== First things first ==My wife has been looking for a laptop to replace her old Vaio SZ (very nice laptop, still lighter than many and lasted her 5 years!). She was a little picky when it comes to aesthetics and didn't like Macbooks, so it took us a while to find a good looking and solid Windows laptop. So we were looking for a laptop that:
is good looking as in the design not being an afterthought but a part of the whole package
has a quality screen with above average resolution (average as in 1366x768, which comes with even some 15" laptops for heaven's sake!)
is light but well built and durable
has less optical drives and more space for battery instead, so that it can last a while (more than 5 hrs would be good)
has a large and smooth track pad (hopefully with not-so-horrible multi-touch support, as I got used to see in even high-end PC hardware)
has a 180 degree tilt-able screen like her old Vaio SZ (not sure why this is a requirement, but I know better not to ask too much at this point)
has enough power to support daily tasks (she is not a gamer, so an i3-5 with integrated graphics should be fine)
has an SSD (best thing happened to laptops since sliced bread with some PB & J: well worth real-world-not-just-benchmark performance gains and more portability)
So we finally settled with Yoga. And lo and behold, Yoga ticks all of the boxes above, only coming slightly behind modern Vaio Z in looks (Yoga's processor is good enough, thank you very much), but hey, this is a Lenovo quality Ultrabook slash Tablet that is built for Windows 8 not just compatible, has a *touch screen* and we have $600 left we can use on something else.
We bought ours from BestBuy for ~$1000 the week it came out (wasn't on Amazon yet). Ours is the gray version with i5 processor and a 128G SSD. Along with 3 years in-home repair + accidental damage protection for just $220 that I bought from Lenovo directly. Man, that is not even close to what I would have paid for a similar warranty coverage with Dell or HP or most anyone else as far as I know.
Now, on to the more specific points:
== Pros ==
Very good display!
It has an IPS panel (go look it up if you don't know how good that is) with a sharp looking 1600x900 resolution (good enough for a 13") with *very* good
viewing angles (can't get colors to wash up no matter where I look at it). Don't let the resolution frenzy trick you; this is a laptop, not a smartphone, and while Windows 8 apps (Metro apps) are resolution agnostic, regular Windows desktop doesn't play well with high DPI screens unless you like looking at tiny icons all day long (in short hi-res with regular Windows is good when you have a 27" monitor, not so much when you have a 13" laptop)
Touch screen is a lot better than expected
There was never a moment when the screen missed a touch or couldn't handle multi-finger gestures. It even has these nice little dots or trails that show up where you touch or drag, so you know if it is the screen that is unresponsive or the app (it happens, not all applications respond to touch well, especially gestures). Touch scrolling is even smoother than touchpad scrolling, which is why my wife prefers to move things around by touch instead of using touchpad/keyboard combo.
Nice and sturdy double-hinge design
When I first saw the Yoga I though "That's a very elegant way to break your screen" but boy was I wrong. Right now the hinges are proving to be stiff enough to hold the screen in any position without being uncomfortable or giving out. Time will tell but right now it seems like job well done, especially compared to the old convertible PC-tablet hinge designs with a swiveling single hinge base.
Solid and thin&light at the same time, just like what an ultrabook supposed to be
So this thing weighs 3.4 lbs and is very thin. Not sure if there is much else to say about this. Just know that it doesn't bend or squeak when you grab it from its corner and hold it in the air (can't say that about many)
An ultrabook with user replaceable parts? Dream come true!
Yep, you can replace the memory, SSD or the battery, unlike Macbook Air or 13 Retina (regular MBP 13 is not fair comparison). Oh I almost forgot: Did you know that there is an empty SATA slot that you can use to put in a second SSD? Blew my mind when I learned about it.
Smooth and sensitive large touch-pad, nice keyboard; overall good ergonomics
Touch pad is nice. It is sensitive and has a smooth surface with built-in buttons (anywhere is clickable, but there are still buttons integrated on the bottom). It supports quite a few multi-touch gestures along with Win8 specials like slide-in gestures. It is missing a few gestures (more on that later) but one it support are nicely done. First time I can comfortably use two finger scrolling, pinching etc.
Keyboard is good. It could be better, a little firmer keys could have been used but, again, this is a subjective observation and it is better than most. The only thing my wife doesn't like is the layout of some of the keys: placement of the home/end, small right-shift key etc. We'll see if we can get used to that.
Windows 8 is great (though not flawless yet)
With all the fuss about Windows 8, let me tell you this: It won't bother you, really. If you like Windows 7, Windows 8 is even better in terms of under the hood performance (faster boot, smoother throughout) along with visible improvements (e.g. the new task manager, file copy system, better multi-monitor support) with only a mostly-aesthetic change that is the new Metro start screen, which you can ignore for most of the time if you *really* hate it (search for Start8 program if you would like to use Windows 8 like a better Windows 7 including the good old start menu). That said, you might even like the new Metro interface since it is *really* a joy to use with a good touch screen (which this one has). How good? We got into a fight over whose turn it is to play the Wordament game last night. Yup, it's good for your love life too!
== Cons ==
Trackpad is missing some gestures thanks to Lenovo
This is interesting since original Synaptic drivers would allow you to do so much more (three finger flicks, four finger touches, smoother scrolling) but that won't support the tablet mode as well (I tried and had issues when in tablet mode, not being able to use on-screen keyboard etc.) Not a deal breaker but it would be nice if Lenovo supported a little more (especially three finger flicks would be nice).
Windows 8 is not *fully* there yet
First of all, let me say this is kind of expected and not really MS' fault. Windows is undergoing a huge (and brave) paradigm shift and these things are kind of normal in transitions like these. Also, this is purely subjective; you may not feel the same. Now: The new interface is clean and nice; Everything is smooth and well suitable for touch (mostly Metro parts). However, it just seems/feels like some things could have been done better. Can't put my finger on it though; it's just a feeling I get. Sometimes the integration feels incomplete. Especially when you are dealing with relatively advanced things like picking which updates from MS to download (this involves both Metro settings screen and the classic Control Panel for some reason). Again, nothing serious but something to mention.
Also, there are a lot of Metro apps in the store but it is still in its infancy. It will get better but right now (as of Nov '12) it is lacking, and the apps they have on store are mostly beta-ish quality. Android Market in 2008 anyone? Lets say Windows 8 has a lot more incentive for developers since it is going to be on millions of devices very soon.
== Meeh ==
It can be a tablet but it is not an actual tablet (iPad/Android) replacement
Don't expect to throw away your tablet the minute you get this. It is a little heavy and large to be a tablet. However, it is wonderful for those times you need a screen on your table/counter but you can't bother to use touchpad/keyboard. My wife uses it to read and search for recipes; she can browse through easily just by touch (even in normal Windows apps, not just Metro) and I love this setup when I browse through reddit while eating (via ReddHub app or browser). Oh by the way: Internet Explorer 10 for Metro is great. Not much to complain there. I believe Yoga would best complimented with a 7" tablet for other times.
Battery life is very good but may not be the best
I haven't actually measured it but it doesn't seem to last as long as, say, Macbook Air. It is still good enough for our purposes (which would be anything more than 5 hrs). Though, this is when we are doing a lot of surfing, watching couple of shows on Netflix, some coding etc. It is not bad in any way but if you are looking for something that will last you the whole 7 hr flight while enjoying movies all the way, you might want to look elsewhere.
It doesn't get hot, at all, but fan is on constantly, though not so noticeable or distractive
Not much else to say. It's just that the fan is on most of the time and it is noticeable if you are in a *very* quiet room but even than it is not really bothering us. I just wanted to point it out. On the other hand, it never got hot on us yet, so the cooling performance is good for normal usage (may not be so for gamers, not sure)
== Wrap Up ==
All in all this is a *very* good ultrabook, a capable laptop and a nice tablet alternative depending on what you use one for. It has a great screen with good colors, good resolution and nicely done touch capability. The keyboard is good the touchpad is better than most PCs (not on par with Macbook's, still) and it is overall very comfortable to use.
I would suggest this laptop if you are in the market for a good and capable Windows 8 machine that doesn't need to play latest Crysis in good settings and won't damage your wallet. It seems like Lenovo really does know how to make nice laptops :)
(P.S. I'll try to update the review if something comes up or if I have things to add, though don't hesitate to comment and ask questions, I'll try my best)
Touchscreen makes navigating Windows 8 a breeze
Fairly powerful You wont be using this as a gaming laptop but I did manage to sneak in a game of Civ 5, and XCom at work.
Boots Fast the boot time is very quick from off to tiles in about 10 seconds.
Speakers that work I don't know wether to credit the ultrabook side of this but probably the best sounding tablet I've played with.
Light For a laptop at least.
Cons:
Heavy For a tablet. Not something you'll be holding in your hand as an ereader for long.
Sensitive Touchscren the touchscreen is a bit on the sensitive side I've doubled clicked and tabbed other windows open by accident.
Odd portrait mode because of the resolution if you're reading it in portrait mode it is a bit thin and long.
Not 1080p not a big deal to me but it might be to others.
Exposed keyboard as tablet The keys will be exposed when you use this as a tablet, while they are turned off it is somewhat odd griping this and feeling buttons.
No microphone input Sounds petty but I like the option of having a microphone input.
Outside of the finicky touchscreen, the cons are rather minor to me, while I wouldn't recommend this to anyone who is looking to use a tablet most or all of the time, I highly recommend this to anyone looking to pick up an ultrabook and is even slightly interested in having a tablet as well.
Buy Lenovo Yoga 13 IdeaPad Ultrabook 13.3" Touch-Screen Convertible Laptop Now
**NOTE: I purchased this in person at a large B&M retailer, (rhymes with Rest Guy) as it was not for sale on Amazon at the time and have also posted my review on their site.**Most reviewers have touched on the great parts of the Yoga 13 but I will reiterate some of them:
Fantastic 1600x900 IPS display. While it is glossy, it works great at ANY angle which is a must for a multi-use device as this one is trying to be.
Hinge is of extremely good quality, as is the rest of the device. It just feels like a premium product.
Keyboard is nicely spaced and offers a very satisfying level of tactile feedback, but FYI, the backspace key, while large, is not full size.
Battery life has been about 7-8 hours for me doing light web browsing. You can get at least 5.5 if you are streaming a lot, and I watched two full length movies on Amazon on one charge.
External controls allow you to power on/off, control volume, and lock screen orientation without having to access the keyboard side of the device, which is very helpful in tablet mode. The power button is slightly recessed, but once you are familiar with where it is, this is not a problem.
The wireless antenna seems to maintain very good signal within my entire 2,000 square foot home, something my previous laptop, (a Sony Vaio TZ) did not do, and it maintains better speeds than my wife's Acer as well.
I have to again echo everyone else's comments on the great versatility of the Yoga. It is perfect for any situation and you will find yourself using it in ways you can only imagine around the house and at the office. It is absolutely great for propping up in bed on my stomach/chest with the keyboard as the base and just using the touchscreen. I used to have my iPad for bed surfing before I went to sleep, but the Yoga is so much better as you don't have to hold it, and the screen is bigger making it better for watching movies in bed.
The ONE "not so good" thing I have to say about the Yoga is the trackpad is finnicky. It is a single slab with two clicky spots on the bottom representing left and right buttons on a mouse. Unfortunately, these locations on the trackpad are also used for touch, so if you are trying to click text or a box on the screen, you have to be VERY quick and precise otherwise it does not register as a click and will rather just move the cursor a slight bit. This can become infuriating after the third or fourth attempted click, and I find myself giving up and just using the touchscreen as it is far more accurate. Hopefully this will be fixed with a driver update in the future. I just don't know why almost all companies have decided to go away from dedicated mouse buttons. *Sigh*
All of those things covered, I did not buy this intending to do ANY gaming on it. I want to include some details on how it is for gaming as I feel like there may be others out there that may be deciding between this and a less portable, but more powerful device.
The Yoga is essentially an ultrabook and I have not read anywhere that anyone has attempted to do any gaming on it, but I have a Steam account and do some gaming on my custom built desktop gaming PC. On a whim, I downloaded Steam to the Yoga and a few games to see if they would run at all, and if so, how they would look/play. I am actually SHOCKED at how playable, and actually, how GOOD they look on the Yoga's 1600x900 display.
Let's be clear here, though, this is not a gaming powerhouse. But I can play Amnesia: The Dark Descent in native resolution with all settings on at least medium, with some on high. I loaded up Dear Esther and it too plays at native 1600x900 resolution on medium/high settings maintaining around 35-50 fps. The SSD helps out I am sure, and even pushing it to the max, the Yoga doesn't get uncomfortably hot. The left side of the keyboard does get pretty warm if you are going to be using the built in keyboard for WASD controls. I have been plugging in my Xbox 360 controller and using that, but did play about 3 hours of Amnesia using the keyboard and a wireless mouse and it worked great.
I am sure extremely new games will have to be played on lower settings, but rest assured, if you just want to do some light gaming on the go, the Yoga will satisfy your needs. I get about 3 hours of battery life when gaming, which is generally very good on any gaming laptop, let alone one that is not meant for gaming at all.
A side note FYI the only vent opening is on the back end of the device, basically by the hinge and the speakers are under the keyboard, (and actually sound very good and get very loud). I mention the vents because it is nice that the heat is not dissipated from underneath the device, but if you fold the display so that the keyboard is facing down as a base, the vent will be facing toward you and the speakers will not be as loud.
Overall I could not be any happier. I would have given it 5 stars WITHOUT knowing it can do some decent gaming, but since it can it is everything I could ever ask for in a device.
I also purchased the official Lenovo sleeve which basically protects the computer while carrying it around. It is not meant to protect it from drops, but does a good job of protecting it if you put it in a bag or carry it with another device/book/note pad. The price is a little steep, but I must say it is worth it. You can also buy other, more traditional ultrabook cases that should also work just fine.
Bottom line here is that the Yoga is successfully a tablet AND a laptop. I used to surf on my iPad, and then if there was anything I needed to do special, like go to a flash based site, fill out forms, or input any long lines of text, I would have to put down the iPad and go get my laptop, power it on, navigate to the site I needed to be at, and start all over. Now, with the Yoga, I simply fold the keyboard back out and put it in laptop mode. It truly is the best of both worlds. Highly, highly recommended!
Read Best Reviews of Lenovo Yoga 13 IdeaPad Ultrabook 13.3" Touch-Screen Convertible Laptop Here
Let me first say I am a computer consultant and I have all the toys, Asus Zenbook (bye bye Zenbook), Ipad, Iphone, and Nexus 7. When the new windows 8 came out I wanted a convertible so I could have the best of both worlds, a tablet in bed that didn't limit me to playing games and surfing the web. Enter the Yoga.I LOVE THIS MACHINE.
I am absolutely blown away by the boot and shut down times, about 6 secs and 1 sec, yes about 1 sec for it to shut off. Switching users, waking from sleep, all those tasks are so fast it is incredible. I have the zenbook with an SSD running Win 7 and it is pretty fast too, but nothing like windows 8. WOW
I have to say I couldn't give this machine to 99% of my customers without doing some updating, tweaking and a hands on windows 8 lesson. It isn't for the faint of heart. I think they call us early adopters which is just a nice way of saying people who have to have the lastest gadgets and toys even though they know they should wait until the bugs get worked out.
Most who read this will know of the issues people are having, if not just visit the Lenovo Yoga forums.
I have had no Wifi problems, My track pad really sucked but it is good now, not sure how this one got fixed. I had a little screen flicker but it turned out to be a setting in the Intel Graphics software. I had the on screen key board problem that it popped up for 1 sec but before I could type it was gone, the first windows update I did fixed this. The screen rotating is buggy, sometiimes it works fine and other times not so much. Hard to say for sure if this is a Lenovo or Windows thing but I am sure it will improve.
Windows 8 has its own strengths and weaknesses, it takes time to figure things out but being a computer guy I like exploring, the Ipad was fun for about a week then after that it is just boring.
I won't rant too much about apple here except to say I will never buy another product from them again. I had to have the Ipad when it first came out and I loved it... 2 years later they have pushed out updates that have made my Ipad 1 almost useless, it crashes all the time and is terribly slow. I thought no big deal I will just restore it to the day I bought it for 850.00. NOT, you cant restore it back, apple updates you and erases your previous software. So I thought I would just go get it from the net. NOT... each operating system is specific to each machine, so they intentionally pushed out software that they knew would cripple my ipad and also knew there was no way for me to fix it. Nice business model. Same applies for the Iphone 3 and 3GS, all useless if you upgrade to IOS5.
But I digress, the YOGA has made my Ipad expendable.
Now I wouldn't recommend the YOGA as your only machine, I use my laptop for Travel, a little on site trouble shooting and mostly to read, watch tv, surf, etc in bed at night and this machine is exceptional for that. If you cant find a comfortable position with this machine in bed you will never find a comfortable position. I LOVE IT.
I wish I had the will power to hold off and get the Orange one but I couldn't wait.
So in closing, it is a little buggy, the build is wonderful, the form factor is the most useful I have ever seen and there is NO WAY I would give up this machine.
One last thing, I bought the Lenovo sleeve for the Yoga thinking it would be a nice case and it is designed so you can slip it over the keypad when you are in tablet mode. First, the keys don't bother me at all, in bed it is a non issue. The sleeve doesn't contain the whole machine, about 1 1.5 inches stick out from the end. It is very thin offering almost no protection to my baby. It went back immediately and I bought a very nice protective sleeve from Puma for the same price.
Hope this helps some people out there, I know I appreciate all the other users taking the time to write reviews. I never write reviews but I had to tell people how much I LOVE THIS MACHINE!!!!!!
Want Lenovo Yoga 13 IdeaPad Ultrabook 13.3" Touch-Screen Convertible Laptop Discount?
I purchased the yoga after being fed up with my dell, Asus, and other laptops. This computer is amazing. I am typing this review on the screen keyboard while using it in tablet mode and I am not typing any slower than I would with the regular keyboard, I could never do this on the ipad. This is a bit bigger and heavier than the iPad however it is also much more functional for work tasks and fast too. I have not yet found a con other than the lack of a zagg screen cover available yet.If you are at all interested in a fast computer with a very user friendly interface and portability then this is your best option. After spending hours online and in best buy I did not find anything that even comes close.
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