By There is nothing new about the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1. This laptop line is on its tenth generation, and Lenovo hasn’t made any significant improvements to it in a few years. Even though it looks a lot like the Yoga 7i I reviewed last year, including some of the problems I had, the new Yoga 7i offers some useful enhancements to performance, keyboard, and battery life.
The new Yoga 7i is still a bit of a bewildered device. It seems to target creators and is not inexpensive. However, its display is so poor that it might as well be monochromatic for how effectively it would work in creative efforts, and its performance is unable to meet some of the more demanding requirements of creative jobs.
Specification
- CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V; model: 16ILL10
- 16GB LPDDR5x-8533 of RAM; Intel Arc Graphics 140V for graphics and graphics
- Display: 16-inch glossy, 1200p IPS touch screen
- 1TB PCIe Gen4 SSD for storage
- Webcam: IR + 1080p
- One USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 connector, two USB-C connectors (Thunderbolt 4, USB4, Power Delivery 3.0, and DisplayPort 2.1), one microSD card reader, one 3.5mm combination audio connector, and one HDMI 1.4b connector
- Networking: Bluetooth 5.4, WiFi 7.
- Biometrics: facial recognition, fingerprints, and Windows Hello
- Battery dimensions: 14.24 x 10.11 x 0.62 inches; capacity: 70 watt-hours
- 4.25 pounds in weight
- As-tested MSRP: $1,199 ($917 base)
There aren’t many configuration options available for the 2025 Lenovo Yoga 7i at launch. As of this writing, Lenovo only provides Windows 11 Home or Windows 11 Pro with two configurable storage capacities: 512GB and 1 TB. Lenovo provides a detailed breakdown of the product’s specifications, including other CPU options for the Core Ultra 200V lineup, such as up to 32GB of memory, a 5MP webcam, and a 2880×1800 OLED display, all of which would significantly improve the system’s quality and seem to lighten its load.
Our test configuration, which costs $1199 at Best Buy, offers the features mentioned above. An Intel Core Ultra 5 226V variant with 512GB of storage starts at $917 on Lenovo’s shop, while a 1TB model costs $999.
Design and build quality
Since the Yoga 7i resembles the 2024 model in appearance and feel and hasn’t changed much from the 2023 model, Lenovo appears to be happy with what it has produced. However, that’s not bad news. It sports a fantastic-looking all-aluminum chassis with neat seams and lovely curves. Although it’s a minor complaint, I wish the front lip were curled as well.
With speaker grilles and air intakes made of straightforward perforations, the system is understated yet sophisticated. Nothing is very conspicuous. Another small issue is that the rectangular display has inconsistent bezel spacing and looks a touch weird at the top corners where it meets the rounded corners of the chassis.
With its two-part hinge and Lenovo’s flipping design, the Yoga 7i’s display can rotate about 306 degrees. Although the hinge allows the laptop to be flipped into different orientations, it makes using the device as a laptop slightly more difficult. The display wobbles a lot since the hinge is not very sturdy. I can see the screen wriggling when I type on the keyboard, and tapping the touchscreen makes it even worse. The squirming lasts for a few seconds and doesn’t quit quickly either. The screen’s reflectivity (more on that later) only intensifies the wiggling.
Connectivity
For a laptop of its size, the Yoga 7i has a moderate level of connections. Because each side has a USB-C connector, charging or docking with any side is convenient. Thunderbolt 4, USB4, and Power Delivery 3.0 charging are supported by both USB-C ports. They are also capable of handling output from DisplayPort 2.1. Additionally, the laptop has a 3.5mm headphone connector and an HDMI 1.4b port on the left edge. The right side has a 5 Gbps USB-A port and a microSD card slot (full size would have been good to see on a computer this huge).
Also, wireless communication has worked out well. Wi-Fi 7 is supported by the Yoga 7i, and during my testing, I’ve had quick and reliable connectivity. Additionally, Bluetooth has generally been reliable when pairing with wireless headphones. Running on a treadmill with Bluetooth earbuds attached to the Yoga 7i, I watched an entire movie without experiencing any stability problems.
One particular set of headphones had trouble staying connected to the Yoga 7i; they were disconnecting every 30 seconds. However, since I tested different headphones with the laptop and found no problems, I believe it’s safe to assume that the headphones are the problem or that there is a special problem.
Performance
The Lenovo Yoga 7i is a multipurpose device that can do a variety of tasks. It is equipped with some basic hardware to achieve this. However, other systems try to provide comparable flexibility. Other 2-in-1 systems, such as the 2025 Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 (tested at $1,699) and the 2024 Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 7640 (tested at $1,349), can compete with it. Large, conventional laptops like the Acer Swift 16 AI (tested at $1,199) and Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 Gen 9 (tested at $1,699) are also competitors of the Yoga 7i. Fortunately, Lenovo has successfully improved the 2025 Yoga 7i’s performance over the 2024 model.
Overall, the Lenovo Yoga 7i performs admirably. As we can see from its 10 score, it performs about in line with the office productivity of a few of its competitors. It is supported in part by a fast SSD, which helped it outperform laptops from Acer and Samsung in the test’s app startup section. Additionally, its improved integrated graphics aid in the test’s content creation section, enabling it to compete with the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1, which otherwise provided some benefits due to its more powerful CPU. Although overall performance is impressive, the Yoga 7i’s unadulterated performance is lacking.
Battery life
Although the Yoga 7i may not be the best in terms of performance, its battery-friendly functioning is made possible by the absence of internal power. The Yoga 7i barely made it through 19 hours of 4K video playback. Compared to the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1, which took less than 13 hours, it has a significant advantage. The Yoga Pro 9i Gen 9 was hampered by its power-hungry, discrete graphics. In terms of performance and battery life, the Yoga 7i even managed to edge out the Acer Swift 16 AI. However, the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 once again demonstrated its supremacy, lasting for more than 23 hours in our test and returning with exceptionally good battery life (despite having a crisper OLED display, no less).
At the very least, the Yoga 7i’s battery life was reliable. When playing videos offline, some systems will function okay, but when used regularly, they will consume a lot of power. I was able to easily get through a workday or put in a few hours after starting with a low battery because the Yoga 7i continued to draw power throughout the day during my testing.
Conclusion
The function of the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is unclear. It has all the makings of a creative machine: it’s fashionable and adaptable to various uses. However, due to its terrible color gamut, its display just prevents a visual artist from seeing the work they are producing, and its performance is tailored to more basic productivity. As a result, the Yoga 7i struggles to be as wonderful a laptop as it could be without the compromises needed to be a 2-in-1, thereby undermining its purpose as a 2-in-1.
The opportunity to upgrade to a sharper, quicker, and more colorful OLED display could help the Yoga 7i escape the quagmire it’s in, even though the launch configurations are all stuck with the experience-hindering display. However, given the price rise that would undoubtedly result, the Yoga 7i will probably only face more competition from the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, a lighter, smaller, and quicker laptop that already has a great 16-inch display and two-in-one functionality.
