Lenovo has had a big presence at CES over the last few years, and that’s no different at 2021’s all-digital event. But while the likes of the IdeaPad range have been upgraded to 5G, the company has also taken the opportunity to update the Yoga line.
The big news here is the new Yoga Slim 7i Pro, which now comes with a stunning-looking 14in 90Hz OLED display. It’s the only real upgrade over the LCD 2020 model, but that alone should make it worth considering – high refresh rate OLED laptops are still relatively few and far between. All configurations sport a 16:10 aspect ratio and tiny bezels, with resolutions up to 2.8k (2880×1800).
Assuming you’re not choosing between the two versions, the Yoga Slim 7i Pro looks like an excellent laptop in its own right. The device is powered by Intel’s 11th-gen processors (up to i7), with high-end versions swapping out the integrated Xe graphics for a discrete Nvidia GeForce MX450 GPU.
This makes it a contender for AAA gaming, despite being just 0.7in thick and 1.45kg at its heaviest. Lenovo has typically focused on portability in its consumer devices, and that looks set to continue.
Elsewhere, the device also has up to 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD storage, as well as hands-free Alexa integration. There’s a sizeable 61Wh battery too – Lenovo doesn’t say how long it will last, but the pending inclusion in Intel’s Evo Platform suggests it’s up to the task. The port selection is fairly standard, with one USB-C (for charging and data transfer), one USB-A and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Perhaps the big omission here is 5G connectivity, especially when you consider it’s now available on the aforementioned IdeaPad and other products in the Yoga range. With no 4G support either, the only real reason Lenovo has left it out here is to keep costs down.
We don’t know exactly how much the Yoga Slim 7i Pro will cost at launch, only that ‘pricing will vary by market’. The device won’t be available in North America, with details on availability in other markets coming at a later date.
That means we’ll have to wait a while to get our hands on one, as is often the case with products announced at CES, but we’re excited to see if it’s as good as the recently-reviewed Yoga Slim 7. Being considered among the best laptops you can buy will be a tougher challenge – only time will tell if it’s up to the task.
Author: Anyron Copeman, Senior Staff Writer
As the resident expert on Windows, Senior Staff Writer Anyron’s main focus is PCs and laptops. Much of the rest of his time is split between smartphones, tablets and audio, with a particular focus on Android devices.