A threat to portable monitors everywhere: Lenovo Yoga Book 9i review
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Battery life would have been a key metric to include in the specs table, especially since 2 screens is non-standard
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Looks cool, but would have to have better and more port options. I like the idea I can get double screens, and computer in one device, and would carry around an external keyboard to compliment it.
Ill look at it seriously in 1 or 2 more iterations on this concept. By then the cost and other factors should be in line with my needs, and wants.
Ill look at it seriously in 1 or 2 more iterations on this concept. By then the cost and other factors should be in line with my needs, and wants.
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I love the concept. Portrait is much more practical for document viewing & editing, and this configuration allows 2 such documents side-by-side. And you can pick your favorite keyboard!
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araczynski
Ars Scholae Palatinae
Pretty sweet concept/execution, I'm impressed. Now give me 3 flip out horizontals and I'll find a way to come up with the money.
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This is a foldable "laptop" design I'd actually seriously consider. I'm a big fan of my Surface Pro, and this basically looks like that, but with 2 screens.
I just upgraded a few months ago, so it'll be a bit until I'm ready, but I'll definitely be taking a look at their (hopefully current) version of this when it's time.
I just upgraded a few months ago, so it'll be a bit until I'm ready, but I'll definitely be taking a look at their (hopefully current) version of this when it's time.
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This is the first non-Apple laptop got my attention in a while. It’s not quite there for me (I need much better outdoor performance), but hopefully it sells well enough to keep Lenovo interested and maybe draw in some competitors.
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Worst is the retail version and Best is the custom version? That's not particularly customisable.
Well, it does look interesting.
Well, it does look interesting.
Sorry, Ron.Scharon Harding said:
Well, the good news is that since the battery is not integrated, you can use any you like, including a rechargeable. So that is a pro, not a con.Scharon Harding said:
Most people would call that two tablets joined together.Scharon Harding said:
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All I want is a 27-32" monitor that rolls up into a tube that I can toss in my suitcase
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True, but most people would also point out that Microsoft Windows sucks as a tablet UX. It's designed for traditional desktop use and traditional input. This product loses everything that's good about tablets and laptops both while bringing nothing of real value to the table (to me anyway). I know many people would really like a programmable virtual keyboard. But, the reality of those things is they aren't ever a good replacement for a physical tactile keyboard. You can use dictation which is very good on Windows, but you still have to correct and edit the output for punctuation and misunderstood vocabulary.
It's great that Lenovo is willing to experiment much like MS itself is. I just don't see this as anything but a very niche product you're unlikely to see much in the real world.
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if that bluetooth keyboard had a nipple mouse on it, it would be absolutely perfect. a little extra room, no need for that silly screen touchpad mouse. shame.
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I snagged mine on a recent business trip from a Best Buy outside of Indianapolis. I used it on-site for road mapping and workshops, as well as from my hotel room and on the airplane. It drew a lot of attention and was extremely beneficial for multitasking. Having dual displays wherever I go is amazing. The battery life is impressive, given it powers two screens. At about 70% brightness on both displays, I was getting slightly over 7 hours before needing to plug in. There are a few software quirks to iron out (for example, the widget bar above the keyboard doesn't always work with the Outlook calendar, and the news widget feed is full of irrelevant news).
It has certainly been a game-changer for my workflow as a ServiceNow Product Owner. I cancelled my Pixel Fold pre-order for this, and couldn't be happier. Oh, and the soundbar in the hinge puts out surprisingly great sound (for being the size that it is).
It has certainly been a game-changer for my workflow as a ServiceNow Product Owner. I cancelled my Pixel Fold pre-order for this, and couldn't be happier. Oh, and the soundbar in the hinge puts out surprisingly great sound (for being the size that it is).
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Mr mobile on YouTube did a review and it honestly looks like a pleasure. As someone who would tote around a 15" laptop and 2 USB monitors for work, this would make things much easier
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Care to expand upon this? I was just using it daily "out in the world" and it was an absolute pleasure to use as my workstation everywhere I went, from the hotel room, conference rooms, coffee shops and the airplane.
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If I had a million dollars, I'll tell you what I'd do, man: two screens at the same time.
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I was skeptical and then pleasantly surprised by how functional the screen touchpad mouse is. It's not quite as nice as a true touchpad, since it's glass, but it works really well.
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This seems like a bit too much. With a quick search for "portable monitor" I found seemingly good options for usb-c connected 15 inch monitors which look a lot like tablets.
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Wouldnt touch a Lenovo after spending tons of hours over the years troubleshooting their bad software & drivers, and obtuse hardware settings buried in the BIOS etc.
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Have you ever tried using a virtual keyboard 10 fingered as your only keyboard? If you have, you'd know why no mainstream laptops do that.
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About the byline: two 13 inch screens give you about an 18 inch screen, not a 26 inch screen!!
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The Surface did that for me. I really like the aesthetics. Microsoft's design team for the Surface is top notch. However, after work got me a M1P MacBook Pro, it'd be really hard for me to get anything else. Apple Silicon is just too good right now.
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xyz123.domain
Ars Centurion
How are you "debugging" Lenovo's bad software? You have the source code? Or do you just mean troubleshooting, and just putting up with flaws and inconsistencies? What Lenovo software do you use?
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So, do they have an "nvidia-style SLI" cable? That is, get TWO of these, plug a Tbolt cable from one into the other, and you can have 2 "books" side-by-side?
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This is on point. It's functional when I've used it on this laptop but definitely not my recommended go-to. A lot of mistyped words and it doesn't have the beneficial auto correct or suggestion capabilities of our smart phone keyboards (it exists but is far away from the top of the keyboard and clicking, tapping with your finger or using the virtual keyboard arrow keys to select the suggestion is a PITA).
The "I didn't know this existed" thing I found out how to do relatively easily was use the virtual keyboard combination of Windows Key + H initiates the speech to text capability when you're in a text field. Assuming you're in a fairly uninterrupted space with decent noise cancelling headphones (I haven't tested the noise canceling enhancements for the on-device mic yet), it's a pretty great alternative for me from the virtual keyboard when I actually need to type a fair bit.
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Threat? For starters, it runs Windows 
OK, fine, it's good enough for some people.
Summary: To use two screens you have have a mouse* and do with a weird keyboard. Navigating a desktop OS with a touchscreen is just as terrible as it was when HP tried to sell their 21-inch all in ones with touchscreen 12 years ago. There are still ugly cables to deal with.
Meanwhile, my, ironically, Lenovo portable screen combine with an M1 Mac takes up about the same space when in transport, provides much better ergonomics and I only a charging cable and a 10 centimeter long flexible USB-C cable for connection.
*In all fairness, given the fact that only Apple makes usable laptop trackpads, one has to use the mouse anyway.
OK, fine, it's good enough for some people.Summary: To use two screens you have have a mouse* and do with a weird keyboard. Navigating a desktop OS with a touchscreen is just as terrible as it was when HP tried to sell their 21-inch all in ones with touchscreen 12 years ago. There are still ugly cables to deal with.
Meanwhile, my, ironically, Lenovo portable screen combine with an M1 Mac takes up about the same space when in transport, provides much better ergonomics and I only a charging cable and a 10 centimeter long flexible USB-C cable for connection.
*In all fairness, given the fact that only Apple makes usable laptop trackpads, one has to use the mouse anyway.
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Anyone remember the portable laser projection keyboards that display a keyboard on your desk and use cameras to track your hand movements and convert them into inputs?
I'm not suggesting that lenovo rely on laser projection keyboards, but the same sensing technology could be used to create a virtual mouse.
Imagine a down-facing camera that tracks the user's hands, and converts the hand movements into mouse movements and clicks (perhaps aided by a bottom facing microphone).
It certainly wouldn't be as fast, comfortable or reliable as a dedicated mouse, but it would also be a mouse that you would always have with you, doesn't eat up a USB port, won't run out of battery as long as the laptop is powered, and can't be lost or stolen (unless you have a prosthetic hand). And it might be a very useful fallback for something like the Yoga Book when it is in double portrait mode.
I'm not suggesting that lenovo rely on laser projection keyboards, but the same sensing technology could be used to create a virtual mouse.
Imagine a down-facing camera that tracks the user's hands, and converts the hand movements into mouse movements and clicks (perhaps aided by a bottom facing microphone).
It certainly wouldn't be as fast, comfortable or reliable as a dedicated mouse, but it would also be a mouse that you would always have with you, doesn't eat up a USB port, won't run out of battery as long as the laptop is powered, and can't be lost or stolen (unless you have a prosthetic hand). And it might be a very useful fallback for something like the Yoga Book when it is in double portrait mode.
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BodaciousTommyCat
Seniorius Lurkius
Are the MacBook Air stats reversed in the CPDT Storage Test chart? It writes data twice as fast as it reads?
edit: the sequential read/write chart although the random read/write looks odd as well.
edit: the sequential read/write chart although the random read/write looks odd as well.
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I'm just using the included mouse for now. I'll likely replace it with a better Bluetooth mouse in the near future. The reality is that I'm not transporting my laptop around without a laptop bag, backpack, or something along those lines. I'll almost always have a mouse in tow, even with a traditional laptop. Trackpads get me by just fine but they aren't nearly my preferred method for navigating a UI. It will always be a physical mouse for me.
I also worry that the laser tracking mouse capability and technology you are mentioning would be about as successful as Leap Motion. Which isn't a good product to be compared to. I can't imagine moving my hand around with an imaginary mouse mimicking the functionality, including the clicking, for prolonged periods. The physical mouse also provides the hand and palm proper ergonomics and prevent fatigue.
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Nice.
I saw that. My biggest problem with this laptop is that nobody is going to issue one to me for me to work on. Meanwhile, I can (and have) purchase a USB-C 15.6" portable monitor and plug it into whatever devices are provided.
It's kind of like, IDK, the iPhone 14 Plus or the Surface Duo. I don't need a 48-MP camera on a work phone, but more screen real estate is pretty much always going to be better. Meanwhile, I'm lucky to have been issued an iPhone 11 before they decided to start punishing people with the latest SE instead.
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The side-by-side dual-portrait configuration looks by far to me to be the most practical orientation, it's a shame the cover/stand doesn't make more of an effort to accommodate that layout more flexibly.
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TheWerewolf
Ars Scholae Palatinae
Because a $2300 laptop that you have to carry a keyboard and a stand around with to use effectively is SO much more sensible than every other $1200 laptop (Macs included here) and a $200 1080p portable monitor (or two) that you can put where ever you want or even leave at home. nod
Seriously Ars, hire a title writer (or editor) who's maybe on a little less crack?
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The 2 displays of the Lenovo combine to take up the same space and footprint of a thin laptop. Leaving your extra monitor at home just gets you to the same size of the Lenovo Book.
But keep trying to take shots at Ars not understanding the practical use cases and multiple workflow accomodations. This just isn't the right fit for you and that's fine. No need for the immature response. It's hard to describe this device without using it for a day or two.
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