Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Professional X Evaluate

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Professional X is a effectively balanced laptop computer, able to informal gaming and content material creation. In case your funds can’t stretch to a MacBook Professional, it is a improbable compromise.

Introduction

Home windows laptops have been trying to supply an analogous expertise to a MacBook Professional for years now, and few have managed to strike that excellent steadiness of trendy design, breakneck efficiency and lengthy battery life. 

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Professional X is a good distance from assembly these lofty targets, settling for an entry-level graphics efficiency, however it makes up for that with a extra reasonably priced value level. 

There isn’t actually any key characteristic or spec that makes this laptop computer stand out from the group, however it however has an important all-round steadiness of specs and options to make this a viable various to the MacBook Professional for these on a funds. 

Design

• Refined fashion, with gray color choice
• Slim design contemplating the specs
• No fingerprint sensor

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Professional X has an unremarkable design that’s unlikely to attract the attention in a espresso store or workplace. But it surely nonetheless appears nice, with a skinny bezel surrounding the 14.5-inch display screen and rounded edge on the rim of the chassis. 

Lenovo lists this laptop computer as being painted in gray, however I can see a refined blue tint to it, making it extra of an eye fixed pleaser than the common laptop computer. 

It’s surprisingly slender contemplating my mannequin is packing each a high-end processor and a discrete GPU. With a top of 15.9mm, it’s solely marginally thicker than the 14-inch MacBook Professional (15.5mm) regardless of the latter utilizing a single chip to retailer each the CPU and GPU cores. 

I’ve carried the laptop computer across the workplace with one hand, though it’s nearly heavy sufficient (beginning at 1.5kg) to trigger pressure to my wrist. It’s no drawback in a rucksack although, as I’ve thrown it inside my bag together with a Dell XPS 13 laptop computer and pill, and nonetheless had no drawback commuting to and from work. 

Lenovo has opted for a clear look on the laptop computer’s lid, with a shiny ‘Yoga’ emblem stretching down the top-left nook, and a little bit Lenovo badge on the alternative facet. In any other case, it’s only a plain metallic lid. When mild hits the floor, the metallic lid does shine proudly, but additionally attracts consideration to all of my fingerprint smudges. 

The ‘Lenovo Yoga’ moniker is arguably deceptive, because the laptop computer’s hinge can’t be rotated by 360-degrees, except you propose on snapping it. The laptop computer has seemingly carried out some entry-level yoga lessons although, as I’m in a position to bend the display screen again as far down because the desk, however I’m not satisfied there’s a lot use case for such a kind. 

Regardless of the Yoga being so skinny, Lenovo has nonetheless managed to cram quite a few ports onto the laptop computer, together with a headphone jack, USB-A port, 2x USB-C (with Thunderbolt 4 assist) and HDMI – that’s an outstanding choice that places the likes of Apple and Dell to disgrace, who’ve urged their laptops are actually too skinny to host legacy ports. 

You’ll even discover a webcam kill change on the precise edge, which cuts the facility to the sensor so that you could be positive no person is snooping on you. The 1080p webcam appears a little bit grainy, struggling to choose up a lot element in low mild. But it surely’s nonetheless completely serviceable for Zoom catch ups with pals and colleagues. 

The keyboard is sandwiched between two up-firing audio system, and but nonetheless has loads of house for chunky keys which can be straightforward to hit regardless of your typing pace. There’s no quantity pad, however that’s regular for a 14-inch laptop computer as of late. 

I’m a little bit dissatisfied by the shortage of a fingerprint sensor for hassle-free logins, however Lenovo has ensured Home windows Hi there assist for the webcam as a substitute. Which means the laptop computer will signal you in as quickly because it recognises your face, though this characteristic is usually a little temperamental, particularly for those who’re not in a brightly lit room. 

Lenovo has opted for a bodily trackpad quite than being tempted over by haptic suggestions. It’s huge, easy and responsive – and so ticks all of my bins. 

Display

• A 14.5-inch display screen with 3K decision
• 120Hz refresh fee
• Lacks the color protection of MacBook Professional

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Professional X incorporates a 14.5-inch panel, which doesn’t sound enormous on paper, however makes the 13-inch display screen of the Dell XPS 13 look completely tiny as compared. The Lenovo appears like a big-screen laptop computer, and but stays sufficiently small that it’s straightforward to move. 

It incorporates a excessive 3K (3072 x 1920) display screen decision. Video and photos look sharp, though the IPS display screen expertise doesn’t look fairly as daring and punchy as an OLED (Dell XPS 13 OLED) or Mini LED (MacBook Professional) show. 

For testing functions, I used a colorimeter to dive deeper into the Lenovo’s display screen specs. A recorded max brightness of 416 nits is above the common (300 nits) for a laptop computer, and so ought to have the ability to nonetheless be seen in shiny mild – though that’s onerous to check within the gloomy months of February and March. 

Sadly, the laptop computer struggles when displaying pitch black scenes, which seem a little bit too gray for my liking. That is backed up by a mediocre black degree of 0.32 nits, leading to an general distinction of 1290:1. Such a result’s completely superb, though you’ll get higher outcomes by spending extra. 

The color protection is sweet, with 99% protection of sRGB. However the mediocre Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 outcomes each got here in at 73%, which is nearly adequate for entry-level content material creators, though seasoned professionals will seemingly desire a extra correct show. 

A 120Hz refresh fee comes as normal, permitting for easy on-screen movement, particularly for those who intend on taking part in video games on this laptop computer. 

Lenovo additionally supplies you with the choice to choose both a non-glare or glare show, whereas additionally providing you to improve to a touchscreen for a further cost.

Efficiency 

• Powered by twelfth Gen Intel chip
• Non-obligatory discrete GPU from Nvidia
• Followers are very loud

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Professional X is powered by Intel’s twelfth Technology of processors, with the choice of both an i5-12500H or i7-12700H chip through an additional improve. Intel lately entered its thirteenth era of processors, though you’re nonetheless getting loads of energy with the Lenovo.

You get Intel’s normal built-in graphics by default, though Lenovo can be providing up two non-compulsory GPU upgrades: Nvidia’s GTX 1650 for an additional £160 or RTX 3050 for £230 extra. 

Lenovo despatched me the highest configuration, with an Intel Core i7-12700H chip, Nvidia RTX 3050, 32GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD. The overall value involves £1576, which is extraordinarily good worth – the most cost effective 14-inch MacBook Professional retails for £2149, though is admittedly extra highly effective. 

In case you’re glad to scale down the specs (which incorporates the removing of a discrete GPU), then you should purchase the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Professional X for as little as £1063.99, which stays nice worth. 

However how does the efficiency of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Professional X examine to different laptops? I used some benchmark checks to seek out out, and you may verify the ends in the graph beneath. 

As you possibly can see, the MacBook Professional wipes the ground with Lenovo, posting superior scores for each the CPU and GPU efficiency. But it surely’s necessary to recollect Apple’s Professional laptop computer is sort of twice as costly too. 

I’m impressed with the scores of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Professional X contemplating its value. I sped by internet browsers and apps, to such an extent that it was instantly apparent of the efficiency enhance when switching from the Dell XPS 13. The efficiency is even adequate for entry-level content material creation akin to photograph/video modifying. 

Gaming efficiency was respectable – when taking part in Horizon Zero Daybreak with max graphics settings and a decision of 1440p, the Lenovo laptop computer was in a position to hit a mean body fee of 33fps. Dialling the decision right down to 1080p noticed that efficiency enhance to 36fps.

That is actually not going to compete with a correct gaming laptop computer such because the Asus Zephyrus G14, however for those who’re practical with the graphics settings, you possibly can nonetheless play some informal video games on the facet – one thing like Stardew Valley, Soccer Supervisor and The Sims ought to work completely superb. 

However be warned that the followers can whir as much as a extremely loud quantity when the laptop computer is beneath stress. It’s nothing a pair of headphones can’t block out, however it might show to be a distraction in an workplace setting. 

The SSD speeds are completely ample, with a learn rating of 3438MB/s and a write rating of 3288MB/s. That’s about common for a productiveness laptop computer, though we’re beginning to see a pattern of laptops utilizing super-speedy internals to make boot-up occasions and app load-ups even sooner. 

Battery life

• Battery check lasted simply wanting 7 hours
• Can’t match the MacBook Professional for stamina

The largest draw back of including in a discrete GPU, such because the non-compulsory Nvidia’s GTX 1650 and RTX 3050 chips on supply with the Lenovo, is that they could be a main leech on battery life – that’s the trade-off for quick graphics efficiency. 

Since my mannequin of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Professional X packs the RTX 3050, it wasn’t a giant shock to see battery life restricted to simply 6 hours and 51 minutes in our PCMark 10 workplace simulation benchmark. That’s subpar stamina, particularly when in comparison with the MacBook Air M2 which might final over 13 hours away from the mains. 

I additionally examined the battery life by looping a 1440p YouTube video. The Lenovo solely lasted 4 and a half hours this time, which can be dangerous information for many who need to watch Netflix on the highest decision attainable. 

In case you determine to purchase a mannequin that doesn’t characteristic a discrete graphics chip, you’ll little question see a serious enhance to the laptop computer’s stamina. It’s nice to have the ability to select between the 2 priorities, however it’s a compromise you don’t need to make when shopping for a MacBook Air. 

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