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- Review count3
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- First reviewMarch 28, 2014
- Last reviewJune 17, 2017
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- Average rating4
- Review comment count2
- Helpfulness votes11
- First review commentApril 7, 2014
- Last review commentJuly 2, 2016
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Biesty's Reviews
Unplug from the office with this 10.6-inch Samsung Galaxy Book 2-in-1 tablet. It's powered by an Intel Core i5 processor to run your suite of programs, and it syncs your data to other Galaxy products via the Samsung Flow app. This Samsung Galaxy Book 2-in-1 tablet has a 10-hour battery life, so you can work all day.
Customer Rating
4
Difficult Decision To Keep or Return It
on June 17, 2017
Posted by: Biesty
from Tahoe
So this is a fast tablet and I never thought I'd love windows tablets so much. At this price though I'm not sure if I'm going to keep it. Here are the major pros and cons that I'm wrestling with.
Pros:
1. Great Keyboard to type on when it's on a flat hard surface. It feels better than my XPS 15 keyboard and for the first time in my life I can type on my tablet just like I can on my laptop. No key is out of place so I don't have to re-learn how to type on this. Also the track pad works great.
2. Great size and aspect ratio- I really wanted something under 11 inches that I could use in addition to my XPS 15 and this is a great size. Also the aspect ratio is great for browsing and using microsoft office.
3. It's fast enough for what I want to do. I can browse chrome with multiple tabs open, have outlook open, excell and even word without it getting too slow. I don't need it to video edit or use photoshop. Just watch movies and do some light work when I don't have room for my 15.6" laptop.
4. Super convenient to have windows OS since I use Win 10 for all my other PC’s. I like everything better with Win 10 except for the battery life and keyboard but I can make up for that with the external keyboard in the case.
5. Touch screen is great. I had issues with some cheaper Win 10 tablets and this works just like you would expect from Samsung.
Pros:
1. Great Keyboard to type on when it's on a flat hard surface. It feels better than my XPS 15 keyboard and for the first time in my life I can type on my tablet just like I can on my laptop. No key is out of place so I don't have to re-learn how to type on this. Also the track pad works great.
2. Great size and aspect ratio- I really wanted something under 11 inches that I could use in addition to my XPS 15 and this is a great size. Also the aspect ratio is great for browsing and using microsoft office.
3. It's fast enough for what I want to do. I can browse chrome with multiple tabs open, have outlook open, excell and even word without it getting too slow. I don't need it to video edit or use photoshop. Just watch movies and do some light work when I don't have room for my 15.6" laptop.
4. Super convenient to have windows OS since I use Win 10 for all my other PC’s. I like everything better with Win 10 except for the battery life and keyboard but I can make up for that with the external keyboard in the case.
5. Touch screen is great. I had issues with some cheaper Win 10 tablets and this works just like you would expect from Samsung.
So Here are some Cons:
1. It's really expensive for a small tablet with a keyboard.
2. The aspect ratio is not great for watching movies since it's much taller than most 16:9 movies. This is a wash though because it's so good browsing.
3. The way the keyboard attaches to the tablet is cool in some ways but it's really really hard to balance on your lap or an uneven surface. I wish they could of made the keyboard more stiff but most importantly the way the tablet connects to the keyboard makes the keyboard wobble or lean back on you. I'm afraid someone next to me will spill a drink, I'll lurch and the tablet will go flying off my lap. I wish they figure out some way to make it not move where it connects to the keyboard. This could be a deal breaker.
4. Battery Life. So far looking at my windows log I'm only at 4:53 hrs which isn't great. I did have to sync outlook and dropbox which taxes the battery life. I did put a bunch of 720p h.265 mp4 movies in the VLC Que and it played about 7:18 hrs before shutting off . I think the battery was at about 80% when I started so the 9.5hr video playback estimate is pretty close. I think when I check the log in a few more days I think I'll see something closer to 6-7hrs but that's not ideal for a tablet. My 15.6" XPS is at 5:32 hrs which is really good. I'd love to see some sort of tablet accessory for this that has a lap friendly laptop style attachment keyboard with an extra battery built in. That way it would securely hold the tablet in place on someones lap and get this closer to 10+ hours That would seal the deal for me. Right now as I type this review I have 50% remaining and the estimate says about 4:43 hrs remaining. I've been using it on and off for the last 6hrs so that's ok.
5. Screen isn't that bright. In adaptive brightness it always feel like it's too dark. At 50% it's usable but it's not the typical amazing Samsung Screen.
6. Doesn't have a back-lit keyboard like the 12". It's not easy to use in the dark.
1. It's really expensive for a small tablet with a keyboard.
2. The aspect ratio is not great for watching movies since it's much taller than most 16:9 movies. This is a wash though because it's so good browsing.
3. The way the keyboard attaches to the tablet is cool in some ways but it's really really hard to balance on your lap or an uneven surface. I wish they could of made the keyboard more stiff but most importantly the way the tablet connects to the keyboard makes the keyboard wobble or lean back on you. I'm afraid someone next to me will spill a drink, I'll lurch and the tablet will go flying off my lap. I wish they figure out some way to make it not move where it connects to the keyboard. This could be a deal breaker.
4. Battery Life. So far looking at my windows log I'm only at 4:53 hrs which isn't great. I did have to sync outlook and dropbox which taxes the battery life. I did put a bunch of 720p h.265 mp4 movies in the VLC Que and it played about 7:18 hrs before shutting off . I think the battery was at about 80% when I started so the 9.5hr video playback estimate is pretty close. I think when I check the log in a few more days I think I'll see something closer to 6-7hrs but that's not ideal for a tablet. My 15.6" XPS is at 5:32 hrs which is really good. I'd love to see some sort of tablet accessory for this that has a lap friendly laptop style attachment keyboard with an extra battery built in. That way it would securely hold the tablet in place on someones lap and get this closer to 10+ hours That would seal the deal for me. Right now as I type this review I have 50% remaining and the estimate says about 4:43 hrs remaining. I've been using it on and off for the last 6hrs so that's ok.
5. Screen isn't that bright. In adaptive brightness it always feel like it's too dark. At 50% it's usable but it's not the typical amazing Samsung Screen.
6. Doesn't have a back-lit keyboard like the 12". It's not easy to use in the dark.
So I'm torn as to weather or not I should keep it. If this was $400 or even $500 I'd have no problem keeping it. However at over $700 and closer to $800 after accessories I'm not sure if it's worth it. Another problem is I don't see many 10" Windows Tablet alternatives. I'm going to strongly consider some 11-12" tablet options as well as see if there is anything close to this with a bigger battery and more laptop style keyboard and If I can I'll follow up with an update I will.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+41points
46of 51voted this as helpful.
Lenovo Yoga 900 Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop: Combine the versatility of a tablet with the functionality of a laptop when you use this 13-inch Lenovo Yoga 900. A 360-degree watchband hinge lets you convert this device into an easel for hands-free video viewing or a tablet for casual Internet browsing. Weighing just 2.8 pounds, this Lenovo Yoga 900 is conveniently portable.
Customer Rating
4
The better of the two with similar specs.
on June 16, 2016
Posted by: Biesty
from Tahoe
So at the time I'm writing this Best Buy has two models with what seems like similar specs. They both are silver, have an i7 Processor, 16gb memory and a 512gb ssd. This one has a 1,399 price and the other is on sale for something like 1,249. It seems like they are the same but they are definitely not. I would strongly suggest getting the 1,399 one for these reasons.
1. This has a PCIE 3.0 NVME SSD. It's way faster than the SATA III SSD on the other one. The Model I see in the testing software says it's a Samsung MZVLV512. I'm getting read speeds of 1,351mb/s where most SATA III SSD's max out at 500mb/s. So almost 3 times faster and if you upgrade to a Samsung 950 pro you could get even faster. With my test the write speeds seem a little slow across the board but the NVME SSD is a huge selling point.
2. This has an Intel i76560u with 540 Iris Graphics. The integrated graphics on this processor was about 20-40% faster for the vids I rendered. I can't comment on gaming but it's definitely better for editing videos.
So here are the negatives.
1. USB-C for a display port. This could be the deal breaker for me as I haven't found a USB-C to HDMI adapter that works so I haven't been able to plug this into my monitor. This is very frustrating and Best Buy doesn't have adapters in stock.
2. The screen is pretty glossy and not that bright. I'm noticing a lot of reflections I didn't with my other laptop before buying this.
1. USB-C for a display port. This could be the deal breaker for me as I haven't found a USB-C to HDMI adapter that works so I haven't been able to plug this into my monitor. This is very frustrating and Best Buy doesn't have adapters in stock.
2. The screen is pretty glossy and not that bright. I'm noticing a lot of reflections I didn't with my other laptop before buying this.
Some things that aren't terrible but I'd like to see improved.
1. It's a pretty big profile compared to a lot of 13.3" competitors out there. It's a little wider and longer. I'd like to see it be a little more narrow and maybe a touch shorter but not at the expense of re-positioning the cam at the bottom.
2. The laptop has lots of space for a full keyboard but they skimped on the shift button on the right side. It's not as easy to hit as a normal keyboard. I can live with it but I'd like that changed.
3. The keyboard is pretty far from the Thinkpads I've owned in the past and it would be great to see a little better typing experience. However It's very usable and I could spend a whole day typing on this without getting frustrated.
4. Would love to see a black and silver exterior as well as the other colors. Wasn't super into the all silver exterior but at least it's black on the inside.
1. It's a pretty big profile compared to a lot of 13.3" competitors out there. It's a little wider and longer. I'd like to see it be a little more narrow and maybe a touch shorter but not at the expense of re-positioning the cam at the bottom.
2. The laptop has lots of space for a full keyboard but they skimped on the shift button on the right side. It's not as easy to hit as a normal keyboard. I can live with it but I'd like that changed.
3. The keyboard is pretty far from the Thinkpads I've owned in the past and it would be great to see a little better typing experience. However It's very usable and I could spend a whole day typing on this without getting frustrated.
4. Would love to see a black and silver exterior as well as the other colors. Wasn't super into the all silver exterior but at least it's black on the inside.
So here are the positives.
1. Feels well built
2. Fast modern NVME drive
3. Battery life is pretty good. I didn't expect much with these specs but it seems like I'll get 6-8hrs depending on how I use it in power saver mode with the screen at about 40%
4. Fast Iris 540 integrated Intel Graphics
5. Fast PC overall.
6. Minimal bloatware.
1. Feels well built
2. Fast modern NVME drive
3. Battery life is pretty good. I didn't expect much with these specs but it seems like I'll get 6-8hrs depending on how I use it in power saver mode with the screen at about 40%
4. Fast Iris 540 integrated Intel Graphics
5. Fast PC overall.
6. Minimal bloatware.
So I like this laptop and if it just had a normal HDMI out I'd be sold. However if I can't connect this to my display via HDMI then I'm going to have to reluctantly return it.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+61points
61of 61voted this as helpful.
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro - 59418309 Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop: Take charge of your day-to-day life with this convertible laptop. The screen folds back a full 360° so the unit can also function as a tablet, or as a touch-screen display. Command your apps with the touch of a finger or with your voice, and see every detail of your high-res photos on the QHD+ screen.Learn more about the New Windows
Posted by: Biesty
from Tahoe
So I've owned many Lenovo laptops since 2008 and had a Thinkpad T430s for about 1.5 years (long time for me). I wanted to upgrade to something a little more sexy, travel friendly and slim but didn't want to lose performance. I was going to go with a Thinkpad Yoga but the unresolved ghosting issues on the 12.5 screen made me consider other laptops. I strongly considered the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus but the newer M.2 SSD form factor only has a 512 gb HD option where the Yoga 2 Pro's mSATA form factor can upgrade to 1TB so this was the clear choice as I require a lot of space. Also it does the whole flip/tent/touch pad thing which I really like.
Here are the positives
-Really thin, very good palm rest and pretty good looking.
- It's the same as the T430s with the extra 3 cell battery in the dvd drive bay which is about 5-6 hours with moderate use.
- Good sound for the size.
- Better keyboard than the other ultrabooks I tried and it's not that bad a transition from a thinkpad with an exceptional keyboard. Also the backlighting is really cool. I want to leave it on all the time even when I don't need it.
-Very Fast for how thin it is. Scored higher on than my old T430s with a 3rd gen i5.
- I also like that it uses the mSATA form factor so you can upgrade to a 1 TB Samsung mSATA but I already mentioned this as the deciding factor. Upgrade was super easy.
-Pretty good price compared to other laptops with this performance.
- I love the super high resolution screen and it takes a while to adjust when I move back to my 1080p monitor at my desk. It looks fuzzy for a while and can't wait t until I can buy a reasonably priced higher resolution monitor.
- Limited Bloatware
- Starts up super fast
- The yoga part was actually an afterthought but I'm using it more than I thought I would. It's become a work and play laptop.
- Has the newer 2x2 wireless card and it works great with my home network.
-Really thin, very good palm rest and pretty good looking.
- It's the same as the T430s with the extra 3 cell battery in the dvd drive bay which is about 5-6 hours with moderate use.
- Good sound for the size.
- Better keyboard than the other ultrabooks I tried and it's not that bad a transition from a thinkpad with an exceptional keyboard. Also the backlighting is really cool. I want to leave it on all the time even when I don't need it.
-Very Fast for how thin it is. Scored higher on than my old T430s with a 3rd gen i5.
- I also like that it uses the mSATA form factor so you can upgrade to a 1 TB Samsung mSATA but I already mentioned this as the deciding factor. Upgrade was super easy.
-Pretty good price compared to other laptops with this performance.
- I love the super high resolution screen and it takes a while to adjust when I move back to my 1080p monitor at my desk. It looks fuzzy for a while and can't wait t until I can buy a reasonably priced higher resolution monitor.
- Limited Bloatware
- Starts up super fast
- The yoga part was actually an afterthought but I'm using it more than I thought I would. It's become a work and play laptop.
- Has the newer 2x2 wireless card and it works great with my home network.
I have some small issues though.
- Micro HDMI doesn't work with RocketFish cables and some other cables as well. It doesn't make it all the way in so you have to angle it up to get it to work. It's kind of hit or miss with micro hdmi cables but Cable Matters works just fine.
- When I hook it up to my 1080p monitor at my desk I have to change the scaling which means I have to log out and close all my programs. I can't just unplug from the monitor and take it to a different place in the house. Hopefully I can find an easier way to do this.
- Some programs don't scale well with this super hd screen so it's a little tough to use them. However most programs I use scale pretty well. It takes out some of the glory of the super hd screen.
- Not quite as sturdy as my thinkpad (of course) but also not quite as sturdy as the Samsung. It doesn't feel delicate though but just a little more flimsy than the others.
- Don't like the non upgradable memory but 8gb will be enough for this laptop. I like how thin it is though and that's the price you have to pay for all laptops this size these days.
- Some programs don't scale to this high resolution but it's bearable.
- Not a fan of the silver or Clementine orange color and would of liked to see a gunmetal grey or something non-mac but still cool looking.
- Lenovo should include a USB to Ethernet port with the laptop like Samsung ATIV 9 does.
- Not really a complaint but just a suggestion to other readers who don't like windows 8 or 8.1. It's best to download Start 8 if you don't like the laptop interface. It makes the computer act like windows 7 except it's faster.
- Iv'e owned many Lenovo laptops and their customer support is pretty poor. If you have an issue you will need someone else to solve it or solve it yourself. They can replace broken parts but it takes a while.
- Micro HDMI doesn't work with RocketFish cables and some other cables as well. It doesn't make it all the way in so you have to angle it up to get it to work. It's kind of hit or miss with micro hdmi cables but Cable Matters works just fine.
- When I hook it up to my 1080p monitor at my desk I have to change the scaling which means I have to log out and close all my programs. I can't just unplug from the monitor and take it to a different place in the house. Hopefully I can find an easier way to do this.
- Some programs don't scale well with this super hd screen so it's a little tough to use them. However most programs I use scale pretty well. It takes out some of the glory of the super hd screen.
- Not quite as sturdy as my thinkpad (of course) but also not quite as sturdy as the Samsung. It doesn't feel delicate though but just a little more flimsy than the others.
- Don't like the non upgradable memory but 8gb will be enough for this laptop. I like how thin it is though and that's the price you have to pay for all laptops this size these days.
- Some programs don't scale to this high resolution but it's bearable.
- Not a fan of the silver or Clementine orange color and would of liked to see a gunmetal grey or something non-mac but still cool looking.
- Lenovo should include a USB to Ethernet port with the laptop like Samsung ATIV 9 does.
- Not really a complaint but just a suggestion to other readers who don't like windows 8 or 8.1. It's best to download Start 8 if you don't like the laptop interface. It makes the computer act like windows 7 except it's faster.
- Iv'e owned many Lenovo laptops and their customer support is pretty poor. If you have an issue you will need someone else to solve it or solve it yourself. They can replace broken parts but it takes a while.
All in all a great little lap top (especially for the price) that's just fun to own. It's got great performance but just doesn't feel serious like a think pad does. The positives outweigh the negatives for me and I can't stop playing around with it even when I'm done with my work.
What's great about it: Super thin
What's not so great: a few small issues
I would recommend this to a friend!
Display
4
Performance
4
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+18points
18of 18voted this as helpful.
Biesty's Review Comments
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro - 59418309 Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop: Take charge of your day-to-day life with this convertible laptop. The screen folds back a full 360° so the unit can also function as a tablet, or as a touch-screen display. Command your apps with the touch of a finger or with your voice, and see every detail of your high-res photos on the QHD+ screen.Learn more about the New Windows
Overall4 out of 5
4 out of 5Great Choice for the Price
By Biesty
from Tahoe
So I've owned many Lenovo laptops since 2008 and had a Thinkpad T430s for about 1.5 years (long time for me). I wanted to upgrade to something a little more sexy, travel friendly and slim but didn't want to lose performance. I was going to go with a Thinkpad Yoga but the unresolved ghosting issues on the 12.5 screen made me consider other laptops. I strongly considered the Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus but the newer M.2 SSD form factor only has a 512 gb HD option where the Yoga 2 Pro's mSATA form factor can upgrade to 1TB so this was the clear choice as I require a lot of space. Also it does the whole flip/tent/touch pad thing which I really like.
Here are the positives
-Really thin, very good palm rest and pretty good looking.
- It's the same as the T430s with the extra 3 cell battery in the dvd drive bay which is about 5-6 hours with moderate use.
- Good sound for the size.
- Better keyboard than the other ultrabooks I tried and it's not that bad a transition from a thinkpad with an exceptional keyboard. Also the backlighting is really cool. I want to leave it on all the time even when I don't need it.
-Very Fast for how thin it is. Scored higher on than my old T430s with a 3rd gen i5.
- I also like that it uses the mSATA form factor so you can upgrade to a 1 TB Samsung mSATA but I already mentioned this as the deciding factor. Upgrade was super easy.
-Pretty good price compared to other laptops with this performance.
- I love the super high resolution screen and it takes a while to adjust when I move back to my 1080p monitor at my desk. It looks fuzzy for a while and can't wait t until I can buy a reasonably priced higher resolution monitor.
- Limited Bloatware
- Starts up super fast
- The yoga part was actually an afterthought but I'm using it more than I thought I would. It's become a work and play laptop.
- Has the newer 2x2 wireless card and it works great with my home network.
-Really thin, very good palm rest and pretty good looking.
- It's the same as the T430s with the extra 3 cell battery in the dvd drive bay which is about 5-6 hours with moderate use.
- Good sound for the size.
- Better keyboard than the other ultrabooks I tried and it's not that bad a transition from a thinkpad with an exceptional keyboard. Also the backlighting is really cool. I want to leave it on all the time even when I don't need it.
-Very Fast for how thin it is. Scored higher on than my old T430s with a 3rd gen i5.
- I also like that it uses the mSATA form factor so you can upgrade to a 1 TB Samsung mSATA but I already mentioned this as the deciding factor. Upgrade was super easy.
-Pretty good price compared to other laptops with this performance.
- I love the super high resolution screen and it takes a while to adjust when I move back to my 1080p monitor at my desk. It looks fuzzy for a while and can't wait t until I can buy a reasonably priced higher resolution monitor.
- Limited Bloatware
- Starts up super fast
- The yoga part was actually an afterthought but I'm using it more than I thought I would. It's become a work and play laptop.
- Has the newer 2x2 wireless card and it works great with my home network.
I have some small issues though.
- Micro HDMI doesn't work with RocketFish cables and some other cables as well. It doesn't make it all the way in so you have to angle it up to get it to work. It's kind of hit or miss with micro hdmi cables but Cable Matters works just fine.
- When I hook it up to my 1080p monitor at my desk I have to change the scaling which means I have to log out and close all my programs. I can't just unplug from the monitor and take it to a different place in the house. Hopefully I can find an easier way to do this.
- Some programs don't scale well with this super hd screen so it's a little tough to use them. However most programs I use scale pretty well. It takes out some of the glory of the super hd screen.
- Not quite as sturdy as my thinkpad (of course) but also not quite as sturdy as the Samsung. It doesn't feel delicate though but just a little more flimsy than the others.
- Don't like the non upgradable memory but 8gb will be enough for this laptop. I like how thin it is though and that's the price you have to pay for all laptops this size these days.
- Some programs don't scale to this high resolution but it's bearable.
- Not a fan of the silver or Clementine orange color and would of liked to see a gunmetal grey or something non-mac but still cool looking.
- Lenovo should include a USB to Ethernet port with the laptop like Samsung ATIV 9 does.
- Not really a complaint but just a suggestion to other readers who don't like windows 8 or 8.1. It's best to download Start 8 if you don't like the laptop interface. It makes the computer act like windows 7 except it's faster.
- Iv'e owned many Lenovo laptops and their customer support is pretty poor. If you have an issue you will need someone else to solve it or solve it yourself. They can replace broken parts but it takes a while.
- Micro HDMI doesn't work with RocketFish cables and some other cables as well. It doesn't make it all the way in so you have to angle it up to get it to work. It's kind of hit or miss with micro hdmi cables but Cable Matters works just fine.
- When I hook it up to my 1080p monitor at my desk I have to change the scaling which means I have to log out and close all my programs. I can't just unplug from the monitor and take it to a different place in the house. Hopefully I can find an easier way to do this.
- Some programs don't scale well with this super hd screen so it's a little tough to use them. However most programs I use scale pretty well. It takes out some of the glory of the super hd screen.
- Not quite as sturdy as my thinkpad (of course) but also not quite as sturdy as the Samsung. It doesn't feel delicate though but just a little more flimsy than the others.
- Don't like the non upgradable memory but 8gb will be enough for this laptop. I like how thin it is though and that's the price you have to pay for all laptops this size these days.
- Some programs don't scale to this high resolution but it's bearable.
- Not a fan of the silver or Clementine orange color and would of liked to see a gunmetal grey or something non-mac but still cool looking.
- Lenovo should include a USB to Ethernet port with the laptop like Samsung ATIV 9 does.
- Not really a complaint but just a suggestion to other readers who don't like windows 8 or 8.1. It's best to download Start 8 if you don't like the laptop interface. It makes the computer act like windows 7 except it's faster.
- Iv'e owned many Lenovo laptops and their customer support is pretty poor. If you have an issue you will need someone else to solve it or solve it yourself. They can replace broken parts but it takes a while.
All in all a great little lap top (especially for the price) that's just fun to own. It's got great performance but just doesn't feel serious like a think pad does. The positives outweigh the negatives for me and I can't stop playing around with it even when I'm done with my work.
Biesty
Tahoe
I was wrong about the wireless card
April 7, 2014
Turns out I was wrong about the card. This had a BGN card that became glitchy in less than a week. What I mean by glitchy is the card would slow down or completely disconnect where every other device in the house was working perfectly. I just installed a 7260NGW Intel® Dual Band Wireless-AC 7260 802.11ac, Dual Band, 2x2 Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 4.0 from M-Factors and it works really well. Outlook sends and receives in a few seconds where before it took 30 seconds to a minute. Every thing is snappy and quick that interfaces with the internet and I now truly love this laptop. The card only cost $42 shipped and it's really easy to replace. Don't know why Lenovo installed the BGN card with windows 8.1 when they could of installed an AC card.
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
Lenovo Yoga 900 Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop: Combine the versatility of a tablet with the functionality of a laptop when you use this 13-inch Lenovo Yoga 900. A 360-degree watchband hinge lets you convert this device into an easel for hands-free video viewing or a tablet for casual Internet browsing. Weighing just 2.8 pounds, this Lenovo Yoga 900 is conveniently portable.
Overall4 out of 5
4 out of 5The better of the two with similar specs.
By Biesty
from Tahoe
So at the time I'm writing this Best Buy has two models with what seems like similar specs. They both are silver, have an i7 Processor, 16gb memory and a 512gb ssd. This one has a 1,399 price and the other is on sale for something like 1,249. It seems like they are the same but they are definitely not. I would strongly suggest getting the 1,399 one for these reasons.
1. This has a PCIE 3.0 NVME SSD. It's way faster than the SATA III SSD on the other one. The Model I see in the testing software says it's a Samsung MZVLV512. I'm getting read speeds of 1,351mb/s where most SATA III SSD's max out at 500mb/s. So almost 3 times faster and if you upgrade to a Samsung 950 pro you could get even faster. With my test the write speeds seem a little slow across the board but the NVME SSD is a huge selling point.
2. This has an Intel i76560u with 540 Iris Graphics. The integrated graphics on this processor was about 20-40% faster for the vids I rendered. I can't comment on gaming but it's definitely better for editing videos.
So here are the negatives.
1. USB-C for a display port. This could be the deal breaker for me as I haven't found a USB-C to HDMI adapter that works so I haven't been able to plug this into my monitor. This is very frustrating and Best Buy doesn't have adapters in stock.
2. The screen is pretty glossy and not that bright. I'm noticing a lot of reflections I didn't with my other laptop before buying this.
1. USB-C for a display port. This could be the deal breaker for me as I haven't found a USB-C to HDMI adapter that works so I haven't been able to plug this into my monitor. This is very frustrating and Best Buy doesn't have adapters in stock.
2. The screen is pretty glossy and not that bright. I'm noticing a lot of reflections I didn't with my other laptop before buying this.
Some things that aren't terrible but I'd like to see improved.
1. It's a pretty big profile compared to a lot of 13.3" competitors out there. It's a little wider and longer. I'd like to see it be a little more narrow and maybe a touch shorter but not at the expense of re-positioning the cam at the bottom.
2. The laptop has lots of space for a full keyboard but they skimped on the shift button on the right side. It's not as easy to hit as a normal keyboard. I can live with it but I'd like that changed.
3. The keyboard is pretty far from the Thinkpads I've owned in the past and it would be great to see a little better typing experience. However It's very usable and I could spend a whole day typing on this without getting frustrated.
4. Would love to see a black and silver exterior as well as the other colors. Wasn't super into the all silver exterior but at least it's black on the inside.
1. It's a pretty big profile compared to a lot of 13.3" competitors out there. It's a little wider and longer. I'd like to see it be a little more narrow and maybe a touch shorter but not at the expense of re-positioning the cam at the bottom.
2. The laptop has lots of space for a full keyboard but they skimped on the shift button on the right side. It's not as easy to hit as a normal keyboard. I can live with it but I'd like that changed.
3. The keyboard is pretty far from the Thinkpads I've owned in the past and it would be great to see a little better typing experience. However It's very usable and I could spend a whole day typing on this without getting frustrated.
4. Would love to see a black and silver exterior as well as the other colors. Wasn't super into the all silver exterior but at least it's black on the inside.
So here are the positives.
1. Feels well built
2. Fast modern NVME drive
3. Battery life is pretty good. I didn't expect much with these specs but it seems like I'll get 6-8hrs depending on how I use it in power saver mode with the screen at about 40%
4. Fast Iris 540 integrated Intel Graphics
5. Fast PC overall.
6. Minimal bloatware.
1. Feels well built
2. Fast modern NVME drive
3. Battery life is pretty good. I didn't expect much with these specs but it seems like I'll get 6-8hrs depending on how I use it in power saver mode with the screen at about 40%
4. Fast Iris 540 integrated Intel Graphics
5. Fast PC overall.
6. Minimal bloatware.
So I like this laptop and if it just had a normal HDMI out I'd be sold. However if I can't connect this to my display via HDMI then I'm going to have to reluctantly return it.
Biesty
Tahoe
Follow Up
July 2, 2016
So you can't edit reviews on Best Buy but I wanted to give a follow up. So Lenovo has a USB-C to HDMI adapter that works really well. It's not on the accessory section of the Yoga 900 page but it's on the site. That makes this computer work. It also seems that there are some good USB-C docking stations on the market and more coming so I'm looking into that too. Regarding the NVME SSD it's the Samsung SM951 which is faster than SATA III but not as fast as many PCIe NVMe Drives out there. I did a Crystal Disk Mark Score on it and it's Read is 1366 mbps which is pretty good and it's Write was 596 mbps which is better by a little than most SATA III Drives that are usually under 500 mbps but the newer/better NVMe drives on laptops are 1500 mbps or higher. So I'm contemplating upgrading to the 950 Pro which I've seen have 1600 mbps Read/1500 mbps Write speeds.
I did buy a little 1.5 foot extension chord because the power adapter is so big it blocks the second plug on every outlet. I'd love to see them fix that in the next model or introduce a more outlet friendly adapter.
So overall I'm pretty happy with this laptop. It should last me a long time.
+10points
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