Lenovo's high-end convertible Yoga 9 14 would benefit massively from an AMD processor

Last year we reviewed the Yoga 9i 14 with its 4K OLED screen and it was one of the best convertibles you could buy. However, it also had its weak points, particularly the comparatively high fan activity, which was due to the processor's high power limits. Although performance was good, it often led to the fans firing up during short load peaks. Intel has been able to improve processor efficiency and performance somewhat with the brand new Raptor Lake processor, but the power limits are still very high at up to 64 watts and the high fan activity still remains one of the Yoga 9i 14's biggest problems. Aside from the updated processor, nothing has changed from the previous model and the integrated graphics card hasn't changed either, which is why there has been no progress in gaming performance.

An AMD processor could solve two of these problems, as last year's Zen3+ CPUs such as the Ryzen 7 6800U (or now the Ryzen 7 7736U) would provide decent power limits up to 30 watts and also offer the much faster Radeon 680M iGPU. Thanks to USB 4 support, the omission of Thunderbolt would probably not be a problem for most users. It's possible that Lenovo only wants to install the latest components in its high-end convertible and has thus decided against AMD models, since the new Zen4 chips of the HS and U series are still a long way off. So this leaves only the Raptor Lake chip, even if the "old" Ryzen 7 7736U would bring more advantages for customers.

You should also be careful when choosing a display, as Lenovo offers two different OLED touchscreens. We reviewed the 2.8K model, which we already know from other Lenovo models such as the Yoga 7. The image quality is fundamentally good, but there is a visible raster effect (i.e. moiré effect), which is especially visible on bright surfaces and at short sitting distances. Whether this is bothersome also depends on subjective perception, but we recommend paying the surcharge of around US$120 for the 4K OLED touchscreen, since the effect does not exist here and the subjective image quality is better. However, the 2.8K OLED seems to consume even more power. Nonetheless, we still think it would be best if Lenovo sold its best consumer convertible exclusively with the better 4K OLED.

If you are seriously interested in the Yoga 9i 14, you should opt for last year's model with the Intel Alder Lake processor, as this has no practical disadvantages compared to the new Raptor Lake chip, so you can buy the discounted models without second thoughts. We recommend the 4K OLED and corresponding models are currently available from around US$ 1,400. All further information on the Yoga 9 14 can be found in our detailed review:

• Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 G8 im Test (Core i7-1360P, 2.8K OLED)