Enlarge / Lenovo’s Yoga 9i 14″ 7th Generation Laptop.
Sharon Harding
| Specs at a glance: Lenovo Yoga 9i (14″) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| very bad | best | as per review | |
| screen | 14-inch 1920×1200 IPS Touchscreen | 14-inch 3840×2400 90Hz OLED IPS Touchscreen | 14-inch 2800×1800 90Hz OLED IPS Touchscreen |
| OS | Windows 11 Home | ||
| CPU | Intel Core i7-1260P | ||
| to hit | 8GB LPDDR5-5200 | 16GB LPDDR5-5200 | |
| Storage | 256GB PCIe 4.0 SSD | 1 TB PCIe 4.0 SSD | 512 GB PCIe 4.0 SSD |
| GPU | Intel Iris XE (Integrated) | ||
| networking | 802.11ax (2×2), Bluetooth 5.2 | ||
| ports | 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C), 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, 1x 3.5mm jack | ||
| shape | 12.52 x 9.06 x 0.6 inches (318 x 230 x 15.25 mm) |
||
| weight | Starts at 3.26 lbs (1,480 g) | ||
| battery | 75 hours | ||
| Guarantee | 1 year | ||
| Price (MSRP) | $1,080 at Lenovo | $1,930 | $1,730 |
For a laptop to make a statement, it must have more than just the latest components—it must have style. Lenovo’s Yoga 9i is set to compete with its Intel 12th Gen P-Series CPUs in today’s market, but it shows that it’s more than just another thin-and-light convertible with great details.
You can tell right away that the Yoga 9i was designed to capture your attention with a glossy, polished finish. But it’s the creature comforts—like a high-res webcam with background blur, an optional tall and loud OLED touchscreen, and unusually loud speakers—that tell the real story.
(Note: OLED versions of the Yoga 9i aren’t available for purchase, but Lenovo told us they’ll be available at Best Buy within the next two weeks.)
thin and shiny
The Yoga 9i proves that a laptop doesn’t even have to be a MacBook or MacBook emulators to offer an attractive design. The aluminum chassis on my test unit is silver, but the laptop also comes in a gold-like “oatmeal” shade and dark gray. I enjoyed the subtle shine on the Silver Edition’s matte lid, deck, and keyboard. Instead of begging to stay in the center of the laptop’s lid, the engraved Lenovo and Yoga logos play it cool and wait to notice them on the sides of the lid.
Enlarge / The Yoga 9i is definitely a beautiful 2-in-1.
Sharon Harding
You might call this laptop’s design “edgy”—not because it’s rebellious, but because of the deck’s striking, shiny edges. Reflective and polished, they offer a rounded alternative to the sharp, sharp laptop edges we often see. Lenovo says the edges make the machine more comfortable to hold in tablet mode, but I found they added unnecessary slippage.
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Sharon Harding
The slim, flat power button on the right side of the deck is more cumbersome; Even after a few weeks of using the machine, I repeatedly accidentally hit it when I shook the laptop. The Yoga 9i’s polished edges are beautiful, but I’d prefer the boring, unappealing, sharp edges if it meant I could have a better grip and fewer accidental power button presses.
If you rarely hold your laptop to the left and right, you probably won’t be bothered. Of course, there’s no power button on the spine.
Expand / The laptop’s soundbar/hinge houses two tweeters.
Sharon Harding
There is also a soundbar. The 360-degree hinge and the holes covering its two tweeters are the final details that turn the laptop into a statement piece. Still, I’m concerned about the longevity of the speakers, especially considering the fact that the holes are exposed even when the laptop is turned off.
Lastly, don’t let the Yoga 9i’s slimness ruin the port selection. On the left, it has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and even a USB-A port (3.2 Gen 2 10 Gbps). On the right is a 3.5mm jack and another USB-C port (3.2 Gen 2).
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left side.
Sharon Harding
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On the right, along with that awkward power button.
Sharon Harding
There’s no HDMI or DisplayPort, but between Thunderbolt 4 options for USB-C monitors and OLED screens, you’ll hopefully be able to do so.
