Lenovo Yoga Book 9i Review

Lenovo has made one of the biggest innovations this year when they unveiled the latest generation of the Yoga Book 9i. Unlike most laptop manufacturers that have a folding display, the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i comes with a more practical dual display that you can use for different functionalities.

Design and construction

The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i features rounded corners with a thin and lightweight aluminum chassis. It feels premium and solid without being too hefty. It has a sleek design even with the mechanism for the two displays which are connected by a hinge to make use in different modes possible.

The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i that we got comes in Tidal Teal color and for the ports, it has three Thunderbolt 4 ports and all of them can be used for charging. I recommend  bringing a dongle with you if you’re a power user.

The device also has a switch to turn off the camera as an added privacy feature, Its5MP Webcam at the top of the display is great for video calls on Zoom and Teams since the quality is actually superb compared to most options in the market.

This powerhouse also supports Windows Hello so users can unlock their device with facial ID technology.

Despite being a 2-in-1 device, the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i has a solid hinge with no creak or flexing. Since the device has rounded edges, it’s way easier to hold whenever I’m using it. The sound ispowered by Bowers and Wilkins and sound quality was average and just enough for my usage.

Different modes

Users can convert this device into multiple modes but the most useful and common would bethe laptop mode in which you can use the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i’s lower display as your virtual keyboard and touchpad by just tapping eight fingers on the display.

Typing on a screen doesn’t have the same feel of a normal keyboard but thankfully, there is a detachable magnetic keyboard you can use if you prefer. Whenever you place the keyboard on the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, the device automatically detects it and a virtual touchpad appears. If you slide down the keyboard, you can add more space for your windows and apps.

My personal favorite way to use the Yoga Book 9i is in Scroll mode where I have two displays in landscape mode in use. I can use the folio stand to have a better orientation for the notebook and then I can magnetically attach the keyboard to the folio stand. This makes multitasking easier and more productive. 

For programmers and for those who love to read ebooks, the book mode of the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i will be a much appreciated feature. In this mode, you can use the laptop’s dual display in portrait mode giving them a more screen estate for texts which is excellent for programmers. 

You can also use the Yoga Book 9i in Tent Mode which is great for showing presentations and with the pen, users can annotate and add written notes on files. The tablet mode on the other hand, is perfect if you want to use the notebook for drawing and tablet-optimized apps.

Keyboard 

There’s a bluetooth keyboard included that you can magnetically attach to the folio of the device or you can place it on top of the lower display. It’s pretty much what we can expect from a bluetooth keyboard but the typing experience on the keyboard was great. Despite the thin profile of the keyboard, it was responsive and pretty comfortable to type with.

Crisp and vivid displays

The dual display of the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is the main highlight of the laptop. In terms of the technical specs, it offers a dual 2800×1800 resolution with a 60Hz refresh rate and 400 nits brightness. This isn’t the first laptop to have a dual-display but Lenovo’s implementation on this device was very good. I like that I can open two apps in full size at the same time which makes it perfect for productivity.

The display quality, was bright, vivid, and the contrast was really good. It’s bright enough to be used outside so I enjoyed using it on Scroll mode even while sitting outside in a coffee shop.

Software and performance

On the inside the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i comes pre-installed with Windows 11 Home and it does come with proprietary software applications to help optimize the dual display of the notebook. Some of these apps include the Lenovo Vantage app and also the Yoga Book User Center which are both useful in optimizing the dual display and performance of the Yoga Book 9i

For the processing power, the unit is powered by an Intel Core i7-1355U processor along with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. There’s the latest 13th Generation Intel Core i7 processor inside which will do just fine for basic school, office, and presentation needs.If you’re planning on playing games on this notebook, you’ll be able to play some of the latest ones but you’ll have to tone down the graphics settings.

In our benchmarks, it’s pretty much what we expected:

In CrystalDiskMark, it’s pretty much what we expected from the device

In Cinebench R23, it was proven that the notebook’s CPU has a powerful single core performance. However in multi-core, it performed just fine for its power.

In PCMark10 and 3DMark, it’s basically the scores that we expected from its processor and with Intel XE graphics. Basically, the benchmark scores tells us that it will do perfectly fine for office and productivity use however, it wouldn’t have a stellar performance in gaming

Gamers should be able to play Valorant just fine at an average of 95 fps at 2800×1800. For me, I was even able to play Horizon Zero Dawn at 29 fps at 720p at low settings. While not recommended, the second display of the device can be used for other apps while playing games. Basically, this dual-display device is made for productivity first and not focused on gaming.

Battery life

The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i has an 80Whr of battery inside and it comes with a 65W USB-C Charger. Surprisingly, I was getting great battery life on this device despite having two displays. In our normal usage of the notebook such as writing articles, programming and listening to Spotify, I was getting around 7-8 hours of battery life on the notebook. 

Lenovo Premium Care

One of the best things about owning a Lenovo device is the Lenovo Premium Care service, where you can get a three year warranty that includes easy data migration and 24/7 support. Lenovo technicians can provide on-site support and remote troubleshooting.

Lenovo also offers Accidental Damage Protection, where they provide protection against unexpected damages. This includes in-person assistance for repairs and if the PC can’t be repaired, they’ll replace it at no extra cost

Verdict

The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is a device that is definitely made for productivity. The dual display of the device is something that I appreciate over a foldable display because of its flexibility of opening two apps at different displays and I can do more with its dual display rather than a single foldable display. 

The scroll mode of the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is nicely done too along with its sturdy keyboard folio and bluetooth keyboard. The Intel Core i7-1355U processor might not be the most powerful chip in the market but it brings a balance of power and performance on the notebook as I was able to get a long battery life out of this despite having a dual display. This makes the Lenovo YogaBook 9i perfect for office workers, students, and for those people who are using their laptop for productivity.

Pricing 

The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is now available in the Philippines and it’s priced at Php 149,995. This also includes a three year warranty with Lenovo Premium Care service and Accidental Damage Protection. If you want to know more about the product, head over to their website.