Connectivity and security
1,000MB/sec. Boot Windows 10 Pro from cold and it’s mere seconds before you land on the desktop.
Oddly enough, the Lenovo didn’t perform quite as brilliantly as I expected in our benchmarks. An overall score of 39 puts it a whisker behind the Dell XPS 13 I tested, which contained Intel’s slightly slower 2.5GHz Core i7-6500U processor. I have a sneaking suspicion that Lenovo’s more aggressive power management might be the issue here.
Having used the ThinkPad X1 Yoga in practice, though, I’m confident this laptop will coast through most tasks without blinking. I’d recommend the 16GB of RAM upgrade if you’re a fan of OS virtualisation, but other than that the specification on test here is a match for most people’s needs.
Battery life is respectable, too. With the screen brightness set to 170cd/m2 and Wi-Fi off, the X1 Yoga was able to play a movie constantly for 7hrs 55mins. Use a more aggressive power plan, reduce the screen brightness (even 85cd/m2 is fine for most indoor environments), and you’ll be closing the lid and heading home for the day before having to dig the charger out of your bag.
When it comes to connections, it’s probably easier to begin with what’s missing: USB Type-C. While you could argue this isn’t a big loss for a business laptop – and it’s still far from essential on consumer devices – it’s a connector that you may come to miss in time.
But that’s the limit of my criticisms of the X1 Yoga’s connection options. There are three USB 3 ports, a OneLink+ port for adding Lenovo’s various optional docking stations, and you get both HDMI and miniDisplayPort outputs, too. Factor in
“Having used the ThinkPad X1 Yoga, I’m confident this laptop will coast through most tasks without blinking”
the fingerprint reader just beneath the keyboard and the X1 Yoga ticks all the right boxes.
This review unit, which is currently the priciest pre-configured model on Lenovo’s site, also partners an Intel 802.11ac Wi-Fi chipset with a Sierra Wireless EM7455 LTE modem that supports the fastest mobile broadband speeds going (up to 300Mbits/sec to be precise). However, you can swap the mobile broadband for an Intel WiGig module, which opens the door to high-speed wireless docking stations. Or you might prefer to drop down to the £1,580 inc VAT configuration, which loses the mobile broadband and goes one rung down the CPU ladder: it includes a i7-6500U chip, not the i7-6600U we tested.
Verdict
Lenovo has produced some amazing devices in recent times, so it’s no surprise to see it waltz in and do what it does best: produce another brilliant business hybrid. It isn’t cheap – even in its most modest specification, the X1 Yoga is a cool £1,320 inc VAT – but you most certainly get what you pay for.
The screen is large enough to use all day without yearning for an external monitor; everything from the keyboard to the stylus is faultless; there’s a three-year on-site warranty; and the performance is strong enough to please all but the most demanding users. Factor in the flexibility on offer and it’s nigh-on unbeatable. If you’re in charge of the IT department, order yours now. If not, start begging the person who is. SPECIFICATIONS Dual-core 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6600U processor 8GB RAM Intel HD Graphics 520 256GB SSD 14in 2,560 x 1,440 IPS touchscreen display 720p webcam 802.11ac Wi-Fi (2x2 MIMO) mobile broadband Bluetooth 4.1 3 x USB 3 HDMI mini-DisplayPort microSD OneLink+ 52Whr battery 3yr on-site warranty Windows 10 Pro 333 x 229 x 16.8mm (WDH) 1.27kg