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Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB (i7-8550U, GTX 1050, SSD, 4K) Convertible Review

2-in-1 all-rounder. With the Yoga 730-15IKB, Lenovo delivers a 15.6-inch convertible that is suitable for gaming and for consuming media content. The device scores some major points with its slick metal case, backlit keyboard and a Thunderbolt 3 port. The touchscreen can be operated with the fingers and also with the included stylus. Update: FHD model with a better price-performance ratio.
Convertible / 2-in-1 Gaming Geforce Kaby Lake Thunderbolt Touchscreen Windows

The Yoga 730-15IKB is a 15.6-inch convertible that comes with a dedicated graphics card, which means that it can be used to play video games. The Yoga 730-15IKB is a successor to the previously reviewed Yoga 720-15IKB. The biggest difference between the two devices lies inside: Lenovo replaced the standard mobile processor (TDP: 45 watts) found in the Yoga 720 with a ULV model (TDP: 15 watts). The competing devices include: The Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD, the Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3 and the HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr.

Because the Yoga 720-15IKB and the Yoga 730-15IKB are identically built, we shall skip the sections that deal with the input devices and the speakers, and we are also not going to provide detailed descriptions of the case and the connectivity options. You can find all the appropriate information in our review of the Yoga 720-15IKB.

Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB (Yoga 730-15 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-8550U 4 x 1.8 - 4 GHz, Kaby Lake Refresh
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1493 MHz, Memory: 1752 MHz, GDDR5, 128 bit-wide bus, ForceWare 398.36, Optimus
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2400, dual-channel, one RAM slot (occupied), 8 GB of RAM soldered-in
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 282 PPI, capacitive, 10 finger multitouch, native pen support, BOE HF NV156QUM-N51, IPS, glossy: yes
Mainboard
Intel Kaby Lake-U iHDCP 2.2 Premium PCH
Storage
SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG), 512 GB 
, 415 GB free
Soundcard
Realtek ALC236 @ Intel Sunrise Point-LP PCH - High Definition Audiocontroller
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 1 USB 3.1 Gen2, 1 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, Audio Connections: 3.5-mm audio jack, 1 Fingerprint Reader, Brightness Sensor, Sensors: motion sensor, TPM 2.0
Networking
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/), Bluetooth 4.2
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 17.2 x 360 x 249 ( = 0.68 x 14.17 x 9.8 in)
Battery
51.5 Wh, 4520 mAh Lithium-Ion, 11.4 V
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: HD
Primary Camera: 0.9 MPix
Additional features
Speakers: Stereo, Keyboard: chiclet-style, Keyboard Light: yes, Active Stylus, McAfee LiveSafe (trial version), 24 Months Warranty
Weight
1.89 kg ( = 66.67 oz / 4.17 pounds), Power Supply: 470 g ( = 16.58 oz / 1.04 pounds)
Price
1699 Euro
Links
Lenovo homepage
Lenovo notebook section
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Case & Connectivity – Differences between the two Yoga laptops

  • At first glance, both laptops look almost identical. However, there are a few differences between the two convertibles. The Yoga 730-15IKB is a little thinner than its predecessor, the Yoga 720-15IKB. There are also a few small differences in terms of the size, width and the length. There are no differences when it comes to the build quality, rigidity and the choice of materials.

  • The standard mobile processor found in the Yoga 720-15IKB (TDP: 45 watts; Core i7-7700HQ) was replaced with a ULV model (TDP: 15 watts; Core i7-8550U).

  • The Yoga 730-15IKB offers all the ports that the Yoga 720-15IKB did. However, the Yoga 730 comes with an additional HDMI port, which means that it can output two video signals at the same time, one via Thunderbolt 3 and the other via HDMI.

  • The battery of the Yoga 730 has a significantly smaller capacity than that of the Yoga 720 (51.5 Wh vs. 72 Wh).

Size Comparison

❌
381.5 mm / 15 inch 258.1 mm / 10.2 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 2.3 kg4.97 lbs364 mm / 14.3 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 21 mm / 0.827 inch 2.1 kg4.53 lbs364 mm / 14.3 inch 242 mm / 9.53 inch 19 mm / 0.748 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 250 mm / 9.84 inch 19.3 mm / 0.76 inch 2.1 kg4.59 lbs360 mm / 14.2 inch 249 mm / 9.8 inch 17.2 mm / 0.677 inch 1.9 kg4.17 lbs355.6 mm / 14 inch 251 mm / 9.88 inch 17.8 mm / 0.701 inch 2 kg4.48 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs

Connectivity

Left side: DC power socket, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-A) port, 3.5-mm combined audio jack
Left side: DC power socket, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-A) port, 3.5-mm combined audio jack
Right side: power button, Thunderbolt 3 port, HDMI-out, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-A) port
Right side: power button, Thunderbolt 3 port, HDMI-out, USB 3.1 Gen 1 (Type-A) port
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Average of class Convertible
  (138 - 1468, n=21, last 2 years)
944 MBit/s ∼100% +45%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
666 MBit/s ∼71% +2%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
664 MBit/s ∼70% +2%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
650 MBit/s ∼69%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
604 MBit/s ∼64% -7%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
512 MBit/s ∼54% -21%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
479 MBit/s ∼51% -26%
iperf3 receive AX12
Average of class Convertible
  (263 - 1585, n=21, last 2 years)
1106 MBit/s ∼100% +80%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
662 MBit/s ∼60% +7%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Wireless-AC 9260
656 MBit/s ∼59% +6%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Realtek RTL8822BE Wireless LAN 802.11ac PCIe Adapter
616 MBit/s ∼56%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Qualcomm Atheros QCA61x4
489 MBit/s ∼44% -21%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265
461 MBit/s ∼42% -25%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Intel 8265 Tri-Band WiFi (Oak Peak) Network Adapter
62.3 MBit/s ∼6% -90%

Display – Lenovo notebook with a 4K IPS screen

Pixel arrangement
Pixel arrangement

The 15.6-inch touchscreen of the Yoga 730 has a native resolution of 3840x2160. The display offers a good contrast ratio (1066:1) and a good brightness (298.8 cd/m²). Competitors such as the Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD and the HP Spectre x360 15 feature brighter displays.

Unfortunately, at 90% brightness and below, the display exhibits PWM flickering with a frequency of 961 Hz. Because of such a high frequency, most sensitive individuals should not experience any adverse effects such as headaches or eye strain.

291
cd/m²		319
cd/m²		307
cd/m²
289
cd/m²		309
cd/m²		309
cd/m²
267
cd/m²		296
cd/m²		302
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
BOE HF NV156QUM-N51
X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 319 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 298.8 cd/m² Minimum: 4 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 84 %
Center on Battery: 314 cd/m²
Contrast: 1066:1 (Black: 0.29 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 3.9 | 0.55-29.43 Ø5.1
ΔE Greyscale 4.58 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
90% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
39% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
65.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
90% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
68.7% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.43
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60		Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60		Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
a-Si TFT-LCD, LCM, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60		Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60		HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60		HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Display
-1%
-39%
29%
-3%
1%
Display P3 Coverage
68.7
65
-5%
38.73
-44%
86.6
26%
66.6
-3%
68.5
0%
sRGB Coverage
90
90.8
1%
58.3
-35%
100
11%
86.9
-3%
90.7
1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
65.8
65.8
0%
40.02
-39%
99.5
51%
63.5
-3%
66.3
1%
Response Times
854%
-20%
-35%
-12%
-8%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
34 ?(16, 18)
29.6 ?(15.6, 14)
13%
42 ?(22, 20)
-24%
52 ?(25, 27)
-53%
41.2 ?(23.2, 18)
-21%
38 ?(20.4, 17.6)
-12%
Response Time Black / White *
25 ?(14, 11)
26.4 ?(15.6, 10.8)
-6%
29 ?(15, 13)
-16%
29 ?(15, 14)
-16%
29.6 ?(16.4, 13.2)
-18%
27.6 ?(15.6, 12)
-10%
PWM Frequency
961 ?(90)
25510 ?(69)
2555%
1000
4%
943 ?(99)
-2%
Screen
-3%
8%
23%
4%
-10%
Brightness middle
309
300.9
-3%
221
-28%
380
23%
338.7
10%
329.3
7%
Brightness
299
285
-5%
224
-25%
371
24%
325
9%
316
6%
Brightness Distribution
84
92
10%
89
6%
87
4%
91
8%
84
0%
Black Level *
0.29
0.24
17%
0.12
59%
0.28
3%
0.28
3%
0.31
-7%
Contrast
1066
1254
18%
1842
73%
1357
27%
1210
14%
1062
0%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
3.9
5
-28%
4.12
-6%
4.38
-12%
4.9
-26%
4.78
-23%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
7.5
10.2
-36%
6.41
15%
7.59
-1%
8.7
-16%
11.75
-57%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
4.58
7
-53%
3.4
26%
3.6
21%
5.5
-20%
7.9
-72%
Gamma
2.43 91%
2.34 94%
2.54 87%
2.32 95%
2.08 106%
2.24 98%
CCT
7344 89%
6578 99%
6893 94%
6860 95%
7498 87%
8323 78%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
39
59
51%
37
-5%
88
126%
63.5
63%
58.8
51%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
90
90
0%
58
-36%
100
11%
86.92
-3%
90.4
0%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
3.51
Total Average (Program / Settings)
283% / 158%
-17% / -5%
6% / 16%
-4% / -0%
-6% / -7%

* ... smaller is better

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

ℹ
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 detected 961 Hz ≤ 90 % brightness setting

The display backlight flickers at 961 Hz (Likely utilizing PWM) Flickering detected at a brightness setting of 90 % and below. There should be no flickering or PWM above this brightness setting.

The frequency of 961 Hz is quite high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering.

In comparison: 54 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18982 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

Yoga vs. AdobeRGB
Yoga vs. AdobeRGB
Yoga vs. sRGB
Yoga vs. sRGB

Right out of the box, the display offers a fairly good color reproduction. With a DeltaE 2000 color deviation of 3.9, it misses the mark slightly (DeltaE less than 3). The display does not suffer from a bluish cast. The screen cannot fully cover either the Adobe RGB color space (39%) or the sRGB color space (90%).

By means of our color profile, the color reproduction can be improved. However, before downloading it, you should make sure that your laptop has the same display model (manufacturer + model number) as our review device, because otherwise our color profile can result in worse color reproduction. Displays from different manufacturers can often be found within notebooks from the same model range.

CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - ColorChecker
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Grayscale
CalMAN - Saturation
CalMAN - Saturation

Display Response Times

ℹ
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
25 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 14 ms rise
↘ 11 ms fall
The screen shows relatively slow response rates in our tests and may be too slow for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 52 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.9 ms).
   ↔    Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
34 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 16 ms rise
↘ 18 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.25 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 38 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is similar to the average of all tested devices (34.5 ms).

The Yoga 730 comes with an IPS panel with very good viewing angles. Therefore, the screen content can be read from any position. Outdoors, the laptop can be used only when the sun is not shining too brightly. Moreover, strong reflections make reading screen content more difficult.

The Yoga 730 outside (shot in direct sunlight; the sky is clear)
The Yoga 730 outside (shot in direct sunlight; the sky is clear)
The Yoga 730 outside (shot in direct sunlight; the sun is behind the device)
The Yoga 730 outside (shot in direct sunlight; the sun is behind the device)
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance – Lenovo’s Yoga offers a lot of performance

With the Yoga 730-15IKB, Lenovo has a 15.6-inch convertible in its product range. It offers more than enough performance for all modern usage scenarios. Thanks to a dedicated GPU, video games are playable on the Yoga 730-15IKB. Our review device can be had for 1700 Euros (~$1990).

CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
CPU-Z
GPU-Z
GPU-Z
HWInfo
LatencyMon
 

Processor

The Yoga 730 is powered by a Core i7-8550U (Kaby Lake Refresh) CPU from Intel. The Intel CPU has four cores and a base clock rate of 1.8 GHz. The Core i7-8550U is a ULV processor that provides enough performance for all modern usage scenarios. Thanks to Intel’s Turbo Boost technology, the CPU’s clock rate can be boosted up to 4 GHz.

In the multi-core Cinebench benchmarks, the CPU runs for a few seconds at 3.7 to 4 GHz. After that the processor operates at 3 to 3.1 GHz. In the single-core benchmarks, the clock rate fluctuates between 3.4 and 4 GHz. When running on battery power, things look different. The CPU runs constantly at 1.8 GHz in the multi-core benchmarks and at 3.7 to 4 GHz in the single-core benchmarks.

Single-core
Single-core
Multi-core
Multi-core
Intel XTU
Intel XTU

We check if the Turbo boost can be used over an extended period of time by running the Cinebench multi-core benchmark in a continuous loop for 30 minutes. The results sink after the first benchmark run. After that, they stay on the same level. The Turbo boost is used. However, it does not run at full speed.

0102030405060708090100110120130140150160170180190200210220230240250260270280290300310320330340350360370380390400410420430440450460470480490500510520530540550560570580590600610620630640650660670680690700710720730Tooltip
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64 Bit

All in all, the Core i7 performs very well. In the single-core benchmarks, the Yoga 730 does as well as other competing devices such as the Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD and the Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN. However, the Yoga 730 performs better in the multi-core benchmarks. In the Cinebench loop, the CPU of the Yoga 730 runs at higher clock rates than the competing devices.

In the single-core benchmarks, the Yoga 730 outperforms its predecessor. Apparently, the CPU in the predecessor model cannot operate at full speed. In terms of multi-core performance, both devices are on the same level.

Cinebench R10 Rendering Single 32Bit
6454
Cinebench R10 Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
22910
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Single 64Bit
1.94 Points
Cinebench R11.5 CPU Multi 64Bit
7.94 Points
Cinebench R11.5 OpenGL 64Bit
62.2 fps
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
168 Points
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
723 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
103.4 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
99.6 %
Help
Cinebench R15 | Cinebench R11.5 | Cinebench R10 | Geekbench 3 | Geekbench 4.0 | Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4 | Mozilla Kraken 1.1 | Octane V2 | JetStream 1.1
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (68.6 - 287, n=79, last 2 years)
211 Points ∼100% +26%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Core i7-8550U
171 Points ∼81% +2%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U
170 Points ∼81% +1%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
168 Points ∼80%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (108 - 172, n=76)
159.6 Points ∼76% -5%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Intel Core i7-8550U
154 Points ∼73% -8%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Core i7-8550U
149 Points ∼71% -11%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
120 Points ∼57% -29%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (110.1 - 2633, n=82, last 2 years)
1233 Points ∼100% +71%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Core i7-8550U
761 Points ∼62% +5%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
723 Points ∼59%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
603 Points ∼49% -17%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (301 - 761, n=78)
576 Points ∼47% -20%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U
558 Points ∼45% -23%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Core i7-8550U
542 Points ∼44% -25%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Intel Core i7-8550U
519 Points ∼42% -28%
Cinebench R11.5
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (1.39 - 3.26, n=10, last 2 years)
2.36 Points ∼100% +22%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.95 Points ∼83% +1%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.94 Points ∼82% 0%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.94 Points ∼82%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (1.43 - 1.95, n=32)
1.834 Points ∼78% -5%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Intel Core i7-8550U
1.77 Points ∼75% -9%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
1.36 Points ∼58% -30%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (2.53 - 25, n=10, last 2 years)
13.5 Points ∼100% +70%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Core i7-8550U
8.56 Points ∼63% +8%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
7.94 Points ∼59%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
6.67 Points ∼49% -16%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (4.38 - 8.56, n=32)
6.28 Points ∼47% -21%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U
6.26 Points ∼46% -21%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Intel Core i7-8550U
5.76 Points ∼43% -27%
Cinebench R10
Rendering Multiple CPUs 32Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (9659 - 53525, n=9, last 2 years)
26518 Points ∼100% +16%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Core i7-8550U
24180 Points ∼91% +6%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
23239 Points ∼88% +1%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
22910 Points ∼86%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U
18269 Points ∼69% -20%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (11694 - 24180, n=31)
17825 Points ∼67% -22%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Intel Core i7-8550U
16329 Points ∼62% -29%
Rendering Single 32Bit
Average of class Convertible
  (4088 - 10510, n=9, last 2 years)
7270 Points ∼100% +13%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Core i7-8550U
6506 Points ∼89% +1%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Intel Core i7-8550U
6501 Points ∼89% +1%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U
6494 Points ∼89% +1%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
6454 Points ∼89%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (4202 - 8211, n=31)
6328 Points ∼87% -2%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5942 Points ∼82% -8%
Geekbench 3
32 Bit Multi-Core Score
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
14144 Points ∼100%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (8918 - 14144, n=12)
12315 Points ∼87% -13%
32 Bit Single-Core Score
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
3933 Points ∼100%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (2471 - 4020, n=12)
3671 Points ∼93% -7%
Geekbench 4.0
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
14519 Points ∼100%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (10747 - 15294, n=9)
13316 Points ∼92% -8%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
4792 Points ∼100%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (4439 - 4858, n=9)
4686 Points ∼98% -2%
Geekbench 4.1 - 4.4
64 Bit Multi-Core Score
Average of class Convertible
  (3462 - 30452, n=11, last 2 years)
21421 Points ∼100% +41%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
15196 Points ∼71%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (10869 - 16294, n=11)
14247 Points ∼67% -6%
64 Bit Single-Core Score
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U
4900 Points ∼100%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (4555 - 4997, n=11)
4858 Points ∼99% -1%
Average of class Convertible
  (1989 - 6801, n=11, last 2 years)
4797 Points ∼98% -2%
Mozilla Kraken 1.1 - Total Score
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U (Edge 42)
1121 ms * ∼100%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (877 - 2114, n=45)
1087 ms * ∼97% +3%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Core i7-8550U
1058 ms * ∼94% +6%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Core i7-8550U (Edge 41.16299.15.0)
963 ms * ∼86% +14%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U (Edge 41.16299.15.0)
877 ms * ∼78% +22%
Average of class Convertible
  (476 - 3989, n=82, last 2 years)
875 ms * ∼78% +22%
Octane V2 - Total Score
Average of class Convertible
  (9822 - 92146, n=30, last 2 years)
58922 Points ∼100% +73%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U (Edge 41.16299.15.0)
42043 Points ∼71% +23%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Core i7-8550U
36079 Points ∼61% +6%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U (Edge 42)
34087 Points ∼58%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (17296 - 42043, n=39)
33448 Points ∼57% -2%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Core i7-8550U (Edge 41.16299.15.0)
32402 Points ∼55% -5%
JetStream 1.1 - Total Score
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel Core i7-8550U (Edge 41.16299.15.0)
286.3 Points ∼100% +19%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Intel Core i7-8550U (40.15063.674.0)
283.8 Points ∼99% +18%
Average of class Convertible
  (51.9 - 443, n=13, last 2 years)
255 Points ∼89% +6%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Intel Core i7-8550U
248.4 Points ∼87% +4%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Intel Core i7-8550U (Edge 42)
239.9 Points ∼84%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U
  (141.9 - 288, n=61)
234 Points ∼82% -2%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
Intel Core i7-8550U (Edge 41.16299.15.0)
233.4 Points ∼82% -3%

* ... smaller is better

System Performance

The Core-i7 processor and a fast NVMe SSD create a very responsive system. We did not encounter any problems. The Yoga 730 offers more than enough computing power for such usage scenarios as office work and Internet browsing. The Yoga 730 can run most modern video games, thanks to a dedicated GPU. Our review device achieves very good results in the PCMark benchmarks. An increase in overall performance is not possible.

The Yoga 730 achieves worse results in the PCMark 8 benchmarks than the similarly equipped Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN, because the display of the Yoga 730 (3840x2160) has a much higher resolution than that of the Spin 5 (1920x1080).

PCMark 7 Score
6299 points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3505 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4961 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4382 points
PCMark 10 Score
4347 points
Help
PCMark 10 | PCMark 8
PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Convertible
  (1486 - 7676, n=67, last 2 years)
5210 Points ∼100% +20%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
4347 Points ∼83%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (3835 - 4488, n=6)
4262 Points ∼82% -2%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
4249 Points ∼82% -2%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
4194 Points ∼80% -4%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
3938 Points ∼76% -9%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
3673 Points ∼70% -16%
Essentials
Average of class Convertible
  (3975 - 12059, n=67, last 2 years)
10077 Points ∼100% +22%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
8388 Points ∼83% +2%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
8258 Points ∼82%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
8248 Points ∼82% 0%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (7617 - 8388, n=6)
8176 Points ∼81% -1%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
7659 Points ∼76% -7%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
7464 Points ∼74% -10%
Productivity
Average of class Convertible
  (2764 - 9778, n=67, last 2 years)
6992 Points ∼100% +5%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
6748 Points ∼97% +1%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
6678 Points ∼96%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (5479 - 7171, n=6)
6527 Points ∼93% -2%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
6152 Points ∼88% -8%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
6024 Points ∼86% -10%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
5946 Points ∼85% -11%
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Convertible
  (811 - 11539, n=67, last 2 years)
5561 Points ∼100% +38%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
4146 Points ∼75% +3%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
4042 Points ∼73%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (3670 - 4147, n=6)
3981 Points ∼72% -2%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
3773 Points ∼68% -7%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
3518 Points ∼63% -13%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
3032 Points ∼55% -25%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Convertible
  (3057 - 5830, n=5, last 2 years)
4482 Points ∼100% +28%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
4100 Points ∼91% +17%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (3505 - 4245, n=6)
3938 Points ∼88% +12%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
3670 Points ∼82% +5%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
3614 Points ∼81% +3%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
3505 Points ∼78%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
3482 Points ∼78% -1%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
3457 Points ∼77% -1%
Work Score Accelerated v2
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
5281 Points ∼100% +21%
Average Intel Core i7-8550U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (4382 - 5343, n=5)
4922 Points ∼93% +12%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
4771 Points ∼90% +9%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
4401 Points ∼83% 0%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
4382 Points ∼83%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
4323 Points ∼82% -1%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
4217 Points ∼80% -4%
Average of class Convertible
  (2921 - 6089, n=5, last 2 years)
3924 Points ∼74% -10%

Storage Devices

An NVMe SSD from SK Hynix serves as the system drive. It comes in the M.2-2280 form-factor and has a capacity of 512 GB. Right out of the box, only 415 GB is available to the user. The rest of the storage space is occupied by the Windows installation files and the recovery partition. The transfer rates are in good order. NVMe SSDs achieve much faster transfer speeds than SATA III SSDs, because they are connected via PCI Express 3.0 x4.

An NVMe SSD is included
An NVMe SSD is included
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
CrystalDiskMark 5.2 / 6
AS SSD
hddimg
SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
Sequential Read: 1825 MB/s
Sequential Write: 812 MB/s
512K Read: 697 MB/s
512K Write: 633 MB/s
4K Read: 44.48 MB/s
4K Write: 142.6 MB/s
4K QD32 Read: 571 MB/s
4K QD32 Write: 487.2 MB/s
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)		Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP		Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7		Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN		HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP		HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB		Average SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
 
CrystalDiskMark 3.0
19%
-17%
-52%
27%
11%
Read Seq
1825
2046
12%
1187
-35%
476.3
-74%
1248
-32%
1748 ?(1360 - 1961, n=5)
-4%
Write Seq
812
1213
49%
599
-26%
394.4
-51%
1476
82%
1088 ?(660 - 2106, n=5)
34%
Read 512
697
1242
78%
935
34%
291.9
-58%
849
22%
1134 ?(697 - 1656, n=5)
63%
Write 512
633
799
26%
609
-4%
291.4
-54%
1118
77%
918 ?(633 - 2022, n=5)
45%
Read 4k
44.48
58.1
31%
35.61
-20%
27.54
-38%
58.8
32%
44.9 ?(39.3 - 58.7, n=5)
1%
Write 4k
142.6
146.2
3%
134.4
-6%
92.7
-35%
155.2
9%
135.8 ?(100 - 170.8, n=5)
-5%
Read 4k QD32
571
415.1
-27%
289.3
-49%
247.5
-57%
645
13%
427 ?(330 - 571, n=5)
-25%
Write 4k QD32
487.2
369.2
-24%
331.1
-32%
247
-49%
547
12%
386 ?(260 - 487, n=5)
-21%

Graphics Card

The Yoga 730 comes with the GeForce GTX 1050. The GTX 1050 is a dedicated, upper mid-range GPU, which is based on Nvidia’s current Pascal architecture. It supports DirectX 12 and has a maximum core clock of up to 1493 MHz. The GPU comes with 4 GB of GDDR5 VRAM. The results in the 3DMark benchmarks are on the normal level for this kind of GPU. However, the results fall slightly behind those of other GTX 1050-based notebooks. This can be attributed to the thinness of the laptop. As a rule, thicker notebooks offer better cooling solutions than thin and light devices like the Yoga 730. As a result of this, the GPUs can run at higher clock speeds.

Besides the GTX 1050, the convertible also features Intel’s UHD Graphics 620. The Yoga 730 also supports Nvidia’s Optimus technology, which allows automatic switching between a dedicated GPU and an integrated graphics adapter.

Cloud Gate
Cloud Gate
Fire Strike Extreme
Fire Strike Extreme
Time Spy
Time Spy
3DMark 06 Standard Score
17289 points
3DMark 11 Performance
6282 points
3DMark Ice Storm Standard Score
33786 points
3DMark Cloud Gate Standard Score
16379 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
5412 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
2217 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
1564 points
Help
3DMark 11 | 3DMark
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (6744 - 8903, n=42)
7662 Points ∼100% +10%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8550U
7339 Points ∼96% +6%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8550U
7043 Points ∼92% +2%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8550U
6935 Points ∼91%
Average of class Convertible
  (471 - 28708, n=75, last 2 years)
6053 Points ∼79% -13%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
4708 Points ∼61% -32%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
4564 Points ∼60% -34%
3DMark
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Graphics
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
37388 Points ∼100% +43%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (14979 - 40201, n=40)
36212 Points ∼97% +39%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8550U
35068 Points ∼94% +34%
Average of class Convertible
  (2965 - 135871, n=62, last 2 years)
26328 Points ∼70% +1%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8550U
26144 Points ∼70%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
20470 Points ∼55% -22%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
19900 Points ∼53% -24%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8550U
16381 Points ∼44% -37%
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (4935 - 6651, n=43)
6022 Points ∼100% +1%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8550U
5965 Points ∼99%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-7700HQ
5885 Points ∼98% -1%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8550U
5688 Points ∼94% -5%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, Intel Core i7-8550U
5329 Points ∼88% -11%
Average of class Convertible
  (365 - 21810, n=77, last 2 years)
4515 Points ∼75% -24%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3622 Points ∼60% -39%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
NVIDIA GeForce MX150, Intel Core i7-8550U
3563 Points ∼59% -40%

Gaming Performance

The GPU of the Yoga 730-15IKB can run all video games that we tested at decent frame rates. In most cases, the games can be run at Full HD resolution and on the medium to high settings. A few titles from 2017/2018 require the resolution and detail settings to be lowered in order to achieve playable frame rates. The frame rates are on a normal level for this kind of GPU. However, other GTX 1050-based laptops can achieve slightly higher frame rates. It is possible that the GTX 1050 in the Yoga 730 runs at lower clock speeds than in other devices.

The full resolution of the 4K display cannot be used. The GPU is not fit for such high resolutions. Only older titles such as Team Fortress 2 can achieve playable frame rates at 4K resolution. Those who want to be able to play video games in 4K should get a different notebook with at least a GTX 1060, or better yet a GTX 1070.

low med. high ultra4K
Tomb Raider (2013) 318.1 86.4 84.1 65.3
BioShock Infinite (2013) 184.2 122.1 75.2 48.6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 91.3 66.4 36.7 29.8
Rocket League (2017) 217.4 103.5 74.7 32.5
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) (2017) 94.5 53.1 46.9 34.6 12.4
Middle-earth: Shadow of War (2017) 77 41 32 28 9
ELEX (2017) 86.6 45.9 36.1 27.5 9
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) 101 58.9 48.6 36.3 2.6
Far Cry 5 (2018) 68 36 27 23 10
BioShock Infinite | Star Wars Battlefront 2 | Rocket League | Middle-earth: Shadow of War | Rise of the Tomb Raider
BioShock Infinite - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset, DX11 (DDOF)
MSI GL62M 7RD-077
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
66.2 fps ∼100% +36%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (48.6 - 67.5, n=35)
62.3 fps ∼94% +28%
Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, Samsung PM961 MZVLW256HEHP
60 fps ∼91% +23%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
55.5 fps ∼84% +14%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
53.2 (7.4min - 88.5max) fps ∼80% +9%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
48.6 fps ∼73%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
35.2 fps ∼53% -28%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
34.8 fps ∼53% -28%
Star Wars Battlefront 2 - 1920x1080 High Preset
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
48.6 fps ∼100%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (43.2 - 48.6, n=2)
45.9 fps ∼94% -6%
Rocket League - 1920x1080 High Quality AA:High FX
MSI GL62M 7RD-077
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
109 (85min - 157max) fps ∼100% +46%
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
106 (86min - 149max) fps ∼97% +42%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (64 - 109, n=3)
82.6 fps ∼76% +11%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
74.7 fps ∼69%
Middle-earth: Shadow of War - 1920x1080 Medium Preset AA:T
Xiaomi Mi Gaming Laptop 7300HQ 1050Ti
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile, i5-7300HQ, Samsung PM871b MZNLN128HAHQ
57 (18min - 143max) fps ∼100% +39%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (41 - 46, n=2)
43.5 fps ∼76% +6%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
41 fps ∼72%
Rise of the Tomb Raider - 1366x768 Medium Preset AF:2x
MSI GL62M 7RD-077
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i7-7700HQ, HGST Travelstar 7K1000 HTS721010A9E630
70 fps ∼100% +5%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
  (49 - 77.3, n=25)
67.9 fps ∼97% +2%
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, SK Hynix PC401 512GB M.2 (HFS512GD9TNG)
66.4 fps ∼95%
Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Intel SSD 600p SSDPEKKW256G7
61.1 (57min - 65max) fps ∼87% -8%
Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, i5-8550U, Micron 1100 MTFDDAV256TBN
56.9 fps ∼81% -14%
HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, SK hynix PC401 NVMe 500 GB
43.1 fps ∼62% -35%
HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
GeForce MX150, i5-8550U, Samsung PM961 NVMe MZVLW512HMJP
40.8 (23min - 17.6max) fps ∼58% -39%

Emissions – Quiet Yoga notebook

System Noise

As a rule, the fan stands still when idle. This leads to silent operation. Under load, the fan starts to spin up. We measured a sound pressure level of 37.5 dB(A) under both medium and full loads. The CPU operates at lower clock speeds under full load. All in all, the Yoga 730 produces a normal amount of noise for a convertible with a dedicated GPU.

Noise Level

Idle
30.5 / 30.5 / 30.5 dB(A)
Load
37.5 / 37.5 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: 30.5 dB(A)
dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.234.533.732.234.22534.23434.132.934.23134.433.232.832.634.44032.432.331.232.432.45029.429.130.129.129.46328.528.128.428.128.58027.427.325.727.227.410025.426.325.926.325.412525.525.725.725.225.516024.624.925.123.224.620023.724.324.423.523.725022.524.324.221.622.531523.125.425.521.823.140021.624.625.820.221.650021.125.124.619.421.163019.824.324.21919.880019.824.724.718.319.8100020.929.129.217.820.9125019.326.426.917.719.3160019.426.727.317.419.4200019.525.826.217.519.5250019.826.526.917.719.8315018.128.92817.818.1400018.221.621.91818.2500018.521.321.518.218.5630018.519.619.718.418.5800018.719.319.318.718.71000019.119.219.118.919.11250019.219.219.319.119.21600019.519.619.619.519.5SPL31.637.537.530.531.6N1.52.52.51.31.5median 19.8median 24.7median 24.7median 18.9median 19.8Delta1.62.42.61.31.6hearing rangehide median Fan NoiseLenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150		HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150		Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
 		Average of class Convertible
 
Noise
1%
-5%
-1%
1%
3%
-6%
12%
off / environment *
30.5
28.2
8%
30.2
1%
30.4
-0%
28.4
7%
28.6
6%
29.5 ?(27.8 - 31, n=41)
3%
24.3 ?(21.4 - 27.5, n=63, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Minimum *
30.5
28.2
8%
30.2
1%
31.3
-3%
28.4
7%
29.2
4%
31.2 ?(28.1 - 37.6, n=45)
-2%
24.5 ?(22.7 - 29.1, n=64, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Average *
30.5
28.2
8%
30.2
1%
31.3
-3%
28.4
7%
29.2
4%
31.4 ?(28.2 - 37.6, n=45)
-3%
24.6 ?(22.7 - 29.1, n=64, last 2 years)
19%
Idle Maximum *
30.5
28.2
8%
30.9
-1%
31.3
-3%
28.4
7%
29.2
4%
31.9 ?(28.2 - 37.8, n=45)
-5%
25.6 ?(22.7 - 32.3, n=64, last 2 years)
16%
Load Average *
37.5
39
-4%
42.4
-13%
36.4
3%
41.6
-11%
29.2
22%
40.6 ?(31.3 - 49.2, n=45)
-8%
35.5 ?(23.3 - 49.3, n=64, last 2 years)
5%
Load Maximum *
37.5
46.3
-23%
44.8
-19%
37.1
1%
41.6
-11%
45.7
-22%
46.1 ?(37.1 - 56.8, n=45)
-23%
41 ?(26.3 - 57.8, n=64, last 2 years)
-9%
Witcher 3 ultra *
36.1
38.4

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

The Yoga 730 during the stress test
The Yoga 730 during the stress test

The Yoga 730 gets different results in our stress test (Prime95 and FurMark running for at least one hour) when it is plugged in and when it is running on battery power. When connected to power, the CPU and the GPU run at high clock rates. During the stress test, the CPU frequency falls down to 400 MHz. The core clock of the GPU stabilizes at about 1500 MHz. When running on battery power, the clock rate of the CPU fluctuates between 400 MHz and 1.8 GHz. The graphics card runs at anywhere between 400 MHz and 1.3 GHz.

The laptop does not become excessively hot. During the stress test, the 40-°C (104 °F) mark is exceeded at four measurement points. The stress test represents an extreme case scenario, which is highly unlikely to occur in real life. We use this test to see how the system fares under full load.

Max. Load
 38 °C
100 F		40.9 °C
106 F		38 °C
100 F		 
 33.1 °C
92 F		40.1 °C
104 F		35.1 °C
95 F		 
 28.2 °C
83 F		28.1 °C
83 F		30.3 °C
87 F		 
Maximum: 40.9 °C = 106 F
Average: 34.6 °C = 94 F
33.2 °C
92 F		43 °C
109 F		33.2 °C
92 F
33.3 °C
92 F		40.7 °C
105 F		31.9 °C
89 F
30 °C
86 F		31.1 °C
88 F		29.7 °C
85 F
Maximum: 43 °C = 109 F
Average: 34 °C = 93 F
Power Supply (max.)  47.7 °C = 118 F | Room Temperature 24 °C = 75 F | FIRT 550-Pocket
(±) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 34.6 °C / 94 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 40.9 °C / 106 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 43 °C / 109 F, compared to the average of 36.7 °C / 98 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.5 °C / 80 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 30.3 °C / 86.5 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 (-2.2 °C / -3.9 F).
Heat distribution at the top (under load)
Heat distribution at the top (under load)
Heat distribution at the bottom (under load)
Heat distribution at the bottom (under load)
Heat distribution at the top (at idle)
Heat distribution at the top (at idle)
Heat distribution at the bottom (at idle)
Heat distribution at the bottom (at idle)
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150		HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150		Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
 		Average of class Convertible
 
Heat
-6%
-6%
3%
-7%
-17%
-7%
-2%
Maximum Upper Side *
40.9
42.8
-5%
50.9
-24%
41.9
-2%
49.2
-20%
46.4
-13%
46.8 ?(35.9 - 68.8, n=43)
-14%
40.8 ?(30.7 - 53.1, n=76, last 2 years)
-0%
Maximum Bottom *
43
49.6
-15%
44.2
-3%
40.6
6%
52
-21%
49
-14%
45.9 ?(33.4 - 62, n=43)
-7%
43.4 ?(33.4 - 55.4, n=76, last 2 years)
-1%
Idle Upper Side *
27.3
27.2
-0%
26.3
4%
26.6
3%
24.8
9%
32
-17%
27.8 ?(24 - 35, n=43)
-2%
27.8 ?(19.6 - 37, n=75, last 2 years)
-2%
Idle Bottom *
27.4
28.6
-4%
27.1
1%
26
5%
26.4
4%
34.2
-25%
28.5 ?(22.2 - 37.6, n=43)
-4%
28.8 ?(21.6 - 39.2, n=75, last 2 years)
-5%

* ... smaller is better

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2034.132.234.12533.732.933.73132.232.632.24030.132.430.15030.729.130.76328.728.128.78027.527.227.510030.326.330.312541.625.241.616050.923.250.920052.323.552.325052.421.652.431561.421.861.440068.520.268.550065.219.465.263066196680071.918.371.9100070.317.870.312506717.767160069.817.469.8200073.317.573.3250065.617.765.6315063.817.863.8400059.41859.4500059.618.259.6630060.318.460.380006518.7651000065.318.965.31250063.519.163.51600066.819.566.8SPL79.730.579.7N43.21.343.2median 65median 18.9median 65Delta61.3635.335.132.931.831.83236.535.132.428.93328.936.328.848.32761.52752.924.860.92462.822.763.32269.521.267.82174.82075.919.472.718.97117.770.117.86917.671.817.668.117.671.417.673.717.670.417.571.617.671.617.669.617.459.717.583.630.662.51.5median 69.6median 17.84.72.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo Yoga 730-15IKBApple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (73.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 16.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (12.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.6% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (6.1% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (16.6% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 23% of all tested devices in this class were better, 4% similar, 74% worse
» The best had a delta of 6%, average was 21%, worst was 57%
Compared to all devices tested
» 23% of all tested devices were better, 5% similar, 72% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 26%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook 12 (Early 2016) 1.1 GHz audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.6 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 11.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.2% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (5.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (4.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 4% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 94% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 20%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 3% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 26%, worst was 134%

Energy Management – Yoga notebook with a downgraded battery

Energy Consumption

There are no abnormalities in terms of energy consumption to report. When idle, we measured a maximum power draw of 10.7 watts. During the stress test (Prime95 and FurMark running for at least one hour), the energy consumption peaked at 94.6 watts. We registered this result at the beginning of the stress test. After 90 seconds, the power consumption fell down to 80 watts. The rated output of the AC adapter amounts to 90 watts. The ULV processor makes itself noticeable under load. Here, the 15-watt Core i7-8550U consumes significantly less power than the 45-watt Core i7-7700HQ found in the Yoga 720-15IKB.

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.37 / 0.6 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 4.8 / 10.1 / 10.7 Watt
Load midlight 44 / 94.7 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 730-15IKB
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile		HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150		HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150		Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile
 		Average of class Convertible
 
Power Consumption
-30%
4%
-37%
-49%
-15%
-36%
15%
Idle Minimum *
4.8
8.3
-73%
3.9
19%
5.4
-13%
11.6
-142%
5.3
-10%
6.99 ?(1.9 - 21.1, n=44)
-46%
4.98 ?(0.8 - 16.6, n=74, last 2 years)
-4%
Idle Average *
10.1
10.2
-1%
6.7
34%
10.8
-7%
13.8
-37%
9.8
3%
10.7 ?(5.8 - 22.1, n=44)
-6%
7.94 ?(3.8 - 20.7, n=74, last 2 years)
21%
Idle Maximum *
10.7
10.4
3%
8.7
19%
13.9
-30%
14.2
-33%
12.6
-18%
12.7 ?(7.5 - 26.6, n=44)
-19%
9.74 ?(3.9 - 29.9, n=74, last 2 years)
9%
Load Average *
44
67.5
-53%
74
-68%
94
-114%
67.9
-54%
73
-66%
82.9 ?(44 - 105.8, n=44)
-88%
40.4 ?(5.4 - 101.3, n=74, last 2 years)
8%
Load Maximum *
94.7
117.2
-24%
79
17%
116.6
-23%
76.9
19%
80
16%
115.3 ?(79 - 136.6, n=44)
-22%
57.9 ?(8.9 - 155.7, n=74, last 2 years)
39%
Witcher 3 ultra *
96.5
59
67.6

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

In our practically oriented Wi-Fi test, the Yoga 730 achieves a runtime of 6 h 10 m. This test simulates loads that are consistent with surfing the web. The “balanced” power plan is selected, the energy-saving functions are turned off and the display brightness is set to 150 cd/m². The convertible achieves a runtime of 5 h 24 m in our video test. During this test, we play the short film Big Buck Bunny (H.264, 1920x1080) in a continuous loop. The communications modules are disabled, the energy-saving functions are switched on and the display brightness is set to 150 cd/m².

That the Yoga 730 has shorter battery life than its predecessor is not surprising. Our current review device comes with a 51.5-Wh battery, whereas the predecessor had a 72-Wh battery. The 4K display is also to blame for shorter battery life. The previously reviewed Yoga 720 came with a Full HD display. In terms of battery life, the Full HD models of the Yoga 730 should be on the same level as the Full HD models of the Yoga 720.

Update 10/22/2018: The battery life of the FHD model are significantly longer than that of the 4K variant. During idle, the battery life almost doubles, at that even though it has the same battery capacity. This jump seems unusually high to us, so we are still evaluating it. Currently the WiFi test is still running, and we will add the result here.

The Yoga 730 has a 51.5-Wh battery
The Yoga 730 has a 51.5-Wh battery
Battery Runtime
Idle (without WLAN, min brightness)
11h 37min
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 42)
6h 10min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
5h 24min
Load (maximum brightness)
0h 50min
Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 51.5 Wh		Lenovo Yoga 720-15IKB-80X7
i7-7700HQ, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 72 Wh		Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN-80A3
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 48 Wh		Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD
i5-8550U, GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile, 52 Wh		HP Spectre x360 15t-bl100
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 79.2 Wh		HP Spectre x360 15-ch011nr
i5-8550U, GeForce MX150, 84 Wh		Average of class Convertible
 
Battery Runtime
59%
22%
3%
81%
91%
93%
Reader / Idle
697
1066
53%
759
9%
558
-20%
934
34%
927
33%
1137 ?(562 - 1667, n=30, last 2 years)
63%
H.264
324
331
2%
261
-19%
654 ?(374 - 875, n=17, last 2 years)
102%
WiFi v1.3
370
484
31%
373
1%
311
-16%
511
38%
625
69%
555 ?(335 - 876, n=73, last 2 years)
50%
Load
50
96
92%
88
76%
84
68%
136
172%
135
170%
128 ?(53 - 294, n=50, last 2 years)
156%

Verdict – 2-in-1 from Lenovo with a dedicated GPU

Pros

+ IPS display
+ solid, high-quality case
+ NVMe SSD
+ backlit keyboard
+ Thunderbolt 3 port
+ the stylus is included
+ easy to service

Cons

- reflective screen surface
- mediocre battery life at best
- no SD card reader
The Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB 81CU002DGE, provided courtesy of: notebooksbilliger.de
The Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB 81CU002DGE, provided courtesy of: notebooksbilliger.de

There are no visible changes between the Yoga 730-15IKB and its predecessor, the Yoga 720-15IKB. The only thing that has changed is the CPU: The Yoga 730 comes with a 15-watt ULV processor instead of a 45-watt CPU.

Our review device features a Core i7-8550U. This is a quad-core CPU that offers more than enough performance for all modern tasks. Positive: The CPU can utilize its Turbo Boost functionality over an extended period of time. Thanks to a dedicated GPU, the Yoga 730 can run most modern games. 

Lenovo’s 15.6-incher represents a combination of an entry-level gaming notebook and a convertible.

Lenovo used a ULV CPU as an excuse to cut the battery capacity. The battery of the Yoga 730 is 30% smaller than that of the Yoga 720. In combination with a 4K screen, the Yoga 730 achieves mediocre battery life at best. However, competitors such as the Acer Spin 5 SP515-51GN and the Asus ZenBook Flip 15 UX561UD do not perform any better in this regard.

An NVMe SSD creates a very responsive system. The SSD can be replaced. However, you will have to open up the case to do this. The keyboard left a good impression. It is suitable for those who do a lot of typing. Positive: The keyboard features a backlight. The IPS 4K touchscreen delights with its great viewing angles, good color reproduction, solid contrast ratio and acceptable brightness. It can be operated either with the fingers or with the included stylus.

With the Yoga 730, things are easier for those who use external monitors: Unlike the Yoga 720, the Yoga 730 has a Thunderbolt 3 port and also an HDMI output.

Update 10/22/2018: Not only is the alternative Full-HD variant of the Yoga 730-15 up to 600 Euros (~$688) more affordable than the 4K version, but it is also (slightly) brighter and has a higher contrast. In addition, there is a better Adobe RGB coverage due to the FHD panel. Even though the ColorChecker value turned out slightly worse in the FHD model, if you use our calibration profile (or calibrate it yourself with a photo spectrometer), the value drops below 3.0. 

In addition to the display aspect, there is also a longer battery life, particularly during idle (6 hours more). Our WiFi test is still running. 

Thus there are many reasons to look for the more affordable FHD model.

This model will also be available with Intel's brand-new Whiskey-Lake processors. This will probably happen soon, since Lenovo already lists these models on its website.

Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB - 07/16/2018 v6(old)
Sascha Mölck

Chassis
84 / 98 → 86%
Keyboard
87%
Pointing Device
86 / 35-78 → 100%
Connectivity
62%
Weight
63%
Battery
85 / 87 → 98%
Display
84%
Games Performance
85%
Application Performance
89 / 91 → 98%
Temperature
92%
Noise
92%
Audio
59%
Camera
45%
Average
78%
83%
Convertible - Weighted Average

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> Notebook / Laptop Reviews and News > Reviews > Lenovo Yoga 730-15IKB (i7-8550U, GTX 1050, SSD, 4K) Convertible Review
Sascha Mölck, 2018-07-22 (Update: 2018-10-24)