Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023) vs Yoga 7i (2023): Flagship or budget Windows 11 convertible?

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  Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023)

  Lenovo’s 2023 Yoga 9i has a 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and a stunning OLED display. It also has beautifully polished corners and a soundbar hinge down the middle.

  Pros

  • Beautiful design
  • OLED screen with 90Hz refresh rate
  • Good audio quality

  Cons

  • No pen storage
  • Weird shortcut keys
  • Expensive

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  Lenovo Yoga 7i (2023)

  $550 $885 Save $335

  The 14-inch and 16-inch Lenovo Yoga 7i comes with new 13th-generation Intel CPUs. There are not many design differences over the previous generations, and it’s still a great 2-in-1.

  Pros

  • Great design
  • Affordable
  • Good port selection

  Cons

  • Dim display
  • Heavy
  • 16-inch model is hefty

Products from the Yoga line are the best to consider if you’re looking for a new everyday Lenovo laptop. These Yoga convertibles have plenty to like. There’s the flagship Yoga 9i (2023) which sports a fancy polished design, and also the Yoga 7i (2023) which is more subdued, but still packing a fantastic design that you’re sure to love and incredible performance for a budget price.

Those are just some of the basic things about these incredible devices, though. The displays are different, and so is the day-to-day performance. So, if you’re torn between the Yoga 9i and Yoga 7i, we’re here to help explain all that makes each device unique and help you decide which one is right for your money.

Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023) vs Yoga 7i (2023): Price, specs, and availability

Both of these devices are now available for sale. The Yoga 9i (2023) is Lenovo’s flagship, so it carries a high price starting at $1,400 on Lenovo.com and at Best Buy. On the other side of things, the Lenovo Yoga 7i (2023) comes at a lower price. We’ve seen it for as low as $920 at Lenovo.com, and $1,000 at Best Buy. You can see the various configuration options and specifications available in the table below.

• 	Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023)	Lenovo Yoga 7i (2023)
  Brand	Lenovo	Lenovo
  Color	Storm Grey, Oatmeal	Storm Grey
  Storage	Up to 1TB SSD	Up to 1TB PCIe SSD Gen4
  CPU	Up to 13th-generation Intel Core i7-1360P	14-inch model: 13th-generation Intel Core i5-1335U, or Core i7-1335U/ 16-inch model: 13th-generation Intel Core i5-1335U, Intel Core i5-1340P, Intel Core i7-1355, or Intel COre i7-1360P
  Memory	Up to 16GB LPDDR5-5200	Up to 16GB LPDDR5 5200MHz
  Operating System	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11
  Ports	2 x Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB Type-C, 1 x USB Type-A, 3.5mm headphone jack	14-inch model: 1x USB A 3.2, 2 x Thunderbolt 4, 1 x HDMI, microSD, headphone jack 16-inch model: / 2x USB A 3.2, 2x Thunderbolt 4, 1x HDMI, 1x microSD card, 1x headphone jack
  Camera	Full HD 1080p + IR camera	1080p Windows Hello
  Display (Size, Resolution)	14-inch, 16:10, up to 4K OLED (3840 x 2400)	14-inch model: 14-inch 2.2K 2240 x 1400 resolution/ 16-inch model: 16-inch 2.5K 2560 x 1600, or 1290 x 1200
  Weight	Starting at 3.09 pounds (1.4 kg)	14-inch model: 3.42 pounds/16-inch model: 4.49 pounds
  GPU	Intel Iris Xe graphics (integrated)	Integrated Intel Xe graphics
  Dimension	12.52 x 9.06 x 0.6 inches (318 x 230 x 15.25 mm)	14-inch model: 12.51 x 8.76 x 0.65/ 16-inch model: 14.25 x 9.84 x 0.66 inches
  Speakers	2 x 3W woofers (on the side), 2 x 2W tweeters (on hinge)	2 x 2W speakers

Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023) vs Yoga 7i (2023): Similar designs, subdued, and different screen sizes

We’ll start with the most obvious aspect of these Windows convertibles, the design. As we hinted before, the Yoga 9i (2023) is a much fancier device. It has a lot of bling. It has polished shiny edges, and it comes in either Storm Gray or Oatmeal. The Lenovo Yoga 7i (2023), however, is much more toned-down. It lacks all the polish and is a standard Windows convertible with your standard brushed aluminum sides.

Both are still thin-looking and sleek devices, though. Other than that core difference, you need to consider the fact that the Yoga 9i (2023) only comes in one 14-inch size. On the other side of things, the Yoga 7i (2023) has both 16-inch and 14-inch models.

It’s what sets the lineup apart. The 14-inch Yoga 9i measures 12.52 inches and is about 0.6 inches thick with a 3.09-pound weight. The Yoga 7i, meanwhile, it’s almost the same dimension as the 14-inch Yoga 9i model, but a slightly heavier 3.42-pound weight. Then, there’s the outlier, the 16-inch Yoga 7i, which measures 14.25 inches in length and weighs 4.49 pounds.

Of course, these are both convertibles, so you can use them in multiple ways. Flip the screen around to tent, stand, tablet, and laptop modes if you please. That makes these incredible machines for watching YouTube, Netflix, and other series. The extra added weight on the Yoga 7i 16-inch model might make this more troublesome, however.

There’s also the need to consider the ports in design, and things are a bit different. The 14-inch Yoga 7i has USB-A, Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, and a microSD card. The 14-inch Yoga 9i only has Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, and a headphone jack. The Yoga 9i lacks HDMI. And the bigger 16-inch Yoga 7i will have an extra USB-A port.

And let’s not forget the speakers. The Yoga 9i (2023) has 3W woofers on the side and two 2W speakers on the hinge. The Yoga 7i only has two 2W speakers, so the audio will be good, but not as loud as the Yoga 9i.

Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023) vs Yoga 7i (2023): OLED vs LCDs

The critical factor that makes the Yoga 9i (2023) better than the Yoga 7i (2023) is the display. Yes, the Yoga 7i has a larger 16-inch display if you need it, but the Yoga 9i uses OLED panels as standard. It’ll blow the base model Yoga 7i out of the water when it comes to color accuracy and multimedia experiences. It even has a faster 90Hz refresh rate compared to the Yoga 7i’s 60Hz.

If you’re wondering, we tested the Yoga 9i’s display and got 100% sRGB, 96% NTSC, 98% Adobe RGB, and 100% P3. The 16-inch Yoga 7i that we reviewed, meanwhile, only netted 63% of sRGB, 45% of NTSC, 47% of Adobe RGB, and 47% of P3.

Speaking of resolution, the Yoga 9i really has the Yoga 7i outmatched. You can pick up the Yoga 9i in a few different resolutions, either 2800×1800 or 3840×2400. All panels are OLED and support pen input. The Yoga 7i, meanwhile, has a couple different options. The 14-inch models have a 2240×1400 resolution display, and the 16-inch models have a 2560×1600 or 1920×1200 resolution display. If you need a laptop with extra pixels for seeing the finest details, the Yoga 9i will be your best bet for now. However, a 14-inch Yoga 7i model with a better 2.8K OLED display is on the way, but we can’t find it on Lenovo’s website.

And what’s atop that display? Well, both laptops have 1080p Windows Hello webcams. You won’t have to worry about your webcam quality on either device.

Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023) vs Yoga 7i (2023): P-series vs U-series

Both these devices share 13th-generation Intel CPUs. However, the critical thing to understand is that the Yoga 9i has a single CPU option from the P-series lineup that runs at 28W, and the Yoga 7i has options from both the 15W U-series and the 28W P-series. Of course, on the Yoga 7i, that’s an upgrade you’ll have to pay for, so the Yoga 9i is faster by default.

Indeed, the CPUs on both these laptops are hybrid CPUs with performance and efficiency cores, but the Yoga 9i has a slight advantage. 28W CPUs offer slightly more juice for light video editing and even light gaming, which the 15W CPUs are not capable of. You can see this in the graph below here we compare results from both laptops.

Again, the differences between these CPUs are minimal. You probably won’t feel much difference for everyday tasks like web browsing, but if you have the extra money, the Yoga 9i’s CPU does get you that extra juice for gaming if needed. Keep in mind, though, that P-series CPUs are known to get hotter, and when under heavy load could throttle the performance, a problem that you don’t get on the U-series CPU. The 16-inch model, meanwhile, is larger and has better thermals and cooling.

You’ll want to buy the Yoga 9i (2023)

If you’re looking for a better Lenovo Yoga laptop, it’s the Yoga 9i. You get a more vibrant OLED screen and a slightly faster CPU. This makes it ideal for everyday use for things like web browsing and office work, and you can get away with some light video and photo editing, too. It’s the most well-rounded option between the two, even if it’s more expensive.

Lenovo Yoga 9i (2023)

Best all-around option

Lenovo’s 2023 Yoga 9i has a 13th-generation Intel Core i7 processor and a stunning OLED display. It also has beautifully polished corners and a soundbar hinge down the middle.

However, if you’re willing to sacrifice an amazing display and just need a simple convertible that’s not too overly fancy, you’ll love the Yoga 7i, especially since you’ll save a couple hundred dollars.

Lenovo Yoga 7i (2023)

A more affordable pick

$550 $885 Save $335

The 14-inch and 16-inch Lenovo Yoga 7i comes with new 13th-generation Intel CPUs. There are not many design differences over the previous generations, and it’s still a great 2-in-1.