Lenovo's new mini PC is so small we thought it was a speakerphone — AI smarts, Wi-Fi sensing, and Windows Hello are just the start

The mini PC market had a great year, and with laptop and desktop prices expected to continue climbing in 2026, I foresee many users considering a switch to a more affordable device that's powerful and compact.

Lenovo is kicking off CES 2026 with a new Yoga Mini i PC that weighs just 600 grams (1.32 pounds) with a 0.65-liter chassis. That's even more impressive considering the chassis is made from aluminum, matching the aesthetic of Lenovo's premium Yoga laptops.

It's absurdly small, with its round design measuring just 5.12 x 5.12 x 1.91 inches (130mm x 130mm x 48.6mm). Forget a backpack or messenger — you could slip this into your back pocket when you leave the office.

And despite having such a tiny frame, Lenovo has packed in some impressive performance hardware and additional features to improve the user experience. The mini PC runs on Intel's latest Core Ultra X7 Series 3 chips, up to an X7 358H with integrated graphics. These chips have more than enough power to run Windows 11's Copilot+ AI tools.

You can configure the Yoga Mini i with up to 32GB of LPDDR5x-8533MT/s RAM and up to 2TB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD storage. There's no word if the SSD is user-upgradeable, but I do know that the LPDDR5x RAM is soldered to the board. It all runs on a 100W USB-C power adapter.

Image 1 of 4

Here's where things get interesting. The Yoga Mini i comes with Wi-Fi sensing abilities, which can automatically wake the PC when it notices changes in Wi-Fi signals (caused by, say, you walking through your office). That's a bit too much sensing for my liking, but I'm sure some will appreciate the feature.

A built-in ambient light will pulse when it senses your presence, and the same light will show up for certain notifications and reminders. The small power button on the side of the device includes a fingerprint reader for additional security through Windows Hello, something that's not often seen on even the best mini PCs currently available.

I don't blame you for thinking that a mini PC this small might lack the port selection for a full workload. However, that's not quite the case. Lenovo managed to fit in dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, one USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) with 100W charging capabilities, another USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), 2.5Gb Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio combo, and one USB-A 3.2 (Gen 2).

That covers video, data, internet, and power, and Lenovo says the Yoga Mini i can support "up to four high-resolution displays" with its native port selection. A built-in speaker and microphone make it easy to conference without any additional hardware.

Lenovo expects to launch its new Yoga Mini i in June 2026 with a starting price of $699.99.

Mini PCs are becoming more popular all the time, and companies like Lenovo are pushing the limits in terms of size, power, and features. Will your next PC be a mini PC?

Follow Windows Central on Google News to keep our latest news, insights, and features at the top of your feeds!