Lenovo Yoga Book Review: Design, Display and Price

Oct 26, 2016 04:40 PM EDT

The Lenovo Yoga Book is a pretty unique device in its own right, as this particular tablet can be said to be the first of a possible new breed of portable hardware, specifically in the laptop-tablet hybrid arena. Being different from the older 2-in-1 laptop/tablet design that also bears the Yoga name (which is attributed to the 360-degree flexible hinge) by virtue of coming with a fully digital touch keyboard, the Lenovo Yoga Book also turns heads with its relatively affordable price point -- not to mention a choice of operating systems. Basically, the Lenovo Yoga Book will arrive with either Android or Windows as your operating system of choice.

In addition, the Yoga Book carries the distinction of being the first mobile device with a keyboard that can play the role of a Wacom digitizer. Now how about that when it comes to flexibility in functionality? This is made possible thanks to the included stylus, and you can also transfer characters that have been written in ink on paper to a digital screen.

Design
The 10.1” device that lets you be productive while you are on the move is also extremely affordable, with an asking price of $499 for the Android-powered model, while those who would want to settle for the Windows-powered version will have to fork out $549 for it. In terms of design, the Lenovo Yoga Book is impressive to look at, thanks to the magnesium alloy enclosure that exudes luxury. One can choose from Champagne Gold, Gunmetal Gray and Carbon Black finishes for the Android version, while those rocking to Windows 10 can easily be spotted as it arrives in just Carbon Black.

Display
With a 10.1” display at 1,920 x 1,200 resolution, you get 400 nits of brightness and 16.7 million colors. This means you will be able to watch Full HD movies on the Lenovo Yoga Book without any compromise in quality, and the in-plane switching (IPS) panel translates to a wider viewing angle which would make good for those who like to share what they are watching with others.

Audio
The speakers of the Lenovo Yoga Book do deliver a decent performance, never mind that they are pretty small. This is made possible courtesy of the Dolby Atmos technology within. However, do expect to get an infinitely better experience when you have a pair of headphones hooked up to the Lenovo Yoga Book.

Digital keyboard
The Halo Keyboard on the Lenovo Yoga Book is something else altogether -- despite initial misgivings, we found it to be accurate enough to use for typing tons of pages, even if there are no physical buttons or feeling of tactile feedback. This makes it a winner in our book, and thankfully, Lenovo has also thrown in haptic feedback and audio cues to make life better. The digtal keyboard lies under Gorilla Glass, sporting individually lit keys to let you work even when it is dark all around.

Verdict
The Lenovo Yoga Book is fantastic for a casual mobile productivity device, but do not expect it to perform heavy duty tasks with aplomb. It is good value for money for a maiden tablet experience that also handles casual computing tasks on the side.