With CES 2023 coming to a close, it’s time to digest all of the announcements made throughout the event. We’ll have editorials, hands-on coverage, and recaps of the vast range of devices unveiled, but right now we’d like to know what you think of the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i. The unique laptop has two OLED displays and can flip around into various postures. It also supports a Bluetooth keyboard that converts the PC to a traditional clamshell laptop.
At first glance, the Yoga Book 9i looks like the never-released Microsoft Surface Neo. Both devices feature dual-screen designs and aim to introduce a new form factor into portable computing. But there are key differences that separate the foldables, such as their internals, sizes, and the fact that the Yoga Book 9i will actually ship to consumers.
The Surface Neo never made it into the hands of customers. Despite officially being “postponed,” the device in the form we initially saw it is dead, according to our senior editor Zac Bowden. With that being the case, many saw the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i as a spiritual successor to Microsoft’s cancelled Neo.
In this week’s poll, we’d like to know if you’re interested in the Yoga Book 9i. Before you cast your vote, make sure to check out our announcement post for the foldable that includes hands-on photos and a full spec breakdown.
Windows Central take: A more functional foldable
While I was impressed with the design and concept of the Surface Neo, I believe Lenovo’s Yoga Book 9i will be a more functional device, and not just because the Neo was never released. The Yoga Book 9i is much larger than the Surface Neo, featuring a pair of 13.3-inch displays. That means a person can use the Yoga Book 9i like one of the best Windows laptops when it’s in clamshell mode. It can then show off its versatility by having the screens stacked vertically.
Some have questioned the hinged design of the Yoga Book 9i, pointing to the fact that the ThinkPad X1 Fold has a continuous folding display and can be positioned in several of the same postures as the Yoga Book 9i. While the ThinkPad X1 Fold is impressive, I find the Yoga Book 9i to be more elegant.
Its hinged design allows a soundbar to sit in the middle to fire audio at you regardless of the posture the PC is in. Lenovo using two displays rather than a single folding one should also result in a more durable device, though that won’t be confirmed until we can review the Yoga Book 9i.
Ultimately, the Yoga Book 9i just appeals to me more than the Neo or the ThinkPad X1 Fold. That’s not going to be the case for everyone, and that’s great. One of the best things about the Windows PC ecosystem is that there are so many choices.
