Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Review: A Polished Do-It-All Laptop - Play

Ultrabooks are notorious for being all show and no go, but the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i checks all the boxes for a power performer today while still looking the part for any professional

Technology has become more personal than ever. They aren’t just devices we carry for convenience and productivity—they have also become extensions of ourselves. At times, they are even seen as accessories to an outfit. But if smartphones and smartwatches have been the focus for tech that alludes to your character, the impact of your laptop speaks volumes. 

The market for a premium laptop gets crowded by the day, yet Lenovo continues to stake its claim as a trusted name for daily drivers in both quality and performance. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i is a strong and stylish contender that fits the current trend of laptops with personality while rivaling ultrabooks in the same category. Lenovo sent over a unit for me to put through the ringer, and having used it as my daily driver for two weeks, the laptop proves to not just be a pretty face. 

Built to match a professional’s lifestyle

If there’s one thing that the Yoga Slim 7i has down pat, it’s the build quality. Crafted from premium aluminum, the Slate Grey laptop I’m using is stealthy, free from tacky designs or colors. It is also available in a range of sophisticated colors including a deep Orchid and nature’s neutral, Dark Moss.

At just 14.9mm at its thinnest, and just a featherweight 1.36kg, the Yoga Slim 7i was never a nuisance to carry around the house or slip in a tote or satchel bag. Its near borderless 14-inch FHD IPS anti-glare display with the trademark Yoga flex that makes it unfold flat is paired with front-facing Dolby Atmos speakers for a complete entertainment package. Plus, it has all the ports you need for today’s paraphernalia like HDMI and even an elusive MicroSD card reader, allowing you to ditch the dongles. A sizable multi-touch trackpad and a backlit keyboard gave me no hiccups while working with smooth gesture controls and extra-satisfying key switches. 

A smart camera system that puts security first 

Smart features built into the Yoga Slim 7i keep it a cut above the rest. Its Smart IR Cam is something you can’t commonly find elsewhere. Out of the box, attention sensors right by the front-facing camera were able to register my absence when I step away, dimming the screen to save power and protect my content from glancing eyes. Then, it instantly recognizes my face the moment I return, waking the screen and logging me back in without touching anything. Security also comes in peace-of-mind with a Three-Year Lenovo Premium Care Warranty. 

Lenovo also includes settings and programs fit for today’s always-online landscape. The Lenovo Vantage application houses settings that are more aggressive with privacy, such as a system-wide toggle for microphone and camera access. Even if I was in video calls on Telegram or Discord, a toggle for a built-in, system-wide Camera Background Blur made sure I was always the focus. The app also houses smart assists, performance boosts, security controls, and anti-virus stats with the McAfee 30-day trial. The Windows 11 machine also comes with Microsoft Office Home & Student pre-installed, making me cross out these programs from my to-download list. 

Making work not feel like work, while still having power to spare for fun 

One field every high-performing premium laptop falls short in is battery life. Even with an 11th Gen Intel® Evo ™ platform powered by Intel® Core™ i7 processor clocking in at 2.80 GHz, Integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, and 16 GB of RAM, the battery still lasted me over 11 hours of heavy use in a full day, with a couple more hours left over for tomorrow. Fast charging brings portability back to the laptop, with an astounding 50% in just 30 minutes through a 65 W USB-C charger. 

A regular work day for me involves video streaming, video calls, chat apps, and never less than five active browser tabs—sometimes all of those opened simultaneously. I would get some playback stutter on YouTube when I have multiple desktops running at the same time, but that’s something closing a dormant tab or two could easily fix. Having installed all the programs I need for work such as Zoom and Adobe apps, and after-work hours such as Discord and Steam, the Yoga Slim 7i still powered through swiftly with quick boot-ups and multitasking with around 770 GB left in the 1 TB SSD. 

The Yoga Slim 7i confidently blazed through productivity during the day, but entertainment and gaming hours at night and on weekends is where the device revealed its true prowess. I tuned into the recently-released Kanye West documentary series Jeen-Yuhs on Netflix, and although the screen could use more contrast and color depth, the speaker system did not disappoint for such a music-oriented film. Oddly enough, audio gargles at specific volume levels such as 36, 52, and 78, so hopefully an audio driver update could fix this software bug.

Climbing up the ranks in the popular first-person shooter VALORANT was something this laptop aces, but playing intense rounds in the more demanding massive multiplayer game Apex Legends made me clock down a few graphics settings for a smoother experience. Still, it’s impressive how the Yoga Slim 7i remains almost completely silent and cool to the touch even during power-hungry tasks with Intelligent Cooling. 

So, who is the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i for? 

With its smart systems working overtime for you, outstanding performance for demanding workloads, and a sophisticated design that fits well within your wardrobe and profile, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i is a premium device for those who need to cover all their bases without the extra fluff. It is best suited for always on-the-go creatives and business folk, regularly working both at home and on-site throughout the week. The device also complements those with collaborative mindsets, with the trademark Yoga screen allowing it to lie flat for team viewing. 

If you’re in the market for a reliable daily performer that can be an extension of yourself and checks all the boxes for today’s must-haves in terms of quality, security, and performance, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i is an ultrabook ultra-capable for the ultra-productive. 

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i starts at PHP 67,994 and is available to view and purchase in Lenovo Yoga Stores in SM Mall of Asia and SM North EDSA, or from Lenovo Exclusive Stores and authorized resellers nationwide. For a full list of stores, visit their website. You can also shop from the Lenovo Yoga Flagship Store in Lazada. Make sure to follow Lenovo Philippines on Facebook for future updates and product releases.

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