round 90%, so I canceled my two Google Chrome tabs and the laptop computer settings I had open to attempt to put much less stress on the 16GB of LPDDR5.

The third time I opened the sport, I didn’t have any points. It stayed open for a number of hours whereas I performed, and I didn’t expertise any lag, freezing, or crashing. Regardless of having a twelfth Gen Intel Core i7-1260P inside, the laptop computer appeared to wrestle with Ori and the Will of the Wisps. I’m unsure if one thing wasn’t being distributed correctly whereas enjoying, however I continuously appeared to hit 80-90% reminiscence utilization.

It’s unusual to me that 16GB of LPDDR5 didn’t appear to have the ability to deal with that. In case you’re unfamiliar, LPDDR, versus DDR RAM, is commonly utilized in smartphones and a few laptops to increase battery life, however it finally ends up sacrificing velocity. There’s fairly a little bit of pre-loaded software program, so that you would possibly undergo and uninstall no matter you don’t need previous to organising your laptop computer the way in which you need it.

That mentioned, the Yoga 9i isn’t categorised as a gaming laptop computer, and lots of customers most likely gained’t open a single recreation on it. As I used the laptop computer for my extra customary every day duties, it ran completely. This might embrace navigating between 10-15 Chrome tabs, enhancing photographs, watching one thing on Netflix or YouTube, answering emails, and having video calls on a typical day. And whereas most individuals most likely gained’t be enjoying demanding video games on the Lenovo Yoga 9i, it’s good to know that it’s doable in case you ever need to (so long as you don’t go for one thing overly demanding).

Additionally, each time I take a look at a laptop computer, I all the time open a ton of tabs in Google Chrome as a result of that’s typically what I do when writing an article, and it’s what anybody utilizing this sort of laptop computer may additionally do. On the peak, I had 30 Google Chrome tabs open together with Discord, Steam (with no video games launched), and the duty supervisor. The reminiscence utilization share hovered round 75% with all of this open, however the laptop computer by no means bought too scorching or too loud.

Audio, Cameras, and Battery Life: Higher Than Common

Normally, audio high quality on laptops sucks, so I used to be pleasantly shocked when the Yoga 9i’s rotating soundbar from Bowers & Wilkins made music sound fairly dang nice. The hinge the place the Yoga 9i transforms from a laptop computer to a pill is dwelling to twin 2-watt tweeters, with two 3-watt woofers within the backside corners of the laptop computer. All of this, mixed with Dolby Atmos, produces some high quality sound.

To check out the audio system, I performed a number of songs on each the Yoga 9i and my Flex 5. First, I performed Stitches by Shawn Mendes (don’t decide me), and the distinction was important. On my Flex 5, I may hear claps, drum beats, and general muffled audio. Switching to the Yoga 9i, I may really make out the guitar within the tune along with the claps and drum beats, and it sounded clearer general.

Then, I additionally listened to Examine the Lock by clipping. to check out some totally different options of the audio system. When listening on my Flex 5, I actually laughed out loud once I heard how unhealthy it was representing the tune; the notes sounded quick and unnatural. On the Yoga 9i, I may clearly hear the reverb results, and the notes have been being held out as meant.

Total, that is the primary laptop computer I’ve ever examined out with audio system I’d genuinely need to take heed to music on. There’s a lot extra readability and fullness, letting you choose up all of the minor particulars in melodies.

As for the digital camera, most laptop computer webcams provide a fuzzy 720p, however the Lenovo Yoga 9i gives a crisp(er) 1080p decision. In case you continuously use a digital camera for conferences, college initiatives, or random Zoom calls with household and associates, you’ll be tremendous proud of this webcam’s readability. The digital camera additionally picked up extra of the colour of my face and my background than my Flex 5’s 720p webcam did. As with most different Lenovo laptops, there’s a slidable privateness shutter once you’re accomplished utilizing the webcam.

Contained in the Yoga 9i, there’s a 75Wh Li-Polymer battery that helps Speedy Cost Enhance, which provides you about two hours of runtime with a fast 15-minute cost. In my expertise, Lenovo’s laptops are likely to have spectacular batteries, and this laptop computer’s battery is not any totally different. In case you’re enjoying video games all day with it unplugged, the battery will run down drastically quicker. However in case you’re utilizing it for an everyday day at work or college, you’ll get no less than a full day’s use out of a single cost.

Conclusion: This Laptop computer Will Make Your Coronary heart Blissful

Dropping 2K on a laptop computer is a steep funding, however in case you continuously use a laptop computer for work or college, Lenovo’s Yoga 9i is so extremely price it. The battery life is so stable that you might go away your charger at dwelling and never fear about it when you’re out for your complete day. You’ll be able to play informal video games on it, jam out with its high quality audio system, or simply run your fingers over the graceful aluminum chassis.

The aluminum chassis helped preserve the laptop computer’s temperature and saved it from getting too scorching whereas I performed video games or tab-surfed. After my first two failed makes an attempt at gaming on this laptop computer, I used to be capable of play Ori and the Will of the Wisps for a number of hours with no points. The Yoga 9i dealt with every part else I threw at it with ease, like researching merchandise, responding to emails, watching movies, and enhancing photographs.

And as if there weren’t already a ton of causes to purchase this laptop computer, it’s a 2-in-1 laptop computer, providing you with a laptop computer and a pill for the worth of 1. In case you’re in want of a brand new laptop computer, significantly take into account the Lenovo Yoga 9i.