Last January, among the various devices that Lenovo introduced under the CES 2016 highlighted with its own light the new Yoga 900S. It is a convertible ultrabook that is able to turn your keyboard 360 degrees so we can use it as a tablet, and has as its main weapon to be easily transportable thanks to its size and meager 997 grams.
With an Intel Core processor m5, its 8 gigabytes of RAM and hard disk 256 GB SSD and screen of 12.5 inches, the Yoga 900S aims we take a gap between the highest ranges of ultrabooks. No this is a device cheap, so it will be interesting to see if its performance suffers by choosing processor or if it goes well the play of staking everything to autonomy.
Lenovo Yoga 900S, specifications
Lenovo goes for all your Yoga 900S, a lightweight portable, flexible in the most literal meaning of the word and thin as few. Nor is wrong power, but before we get to evaluate what are their arguments to gain a foothold in the market for ultrabooks, let’s start breaking down their technical characteristics.
| LENOVO YOGA 900S, TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS | |
| PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS | 304 x 212 x 12.8 mm 997 grams |
| SCREEN | 12.5 inch IPS LCD |
| RESOLUTION | QHD 2560×1440 pixels |
| PROCESSOR | Intel Core m5 to 1.10 GHz 1866 MHz 4 MB |
| GRAPHICS PROCESSOR | Intel HD Graphics 515 |
| RAM | 8 GB DDR3 LP |
| MEMORY | SSD 256GB |
| SOFTWARE VERSION | Windows 10 64-bit Home |
| CONNECTIVITY | Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.0, 1x USB 3.0, 1xDC-in USB 2.0 function, USB-C, audio jack. |
| CAMERA | front HD |
| BATTERY | 4-cell, 66 Wh |
Lenovo does not want his last ultrabook surprised us only by their specifications, but also wants us between the eyes. Hence, it’s attractive design, its extreme thinness with only 12.8 millimeters thick when closed and striking metal hinge. It has not made too many concessions go, and that ends up affecting the price.
As for the interior, the first surprise is that they have decided to shelve the Core i Intel processors to bet on a less common Core M. It is a decision that significantly mark the personality of the ultrabook, and it is clear that with him is not looking so much to offer raw power, but greater autonomy.
As for the screen, we could say that Lenovo offers it the best that can be offered without falling into eccentricities as 4K resolution. Equips a resolution QHD 2560×1440 pixels for us to enjoy the most of multimedia content, and accompanied by a screen touch with which to operate when we round the keyboard to use the tablet mode.
Today 8 GB of RAM have become standard on high – end to any team seeking to make noise in it can fail. He is accompanied by an integrated graphics that is not too ambitious, but will allow us to work smoothly and use basic editing programs.
As for the rest of extras, Yoga 900S includes Wi-Fi 802.11a / b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.0, and two USB slots, one 3.0 and one 2.0 that acts as loading slot. It also implements a type C microUSB connection for our mobile devices and audio jack of 3.5 mm. We miss some things, but that we will talk later.
A careful design that enters the eye
Based on the idea that today power sometimes is not enough to stand out from the tight competition, Lenovo has decided to bet on a device with a design that enters through the eyes . But this has its dangers, because what some may find it attractive to others may repel them.
It is for example what happened to me my model with golden Yoga have proven 900S. Personally I do not like gold devices, and even on the back cover so I can stand, I also see quite overload on the hinge and keys. But these are personal tastes. Surely more than one combination like it, otherwise these models would not exist, and if not there is always the option to choose the silver model.
As far as the materials, both the lid and the bottom plate are finished in a plastic that mimics the finish of anodized aluminum . His touch is nice, and is a material in which the fingers are not easily marked. The bet also allows them to help reduce few grams to its weight of almost one kilogram.
Uniting the two pieces we find one of the crown jewels, an attractive hinge-shaped wristwatch strap . The hinge makes it quite easy to open the lid 360 degrees and use the ultrabook in tablet form, although putting a paste, the base of the notebook is so light that we must hold to open the lid.
As for the chassis, the piece upon which it is plastic keys are placed, and the rest is other rubbery plastic that emulates the skin, and that reminds me that we saw for years in phones like the Samsung Galaxy Note 4. This commitment helps once again to not stain as we begin to use it, though to be a device of 1,300 dollars just knowing us little.
The ridges are also plastic. On the right, we find the power button, the audio jack of 3.5 mm and one of the USB connectors. As for the left side, it is the type C USB reset button, and the connector, which is a curious two in one that applies to connect the charger and use it as a conventional USB.
At this point, it would have been nice to include some that another connection on the side. We cast especially least some HDMI even if not full to connect to other screens, and especially any SD or microSD slot to expand its memory capacity.
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A screen that does not lack anything
I am of the opinion that the 13.3-inch ultrabooks are the most comfortable to be easy to transport as 11 and maintain a good surface on which to work. However, Lenovo wanted to get away from the conventional, and has risked betting a little more portability reducing the screen size up to 12.5 inches
I must admit that when working this size difference is noticeable a bit , especially in the default size of the letters and everything looks a little smaller than when you use one of 13.3 inches. In any case, it’s nothing that cannot be solved by hand by increasing the font size in your browser.
The screen itself has a glossy finish, and has very good viewing angles that help you see the content clearly from almost anywhere. It offers vibrant colors that are seen clearly, but perhaps that is too freckle notice reflexes.
Their frames have seemed a little wide, especially at the top and bottom, although it is a detail that have managed to hide quite rightly having decided that the glass screen fills the front.
As the finishing stand having economized with Yoga 900S, we cannot say the same of the screen, which comes equipped with everything you may be asked to a high – end laptop. On the one hand the definition goes beyond the classic FullHD, and opt for a QHD 2560×1440 pixels. In addition, the screen is touch, perfect to use your computer in tablet mode.
And precisely because it is a touch screen at once we realize its Achilles heel, fast staining. If we touch the screen carefully we can get that will not stay too marked fingers, but as activate the autopilot and we played with less care soon will begin to be checked.
Windows 10 respected without too much bloatware
As expected, Lenovo has equipped his Yoga 900S with the latest operating system from Microsoft. A Windows 10 that in addition to recovering the start menu lost in the previous version, has the virtual assistant Cortana, different desktops to diversify work, universal applications for various types of devices and the new Microsoft Edge browser.
As do almost all manufacturers, Lenovo wanted to give some personality to your ultrabook pre-installed some applications. Although to my surprise, I have not been as many as I have found in other equipment, and basically seem to have limited themselves to put applications that complement the user experience.
We find, for example with Lenovo Solution Center, a new application that allows us to quickly identify system status receiving alerts if something fails, or access information like the forums of the company and the warranty. It also has scanner hardware with which to perform rapid diagnostic tests on your computer.
On the other hand, we find a OneKey Recovery to back up or restore the system to a previous state, or REACHit to connect our Android and iOS devices and several of our accounts in the cloud. There are also other less useful as Lenovo Settings, which is limited to providing shortcuts to different Windows options.
In short, the applications are presented as an interesting collection for novice users, but can disturb those who are already used to a certain alternatives and advanced users to quickly proceed to uninstall them. In any case, other than too is always good news for everyone.
Performance may be the weak point
If there is one aspect in which Lenovo has decided to risk it is the performance of your laptop. Instead of betting on processors like Intel i series has made most manufacturers have opted for the m, namely a m5. These chips have a lower power, but it helps with the whole win autonomy.
This difference in power we the have not noticed too much when working. Browsing the Internet, using text editors, simply one of pictures, watching videos or using the menus and options Windows 10 computer has behaved correctly, but that’s the least we can expect from anyone.
Lenovo paper on promises us more than 10 hours of battery life, even during the time we’ve been testing us has lasted us between 8 and 9 hours. It is not a bad figure, quite the opposite, as it allows us to work without worrying about outlets for a full workday.
But things can change greatly depending on the profession who are going to use, especially if you need to work with especially demanding editing programs. Here, the gaps are joined processor with the graphics, and result in a rather poor result when compared to other similar devices, even those with similar prices.
Obviously, this means that is not a team with which to play the latest video games market securities. If you like emulators and games a little stale sure you can with many of them, but forget about the Witcher 3 Fallout, Call of Duty and company.
Related to this, another problem we have noticed by demanding more account to ultrabook is how much overheats. Personally I must say that I have rarely encountered laptops to warm both, which is especially noticeable in the remainder of the chassis between the keyboard and hinge.The results of the various tests of raw performance we have come to confirm the feelings we’ve had time to try it . As you can see, in the PCmark Home and Creative, which emulates loads domestic and multimedia work, the device has not been too far from other alternatives more powerful in performance.
However, when using 3D Mark testing much more focused on graphics power itself we have seen a huge difference between the 900S Yoga and others have preferred to play safe outfitting other models of Intel processors devices.
Finally, another aspect that has not convinced us and that directly affects our efficiency when working with him has been the keyboard. Its keys have very little travel, are almost tactile, which is quite uncomfortable when writing and unless we are accustomed penalizes the number of pulses and increases the amount of errors when writing.