The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 is a visually striking laptop boasting a gorgeous OLED display and a sleek, reflective glass lid. Powered by Intel’s Core Ultra (Series 2) processor (Lunar Lake), it offers impressive productivity performance. However, this beauty comes at a cost, impacting battery life and usability.
This review delves into the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14’s strengths and weaknesses, examining its design, performance, features, and overall value.
Design and Build: A Reflective Beauty
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 lid
The Yoga Slim 9i 14’s “Tidal Teal” color and glass-covered lid create a unique aesthetic. The reflective surface catches and plays with light, giving the laptop a dynamic and premium feel. However, this glossy finish is highly susceptible to smudges and fingerprints. The aluminum chassis feels sturdy and well-built, contributing to the overall premium quality.
Despite its “Yoga” branding, this laptop is not a 2-in-1. It lacks the 360-degree hinge and can only open to about 135 degrees. This might be confusing for those familiar with the Yoga line’s flexible design.
Keyboard and Trackpad: Compact and Functional
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 keyboard
The keyboard offers decent tactile feedback, although the key travel is somewhat shallow due to the laptop’s thin profile. A significant design quirk is the fingerprint reader’s placement at the bottom-right corner, adjacent to the arrow keys. This unconventional layout can lead to accidental presses. The trackpad is smooth and responsive but feels slightly cramped, especially given the lack of a haptic option.
Display and Audio: A Visual Feast
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 hero
The 3840×2400 OLED display is undoubtedly the star of the show. It’s bright, vivid, and offers excellent color reproduction with a 120Hz refresh rate and HDR support. The touchscreen functionality adds another layer of interaction. The quad speakers with Dolby Atmos provide surprisingly loud and clear audio, although bass is lacking, as is typical with laptop speakers.
Webcam and Connectivity: Trade-offs for Design
Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 webcam
The under-display 32MP webcam presents a mixed bag. While it allows for slimmer bezels, its placement obstructs the screen during video calls, which can be distracting. Image quality is acceptable but not exceptional. The inclusion of a physical camera shutter is a welcome privacy feature.
Connectivity is limited to two Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports. The absence of a headphone jack and a microSD card slot is a notable drawback for some users. The laptop does, however, support Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3.
Performance: Everyday Productivity Powerhouse
Lenovo Yoga PCMark results
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 handles everyday productivity tasks with ease, thanks to the Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, ample RAM, and fast storage. Benchmarks reveal solid performance in PCMark 10. While multi-threaded performance, as demonstrated by Cinebench R20 and Handbrake, is limited by the Lunar Lake architecture, it is sufficient for typical office applications and web browsing. The integrated graphics are adequate for casual use but not suitable for demanding gaming.
Battery Life: The Price of Beauty
Lenovo Yoga battery life results
While the 75Wh battery sounds promising, the power-hungry OLED display significantly impacts battery life. Although our tests showed over 14 hours of video playback, real-world usage will likely yield considerably less.
Conclusion: A Stunning, Yet Compromised Machine
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 impresses with its stunning display and sleek design. However, the compromises made for aesthetics and portability – namely battery life, limited connectivity, and the unconventional webcam placement – may not suit everyone. If you prioritize a beautiful display and sleek design above all else, this laptop might be worth considering. However, users seeking a more practical and versatile machine may want to explore other options.
