Lenovo continues to push boundaries in laptop design with its latest ultrabook offering. The 10th-generation Yoga Slim 9i represents a bold step forward in premium laptop aesthetics and display technology, while introducing the world's first camera-under-display (CUD) implementation in a laptop. This sleek device combines luxury design elements with impressive hardware, though it makes some notable compromises to achieve its striking form factor.
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| The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i features a stunning blue glass lid and a sleek metallic finish, embodying its luxurious design |
Innovative Design With Glass-Inspired Aesthetics
The Yoga Slim 9i immediately stands out with its stunning blue glass lid that shimmers and changes hues when it catches light. This premium design approach extends to the metal chassis, which features rounded, reflective edges that enhance its luxurious appearance. At just 12.32 x 8.01 x 0.57 inches and weighing a mere 2.76 pounds, it's remarkably portable for a 14-inch laptop. The device passed MIL-STD-810H durability tests, suggesting it can withstand some environmental stress despite its delicate appearance. However, the glossy surfaces are highly prone to fingerprints and smudges, requiring regular cleaning to maintain its pristine look.
World's First Camera-Under-Display Technology
Perhaps the most innovative feature of the Yoga Slim 9i is its camera-under-display implementation. Unlike traditional webcams housed in bezels, Lenovo placed the camera beneath the display glass, allowing the screen to extend closer to the edges. When activated, a small black circle appears at the top of the screen, indicating the camera's location. While technologically impressive, the 32MP webcam delivers disappointing image quality with noticeable grain, color distortion, and lack of sharpness even in good lighting conditions. The laptop does include a physical kill switch for privacy but lacks an infrared sensor for facial recognition.
Spectacular OLED Display Performance
The standout feature of the Yoga Slim 9i is undoubtedly its 14-inch OLED touchscreen. With a 3840 x 2400 resolution (16:10 aspect ratio) and 120Hz refresh rate, it delivers exceptional visual quality with vibrant colors and deep blacks. The display covers 146.5% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and reaches an average brightness of 356 nits, impressive for an OLED panel. Content creators will appreciate the ability to switch between sRGB, Adobe RGB, and DCI-P3 color spaces through the Lenovo Vantage app. The screen's only drawbacks are its highly reflective surface, which can cause distracting glare, and slightly rounded top corners that trim a small portion of pixels in application windows.
Comfortable Typing Experience and Quality Audio
Despite its ultra-thin profile, the Yoga Slim 9i offers a surprisingly comfortable keyboard with 1.5mm key travel and satisfying tactile feedback. The keys feature a soft-touch coating and two-level white backlighting. The right column includes useful shortcut keys for performance mode, Dolby Atmos settings, blue light filtering, and launching the Lenovo Vantage app. The touchpad, while appearing slightly small at 4.1 x 2.7 inches, maximizes available vertical space and provides smooth navigation with quiet physical clicks.
Audio quality is another strong point, with speakers delivering full-bodied sound that's plenty loud for personal listening. Bass notes are satisfying, and the Dolby Atmos settings via the Dolby Access app enhance sound quality for different content types. However, the lack of a headphone jack means users will need Bluetooth or USB-C audio devices for private listening.
Performance and Battery Life
Equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Lunar Lake processor, 32GB of RAM, Intel Arc Graphics 140V, and a 1TB SSD, the Yoga Slim 9i delivers solid but not exceptional performance. In benchmarks, it competes well with the Dell XPS 13 (9350) but falls behind the HP Omnibook Ultra and Apple MacBook Pro with M4 chip. File transfer speeds are also relatively modest at 1,032.87 MBps compared to competitors. Thermal management is excellent, with the laptop maintaining consistent performance during stress tests while keeping surface temperatures comfortable and fan noise minimal.
Battery life represents one of the Yoga Slim 9i's weaker points. In standardized testing, it lasted 11 hours and 3 minutes, significantly behind the non-OLED Dell XPS 13 (17:29) and Apple MacBook Pro (18:31). While sufficient for a typical workday, those needing maximum endurance might be disappointed. The laptop offers power management options through the Lenovo Vantage app, including a battery conservation mode and adaptive overnight charging.
Limited Connectivity and Upgradeability
The ultra-thin design comes with significant compromises in connectivity and upgradeability. The Yoga Slim 9i offers just two Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) ports—one on each side—with no USB Type-A ports, video outputs, or headphone jack. Users will likely need adapters or Bluetooth peripherals for expanded connectivity. Upgrade options are equally limited, with only the battery and M.2 2230 format SSD being replaceable. Memory is integrated into the processor and cannot be upgraded, while the Wi-Fi 7 card is soldered to the motherboard.
Pricing and Value Proposition
Starting at USD $1,760, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i positions itself firmly in the premium ultrabook market. The review unit with Core Ultra 7 258V processor, 32GB RAM, and 1TB SSD costs USD $1,834.99. While expensive, this pricing is competitive with similar high-end offerings like the Dell XPS 13 with OLED screen (USD $1,999.99) and the Apple MacBook Pro with M4 chip (USD $1,799.99). The HP Omnibook Ultra offers better value at USD $1,499.99 with comparable specs and a 2TB SSD, though it lacks some of the Yoga's design flourishes.
Conclusion
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i represents an impressive achievement in laptop design, combining stunning aesthetics with innovative display technology. Its gorgeous OLED screen, comfortable keyboard, and ultra-portable design make it an appealing option for style-conscious users who prioritize visual quality and premium build. However, the mediocre webcam quality, limited connectivity options, and merely adequate battery life prevent it from being the perfect ultrabook. For those willing to accept these compromises in exchange for its standout features, the Yoga Slim 9i offers a unique and luxurious computing experience that few competitors can match.