Summary
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 review.. There has been an abundance of laptops with a screen size of 16 inches that are aimed at becoming a genuine challenger to the MacBook Pro. Nevertheless, only a few have been able to successfully challenge it.
When I first saw the Yoga Pro 9i 16, I thought it would be a wonderful laptop, but in the end, it proved to be inferior to the most powerful laptop that Apple has ever produced. Nevertheless, when I put it through its paces, I became aware of the enormous amount of power that Lenovo had managed to pack into this laptop, which resulted in what might be considered the most genuine effort to challenge the MacBook Pro.
Due to the fact that Lenovo’s prices are often updated, it might be difficult to accurately predict them at times. Regarding its setups, the same thing applies. An Intel Core Ultra 7155H processor, 16 gigabytes of random access memory (RAM), a 512 gigabyte solid-state drive (SSD), an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, and a 16.0-inch 3.2K IPS display are all included in the Yoga Pro 9i 16′s starting price of $1,482. It costs $2,105 if you go with a Core Ultra 9 185H, 32 gigabytes of random access memory (RAM), a one-terabyte solid-state drive (SSD), an RTX 4060, and a 3.2K mini-LED display.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 review
Despite the fact that it has premium pricing, it is still quite reasonable when considering its capabilities and design. The Dell XPS 16 and the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra are the two key opponents that the Yoga Pro 9i 16 faces in the technology market today. In the same vein as the Yoga, both are 16-inch creator laptops that are somewhat portable.
Starting at $1,899, the XPS 16 is equipped with a Core Ultra 7 155H processor, 16 gigabytes of random access memory (RAM), a 512 gigabyte solid-state drive (SSD), integrated Intel Arc graphics, and a 16.3-inch Full HD+ IPS display. The price is $3,099 when it is configured in a manner that is comparable to that of the Yoga, with a Core Ultra 9, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB solid-state drive, an RTX 4060, and a 16.3-inch 4K+ OLED display. When we reviewed it, it cost $3,399, and it included an RTX 4070, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB solid-state drive, and an OLED display. It also had a Core Ultra 7 155H processor.
In spite of the fact that its basic model has a more advanced configuration, the Galaxy Book 4 Ultra is also more costly. For a Core Ultra 7 155H, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB solid-state drive, an RTX 4050 graphics processing unit, and a 16.0-inch 3K AMOLED display, the starting price is $2,400. It costs $3,000 and comes with a Core Ultra 9 processor, 32 gigabytes of random access memory (RAM), a one-terabyte solid-state drive (SSD), and an RTX 4070 graphics card.
It will be shown that the Yoga Pro 9i 16 is more efficient than both of its rivals, while at the same time being priced $1,295 less than the XPS 16 and $895 less than the Galaxy Book4 Ultra. Every one of these computers is much more costly than the Apple MacBook Pro 16, which is the most expensive available.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 review: Crafting
Compared to, for example, the Dell XPS 16, which has the most bezels in its class, the Yoga Pro 9i 16 is a huge laptop with a display that measures 16.0 inches and has bezels that are quite tiny on the sides and top. However, the bottom chin is much wider. This indicates that it is a little bit deeper, despite the fact that the XPS 16 has a display that is somewhat bigger at 16.3 inches. But the Yoga Pro is a little bit slimmer, and it weighs less than the Yoga Pro.
The width and depth of the MacBook Pro 16 are comparable to those of the Yoga, but the MacBook Pro 16 is substantially thinner at 0.66 inches, while the Yoga measures 0.72 inches. Additionally, the MacBook Pro 16 has a somewhat greater weight, which gives it a denser feel. For both thickness (0.65 inches) and weight (4.1 pounds), the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra is the smallest and lightest option.
In general, this makes the Yoga Pro 9i 16 rather portable for a laptop with a big screen, although it does not lead the pack in terms of portability. Due to the fact that it is constructed entirely out of aluminum, its build quality is exceptional, and the display, keyboard deck, and chassis do not bend, flex, or twist in any way. With its reduced price, it is especially remarkable since it is easily on par with the XPS 16 and the MacBook Pro 16, both of which are already very outstanding.
The chassis, which is light gray in color, has a straightforward design and rounded corners, which make it easy to use and transport from place to place. When opening the lid, which is something that can be done with one hand owing to a hinge that feels just perfect, the reverse notch that is located on top of the display that houses the camera and quad microphones gives something to grip onto.
When taken as a whole, the look is uncluttered yet still manages to be appealing. The XPS 16 has a design that is more contemporary, and the MacBook Pro 16 is perhaps more attractive; nonetheless, it is quite unlikely that you would pick any of these designs over the Yoga Pro based just on their appearance.
The keyboard is the standard one that Lenovo offers, and it has sculpted keycaps and enough key spacing. Additionally, the switches are quite deep and have a quick and crisp feel to them. I did find the bottoming action to be a bit more rigid than I would have liked, and the Magic Keyboard that comes with the MacBook Pro continues to be my favorite.
In spite of the fact that I was able to keep my typing pace near my maximum while I was writing this review, I did find that using the keyboard became a little bit exhausting after a while. Despite the fact that it is a mechanical touchpad, the touchpad is sufficiently big. This is in contrast to the haptic touchpad that is found on the XPS 16 and the MacBook Pro 16.
Despite the fact that the version of the Yoga Pro 9i 16 featured clicks that were both quiet and strong, I still prefer haptic touchpads at these costs since they have wider clickable regions and a feel that can be adjusted.
A numpad is located to the right of the keyboard, which is another reason why the trackpad is not in the middle of the keyboard. This is something that should be mentioned. In addition, the Galaxy Book4 Ultra is equipped with the same kind of keyboard. Due to the fact that the majority of individuals presumably do not use a numeric keypad in their day-to-day lives, this is a rather peculiar design choice to remain around.
For a bigger laptop, the Yoga Pro 9i 16 features a broad variety of connection options that are comparable to those found on larger laptops. In addition to a full-size SD card reader, there is a combination of current and older ports, which is a positive indicator for those who create. There are additional Thunderbolt 4 ports on the XPS 16, but it does not accept older devices. Additionally, it features a microSD card reader.
In addition to the same HDMI connector and full-size SD card reader, the MacBook Pro 16 also comes with an increased number of Thunderbolt 4 ports. The use of wireless communication is sufficiently contemporary.
A high-quality picture is provided by the webcam, which has a resolution of 5 megapixels, which is more than the resolution of many of its direct rivals. A Neural Processing Unit (NPU) is included in the Meteor Lake chipset of the laptop. This NPU is used by the Studio Effects program developed by Microsoft, but not by many other applications.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 review: Thermal energy and power
Either the 28-watt Core Ultra 7 155H with 16 cores (six Performance, eight efficiency, and two Low Power efficiency) and 22 threads operating at 4.8 GHz or the 45-watt Core Ultra 9 185H with the same number of cores and threads operating at up to 5.1 GHz may be selected for the Yoga Pro 9i 16. Both of these configurations are included in the Yoga Pro 9i 16’s configuration options. The latter was included in the model that I evaluated, and it was accompanied with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 (the RTX 4050 is an alternative). My benchmarks taught me that specifications may be misleading, and the Yoga Pro 9i 16 is, by all accounts, an outstanding performance. I find this to be especially true.
The Dell XPS 16 and the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra are two of the most significant opponents that Lenovo has in this market situation, as was indicated before. While the Core Ultra 7 was found in the XPS 16 and the Core Ultra 9 was found in the Galaxy Book4 Ultra, both of the devices that we evaluated were equipped with the RTX 4070, which offered a potentially faster graphics processing unit.
On the other hand, Lenovo included 130 watts of thermal design power (TDP) to be split between the central processing unit (CPU) and the graphics processing unit (GPU), but Dell and Samsung are both restricted to 80 watts. However, the XPS 16 and Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra models only received 60 watts of power, but the RTX 4060 and RTX 4070 are capable of drawing up to 115 watts of power. The GPU of the Yoga Pro 9i 16 receives 100 watts, while the central processing unit receives 30 watts. This indicates that the central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) of the Lenovo get a significant increase in power.
I also looked at the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 because, despite the fact that it is a gaming laptop (although a very slim one at only 0.64 inches), it still provides a lot of power to its RTX 4070, and you would expect it to be quicker than other gaming laptops. As a further point of reference, the Alienware m16 R2 has a total thermal design power (TDP) of 175 watts.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 review: The performance
The question now is, how do the numbers appear? When I am blown away by the performance of a laptop, it is often when it performs far better than I anticipated or when being compared to its primary rivals. I am seldom blown away by the performance of a laptop. Both were done by the Yoga Pro 9i 16 device.
In every single one of our benchmarks, it is at least as quick as the XPS 16 and the Galaxy Book 4 Ultra, and in the majority of instances, it is even faster. In our CPU-intensive evaluations, where I anticipated that it would be quicker than the XPS 16, as well as in our GPU-specific benchmarks, where I anticipated that Dell and Samsung would benefit from their improved graphics processing units (GPUs), I was wrong. During the Cinebench R24 GPU test, the Yoga Pro 9i 16’s performance was almost identical to that of the previous model. Additionally, its Geekbench 6, Handbrake, and Cinebench R24 CPU scores were all higher than those of the previous model.
The Pugetbench Premiere Pro benchmark, which is a real-world benchmark that runs in a live version of Adobe’s Premiere Pro, was the most intriguing thing to look at. This benchmark involves the use of both the central processing unit (CPU) and the graphics processing unit (GPU), with the latter playing a crucial role in determining how quickly a Windows laptop can complete a variety of demanding procedures, such as video encoding. It was even quicker than the Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 and the Alienware m16 R2 when it came to this score, and it was faster than both the XPS 16 and the Galaxy Book 4 Ultra. The Yoga Pro 9i 16 was the fastest laptop in this test. Given the different configurations and prices of each laptop, it is rather astounding.
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 is a good option to consider if you are searching for a laptop with a screen size of 16 inches that is not only portable but also offers outstanding performance. After considering the RTX 4060, I really hope that no one makes the decision to go with an XPS 16 or Galaxy Book4 Ultra instead, since all of those laptops come with an RTX 4070 as an option. Not only will the Lenovo be substantially more affordable, but it will also be significantly quicker. Despite the fact that it is an extremely expensive laptop, Apple’s MacBook Pro 16 is a much quicker laptop because of its M3 Max 16/40 processor.
Continuing its remarkable performance, the Yoga Pro 9i 16 is an excellent choice for gamers. As a result of Lenovo’s use of Nvidia’s Studio drivers, the company’s gaming performance is somewhat compromised; nonetheless, the company’s creative and other applications experience improved and more dependable performance. In spite of this, it was successful.
The first thing I did was run the 3DMark Time Spy test, and I found that Lenovo was able to get a great deal more performance from the RTX 4060 than some of its rivals were able to do with their RTX 4070s. Even the ROG Zephyrus G16 was slower than others in this category. As a result of the graphics processing unit (GPU), the Yoga’s two display choices both operate at 165 Hz, which essentially guarantees a tear-free experience.
On top of that, I put the Yoga Pro 9i 16 through a few gaming benchmarks, and it once again demonstrated excellent performance. Remarkably, the Lenovo performed quite well when compared against a few other laptops that were equipped with RTX 4070 graphics cards, including a number of gaming machines.
In order to take advantage of the most advanced graphics settings, you may wish to go back to 1080p while playing recent games. The Yoga Pro 9i, on the other hand, is an excellent option for use as a laptop for occasional gaming.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 review: Battery life span
For a 16-inch laptop with quick components and a high-resolution mini-LED display that consumes a lot of power, the Yoga Pro 9i 16 has a battery energy capacity of 84 watt-hours, which is on the lower end of the spectrum. I was not anticipating a very long battery life, and I was not disappointed by it. As for what I observed, it was satisfactory enough.
Our online surfing test lasted around six hours, while our video test lasted for approximately nine and a half hours. It is true that they are below average for all Windows laptops, but they are not at all poor for the kind of machine that they belong to. The XPS 16 features a battery that has a capacity of 99.5 watt-hours, yet it only lasted for 5.5 hours in each of the tests.
In spite of the fact that the Yoga Pro 9i 16 cannot even come close to matching the MacBook Pro 16’s 19 hours of online surfing and 27 hours of movie playback, it still performs well in comparison to its competitors, which are somewhat more costly. When it comes to performing any type of work, it won’t last very long after lunch, but that is to be anticipated until Intel and Microsoft come up with a solution that is more efficient and yet reaches peak speeds when it is required.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i 16 review: Audio and visual display
When it came to the Yoga Pro 9i 16, Lenovo opted for a mini-LED display, particularly a 16.0-inch 16:10 screen with a resolution of 3.2K (3000 x 2000). This is a really crisp display, and Windows 11 has a refresh rate of 165Hz, which makes it quite fluid.
The Mini-LED display technology is renowned for its high level of brightness and rich contrast, and it is evident in Apple’s MacBook Pros that this technology shines. On the other hand, when I performed my evaluation of the 2023 Yoga Pro 9i 16, I was not as pleased. The contrast of its mini-LED display was not as good as that of other displays, but it was bright and vivid. In the Windows display settings, I was able to increase the contrast by switching to HDR mode; however, the colors were far less vibrant. The way that Windows handles HDR material is exactly like that.
This is something that I saw with the 2024 Yoga Pro 9i 16 as well. It displayed colors that were both accurate and broad, and it had a lot of brightness. It performed well with high-dynamic range (HDR) video from sources like Netflix, due to its compatibility with Dolby Vision HDR; nonetheless, its contrast was lower than that of the mini-LED displays and OLED panels found on the MacBook Pro computers. Moreover, the contrast increased when the HDR mode was used.
Whatever the case may be, the display of the Yoga Pro 9i 16 is excellent for users who are engaged in productivity, producers, and consumers of media. HDR should be turned on if you want the greatest possible support for high dynamic range (HDR) in both multimedia and gameplay.
The Yoga Pro 9i 16 is equipped with a total of six speakers, including two tweeters pointed upward and four woofers pointed sideways. Both the highs and the mids are beautiful and bright, and the system is capable of producing a great deal of volume without distorting. Additionally, there is a greater amount of bass than on the majority of computers. After listening to both of them side by side, I still give the MacBook Pro 16’s six-speaker configuration the edge, but the Yoga comes in a close second because of its amazing sound quality. When the volume is turned up to its maximum, the audio quality of the Lenovo is significantly superior to that of the XPS 16, with more bass and less distortion.
One of the entries in the 16-inch sweepstakes was shockingly strong
The Apple XPS 16 and the Apple MacBook Pro 16 are the two most well-known brands of laptops with a screen size of 16 inches. In contrast to the Yoga Pro 9i 16, which is more of a dark horse, these two machines get the most of the publicity. However, I really hope that this is not the case since it is a laptop that is absolutely exceptional and can be purchased at a price that is quite appealing.
Although it is not able to match the speed and efficiency of the MacBook Pro, which is the leader in its class, it is quicker than rival Windows laptops, even when those laptops have a better graphics processing unit (GPU). More power was added to the Yoga Pro 9i 16 by Lenovo, and it is very noticeable. In addition to having a sturdy construction, the Yoga Pro 9i 16 is one of the finest laptops, with a screen size of 16 inches. It also has an excellent display and a good sound system.
