Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 review

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 review

Normally, when a company releases two laptops in different sizes (the MacBook Air, anyone?) we review just one: we assume you'll get the gist about the design and trackpad the first time, ya know? So it's funny, then, that we're taking a look at the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 after we've already tested the Yoga 13 and named it one of our favorite Windows 8 convertibles. They look alike, with an inventive hinge allowing you to fold the screen back like a book cover. The keyboards are the same too, though the 11-incher's is understandably a tad more crowded. They even have the same oddly shaped power port.

Except, of course, they're totally different products. Whereas the Yoga 13 is a proper laptop, with a Core i5 processor and full Windows 8, the Yoga 11 runs Windows RT, and is powered by a Tegra 3 chip (yes, the same one you're used to seeing in Android tablets). That means a big dip in performance, but exponentially longer battery life. Legacy x86 apps are off-limits too, given that this is Windows RT and all. Now that we've set up that equation for you (weaker performance plus longer battery life minus standard Windows apps equals what?) let's meet up after the break to see if this is just as good a deal as its big brother.

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Lenovo announces the IdeaPad Yoga 11S with Ivy Bridge, Windows 8; arrives in June for $799+

Lenovo announces the IdeaPad Yoga 11S with Ivy Bridge, Windows 8; arrives in June for $799+

That headline says it all, doesn't it? The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S is like the Yoga 11, except instead of an ARM chip, it has a laptop-grade Ivy Bridge processor. That means it's more powerful, of course, but more importantly, since this is an x86 system it runs full Windows 8 instead of Windows RT. Hello, legacy application support! As a full-fledged PC, the 11S also steps up to a higher-quality display: a 1,600 x 900 IPS screen, compared with a 1,366 x 768 LCD on the Yoga 11.

Other than that, this has fundamentally the same design as the other Yoga laptops, which is to say its screen can fold all the way around into tablet mode (with in-between options, like Tent and Stand modes). As you can see in those press shots, it has the same look and feel, too, including a soft-touch finish and a relatively cushy keyboard. As you'd imagine, though, it's a bit heftier than the lower-powered ARM version: it measures 0.68 inch thick, instead of 0.61. On the inside, it can accommodate up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of solid-state storage, with the top processor option being a dual-core Core i5 CPU. Just what you were hoping Lenovo would make? Today's your lucky day, but you'll still want to hold your horses: the 11S won't actually go on sale until June. When it does, though, it'll start at $799.

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Lenovo prices IdeaPad Yoga in the UK, reveals a few more laptops on the side

Lenovo prices up the IdeaPad Yoga, reveals a few more laptops on the side
Lenovo has revealed the pricing for its very flexible Ultrabook -- and it's about as pricey as you might suspect for a Windows 8 tablet-laptop. Lenovo UK has the basic IdeaPad Yoga pegged at £1,200 ($1,900) -- a nudge above previous estimates -- while a meatier Core i7 model will set you back £1,500 ($2,380). Neither device has been gifted a release date just yet, but it does cement the likelihood of the 0.67-inch hybrid launching beyond Beijing relatively soon. Alongside the IdeaPad Yoga, Lenovo's U series has pulled itself together following its recent disassembly at the FCC's hands, with both the U310 and U410 also UK-bound. Prices will start from £600 but Lenovo remains similarly mute on other launch details. We'd advise working on your bank balance's flexibility now.

Continue reading Lenovo prices IdeaPad Yoga in the UK, reveals a few more laptops on the side

Lenovo prices IdeaPad Yoga in the UK, reveals a few more laptops on the side originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 06:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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