The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is the most beautiful laptop I've ever seen... but you probably shouldn't buy it unless you can find it at a steep discount.
It's easy to judge a laptop by its chassis. A stunning design is certainly a big plus, but the Yoga Slim 9i reminded me that design shouldn't distract from value and performance. If you're paying for a pretty laptop that doesn't perform well, you're not maximizing the value of every dollar you spend on your laptop (which is more important than ever now that tariffs are sparking price hikes).
The Yoga Slim 9i has its strengths and weaknesses, like a phenomenal display and an unbelievably weak webcam. If it's a beautiful laptop you're after, though, there are a few things you might want to consider — and a few alternatives you should check out instead.
The Yoga Slim 9i can't outshine its struggles with a snazzy design
I immediately noticed the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i's stunning design when I was unboxing it. There's no doubt it's a beautiful laptop, with its glossy glass lid, metallic teal finish, and sleekly rounded edges. It's one of the most luxurious laptops I've laid eyes on.
I hoped that beauty would extend to the Yoga Slim 9i's performance, but unfortunately it lagged in our tests, especially when compared with much less expensive rivals.
In fact, the Yoga Slim 9i's biggest weakness might be a side effect of its greatest strength. That luxury design comes at a luxury starting price of $1,759.
Our review configuration is priced even higher at $1,899. That gets you an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor, Intel Arc 140V integrated graphics, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage. Those specs aren't bad, but they don't deliver performance on par with that price.
For example, the Yoga Slim 9i lasted 11 hours and 3 minutes in our battery life test. The MacBook Air M3 (13-inch), lasted 15 hours and 13 minutes, over four hours longer. For context, the closest configuration of the MacBook Air M3 (24GB of RAM, 1TB of storage) costs $1,699, less than even the base configuration of the Yoga Slim 9i.
Similarly, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X handily outpaced the Yoga Slim 9i in overall performance, scoring over 2,000 points higher in the Geekbench 6 multi-core test. The Yoga Slim 7X even bested the Yoga Slim 9i in our display tests, which included some of the Yoga Slim 9i's best scores.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i | Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X |
|---|---|---|
Display brightness (nits) | 356 | 464 |
DCI-P3 color gamut | 147$ | 155.4% |
If test results aren't enough to convince you the Yoga Slim 9i isn't good value for your money (at least not at full price), it also has a couple frustrating quality-of-life flaws, namely the webcam.
I'll give Lenovo credit — it's pretty cool hiding the webcam behind the display to reduce bezel size without a notch or hole punch. Unfortunately, the webcam quality took a massive hit with that design choice. The webcam on the Yoga Slim 9i is so grainy and dull that it's borderline unusable. It's a major sacrifice for that sleek design.
Similarly, the glass lid might look nice, but I have to wonder how well it will stand the test of time for students, commuters, and frequent fliers. It doesn't help that the glass and the rounded edges make the Yoga Slim 9i a slippery laptop, further increasing the risk of a drop that cracks the glass lid.
Beautiful laptops you should consider over the Yoga Slim 9i
I get it if you like how the Yoga Slim 9i looks, but before you pay that premium price for it with all its drawbacks, there are a couple similarly stylish laptops you should consider instead that may be a better deal.
First up is the HP Spectre x360 14 and its big sibling the HP Spectre x360 16. The Spectre is a phenomenal all-around laptop, sporting a snazzy 2-in-1 design, a stellar OLED display, and great performance. In fact, both versions outscored the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i despite sporting slightly older Intel chips.
Both laptops are pretty pricey but start lower than the Yoga Slim 9i and deliver better bang for your buck. You can even configure the HP Spectre x360 16 with an Nvidia RTX dedicated graphics card. The HP Spectre x360 14 starts at $1,649 and the x360 16 starts at $1,849. You can often find both models on sale well below MSRP, such as the Spectre x360 14 for just $1,199.
If the HP Spectre isn't to your liking, consider another of Lenovo's laptops, the Yoga Slim 7X. This thin-and-light powerhouse runs on a speedy Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 processor that delivers excellent performance and battery life. It also has the same outstanding keyboard as the Yoga Slim 9i, but without the slippery glass lid (and its webcam is far better).
The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X is much, much more affordable than the Yoga Slim 9i, as well, at just $1,289, although you can often find it on sale for even less.
If none of those laptops are the right fit for you, visit our guide to the best laptops overall for even more options. We carefully test hundreds of laptops a year, so all of our top picks are the cream of crop in terms of design, performance, and value for your money.
When you're spending your hard-earned cash on a new laptop, you want to make sure you're spending it on something that's going to deliver, not just with a stylish chassis, but in the ways that matter most, like battery life and the performance you need to run your favorite apps and games.
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