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Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 First Impressions: Ultrabook Convertible

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The IdaPad Yoga 13 is an Ultrabook Convertible, a new style of Windows 8 device that transforms from a notebook to a tablet and back, offering flexibility not found in a standard notebook.

The IdeaPad Yoga 13 runs a full version of Windows 8, offering more than the Windows Surface RT, and packs in an Intel 3rd generation Core i5 processor to offer plenty of power for productivity, casual games and watching movies.

Read: Ultrabook Convertible 5 Windows 8 Tablet + Notebooks

Lenovo designed the IdeaPad Yoga 13 with a dual hinge that allows the Ultrabook Convertible to open as a notebook and rotate completely around to tablet mode. Check out the versatility of the IdeaPad Yoga 13 in the first impressions video below.

Ultrabook Convertible: IdeaPad Yoga 13

The IdeaPad Yoga 13 is a solid device that feels well-built in notebook and in tablet mode. The Yoga 13 is an exciting notebook to use thanks to the dual hinge that allows for use on a desk, tray table lap or while held like a standard tablet.

The touch screen on the IdeaPad Yoga 13 is responsive, offering good control of games like JetPack Joyride, fun times playing a drums app and a good keyboard for typing without switching back to notebook mode. There is a decent app selection including games and reading apps like Kindle. The Windows 8 App Store needs to grow, but it already features many popular apps, which is promising.

IdeaPad Yoga 13 - Ultrabook Convertible 4

The IdeaPad Yoga 13 is one of the first Ultrabook Convertible devices to arrive.

The Modern UI, what Microsoft calls the touch screen friendly home screen, works incredibly well with a good touchscreen, and gestures and swipes come as second nature after an hour of use.

While the Ultrabook Convertible is in tablet mode, or one of the other angles outside of notebook mode, the keyboard and touchpad is not active, preventing accidental touches.

Because the Yoga 13 runs Windows 8, not Windows RT, the notebook offers the touch friendly Modern UI and Windows 8 in desktop mode for a traditional Windows experience.

IdeaPad Yoga 13 - Ultrabook Convertible 3

The IdeaPad Yoga 13 in notebook mode.

After using the Yoga 13 for a few hours, with games and non stop music from the Xbox Music pass the Ultrabook Convertible shows more than 50% battery life remaining.

The IdeaPad Yoga 13 starts at $999 with an Intel Core i5 processor and 128GB of storage. This isn’t cheap, but for one price, users get a tablet and a notebook in one.

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The IdeaPad Yoga 13 in tablet mode.

Stay tuned for a full IdeaPad Yoga 13 review as we dive into the Ultrabook Convertible lineup, and share more about these mobile devices that are a notebook and a tablet in one.

IdeaPad Yoga 13 Gallery

5 Comments

5 Comments

  1. Fernando

    11/04/2012 at 4:37 am

    No pen on this unit?

  2. John Kutzman

    11/04/2012 at 8:51 am

    ^+1. Is there no inking or did you just forget about it in your review?

  3. Fletcher

    11/04/2012 at 5:13 pm

    I’m a teacher, I need a ethernet cord to get access to my network..no wifi..should I stay away from this product,as a certainly need it for work?

    • sad

      11/07/2012 at 4:20 am

      Never heard of usb to eth adapters?

      • Chris

        11/16/2012 at 5:26 pm

        He probably has, but such dongles get lost and break much more easily than a built-in port. If you move the machine and want to stow it away you often have to remove the dongle, sometimes they are not recognized right when you wake up the computer from sleep and plug them back in so you have to reboot, etc. In general, they are a hassle to use in a wired-only environment and I would stay away from this otherwise beautiful machine for that reason alone.

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