Foldables are here to stay and continue to be a hot form factor for upcoming tech. Whether it be for phones like the Oppo Find N2 Flip, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and the revamped Motorola Razr, or hybrid laptops like the Asus Zenbook Fold, it’s an emerging technology filled with potential. One of the latest proponents of the hot design trend is the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, and it looks slick.
Perhaps not a foldable in the strictest of senses, due to it being a dual-screen convertible laptop connected by a traditional hinge, the Yoga Book 9i still captures the essence of the foldable technology. It includes two OLED displays as part of its 13-inch configuration that enables plenty of promising configurations and use cases alongside the bundled Bluetooth keyboard and stylus pen.
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is a versatile creative device
One of the biggest appeals of the fresh Yoga device is the sheer number of practical configurations it supports. Plenty of previous Yoga hybrid laptops enabled both laptop and tablet functionality, but the extra layers here take the concept to another level.
Lenovo describes the various ways you can use the Yoga Book 9i via the phrase “Multimode+”. This encompasses the five main different configurations that span both traditional laptop and tablet modes, plus additional ways you can use the device to best suit your workflow.
For one, there’s a “Tent” mode, where you can fold the device so that one display faces you, while the other faces an audience during a meeting or presentation. It seems genuinely useful for displaying your presentation notes while everyone else can see the actual presentation without the hassle of an external display.
Additionally, you can use the dual displays in multiple orientations. “Book” mode gives you two portrait-aligned screens ideal for reading or writing documents. Meanwhile, “Scroll” uses an included kickstand to prop the Yoga Book 9i up in a double landscape orientation. This latter configuration would be more helpful for media consumption or attending virtual meetings, with attendees on one display and notes on the other.
In fact, the only slight I could level against the sleek new hybrid from Lenovo is that the displays only max out at a 60Hz refresh rate. There’s nothing inherently wrong with 60Hz, although scrolling and watching media won’t look as smooth as many other devices available. Everything else looks great on paper: both 13.3-inch OLED displays have identical 2880 x 1800 resolutions, are rated 100% on the DCI-P3 colour gamut, and support Dolby Vision HDR. Not to mention its beautiful Tidal Teal finish. In other words, the Yoga Book 9i looks great while having great-looking screens.
Yoga Book 9i specifications, price, release date
Be warned, it’s not a cheap device. Starting at $4,299, you’re paying for the premium dual-OLED technology. Pre-orders are open now via Lenovo’s official website, and will be available at JB Hi-Fi in July 2023.
Here’s a more detailed look at what’s under the hood of the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i:
| Processor | Intel® Core™ i7-1355U on Intel® Evo™ platform |
| Operating System | Windows 11 Home Windows 11 Pro |
| Graphics | Intel® Iris® Xe |
| Memory | 16GB LPDDR5X-6400 |
| Storage | PCIe M.2 Gen4 SSD: Up to 1TB |
| Display | Dual 13.3” QHD+ (2880 x 1800) 60Hz PureSight OLED display with glass, 16:10, 100% DCI-P3, 400 nits (nominal) / 600 nits (peak), VESA Certified DisplayHDR™, 500 True Black, Dolby Vision® |
| Audio | 2 x 2W 2 x 1W Bowers & Wilkins speakers rotating Sound Bar with quad-speakers, enhanced with Dolby Atmos |
| Camera | 5M Webcam IR Camera + ToF sensor Electronic Camera Shutter 2 x Microphones |
| Battery | 80WHr lithium-ion polymer, Rapid Charge Boost (15mins charge for 2 hours) Local Video Playback: up to 10.5 hours (Dual screen), up to 15 hours (Single Screen) |
| Dimensions | (mm) 299.1 x 203.9 x as thin as 15.95 (inches) 11.78 x 8.03 x as thin as 0.63 |
| Weight | Starting from 1.34kg |
| Colour | Tidal Teal |
| Ports | 3 x USB Type-C (all full function and Thunderbolt™4.0) |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 6/6E Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Certifications | Eyesafe, TÜV Rheinland Low Blue Light Certification |
| Price (RRP) | $4,299 |
| Official website | Lenovo Australia |
More Lenovo Yoga Pro and Slim laptops are here
Lenovo also recently launched its latest range of powerful eight-generation Yoga clamshell laptops for those who prefer a traditional approach. Leading the way are the Yoga Pro 9i (not to be confused with the Book 9i) and the Yoga Pro 7i devices. Available in 16 and 14.5-inch sizes, the Pro 9i packs in an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card and a Mini-LED display with a 1,200-nit max brightness, making it great for media editing and a bit of gaming on the side. Meanwhile, the Pro 7i doesn’t get the Mini-LED treatment and only comes in a 14.5-inch size, although it still benefits from an RTX 4050 GPU, so it still has some graphical grunt.
On the smaller side is the latest Yoga Slim range, headlined by the new Yoga Slim 7i Carbon and Yoga Slim 6i models. These laptops use onboard Intel Iris Xe graphics, and the Slim 6i has the option of upgrading to an OLED display. If you travel a lot and want something light and easy to carry around without needing high-end graphical power, these might be the ticket.
Each 2023 Lenovo Yoga Pro and Slim laptop is out now, with the starting prices listed below:
- Yoga Pro 9i (14.5-inch): $3,499
- Yoga Pro 9i (16-inch): $3,699
- Yoga Pro 7i: $1,899
- Yoga Slim 7i Carbon: $2,529
- Yoga Slim 6i: $1,999
We’re currently testing the Yoga Pro 9i and will have a full review soon. In the meantime, its dual-OLED counterpart, the Book 9i, looks like a phenomenally clever design.
Any ideas when the mini led touch version of the Yoga Pro 9i will be available for sale in Australia? There’s a few listed in the specs, this one being the top of the line. None showing on their website just yet.
https://psref.lenovo.com/Detail/Yoga/Yoga_Pro_9_16IRP8?M=83BY0003AU