Lenovo’s Yoga 9i Gen 7 is a 2-in-1 statement piece

For a laptop to make a statement, it must have more than just the latest components: it must have style. Lenovo’s Yoga 9i is ready to compete in today’s market with its 12th Gen Intel P-series CPUs, but it proves that it’s more than just another thin and light convertible with luxurious details.

You’ll immediately notice that the Yoga 9i was designed to capture your attention with its bright and polished finishes. But it’s the creature comforts, like a high-resolution webcam with background blur, an optional tall and fast OLED touchscreen, and freakishly loud speakers, that tell the real story.

(Note: OLED versions of the Yoga 9i aren’t available for purchase, but Lenovo told us they should be available at Best Buy within the next two weeks.)

thin and shiny

The Yoga 9i proves that a laptop doesn’t have to be a MacBook or even a MacBook copycat to offer an eye-catching design. My test unit’s aluminum chassis is silver, but the laptop also comes in a gold-like “oatmeal” shade and a darker gray. I enjoyed the subtle highlights on the silver version’s matte lid, deck, and keyboard. Instead of drawing attention to itself by living in the center of the laptop lid, the carved Lenovo and Yoga logos make it cool and wait for you to notice them on the edges of the lid.

You can call this laptop’s design “cutting edge,” not because it’s rebellious, but because of the flashy, shiny edges of the deck. Reflective and polished, they offer a rounded alternative to the sharp, pointed edges of laptops that we often see. Lenovo says the edges make the machine more comfortable to hold when in tablet mode, but I found they added unnecessary slip.

More cumbersome is the slim, flat power button on the right side of the deck; I accidentally hit it repeatedly when moving the laptop, even after a few weeks of using the machine. The Yoga 9i’s polished edges are nice, but I’d prefer dull, non-reflective, sharp edges if it meant I could get a better grip and fewer accidental power button presses.

If you rarely hold your laptop on the left and right sides, you probably don’t bother. Of course, there is no power button on the spine.

There is also a sound bar. The holes that cover the 360-degree hinge and its two tweeters are the final details that make the laptop an eye-catcher. Still, I’m concerned about the longevity of the speakers, especially considering the fact that the holes are exposed, even when the laptop is closed.

Finally, the Yoga 9i doesn’t let slimness ruin port selection. On the left, you have two Thunderbolt 4 ports and even a USB-A port (3.2 Gen 2 at 10 Gbps). The right side has a 3.5mm jack and another USB-C (3.2 Gen 2) port.

There’s no HDMI or DisplayPort, but between the Thunderbolt 4 options for a USB-C monitor and the OLED display, hopefully you’ll be able to get by.