By When I imagine a high-end laptop, I usually see one that has gone all out, using far too exotic build materials, packing too much hardware into a machine that is too thin, and ending up with an outrageous price tag that exemplifies the idea of diminishing returns. The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition initially appears to be that type of device.
The Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition has the hardware, with a high-power CPU, a discrete GPU, and two display options that are both ready to dazzle. However, it’s housed in a modest aluminum chassis that doesn’t aim for too slim a design. Lenovo seems to have found the ideal mix, giving strong quality everywhere it matters to create a highly respectable computer for anyone who requires a machine that can do a bit of everything and do it well, especially considering that the powerful configuration tested here costs $1,949.
Specs and features
- Number of model: 83L00009US
- CPU: 285H Intel Core Ultra 9
- Graphics/GPU: Nvidia RTX 5050 8GB (100-watt TGP) Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x-8400
- DisplayHDR True Black 1000, 16-inch 2.8K OLED, 120Hz, Touch
- 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD for storage
- 5MP + IR webcam
- Connectivity: 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x SD card reader, 1x 3.5mm combo audio, 2x Thunderbolt 4/USB4 with 65-100W Power Delivery and DisplayPort 2.1, 2x USB-A 5Gbps
- Networking: Bluetooth 5.4, Wi-Fi 7.
- Biometrics: facial recognition, fingerprints, and Windows Hello
- The battery has an 84-watt-hour capacity.
- 14.28 x 9.99 x 0.75 inches in size
- 4.52 pounds in weight
- As-tested MSRP: $1,949 ($1,869 basic)
There were just a few configurations of the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition available at the time of testing. They were all equipped with the same Intel Core Ultra 9 285H CPU, 1TB of storage, and 32GB of RAM. The only differences were in the type of GPU and display.
Although those costs were reduced to $1,899 and $1,949 at the time of writing, Lenovo offers two different options: a 2880×1800 OLED panel with an RTX 5050 for $1,999 and a 3200×2000 Tandem OLED display with an RTX 5060 for $2,299. The old configuration was also offered by Best Buy for $1,949.
Lenovo provides a custom setup tool in addition to its preconfigured models. For the identical setup as the base model above, this starts at $1,869. However, for an additional $560, you can upgrade to a 3.2K Tandem OLED display, 64GB of memory, and an RTX 5070. Or, for an additional $150, you can just upgrade to the Tandem OLED while maintaining the base specifications.
Several additional combinations, including touch and non-touch display alternatives and an Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, are suggested by Lenovo’s complete technical specs for the product.
Design and build quality
Because of its simplicity and elegance, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition is a bit boring. The edges of the keyboard deck may still be a bit more rounded for comfort, but Lenovo has done a good job rounding corners throughout for a smoother look and feel. Despite this, it’s still a large gray slab, and the fact that it’s a “Aura Edition” just adds to its air of simplicity.
It’s well-built. Except for the keycaps, almost everything is made of sleek glass or aluminum, including the display and its bezels. There is a very small amount of flex here and there. The weight of the base and a little lip at the top of the screen allow the display hinge to move smoothly and open with one hand, providing additional room for the webcam and infrared sensor. When I move the laptop or the display, the hinge wiggles for a little moment, but it stays firmly in place while I’m typing.
Three rubber feet—two little ones at the front and a long one at the back—support the base. Because these are higher than most work laptops, there is a wider channel for airflow into the huge grille underneath the laptop. The majority of this grille is filled in, with the two fans’ intakes located in the areas on either side.
Lenovo has managed to fit two tweeters and four woofers into a total of six speakers. Speakers are located on the borders beneath the laptop and on either side of the keyboard.
Supercharged by Intel® Core™ Ultra processors for pro-level creation
Powerful AI acceleration meets NVIDIA® graphics for ultimate performance
Creator, accurate, and brilliant PureSight Pro OLED display
The laptop has a dedicated power plug and ports on both sides that are quite close to one another. Even while it’s a little less comforting than a shutter that truly hides the camera sensor, the privacy shutter switch on the right side deactivates the camera, which is pleasant to notice and makes it simpler to avoid inadvertently swiping every time I open the laptop.
It’s a bit too simple to inadvertently push the power button on the right side of the Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition whenever I move the laptop about on a desk or table.
With everything Lenovo has crammed into this 16-inch laptop, it should not be shocking that it weighs over four pounds, but at 4.52 pounds, it isn’t particularly heavy. The laptop’s tapered form allows it to sit at about 0.7 inches thick in the front and 0.75 inches thick near the back, even if the rubber feet add over 0.2 inches to that. It is nevertheless rather compact for a 16-inch laptop, measuring 14.28 inches in width and 9.99 inches in length.
Connectivity
The wired and wireless connection of the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition is decent. If you forget the usual charger (a 170W device with Lenovo’s charging connector), you can use the two USB-C ports on the left edge to charge the laptop. These ports have Thunderbolt 4/USB4 capability and can give up to 100W of electricity. You can use the HDMI 2.1 port for visual output, but the ports also support DisplayPort 2.1. A 3.5mm audio jack rounds out the left side.
A full-size SD card reader and two 5Gbps USB-A connections are located on the right side. Splitting the USB-C ports across the two sides or at least adding 10Gbps ports would have been good.
The Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition has Wi-Fi 7 for wireless connections, and in my testing, it has shown itself to be dependable and quick, never lagging or taking a long time to reconnect when the computer boots up. Additionally, Bluetooth 5.4 is enabled, and it has reliably functioned when using Bluetooth headphones to listen to music.
Performance
The construction of the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition is similar to that of many other 16-inch productivity laptops. The Acer Swift 16 AI, HP OmniBook X Flip 16, Dell Inspiron 16 Plus, and Dell 16 Plus are among the devices it will compete with; their as-tested pricing are hundreds of dollars lower than that of the Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition.
Except for the notably thin and light Acer Swift 16 AI, the Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition is comparable in size and weight to these other systems; however, it performs slightly better thanks to a more extensive CPU selection and a discrete GPU, which are only available in the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus at its tested price.
With a discrete GPU, quick storage, lots of memory, and a powerful 16-core CPU (the Core Ultra 9 285H), the Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition delivers exceptional performance. Its internal RTX 5050 gives it a significant advantage in content creation, outperforming all of these other computers, even the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus with RTX 4060.
At this performance level, the Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition can compete with powerful gaming laptops such as the Lenovo Legion 5i 15IRX10, which is powered by an Intel Core i7-14700HX. Additionally remarkable is the CPU’s single-core performance, which provides it with all the power it requires to feel snappy and handle demanding workloads.
Battery life
Given how much performance the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition was pleased to delivered, it is not surprising that its battery life lags somewhat below that of its competitors. Except for the Dell 16 Plus, which likewise had a tiny 63Wh battery, most of the other computers pushed closer to 17 or 18 hours, although the Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition nevertheless maintained a respectable runtime of about 14 hours.
Even while it’s not as good as these other computers, it’s still a respectable performance, especially for a system with a discrete GPU and a more powerful CPU. It strikes a good compromise between battery life, more in line with productivity computers, and performance that approaches that of a gaming laptop. I was able to easily get through an entire workday on battery power because of its offline video playback capability, even though I didn’t have to use the dGPU.
Conclusion
One excellent device is the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition. It has a cost, but when you consider everything it offers, the premium isn’t all that high. The internals not only function exceptionally well, but they also come in a nicely-made box with lots of extras to be thrilled about. The display and speakers work together to create a fantastic entertainment experience. The chassis seems sturdy and attractive. Additionally, the Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 10 Aura Edition is capable of operating entirely on battery power for a full workday despite having such powerful technology. You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for a machine that essentially shines in every way.
