Lenovo is going strong with its Yoga series of consumer laptops, and this year it's expanding the series with a new, traditional clamshell laptop that's not a 2-in-1. Fear not though as the high-end and premium Lenovo Yoga - the C930- is back with a gorgeous 14-inch HDR 4K display and a new Dolby ATMOS soundbar that replaces that watchband hinge.
| Category | Yoga C930 | Yoga S730 |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8250U | 8th Gen Intel Core i7-85650U 8th Gen Intel Core i5-8265U |
| RAM | 16GB, 12GB, or 8GB | 16GB or 8GB |
| Storage | 2TB, 1TB, 512GB, or 256GB PCIe SSD | 1TB, 512GB, 256GB, or 128GB PCIe SSD |
| Display size | 13.9" UHD (3840x2160) IPS touchscreen w/Dolby Vision 13.9" FHD (1920x1080) IPS touchscreen w/Dolby Vision | 13.3" FHD (1920x1080) IPS |
| Graphics | Intel HD 620 | Intel HD 620 |
| Ports | 1 x USB 3.1 2x USB-C (Thunderbolt) Audio | 3x USB-C (2x Thunderbolt) Audio |
| Biometrics | Windows Hello Fingerprint reader | Windows Hello Fingerprint reader |
| Pen | Yes (Garaged) | No |
| Audio | Dolby Atmos rotating soundbar | Dolby Atmos |
| Battery | 14.5 hours (FHD) 9 hours (UHD) | 10 hours Rapid Charge |
| Dimensions | 12.68" x 8.94" x 0.57" | 12.09" x 8.27" x 0.47" |
| Weight | 3.04 lbs | 2.6 lbs |
| Price and Availability | $1,099.99, October | $999.99, November |
Lenovo Yoga C930
The Yoga C930 has the expected specs including 8th gen Intel Core i5 8250U or Core i7 8550U processors, and options for a Full HD or 4K display. 8 or 16GB of DDR4 RAM are options, but now there's an intriguing middle choice with 12GB.
Storage now goes all the way up to 2TB of premium PCIe for you heavy users and following the X1 Yoga there is now an active pen garaged in the body of the Yoga for easy, always-available access that also acts as a pen charger.
But this otherwise svelte laptop is hiding two new significant features that set this laptop apart from the herd.
For the display, there is now Dolby Vision HDR, which is standard and found in both the full HD and 4K panels. It is a stunning display previously only in the ThinkPad X1 line, but now available to consumers.
The other significant shift is Lenovo giving up on the famed watch-band hinge. It's a good move as that hinge now supports a massive Dolby ATMOS powered rotating soundbar, which is somewhat crazy. That speaker system blasts your face with loud, crispy audio no matter if in laptop mode, tent, or if using it as a tablet. It's a smart design I have seen in years and combined with the HDR display makes the Yoga a fantastic media experience for movies, music, and more.
Rounding out the Yoga is a minimal but balanced assortment of ports including USB A, two USB Type-C including Thunderbolt 3 and 3.1) and an audio jack. For Windows Hello you get a fingerprint reader, and there's now far-field microphones for use with voice assistant.
The overall design of the Yoga is a combo of a rounded back with some lovely edging and all-metal chassis. An optional glass lid with some fancy prints will be available too for those who prefer some flair.
Battery life is estimated at 14.5 hours for Full HD and 9 hours for 4K. The new Yoga weighs a decent 3 lbs (or 1.38kg) putting right in the normal range for an Ultrabook.
Lenovo Yoga S730
Coming in a slightly lower price point with a smaller display the Yoga S730. It's still every bit of excellent hardware but drops the convertible aspect of its larger C930 kin.
Lenovo describes the S730 as its "first premium clamshell" laptop in the Yoga family. That's quite interesting as Yoga no longer means only 2-in-1, but can also apply to just traditional laptop designs too.
Featuring an all-aluminum chassis, 8th gen Core i5 or i7 processors, up to 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and up to 1TB SSD, the S730 is an impressive competitor to the Surface Laptop.
It keeps things light too at just 2.6lbs (1.2kg) and the Dolby Atmos audio, two Type-C ports (including Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.1) and a third Type-C port for charging with USB 3.1 the S730 keeps ports forward-looking and straightforward.
Rounding things out is a fingerprint reader for Windows Hello and a full HD (1920 x1080) IPS display.
Expect the Yoga S730 sometime in November starting at $1,000.
