Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X Review: A Powerful Laptop for Professionals on the Go
Lenovo’s Yoga line is synonymous with sleek 2-in-1 convertibles, but their Slim series offers an equally compelling alternative for users who prioritize power and portability over a convertible form factor. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X sits at the pinnacle of this lineup, targeting content creators and professionals who demand robust hardware for demanding workflows. With its striking design, impressive performance, and vibrant display, this laptop promises to be a productivity powerhouse. But is it worth the price tag? Let’s delve into the details and find out.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X Price in India
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X starts at Rs. 1,12,200 in India, with the base model sporting a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 3K non-touch display. Fortunately, you can customize the configuration to suit your needs. I reviewed a higher-end variant with an Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU, priced at Rs. 1,54,100. The price can climb further if you opt for more RAM, a touchscreen display, or additional software.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X Design
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X exudes a premium aesthetic, resembling a typical clamshell laptop. It boasts a 180-degree hinge, granting ample flexibility. The Dark Teal finish of my review unit stood out as a refreshing departure from the usual silver or black options, and the smooth matte texture resisted fingerprints. With thoughtfully rounded edges and side panels, the laptop felt comfortable in hand and easy to carry. While not feather-light, it comes in at a bit over the claimed 1.4kg.
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X offers a comprehensive selection of ports. On the left, you’ll find two Thunderbolt 4 ports (Type-C) for charging and video output, as well as a full-sized HDMI 2.0 port. The right side features a Type-A USB 3.2 (Gen 1) port, a headphone and microphone combo socket, the power button, and a dedicated switch to disable the webcam and Windows Hello IR camera at the hardware level. This physical switch effectively prevents unauthorized usage of these cameras, providing an extra layer of privacy.
Immersive Display with Accurate Colors
The 14.5-inch display on the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X is a visual treat, boasting slim bezels that enhance the immersive experience. The 3K (3072 x 1920 pixels) resolution and 120Hz refresh rate offer exceptional clarity and fluidity, while the factory-calibrated IPS display boasts a Delta E < 1 color accuracy for precise color reproduction. Further enhancing the visuals, the display supports Dolby Vision playback and Nvidia’s G-Sync for smooth and tear-free gaming.
Comfortable Typing and Spacious Trackpad
The backlit keyboard provides a comfortable typing experience thanks to its well-spaced keys, decent travel, and muted operation. Flanking the keyboard are perforated speaker grilles, while a generous trackpad resides below. The exhaust vents are cleverly concealed near the hinge. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X ships with a 100W USB Type-C power adapter.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X Specifications
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X currently relies on Intel 12th Gen Core CPUs in India, although 13th Gen options should arrive soon, mirroring the recent refresh of the Yoga 9i 2-in-1. My review unit sported an Intel Core i7-12700H CPU with a total of 14 cores (six performance, eight efficiency). The 16GB of LPDDR5 RAM is soldered to the motherboard, precluding any further upgrades.
The graphics department is handled by an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 GPU with 4GB of GDDR6 RAM. Audio is delivered through Harman-tuned stereo speakers with support for Dolby Atmos. Additional features include Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.1, and a 4-cell 70WHr battery promising up to 10 hours of battery life. While there’s no fingerprint sensor, the presence of an IR camera enables Windows Hello face recognition.
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X ships with Windows 11 Home, with an option to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro during configuration. Lenovo’s usual suite of preinstalled apps, like Lenovo Vantage for software and firmware updates, Lenovo Smart Appearance for webcam enhancements, and Lenovo Voice, are included. Recognizing its suitability for creative professionals, the Yoga Slim 7i Pro X is Nvidia Studio validated, implying optimized performance with popular applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X Performance and Battery Life
Leveraging its powerful specifications, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X consistently delivered a smooth and enjoyable experience for both work and entertainment. The exhaust fan remained silent during routine tasks but became faintly audible when gaming or running demanding software. While the bottom of the laptop warmed slightly under light usage, particularly near the vents, noticeable heat concentrated on the base and certain keys during gaming.
The typing experience was a joy thanks to the comfortable keyboard, and the trackpad provided equally seamless control. The 3K non-touch display impressed with sharp visuals and vibrant colors. Brightness levels proved more than sufficient, and the automatic backlight adjustment based on ambient light ensured optimal viewing in various environments. By default, the Nvidia GPU operated in Optimus mode, only activating when needed. To utilize G-Sync for smoother gaming, you need to switch to GPU-only mode, though this comes with a battery life penalty.
Benchmark Results and Real-world Tests
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X performed exceptionally well in benchmarks. In Cinebench R20, it achieved 682 points in the single-core test and 5,025 points in the multi-core test. In 3DMark Time Spy, the graphics score was 3,966 points. The 1TB SSD offered blazing speeds, exceeding 6GBps in sequential and random read tests and topping 4.5GBps in sequential and random write tests. These impressive figures translate to rapid application loading times and smooth multi-tasking.
Real-world tests confirmed this performance. Compressing a 3.7GB folder of files took just 1 minute and 12 seconds, while encoding a 1.3GB AVI file to MKV using Handbrake took only 42 seconds.
Gaming Performance and Media Experience
Equipped with a dedicated GPU, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X proved capable of delivering a satisfying gaming experience. Fortnite ran flawlessly at 30+fps on "High" settings at full-HD resolution, while Death Stranding enjoyed smooth gameplay at 1440p with "High" settings and Nvidia’s DLSS enabled. The laptop effectively handles modern AAA titles at moderate settings and resolutions, though it does heat up considerably during prolonged gaming sessions.
Netflix, recognizing the Dolby Vision compatibility of the display, automatically enhanced the brightness for HDR videos. The visuals appeared excellent for an IPS panel, with striking colors, though black levels were not as deep as those found on an OLED panel. The stereo speakers delivered impressive loudness and clarity, further enhancing the multimedia enjoyment. The 1080p webcam performed admirably even in dimly lit conditions, thanks to Lenovo’s noise reduction software effectively minimizing noise while maintaining good facial exposure.
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X incorporates presence detection, automatically locking the device after a designated period of inactivity and waking up upon your return. This feature adds an extra layer of security and convenience.
Battery Life Performance
While not a battery champion, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X delivered respectable battery endurance. In the Battery Eater Pro drain test, the laptop lasted for 1 hour and 54 minutes, a decent result considering the powerful configuration and high-resolution display. The Dynamic refresh rate setting in Windows, automatically switching between 60Hz and 120Hz based on application demands, helped in managing power consumption.
Light to medium usage, involving tasks like browsing, using Slack, and casual productivity applications, yielded an average of five to six hours of battery life. While not reaching the advertised ten hours, this result was still reasonable for the hardware configuration. It’s worth noting that lower-specced models might achieve closer to the advertised battery life, and the fast charging capability, achieving 60 percent in just half an hour, proved beneficial.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X Verdict
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X emerges as a thoughtfully designed premium laptop that delivers excellent performance and features for its price point. The high-resolution display, robust construction, swift performance, and relatively low weight make it an attractive option for content creators and professionals who require a reliable tool for on-the-go productivity. Despite not being a dedicated gaming machine, its GeForce RTX 3050 GPU capably handles modern games with reasonable settings.
The only significant criticism is the tendency for the top configuration to become warm during prolonged use, even with light workloads. The absence of an SD card slot might be a minor inconvenience for some users, but it’s not a deal-breaker. While waiting for the upcoming refresh with 13th Gen Intel CPUs is tempting, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Pro X remains a solid option in its current form, offering a compelling blend of performance and portability.
