Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Carbon Review
Key Specs
| Operating System | Up to Windows 10 Pro |
| Display | 13.3″ QHD (2560 x 1600), 300 nits, 72% NTSC, 100% sRGB, TÜV Rheinland-certified for eye protection |
| Battery | Battery ”Up to 13H MM14 (Max), Up to 15H video playback (Max) |
| Processor | Up to 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 |
| Graphics | Intel® Iris® Xe |
| Storage | Up to 1TB M.2 PCIe SSD |
| Weight | Less than 1kg |
| Audio | 2 x 2W Harman Kardon® speakers, optimized with Dolby Atmos® 2 x digital mics |
| Ports/Slots | TBT4.0(PD3.0/DP1.4/USB4.0)*2 Type C Full function(PD3.0/DP1.4/USB3.2 Gen2)*1 |
The Perfect Blend
I’ve been in the market for a new laptop for a while now, my own reaching its last legs and stored away in a drawer. I have my PC, but that does not have the pick-up-and-go advantage that I need sometimes. Luckily, the folks over at Lenovo have sent us a Yoga Slim 7i Carbon to test out! The Lenovo website states that this product has “the perfect blend of performance, responsiveness, battery life, and stunning visuals.” Let’s delve into this Rapid Review to see just how true this is, and whether it’s a laptop to consider if you’re in a similar position to myself.
As Light as a Feather
The first thing I noticed about the Yoga Slim 7i when unpacking it was just how light it was. Though this is boasted about this particular laptop, it’s not until it’s in your own hands that you realise it. At under 1kg, it is the perfect weight for sliding into your bag and taking on your commute or working in a café. Instead of lugging it around the house to work where I wanted it was easy to pick up and make anywhere my workspace.
Don’t let this deceive you as it being flimsy though, as it is made from high strength carbon fibre. It is made in a way that reduces material weight by 40% while simultaneously increasing the durability, and therefore having a 25% higher rigidity. Though I wasn’t brave enough to test the military-grade durability by dropping the laptop (it’s been drop tested at 76cm!), I can tell you that it feels very strong and solid. This is another pro that you want if you’ll be using this laptop on the go.
This model comes in Moon White, which is ideal for me as my whole set-up is white! It actually has an anti-fingerprint finish which is ideal if you’re using it daily and keeps the white print-free. This combined with the curved edges of the laptop gives it a sleek design, particularly as its dimensions are so thin too (13.9mm-14.9mm x 296.9mm x 208.55mm). You do run the risk of fluff and dust standing out against the white though, so I’d recommend a laptop case to keep it nice and clean.
On Display
The Yoga Slim 7i‘s 13″ screen has black microborders of 3.0mm, so you’re getting as much screen as you can on a laptop of this size (a 91% active area ratio to be exact!). The quality is very crisp and bright, perfect for writing up this review and doing various other work, or maybe a cheeky YouTube break. Not to worry about that blue light though, as the screen has TÜV Rheinland-certified Eye Care, while also a setting to display warmer colours at night.
The Intel® Iris® Xe graphics are designed to display these high-quality images while also providing a graphics performance up to 3.5x faster. Though the laptop doesn’t claim in any way to be designed for gaming, I did hop on some Fall Guys just to test this performance out. The picture and colours were indeed very vivid, but there were very strong frame drops when playing online. So, this isn’t really a laptop to play games on if that’s what you’re after, only basic offline titles.
Feelin’ Hot Hot
What worried me about the Yoga Slim 7i Carbon is its ability to get very hot. There didn’t seem to be a specific reason for it either and would occur very randomly. The fan would get quite noisy and you could feel heat radiating from the keyboard. The initial time this happened was actually when I’d just loaded the laptop up for the first time. It then cools down and the fan cuts off so that the laptop is pretty much silent.
I did notice it was a little louder when on charge, but otherwise I couldn’t pinpoint it. This raises questions as to how much use the laptop can cope with or its lifespan in general. Other reviews on the Lenovo website has said the noise and heat seem to occur when doing multiple things or doing something while the laptop is on charge. Therefore though it may be able to cope with it in terms of speed, it’s worrying that it may cause long-term damage.
Just My Type
On the brighter side, the keyboard is satisfyingly clicky but not too loud at all, feeling soft to push, comfortable and responsive. The trackpad is also really smooth; they felt weird to me after using a PC mouse and keyboard for so long, but they were very easy to get accustomed to. Perfect for writing up reviews, like this one!
Another cool hardware feature is the use of the camera for the Windows Hello login. Using facial recognition, you can open up right where you left off in an instant without the use of a PIN. Startup is super speedy anyway, but this makes it even more so. This is useful when on the go with work! Speaking of the camera, it’s a 720p HD cam. It’s nothing special, but suitable enough for video calls.
The speakers can go up surprisingly loud with the audio staying clear. The battery life is also pretty strong, good enough to last a whole day on and off with basic tasks, taking around less than two hours to charge to full capacity too. Both these features are nothing mind-blowing, but good enough that all its features combined make the Yoga Slim 7i Carbon a really solid, above-average laptop.
Yoga One For Me?
Bad puns aside, I was extremely impressed by the Yoga Slim 7i! I did not expect it to be as lightweight as it was, while also being speedy, smooth, and holding all the features of a larger laptop. It’s absolutely perfect for portability and slipping into a rucksack on your way to work or school.
It has all the features you need in a work or school laptop, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others looking for a new laptop. I would say at £799.99 it is on the more expensive side; for me personally, I couldn’t justify this price if I were to buy it when I already have a PC. But if you’re in the market for a reliable new laptop, the Yoga Slim 7i is certainly up there. The only thing letting it down is its temperamental noisy, hot fan since I have no clue how this will affect the laptop as well as not being pleasant to listen to or feel as you type.
Rapid Reviews Rating
4.5 out of 5
4.5
You can purchase the Yoga Slim 7i Carbon (13″) from the Lenovo website here.
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