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With the Yoga 900, we saw Lenovo master the 2-in-1 laptop and now, with the Yoga 900S, we're getting a refined version that's thinner and lighter. I'm personally not crazy about the short keyboard travel or the undersized trackpad, but a stunning screen and stellar battery life make this 12.5-inch hybrid a solid choice.
We liked
The Lenovo Yoga 900S is easily one of the lightest, and thereby most comfortable, 2-in-1 laptops I've ever used. It's lighter than a MacBook while featuring stronger specs for a lower price – that includes a sharper screen and faster processor.
More than seven hours of battery life on a laptop this thin is baffling. The Yoga 900S will never leave you in a lurch, and it performs well even with some strenuous tasks, like gaming and Photoshop. Plus, the inclusion of full-sized USB 3.0 ports means you can leave that USB-C adapter at home – unlike all the other ultrathin laptops in fashion these days.
We disliked
If you're looking for the best performing machine, this probably isn't it. The 2-in-1 scored worse in every benchmark test save for battery life in its category. While I didn't feel like the Yoga 900S was ever power-deficient, you'll likely run into bottlenecks sooner with this machine than other Core m5-powered systems.
The keyboard and touchpad also aren't the most comfortable inputs ever seen on a notebook. Whether you want larger keys or a larger pointing device, there's definitely some room – and available space – for Lenovo to work with here.
Final verdict
The Lenovo Yoga 900S isn't anywhere near perfect, but the sum of its strengths outweigh its flaws. It's a genuinely beautiful laptop that's been assembled with the closest attention to detail. Weighing in at just over 2 pounds, it's also one of the lightest hybrid laptops – and it's actually usable as a tablet.
Despite not putting out the best scores on our benchmark tests, this laptop performs well with everyday tasks and even some of the most demanding applications. What's more, this 2-in-1 machine is easily one of the longest-lasting Windows 10 systems I've seen. With all of that mind, it's easy to appreciate the Yoga 900S despite its blemishes.
