The LenovoIdeaPad Yoga 13 is a convertible laptop created by Lenovo and first announced at the International CES 2012 in January. The Yoga 13 gets its name from its ability to take on various form factors due to its screen being mounted on a special two-way hinge.
The 13-inch Yoga was released by Lenovo on Oct. 26, 2012. Best Buy released an alternative version of the Yoga 13 with an Intel Core i5 processor (vs. Lenovo's base model's i3 processor) and no Microsoft Office (whereas Lenovo's base model includes Microsoft Office). Its smaller cousin, Yoga 11, which runs Windows RT (as opposed to the Yoga 13, running Windows 8), was released in December 2012.[1][2]
Design
Various configurations possible with the Yoga 11S and Yoga 13
The name "Yoga" is a reference to the unit's design that makes use of a double hinge to allow four different configurations in order to provide maximum flexibility to the user.[3]
The Yoga 13 is 17mm thick. The Yoga's hybrid design was achieved through the use of a special patented hinge that allows the keyboard to flip flush to the back of the display. The Yoga 13's hinge allows the device to be held partway open so it can be set upright on a flat surface as a display. When the keyboard is folded away the computer functions as a touch-controlled tablet. Much of the Yoga 13's usability as a tablet is made possible through Microsoft's Windows 8.[1]
The Yoga 13 was compared to the IdeaPad U300s ultrabook, in terms of appearance: the aluminum look, shape and size.[4] However, the wrist rest on the Yoga 13 has plastic with a texture similar to leather.[4] This wrist rest is also elevated, allowing the Yoga 13 to be placed, keyboard-down on a table, without users "worrying too much about damaging the keys".[5]
The Yoga 13 has a chiclet-style keyboard that has been the subject of criticism. In his review for Popular Science, Dan Nosowitz wrote about the keyboard, "The one big fault, oddly, is the keyboard. Oddly, because Lenovo is kind of known for making ugly but incredibly usable keyboards. Yet the Yoga 13 has a half-sized backspace and right shift key, which means I mistyped a lot. When you're in tablet mode, there's the Windows 8 on-screen keyboard, which, due to the Yoga 13's huge screen (compared to other tablets), is great. You can actually use all ten fingers on the keyboard, rather than the two-fingers-and-a-thumb strategy you'd use on an iPad."
The reason for the convertible tablet design was explained by Yang Yuanqing, chairman and CEO of Lenovo. He said, "Whether a notebook that bends and folds, or an all-in-one that puts the 'wide' into wide-angle, today's announcements reflect our focus on delivering the inspirational innovations that consumers are looking for."[6]
The Yoga 13 has been described as being thicker and heavier than most tablet devices at 17mm thin and a 13.3 inch screen.[4] However, PC World indicated that it was thinner and easy to carry than most convertible notebooks.[4] Engadget shared the same opinion, indicating that it was thick by the standards of a tablet, but slim for a laptop-tablet convertible.[7] Among several changes that contribute to the slim design is an altered power port.[7]
Engadget also praised the build quality and the IPS display.[7] The hinge was designed to weather 25,000 open/close cycles and the back covered was described as having a "soft, tactile finish".[7] The display offered wide viewing angles and vibrant colors.[7] It was also indicated to be responsive, to taps, swipes, and up to ten-finger touchscreen input.[7]
Specifications
The Yoga 13's capacitive touch display allows for up to 10-point touch control. The Yoga 13 is powered by an IntelChief River platform, using an Ivy Bridge processor, has 4 GB or 8 GB of RAM, and SSD with 128 GB or 256 GB.[1][8]
The battery life of the Yoga 13 is estimated at eight hours.[1] After testing the Yoga 13's battery life TechRadar said, "Our only real concern is that the battery life is squarely average. In our Battery Eater test, which maxes out the system until the battery dies, we only clocked 177 minutes, which is short of the 200-minute gold standard. This said, in normal day-to-day usage, we experienced closer to six to eight hours of life, depending on the screen brightness and CPU saturation."[9]
The Yoga 13 makes use of a 13.3-inch display with a resolution of 1600 x 900. The display uses an IPS panel in order to provide wide viewing angles and maintain the thin profile of the Yoga 13.[10]
The Yoga 13 has 720p front-facing webcam. It has one USB 3.0 port and one USB 2.0 port, an HDMI output, a memory card reader, and a combo jack for audio input and output.[9]
Reviews
A reviewer for ZDNet wrote, "The Yoga 13 looks like a fit for those primarily wanting an Ultrabook, with occasional use as a tablet. I’m not sure 3.4 pounds makes for a comfortable tablet experience for very long. It will likely get more extended use as a laptop with a touchscreen."[11]
In an editors' review, CNET stated that, "The Yoga works best as a full-time laptop and part-time tablet, because when it's folded back into a slate, you still have the keyboard pointing out from the back of the system. Although the keyboard and touch pad are deactivated in this mode, it's still not ideal. Plus, despite the hype, Windows 8 is still not a 100-percent tablet-friendly OS, and there are some frustrations that span all the Windows 8 tablet-style devices we've tested. The Yoga certainly seems to be everyone's choice for a great Windows 8 ambassador -- both Microsoft and Intel have touted it as a best-in-class example, and Best Buy is currently featuring it in a television ad."[3]
In a review for Popular Science Dan Nosowitz wrote, "For most users, in 2012, I think an ultrabook is the way to go. Small, fast, sturdy, and light--that's what's important now. If your media is mostly in the cloud--you use Radio or Spotify, Netflix, Hulu, Google Docs, any of a million cloud photo services--then this is perfect (though there's some weirdness with the 128GB SSD; you only have about 50GB available, and I'm not sure why). It's light enough to throw in a backpack, battery life reached more than five hours with moderate-to-heavy use, and, importantly and unusually for a Windows machine, the Yoga is actually fun to use. The hinge seems like a gimmick, but I actually think it's great, and whizzing through the colorful tablet mode is futuristic and cool."[12]
In a review for TechRadar George Jones wrote, "With the hyper-flexible Yoga, Lenovo has the most, or at least the first, meaningful intangible. For now, it's hard to imagine anyone topping a device that can be favorably compared to other laptops as well as tablet convertibles."[9]
In its review of the Yoga 13, Trusted Reviews writes, "Like most of the Windows 8 convertible tablet/laptops we’ve looked at, the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 isn’t quite the perfect hybrid. However, if you regard it as a touch-screen Ultrabook with a cool twist, it certainly succeeds. It’s generally well-built, looks stylish and feels great, and its flexible hinge gives you lots of different usage scenarios. While no match for the ThinkPad range, its keyboard is pleasant enough to type on and its touchpad is lovely, while that 1,600 x 900 IPS screen supports 10-finger touch. It also has plenty of power under the hood, and backs this with decent battery life."[13]
Awards
When it was showcased at CES 2012, the IdeaPad Yoga 13 won the "Best Ultrabook" award.[14]
ThinkPad is a line of business-oriented laptop computers and tablets, the early models of which were designed, developed and marketed by International Business Machines (IBM) starting in 1992. IBM sold its PC business, including laptops to Lenovo in 2005, and since 2007, all new ThinkPad models have been branded Lenovo instead. The Chinese manufacturer further developed the line, and is still selling new models in 2024.
IdeaPad is a line of consumer-oriented laptop computers designed, developed and marketed by Lenovo. The IdeaPad mainly competes against computers such as Acer's Aspire, Dell's Inspiron and XPS, HP's Pavilion, Envy, Stream, and Spectre, Samsung's Sens and Toshiba's Satellite.
Acer Aspire is a series of personal computers by Acer Inc. aimed at casual household use or for light business use. The Aspire series covers both desktop computers and laptops.
A 2-in-1 laptop, also known as 2-in-1 PC, 2-in-1 tablet, laplet, tabtop, laptop tablet, or simply 2-in-1, is a portable computer that has features of both tablets and laptops.
The ThinkPad X series is a line of laptop computers and convertible tablets produced by Lenovo with less power than its other counterparts. It was initially produced by IBM until 2005.
The first laptop in the IdeaPad U series was the U110 launched in 2008 by Lenovo. Showcased at CES 2008, the laptop also launched the IdeaPad series itself, and received the Best of CES 2008 award. The IdeaPad U series was a line of Lenovo's consumer line of laptops, combining Lenovo's traditional engineering with design changes that were significantly different from ThinkPad products.
The IdeaPad Y series was a consumer range of laptops produced by Lenovo, first announced in 2008. They were marketed as premium high performance laptops for multimedia and gaming, as part of the IdeaPad line.
The IdeaPad tablets from Lenovo were a brand of consumer-oriented tablet computers designed for home use or entertainment, as opposed to the business-focused ThinkPad Tablet series. Devices sold in certain countries, such as China, India and New Zealand, were sold under the LePad brand, similar to the LePhone series of smartphones. IdeaPad-branded tablets have been produced with the Android and Windows operating systems.
Lenovo Yoga is a line of consumer-oriented laptop computers, tablets, and all-in-one computers designed, developed and marketed by Lenovo, named for their ability to assume multiple form factors due to a hinged screen. The line currently competes against other 2-in-1 PCs such as the HP Spectre.
The ThinkPad X1 series is a line of high-end ThinkPad laptops and tablets produced by Lenovo.
The HP Envy is a line of consumer-oriented high-end laptops, desktop computers and printers manufactured and sold by HP Inc. They started as a high-end version of the HP Pavilion line.
The ThinkPad Twist is a 2-in-1 convertible tablet, that can function as a laptop and tablet released in 2012. The Twist is designed for business users and runs Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system.
Lenovo ThinkPad Helix refers to two generations of 2-in-1 convertible tablets that can be used as both a conventional ultrabook and a tablet computer. The first-generation Helix was announced at the 2013 International CES and was released on 21 May 2013. A second-generation Helix came out in 2014.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 is a hybrid laptop/tablet Windows RT-based computer released in late 2012. The Yoga 11 gets its name from its ability to change form factors thanks to the two-way hinge used to mount its display. It was discontinued on July 17, 2013, due to the poor sales of Windows RT devices.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S is a compact ultralight hybrid notebook/tablet computer released in late 2012. Like the Yoga 13 and the Yoga 11 the Yoga 11S gets its name from its ability to take on various form factors due to its screen being mounted on a special two-way hinge. The Yoga 11S runs the full version of Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system.
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The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro is an Ultrabook-class convertible device that can be used as both a tablet and laptop computer in the IdeaPad series. Lenovo unveiled the Yoga 2 Pro at the 2013 IFA in Berlin, Germany. It went on sale in the United States in October 2013. It comes in two colors, silver gray and clementine orange, and is designed for flexibility—allowing the user to use it in a variety of situations. Because of the durable hinge that allows the screen to swivel 360 degrees, the Yoga 2 Pro is able to fully utilize Windows 8 and its emphasis on touchscreen integration. The Yoga 2 Pro is the first laptop to earn a Green Mark certification from TUV that recognizes Lenovo for environmentally friendly manufacturing processes and low energy consumption.
The ThinkPad Yoga is a 2-in-1 convertible business-oriented tablet from Lenovo unveiled in September at the 2013 IFA in Berlin, Germany. It was released in the United States in November 2013.
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