Lenovo Yoga 720
Hands on with the 4K, GTX-powered 2-in-1 laptop
Lenovo’s Yoga lineup has always been about versatility. These 2-in-1 laptop/tablet hybrids are seriously portable, but they’ve typically had less power inside than their clamshell counterparts. This year’s Yoga 720 changes everything, packing Kaby Lake Core i7 chips, 4K displays and dedicated graphics.
Designed as a premium Windows 10 laptop, 2017’s Yoga 720 comes in two distinct flavours. The 13in model is markedly cheaper – with prices starting at $860 (UK pricing TBC) – but you’ll have to fork out at least $1,100 for its 15in counterpart.
With the 13in model measuring only 13.9mm thick and the 15in at 19mm, both are slim enough to slip into your rucksack and weigh 1.3kg and 2kg respectively. That’s a decent achievement considering the all-metal chassis. The right side offers a solitary USB 3.1 port, while the left houses both regular USB 3 and a USB Type-C ports for charging. Both models ship with a fingerprint reader for Windows Hello login.
The biggest difference between the two lies in the graphics card options. While you’re stuck with the Intel HD Graphics 620 chip for the 13, you can upgrade to a Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 for its 15in sibling. Pair that with the Kaby Lake processor and 16GB of RAM, and you have everything you need for on-the-go gaming.
Both Yoga 720s come with 4K resolution options (Full HD is the cheaper option), something first seen in 2016’s disappointing Dell XPS 12 hybrid. Hopefully, the screen doesn’t hog battery life as much here, but expect to run out of juice far quicker than its Full HD counterparts.
Lenovo remains tight-lipped about prices for the top-end configurations, but we expect to see the 15in model retail at around £1,500. So, not cheap, but no other hybrid offers this choice of specs. Yet.
Dell’s XPS 13 2-in-1 is on the way, also offering Kaby Lake and Quad HD+ displays. It’s pricier, but has garnered plenty of attention since its CES 2017 unveiling – including a PC Pro award.
With so many questions unanswered, particularly over the price, it’s impossible to tell if the Yoga 720 will be an als0-ran or a trendsetter, but based on first impressions it’s one to look out for.