Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB Display Replacement
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Written By: Josiah Grayson Sawyer
(and 3 other contributors)
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30 — 45 minutes
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- iFixit Opening Picks (Set of 6)
- Phillips #0 Screwdriver
- Phillips #00 Screwdriver
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Using a halberd spudger, gently lift up the metal bezel that lines the lower edge of the display.
Edit
Edit
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Gently wedge two opening picks underneath the display.
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Slowly work the opening picks around the display.
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Add opening picks as needed to keep display separated from the frame.
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Use caution if dealing with broken glass.
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The iFixit suction cup tool can be used to add some extra leverage to the mix when removing the display.
Edit
- Use the halberd spudger to lift the locking tab of the ZIF connector holding the black ribbon cable that runs vertically across the display.
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Pull out the black ribbon cable from the connector.
Edit
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Use the halberd spudger to lift the latch on the ZIF connector of the horizontal black ribbon cable.
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Pull out the horizontal black ribbon cable from the connector.
- Gently pull the rest of the horizontal black ribbon cable from the back of the display.
Edit
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Use the halberd spudger to flip the metal latch of the display cable up.
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Using the halberd spudger, gently pull the connector out of the display.
Edit
Edit
Almost done!
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Conclusion
To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.
Cancel: I did not complete this guide.
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Lenovo Yoga C930 review: Some big changes to a slim laptop
As the successor to the Yoga 910 and Yoga 920 — we reviewed and loved both — the Yoga C930 has a lot of pressure on it to live up to the legacy.
It’s not any thinner or lighter, the port selection really hasn’t changed, and even the hardware inside is mostly the same.
However, if you’ve been following the 9-series for a while, you’ll no doubt notice that the character watchband hinge is missing and that the whole laptop has a more aggressive design when closed. The C930 also has a smaller battery, which will be noticed more if you opt for the 4K display over the standard FHD option. Do these changes work, or did Lenovo mess too much with a good thing? I used the C930 for about a week to determine whether or not it’s worth the relatively high starting price.
Lenovo Yoga C930
From $1,400Bottom line: It’s a premium convertible Ultrabook from top to bottom. The soundbar hinge pumps out impressive sound, battery life remains impressive, and the unibody aluminum chassis is evidently high quality.
For
- Hinge doubles as a (good) soundbar
- Modern port selection
- All-day battery life
- Sleek, premium design
- Comfortable keyboard
Against
- Stickiness in the touchpad
- Screen could be brighter
About this review
- The Windows 11 2022 Update is here!
Lenovo supplied Windows Central with a review unit of the 14-inch Yoga C930.
It has inside an 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U quad-core processor (CPU), 12 GB of RAM, and a Hynix 256 GB M.2 PCIe solid-state drive (SSD). The box includes a 65 W charger that uses a USB-C port, and there’s also an active pen that’s actually built into the laptop itself.
This configuration with the RAM at 8 GB costs about $1,500 at Lenovo (there doesn’t seem to be any 12 GB RAM configurations available), with models reaching up to about $1,960 if you opt for the 4K display and 1 TB PCIe SSD.
Lenovo Yoga C930 technical specifications
The Yoga C930 isn’t a huge departure from last year’s Yoga 920 in the hardware department. You’re still getting performance that can carry you through a standard day of work with relative ease. Here’s the hardware found in the review unit.
| Category | Spec |
|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 Home |
| Processor | 8th Gen quad-core Intel Core i7-8550U Up to 4.  0 GHz |
| RAM | 12 GB DDR4-2400MHz |
| Storage | 256 GB M.2 PCIe Hynix SSD |
| Display | 13.9 inches 1,920 x 1,080 (FHD) Touch, IPS, glossy Dolby Vision |
| Graphics | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Ports | Two USB-C Thunderbolt 3 USB-A 3.1 3.5 mm audio |
| Speakers | Single soundbar Dolby Atmos |
| Wireless | Intel Wireless-AC 9260 802.11ac (2 x 2) Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Camera | Front-facing 720p |
| Keyboard | Backlit |
| Touchpad | Precision |
| Security | Fingerprint reader Webcam shutter |
| Pen | Lenovo Active Pen |
| Battery | Four-cell 60 Wh |
| Weight | From 3.0 pounds (1.36 kg) |
| Dimensions | 12.7 inches x 8.9 inches x 0.57 inches (322 mm x 227 mm x 14.5 mm) |
| Color | Mica Iron Grey |
The Yoga C930 demands a relatively high price, so you expect a premium feel and look.
It weighs in at 3.04 pounds (1.38 kg) so it’s not exceptionally light for a 13-inch device, but the unibody aluminum chassis is solid. There’s no flex in the body and only slight flex the lid, and it’s balanced well enough that you can open the laptop with one hand. Sitting on a desk the beveled edge makes it look thinner than it really is, and the sides are cut to reflect light for a bit of contrast.
From start to finish, it’s clear that this laptop has been designed with care and attention.
Gone is the watchband hinge that was a key feature of previous Yoga 9-series Ultrabooks, replaced with a unique dual hinge system that has one large soundbar and another smaller hinge. Aesthetically they don’t compare to the old hinge, and they’re not quite as tight; however, they let the laptop rotate around to tablet, tent, and stand modes with smooth action.
A fingerprint reader is set into the right palm rest far enough away that your palm won’t rub it while typing.
It’s one of the fastest I’ve tested, allowing me to log in through Windows Hello with what seems like no hesitation.
Everything about the Yoga C930 looks classy, whether it’s closed, open, or rotated around to one of its other convertible modes. The lid sits forward when it’s flat for an aggressive stance, and open the lid sits flush with the bottom for a close fit.
Lenovo Yoga C930 display
Image 1 of 2
The display unit has an FHD display (you can also get a 4K display at checkout) with an IPS panel and glossy finish. Whether you choose FHD or 4K, the display is compatible with Dolby Vision for better contrast and color. Used normally, I found that the display wasn’t quite bright enough to be clearly seen in a room with streaming sunlight, not helped at all by the glossy finish that causes a lot of glare. I tested color reproduction and came away with 97 percent sRGB and 73 percent AdobeRGB, which are not bad results compared to most other Ultrabooks in this arena.
Color is not washed out, and you get a clear and vibrant picture no matter what you’re using the laptop for.
The bezel around the display is about the same as can be found on most of the upper-end Yoga laptops. It’s not the slimmest bezel on the market and the top and bottom aren’t the same widths as the sides, but I didn’t really notice once I’d used it for a day. The top bezel takes advantage of the little bit of extra room for a 720p webcam with a discrete shutter that slides closed when you don’t want anyone peeping on you. I love this addition (I don’t have to tear up a Post-It) and am glad that Lenovo is putting this feature on more laptops. The actual camera is not the clearest I’ve seen, but it’s definitely good enough for video conferencing.
Lenovo Yoga C930 pen and inking
Lenovo has thankfully stepped away from the plastic USB-A attachment that keeps the active pen near the laptop when not in use, opting instead for a built-in silo on the back edge.
When clicked safely into the silo, the pen automatically charges the non-removable battery. This isn’t a full-sized pen, but more of a round pencil form with two programmable buttons on the side. I’m used to the Surface Pen’s size so this stylus took a bit of getting used to, but it’s comfortable to hold.
You still get 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity for a natural-feeling inking experience, but there’s not tilt support for shading. If you’re an artist looking for the best device for drawing, this might not be it, but it will deliver what most people need on an everyday basis when taking notes and sketching pictures.
Lenovo Yoga C930 ports, battery, and charging
Image 1 of 2
The Yoga C930 has the same selection of ports as the Yoga 920, including one USB-A 3.1, two Thunderbolt 3 (one used for charging), and a 3.5 mm audio jack. Here, all ports of located on the left side of the laptop. I loved the USB-A port on the right side of the Yoga 920 — it made more sense for an external mouse — but the right side now holds only the power button.
Both Thunderbolt 3 ports employ 4x lanes of PCIe allowing you to do more with your ports, like connect an external GPU for extra graphics processing power.
The 65 W charger uses a USB-C form so you’ll lose one of your Thunderbolt 3 ports when your battery is low, but it’s not a huge deal thanks to fast charging. From completely dead, I got about 50 percent battery life with the laptop plugged in for only 30 minutes. The second half of the battery takes longer to charge, but not by a whole lot.
With a full battery, I streamed video with screen brightness set at 50 percent and got about 5.5 hours. Going about regular tasks — web browsing, word processing, photo editing — with a balanced performance profile selected, life jumped up to well over nine hours. You shouldn’t have a problem with leaving your charger at home when heading to the office.
Lenovo Yoga C930 keyboard and touchpad
Image 1 of 2
It’s generally hard to fault Lenovo on its keyboard, and the C930 delivers again.
It’s a standard six-row setup with your usual F-key functions for brightness, volume (there’s no physical volume rocker when using the laptop in tablet mode), and touchpad toggle, and you get three levels of backlight for help working in dark environments. The keyboard is well-balanced, well-aligned, and each key has enough travel to not become uncomfortable when typing for long periods of time.
The Yoga C930’s touchpad uses Microsoft’s Precision drivers so that you can use the full range of Windows 10 gestures. The single piece — no physical buttons here — has a glass surface for smooth tracking, and it’s respectably large with enough room to keep your fingers from feeling cramped during regular use.
You can click pretty much anywhere on the touchpad and receive tactile feedback, meaning the hinge is located near the top rather than in the middle like on a lot of other laptops. This gives you more room to click, but the review model’s touchpad seemed to stick or get hung up a bit when clicking down on the top-left quarter.
This is likely a per-model issue, but it would be a good idea to test things out yourself before purchasing.
Lenovo Yoga C930 audio
Lenovo has used the hinge space to install a soundbar that runs almost the entire width of the laptop. No matter how you use the laptop — tent, stand, tablet, or notebook — you’re going to get clear sound. It uses Dolby Atmos technology to boost its capability, and it really is a fine speaker, especially for an Ultrabook.
The front and back of the hinge have standard speaker holes and sound does come out of both sides. It gets loud, it doesn’t distort, and the addition of Atmos makes it seem like audio is not just coming from directly in front of you. The only thing you might miss is enough bass, but let’s not forget that this is a laptop.
Depending on what you primarily use your laptop for, I’m not sure the soundbar makes up for the lack of watchband hinge, especially since it’s not as stiff once opened. However, if you often use your convertible laptop for movies, TV, or music, this is going to be a huge boon./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12565155/vpavic_180712_2898_yoga_c930_0078.jpg)
Lenovo Yoga C930 performance and benchmarks
During everyday use, the C930 stayed cool and if the fan came on at all I didn’t hear it. There weren’t any issues — no hangups or stutters or crashes — to deal with, and I was easily able to complete my day’s work without having to worry about charging the battery.
CPU
Geekbench 4.0 benchmarks (higher is better)
| Device | CPU | Single core | Multi core |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenovo Yoga C930 | i7-8550U | 4,787 | 15,028 |
| Lenovo Yoga 920 | i7-8550U | 4,485 | 12,297 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T580 | i7-8650U | 4,920 | 14,636 |
| HP ZBook 15u G5 | i7-8650U | 4,853 | 16,075 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T480 | i5-8250U | 3,940 | 12,559 |
| Microsoft Surface Pro | i7-7660U | 4,513 | 9,346 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon | i7-8650U | 5,025 | 14,178 |
| Dell XPS 13 (9370) | i7-8550U | 4,681 | 14,816 |
| Lenovo Yoga 730 13 | i5-8250U | 4,178 | 13,354 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X280 | i5-8250U | 4,061 | 13,017 |
| LG gram 15 | i7-8550U | 5,033 | 12,906 |
| Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 | i7-7500U | 4,431 | 8,669 |
The 8th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU performs as it should, posting up average single- and multi-core scores.
It’s enough to seriously multitask, but if it’s too much there’s also a Core i5-8250U option available that knocks $100 off the price.
GPU
Geekbench 4.0 OpenCL (higher is better)
| Device | Compute score |
|---|---|
| Lenovo Yoga C930 | 21,376 |
| Lenovo Yoga 920 | 21,892 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T580 | 18,879 |
| HP ZBook 15u G5 (AMD) | 42,071 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T480 | 18,245 |
| Microsoft Surface Pro | 30,678 |
| Lenovo Yoga 730 13 | 21,000 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X280 | 21,142 |
| LG gram 15 | 22,334 |
| Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 | 19,769 |
Integrated Intel graphics won’t handle any sort of specialized tasks — like heavy multimedia editing or design — but it’s good enough for light gaming and some Photoshop.
PCMark
PCMark (Home Conventional 3.0)
| Device | Score |
|---|---|
| Lenovo Yoga C930 | 3,506 |
| Lenovo Yoga 920 | 2,882 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T580 | 3,451 |
| HP ZBook 15u G5 | 3,323 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T480 | 3,254 |
| Microsoft Surface Pro | 3,055 |
| Lenovo Yoga 730 13 | 3,121 |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X280 | 3,335 |
| LG gram 15 | 3,395 |
| Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 | 3,542 |
The PCMark Home Conventional test measures how well the hardware in a laptop works together to accomplish usual tasks. Performance is respectably higher compared to the Yoga 920, and I had no issues during daily use.
SSD
CrystalDiskMark (higher is better)
| Device | Read | Write |
|---|---|---|
| Lenovo Yoga C930 | 2,596. 8 MB/s |
806.2 MB/s |
| Lenovo Yoga 920 | 1,756 MB/s | 1,428 MB/s |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T580 | 1,743.7 MB/s | 1,683.2 MB/s |
| HP ZBook 15u G5 | 3,448.0 MB/s | 1,566.4 MB/s |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T480 | 1,738.1 MB/s | 1,174.9 MB/s |
| Microsoft Surface Pro | 1,284 MB/s | 963 MB/s |
| Lenovo Yoga 730 13 | 2,790.6 MB/s | 506.8 MB/s |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X280 | 3,366.1 MB/s | 1,901.5 MB/s |
| LG gram 15 | 554.1 MB/s | 449.6 MB/s |
| Samsung Notebook 9 Pro 15 | 549.9 MB/s | 519.3 MB/s |
Lenovo is using a Hynix PCIe SSD with M.2 form factor. It delivers excellent read speeds and above-average write speeds.
Lenovo Yoga C930 review conclusion
After using the Yoga C930 for about a week, I’ve come away with the same feeling I had when using the Yoga 920.
This is an Ultrabook that’s been carefully designed and assembled for a slim but sturdy build that packs an all-day battery and performance hardware inside, and I wouldn’t mind using it as a daily driver from here on out.
It does have a few issues — the touchpad is a bit sticky in the corner and the glossy display doesn’t quite have enough brightness behind it for easy use in a bright room — but altogether it’s a well-balanced package that lives up to the expectations from Lenovo Yoga 9-series.
Who is this laptop for?
This is an Ultrabook with a relatively high starting price compared to its direct competition, like Dell’s XPS 13 and HP’s Spectre x360, both of which are fine laptops in their own right.
All three are essentially able to complete the same tasks, and all three look great doing it, so you have to decide if the soundbar hinge, built-in active pen, all-day battery life, and unibody aluminum design are really worth the money. Bottom line? If you want a premium laptop with big sound and a better look, the Yoga C930 should be near the top of your list.
Premium 2-in-1 Ultrabook
Lenovo Yoga C930
Living up to the Yoga 9-series precedent.
Lenovo’s Yoga C930 asks a relatively high price, but its set of premium features, like soundbar hinge, double Thunderbolt 3 ports, colorful touch display, and all-day battery life, will certainly make sense for a lot of people.
Cale Hunt is a Senior Editor at Windows Central. He focuses mainly on laptop reviews, news, and accessory coverage. He’s been reviewing laptops and accessories full time since 2016, with hundreds of reviews published for Windows Central. He is an avid PC gamer and multi-platform user, and spends most of his time either tinkering with or writing about tech.
Lenovo Yoga C930 — Full Review and Benchmarks
Editor’s Note: We generally don’t recommend laptops older than 2 years.
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Laptop Mag Verdict
The Lenovo Yoga C930 is a stylish laptop with strong performance and a versatile sound bar speaker hinge.
TODAY’S BEST DEALS
Last year’s Lenovo Yoga 920 impressed us with its classy hinge, excellent display and long battery life, which is why I had high hopes for its successor, the Yoga C930. I can happily report the new convertible laptop doesn’t disappoint. Apart from having upgraded components, the C930 does away with its predecessor’s watchband hinge and replaces it with a more functional soundbar. The Yoga C930’s utilitarian design also has a built-in slot for the included stylus and a webcam cover for added privacy.
Those additions already make the C930 a more intriguing device than its predecessor. Add lengthy battery life and a sleek design, and the C930 is undoubtedly one of the best 2-in-1 laptops around.
Design
Another Yoga, another special hinge. This year, it’s substance over style. Gone is the swanky metal watchband, and in its place is a practical «soundbar» speaker. The Yoga C930 may not be as gorgeous as its mechanical forebear, but what it loses in beauty it recoups in functionality.
Dozens of tiny holes coat the smooth cylindrical surface that enables the C930’s dual speakers to project sound outward no matter the laptop’s orientation (more on the speaker below). As a 2-in-1, the Yoga C930 can convert from a traditional clamshell laptop into a tablet.
The Yoga 920 is a seriously sleek laptop. The razor-thin aluminum slate has a gunmetal finish on the lid and deck, and an eye-catching chrome hinge that reflects against the light. The polished earthen tones add flair and a layer of luxury to the typical silver metal laptops we so often see.
Those who prefer a minimalist design will appreciate the restraint Lenovo exercised with the Yoga C930’s design. The gray lid is bare aside from a stylized chrome Yoga logo in one corner. Open the lid and you’ll find the same gunmetal finish on the deck, keyboard and touchpad.
Branding on the deck includes a faint Dolby Atmos logo and a Lenovo emblem, which sit on a secondary mini hinge a few centimeters to the left of the soundbar.
An ovular power button is on the right side of the device, and a fingerprint sensor blends into the deck just under the right keyboard arrow.
The Yoga C930 may not be as gorgeous as its mechanical forebear, but what it loses in beauty it recoups in functionality.
The Yoga C930 doesn’t just look premium, it feels sturdy, too. The screen didn’t budge when I used the included pen, and the new hinge rotated backward with little effort.
The razor-thin bezels surrounding three sizes of the display are common for a premium laptop in 2018, but with the Yoga C930, the webcam is located above the display. However, a thick black bar borders the bottom of the screen, creating the illusion that it’s floating a few inches off the deck.
MORE: Best and Worst Laptop Brands
At 12.6 x 8.9 x 0.6 inches and 3.1 pounds, the 13.9-inch Yoga C930 is larger and heavier than the 13.3-inch HP Spectre x360 (12 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches, 2.9 pounds) and the Dell XPS 13 (12 x 7.
9 x 0.5 inches, 2.7 pounds). The 14-inch Asus ZenBook Flip 14 is about the same size (12.9 x 8.9 x 0.5 inches) as the Yoga C930, but a bit heavier (3.3 pounds).
Ports
The few ports offered by the Yoga C930 are found on its left side.
Those include a USB 3.1 port, two Thunderbolt 3 inputs and a headphone jack. That’s it.
The right side is naked apart from a power button.
Display
The Lenovo Yoga’s 13.9-inch, 1080p display is detailed, but fails to impress when compared with other premium laptops.
When I watched a trailer for the upcoming crime-thriller Destroyer, I could see the freckles and wrinkles on Nicole Kidman’s distressed face. The display captured the minute details in her subtle expressions as her aggression grew throughout the gripping clip.
I saw a ton of detail in a wide shot of London in the trailer for the upcoming film The Kid Who Would Be King, but the maroon, Gryffindor-like school uniforms the children wore didn’t pop.
When the fighting gets going, the array of colors bursting across the battlefield looked nice, but the picture could have been more vivid. When I opened up a Google Chrome web page, the display’s white balance leaned yellow, and the colors in Chrome’s logo looked muted.
The Lenovo Yoga’s 13.9-inch, 1080p display is detailed, but fails to impress when compared with other premium laptops.
On a positive note, I didn’t have any issues using my finger or the included pen to draw pictures on the touch-screen panel.
The Yoga C930’s panel covers 100 percent of the sRGB gamut, which is a definite step up from what you’ll find on mainstream and budget laptops. But compared with the displays on other premium machines, the Yoga falls just short. For comparison, the Spectre x360 reproduced 109 percent of the sRGB color gamut, while the 1080p XPS 13 registered 117 percent. The ZenBook Flip 14 (115 percent) matched the premium laptop category average, which is also more colorful than the display on the Yoga C930.
MORE: Laptops with the Best Display Brightness
Display brightness isn’t a strong point for the Yoga C930, either. The panel reached a maximum of 273 nits of brightness, falling short of the mark achieved by the XPS 13 (372 nits), the ZenBook Flip 14 (274 nits) and the category average (311 nits). The Spectre x360’s relatively dim display (261 nits) wasn’t as luminous as the competition.
Keyboard, Touchpad and Stylus
While not up to the lofty standard set by Lenovo ThinkPads, the keyboard on the Yoga C930 is decent for a laptop this thin.
That’s despite the keys being relatively shallow, at 1.3 millimeters (we prefer at least 1.5 mm of key travel). A high actuation force of 75 grams gives the keys a certain weightiness, but they can feel stiff during long typing sessions. A quiet bump provides nice response when a key is registered, although I would have preferred a more clicky, audible feedback.
I have no complaints about the spacing and size of the backlit keys, and I’ve always been a fan of the curved keycaps Lenovo employs.
I scored 108 words per minute on the 10fastfingers.com typing test, just short of my 109 wpm average. My 89 percent accuracy rate, however, was notably worse than my typical 95 percent accuracy.
The large, 4.1 x 2.7-inch touchpad on the Yoga C930 is responsive. I used the smooth surface to quickly scroll through Google Chrome web pages and complete numerous Windows 10 gestures on my first attempt, including three-finger swipe to open apps and four-finger press to open the action center. To the right of the touchpad is a fingerprint sensor, which makes signing in easy and fast.
The stylus slides into a pen slot in the rear of the laptop, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting where you placed it. The pen pops out with a satisfying click when you press in on the cap.
Audio
The C930’s soundbar hinge is no gimmick — this thing sounds great. The dual-firing speakers easily fill a medium-size room with rich, luscious audio. There wasn’t the slightest hint of distortion coming from the hinge, even at max volume when I listened to Death Cab For Cutie’s «Hurricane.
» Ben Gibbard’s soothing vocals were crystal clear, and because the speakers pointed toward me, it sounded as if the popular indie artist were serenading me.
The C930’s soundbar hinge is no gimmick — this thing sounds great.
However, some of the speaker’s faults were revealed when I listened to Twenty One Pilots’ «Stressed Out.» The vocals again sounded great, but at high volumes, the upper frequencies were sharp and aggressive on my ears. Also, I wish the bass drove a bit deeper.
MORE: Buying Headphones in: Pros and Cons of Every Type
Still, the C930 sounds better than the majority of thin laptops, and the clever hinge design means audio quality doesn’t degrade when it’s converted into a tablet. Also, if the sound quality isn’t to your liking, you can use the included Dolby Atmos program to choose from audio presets (music, movies and games) or adjust the frequency levels yourself.
Performance
Equipped with an Intel Core i7-8550U CPU, the Yoga C930 did an excellent job on our real-world performance test, quickly loading 15 Google Chrome tabs without a hint of lag.
The 2-in-1 had no problems running a full-HD stream of Fortnite on Twitch and a YouTube video of the funniest late-night talk show moments. From there, I fired up two more 1080p videos, but even those didn’t phase the Yoga.
With a Core i7 CPU and 12GB of RAM, our Yoga C930 review unit scored a 13,952 on the Geekbench 4 benchmark, which determines overall performance. That tops the scores of the Spectre x360 (Core i7-8550U; 13,569), the ZenBook Flip 14 (Core i7-8550U; 12,799) and the category average (12,468), but lags slightly behind the score achieved by the XPS 13 (Core i7-8550U; 14,180).
The 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD in the Yoga C930 is fast, but competing laptops have even quicker storage. The Lenovo convertible duplicated 4.97GB of mixed-media files in 15 seconds on our File Transfer Test for a rate of 339.3 megabytes per second.
The Spectre x360 (512GB M2 PCIe NVMe MLC SSD; 565.5 MBps) and the XPS 13 (256GB; 508 MBps) trounced that time, and the average premium laptop (478.
9 MBps) is also considerably faster. The ZenBook Flip 14 (512 GB PCIe SSD; 318.1 MBps) completed the same task without much urgency.
Matching 65,000 names with their corresponding address in Excel is no easy task, but the Yoga C930 needed only 4 seconds to do it. The Spectre x360 (1:36), the XPS 13 (1:08) and the ZenBook Flip 14 (1:40) took considerably longer. The average premium laptop requires 1 minute and 40 seconds to match the entries.
MORE: Laptops with the Best Overall Performance
The Yoga C930 fell only to the XPS 13 in the Handbrake test, which involves converting a 4K video into 1080p resolution. The Yoga needed 20 minutes and 45 seconds, whereas the Dell finished the task in 16 minutes. The Spectre x360 (26:00) and the ZenBook Flip 14 (25:04) couldn’t keep pace, falling far behind the category average (20:07).
Graphics
Equipped with an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU, the Yoga C930 isn’t for gamers, but it can run less-demanding titles on low settings.
The convertible 2-in-1 scored a 85,758 on the 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited graphics test, narrowly beating the Spectre x360 (UHD 620; 79,528) and the XPS 13 (UHD 620; 85,616), but falling short of the premium laptop category average (89,112). The Nvidia GeForce MX150-armed ZenBook Flip 14 topped the competition with a huge score of 110,792.
The Yoga C930 didn’t fare well in our real-world gaming test, playing the racing game Dirt 3 at only 37 frames per second. That tops our 30 fps threshold, but the Spectre x360 (56 fps), the XPS 13 (67 fps) and the ZenBook Flip 14 (122 fps) did much better. The average premium laptop runs the rally racing game at 75 fps.
Battery Life
The Yoga C930 will easily get through a full day on a charge. The laptop lasted an excellent 10 hours and 10 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test (continuous web surfing over Wi-Fi with display brightness at 150 nits), topping the premium laptop average (8:11). That’s almost identical to the time its predecessor, the Yoga 920 (10:14), achieved.
The 1080p XPS 13 (11:59) endured significantly longer than the C930, but that clamshell laptop has a non-touch display. The Asus ZenBook Flip 14 (9:27) powered down shortly before the Yoga C930, while the Spectre x360 (8:00) struggled to make it through the day.
Webcam
Located on the thin bezel above the display, the Yoga C930’s 720p webcam takes decent images. When I took a selfie in our dim office, the fairness of my skin looked accurate and I could see hints of green in my eyes. The camera even captured the tricky gray-and-black plaid pattern of my long-sleeve shirt.
Unfortunately, there was a lot of visual noise on my face and in the dark background, resulting in a blotchy image.
Save the tape — covering the C930’s webcam lens is as easy as sliding a switch. Positioned just above the camera, the new Privacy Shutter is a convenient and unobtrusive feature designed to protect you from snoopers.
Heat
Thin laptops typically get toasty under a heavy workload, but the C930 remained relatively cool when we watched a 15-minute full-HD video. The hottest location, on the bottom of the laptop near the hinge, topped out at 98 degrees Fahrenheit, just above our 95-degree comfort threshold. At 96 degrees, the center of the keyboard and the underside were also a tad warm. The touchpad remained at a comfortable 81 degrees.
Software and Warranty
The Yoga C930 comes with a pretty standard set of preinstalled apps and programs. From Lenovo, the Vantage app lets you download system updates, adjust hardware settings, run scans and search for exclusive offers on accessories. App Explorer spotlights apps and games from the Windows Store, while LenovoUtility enables special hotkey functions. There is also a program for adjusting the settings of your Yoga C930’s stylus, an app for changing microphone settings and Dolby Atmos for tinkering with the speakers.
Windows 10 Home brings its own set of apps, most of which are bloatware. That’s especially true of Candy Crush Saga, Hidden City and Minecraft. Other preinstalled apps include LinkedIn, Xbox and Microsoft News.
MORE: Longest Battery Life Laptops
The Yoga C930 ships with a one-year warranty. See how Lenovo performed on our Tech Support Showdown and Best and Worst Brands ranking.
How Much Does the Yoga C930 Cost?
The Yoga C930 starts at $1,399 for a 1080p display, a Core i5-8250U CPU, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. That’s a steep price, but at the time of writing, U.S. customers can get our review configuration — with a full-HD display, a Core i7-8550U CPU, 12GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD — at Best Buy for $1,299.
If you want the best entertainment experience possible, you might want to upgrade to the 4K display. Equipped with a Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, the least expensive UHD model costs $1,519. Upping RAM to 16GB and storage to 512GB increases the price to $1,649. The top-of-the-line model, with a 4K display, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, goes for $1,839.
Bottom Line
The Yoga C930 has a gorgeous, premium design and loads of useful features, like a built-in webcam cover, a fingerprint sensor and an integrated stylus slot. Of course, the main attraction is the C930’s unique soundbar hinge, which outputs very good audio even when the device is in tablet or tent mode.
Although the display could be brighter and more colorful, the C930 retains almost everything we liked above its predecessor, including long battery life and a decent keyboard.
The C930 goes up against some excellent competition, including the Dell XPS 13, which makes up for a poor webcam placement with blistering speeds, extra-long battery life and a vibrant display. If you need a 2-in-1, you should also consider the Asus ZenBook Flip 14 for its discrete graphics card and beautiful display. Overall, though, the Yoga C930 is one of our favorite premium 2-in-1s, which makes it one of the best Surface Pro alternatives.
Credit: Laptop Mag
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| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4. |
| Brand | Lenovo |
| CPU | Intel Core i7-8550U CPU |
| Company Website | lenovo.com |
| Display Size | 13.9 |
| Graphics Card | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Hard Drive Size | 256GB |
| Hard Drive Type | PCIe NVMe SSD |
| Highest Available Resolution | 3840 x 2160 |
| Native Resolution | 1920×1080 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Ports (excluding USB) | USB 3.1, Headphone/Mic, Thunderbolt 3 |
| RAM | 12GB |
| Size | 12.6 x 8.9 x 0.6 inches |
| Touchpad Size | 4.1 x 2.7 inches |
| USB Ports | 2 |
| Warranty/Support | 1 year |
| Weight | 3.1 pounds |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11ac |
| Wi-Fi Model | 802.11 AC (2 x 2) |
Less
Phillip Tracy is the assistant managing editor at Laptop Mag where he reviews laptops, phones and other gadgets while covering the latest industry news. After graduating with a journalism degree from the University of Texas at Austin, Phillip became a tech reporter at the Daily Dot. There, he wrote reviews for a range of gadgets and covered everything from social media trends to cybersecurity. Prior to that, he wrote for RCR Wireless News covering 5G and IoT. When he’s not tinkering with devices, you can find Phillip playing video games, reading, traveling or watching soccer.
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 review
TechRadar Verdict
The Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is a genuinely innovative 2-in-1 laptop that’s let down by outdated components and a very high price tag.
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Cons
- —
Very expensive
- —
Low on RAM
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Aging processor
Lenovo Yoga Book’s follow up, the Lenovo Yoga Book C930, tries to keep many of the things we love about the original, which is a very good thing as the Lenovo Yoga Book remains to be one of our favorite 2-in-1 laptop/tablet hybrids.
However, unlike many hardware sequels that play it safe with only a few iterative updates to their hardware, the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 also takes some big risks. Beyond addressing the issues we had with its predecessor, this laptop brings to the table an innovative feature: a second E Ink display. And, this display not just doubles as a keyboard, but it also works as a pad for making notes and drawing as well as a traditional E Ink reader for viewing documents.
Lenovo then reinforces this potentially revolutionary design with an improved hardware – certainly much more powerful than the original’s. Could Lenovo have a real hit with the Yoga Book C930? Let’s find out.
And, should you decide that it’s the way to go, keep an eye out for Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals to save you a bit of money.
The Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is more expensive than its predecessor.
- Lenovo Yoga Book C930 at Amazon for $1,072
Spec Sheet
Here is the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 configuration sent to TechRadar for review:
CPU: 1. 2GHz Intel Core i5-7Y54 (dual-core, 4MB cache, up to 3.2GHz boost)
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 615
RAM: 4GB LPDDR3
Screens: 10.8-inch, QHD 2,560 x 1,600 resolution IPS touchscreen and 10.8-inch FHD 1,920 x 1,080 E Ink Mobius touchscreen
Storage: 256GB SSD
Ports: 2x USB 3.1 Type-C,
Connectivity: 802.11ac Wi-Fi (2 x 2 MIMO), Bluetooth 4.2, LTE
Camera: 720p HD webcam with infrared for Windows Hello
Weight: 1.71 pounds (0.78kg)
Size: 7.1 x 10.25 x 0.39 inches (179.4 x 260.4 x 9.9mm; W x D x H)
Price and availability
The original Yoga Book was designed by Lenovo to be an affordable 2-in-1 device that was accessible to a wide range of people thanks to its low price.
The Lenovo Yoga Book C930, on the other hand, has different aspirations, with Lenovo seemingly aiming for a more premium product. That innovative second screen also comes at a price, so the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 has ended up being a more expensive product than its predecessor.
The Lenovo Yoga Book C930 costs $929.99 (£1,299.99, AU$1,999), which is a lot more expensive than the base model for the original Yoga Book, which cost $549.99 (about £450, AU$720) for the Windows 10 version.
The almost doubling of the price means the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is pitched at an almost entirely new market. While it’s a brave move to make such a radically different device compared to the original model, people who bought the Yoga Book and were hoping to upgrade to the latest version may feel slightly abandoned by Lenovo’s chasing of the high-end market.
In the US and Australia, there is only one model currently available, and it comes with a 7th generation Intel Core i5-7Y54 processor, Windows 10 Home, a 10-inch 2,560 x 1,600 IPS screen, 4GB of LPDDR3 memory and 256GB SSD. Graphics are handled by the integrated Intel HD Graphics 615 GPU.
In the UK, there is a base model for £1,099 that comes with a weaker Intel Core m3-7Y30 Processor and 128GB SSD, though the rest of the specs are the same. To get the model with the same Intel Core i5-7Y54 processor and SSD size as the US and Australia, the price increases to £1,299.99.
Those specs are nothing remarkable, which means the bulk of the cost of the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 appears to come from the second screen. It’s also worth noting that a battery-powered stylus is also included in the price, something the Lenovo Yoga Book C930’s competitors – such as the Surface Pro 6 – omit.
The Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is remarkably thin and light.
Lenovo has produced some truly stunning laptops recently – especially in its Yoga range – and we’re pleased to report that the Yoga Book C930 is no different. This is a small and svelte laptop with a gorgeous watchband-link hinge, which was first introduced in the Yoga 3.
The curved hinge, as well as the Lenovo logo that runs down the left-hand side of the lid when closed, shows how indebted the design of the Yoga Book C930 is to traditional books.
When closed, it’s a remarkably thin device at just 9.9mm thick, and weighs just 775g. The thinness of the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is mainly due to the fact that it doesn’t have a physical keyboard.
As it’s a Yoga device, the hinge allows the Yoga Book C930 to be flexible, flipping the screen so it can be used in tent mode – for watching media on, or flipped completely back to be used as a tablet. It is in tablet mode where the thin design of the Yoga Book C930 really stands out, as it allows the device to be not that much thicker – or heavier – than a standard tablet.
The Lenovo Yoga Book C930 used in tablet mode.
A power button and volume rocker on the device’s right side are edged in chrome, and speakers sit behind dotted grilles on either side of the ‘keyboard’.
The speakers pump out suitable range and volume despite their size, thanks to Dolby Atmos technology inside. Above the E Ink display there’s a fingerprint scanner for biometric login, and there are also two USB-C ports – one on each side – which can be used for charging.
A close-up of the right-hand side of the Lenovo Yoga Book C930.
The Lenovo Yoga Book C930 also comes with a microSD slot and SIM card tray for the LTE-enabled versions. This allows you to install a smartphone SIM card into the device to access 4G mobile internet. This is a more convenient – and secure – way of getting on the internet while you’re out and about.
While the thin design is admirable and impressive, it does mean there’s no way to stow away the stylus, known as the «Precision Pen,» which is a shame, and it means you’ll have to make sure you place it somewhere safe when it’s not in use. The stylus does have magnets that allows it to attach to the Yoga Book C930’s body, but we wouldn’t trust it to hold on to the stylus while you carry it about.
The Lenovo Yoga Book C930 comes with an included stylus.
The main display has had a big update since the last version, and is now a 10.8-inch IPS panel with a QHD resolution of 2,560 x 1,600. That’s slightly larger than the previous model’s 10. 1-inch screen size, and a sharper resolution (the original had a 1080p display).
It’s the high resolution that really makes the main display of the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 stand out, with the QHD resolution packed into 10.8 inches providing remarkably sharp and clear image quality thanks to its 281 ppi (pixels per inch) pixel density. With a brightness of 500 nits and an 85% color gamut, the screen of the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 really is beautiful to behold.
Less impressive are the chunky bezels that surround the screen. We’ve been spoiled recently by laptops with thin bezels that reduce the overall size of the device while giving prominence to the display. With the Lenovo Yoga Book C930, these large bezels feel rather old fashioned, and slimming them down could have made the device even smaller.
The second screen uses E Ink technology to replicate a keyboard.
Second screen
Perhaps the biggest selling point of the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is the second screen that not only doubles as a keyboard, but also as a drawing pad and ebook reader as well. We’ve seen dual-screen devices before, but with the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 it seems like a natural fit.
It helps that the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 uses E Ink display technology for the screen, which is found on most ebook readers, rather than Lenovo’s own proprietary Create Pad with capacitive touch and EMR pen technology.
This gives the second screen a lot more power and flexibility, so more apps can be displayed on it, and it can be used to read documents. The screen is larger, with a virtual touchpad that expands when tapped, then shrinks when not in use. In practice, it works well.
While typing on a screen will never feel as responsive or tactile as using a physical keyboard, Lenovo has included some clever tricks in the screen to make it feel more comfortable to write on. So, there’s an improved haptic feedback which lightly vibrates the screen when you push a key, along with subtle animations that make it appear like the keys are moving when pressed.
It helps make typing on the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 feel more natural to type on, though it doesn’t quite match typing on a physical keyboard. For fast typers (like we are), you may experience a slight lag to both the button press animations and the letters appearing in your document as you type, which can be a bit disconcerting.
Still, we are pleasantly surprised by how nice it feels to type on the screen. By tapping on the icons in the top-right corner of second display, you can switch between modes.
You can write notes on the second screen using a stylus.
The drawing/note mode allows you to draw or write on a blank page using the new stylus, which is based on active electrostatic (AES) technology that utilizes a conductive pen tip to cause reactions in the E Ink display’s digitizer. The end result is a far quicker drawing response, with the digital cursor following your pen nearly one-to-one.
There’s also a reading mode which allows you to view compatible files – such as PDFs and ebooks – and read them on the E Ink display. It works well, and means if you’re thinking of buying a new laptop and a new ebook reader, then the Lenovo Yoga Book C930 could be the device for you, and save you some money as well.
Reading documents on the second screen is comfortable.
Reading documents is so much more comfortable on the E Ink display, which has a low-light matt effect that makes it feel similar to reading text on paper. It’s a shame that you can’t edit or write notes on the documents in this mode, but it’s a nice additional feature that’s a welcome addition to the Lenovo Yoga Book C930.
Image Credits: TechRadar
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Introduction, price and design
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Matt is TechRadar’s Managing Editor for Computing and Entertainment, looking after two of the best, and most exciting, channels on the site. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there’s no aspect of technology that Matt isn’t passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. Ever since he got an Amiga A500+ for Christmas in 1991, he’s loved using (and playing on) computers, and will talk endlessly about how The Secret of Monkey Island is the best game ever made. He’s also a huge film and TV fan and Marvel geek, and his favorite recent film is Dune.
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB — Specs, Reviews, Deals
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- Processor: Up to 4-core Intel Core i7-8550U, 1.80 GHz, 8 MB Cache
- Memory: 8 GB, or 12 GB, or 16 GB DDR4-2400 MHz
- Storage: Up to 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
- Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620
- Display: 13.9″, FHD (1920 x 1080), or 4K UHD (3840 x 2160)
Last updated on September 22, 2022 7:25 am
$1,072.00
Description
Read the full Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB specs (specifications) – see the next section. You may also read user reviews, leave a review, and buy for the best price.
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Moreover, we have written our expert review of this product. To read our expert review, beneath “EXPERT SCORE” above, click “Read review“.
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Additional information
Specification: Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB
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Lenovo Yoga C930 Review | Digital Trends
DT Recommended Product
“The Yoga C930 retains the 2-in-1’s best features and adds in a powerful new sound system.”
Pros
- The chassis is built like a tank
- Excellent productivity performance
- Superior battery life
- Outstanding audio thanks to Dolby Atmos sound bar
Cons
- Keyboard lacks travel
- Display is disappointing
Lenovo’s Yoga 9-series has served as that companies premium thin-and-light 2-in-1 for a few years now, with the Yoga 910 and 920 featuring a unique watchband hinge that identified it at the top of Lenovo’s heap. The 360-degree convertible market has grown increasingly competitive, though, and Lenovo’s offerings were getting a bit stale. Enter the 2018 revision, the Yoga C930, which makes some significant changes to keep the line fresh.
Contents
- Lose some panache, gain some volume
- Solid inputs despite its shallow keyboard
- If only the display were as good as the audio
- Performance covers all your productivity needs
- Integrated graphics mean limited gaming options, as usual
- A smaller battery equals… better battery life? Well, almost
- Our Take
We received a review unit equipped with an 8th-gen Intel Core i7-8550U, 12GB of RAM, a 256GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD), and a 13.9-inch Full HD (1,920 x 1,080 or 158 PPI) display. That configuration is priced at $1,300, which is actually $100 less than the base configuration of a Core i5, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD that you’ll find at the Lenovo site. Buyers can choose up to 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160 or 317 PPI) for $2,200.
The Yoga C930 isn’t just a quick refresh of the previous version but rather aims to perfect what was already a very capable thin and light 2-in-1. Did Lenovo add enough to lift this venerable machine to new heights?
Lose some panache, gain some volume
Lenovo’s Yoga notebooks have always aimed at more of an understated design aesthetic than, say, HP’s Spectre line. The Yoga 920 was a case in point – it was a solid color, albeit a choice between bronze, copper, and platinum, and it eschewed any of the burnished or chrome metal accents you’ll find on many other notebooks. That is, except for the watchband hinge, which stood out as the 9-series’ most iconic feature.
But this time around, the watchband hinge is gone. In its place are two hinges that stand out for entirely different reasons. One is a small hinge on the left with a subtle Lenovo logo. The other hinge is the one that matters, and it’s more than just a new look. It’s a “Rotating Sound Bar,” as Lenovo calls it, and it incorporates a set of speakers and Dolby Atmos tuning for what promises to be a greatly enhanced audio experience. More on that later, but it certainly contributes to the aesthetic.
The hinge is the most recognizable change from the previous versions, but it’s not the only one. There are also now only two colors available, Mica and Iron Gray. We reviewed the latter, and we found it attractive, if not a bit understated. Lenovo also rounded the 2-in-1’s lines along the rear edges, an apparent adjustment to accommodate the change in hinge style.
The first thing you’ll notice about the Yoga C930 is that the hinge now hides impressive sound inside.
We think that both the HP Spectre x360 13 and the Dell XPS 13 offer more striking designs, but we can’t fault Lenovo’s approach either. It’s a simplistic and conservative notebook that doesn’t draw attention to itself, and that might appeal to business types who’d rather use something that fades into the background instead of stand out.
The Yoga C930 is also a svelte notebook given its 13.9-inch display and ultra-small 4.9mm bezels (compared to the XPS 13’s at 4. 0mm). It’s thin at 0.57 inches, although that’s not quite as thin as the Spectre x360 (0.54 inches) or the XPS 13 (0.46 inches). It’s also light at 3.0 pounds, but again it’s beat out by the Spectre x360 (2.78 pounds) and the XPS 13 (2.67 pounds). The Yoga 920 was a bit thinner at 0.50 inches and almost the same weight at 3.02 pounds. By any measure, you won’t find the Yoga C930 to be too large or heavy to easily carry around — although whether you’ll use it as a tablet with just one hand depends on your exercise regimen.
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
The 2-in-1 remains a recognizable member of the Yoga 9-series in one important way: It’s built like a tank. The Yoga C930 retains the line’s all-metal build, and as usual, there’s no flex to the keyboard deck or the bottom of the chassis. The lid is equally inflexible, at least until you apply way more torsional force than you should. You’ll find few notebooks in this class that match the C930’s robust build, and neither the HP nor the Dell qualify.
Alternatives
- Dell XPS 13
- HP Spectre 360
- Asus Zenbook 13
- Surface Pro (2017)
Speaking again of the hinge, this is a 360-degree convertible 2-in-1, and the hinge is vital to the experience not only of opening the notebook but also moving the display through its four modes — clamshell, tent, media, and tablet. Lenovo nailed the hinge even while stuffing all those audio components inside. You can open the display with one hand, the hinge is smooth through its full range, and the display remains display firmly in place exactly where you want it to be.
The intake and exhaust vents are both located along the rear of the bottom chassis underneath the display, which is another nice touch to the Yoga C930’s design. That means that you can use the notebook on your lap without worrying about blocking cool air from getting inside and keeping the heat down.
Connectivity is typical for this class of premium thin and light machine. You’ll find two USB-C ports along the left-hand side, and they both support full-speed Thunderbolt 3 and can charge the notebook with the included USB-C charger. A USB-A 3.1 port sits beside them for legacy support, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack is located there as well. Only the power button resides on the right-hand side. Of course, you’ll connect wirelessly via 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 radios.
Solid inputs despite its shallow keyboard
The Yoga C930 offers the usual Yoga-style keyboard, meaning it’s a chiclet keyboard with wide keys and a mechanism that’s slightly shallow. Despite the lack of copious travel, there’s still a snappy feel that manages to avoid a harsh bottoming action. It’s not as comfortable a keyboard as the Spectre x360’s, which is one of our favorites, but it’s better than the harsher feel of the deeper keyboard on the Asus ZenBook Flip 14.
The touchpad is a real positive, though. It’s quite large for such a small notebook, and it supports Microsoft’s Precision Touchpad protocol. That means Windows 10’s multitouch gestures work perfectly, and you can also make do with the touch display for scrolling and quick button taps.
The Yoga C930 includes Lenovo’s newest Active Pen, which is a smaller version – not as comfortable to use as the Microsoft Surface Pro 6’s Surface Pen – that slots into a spring-loaded housing that also keeps the pen charged. We found it the pen to provide good support for Windows 10 Inking thanks to its support for 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. That’s as good as the Surface Pen and four times the Spectre x360’s version.
In a nice touch that’s carried over from the newest ThinkPad machines, the Yoga C930’s webcam has its own physical privacy screen. It’s hard to see, but above the webcam there’s a sharply ridged slider dubbed the “TrueBlock Privacy Shutter” that physically blocks the webcam when you’re not using it. That way, nobody can remote in and spy on you in awkward moments.
Finally, a fingerprint scanner provides Windows 10 Hello password-less login, and it’s placed in the increasingly common location to the upper-right of the keyboard deck. The scanner worked flawlessly in our testing, allowing us to log in quickly with just a quick tap of a registered finger. There’s also an option for an infrared camera for facial recognition.
If only the display were as good as the audio
Lenovo offers two display options for the Yoga C930. We reviewed the 13.9-inch IPS display at Full HD resolution, but there’s also a $200 4K UHD option with support for Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR).
Our colorimeter tests made us wish Lenovo had sent us the presumably superior 4K HDR display instead. The contrast was the lowest among similar machines at 660:1 at 100 percent brightness, which is also on the low side at 294 nits, just under our preferred 300 nit cutoff. That’s both slightly worse than the Spectre x360’s results and well under the 2-in-1 class leader Surface Pro 6.
The C930’s color gamut was also on the low end of our comparison group at 70 percent of AdobeRGB, and color accuracy was just okay at a delta of 1. 86 (less than 1.0 is considered perfect). Gamma was fortunately perfect, meaning videos and images are neither too light nor too dark.
In our subjective tests, the display was less appealing. Colors didn’t pop as they should, blacks looked more grey than we like, and generally, we didn’t like the display as much as on 2-in-1s like the Spectre x360 and the Surface Pro 6. We’re sure that Lenovo is sourcing a better panel for the 4K HDR version, but our review unit didn’t impress us.
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Audio quality is a different story completely. As we mentioned earlier, Lenovo abandoned the watchband hinge and replaced it with a Dolby Atmos-tuned soundbar that crams custom-designed tweeters into the hinge. It’s part of an audio system that employs downward firing woofers in the chassis and vibration buffers to help create a clean sound. Lenovo contends that the sound is 3D, and we can attest that it remains excellent in all 2-in-1 modes.
First, the audio gets very loud for a notebook. You can fill a medium-sized room with plenty of volume, and you can crank things all the way up without worrying about distortion. Second, it’s not just pure noise – mids and highs are awesome for listening to tunes, there’s a surprising amount of stereo separation, and you’ll even notice some actual bass. Movies and TV shows are particularly impressive.
You can use the included utility for adjusting the music as well, optimizing it for the source material. Overall, we were impressed with the audio quality and once again found ourselves wishing for the 4K HDR display. We’re certain that it would make for an ideal Netflix binging notebook when the display is flipped around in media mode.
Performance covers all your productivity needs
Intel’s 8th-generation Core processors are consistently good performers, with a reliable balance between speed and efficiency. Our review unit used the quad-core i7-8550U, a fast CPU that usually lets a notebook churn through the typical productivity tasks. We’ll note that Lenovo didn’t manage to squeeze in Intel’s latest 8th-generation Whiskey Lake CPUs that are a bit faster and more efficient, and that’s a shame.
The Yoga C930 did well in our benchmarks, starting with Geekbench 4 where it scored towards the top of our comparison group in both the single-core (4,717) and multi-core (14,885) tests. That was in line with the Spectre x360, and significantly faster than notebooks based around the Core i5-8250U. Our review unit also came with 12GB of RAM.
In our real-world Handbrake test that converts a 420MB trailer to H.265, the Yoga C930 was among the fastest notebooks in its class. It beat out both the ThinkPad X1 Yoga and the XPS 13, and it crushed the much slower Surface Pro 6. Our Handbrake test is a good measure of a notebook’s ability to control heat and maintain performance, and the Yoga C930 did well.
Lenovo used a Hynix PCIe SSD in the machine, and that resulted in decent storage performance. The Yoga C930 wasn’t quite as fast as the Spectre x360 and XPS 13 review units in reading data, and its performance when writing data was also on the low end. That is, it was relatively slow for a PCIe SSD, but it was still faster than SATA SSDs and of course trounced spinning hard disk drives. You won’t find access and saving data to slow things down.
Overall, the Yoga C930 is a speedy little laptop. It was more than fast enough for all the tasks we threw at it, and you’ll find it fully capable of keeping you productive. You’ll also find heat well-controlled, with the chassis remaining comfortable to hold and the fans spinning up only when the CPU is challenged.
Integrated graphics mean limited gaming options, as usual
The Yoga C930 is limited to Intel UHD 620 integrated graphics, so you won’t be buying the notebook if you’re a hardcore gamer. You’ll at least need to consider something like the Asus ZenBook Flip 14 that includes a discrete Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU if you want anything better than very casual gaming.
In short, the Yoga C930 performed as we expected. Scores in the synthetic 3DMark benchmark suite were in line with the other similarly equipped thin and light notebooks in our comparison group. The same held for Rocket League, where the Yoga C930 managed a playable 53 frames per second (FPS) at 1080p and performance mode and a less-than-playable 23 FPS in high-quality mode.
Stick with older titles or casual games, or be prepared to suffer low framerates and a fair amount of frustration.
A smaller battery equals… better battery life? Well, almost
The Yoga C930 has 60 watt-hours of battery capacity, which is down from 70 watt-hours in the Yoga 920. That’s a significant drop, and we were disappointed — there was no reason for us to expect that less battery capacity in an equally configured notebook would yield equal longevity.
We were mostly wrong. As it turns out, Lenovo worked some magic on the Yoga C930, squeezing out significantly improved battery life in two of our three tests.
In our most aggressive test, which runs the Basemark web benchmark until the battery does out, the Yoga C930 lasted for almost four and three-quarters hours. That’s a good score that beats out the HP Spectre x360’s just over four hours and the Dell XPS 13’s (with a 4K display) roughly three and a half hours. The Yoga 920 lasted about for about three and a third hours, way behind its replacement.
When browsing the web, the Yoga C930 lasted a very strong 10 and a half hours. The Spectre x360 couldn’t quite make it to nine hours, and the 4K XPS 13 barely passed nine hours before it shut down. The Full HD XPS 13 with a Core i5 did better, almost matching the Lenovo. The Yoga 920 ran out in just over eight hours.
On our test that loops an Avengers trailer from the SSD, the Yoga C930 managed just over 13 hours. Once again, that’s a very good result, but it does fall behind the Yoga 920 that was among our leaders at almost 14 hours. It was also a bit behind the Spectre x360 that lasted for almost 14 and a half hours, while the 4K XPS 13 suffered from its high-resolution display just around 10 and a half hours. The Full HD XPS 13 lasted a for almost 14 hours.
Sure, the Yoga C930 dropped an hour behind the Yoga 920 in the video looping test, but since productivity performance was much improved, we’re not going to complain. The Yoga C930 will certainly last you a full working day on a charge, and then some. You can safely keep your AC adapter at home.
Our Take
The Lenovo Yoga C930 is an extremely well-built 360-degree convertible 2-in-1 that offers excellent performance and battery life. Its display and keyboard fall slightly behind the competition, and it has a very conservative aesthetic. However, its audio quality is in a class of its own for such a thin and light machine. The Yoga C930 is a meaningful improvement over its predecessor, the Yoga 920, and it maintains its place as one of our favorite notebook 2-in-1s.
Is there a better alternative?
HP’s Spectre x360 13 is the Yoga C930’s most direct 2-in-1 competitor, and it’s an excellent notebook in its own right. It’s better looking than the Lenovo, in our opinion, while not providing quite the same solid build quality. Its performance and battery life are similar, and it comes in at a lower price of $1,250 (on sale for $1,050) albeit with only 8GB of RAM to the Yoga’s 12GB in our review unit. The Spectre x360 can be configured with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 4K display for $1,800 ($1,600 on sale). HP just announced a new version with Intel’s very latest Whiskey Late 8th-generation CPUs, and so that’s one to consider.
You could also stick with a clamshell notebook if you don’t care about flipping the display around, and in that case, the Dell XPS 13 is a great alternative. It offers similar performance and lesser but still strong battery life, and we think it’s better looking and offers an enhanced thermal design. The XPS 13 is also a bit more expensive at $1,460 for the same configuration with 8GB of RAM, although it’s currently on sale for $1,260. And you’ll spend much more for 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and a 4K display, at $2,500 (2,300 on sale).
How long will it last?
Given its robust build quality and excellent components, the Yoga C930 will last for years of productive work, and you’ll enjoy the best in expansion capabilities with its Thunderbolt 3 ports. Lenovo provides the industry-standard one-year warranty.
Should you buy it?
Yes. The Yoga C930 offers one of the best build qualities you’ll find in a 2-in-1, and it’s a great performer. Battery life is good enough that you could choose the 4K HDR display to complement the superior audio provided by the innovative soundbar and have one of the best movie-watching machines around.
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Lenovo Yoga Book C930 review: E Ink screen instead of keyboard
Today we will talk about the second generation of such an unusual device as the Lenovo Yoga Book. Its first version was controversial and did not have much commercial success, but despite this, the company was not afraid to present a revision of this device — Yoga Book C930. Like the previous model, the novelty does not have physical keys, but instead uses an E Ink screen with virtual buttons. In the review, we will figure out what innovations have appeared in this device and whether it has become more convenient in everyday use. 9Ol000 . A thin metal case with beautiful chopped edges looks technologically advanced and modern. Just think, the thickness of the device is only 9.9 mm! Not so long ago, the thickness of the body of the average smartphone was more. Other dimensions C930 is also small — 260.4×179.44 mm. All this with a diagonal of the main display of 10.8 inches.
Before we open the tablet, let’s think about how we can do it? It would seem that you just need to implement a notch at the end, as in all laptops. But she is not. The question immediately arises: is this a flaw? No, Lenovo engineers thought it was too easy. In order to open the device, you need to knock twice on the top cover and it will snap off a couple of centimeters, thereby giving you the opportunity to open the display to the desired angle. There is a second way — hold the volume control key for a few seconds. Of course, you can open it the old fashioned way, he will notice that the tablet closes tightly and you will have to try to open it. On the one hand, it would be possible not to complicate things, but this is a really interesting feature that makes the device stand out.
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The display unit hinge in the C930 is familiar to us from older Lenovo Yoga devices and has proven itself well, while it still looks unusual.
Opening the tablet, we see two displays in front of us. The main IPS and the bottom (where the keyboard should be) E Ink. The frames around them are not small, largely due to the fact that the device is very thin. But at the same time, it is made in a transformer form factor (the screen rotates 360 degrees) and when working with it like a tablet, the frames make it more comfortable to hold it in your hands.
With not a lot of connectors: two USB Type-C (one on each side) and that’s it. But both ports allow you to charge the tablet. There’s also a microSD/SIM card tray and a fingerprint scanner above the E Ink screen. Of the mechanical keys — the power button and volume control (both located on the right side). Multimedia speakers with a power of 1.2 W each are also located on the edges. The latter are quite standard, listening to music through them will not be the best idea, but they will do for watching videos.
Cover
Not only a tablet came to our review, but also a cover for it, which is made in the form of an envelope. Its outer surface is made of a pleasant material, on which traces of use will not be very noticeable, and the inner part is made of microfiber, which should protect the device from scratches. It looks and feels like a quality accessory that is a pleasure to use.
Display
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is equipped with two screens, but in this section we will focus on the IPS matrix. The touch display has a diagonal of 10.8 inches and a resolution of 2560 × 1600 pixels.
Brightness varies from 5.5 to 296 cd/m2. The contrast is 1 to 815. The color gamut is wider than the sRGB triangle, the color temperature is close to the reference, but the gamma is not linear. In general, the screen is decent. Of course, using Windows 10 without scaling at such a resolution is unrealistic due to small fonts, but this is not a problem with the device, but with the operating system.
E Ink display
The screen has the same diagonal as IPS — 10.8 inches, but the resolution is lower — 1920 × 1080 pixels. Compared to the previous generation, the display has 3 modes of operation: keyboard, drawing pad and book reading pad.
Let’s start with the first and perhaps the main mode — the keyboard. I will say right away that working with touch keys is very difficult even after several days of getting used to it. The vibration feedback helps a little, it helps to understand that the key is pressed, but since the screen is touch-sensitive, it is not realistic to feel which button the fingers are on. At the same time, keep in mind that there are several types of keyboard and in some the touchpad is not always active (hides when keys are pressed), which is generally a separate problem. All these shortcomings do not allow you to comfortably type not only large amounts of text, but in general to type text in principle. With the same success, you can just type on the Windows 10 touch screen, the typing speed will be about the same.
Drawing mode allows you to draw with the supplied stylus or with your fingers. Not being an artist or illustrator, it is difficult to fully appreciate his work, but be prepared for the fact that while drawing, even a regular line can be drawn with a noticeable delay. This is due to the overall performance of the E Ink screen. By the way, the Precision Pen stylus supports up to 4096 pressure levels and works quite accurately. It connects via Bluetooth and is powered by an AAAA battery. In order not to lose it during operation, it is magnetized on the top of the tablet cover.
The book reading mode is perhaps the easiest. It is possible to select a book in the file manager and read. Minimum settings, but there is support for PDF.
Hardware platform and autonomy
The Lenovo Yoga Book C930 test was equipped with an Intel Core i5-7Y54 dual-core processor, Intel HD graphics 615, 4 GB of LPDDR3 RAM, and 256 GB of internal storage. There is also a configuration with an Intel Core m3-7Y30 processor and 128 GB of user memory. The amount of RAM in all configurations is 4 GB, which is not enough for Windows 10. But there is support for microSD memory cards.
The performance is sufficient for browsing, documents and watching videos, but you can’t count on more. The device is mainly suitable for consuming content, not for creating it.
Wireless interfaces include Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.2 and LTE.
The built-in 36 Wh (4650 mAh) battery, according to the manufacturer, provides autonomy up to 8.6 hours from a single charge. In everyday use, I got almost 6 hours of work. In the PCMark 8 Home Conventional (Battery life) test at 100 cd / m2, the operating time was 3 hours 41 minutes.
3.5
ITC.UA score
Pros:
interesting concept and features, appearance, work with a stylus, high-quality IPS screen, E Ink for reading books
Cons:
E Ink as a keyboard, performance, high cost
Output:
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is not a fashion gadget for a wide range of users. And it’s not just about the price, although it also plays a role, but more about the complexity of working with this device, which at the same time tries to be a laptop and a tablet, but does not reach them in terms of capabilities and comfort.
Specifications
Foldable Lenovo Yoga Book C930 features the first E Ink keyboard — Lenovo
Tiffany Garrett
Lenovo
Lenovo’s 2016 Yoga Book was a stunning look into the future of mobile computing. But where it differed in design, it lagged behind in performance.
In 2018, Lenovo is redesigning the Yoga Book to match the inside with the outside. Although it has a higher starting price, it finally seems to deliver performance. It should be released later this fall with a starting price of around $1,000.
Genuine Intel processor…
but no Qualcomm
The biggest complaint Lenovo heard about the original Yoga Book was performance. These complaints were fueled by the lackluster Intel Atom x5-Z8550 processor, which is underwhelming.
To solve this problem, the Yoga Book C930 comes with a full Intel Core i5 processor. Of course, these are Y-series chips with a TDP of just 4.5W compared to the standard 15W power found in a standard laptop. But the jump in performance is significant.
Similarly, internal storage is now a PCIe solid-state drive (SSD), which, combined with 4GB of RAM and integrated Intel HD 615 graphics, makes the Yoga Book C930 feel like a real Windows 10 PC.
Interestingly, Lenovo stopped using Qualcomm. Snapdragon 850, though it plans to release the Yoga C630 just a month later in November. Lenovo’s hesitation is due to performance considerations, but it still seems odd, fitting for such a small PC. The choice is also reflected in the new Yoga Book’s estimated battery life of just 8.6 hours — using ARM would no doubt double those estimates. On the other hand, switching to Intel means no fuss and great all-round performance.
Lenovo Yoga Book C930
display, virtual keyboards and more
10.8-inch screen with 2560 x 1600 resolution. This screen also now supports the Lenovo Wacom active pen for drawing, which was not in the original. With support for 4096 levels of pressure, this should be excellent drawing quality. It also sticks to the back of the display, which is a lot of fun.
However, the real magic is the bottom 10.8″ Full HD E Ink display, which can also be used as a keyboard or notepad. This keyboard can switch between keyboard layouts on the fly to suit different regions and languages.
To solve the problem of virtuality, Lenovo shifts the buttons slightly while typing to simulate movement. Combined with haptic feedback (vibration) and audible cues (both of which are customizable), typing on the Yoga Book is much better than on the previous Halo keyboard. While it’s nowhere near as good as «real» typing, it’s getting closer.
Another interesting feature is the trackpad. The virtual appears when you hit the dot below the spacebar, giving you a decently large target to move the cursor around. However, to save space, this trackpad disappears when you start typing and turns back into a space bar.
In addition to drawing on the main display, users can also use the E Ink side as a notepad or to read PDF files. Handwriting on E Ink isn’t as smooth as on an IPS color display, but it saves a lot of battery life. Because the Yoga Book flips over, either display can be turned off to conserve battery power.
The E Ink side does not currently support books from the Microsoft Store, but this may change later.
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When closed, the user can double-tap the lid of the Yoga Book, causing the device to open automatically. This feature uses a combination of gyroscopes and magnets, so it only works when it’s on a table, not in a bag.
Lenovo also now hides the fingerprint reader in the power button, giving users access to Windows Hello. And dual speakers with Dolby Atmos deliver decent sound quality from a device that’s thinner than many smartphones.
Lenovo offers an LTE option on the Yoga Book, but the company told us during our briefing that it won’t be available in the US due to low market demand. Choosing to ditch LTE seems like a huge missed opportunity
Yoga Book C930 folds into
the future (again)
Paradoxically, the original Yoga Book was an Android-only project that got Windows 10 support at the last minute. For its comeback there is no Android version in 2018 because the Android version was not sold while the Windows 10 ones did.
This time, Lenovo decided to turn the Yoga Book into a real PC. Not only does it look like something from the future, it also doesn’t look like something from the past. All of this comes at the cost of seemingly mediocre battery life, selective 4G LTE availability, and a higher $999 starting price — but at least for now, it’s a genuinely forward-thinking device.
How this E Ink keyboard and ink holds up remains to be seen, but the Yoga Book C930 is by far the most exciting PC we’ve seen this year. Expect it to hit the markets at the end of October.
Related reading
- Why dual displays will be the next big thing in 2-in-1 PCs
Lenovo Yoga C930 Review
It’s not enough just to be a good laptop — some upselling is required. Maybe it’s a super-slim case or virtually invisible bezels. It could have been intergalactic battery life. But to stand out, you need something special.
Fortunately, the new Lenovo Yoga C930 has not only one feature, but several. First, it’s a 2-in-1 laptop with a 360-degree hinge that allows you to work with both a regular laptop and a tablet. Plus, there’s a Dolby Atmos sound system that cleverly turns the loop into a speaker, not to mention a built-in stylus. A claimed 14.5 hours of battery life and two Thunderbolt-enabled USB-C ports don’t hurt either.
Read more: Jumper X1 Convertible 2-in-1 Notebook
Elsewhere, the C930 is more traditional, and that’s not a bad thing when the deal includes, among other things, a powerful quad-core Intel processor and a fast SSD for storage. As for the competition, this latest version of the Yoga is an interesting alternative to the Microsoft Surface Pro 6. The Surface is more of a blank tablet, of course, with a keyboard cover for Yoga’s transformative approach.
More direct competition comes from the likes of the Dell XPS 2-in-1, although Dell offers this in 13- and 15-inch models, leaving the Yoga 14 inches in between.
Specification
Here is the Lenovo Yoga C930 configuration submitted for review:
Processor : Intel Core i5-8250U 1.6 GHz (quad-core, 6 MB cache, Turbo Boost up to 3.4 GHz)
Graphics : Intel UHD Graphics 620
RAM : 8GB DDR4 (2400MHz)
Display : 13.9″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS touchscreen
Storage : 512 GB SSD (PCIe NVMe)
Ports : 2 x USB-C (Thunderbolt 3), 1 x USB 3.1, audio jack
Communication : 802. 11ac Wi-Fi (2×2), Bluetooth 4.1
Camera : 720p with privacy shutter
Weight : 3.04 lb (1.38 kg)
.7 x 8.9 x 0.57 inches (32.2 x 22.7 x 1.45 cm; W x D x H)
Pricing and Availability 9The 0023
Yoga C930 is priced at $1,599 (AU$1,354), just like here, in line with expectations for this type of device, which is a premium model with solid build quality and a powerful feature set. Our review example uses the base processor and memory configuration, but instead of a 256 GB SSD, it now uses 512 GB.
The cost of this update varies by market. It’s about $200 in the US and £80 in the UK. The best value is an additional upgrade from a 1080p screen to 4K.
In the past, 2-in-1 hybrid laptops fought for simple aesthetic and physical attractiveness. There’s so much room for customization here that the end result might feel a bit cheap and clunky — not the new Lenovo Yoga C930. It’s a very good-looking machine that’s desirable as a pure laptop, not to mention its ability to switch to tablet mode.
The light alloy chassis feels compact and high quality with little flex, and the 360-degree hinge is solid. The screen also has fairly thin bezels on three sides, which helps keep the overall proportions to a minimum. One obvious exception is the rather large «chin» under the display. It’s a slight design change from recent laptops that appear to be full screen as soon as you open the lid.
Overall, the Yoga C930 is a very portable device, although pure notebooks designed primarily for portability are significantly smaller and lighter. Think the 13-inch MacBook Pro rather than the new MacBook Air and you’ll get a good idea of the portability offerings Yoga has to offer.
As for the capabilities of this screen, it is a 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) panel thanks to high quality IPS technology and a touch screen. Speaking of which, this extends to stylus support, and indeed, Lenovo has delivered a stylus that slots neatly into the home when not in use and charges while it’s there, nice.
Of course, being a 2-in-1 device, it features a 360-degree hinge that allows the system to fold around itself and turn into a tablet. It’s an even more important feature here, thanks to the Dolby Atmos speaker system that’s cleverly built into this hinge.
Display, keyboard and trackpad
The Lenovo Yoga C930 has a beautiful screen. It’s punchy and pleasing, if not overwhelmingly bright, with deep colors and strong contrast. Of course, fonts on this 1080p model can be sharper (4K is a variant), but the relatively modest resolution means 100% scaling can be used while maintaining font legibility.
The touch screen functionality also works well, especially with the stylus. It’s smooth, precise, and responsive to use, and completely unobtrusive when folded. Of course, this adds to the attractiveness and usefulness of the Yoga in tablet mode.
The quality of the casing also ensures a pleasant keyboard experience with a solid base. The articulated, buttonless trackpad isn’t bad either, though not as nice as Apple’s tactile trackpads.
Another highlight is the Dolby Atmos soundbar. It delivers impressive volume with sharp clarity and even a hint of dynamic range. There are no real basses here, but the sound is not so thin and mean.
Finally, a nice little touch is the shutter on the 720p webcam. The ability to completely disable the camera from a hardware point of view, without covering it with ugly tape, will be welcomed by anyone with serious security concerns.
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 review. Laptop or tablet with an additional E-Ink screen?
We have already got acquainted with the new laptops of the Yoga family from Lenovo on the example of several models, including the Lenovo Yoga C740-14IML. Today, the focus will be on the performance and options offered by Lenovo Yoga Book C930, which is positioned as a compact convertible laptop for those whose work or main hobby is related to creativity. Its main unique feature is an additional e-Ink screen.
He came to us after the start of official sales. Released in two versions depending on the installed processor: Intel Core M3 or Intel Core i5.
The list of current offers is collected in a table compiled on the basis of data from the Yandex.Market service.
Equipment
Packed in a graphite cardboard box. The kit includes a power supply, pen, USB Type-C cable and a set of documentation.
Appearance
The very idea and implementation of expanding the use of the keyboard block was implemented back in 2016 in the first generation of Yoga Book. This zone could already then be used not only for typing, but also as a graphics tablet for drawing with a stylus.
In 2020, a full-fledged E-Ink screen with the same diagonal as the main screen is already installed here. Moreover, the resolution did not let us down: Full HD gives good detail in the displayed image.
By default, an image of the keyboard and touchpad is displayed with two visual design options. But, unfortunately, at the time of the test in the Lenovo Yoga Book C930, the rendering of the keys was not beaten, when switching, the same static display of Latin and Cyrillic. More interesting and practical would be a corresponding change of keys.
If we compare tactile sensations with physical keys, then in terms of ergonomics and control, it is clearly not a plus for the sensor. For typing large amounts of data by touch typing, it takes time to get used to the layout. Plus, there were delays when pressing the virtual buttons quickly.
Also in the drop-down menu, you can replace the keyboard with a touch graphics tablet. You can control and draw with your finger or stylus.
Another scenario for working with this additional screen allows you to display text documents with subsequent reading or viewing, unfolding the lid or leaving it in its normal position. When connecting external peripherals can be useful. There are “pitfalls” here as well, as a full-fledged screen for expanding or displaying applications, it does not work.
The body of the laptop is made of aluminum-magnesium alloy. Its dimensions are compact. The quality of workmanship is high.
Separately, we note the possibility of opening the lid by tapping on it or holding down the volume down key. Further, to open it, you need to lift it manually.
The mechanism itself looks reliable. Loop group. It can be used in different positions, including 360 degree rotation.
On the right side is the power button and volume rocker. Two USB Type-C connectors, one of which will be occupied by charging. For full-fledged work with peripherals and drives, it will not be superfluous to add a hub on the road. The same applies to displaying images on an external monitor.
Given the limited memory for data storage and the impossibility of upgrading the drive, a retractable tray for a microSD memory card was provided. The SIM card is also placed here.
The frames around the display, by modern standards, the laptop is wide. On the top is the webcam lens.
Display
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 is equipped with a 10.8-inch display with a resolution of 2560×1600 pixels. This is an IPS matrix. The quality of the color balance and calibration settings is high. Illumination is uniform throughout the area. Of the minuses, we note glare when rays of light hit the protective glass. The main screen is also touch-sensitive.
Filling
The laptop we tested is based on the Intel Core m3-7Y30 processor. Kaby Lake architecture. 2 cores and 4 threads. Manufactured on 14 nm process technology. Integrated Intel HD Graphics 615.
Available 4 GB of RAM.
A 128 GB fast drive is displayed for data storage.
Built-in LTE module that allows you to work on the network at a distance from the office, home and routers. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are also supported.
Battery
The built-in accumulator suffices with constantly working screen for 5 business hours. It takes about 3 hours for a complete recovery cycle with a complete adapter. The discharge schedule is uniform.
Soft
On board the Windows operating system with a number of applications and optimizations from Lenovo. Taking into account the diagonal of the screen and the possibility of folding the keyboard unit, it will be possible to use it in tablet mode with finger control.
A separate settings screen is displayed at the additional screen.
Total for Lenovo Yoga Book C930
Lenovo Yoga Book C930 turned out to be quite a niche laptop, but rather even a Windows tablet with an additional display. High quality workmanship, transformer mechanism, high-resolution screen, several modes of operation of the additional screen. But in real operation, we encountered the fact that typing on it is hampered by the response speed and the lack of obvious advantages in rendering the keyboard itself, the inability to transfer applications to it, and the limited number of connectors. For the same price, the Lenovo Yoga C740 convertible laptop offers 4x more RAM, a fast 1TB drive, and a pen included.
Lenovo Yoga C930 Review: A Dolby Delight
Lenovo has been perfecting its Yoga notebook line for a long time, and the top-end C930 sets limits for the latest line (announced 2018, released 2019). This so-called 3-in-1 laptop has a 360-degree hinge to allow the product to be moved between laptop, tent, stand and tablet modes.
Beyond that familiar multi-position design format, however, the C930 is packed with features and eschews the overly fancy hinge mechanism of older Yoga models to replace it with a Dolby soundbar. There’s also Dolby Vision to make the most of the bright HDR (high dynamic range) screen.
Are these new features enough to make the Yoga C930 the best 13.9-inch laptop in its class? We tested the Intel Core i5 model to see how it performs.
- Watchband hinge gone, replaced by
- Measures: 322 x 227 x 14.5 mm / Weight: 1.38 kg
- Ports: 1x USB 3.1, 2x USB USB-C, 1x 3.5mm jack
- Color options: mica, iron gray
Dolby Atmos soundbar
First things first, as we mentioned above: the watch strap loop is gone. If you don’t know what that means, take a look at our previous Yoga 9 review.10, which has a silver loop.
Pocket lint
So why put it away? Because the partnership with Dolby has replaced it with a soundbar that is designed to «follow» you no matter where the laptop is. It’s a very smart idea to get the most out of the laptop’s Dolby Atmos setup, which delivers a pseudo-surround audio format that sounds okay, though not quite theatrically.
Without the watch strap, the C930 looks, shall we say, “fashionable”. But it still looks good. This metal and glass construction has a strong sense of superiority in its construction, forged from a solid metal design.
Pocket lint
However, it doesn’t have a lot of connections for 4G/LTE eSIM connectivity (which, unfortunately, presses the plastic elements in the construction against edges and sides that don’t quite fit into the metal finish). The one side that has the ports shrinks into one full-sized USB, along with two USB-Cs, so there are enough slots — although one of the latter must be used for power.
- Backlit keyboard with ample 9 key travel0012
- Integrated fingerprint reader
- Built-in stylus included
Elsewhere The Yoga C930 is packaged with a fingerprint reader for quick login, and tucked away around the back is a built-in stylus. Some users will be comfortable interacting with the touch screen. And if it’s not your style — we barely used it since it’s not common for our work — then you can leave it there forever, as it doesn’t hurt anyone.
Pocket Lint
The backlit keyboard also works very well. In an era where manufacturers are pushing low-travel keys out—the 2018 MacBook Air is one rather unfortunate example (we stopped using it and ended up back with our 2017 model as a result)—Lenovo has opted for keys that thump (but not too hard). ) and provide a real journey so it’s comfortable typing with genuine feedback. And you don’t miss the key.
The trackpad is fine too, although we’re so used to oversized pads now that using the «smaller» one was a little tricky at first. Plus, the left/right equivalent of clicking this centered pad is too even for our liking, so we do a lot of random right-clicks when we don’t want to. Again, this is because we’re used to Windows laptops with a less centralized trackpad layout.
- 13.9″ touchscreen with Dolby Vision HDR (500 pieces)
- Full HD (1920 x 1080) or 4K (3840 x 2160) options
- Built-in stylus on the back for use with the touch screen
- Large bottom bezel remains in
design
In terms of dimensions, the 13.9-inch panel in the C930 is not the smallest space. The reason is simple: Lenovo keeps having a massive bottom bezel when we don’t really think it’s necessary. In our opinion, this is one of the biggest shortcomings of the laptop.
Pocket pile
However, the panel used brings its own advantages. In terms of brightness, the 500nit output is good enough for Dolby Vision. It’s certainly bright enough, though hardly brighter than equivalent top-end competitors in our opinion.
Dolby Vision software is also onboard, which can adjust presets for various lighting conditions to produce rich blacks and bright whites, including HDR (high dynamic range) content. To us, it’s more about the crisp color profile this HDR panel delivers than the brightness factor — we saw some animated demo content (a great source of wide color ranges) where it looked exceptional.
Another disadvantage of counteracting brightness is the screen coating, which is quite reflective. These reflections aren’t always completely clear either, with some warping towards the bottom bar that adds further distractions. Brightness can break through — but we imagine bright days outdoors will present an issue that would be better addressed with a non-glossy screen.
Pocket Lint
The screen is also available in two options: Full HD (1080p) or Ultra-HD (UHD/4K), depending on how crisp you want your images to look and of course how much you dare to spend on a laptop. Our example had a Full HD panel and those 2.1 million pixels look great on our eyes. Going to 4K puts more stress on the whole laptop, which in turn means the battery won’t last as long, so we think 1080p is a good balance.
- Estimated: 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8550U Processor, 8 GB RAM
- Claimed battery life up to 14 hours (Full HD), nine hours (UHD)
- Intel HD 620 graphics, no discrete GPU
- 12 hours video playback
As the top of the Yoga range, the Yoga C930 is packed with the latest 8th generation Intel Core i processors (that’s Lake Intel whiskey) in a «U» shape. RAM can be customized to suit your needs, with 8GB, 12GB, or 16GB options.
Pocket lint
Graphics options are also limited to the Intel HD 620, so there are no Nvidia GTX class GPUs available here if you’re looking for hardcore gaming or rendering. Too bad there is no way to add such specification to this body.
We have an Intel Core i5 configured with 8GB of RAM, which isn’t the most powerful boot you’ve ever seen, but it’s very efficient and provides long battery life. In terms of productivity, we used the laptop for a long weekend and it proved to be ideal for mixing browsing, word processing, series browsing, and even batch processing photos in Photoshop.
Being Windows, power consumption can also be adapted from best to most efficient, so if you don’t want to drain your battery for no reason, it’s not a problem.
With this U-shaped chipset, battery life is long. In the video test, running a 1080p clip at maximum brightness and volume at 40%, the C930 lasted 12 hours. That’s a great feature (not 14 as Lenovo claims — but it should be achievable at a lower screen brightness).
Pocket pile
Under a lot of pressure, doing different tasks and switching between apps, you will probably achieve about half of that battery life. But even six hours on a single battery charge is perfectly acceptable for a 2019 laptop. We also found no issues with overheating or fan noise — something that plagued some of Lenovo’s earlier top-end yoga laptops.
the court’s decision
The way you look at Lenovo Yoga C930 will depend on what you want from a laptop. If you’re looking for a reliable, durable workhorse with decent sound and visuals, then this one doesn’t hurt. However, if you are looking for a small size and the smallest bezels in the industry, then there are others that do it better.
We think the C930 is great for all the important things it does right. The typing is impressive — the keys crack, there are enough moves, the backlight looks great. Battery life is solid — easily 12 hours for watching videos alone at full brightness, showing off this HDR screen to full effect. There are enough ports and even 4G connectivity if you want to work on the go. And the lack of a watchband hinge works to its advantage – the new Dolby soundbar integration is a great idea.
If Lenovo increases the bottom bezel of the screen, increases the size of the trackpad, and provides some slicker graphics options to tailor the laptop to the right shape, it will still be a complete product. Right now it’s very close to it, it just takes a few chunks to see how it excels off the competition in every way.
This review was first published as a preview on August 30, 2018 and has been updated after living with a laptop to produce this full review.
Pocket lint
Asus ZenBook Pro 14
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Its trackpad serves as a second screen, but that’s not a real reason to buy the ZenBook Pro 14: instead, its integration of Nvidia graphics at the same price as Lenovo makes it attractive . However, it doesn’t offer a 360-degree hinge and the sound won’t be as good, but it’s another interesting viewing angle.
Lenovo Yoga C930-13IKB Review: State of Enlightenment
New Lenovo Yoga C930 is the most luxurious compact transformer on the market. It has a solid aluminum construction, stylish looks and long battery life.
Contents
- Specifications
- What’s special about the Lenovo Yoga C930?
- What’s in the box?
- Sophisticated design
- Comfortable keyboard
- What about sound?
- Quality touchscreen and stylus
- Good performance
- And what about autonomy?
- Should I buy the Lenovo Yoga C930?
- Back To School 2019: Top 10 Best
- Back To School 2019: Top 10 Best
Laptops
Routers
Thin and light laptops rule the world, and every manufacturer offers them at a relatively low price range. Companies are trying to bring their devices as close to the ideal as possible, so that they are light, compact, and powerful gadgets. Compact transformers are gradually gaining their place in the ultraportable market. They are increasingly powerful and elegant devices.
Especially in this segment, Lenovo succeeded with its series of transformers Yoga, which managed to gain popularity among buyers. Every year, the company raises the bar set by previous models. When we look at the evolution from the Lenovo Yoga 900 to the Yoga 910 and 920, we see that while the underlying philosophy of these machines has remained the same, their interpretation gets better and better with each successive generation. And Lenovo Yoga C930 continues the high traditions of this series. The device seduces with many interesting solutions, among which a truly innovative approach to design and the sound quality of the built-in speakers seems to be put forward.
Compared to the previous generation, two things have changed in the first place: the speakers are not located under the case, but under the screen hinge, and the stylus has found a safe haven in the computer case. Also, the 360° rotating case is a little thinner, a little prettier, the components have been upgraded, and the Thunderbolt 3 port is on the edge.
Of course, it was very interesting to try out a laptop-transformer in practice. To my happiness, I had such an opportunity, so I hasten to share my impressions of this wonderful device.
But first of all, let’s get acquainted with the technical characteristics of this model in order to have an idea about it.
Specifications
| Display diagonal: | 13.9″ |
| Display resolution: | 3840×2160 |
| Matrix type: | IPS |
| Display: | Anti-glare, touchscreen |
| Processor: | Intel Core i7-8550U (1.8 — 4.0 GHz) |
| Number of cores: | 4 cores |
| RAM: | 16 GB |
| RAM type: | DDR4-2400MHz |
| Video card type: | Integrated |
| Video card: | Intel UHD Graphics 620 |
| Video memory size: | Uses RAM |
| SSD: | 1 TB |
| Operating system: | Windows 10 Professional |
| Wireless: | Wi-F: 802. Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Port: | 1 × USB 3.1 2 × USB 3.1 Type C 1 × combo audio port |
| Audio and multimedia features: | Dolby Atmos Speaker (manufacturer): JBL Speaker (power): 4 × 2.0 W |
| Webcam resolution: | HD WebCam |
| Battery: | Battery capacity: 60 Wh Number of battery cells: 4 Max. opening hours: until 15:00 |
| Optional: | Key construction: island type Pointing device: touchpad Active pen |
| Body material: | Aluminum |
| Keyboard backlight: | Yes |
| Colour: | Light gray |
| Dimensions: | 322×227×14. |
| Weight: | 1.38 kg |
What is interesting about Lenovo Yoga C930?
Lenovo’s flagship Yoga C930 is the direct successor to the Yoga 920. This notebook was first shown at the IFA International Trade Show held annually in Berlin. The device attracted attention among journalists and visitors to the exhibition. First of all, this is the first device of its kind to have a dedicated soundbar with speakers placed in a small strip below the screen. Quite an intriguing decision, because no one has previously dared to combine a small soundbar with a hinge that allows you to rotate the screen. In this case, the sound quality should not deteriorate significantly depending on the mode in which we use the gadget. Unfortunately, this is a common feature of most 2-in-1 hybrid devices.
Looking at the design, one can safely assume that it will be one of the best analogues in the game, regardless of the mode in which the equipment is used. As for other parameters, we are dealing with a slight evolution compared to the predecessors of the Yoga family.
The Lenovo Yoga C930 is equipped with an Intel Core i7-8550U processor belonging to the Intel Kaby Lake Refresh family. The eighth generation of mobile processors was officially introduced by Intel at the end of August 2017. This device has a base frequency of 1.8 GHz with the option of automatic boost in Turbo Boost 2.0 mode up to a maximum frequency of 4.0 GHz. Since we are dealing with an energy-saving system made in a 14nm process, it is obvious that it will consume quite a bit of energy. This is true because the TDP model of the Intel Core i7-8550U was set to 15W. As a result, Lenovo YOGA C930 is energy-saving equipment even under heavy load. For the first time, a low-voltage processor was also equipped with four cores and eight threads. Previously, Core i7 ULV modules had a maximum of two cores and four threads. The processor used in the device under test is soldered to the BGA socket, so it cannot be replaced. Also, a locked BIOS prevents any attempt by the OC to make changes.
This device was originally designed as hardware without dedicated graphics systems. For this reason, we only find an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620. It has a base frequency of 300 MHz with the ability to boost in turbo mode to a maximum frequency of 1150 MHz. If anyone is planning to play with this stuff, then it should be less demanding games like Counter Strike: Global Offensive. In addition, the device offers us 16 GB of RAM running in dual-channel mode, a fast SSD drive and a matrix with a resolution of 3840 × 2160 pixels. Interestingly, the screen supports HDR Dolby Vision technology, which, in the case of laptops, is extremely rare. Therefore, the equipment can be an interesting choice for watching content, for example, on Netflix. Completed laptop Microsoft Windows 10 Professional 64-bit.
In a nutshell, the Lenovo Yoga C930 is a laptop that doesn’t stand out from other devices in the series at first glance. However, its minimalist, simple and modest design can find many followers. It is also worth noting the excellent quality of the materials from which the device is made. The aluminum body of the Yoga C930 gives the impression of a very durable and comfortable device while maintaining a low weight. Small bezels around the screen allow you to keep small sizes, like 13.9inch laptop. One of the few visual details hides one of the most important advantages and features that distinguish the hero of our review from his predecessors. This is an innovative double hinge that houses the tweeters in a perforated part. Another unique feature of the notebook is the retractable stylus, which is automatically recharged and which is always at hand when we want to write or mark something. A touchscreen that doesn’t use the PWM method to adjust the backlight isn’t too bad, so it shouldn’t strain your eyes too much. Another advantage that guarantees a comfortable work with this computer is an excellent keyboard and trackpad, thanks to which even those who type a lot will not be disappointed.
The speed and performance of the device is provided by an efficient processor, and the attention during use is not distracted by the cooling system, which, even at maximum load, is extremely quiet. We also have to praise the very good battery life. Even if you are constantly browsing the Internet or watching movies, the battery allows you to work for many hours without recharging.
What’s included?
Rich. It is this phrase that describes the packaging in which the device came to me for review in the simplest way. Lenovo-specific cardboard that looks great at first glance.
When you open the package, you will see a dark, tastefully designed interior of the package, which only enhances the feeling of communicating with a premium product. In separate compartments there is a 60 W charger, technical information, a warranty card and, of course, the laptop itself in additional packaging material. If not for the fact that the box takes up a lot of space, I would put it on the table and look at it periodically, not believing that it is possible to create such an elegant and stylish package.
Sophisticated design
At first glance, the Yoga C930 is not much different from the 530. The aluminum body looks both very modest and minimalist, but also very elegant. The only distinguishing feature is the asymmetrical dual-screen hinges, the wider of which are heavily perforated. It wasn’t until you picked up the device that it became clear that this was a premium laptop—the entire chassis was made from tough, lightweight brushed aluminum. In Ukraine, you have the opportunity to buy Lenovo Yoga C930 in two colors: aluminum gray, which is also called Iron Gray, as well as mica, better known as Mica. The second version of the color solution just came to me for review.
The 13.9-inch display is fully covered with a glossy touch layer. You will immediately notice the very narrow bezels of the screen. The side ones are less than 7 mm, and the top one is slightly wider. The laptop is equipped with a physical aperture video call camera (called the Lenovo TrueBlock Privacy Shutter) that allows you to manually close the camera’s eye, indicated by a red dot. The size of the bezels brings the device closer to the size of laptops with a 13.3-inch screen, but it is still far from bezel-less devices like the Dell XPS 13 9370 or Huawei Matebook X Pro.
The metal worktop looks very solid. It is made almost entirely from a single block of aluminum and is slightly rounded at the edges. The bottom is closed with a metal lid with two rubber feet located almost throughout the body. It is worth noting that here we will not find air intakes, only two speaker grilles on the front edge of the device.
On the left side there is one USB 3.1 Type A connector, two USB 3.1 Type C connectors that support Thunderbolt 3, also used for laptop charging, and built-in audio-out/in.
On the right you will see only the power button with a diode signaling the operation of the device.
Unfortunately, the number of ports is not impressive. The lack of a memory card reader, no dedicated video outputs, only one USB Type A port, and the fact that the USB Type C ports will often get occupied while charging or using an additional monitor can cause problems and force you to buy additional adapters. There are also no dedicated volume buttons, which would be very useful when working in tablet mode.
Comfortable keyboard
I have always admired the comfortable keyboard experience on Lenovo Yoga devices. This is probably why I think that the keyboard is the strongest side of this laptop.
The Lenovo Yoga C930 has a chiclet keyboard but no numeric keypad. This is logical in terms of the size of the equipment.
The key layout is standard, almost identical to the Yoga 920 and known from many other Lenovo laptops. Buttons with a characteristic rounded bottom edge have a pleasant surface. They do not oscillate sideways and offer some resistance when pressed, the key travel is deep, and the activation moment is very clear. Thanks to this, it is convenient and pleasant to work on the device. The keyboard is also dual-stage backlit, and most importantly, it doesn’t flex, as is sometimes the case even in equally expensive designs. Function keys F1 — F12 have multimedia functions by default, but they can be switched to the standard mode of operation. The only downsides to the keyboard are the up and down arrows, which are half the size of the left and right arrows. Personally, I would prefer that they all have a smaller, but the same size.
The touchpad also works great. The smooth surface is great for detecting finger movement, including along the edges. There are no problems with support for gestures with two or three fingers. Built-in buttons that correspond to mouse buttons also work great. They have a deep and noticeable stroke and click evenly across the entire bottom surface.
The fingerprint scanner is also commendable, and unfortunately it’s still not standard even on premium devices. The one installed in the Lenovo Yoga C930 works great. It works quickly and allows you to log in immediately. What’s more, the manufacturer guarantees that it can also be used to sign in to supported apps and authorize payments. This is good, given the growing love of Ukrainians for contactless payments.
What about the sound?
The audio system is one of the most interesting things that characterize the Lenovo Yoga C930 convertible. We’ve got a whole set of speakers here, placed in different places. But one of the biggest changes from its predecessor is the unique double hinges. However, this is not only a stylistic feature, since in their wider part there are special tweeters and «vibration buffers» that are designed to suppress interference. The articulated structure is designed to rotate correctly depending on the mode of operation of the device and always faces the user. In addition, two 4 cm wide low-frequency transducers are installed on the bottom of the laptop. This arrangement of the speakers, together with the Dolby Atmos system, provides volume and depth of the generated sound.
I have to admit that the sound played by the Lenovo Yoga C930 is really decent: the music is rich in detail, the stage is wide and spacious, although you can’t hear the «delightful three-dimensionality». The highs are strong, sometimes harsh, but they don’t obscure the mids and vocals, which remain clear, yet warm and pleasing at the same time. The lower registers are also present, but they are not as deep and do not drop so low that the Yoga speakers can compete with even simple desktop speakers. In the end, the audio system is really well balanced and sounds a lot better than many other premium laptops. Listening to music or watching movies will definitely please you and give you a lot of pleasure. In addition, the included Dolby Atmos software allows you to choose from several operating modes, including «dynamic», which automatically adjusts the sound depending on the sound of the audio being played. There is also the option of independently adjusting the bands to suit your preferences, making listening to music coming out of the Yoga’s speakers even more comfortable. The only and small drawback may be the relatively low maximum sound level of 66.2 dBA.
Quality touch screen and stylus
The Lenovo Yoga C930 is equipped with an LP139UD1-SPC2 sensor made by LG. The panel has a diagonal of 13.9 inches and a resolution of 3840 × 2160 pixels. The matrix uses IPS technology, thanks to which the colors are bright and the viewing angles are wide. It is also the only sensor used in the Lenovo YOGA C930 that supports Dolby Vision’s enhanced HDR format. Combined with the resolution and support for a wide range of colors, the device will be an interesting choice for people who intend to frequently watch series and movies on such equipment. The panel has a fairly good brightness, but you can’t talk about a sensational result, since the average brightness is about 390 nits We’ll see some elements that prove a wide tonal range, but it certainly won’t be high. In addition, the reception of a high-quality picture at a ratio of 2.39: 1 will be disturbed by a rather strong backlight, which appears in the lower part of the matrix. Below we present test results for brightness, white temperature, sRGB, Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 color gamut matching. All measurements were performed using an X-Rite i1 Display Pro colorimeter with appropriate software.
| Matrix size and type | 13.9″ / IPS / glossy / touch |
| Approval | 3840×2160 pixels |
| Maximum brightness | 308.44 cd/m 2 |
|
Cover color palette: |
89.1% |
| Black brightness (at 180 cd/m 2 ) | 0.21 cd/m 2 |
| Real contrast (static) | 871:1 |
| White color temperature (ideally: 6500 K) | 6465 K |
| Delta E: medium maximum |
5.5 |
As is the case with IPS panels, blacks are not perfect and the brightness in this case is 0.25 cd/m². On the contrary, the contrast is really good at 1293:1. The average deltaE color error in this case is 2.44 points, which is an acceptable value for a typical user, since we will not feel distortion in color reproduction. Colors are well saturated. The sRGB, Adobe RGB and DCI-P3 palettes are quite good (even compared to laptops with a similar price bracket), so the equipment is suitable even for amateur photo and video processing (at least as far as the processor allows).
The use of a different hinge design allowed, in addition to installing additional speakers, to equip the Lenovo Yoga C930 with a stylus hidden in the back of the device. This is the second nice difference compared to previous models in the Yoga series.
Digital active pen, manufactured by renowned Wacom, has two programmable buttons on the side and senses 4096° pressure. Unfortunately, it doesn’t detect the degree of tilt like the Yoga 920’s Active Pen 2, nor does it have an extra button on top. The stylus also comes with software where we can customize how the buttons work, assign shortcuts and see the battery level.
There are two small contacts in the wider part on top that allow the pen battery to be charged while it is in the device. From there, it can be removed with a slight push, after which the stylus will pop out 2 cm outside the case.
The use of the stylus is intuitive. The screen recognizes the touch point perfectly, and the drawing is pleasant. It is difficult to check such a large number of pressure levels. The stylus is especially useful when you want to write something or write down quickly, especially since it is always there.
Touch recognition is also excellent. Navigating the operating system is admittedly a little difficult due to its limitations, but browsing the web is extremely comfortable.
Pleasant performance
We have reached the part of the review that will distinguish an ordinary, albeit beautiful device from a beautiful, but at the same time developing and functional gadget. Lenovo Yoga C930 is powered by an Intel Core i7-8550U processor (four cores with a base frequency of 1. 8 GHz, TDP 15 W). The amount of RAM is 16 GB, and user data is allocated a 1 TB SSD drive. You can also buy Yoga C930 in other configurations, where you will have access to up to 8 GB of RAM, as well as 256 GB and 512 GB SSD drives.
Against this background, the video card looks quite interesting. Lenovo opted for the Intel HD Graphics 620 chip. A bit strange, right? When I saw that there was only an Intel graphics system, I also understood why the manufacturer stopped playing with the vents on the bottom of the case. Why are they, if the system is quiet and cannot heat up, and secondly, this is not a device for advanced games.
But I still decided to test the device under test in 5 games. Here are the results obtained during testing, but they are unlikely to surprise you:
- PUBG: on average 10-14 FPS at default settings. However, the user-friendly gameplay of
- The Forest: 10-14 FPS on average at default settings.
I must admit that this surprised me a lot, because this is not such an inventive game. After reducing the details and resolution, the FPS increased slightly, but I expected a little more from such a device
- Victoria 2 with mods: the number of frames depends on how you play, mods and game speed. Most importantly, you can play
- Cities Skylines + After Dark: FPS is difficult to measure because it depends on many variables, but gameplay is possible. Due to big cities and a lot of items from the Steam workshop, the title took a long time to load, but I’m struggling with the exact same problem on a more powerful laptop with dedicated graphics from the GeForce 1050 9 family0012
- The Sims 3 with all expansions included: The game lit up very nicely. It is important to note that it is safe to play even under heavy load, and many hours of gameplay did not result in lag or slowdowns
was lacking
The irony is that the device does not tend to overheat. Playing PUBG or The Forest, you can already hear the cooling system working, but the temperature seemed to be constantly controlled. After all, I wouldn’t call the Yoga C930 gaming device, although it is worth noting that you will play simple games.
I’ll also say that in any other scenario, the Yoga C930 is just great. Content consumption, content generation, Full HD video editing, everything happens instantly, with a really high level of comfort. If you’re not a gamer and still need a business laptop, I’m sure the Lenovo Yoga C930 will meet your expectations.
It is impossible not to appreciate the high culture of working with a laptop. And here we are again dealing with a level worthy of the best laptops in the business segment. When we do not force the processor to activate the work, the laptop runs silently, and the temperature maps indicate that we are dealing with passive cooling.
And what about autonomy?
Notebook computers are designed to be used outside the home or office, so their energy efficiency is critical when there is no mains power available. This is not surprising, since the idea of having a laptop first of all boils down to the fact that it is relative freedom to move and use equipment anywhere.
The hero of our review has a 60 Wh battery. This is less than the predecessor Lenovo Yoga 920, but still slightly above the ultrabook average. In our test with a screen brightness of 180 cd/m² and a volume of 50%, you could browse the Internet for more than 9.5 hours or almost 11.5 hours to watch Full HD movies with Wi-Fi turned off. Such a long battery life is one of the best results, especially when you consider the performance of the processor.
In addition, the Lenovo Vantage app also makes it easy to manage individual power consumption settings.
I was a little surprised by the charger that came with the kit. As for me, the power supply is a little big in size and heavy in weight, considering the type of device. It took me about 2 hours to fully charge, although in the first hour the laptop was charged from 10% to 70%. This is good if you urgently need your gadget.
Should I buy the Lenovo Yoga C930?
In general, Lenovo Yoga C930 is a very successful solution to the top line of ultrabooks. It has pretty much everything you can expect from this type of device in 2019. It’s beautiful, light, and ultra-mobile, and it has enough headroom to keep just about anyone running it. Both the keyboard and battery life are commendable. The fingerprint scanner is also great, it’s fast and accurate.
However, in my opinion, the biggest advantage is the 4K screen with excellent color reproduction. The touch surface and tablet mode are additional benefits. And we also have the added value of a retractable stylus. It may not be very accurate and not suitable for professional use, but handwritten note-taking is completely within reach.
So, does the Lenovo Yoga C930 have any drawbacks? Yes, because there are no perfect devices. First of all, I was disappointed with the quality of the cameras. It’s just disgusting, given the price of the device. The novelty from Lenovo has few ports, which will undoubtedly complicate the work with it. There is also no memory card reader, which will not appeal to creative people. In other words, you will have to spend money on additional accessories. And given the cost of the device, it’s a little frustrating.
If you are not critical of these disadvantages and you want a business laptop with the most modern design and very decent performance, then Lenovo Yoga C930 will be a worthy purchase.
Rating blog.allo.ua
Pros:
stylish aluminum body, excellent design, small size and weight, unusual hinge, high-quality speakers, excellent high-resolution 4K screen, two USB Type C ports with PD support and DisplayPort, an innovative stylus located in the laptop case, comfortable keyboard and high-quality touchpad, good overall system performance, low noise level of the cooling system, sufficient autonomy.