The Lenovo Yoga 900 Series Launched: The ‘Thinnest’ Core Laptop and a 27-inch Portable All-In-One
by Ian Cutress on October 20, 2015 10:30 AM EST
Lenovo’s Yoga line has been consistently at the forefront of attempting to define exactly what a combination clamshell laptop ‘that’s also a sort of tablet’ should be. Over the years we’ve reviewed several models, including the Yoga 2 Pro and the Yoga 3 Pro. The latter was the first Broadwell-Y device, taking a high frequency 4.5-watt Intel processor into a 13.3-inch QHD+ high-end device weighing only 2.6 lbs and with an interesting hinge that seemed to be a feat of mechanical engineering. The new Lenovo Yoga 900 released this week is in many ways the update to the Yoga 3 Pro but with full-fat 15W Skylake laptop processors and is advertised as the world's thinnest 'Core i' laptop with Skylake.
Lenovo Yoga 900
| Lenovo Yoga Specifications | ||||||
| Yoga 2 Pro | Yoga 3 Pro | Yoga 900 | ||||
| Processor | Intel Core i3-4010U (15W) Intel Core i5-4200U (15W) Intel Core i7-4500U (15W) |
Intel Core M-5Y71 (4.5W) | Intel Core i7-6500U (15W) | |||
| Memory | 4-8GB DDR3L-1600 | 8GB DDR3L-1600 | 8-16GB DDR3L-1600 | |||
| Graphics | Intel HD 4400 (20 EUs, Gen 7.5) |
Intel HD 5300 (24 EUs, Gen 8) |
Intel HD 520 (24 EUs, Gen 9) |
|||
| Display | 13.3" Glossy IPS 16:9 QHD+ (3200x1800) |
13.3" Glossy IPS 16:9 QHD+ (3200x1800) LCD |
13.3" Glossy IPS 16:9 QHD+ (3200x1800) LED |
|||
| Hard Drive(s) | 128GB/256GB/512GB SSD (Samsung mSATA) |
256GB/512GB SSD (Samsung PM851) |
256GB/512GB SSD (Samsung ?) | |||
| Networking | Intel Wireless-N 7260 (2x2:1 802.11n) |
Broadcom 802.11ac (2x2:2 802.11ac) |
Intel Wireless AC-8260 (2x2:2 802.11ac) | |||
| Audio | Realtek HD Stereo Speakers Headset jack |
JBL Stereo Speakers 1.5w x 2 Headset jack |
JBL Stereo Speakers Dolby® DS 1.0 Headset jack |
|||
| Battery | 4 cell 55Wh 65W Max AC Adapter |
4 cell 44Wh 40W Max AC Adapter |
4 cell 66Wh | |||
| Buttons/Ports | Battery status indicator Novo button 1 x USB 2.0 1 x USB 3.0 Headset Jack Volume Screen Rotation Lock AC Power Connection 1 x Micro-HDMI SD Card Reader |
Power Button Novo Button 2 x USB 3.0 Headset Jack Volume Control Auto Rotate Control DC In with USB 2.0 Port 1 x Micro-HDMI SD Card Reader |
Power Button 2 x USB 3.0-A 1 x USB 3.0-C Headset Jack SD Card Reader DC In with USB 3.0-A Port |
|||
| Back Side | Exhaust vent | Watchband Hinge with 360° Rotation Air Vents Integral to Hinge |
||||
| Dimensions | 12.99" x 8.66" x 0.61" 330 x 220 x 15.5 mm |
13" x 9" x 0.5" 330.2 x 228.6 x 12.8 mm |
12.75" x 8.86" x 0.59" 324 x 225 x 14.9 mm |
|||
| Weight | 3.06 lbs (1.39 kg) | 2.6 lbs (1.18kg) | 2.8 lbs (1.3 kg) | |||
| Extras | 720p HD Webcam Backlit Keyboard |
|||||
| Colors | Silver Grey Clementine Orange |
Light Silver Clementine Orange Golden |
Platinum Silver Clementine Orange Champagne Gold |
|||
| Pricing | $879 (256GB) $1049 (512GB) |
$1148 (256GB) $1379 (512GB) |
$1200 (8GB/256GB) $1300 (8GB/512GB) $1400 (16GB/512GB) |
|||
With Intel’s 6th Generation, as most OEMs will be moving to, Lenovo is hoping to leverage new features such as Speed Shift and video decode to improve both performance and battery life. Over the previous generation of Yoga laptops, the Yoga 900 comes in a little heavier than the Yoga 3 Pro but allows up to 16GB of memory, comes immediately with Windows 10 Home and also sports a USB Type-C 3.0 with video out functionality. Currently all versions listed online come with the i7-6500U, one of the top Skylake Core i7 15W models with GT2 integrated graphics. Lenovo is listing the battery life as nine hours of local video playback, as well as sporting a 50% increase in battery density.
Prices start at $1200 for the 8GB/256GB version, rising to $1400 for 16GB/512GB models. There will be versions in Lenovo’s Clementine Orange, but also Platinum Silver and Champagne Gold. From looking at the breakdown online, not all colors will be available in all specifications.
Lenovo Yoga Home 900
Cast your minds back to 2014. It was a fun time, with Haswell and Broadwell processors from Intel being talked about as bringing a revolution to the mobile computing market. I remember some of the product ideas becoming quite amusing at the time, especially when Intel was talking about making all-in-one devices (where the PC built into the monitor and you just add a keyboard/mouse) something that could be carried around. Clearly something that measures up to 32-inches in this context is going to be heavy and short on battery life, and was perhaps not something to be taken too seriously as a product idea. Fast forward to the end of 2015, and Lenovo is going to sell you one.
Information about the specifications is small right now, but we are told that at 27-inches, the device will come with a 5th generation processor, Windows 10 and offer up to three hours of battery life. The 5th generation processor part is interesting, suggesting a Broadwell part – if this is a 47W or 65W processor, it could be an eDRAM equipped processor in that instance. Nevertheless there will probably be a range available, as Lenovo is going to offer the Yoga Home 900 with optional NVIDIA GeForce 940A graphics as well. The software package from Lenovo will include the AURA 3.0 interface which allows for image manipulation and a selection of apps from the Windows Store developed with portable AIOs in mind.
Prices for the Lenovo Yoga Home 900 will start at $1549 and be available from the end of October.
Source: Lenovo
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ZeDestructor - Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - link
Sound like someone shoul go have a look at Dell's Latitude and Precision lineups, where full-sized, fixed ethernet ports are stnadard issue.Oh, and a dock that doesn't need replacing every three years!
coolhardware - Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - link
True dat. The Dell dock's are one of my fav features, even as their (professional) laptops get thinner they still keep that lovely dock connector on the bottom. Super handy!ZeDestructor - Wednesday, October 21, 2015 - link
Even my dad likes it!milkod2001 - Wednesday, October 21, 2015 - link
All those products designers, engineers and mainly marketers should be beaten with stick :) for bringing this stupid trends of world thinnest, lightest and whatever crappest designs where you paypremium and get terrible battery life of it, not to mention performance. Sigh...
PixyMisa - Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - link
Wrong product to complain about - for once. The Yoga 900 is slightly thicker and heavier than the Yoga 3 Pro and uses that to bump the battery size up from 44Wh (Yoga 3) or 55Wh (Yoga 2) to 66Wh.Morawka - Wednesday, October 21, 2015 - link
and a ethernet port.. The Ethernet port isn't even that thick.. Just make it thick enough for good ol rj45.. they even make slim connectors for small form factorcreed3020 - Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - link
I love that they dumped Core M, that is one the primary reasons I bought a Lenovo Thinkpag Yoga instead of the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro recently. I couldn't swallow having Core M in my system. The other factor was the form factor itself. I was finding 13.3 just too large for the other three modes other than laptop mode. The 12.5" was the Goldilocks size for me in terms of using in the device as a tablet.I do like the pricing on offer here. Hopefully that runs off on the new Lenovo Thinkpad 260!
lilmoe - Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - link
"I love that they dumped Core M"Exactly. 15W has proven to be the lowest optimum power bracket for Intel's Core CPUs. 5W is just too low; the CPU is always at max power limit for its designated/advertised workload target. Because of that, it always throttles and never delivered on the good battery claims.
Core M should be a replacement for Atom, not i3/i5/i7. It needs to have lower boost speeds, better power management, and lesser overall performance claims. Atom needs to be entirely ditched for hybrids and full sized tablets. Maybe for mini-tablets, phones and cheap mini-PCs.
jsntech - Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - link
Yet another really impressive combination of laptop/2-in-1 design and tech completely ruined (for me) by a 16:9 aspect ratio. Guess SB or SP4 will continue to be my only options with a sensible display.coolhardware - Tuesday, October 20, 2015 - link
True, and I can't believe they didn't go with USB-C for charging! Any word on the docking situation here? Are they going with the onelink feature?I am not a fan of Lenovo's charger that goes doubles with the yellow USB port. Seriously wish everybody would get USB-C utilized to it's max potential!
PS check where that Yoga Home 900 slots in on the PPI index:
http://pixensity.com/search/?search=yoga
;-)