When you’re writing about laptops, “spec bump” is often code for “boring.” But here’s a spec bump I’m actually very excited about. Behold: Lenovo has rebranded its Yoga C740 and Yoga C640 as the Yoga 7i and Yoga 6, respectively.
The 7i will include Intel’s “latest” CPUs — presumably the upcoming “Tiger Lake” generation. AMD’s Ryzen 4000 line gave Intel a run for its money this year, so it’ll be interesting to see whether the new chips can bounce back. Intel claims they’ll offer significantly better speeds while drawing less power than previous generations, thanks to its new 10nm SuperFin design. The chips also include Intel’s new Xe integrated graphics, which the company has shown to run modern AAA titles smoothly.
Like its predecessor, the new 7i looks to be a convertible MacBook Air competitor targeting midrange consumers (it’s a tier under the company’s premium flagship, the Yoga C940). It comes in 14-inch and 15-inch configurations and features front-facing Dolby Atmos speakers, Amazon Alexa integration, a webcam with an integrated privacy shutter, and two ports that support Intel’s new Thunderbolt 4 standard.
Lenovo claims you’ll get 13 hours of battery life out of the 15-inch model, and 16 hours on the 14-inch model. It’s also promising a very fast boot time — per the company, you’ll see the 7i up and running “the moment you open the lid.”
The 13.3-inch Yoga 6 will feature AMD Ryzen processors up to the Ryzen 7 4700U. We can vouch for these chips; they power the 2020 HP Envy x360, which absolutely flies and can handle gaming about as well as expected from a system with a low-powered discrete GPU.
This Yoga might be more appealing to budget-minded shoppers. Its predecessor was largely marketed as a solid student laptop. It has an interesting design, though, with a nice blue fabric covering the lid. Lenovo says it’s the first laptop designed with a hybrid of metal and “soft-touch” materials.
The company is also claiming 18 hours of battery life, a 300-nit screen, and a compact 2.9-pound chassis. This one comes with Alexa, too.
The Yoga 6 will hit shelves in October, and it starts at $699. The 7i will be available in November starting at $799.
Lenovo also announced a few Yoga Slim 7 models, including the Yoga Slim 7i, Yoga Slim 7i Pro, and Yoga Slim 7 Pro. These aren’t coming to North America, but European residents can pick up the 7 Pro in August and the 7i models in October. The 7i starts at €999, the 7i pro starts at €899, and the 7 Pro starts at €799.