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Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB (i7-8550U, 4K) Convertible Review

Ambitious middle-class Yoga. Good quality at a low price - impossible? Lenovo attempts to fulfill this promise by releasing a middle-class convertible laptop playing in the upper league. You can read in this detailed review if this concept adds up.

When people hear the word Yoga, they first think about twisted bodies. Nevertheless, the computer manufacturer Lenovo succeeded to establish the term as a well-known brand name. Yoga is not as important as the brand “ThinkPad”, but since the announcement of the first IdeaPad Yoga in 2012, it is probably Lenovo’s second most important computer brand. The manufacturer removed the label IdeaPad from their consumer models years ago so that Yoga now appears as a single brand name. For their business models, however, they combined the powerful names “ThinkPad”, “Yoga”, and “X1” in a single device (ThinkPad X1 Yoga).

Today’s review unit is not as high-priced as the ThinkPad X1 Yoga. It is not even the flagship of the Yoga series for consumers, which is the Lenovo Yoga 920. The Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB takes a back seat. It is made for customers, who want to buy a premium Yoga convertible but do not want to pay the price for the absolute flagship model. The classification for that matter is “upper middle class” rather than “upper class”. We are testing the most expensive configuration of the Yoga 730-13IKB featuring the Intel Core i7-8550U, a 512 GB SSD, 16 GB of RAM, and a 4K (3,840 x 2,160) display at a 1,399 Euro price point (~ $1,640). The Lenovo Yoga 920 would cost 300 Euros (~ $350) more with a comparable configuration but just 8 GB of RAM.

The Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB competes against top-class devices such as the HP Spectre x360, the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, and the Lenovo Yoga 920.

Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB (Yoga 730-13 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8550U 4 x 1.8 - 4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
Memory
16 GB 
, Soldered memory
Display
13.30 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 331 PPI, can detect 10 fingers, native pen support, B133ZAN02.3, IPS LED, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U + iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG), 512 GB 
, M.2 2280, PCIe NVMe SSD, 421 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Kaby Lake-U/Y PCH - High Definition Audio
Connections
1 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, 2 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: Combo Audio, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope
Networking
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 14.1 x 306.8 x 216.3 ( = 0.56 x 12.08 x 8.52 in)
Battery
48 Wh Lithium-Polymer
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p
Additional features
Speakers: 2,5 W stereo, Keyboard: 6 row chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, Lenovo Active Pen, Lenovo Vantage, Lenovo App Explorer, Microsoft Office Trial, 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.223 kg ( = 43.14 oz / 2.7 pounds), Power Supply: 356 g ( = 12.56 oz / 0.78 pounds)
Price
1399 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case

Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB

The Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB is an update of the predecessor Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB. This means that the general assembly is virtually identical. However, Lenovo made some minor modifications on the outside as well as on the inside. The exterior of the Yoga 730-13IKB received a facelift. The milled chrome edges, for instance, are gone making the design more understated. Only the fingerprint reader and the TrackPad still have the chrome bezels, and the big Yoga logo on the display lid is chrome-plated. There are new color options available: dark gray, silver, and copper instead of gold, gray, and silver. Our review unit has a dark gray case. Lenovo changed the design of the rear edge of the laptop where the hinges are. Now, it is significantly more rounded and looks even more like the HP Spectre x360 13. Another minor change is the fan outlet design. On the bottom of the laptop are two small rubber feet on the front and one long rubber foot at the back, instead of a small rubber foot in each corner.

Apart from the removal of chrome elements and the different color options, Lenovo has not changed the materials of the case. The entire case is made from aluminum, except for the glass bezels around the display. Over all, the Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB impresses with its high quality case and build quality. You can hardly warp or push in the base unit, and the display lid is relatively sturdy, thanks to the combination of metal and glass, which covers the display panel.

Therefore, the Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB is not extremely far from the more expensive Lenovo Yoga 920, but there is one significant difference: The Yoga 730 has a conventional hinge design with two hinges, whereas the Yoga 920 features the luxurious “watchband” hinge. Both designs allow turning the display by 360 degrees for the tablet mode. The hinges of the Yoga 730 allow more wobbling than the hinge of the Yoga 920. It is not possible to open the display lid with one hand.

Together with the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, the Lenovo Yoga 730 is the lightest model in the line of competitors. The Lenovo Yoga 920 is significantly heavier by nearly 200 g (~ 7oz), but it is also the largest convertible with its 13.9-inch display. The other competitors have 13.3-inch displays. All the convertibles have very small bezels on the sides and on top of the display but a large bezel below. This “chin” obstructs the otherwise elegant design and wastes some real estate. Maybe it is time for the manufacturers to switch to the 3:2 aspect ratio for displays, like Huawei does with its MateBook X Pro.

Size Comparison

323 mm / 12.7 inch 223.5 mm / 8.8 inch 13.95 mm / 0.549 inch 1.4 kg3.02 lbs306.8 mm / 12.1 inch 216.3 mm / 8.52 inch 14.1 mm / 0.555 inch 1.2 kg2.7 lbs306 mm / 12 inch 218 mm / 8.58 inch 13.6 mm / 0.535 inch 1.3 kg2.78 lbs304 mm / 12 inch 199 mm / 7.83 inch 13.7 mm / 0.539 inch 1.2 kg2.71 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Lenovo has barely changed the configuration of the ports compared to the Yoga 720-13IKB. There are two USB Type-C ports and a headphone jack on the left side and a single USB 3.0 Type-A port on the right side. The Yoga 730 does not feature an SD card reader or an HDMI port. More demanding users will probably not be satisfied with this limited selection of ports.

The sole innovation here is that both Type-C ports are supporting Thunderbolt 3 now, whereas the predecessor had only one Thunderbolt 3 port. This means most likely that the Thunderbolt 3 ports are connected via PCIe x4, because it is virtually always the case for laptops with two Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Left side: 2x Thunderbolt 3, audio combo jack
Left side: 2x Thunderbolt 3, audio combo jack
Right side: USB 3.0 Type-A, power button
Right side: USB 3.0 Type-A, power button

Communication

The only communication module of the Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB is the Wi-Fi module Intel Wireless 8265, which is a standard component for more expensive laptops. The performance is satisfactory during day-to-day use, but the benchmarks showed a mixed result: The receiving performance is good, but the sending performance is significantly below average.

The camera and the microphones are typical for laptops - the quality is just sufficient for Skype video chats but not for more.

Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Convertible
  (1003 - 1395, n=2, last 2 years)
1199 MBit/s +222%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
655 MBit/s +76%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
566 MBit/s +52%
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
471 MBit/s +27%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
372 MBit/s
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Convertible
  (1178 - 1578, n=2, last 2 years)
1378 MBit/s +138%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
Atheros/Qualcomm QCA6174
648 MBit/s +12%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
579 MBit/s
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
484 MBit/s -16%
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
309 MBit/s -47%

Security Features

Consumer laptops usually do not come with many security features. The fingerprint reader with touch technology, which is integrated in the palm rest, is probably rather a convenience feature than a serious security feature. However, it works snappy and reliably in combination with Windows Hello.

Fingerprint reader
Fingerprint reader

Accessories

The Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB comes with a 65-W power adapter as well as a digitizer pen, based on the Wacom AES technology. Therefore, the Yoga could be particularly interesting for students, who need a convertible for taking notes. Suitable batteries are also included. We will take a deeper look at the pen in the section “input devices”.

Included 65-W power supply
Included 65-W power supply
Digitizer pen
Digitizer pen

Maintenance

It is possible to access the interior of the Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB by removing the nine Philips T5 screws, which are securing the bottom plate. After removing the bottom plate, you can access important components such as the battery, the two small fans, and the M.2 SSD. You can upgrade the SSD, but the main memory is soldered to the mainboard.

Interior of the Yoga
Interior of the Yoga

Warranty

The Yoga 730-13IKB has a manufacturer warranty of 24 months - this meets the common standard in this field. Please see our Guarantees, Return policies and Warranties FAQ for country-specific information.

Input Devices

Keyboard

Lenovo equips its Yoga 730-13IKB with a chiclet keyboard with six rows of keys. The layout and design of the keys are still the same as for the predecessor. The bottom edges of the keys are slightly rounded, but the surface of the keys is flat and not concave like the keys on a ThinkPad. The key travel is quite shallow, the pressure point is not well defined, and the resistance is too small. Overall, the keyboard is usable but not really comfortable - in particular when compared to the ThinkPad keyboards.

Trackpad, Touchscreen & Digitizer Pen

The TrackPad sits in the center of the palm rest below the keyboard. The size of the TrackPad (10.5 x 7 cm, ~ 4.1 x 2.8 inches) is appropriate for a 13-inch laptop. There are no dedicated mouse keys, since the lower third of the TrackPad is clickable. The key travel of the TrackPad is short and crisp. The surface is very smooth and allows precise control of the mouse pointer - particularly in interaction with Microsoft’s Precision Touchpad drivers. The TrackPad is definitely a good one.

You can also use the touchscreen or the digitizer pen instead of the TrackPad. The touchscreen is able to detect ten fingers at the same time. It detects inputs very precisely. The pen is based on Wacom’s AES technology and features 4,096 pressure stages. In our short test, it worked flawlessly even on the edges of the display. The pen has a comfortable grip and two buttons, whose functions can be defined with the preinstalled Lenovo app. By default, one button activates the eraser function.

Test of the digitizer pen
Test of the digitizer pen
Lenovo's app for the pen settings
Lenovo's app for the pen settings

Display

Subpixel geometry B133ZAN02.3
Subpixel geometry B133ZAN02.3
Marginal backlight bleeding (overstated)
Marginal backlight bleeding (overstated)

Lenovo’s spec sheet lists two display options for the Yoga laptop: a Full HD panel (1,920 x 1,080) for the base model and a 4K panel (3,840 x 2,160). Both are IPS panels. The display is covered with glass, which makes it glossy. Both display options have touch capability.

Today’s review unit features the 4K panel. Lenovo states a brightness value of 300 cd/m². We measured an average maximum brightness of 299 cd/m², which confirms this specification. The competing convertibles have similar brightness values, even the Full HD display of the Yoga 730-13IKB, which has been tested by our U.S. editorial department. The contrast ratio of the 4K display, however, is twice as high as that of the Full HD display. The HP Spectre x360 13 and the Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 are reaching similar contrast ratios.

The display has neither PWM, nor a significant backlight bleeding. With 93%, the distribution of brightness is very consistent.

299
cd/m²
299
cd/m²
300
cd/m²
295
cd/m²
310
cd/m²
289
cd/m²
292
cd/m²
307
cd/m²
297
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
B133ZAN02.3 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 310 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 298.7 cd/m² Minimum: 3.7 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 93 %
Center on Battery: 311 cd/m²
Contrast: 1550:1 (Black: 0.2 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 1.4
ΔE Greyscale 6.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
97.6% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
62.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
68.3% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
97.7% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
66.8% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.1
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
B133ZAN02.3, , 3840x2160, 13.30
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
AU Optronics B139HAN03.0, , 1920x1080, 13.90
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
1920x1080, 13.30
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
LGD05B4 (LP133WF4-SPB8), , 1920x1080, 13.30
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
BOE CQ NV133FHM-N61, , 1920x1080, 13.30
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
LGD0588, , 3840x2160, 13.30
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Chi Mei (CMN1376), , 1920x1080, 13.30
Display
-6%
-28%
-9%
-5%
5%
2%
Display P3 Coverage
66.8
62.5
-6%
47.32
-29%
65.6
-2%
67.8
1%
71.9
8%
68.1
2%
sRGB Coverage
97.7
91.7
-6%
71.1
-27%
83.9
-14%
88.2
-10%
98.1
0%
99.5
2%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
68.3
64.1
-6%
48.83
-29%
61.4
-10%
64.4
-6%
73.1
7%
70.2
3%
Response Times
7%
3%
28%
-1%
0%
23%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
54 ?(24.4, 29.6)
46 ?(20.8, 25.2)
15%
48 ?(16.4, 31.6)
11%
34 ?(16.4, 17.6)
37%
48 ?(26, 22)
11%
51.6 ?(25.6, 26)
4%
36 ?(18, 18)
33%
Response Time Black / White *
31.2 ?(16.4, 14.8)
31.6 ?(18.4, 13.2)
-1%
32.8 ?(7.6, 25.2)
-5%
25.2 ?(13.6, 11.6)
19%
35 ?(19, 16)
-12%
32.4 ?(16.4, 16)
-4%
27 ?(13, 14)
13%
PWM Frequency
1042 ?(29)
350 ?(90)
25000 ?(40)
Screen
-27%
-19%
-38%
-14%
11%
-1%
Brightness middle
310
297.9
-4%
322.6
4%
301
-3%
297
-4%
329.8
6%
311
0%
Brightness
299
278
-7%
306
2%
295
-1%
277
-7%
318
6%
278
-7%
Brightness Distribution
93
81
-13%
91
-2%
91
-2%
87
-6%
74
-20%
82
-12%
Black Level *
0.2
0.44
-120%
0.19
5%
0.36
-80%
0.33
-65%
0.25
-25%
0.2
-0%
Contrast
1550
677
-56%
1698
10%
836
-46%
900
-42%
1319
-15%
1555
0%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.2
5.1
-21%
7.7
-83%
6.02
-43%
4.93
-17%
2.37
44%
3.98
5%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
8
11
-38%
11.1
-39%
11.36
-42%
8.39
-5%
4.08
49%
8.48
-6%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
1.4
4.74
-239%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
6.2
6.7
-8%
7.9
-27%
2.9
53%
4.84
22%
2.8
55%
5.57
10%
Gamma
2.1 105%
2.9 76%
2.88 76%
1.96 112%
2.5 88%
2.145 103%
2.51 88%
CCT
6983 93%
6839 95%
7044 92%
6408 101%
6894 94%
6441 101%
7810 83%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
62.8
64.1
2%
44.1
-30%
61.38
-2%
58
-8%
67
7%
64
2%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
97.6
91.7
-6%
69.9
-28%
83.92
-14%
88
-10%
98
0%
99
1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
-9% / -18%
-15% / -18%
-6% / -24%
-7% / -11%
5% / 8%
8% / 3%

* ... smaller is better

Color analysis
Color analysis
Saturation sweeps
Saturation sweeps
Grayscale analysis
Grayscale analysis
Color analysis (post-calibration)
Color analysis (post-calibration)
Saturation sweeps (post-calibration)
Saturation sweeps (post-calibration)
Grayscale analysis (post-calibration)
Grayscale analysis (post-calibration)

Out of the box, the display has a noticeable green color cast, which can be eliminated by calibration. As always, we are providing the ICC profile for this purpose. Overall, the subjective impression of the calibrated display is very good. Thanks to the high contrast ratio, black does not look like dark gray.

With a coverage of 97% sRGB, the color gamut contributes to the good impression. This is a decent value that we expect from a device in this price range. You should be able to do some semi-professional image editing. However, the 4K LCD of the Yoga 730-13IKB is not a wide-gamut display. For this, it would have to cover more than 62% of the AdobeRGB color space.

sRGB: 97%
sRGB: 97%
AdobeRGB: 62%
AdobeRGB: 62%
Outdoors (shadow)
Outdoors (shadow)
Outdoors (sun)
Outdoors (sun)

Unfortunately, the display is not suitable for outdoor use even though the maximum brightness is 300 cd/m². Due to the glossy surface, we noticed plenty of disturbing reflections even in the shadow. The display is not bright enough to outshine these reflections.

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
31.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16.4 ms rise
↘ 14.8 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 82 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
54 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 24.4 ms rise
↘ 29.6 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 89 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

The viewing angle stability is very good, which is typical for IPS displays.

Viewing angles B133ZAN02.3
Viewing angles B133ZAN02.3

Performance

As of now (end of July 2018), there are six different models of the Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB available in the United States. Two models (81CT0023GE & 81CT008EGE) are nearly identical. The base model, which currently costs 999 Euros (~ $1,170), is available in dark gray or silver. Both colors are equipped with the same hardware components (Core i5-8250U, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD, Full HD display). The more expensive configuration 81CT0080GE is exclusively available in the Lenovo online store. This one features an Intel Core i7-8550U CPU, 8 GB of RAM, a Full HD display, and a 512 GB SSD. The color of the case is silver. The remaining three models are equipped with 16 GB of DDR4-2400 RAM (which is soldered to the mainboard) and a Core i7-8550U CPU. The cheaper configuration of the three has a 256 GB SSD; the other two have a 512 GB SSD. Only the most expensive model, which is our review unit, features a 4K display.

HWiNFO
HWiNFO
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
Caches
Caches
Mainboard
Mainboard
Memory
Memory
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
LatencyMon
LatencyMon
 

Processor

Intel’s Core i7-8550U is an ultra-low voltage (ULV) processor with four cores. It has a thermal design power (TDP) of 15 W. The clock speed ranges between 1.8 and 4 GHz (Turbo Boost). You can compare the CPU with other processors in our CPU benchmark table.

Lenovo allows the CPU to have a significantly higher maximum power consumption of 33 W - but only for 30 seconds. This results in a good boost performance, however, the temperature jumps up to 97 °C (~ 207 °F). Therefore, the clock speed drops quickly from 3.1 GHz to 2.9 GHz. For a short time, the power consumption lies at 28 W. Even this performance cannot be delivered permanently. In the long run, the clock speed evens out at 2.2 GHz with a power limit of 14 W. This explains the relatively quick decline of performance in the Cinebench loop.

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Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

Thanks to the good boost performance, the Yoga 730-13IKB takes the lead in our CPU benchmark table. In the end, however, the Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB delivers a better performance, whereas the HP Spectre x360 offers roughly the same performance under load as the Yoga 730. At least, the Yoga 730-13IKB is faster than its predecessor Yoga 720-13IKB. This one had the same processor, but Lenovo re-engineered the cooling system, which is probably the reason for the better CPU performance of the newer model.

The CPU performance is throttled during battery operation. Here, the Yoga 730 reaches only 530 points instead of 630 in the Cinebench multi-core test.

Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (68.6 - 287, n=64, last 2 years)
229 Points +40%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
Intel Core i7-8550U
170 Points +4%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
163 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (108 - 172, n=76)
159.6 Points -2%
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
Intel Core i7-8550U
152 Points -7%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel Core i7-8550U
144 Points -12%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
Intel Core i5-8250U
135 Points -17%
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-7Y75
130 Points -20%
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
109 Points -33%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (110.1 - 2889, n=66, last 2 years)
1554 Points +147%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
Intel Core i5-8250U
639 Points +1%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
630 Points
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
Intel Core i7-8550U
576 Points -9%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (301 - 761, n=78)
576 Points -9%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel Core i7-8550U
501 Points -20%
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
Intel Core i7-8550U
489 Points -22%
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
407 Points -35%
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
Intel Core i7-7Y75
258 Points -59%
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
53.7 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
97.8 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
630 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
163 Points
Help

System Performance

The system performance of the Yoga 730-13IKB is good, even though the PCMark results are slightly lower than those of the competitors. The lower results are probably mainly caused by the higher display resolution. During day-to-day use, however, the system was always running smoothly.

PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Convertible
  (4404 - 5830, n=3, last 2 years)
4890 Points +47%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3999 Points +21%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
3895 Points +17%
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
3815 Points +15%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3024 - 4197, n=33)
3614 Points +9%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN51T02DUK
3605 Points +9%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
3317 Points
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Lite-On CA1-8D256-HP
3306 Points 0%
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
HD Graphics 615, i7-7Y75, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
3134 Points -6%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
5154 Points +23%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
4901 Points +17%
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
4685 Points +12%
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
HD Graphics 615, i7-7Y75, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
4674 Points +12%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (3518 - 5154, n=27)
4585 Points +10%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba NVMe THNSN51T02DUK
4463 Points +7%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
4177 Points
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Lite-On CA1-8D256-HP
4149 Points -1%
Average of class Convertible
  (2921 - 6089, n=3, last 2 years)
4045 Points -3%
PCMark 10
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Convertible
  (811 - 12360, n=59, last 2 years)
6335 Points +127%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
2986 Points +7%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
2971 Points +7%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
2785 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1506 - 3160, n=29)
2748 Points -1%
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Lite-On CA1-8D256-HP
2548 Points -9%
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
2451 Points -12%
Productivity
Average of class Convertible
  (2764 - 10800, n=59, last 2 years)
7383 Points +21%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
6812 Points +11%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
6653 Points +9%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (4889 - 7006, n=29)
6175 Points +1%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
6110 Points
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
5485 Points -10%
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Lite-On CA1-8D256-HP
5253 Points -14%
Essentials
Average of class Convertible
  (3975 - 12059, n=59, last 2 years)
10504 Points +26%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
9289 Points +11%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
8660 Points +4%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
8340 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6628 - 9291, n=29)
7780 Points -7%
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Lite-On CA1-8D256-HP
7376 Points -12%
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
6995 Points -16%
Score
Average of class Convertible
  (1486 - 7963, n=59, last 2 years)
5616 Points +50%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8250U, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
4081 Points +9%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4012 Points +7%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
3739 Points
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (2629 - 4072, n=31)
3607 Points -4%
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Lite-On CA1-8D256-HP
3313 Points -11%
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
UHD Graphics 620, i5-8550U, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
3260 Points -13%
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3317 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4177 points
PCMark 10 Score
3739 points
Help

Storage Devices

The Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB features a single M.2-2280 SSD. Our review unit has a PCIe-NVMe SSD with a capacity of 512 GB produced by Hynix. The model number is HFS512GD9TNG. The speed is satisfactory for a PCIe-NVMe SSD: It is faster than the often-used Toshiba XG5 but slower than the Samsung PM961.

Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK)
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Toshiba NVMe THNSN51T02DUK
Average SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
21%
-24%
-29%
-15%
-7%
7%
Read Seq
1861
2070
11%
1206
-35%
1975
6%
1345
-28%
919
-51%
1748 ?(1360 - 1961, n=5)
-6%
Write Seq
1128
1125
0%
629
-44%
322.8
-71%
569
-50%
776
-31%
1088 ?(660 - 2106, n=5)
-4%
Read 512
1364
1252
-8%
966
-29%
775
-43%
1041
-24%
620
-55%
1134 ?(697 - 1656, n=5)
-17%
Write 512
657
832
27%
410.7
-37%
336.7
-49%
547
-17%
575
-12%
918 ?(633 - 2022, n=5)
40%
Read 4k
39.27
56.2
43%
32.93
-16%
7.04
-82%
38.42
-2%
45.99
17%
44.9 ?(39.3 - 58.7, n=5)
14%
Write 4k
143.4
142.4
-1%
121.2
-15%
132.5
-8%
127.1
-11%
138.1
-4%
135.8 ?(100 - 170.8, n=5)
-5%
Read 4k QD32
370.6
432.9
17%
411
11%
395.8
7%
416.4
12%
542
46%
427 ?(330 - 571, n=5)
15%
Write 4k QD32
324.7
573
76%
250.2
-23%
348.3
7%
337.5
4%
437.3
35%
386 ?(260 - 487, n=5)
19%
SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
Sequential Read: 1861 MB/s
Sequential Write: 1128 MB/s
512K Read: 1364 MB/s
512K Write: 657 MB/s
4K Read: 39.27 MB/s
4K Write: 143.4 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 370.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 324.7 MB/s

Graphics Card

Intel's UHD Graphics 620 is the iGPU standard solution for most of the Ultrabooks in 2018. Its performance highly depends on the RAM configuration. Memory operation in single-channel mode adversely affects the performance of a GPU without dedicated memory. Fortunately, the soldered RAM in the Yoga 730-13IKB operates in dual-channel mode, allowing the GPU to max out its limited capability.

We were unable to notice a throttling of the GPU performance during battery operation.

3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average of class Convertible
  (471 - 40768, n=64, last 2 years)
7541 Points +357%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1793 Points +9%
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1765 Points +7%
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (1144 - 3432, n=244)
1749 Points +6%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1709 Points +4%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1649 Points
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1577 Points -4%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1497 Points -9%
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
Intel HD Graphics 615, Intel Core i7-7Y75
1370 Points -17%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Average of class Convertible
  (2965 - 154219, n=50, last 2 years)
31444 Points +239%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
9852 Points +6%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
9678 Points +4%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
9283 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (6205 - 16400, n=225)
9262 Points 0%
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
9252 Points 0%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
8600 Points -7%
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
8112 Points -13%
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
Intel HD Graphics 615, Intel Core i7-7Y75
7839 Points -16%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average of class Convertible
  (365 - 29684, n=64, last 2 years)
5690 Points +385%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i5-8250U
1211 Points +3%
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1174 Points
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
  (557 - 2608, n=213)
1161 Points -1%
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1150 Points -2%
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1112 Points -5%
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1064 Points -9%
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Intel UHD Graphics 620, Intel Core i7-8550U
1047 Points -11%
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
Intel HD Graphics 615, Intel Core i7-7Y75
917 Points -22%
3DMark 11 Performance
1850 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
7806 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
1061 points
Help

Gaming Performance

If you want to play games, you should look for a different laptop. Even though simple games from the Windows Store or older games are playable with low details, you will not be able to play newer games on the Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB for the lack of a dedicated GPU.

low med. high ultra
BioShock Infinite (2013) 78.7 35.5 30 9.8
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 16.1
Civilization VI (2016) 35 15.8

Emissions

System Noise

The fan of the Yoga 730-13IKB mostly remains off when idle. Under load, it is running continuously with 39.3 dB(A), which is clearly audible. Fortunately, the whirring does not have a high frequency so that it is not extremely disturbing. We were not able to notice any static.

Noise Level

Idle
29.7 / 29.7 / 30.7 dB(A)
Load
39.3 / 39.3 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 29.7 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.734.12536.226.13134.331.9403230.95028.428.66327.727.48025.824.410025.828.312524.92616023.724.82002523.925023243152322.540025.619.850025.519.163025.618.280026.417.5100025.817.4125026.117.3160027.717.1200029.516.9250030.316.7315030.216.8400025.517500027.717.3630023.817.6800021.717.71000020.317.61250018.717.71600018.117.6SPL39.329.9N3.11.4median 25.5median 17.6Delta21.934.535.134.634.434.533.433.433.23933.440.139.236.542.240.13433.232.335.43434.330.832.237.834.33028.229.429.63026.125.72528.826.126.425.82628.326.425.72624.825.625.723.324.423.923.323.323.62322.522.723.622.622.421.921.522.622.122.121.820.822.121.921.420.420.421.921.120.419.319.321.120.520.11918.520.522.821.118.218.222.824.322.118.317.924.322.920.818.117.922.921.719.617.817.721.723.321.217.917.823.324.221.417.817.724.22320.817.818.12324.1221818.224.123.82018.418.323.820.219.118.318.520.219.619.118.618.619.619.118.818.618.619.118.818.818.418.418.818.81918.518.518.834.832.830.630.634.82.21.81.41.42.2median 22.8median 21.1median 18.5median 18.5median 22.81.81.41.11.11.8hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo Yoga 730-13IKBLenovo Yoga 720-13IKB

Temperature

Stresstest (Prime95 + FurMark)
Stresstest (Prime95 + FurMark)

The surface temperatures are very low when idle. They are rising slightly under load, particularly on the rear part of the case. We measured 46.2 °C (~ 115 °F) in the center of the bottom, which is noticeably warm but still uncritical.

The stress test with FurMark and Prime95 reflects the results of the Cinebench loop: CPU and GPU together are allowed to consume more than 30 W for a short time, causing the internal temperatures to rise significantly. However, power consumption and clock speeds decrease just as quickly, and the CPU speed levels off at just 900 MHz after two minutes. This indicates TDP and temperature-induced throttling. The 3DMark11, which we ran directly after the stress test, achieved a normal result. Hence, you should not experience throttling during day-to-day use.

Max. Load
 35.6 °C
96 F
38 °C
100 F
34.5 °C
94 F
 
 32.4 °C
90 F
35.7 °C
96 F
30.3 °C
87 F
 
 27.3 °C
81 F
26.7 °C
80 F
26.8 °C
80 F
 
Maximum: 38 °C = 100 F
Average: 31.9 °C = 89 F
38.4 °C
101 F
46.2 °C
115 F
41.7 °C
107 F
31.8 °C
89 F
33.6 °C
92 F
32.8 °C
91 F
27.7 °C
82 F
28.6 °C
83 F
28.4 °C
83 F
Maximum: 46.2 °C = 115 F
Average: 34.4 °C = 94 F
Power Supply (max.)  30.7 °C = 87 F | Room Temperature 23.7 °C = 75 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(+) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 31.9 °C / 89 F, compared to the average of 30.2 °C / 86 F for the devices in the class Convertible.
(+) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 38 °C / 100 F, compared to the average of 35.3 °C / 96 F, ranging from 19.6 to 55.7 °C for the class Convertible.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46.2 °C / 115 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 27.1 °C / 81 F, compared to the device average of 30.2 °C / 86 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 27.3 °C / 81.1 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.1 °C / 82.6 F (+0.8 °C / 1.5 F).
Top (under load)
Top (under load)
Bottom (under load)
Bottom (under load)

Speakers

The performance of the speakers is not satisfactory despite the preinstalled “Dolby Atmos” app. The sound is unbalanced, and the volume is quite low. For example, the speakers of the HP Spectre x360 13 are slightly better. You should rather use external speakers or headphones instead of the Yoga’s internal speakers. The combined headphone and microphone jack works perfectly.

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2033.833.52529.228.43131.933.54031.430.35029.329.56327.326.58025.42610025.226.112523.724.816022.130.720021.942.225022.250.531520.858.940019.564.150018.763.363018.364.28001871.3100017.869.7125017.565.2160016.665200016.665.1250016.668.4315016.76840001762.8500017.360.3630017.661.8800017.860.41000017.858.11250017.7581600017.657.8SPL29.777.9N1.341.2median 17.8median 61.8Delta1.884444.24444.440.244.440.631.640.641.231.541.243.130.243.143.330.543.345.327.245.346.128.446.145.625.445.649.32749.352.223.452.256.124.156.162.222.562.262.222.162.263216365.419.965.46919.26970.918.970.972.41872.472.617.172.667.91767.969.416.769.465.416.465.465.316.265.366.316.266.362.816.362.86316.36365.816.465.865.816.765.863.817.163.880.430.180.448.11.448.1median 65.3median 18median 65.34.92.74.9hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo Yoga 730-13IKBHP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (77.9 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 22.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (13.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.2% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (21.4% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 52% of all tested devices in this class were better, 12% similar, 36% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 55% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 38% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (72.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13.4% lower than median
(+) | bass is linear (6.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (13.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 13% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 84% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 10% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 87% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Energy Management

Power Consumption

The idle values of the Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB are slightly higher than those of the competitors. Interestingly, only the Yoga 730-13IKB that was tested by our U.S. editorial department was performing even worse. This model had a Full HD display; our review unit has a high-resolution 4K panel instead. It could be possible that Lenovo has optimized the power consumption by firmware updates for the 4K model. The display of our review unit probably causes the majority of the higher power consumption when idle, compared to the Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB or the HP Spectre x360 13.

The included 65-W power supply is adequate for the maximum power consumption of 54 W.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.45 / 0.78 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.86 / 7.56 / 9.66 Watt
Load midlight 45.7 / 54 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG), IPS LED, 3840x2160, 13.30
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.90
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
i7-7Y75, HD Graphics 615, Toshiba NVMe THNSN5256GPUK, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba XG5 KXG50ZNV256G, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba XG4 NVMe (THNSN5512GPUK), IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, Lite-On CA1-8D256-HP, IPS, 3840x2160, 13.30
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, Toshiba NVMe THNSN51T02DUK, IPS, 1920x1080, 13.30
Average Intel UHD Graphics 620
 
Average of class Convertible
 
Power Consumption
27%
47%
-34%
13%
-1%
26%
15%
-10%
Idle Minimum *
4.86
3.1
36%
3.1
36%
8.5
-75%
3.8
22%
5.9
-21%
3.2
34%
3.81 ?(1 - 12.4, n=259)
22%
5.48 ?(1.6 - 16.6, n=60, last 2 years)
-13%
Idle Average *
7.56
6.6
13%
4.3
43%
11.8
-56%
8.4
-11%
9.8
-30%
6
21%
6.94 ?(2.8 - 15.7, n=261)
8%
8.27 ?(3.8 - 20.7, n=60, last 2 years)
-9%
Idle Maximum *
9.66
7
28%
4.9
49%
13.1
-36%
9.7
-0%
10.6
-10%
9.2
5%
8.75 ?(3.8 - 30, n=259)
9%
10.5 ?(4.7 - 29.9, n=60, last 2 years)
-9%
Load Average *
45.7
35.2
23%
24.3
47%
51.1
-12%
36
21%
36.6
20%
29.5
35%
35 ?(8.1 - 51.6, n=259)
23%
46 ?(7.6 - 101.3, n=60, last 2 years)
-1%
Load Maximum *
54
34.6
36%
22.8
58%
49
9%
36
33%
34.3
36%
35.6
34%
47.5 ?(22 - 96.3, n=261)
12%
65 ?(10.5 - 155.7, n=60, last 2 years)
-20%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Charging time: 125 minutes
Charging time: 125 minutes

The Yoga 730-13IKB contains a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 48 Wh, just like its predecessor Yoga 720-13IKB. It becomes clear at this point that this is not a high-end convertible: All the more expensive competitors are better equipped. The HP Spectre x360 13, for example, features a 60-Wh battery, the Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB even a 70-Wh battery. Particularly in combination with the higher power consumption, this leads to sobering results for the battery test of the Yoga 730-13IKB: The laptop died after less than six hours in the Wi-Fi test. With values ranging between 9 and 11.5 hours, the competitors are clearly superior in this practical test.

The charging time is 125 minutes.

Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
11h 19min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge)
5h 50min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
7h 31min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 39min
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
Lenovo Yoga 920-13IKB-80Y7
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 70 Wh
Dell XPS 13-9365 2-in-1
i7-7Y75, HD Graphics 615, 46 Wh
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB-81CT
i5-8250U, UHD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
Lenovo Yoga 720-13IKB
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 48 Wh
HP Spectre x360 13t-ae000
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
HP Spectre x360 13-ae048ng
i5-8550U, UHD Graphics 620, 60 Wh
Average of class Convertible
 
Battery Runtime
94%
72%
30%
33%
22%
85%
53%
Reader / Idle
679
1655
144%
971
43%
901
33%
1138 ?(680 - 1667, n=25, last 2 years)
68%
H.264
451
1070
137%
731 ?(542 - 999, n=15, last 2 years)
62%
WiFi v1.3
350
685
96%
686
96%
565
61%
466
33%
424
21%
527
51%
557 ?(329 - 876, n=63, last 2 years)
59%
Load
99
140
41%
175
77%
96
-3%
121
22%
166
68%
121.2 ?(53 - 219, n=46, last 2 years)
22%

Verdict

Pros

+ Premium metal case
+ Hassle-free upgrade of SSD
+ 4K display with good color gamut & high contrast ratio
+ Comfortable trackpad
+ Included digitizer pen
+ Better CPU performance than the predecessor

Cons

- Limited connectivity
- Keyboard pressure point too soft
- No option for a brighter, outdoor-suitable display
- Speakers unsatisfactory
- Poor battery life
- CPU throttled during battery operation
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB
Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB

The Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB is an interesting update of its predecessor. In some respects, the quality reaches that of the more expensive convertibles. In other cases, however, it is inferior.

Strong points of the Yoga 730-13IKB are the premium aluminum case and the relatively low weight. It is easy to maintain: Upgrading the SSD is simple, which is not common anymore for today’s consumer laptops. The 4K display delivers the promised brightness, a good contrast ratio, and almost 100% of the sRGB color gamut. It does not have any issues with screen flickering or backlight bleeding. The laptop has a pretty good TrackPad without any major weaknesses. Additionally, you can operate the laptop using the touchscreen or the digitizer pen. It is great that the pen is included and does not need to be purchased separately. An improvement over the predecessor (Yoga 720-13IKB) is the better cooling system, which allows better boost performance as well as better long-term performance.

The connectivity has been slightly improved: The laptop features two Thunderbolt 3 ports instead of one. Over all, the connectivity remains very limited. Unlike the TrackPad, the quality of the keyboard is not appealing. The fact that Lenovo does not offer a brighter display option is disappointing, because the glossy surface makes outdoor operation nearly impossible. 300 cd/m² are not bright enough for this purpose. Another point of criticism is the low performance of the speakers. The biggest flaw, however, is the battery life, which is much worse than that of the competitors, due to higher power consumption (caused by the 4K display) and smaller battery capacity. Lastly, we criticize the CPU throttling during battery operation.

Especially cheaper configurations of the Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB with Full HD display offer a good price-performance ratio, which makes them recommendable.

In sum, we can recommend the Yoga 730-13IKB - but not the tested configuration with 4K display. Instead, you should save the money and choose the Full HD option - it is cheaper, offers the same brightness, and allows the laptop to have a longer battery life. The best alternative is probably the HP Spectre x360 13, whose starting price is slightly higher than the one of the Yoga 730-13IKB.

Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB - 07/29/2018 v6(old)
Benjamin Herzig

Chassis
91 / 98 → 93%
Keyboard
83%
Pointing Device
91%
Connectivity
63 / 80 → 78%
Weight
72 / 35-78 → 87%
Battery
88%
Display
85%
Games Performance
59 / 68 → 87%
Application Performance
83 / 87 → 95%
Temperature
92%
Noise
93%
Audio
47 / 91 → 52%
Camera
39 / 85 → 46%
Average
76%
86%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo Yoga 730-13IKB (i7-8550U, 4K) Convertible Review
Benjamin Herzig, 2018-08- 2 (Update: 2019-03- 9)