Today’s most trendy option notebook-transformer is the format of “tablet plus dock”, but this does not mean that evolution is “one-piece” Transformers stopped. Manufacturers continue to work to improve the classic design, offering all the more unusual and original versions, which including applies Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13.
The family of the Transformers Lenovo Ideapad Yoga was announced back at CES 2012 , but the actual sales of these devices began much later, because the manufacturer was planning to bring them to market with a new generation of operating systems from Microsoft, which at that time was not yet ready. We are not talking about accidentally Lenovo Ideapad Yoga in the plural, because initially within the family were two models – the 11.6-inch and 13.3 Yoga 11 Yoga 13-inch, which differed not only in size and weight, but also the version of the OS .
If the high-Yoga 13 ultrabook was typical for energy-efficient platform from Intel, then Yoga 11 from a hardware point of view, was more of a smartbook, because it was based on ARM-processor NVIDIA Tegra 3. Such a course was well justified, because the output of models Yoga was timed for the announcement of two versions of Windows, so Windows 8 has got older and younger – Windows RT. Interestingly, exactly a year later, at CES 2013, Lenovo unveiled the Yoga 11S on energy-efficient platform from Intel, and in July of this year, withdrew from the production of the original version of the ARM-Yoga 11 as not live up to expectations (which is not surprising, since no one of the Windows RT devices, including the reference Microsoft Surface, never became popular.)
Options
Ultrabook Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 13 comes standard vertical packaging made from recycled cardboard, but inside you will find not the usual plastic bag, and another type of gift box. Modern minimalist black box contains the ultrabook, a charger and a set of documents, neatly placed in the cells of the pan.
As you can see, the standard package is quite austere, but if you wish you can add brand cover, external drive, optional power adapter, etc. Note that the device is available in two color options – Silver Gray quiet and bright Clementine Orange.
Design, materials
Two major exterior panels Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 – the cover and bottom are made of colored plastic with a metal pleasant to the touch softtach coating. The cover contains only the manufacturer’s logo, on the basis of the body you can find service information and a series of holes for the intake and exhaust air cooling system.
The internal surface of the ultrabook, including the sidewalls foundation hull and the display unit is completely black. The touch screen ultrabook covered glossy protective glass, but with a tight curved panel Windows hardware button is made of practical softtach plastic. The upper part of the border has a webcam with an activity indicator.
Sides housing ducked slightly compared with the edges of the lid and the bottom. The back edge is empty, unless you consider a fragment of the lattice cooling system. On the front you can find a miniature restore button OneKey Recovery, power key with integrated LED power indicator and activity.
Left side panel Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 includes a volume rocker, a microphone, combined audio port connector, USB 3.0, video output HDMI. Finally, on the right side plate taken out the lock button accelerometer, full-sized card reader, USB 2.0 port and a flat charger socket. As you can see, the choice of connectors at the Lenovo Yoga 13 is not too large, only two USB, one video output and the lack of a network RJ45.
Black plastic panel working Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 different original texture “under the skin”, the keyboard and touchpad are located in small depressions. The keyboard layout is quite good, it is possible to note the characteristic shape of the keys with a rounded bottom portion and the “backward” scheme of a series of functions that allows you to control the relevant parameters ultrabook without modifier keys Fn. Large touchpad without dedicated keys and with a slightly rough touch panel copes with its responsibilities.
Functionality
In Ultrabook Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 uses high-quality 13.3-inch IPS-matrix with increased to 1600 by 900 pixels resolution. Wide viewing angles allow you to work comfortably with any usage. The brightness can be manually adjusted in the range of 5 to 260 cd/m2 or rely on the automatic settings based on the light sensor. Capacitive type touch panel supports recognition up to 10 simultaneous touches and greatly simplifies the use of the touch interface Modern UI.
Ultrabook Lenovo Yoga 13 can be equipped with one of the class of energy-efficient processors Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processors with integrated graphics Intel HD Graphics 4000. RAM can be equal to 4 or 8 GB for data storage SSD stands for 128 or 256 GB, and the capacity of non-removable lithium-polymer battery is 54 Wh.
We tested configuration came Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 based on Intel Core i5-3317U with 4 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD, which scored 3570 points in the PCmark7, 2570 points in PCmark8 Home, 580 points in 3Dmark11, 3200 points in 3Dmark Cloud Gate 4.7 points and performance index Windows.
The battery life was 2 hours and 20 minutes at maximum load, and 5 and a half hours in the emulation mode of reading.
Battery Eater, Classic Preset (maximum load)
Battery Eater, Reader Preset (emulation reading)
Operation
The main advantage of the transforming mechanism of Yoga is that it looks and feels like a regular notebook hinge. No awkwardness or sverhoriginalnyh design – just two metal hinges that hold the display.
In the laptop screen hinge allows you to reject all the way to the table, but where a conventional laptop limiter is activated, the display can be tilted Yoga another 90 degrees, and then is folded into tablet mode, pressing the outer surface of the lid to the bottom of the laptop. Thus, Lenovo Yoga can be used in the same four basic modes as any other transformer: a notebook, multimedia stand mode, Presentation mode, and of course, the tablet mode.
Naturally, there were at Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 13 and without flaw, which manifests itself in the tablet mode – in this case, still more accustomed to feel under the hands of a solid rear panel, not an array of key-activated.
Note that in both end positions of the main transformer units (base and display) are locked by the magnets at the top edge of the display and a front portion of the base body, and after crossing mark 180 degrees and automatically turns off the keyboard encoder.
The results
The original transformer ultrabook Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 with touch IPS-screen is a great alternative to bulky Transformers classic design, so will certainly appeal to lovers of fine minimalist solutions.
Liked
+ Original design of the transformation,
+ IPS-matrix with a resolution of 1600 by 900 pixels
+ Design, quality materials
+ Magnetic lock display in the boundary positions
+ Dedicated volume keys and lock the position sensor
Do not like it
– The keys to hand in tablet mode
– The minimum number of connectors
– No keyboard backlight
– Not the high autonomy
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