When Lenovo unveiled the Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i from the price of RM4599, it was marketed as a lightweight and portable laptop that’s great for both work and play. Furthermore, Lenovo collaborated with The Batik Boutique in order to incorporate a batik fabric sleeve in order to give the laptop a more unique look on top of the existing fabric back.
However, I’m sure many are sceptical due to the fact that the laptop comes with a detachable Bluetooth keyboard, which reduces the surface area for heat to dissipate when combined with the fabric at the back. With all that being said, let’s have a closer look at the unique design of the Yoga Duet 7i and how it performs in day to day use.
Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i in the flesh
Close-up of the back of the tablet
The fabric on the underside of the keyboard looks unique compared to other laptops
Starting off with the design, the first thing you’ll notice is that the keyboard has fabric on the underside of the unit, which not only looks unique, but also protects the chassis from scratches when placed on top of a gritty surface. Furthermore, the keyboard is also detachable from the laptop, which makes the laptop much more portable as you don’t have to bring the keyboard around.
In addition to that, you’ll be able to turn on the Bluetooth wireless functionality so that you can use the keyboard without having to attach it to the tablet. As an example, while watching a movie on Netflix or YouTube, you can easily control which content to stream using the keyboard as a remote control from the comfort of your couch without needing to get up or get closer.
The side buttons on the wireless Bluetooth keyboard
Light enough to be carried with only one hand
As for the dimensions and weight of the laptop, it is about 297.4mm x 205.5mm which is roughly the size of an A4 paper and it weighs in at only 0.8Kg for the tablet and 1.16Kg along with the keyboard. With that in mind, this makes the Yoga Duet 7i an incredibly portable device that can be slotted into most bag compartments so that it can be carried around effortlessly.
The device can be used as a conventional laptop with the aid of a kickstand located at the back of the laptop. While the kickstand’s flip mechanism feels sturdy, it doesn’t give me much confidence as the kickstand is made mostly out of thin plastic instead of some sort of metal alloy (likely to keep the weight as light as possible).
Here's the kickstand in action
It can also be used as a tablet because the Duet 7i comes equipped with a touchscreen display, and it also supports either the Lenovo E-Color Pen or the Lenovo Digital Pen. Unlike most laptops out there on the market, the laptop comes with a 2160 x 1350 pixel 16:10 aspect ratio 13-inch display as opposed to the typical 16:9 aspect ratio.
In terms of the I/O options, there’s a USB-C port for dedicated charging and file transfer, 2 USB-C 3.1 Gen1 ports, 1 SD card reader, as well as a 3.5mm combo audio jack slot. While it’s not much to work with, you may want to consider getting a USB Hub if you want to increase the number of USB and display devices you want to connect to the laptop.
Right side of the tablet: Volume, power button, and a USB-C port
Left side of the tablet: 2x USB-C, 3.5mm audio jack slot and an SD Card reader
Tech spec-wise, our variant of the Yoga Duet 7i comes equipped with a 10th gen Intel Core i5-10210U processor with UHD Graphics, 8GB RAM, and a 512GB SSD. There’s also the i7 variant with largely the same specs except it comes with an Intel Core i7-10510U processor, higher 16GB RAM, as well as 1TB SSD at a higher price of RM5699.
Onto the performance aspect, the laptop is able to hold its own as it managed to score 3291 points on the PCMark benchmark which is not bad considering the laptop’s form factor. To go into more detail, I was able to smoothly edit pictures and do work on a word processor while watching Netflix on the side at the same time without lagging.
3291 points on PCMark
298 points on 3DMark
However, if you’re the kind of person who takes multi-tasking to the extreme, I suggest getting the i7 variant as it comes with 16GB of RAM so that you can have more applications running in the background without lagging. Running 3DMark is where the Yoga Duet 7i really struggles at because it only managed to score around 298 points, which is problematic if you plan on playing games on it.
To give you an idea of how bad it is, when playing Genshin Impact, the device only managed to run the game at around 15 to 25FPS on the lowest settings possible while Dota 2 ran at about 30 to 40FPS, which is barely playable. With that being said, I highly suggest not playing any games on the Duet 7i unless you’re playing something that’s not graphically intensive.
Genshin Impact ran at about 15 to 25FPS which isn't playable
Dota 2 ran at around 30 to 40FPS
Because the processing unit is housed directly behind the display instead of directly under the keyboard, my wrist did not feel uncomfortably warm resulting in me being able to do work much longer. Speaking of the keyboard, it is quite comfortable and smooth to type on and the fact that it is wireless allows me to do work from the comfort of my couch while having the tablet on the table. However, it is best to note that the keyboard is not LED-backlit, so you might have a harder time typing in the dark if you’re not good at touch typing.
Also, you might want to consider picking up either the Lenovo E-Color Pen or the Lenovo Digital Pen, especially if you enjoy doodling or prefer taking notes by writing during a meeting or when you’re on the go. Unfortunately, storing the stylus can be a little troublesome as there is no dedicated compartment on the laptop to keep it, forcing me to either carry it by hand or keep it in my pocket (thus increasing the chances of losing it).
As for the battery life, the laptop was able to last me up to 10 hours or so on a single charge, which is more than enough to get you through the day before needing to recharge again. However, it is best to note that battery life is heavily dependant on the workload the Yoga 7i is subjected to, as watching Netflix non-stop drastically reduces the use time to about 4 to 6 hours.
In terms of the battery of the wireless keyboard, it’s able to last up to 26 hours on a single charge, so you won’t have anything to worry about as long as it is kept attached to the tablet while charging. From a completely drained battery, it takes about 1 and a half hour to slightly over 2 hours to fully charge the laptop thanks to the 45W USB-C Charger included in the box.
Great for taking notes during a meeting
In conclusion, the Lenovo Yoga Duet 7i is a unique and portable laptop that’s great for those who enjoy doodling or quickly taking notes on the go. Other than that, I don’t suggest playing games on the device, as it does not come equipped with the tech specs to handle it unless they are games that are not very graphically intensive.
If you’re not a fan of the detachable keyboard, you can get the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i which has a larger 15-inch display for the price of RM4999 or the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 AMD at RM3499 on Lenovo Malaysia’s official website. However, if you prefer getting the lightest possible laptop, you can opt for the Acer Swift 5 which weighs in at about 1Kg from the price of RM3699.
Tech specs
- Up to 10th Gen Intel Core i7 with Intel UHD Graphics
- Up to 16GB RAM, up to 1TB PCIe SSD
- 13-inch 2K 100% sRGB display with 16:10 aspect ratio
- Weighs 1.16Kg for Keyboard and tablet while tablet only weighs about 0.8Kg
- Dimensions: 297.4mm x 205.5mm x 9.19mm
- WiFi 6 (802.11 ax 2x2), WiFi 5 (802.11 ac 1x1) compatible, Bluetooth® 5.1
- 2 x USB-C 3.1 (Gen 1, with Power delivery + DisplayPort + USB), USB-C (USB only, with always-on charging), SD card reader, Headphone / mic combo
- Supports Lenovo E-Color Pen and Lenovo Digital Pen
Pros and Cons
Pros - Unique, stylish, and lightweight laptop that’s great for those who are constantly on the move. Has around 10 hours of battery life.
Cons - No dedicated compartment to store the stylus. Limited I/O options. Kickstand feels a little flimsy. Not for gamers.
Conclusion - Great for professionals and students who enjoy doodling or taking notes during a meeting.
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