The Lenovo Yoga 7i laptop looks great, but I can't ignore its flaws

Price When Reviewed

$1,199

Best Prices Today: Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 (2025)

$1188

$1199.99

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is nothing new. It’s the 10th era of this laptop computer line, and Lenovo hasn’t made any terribly dramatic adjustments to it in a few years. While which means it’s acquainted, bearing a ton of resemblance to the Yoga 7i that I tested last year, together with a few of the points I had with it, the brand new Yoga 7i brings some useful enhancements to efficiency, the keyboard, and the battery life. 

Even then, the brand new Yoga 7i stays a considerably confused machine. It’s not low-cost, and it seems to focus on creators. But its efficiency can’t deal with a few of the heavier calls for of inventive workloads, and its show is unhealthy sufficient that it could as effectively be monochrome for the way effectively it’ll work in inventive endeavors. 

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1: Specs

• Model: 16ILL10
• CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V
• Memory: 16GB LPDDR5x-8533
• Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc Graphics 140V
• Display: 16-inch 1200p IPS Touchscreen, Glossy
• Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD
• Webcam: 1080p + IR
• Connectivity: 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 / Power Delivery 3.0 and DisplayPort 2.1), 1x microSD card reader, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, 1x HDMI 1.4b 
• Networking: WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
• Biometrics: Windows Hello fingerprint, facial recognition
• Battery capability: 70 watt-hours
• Dimensions: 14.24 x 10.11 x 0.62 inches
• Weight: 4.25 kilos
• MSRP: $1,199 as-tested ($917 base)

The 2025 Lenovo Yoga 7i has launched with very restricted configuration choices. At the time of writing, Lenovo solely supplied customizable storage capacities—512GB or 1TB— and the choice of Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro. In a full breakdown of the product’s specs, Lenovo lists further CPU choices throughout the Core Ultra 200V lineup: as much as 32GB of reminiscence, a 5MP webcam, and a 2880×1800 OLED show that might make an enormous distinction within the high quality of this technique (and in addition seem to shave a great quantity of weight off the system).

Our take a look at configuration has the specs listed above and is accessible at Best Buy for $1199. On its retailer, Lenovo provides a stepped-down mannequin with an Intel Core Ultra 5 226V and 512GB of storage beginning at $917 or 1TB of storage at $999. 

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1: Design and construct high quality

IDG / Mark Knapp

Lenovo appears to be happy with what it’s created, because the Yoga 7i appears and feels very similar to the 2024 mannequin, which hadn’t modified a lot from the 2023 mannequin in flip. That’s not horrible information, although. It’s rocking an all-aluminum chassis that appears nice with good curves and tidy seams. I want the entrance lip was additionally curved, however that’s a small nag. 

The system is easy and stylish, with speaker grilles and air intakes consisting of straightforward perforations. Nothing is just too ostentatious. The rectangular show does look slightly off on the prime corners, the place it meets the rounded corners of the chassis and has uneven bezel spacing, however that’s one other minor grasp up. 

The Yoga 7i has Lenovo’s flipping design with a two-part hinge that permits roughly 306 levels of rotation for the show. The hinge could allow the laptop computer to flip over into numerous positions, but it surely makes utilizing the machine as a laptop computer simply that little bit worse. It’s not a really agency hinge, so the show wiggles about rather a lot. Just typing away on the keyboard, I see the display wiggling, and tapping on the touchscreen is simply worse. It’s not fast to cease wiggling both, with wiggles lasting for a number of seconds. The reflectivity of the display (extra on that later) solely makes the wiggling extra obvious. 

This instability might be annoying, although it’s a reasonably frequent subject for 2-in-1 laptops like this. Another frequent subject is the thicker bezel on the backside of the show, which isn’t fairly maintaining with the pattern of thinner and thinner bezels throughout. 

Above the show, Lenovo has a small lip that homes the webcam and supplies a handy space to seize when opening the laptop computer. The webcam features a small bodily privateness shutter with a pink cowl to make it clear when the digital camera is roofed. 

Between its giant show and thick backside bezel, the Yoga 7i takes up a number of house. It’s 14.24 inches huge and a bit over 10 inches deep. It’s additionally nearly two-thirds of an inch thick. It additionally weighs in at 4.25 kilos, making it fairly giant and heavy for a easy productiveness machine.

Since the Yoga 7i could also be used as a pill, Lenovo noticed match to situate the system’s energy button on the aspect of the laptop computer fairly than close to the keyboard. Unfortunately, I discover I’m usually touching it accidentally, and it’s a lot too delicate. A light-weight faucet whereas I’m shifting the laptop computer on a desk is sufficient to put the system to sleep. It simply provides slightly further friction to on a regular basis use. Unsurprisingly, I had the identical subject with final yr’s mannequin.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1: Keyboard, trackpad

IDG / Mark Knapp

The Yoga 7i keyboard has a snug, properly contoured floor with stable stabilization, which makes for a great time typing. It’s a step up in feeling over its predecessor, which was mushy. I felt comfy typing round 110 phrases per minute with over 95 % accuracy in Monkeytype — slightly slower and fewer correct than an distinctive keyboard would permit, however a comparatively good outcome.

The lengthy keyboard deck could also be a nuisance for these with smaller arms, although, because it may see the sting of the laptop computer jab into your wrists. The keys additionally take a considerably agency press, which doubtless has performed into why I needed to sort slightly slower to really feel snug — going quicker led to lighter faucets and extra missed strokes. 

The keyboard consists of efficient white backlighting with two ranges of brightness. If you allow that mode, the backlighting can regulate robotically, so that you gained’t should seek for the keyboard shortcut to show it on at nighttime.

The trackpad is sort of spacious and nice to mouse round in. The offset to the left aspect of the laptop computer could make it a bit awkward for right-handed customers, although. Lenovo has made it in order that right-clicks on the trackpad are solely registered close to the underside proper nook, so even in the event you’re right-handed, you’re not more likely to make unintentional clicks. The tactility of the bodily click on is disappointing, feeling a bit low-cost and hole. 

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1: Display, audio

IDG / Mark Knapp

Much like final yr’s Yoga 7i, this new mannequin has a totally disappointing show. The 16-inch panel has a stretched 1920×1200 decision, which is appropriate however not spectacular, particularly since many laptops provide greater resolutions on smaller panels that present a lot finer readability. And that’s the wonderful a part of the show.

The display can hit 320 nits of brightness, which is loads indoors and away from home windows, however with the shiny end, it merely gained’t do for even considerably vivid out of doors use. On prime of that, it’s not colourful in any respect, hitting simply 65 % protection of the sRGB coloration house — in some way falling wanting even the 67 % achieved by its predecessor. Contrast has additionally contracted in comparison with final yr’s mannequin, with this unit solely reaching 1320:1 in comparison with its predecessor’s 1500:1. How this machine will get the Dolby Vision approval is past me. 

The show is a touchscreen, and the utility of that will allay a few of the gripes that come from the standard of the show. But that’s solely true in the event you actually need that touchscreen. And although it feels fairly good to swipe on, the show lacks a excessive refresh fee for tremendous clean motion. The system appears to maintain up poorly with touch-based scrolling as effectively, making for a clunky time utilizing the touchscreen. And because the hinge is slightly wobbly, each faucet on the display goes to end in some wiggling.

The show additionally helps an energetic stylus with strain and tilt sensitivity, however our evaluate pattern didn’t embody this. Lenovo lists the Yoga Pen as an included accent, although, so clients ought to anticipate to get it with their buy.

The Yoga 7i’s audio system provide a definite expertise. The system matches a pair of audio system above the keyboard and one other pair beneath the bottom of the laptop computer. These put out a great deal of quantity whereas preserving it crisp and clear. That’s doubtless thanks to 1 set being woofers and the opposite being tweeters. They additionally present a decently huge soundstage when sitting shut, boosting the impact of stereo sound in music. Oddly, the audio system sound greatest when the Yoga 7i is in its laptop computer place. The tent place that ought to be extra splendid for watching reveals and flicks sees two of the audio system pointing away. 

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1: Webcam, microphone, biometrics

The Yoga 7i’s webcam isn’t a fantastic one. It could also be sharp on paper with a 1080p decision, but it surely captures very grainy, blocky footage even with respectable lighting. If lighting is even slightly bit dim, the standard falls off a cliff. 

On the intense aspect, the digital camera does help facial recognition for fast sign-ins. There’s additionally a fingerprint scanner on the backside proper nook of the keyboard that has labored shortly sufficient.

The mics on the Yoga 7i do a greater job than the digital camera. They seize my voice with a pure tone. There’s a little bit of room echo to them, and my voice isn’t utterly full, but it surely doesn’t sound horribly compressed or prefer it’s coming from one other room. 

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1: Connectivity

IDG / Mark Knapp

The Yoga 7i provides modest connectivity for a laptop computer its dimension. Both sides embody a USB-C port, offering handy flexibility to cost or dock utilizing both aspect. Both USB-C ports help Thunderbolt 4, USB4, and charging through Power Delivery 3.0. They can even deal with DisplayPort 2.1 output. The left fringe of the laptop computer additionally provides an HDMI 1.4b port and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The proper aspect supplies a microSD card slot (full dimension would have been good to see on a machine this massive) and a 5Gbps USB-A port. 

Wireless connectivity has additionally confirmed pretty stable. The Yoga 7i helps Wi-Fi 7, and I’ve loved quick and secure connectivity in my testing. Bluetooth has additionally been largely constant when connecting to wi-fi headphones. I loved a complete film whereas working on a treadmill with Bluetooth earbuds linked to the Yoga 7i and no stability points.

One particular pair of headphones struggled to take care of a reference to the Yoga 7i, constantly dropping their connection each 30 seconds. But, having examined different headphones with the laptop computer and discovering no subject, I believe it’s secure to chalk that as much as the headphones being at fault or some distinctive subject. 

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1: Performance

The Lenovo Yoga 7i is designed to be a versatile machine that may do a little bit of all the things. To that finish, it’s kitted out with some modest {hardware}. But it’s not the one system that goals to supply related flexibility. There are different 2-in-1 programs that may give it a run for its cash, like 2024’s Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 7640 (examined at $1,349) or the 2025 Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 (examined at $1,699). The Yoga 7i additionally has to take care of giant, conventional laptops just like the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9 (examined at $1,699) and Acer Swift 16 AI (examined at $1,199). Thankfully, Lenovo has executed a great job upgrading the efficiency of the 2025 Yoga 7i over the 2024 mannequin.

The Lenovo Yoga 7i typically provides respectable efficiency. Next to this handful of its rivals, it’s roughly according to their general efficiency for workplace productiveness, as we see with its PCMark 10 rating. It is partially bolstered by a quick SSD, which gave it a leg up within the app startup portion of the take a look at in comparison with Samsung’s and Acer’s laptops. And its upgraded built-in graphics assist in the content material creation portion of the take a look at, which let it sustain with the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1, which in any other case supplied some benefits from its higher-performance CPU. While holistic efficiency is nice to see, the uncooked efficiency of the Yoga 7i leaves one thing to be desired.

In Cinebench, the Lenovo Yoga 7i reveals off pretty sturdy single-threaded efficiency, however when it comes time to dial up the efficiency of all of the cores, it finally ends up sinking again behind its competitors. We can see that effectively in Cinebench R23, the place its single-core rating of 1903 was effectively forward of the remainder right here, however its multi-core rating lagged behind all however the Acer Swift 16 AI. 

The Intel Core Ultra 7 256V inside simply isn’t fairly on the extent of the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H or Intel Core Ultra 9 185H discovered within the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 7640 and Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9, respectively. Even although they’re earlier CPUs, they’re higher-power variations with extra cores, they usually present it. The Yoga 7i additionally fails to maintain up with the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360’s barely higher-tier Intel Core Ultra 7 258V. 

Even worse, the Yoga 7i doesn’t have nice maintain. While it may zip forward of the Acer Swift 16 AI within the shorter Cinebench assessments, it dropped method behind Acer and the remainder of the group in our HandBrake video encoding take a look at. As warmth builds up in a system, it’ll throttle efficiency to assist handle that warmth. In this case, that’s what the Yoga 7i did, and it led to a a lot worse outcome right here with the take a look at stretching out over 36 minutes, whereas each different system took lower than a half-hour. Adding insult to damage, this was one space the place the 2025 Yoga 7i managed to fall effectively behind the 2024 mannequin, which took solely 30 minutes.

The Yoga 7i no less than advantages some from its enhanced Arc built-in graphics. It manages to drag forward of the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 by a good margin, and that’s pretty essential, as these two laptops are fairly head-to-head rivals. The Yoga additionally outperforms the Acer Swift 16 AI once more, displaying it’s prepared to place a bit extra juice into its CPU and GPU than Acer. Still, the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 reveals there’s but extra efficiency to be squeezed out of the Intel Arc 140V graphics, and the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9 reminds us that built-in graphics nonetheless completely pale compared to even low-end discrete graphics. 

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1: Battery life

The Yoga 7i could not come out forward when it comes to efficiency, however the lack of energy coming from its internals makes for extra battery-friendly operation. In our 4K video playback take a look at, the Yoga 7i managed simply shy of 19 hours. That offers it a giant leg up on the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1, which fell underneath 13 hours — by no means thoughts the Yoga Pro 9i Gen 9, which was ruined by its discrete graphics sucking down energy. The Yoga 7i even narrowly pulled forward of the Acer Swift 16 AI, letting it nab a efficiency and battery life win. The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 as soon as once more confirmed its superiority, although, coming again with outlandishly good battery life (despite having a sharper OLED show, no much less) and working for over 23 hours in our take a look at. 

To the Yoga 7i’s credit score, its battery life was no less than constant. Some programs will carry out effectively in offline video playback however then slurp down energy in on a regular basis use. Throughout my testing, the Yoga 7i continued to sip from its battery via the day, letting me simply get via a workday or put a number of hours in after beginning with a low battery. 

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1: Conclusion

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is misplaced in search of goal. It has all the trimmings of a machine for creatives — it’s fashionable and may flex to suit totally different modes of use. But its efficiency is absolutely suited to extra primary productiveness, and its show merely gained’t permit a visible artist to see the work they’re creating as a result of it’s woefully missing in coloration gamut. Because of this, the Yoga 7i largely undermines its personal goal as a 2-in-1 whereas struggling to be nearly as good a laptop computer because it may with out the concessions made to be a 2-in-1.

While the launch configurations are all caught with the experience-hindering show, the choice to get a sharper, quicker, extra colourful OLED show may assist the Yoga 7i out of the mire it’s caught in. But with the worth improve that will surely entail, the Yoga 7i is probably going solely going to search out itself additional squeezed towards the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 — a quicker, thinner, lighter laptop computer that already has the wonderful 16-inch show and 2-in-1 flexibility.