Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 First Impressions

I have been eager to test a 16-inch laptop, and so I was delighted when Lenovo offered the Yoga 7i 16 for review. But this particular PC should be of even more interest because of the potential value here: despite the high-end configuration, the model that Lenovo loaned me retails for less than $900.

The Yoga 7i is a convertible PC with high-end internal components, a high-resolution 16-inch display, and most of the benefits that come with this versatile form factor type. It’s a big computer, for sure, at 9.83 x 14.23 x 0.76 inches, but it’s also relatively thin and, at 4.18 pounds, reasonably light. And it’s a looker, with a sleek Artic Grey color that nicely differentiates from more common but bland silver PCs, and comfortable curved edges.

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Open up the Yoga, and you’re presented with the familiar, high-quality, and ThinkPad-inspired Lenovo keyboard, with its scalloped, island-style keys, backlighting, and, in this case, full number pad. I’m not personally a fan of number pads because they offset the regular keyboard a bit, but many prefer this layout, of course. There’s no TrackPoint nubbin, but Lenovo provides customers with a very large glass touchpad.

The display is suitably immense, and it provides a 2.5K (2560 x 1600) resolution with Dolby Vision and a bright 400 nits of light. This, for me, is the key: I’ve been using docked laptops since my conversion to a “more mobile” configuration, and I’d like to see how a 16-inch display improves things when compared with the 15- and 14-inch models I normally use.

Of course, that’s not what most Yoga 7i buyers will care about: as a convertible PC, the Yoga transitions between four usage modes—laptop, tablet, tent, and stand—and provides multitouch and smartpen compatibility as you’d expect. (That said, there’s no smartpen included.)

It’s an attractive PC, with a metal unibody design, sleek curved sides, and a smooth Arctic Gray finish, and it should go easier on the wrists than some of the sharped-edge competition. It’s classy-looking, too, with Lenovo’s understated branding.

Expansion looks solid, with a full-sized USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, a full-sized HDMI port, two Thunderbolt 4/USB-C ports, and an SD card reader on the left, and another USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port on the left. Oddly, the power button is also on the left, a configuration most PC makers have eschewed in recent years to avoid accidental activation in transit. Granted, most people probably won’t travel much with such a large PC.

Internally, you’ll find some impressively modern componentry, with a 12th-Gen Intel Core i7 P-series (28-watt) or H-series (45-watt) processor, Intel Iris Xe or Arc A370M graphics, up to 32 GB of fast LPDDR5 RAM, and up to 1 TB of PCIe SSD Gen 4 storage. The review unit includes a Core i7-1260P processor, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage.

Audio should be impressive, with Dolby Atmos immersive sound and a four-speaker stereo sound system that includes both upward-firing tweeters and downward-firing woofers.

The webcam is 1080p and includes a manual privacy shutter and IR capabilities for Windows Hello facial recognition. There’s also a fingerprint reader on the right wristrest.

Battery life may actually reach a double-digit range if Lenovo is to be believed, and the Yoga offers Rapid Charge Express fast-charging to 3 hours of additional in just 15 minutes either way.

Of course, the Yoga 7i 16 is a big PC, measuring 0.76 x 14.23 x 9.83 inches and weighing in at 4.19 pounds. Neither is horrible for a 16-inch design, but I’m curious to see what it’s like lugging it around.

The Best Buy configuration that I’m reviewing retails for $899.99, but Lenovo offers other configurations on its website.

More soon.

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