After using macOS in high school and college, the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i finally made the switch to Windows.
As a tech enthusiast, there are several tools that you just have to try out for yourself. Not all of these things are going to be game-changers for everyone, but it’s fun to try to bleed the industry as much as you can. This is what I thought my experience would be with the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, a laptop with experimental features. It doesn’t have an integrated keyboard and trackpad but instead has a 13.3-inch OLED touchscreen display. It comes with a folio stand as well as a separate keyboard and mouse, designed to make the entire Yoga Book 9i package a mobile workstation.
It’s not something most people should buy, but it’s a cool piece of technology that isn’t available anywhere else. And after nearly two full months of using the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, it’s clear that the device is more than just a stand-in. This machine is very useful, and it replaced the M2 MacBook Air as my first laptop.
How is this possible? Do you really need two screens on a laptop? It turns out to be more than it sounds.
About this editor: This was written after about two months of using the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i purchased by the author. Lenovo has not been involved in this matter.
It’s a portable project without the hassle
Anyone who works on the go quickly realizes that even the largest laptops can’t provide the most screen space. That’s why many turn to large portable monitors, which connect to your laptop to double your available screen space. However, these options can be difficult to use or cause your battery life to take a hit, so they are far from a perfect solution. Before switching to the Yoga Book 9i, I used my iPad Pro and MacBook Air via Sidecar, which allows you to extend your iPad’s display to your computer. Although it worked better than the third monitor, there were some frustrations with this experience, such as the iPad monitor not being able to control my Mac without using the Apple Pencil.
Each of these problems is solved by Yoga Book 9i. Two bright 13.3-inch screens are connected to each other, so all you have to do is open the laptop every time to start. If you want to set up what users call “workstation mode,” it only takes a minute to open the origami stand and pull out the included mouse. In addition, everything works the same on both displays, from the touchscreen to the integrated stylus. Battery life is the only feature of this feature, but it’s better than you’d expect, considering there are two screens.
For people who need more screen space, the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i offers something the Mac doesn’t. Although I still find macOS to be easy to use and look great, the presence of an additional display allows me to complete tasks faster than I would on a MacBook. When I’m writing, I usually open my document at the top with my notes or research at the bottom. So the Yoga Book 9i saves me the time I usually have to switch tabs, and as other reviewers have said, it also reduces neck strain. Instead of looking at the bottom of the laptop, you’re looking at the front of the top.
Not one touchscreen, but two
Mac users are still waiting to get one screen on MacOS devices, so they probably can’t even imagine what two would be like. I’ve been waiting years for a macOS desktop, but I’d love to see an iPad that can run the operating system better than a MacBook touchscreen. But Apple isn’t the only computer maker out there, and at some point, it’s time to stop waiting for Apple to make a move and try something else.
After testing the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, it’s clear to me that the graphics card should be a standard offering on the best laptops, including MacBooks. For most people, a touch screen isn’t something you’ll use on a laptop all the time, and Apple is aware that desktop operating systems often require the precision of a mouse and keyboard. However, since most mobile devices today are touch-enabled, it’s natural to want to use the same method on a laptop. Some things just feel better with touch, like dragging and dropping files or moving windows around. It’s a feature that’s been sorely missed on macOS, and after trying it on Windows, it’s hard to go back to a MacBook without a screen.
Some Apple users are tired of waiting
I still prefer macOS as an operating system compared to Windows, and that’s not going to change anytime soon. If Apple were to make something similar to the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, I’d easily pick one that’s available. But Apple doesn’t make something like the Yoga Book 9i, and it probably never will. Tech enthusiasts who run Apple products every day are often left behind when new features and devices come out. Just look at the smartphone space, where iPhones look the same every year while Android OEMs are constantly innovating with new features, such as curved ones.
I’m done waiting for Apple to come up with something new. Windows and Android OEMs are making impressive products now, and the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is proof of that. It’s a great computer in an amazing form factor, and I urge any Mac or Windows user who’s tired of traditional hardware to give it a try.
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i
The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i is a dual-screen OLED laptop that gives you more space to be productive, and can be used as a traditional laptop. It has a high-end design and 13 Intel processors, too.
$2000 at Best Buy $2000 at Lenovo
