Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro

The Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro builds on the legacy of the original Yoga laptop, but adds high-end elements that turn it into a thin & light powerhouse. Thanks to its 360 degrees hinge, Yoga 2 Pro keeps the same multi-mode idea by allowing four modes: tent, stand, tablet and laptop. The other remarkable design element is that it is 0.61” thin.

When you open it, you may notice that the display is particularly sharp at 3200×1800 pixels (QHD+ resolution). It is also multi-touch and features a 350 nit brightness, which helps a lot when using it outdoors on a sunny day. In dim lighting situations, the backlit keyboard will fire up to help you type with accuracy. Once you get used to having a backlit keyboard, there is no turning back.

Lenovo has also added software to help users choose the optimal mode depending on the app. There is also a Voice Control app that lets users send basic voice commands to the Yoga 2 Pro. In addition to the Windows 8 gestures, Lenovo has added Motion Control 2.0, their own set of gestures designed to work with photo galleries, presentations, books etc… When watching movies, the Dolby Home Theater software will process the sound to fully utilize the internal speakers.

We had the Lenovo Yoga 2 in hand and we have to admit that it is pretty impressive. The build quality is high (although not “aluminum luxury” for the purists) and we loved the quality of the display and the backlit keyboard. It 3lbs, it weighs as much as other (non-touch) thin & light laptop out there, but it felt good in the hand. Lenovo says that the Yoga 2 Pro can play HD movies for about 6 hours at 50% brightness, which is pretty good, but not really out of this world.

Overall, the Yoga 2 Pro offers enough improvements to justify its “pro” name. We like just about everything about it, but we hope that Lenovo will consider beefing up the battery in future versions. Also, a 1080p version to reduce both cost and power consumption may be a good option as well.

Specifications highlights

• Up to 4th generation Intel Core i7 U series processors
• Up to Windows 8.1 Pro
• 13.3-inch QHD+ (3200×1800) IPS wide screen display, 10-point multi-touch, 350 nits
• Integrated Intel HD Graphics
• Up to 8GB DDR3L (on board)
• Option of 128/256/512 GB SSD
• Stereo speakers with Dolby® Home Theater®, Dual Array Digital Mic
• 1 USB 3.0, 1 USB 2.0, Audio Combo Jack (headphone and mic), micro HDMI-out, 2-in-1 (SD/MMC) card reader
• Backlit dual-layer AccuType keyboard
• 802.11BGN WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0
• Integrated 720p HD Camera
• UP to 6 hours full HD playback @150 nits
• 3.06 pounds (1.39 kilograms)
• 12.99 x 8.66 x 0.61 inches (330 x 220 x 15.5 mm)

Hubert Nguyen
Categories: Computers
Tags: IFA, ifa 2013, Lenovo