The new Yoga has arrived. Unlike the Lenovo Yoga 11, the Lenovo Yoga 11s is unique because it’s one of the only Ultrabooks on the market using Intel’s Y-series Ivy Bridge processor, other Ultrabooks use U series processors which have a 17W Thermal Design Power (TDP).
| With a 13W TDP, Intel had to make some concessions on the Core i7-3689Y processor found in the Lenovo Yoga 11S, namely, they had to bring the clock speed down. This applies to both the CPU and the graphics core. The i7-3689Y processor has a top normal speed of 1.5GHz and can Tubro Boost up to 2.6GHz. Compare that to the latest U-series processor which runs at 2.1GHz normal speed and can Turbo Boost up to 3.3GHz. Additionally, while the graphics core base frequency is 350MHz for both, the i7-3689Y tops out at 850MHz, while U-series graphics cores generally run up to 1.15GHz or 1.2GHz. On the bottom of the Lenovo Yoga 11S are four anti-skid pads and 11 small six-sided screws that would need to be removed with a non-standard screwdriver to gain access to the internals. This would make the task of adding or replacing system memory a bit more time-consuming but it does appear to be possible. |
Also unlike the original Lenovo Yoga 11, the Lenovo Yoga 11s runs the full version of Windows 8 or, in the case of the $1,349.99 model, Windows 8 Pro. (Making it more like the Lenovo Yoga 13.)
Built-in RAM ranges from 4GB to 8GB, and it comes with either a 128GB or 256GB solid state drive for storage. All configs use Intel's integrated HD 4000 graphics and Lenovo Yoga 11S features an 11.6" high-definition touch screen that clearly displays media and simplifies navigation. The convertible design enables use in laptop, stand, tent and tablet modes for versatility.
The Lenovo Yoga 11s supports the gesture controls that were previously limited to the Lenovo Yoga 13, letting users wave their hands in front of the webcam to, say, scroll through a list or turn to the next page of a document.
The 11.6-inch touchscreen display has a fairly large bezel; a shame, because when the screen is off it often looks like the screen extends right to the edges thanks to an edge-to-edge piece of glass. You’ll either be happy to put up with the small 1366×768 resolution or you won’t — same goes for the thick bezel.
The keyboard on the Lenovo Yoga 11S is great. The responsiveness and travel are superb, and it isn’t too noisy either. Key layout is acceptable aside from a few keys like Backspace and Tab being shorter than usual. It’s also worth noting that the Page Up / Home and Page Down / End keys aren’t in their traditional space. Instead, you will find them at the bottom right flanking the Arrow keys.
The Yoga 11S' integrated 720p HD webcam will help you enjoy web conferences or online video chats like you're really there. Enjoy rich stereo sound on the Yoga 11S' stereo speakers, while Dolby Home Theater v4 provides an immersive audio experience with increased clarity and maximized volume output without distortion.
With 802.11 b/g/n WiFi connectivity, 10/100 LAN, and optional Bluetooth 4.0, you'll be able to connect wherever you go.
