The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is a dual-screen laptop that aims to offer users more versatility and multitasking capabilities. It features two 13.3-inch OLED displays and a variety of usage modes, including laptop, tablet, and tent mode. It also comes with a folio stand and a detachable Bluetooth keyboard.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023, the Yoga Book 9i impressed reviewers and won a Best of CES 2023 award. However, it does come with a significant drawback: its starting price of $2,099 is considerably more than most premium laptops.
The Yoga Book 9i’s design is dominated by its dual displays, which have 4-side narrow bezels. However, the device is thicker and heavier than most laptops, measuring 11.78 x 8.03 x 0.63 inches and weighing 3.04 pounds. It also has a minimal number of ports, with only 3 USB-C Type-C (Thunderbolt 4) ports.
The Yoga Book 9i is powered by a 13th-gen Intel Core i7-U15 processor and has 16GB of RAM. It also features Intel Irix Xe graphics, a Full HD IR+RGB camera, and a release date of June 2023.
The Yoga Book 9i comes with several software features, including smart writing, reading, and note-taking capabilities. It also has gestures and software that allows users to take advantage of the dual-screen setup, such as a 5-finger motion to pop a web browser across both screens or an on-screen keyboard activated by placing 8 fingers on the display.
Overall, after a hands-on with the device at CES, Toms’s Hardware felt the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is an interesting and compelling alternative to foldable screen laptops, with its dual OLED displays, folio stand, and detachable Bluetooth keyboard. However, its high starting price and thick design may make it a difficult purchase for some.
The Verge notes the Lenovo Yoga 9i aims to stand out from the crowd with its 16:10 OLED screen and new rounded design. It also boasts excellent audio and a sturdy build. However, it does have a few drawbacks, including some issues with the keyboard, a lack of storage for the stylus, and a limited port selection.
One of the main selling points of the Yoga 9i is its OLED screen, which has a resolution of 2880 x 1800 and stylus support. However, the screen does have a glossy finish that picks up smudges easily and is not as smooth to use as a touchscreen as some users might prefer.
The laptop also features a new edge-to-edge keyboard with a row of function keys on the right side. These keys can be used to change power and audio profiles, blur the background on video calls, and toggle dark mode. However, these keys are not customizable and the up and down arrows are half-sized, which may be an issue for some users.
The touchpad has been increased in size to 3.15 x 5.31 inches and there were no issues with palm rejection. The keyboard is also very quiet, which is a plus for users who bring their laptop out and about.
The design of the Yoga 9i has also been updated with round corners and edges, which makes the device more comfortable to carry and use than laptops with sharp edges. The device has a thickness of 0.6 inches and weighs 3.09 pounds.
They felt that, overall, the Lenovo Yoga 9i offers a unique and compelling combination of features, including its OLED screen, new rounded design, and excellent audio. However, its high price tag, some keyboard issues, lack of stylus storage, and limited port selection may be a drawback for some users.
TrustedReviews also had a hands-on experience with the Lenovo Yoga 9i at CES 2023 and were impressed with the device’s dual-screen OLED design, which offers versatility without the same drawbacks as foldable laptops. They liked that it could be used in multiple ways, such as a traditional clamshell laptop, a dual-monitor workstation or even like a book. They also liked the design, which they found to be very round and pleasant to carry and use, and the OLED screens, which they found to be vibrant and great for watching videos. However, they pointed out that the device was quite expensive, starting at $2,099.99, and that there were some issues with the keyboard, such as the up and down arrows being half-sized.
DigitalTrends reported from their own hands-on experience with the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i at CES 2023 and found it to be a fascinating laptop with a unique dual-screen design. The device’s two 4K OLED screens that fold together reminded them strongly of the canceled Surface Neo from Microsoft. They praised the origami stand that allows for different postures and modes, but found the multitasking in portrait mode impractical and felt the need for a wireless mouse. They also liked the haptic feedback on the digital keyboard and found the device to be sleek and modern, with good specs and sound quality. However, they were not impressed by the speakers.
See Engadget’s hands-on video below:
Conclusion:
Reviewers at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 were impressed by the device’s design and capabilities, but noted that its high starting price of $2,099 may make it a difficult purchase for some. The device also had a thick design, limited port selection, and some issues with the keyboard. The OLED screens were praised for their vibrant colors and great video watching capabilities. Overall, the Lenovo Yoga 9i is a unique and compelling alternative to foldable screen laptops, but with some drawbacks that may make it a difficult purchase for some.
Pricing and Availability:
- The Yoga Book 9i (13”) will start at $2,099.99 and is expected to be available starting June 2023.
