Lenovo is upgrading its Yoga line of laptops to make the use of the latest Ryzen mobile chips and upcoming Intel Tiger Lake CPUs, and to take on Dell’s 2-in-1 and ultraportable laptops.
This refreshed laptop and 2-in-1 lineup is spearheaded by the Yoga 7i that comes in 14-inch and 15-inch versions and effectively replaces the Yoga C740. With prices starting at $849.99 and $799 respectively, they’re set to come with the new Tiger Lake chips, up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and refreshed 2-in-1 designs that notably reduce the display bezels by 20 percent.
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The machines also come with Thunderbolt 4 connectivity, larger 70WHr batteries and a Nega-notch, which positions the webcam slightly above the screens bezel providing a lip to make opening the lid with one hand that bit easier.
With such a specification, the Yoga 7i could be seen as a rival to the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, a machine that makes use of Intel’s Ice Lake processors and will likely get a refresh with the Tiger Lake chips. But the Dell machine starts at $999, so the Yoga 7i has the price advantage.
Both Yoga 7i models will come in Slate Grey and Dark Moss color options and will go on sale in November. Lenovo has several more laptops that are on the way, but aren’t coming to the U.S.
Eye of the Tiger Lake
The €999 13-inch Yoga Slim 7i and the €899 14-inch Yoga Slim 7i Pro are two new ultraportable laptops from the Chinese tech giant. They are set to get the upcoming Intel Tiger Lake chips with integrated Xe graphics, which promise a decent boost in GPU performance over Ice Lake laptop chips.
For people who want a little more graphical grunt, the 14-inch version has the option to spec it with GeForce MX GPUs, though Lenovo didn’t say which models. That suggests new MX GPUs could be on their way.
RAM and storage for the 13-inch and 14-inch models top out at 16GB and 32GB and 1TB of M.2 SSD storage, respectively.
Other features like Wi-Fi 6, 2.9K wide viewing angle displays with 400 nits of brightness, a 90Hz refresh rate and Thunderbolt 4 connectivity make up the laptops’ spec sheet.
These machines are set to be rivals for the Dell XPS 13 2020, our current pick for the best laptop that is also set to get an upgrade to Intel’s Tiger Lake CPUs. But at a current starting price of around $1,000, the XPS 13 is a premium machine with a premium price. As such, the Yoga Slim 7i laptop could undercut the XPS 13, and potentially overpower it given that it will have a dedicated GPU option.
Both Yoga Slim 7i machines will be available in Europe at the start of November.
Ryzen up to the challenge of its rivals
Next up is the Yoga 6, a replacement for the Yoga C640. Starting at $699.99, the 13.3-inch 2-in-1 sports Rzyen 4000-series CPUs with integrated GPUs, and up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage space.
Featuring a design that includes a striking blue fabric on its lid and edges, the Yoga 6 is effectively a 2-in-1 machine for people who want a laptop-come-tablet that can come with plenty of features, such as Dolby Atmos speakers, without paying a wallet-emptying price. The Yoga 6 will be released sometime in October.
And finally, there’s the Yoga 7 Slim Pro. Coming to Europe for a starting price of €799, 14-inch laptop will come with an eight-core AMD Ryzen 9 4900H processor, sport a webcam notch and come with new dome-design keypads that Lenovo claimed will make typing on the machine more comfortable. Available in Light Silver or Slate Grey hue, the Yoga 7 Slim Pro will go on sale in August.
At these prices and specifications, the Yoga 7 Slim Pro and Yoga 6 offer laptop and 2-in-1 machines that mix Lenovo’s strong standard for solid and practical build quality and design, with features that don’t sacrifice functionality for form.
This refresh and rebrand of the Yoga lineup isn’t the most ground-shaking, But it will ensure the Lenovo machines available in the fall will have the latest processors. And the prices of the whole range look pretty competitive, compared to more expensive machines like the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, so could be well worth considering if you’re after a new laptop or hybrid device.
