Google’s latest Pixel 8a aims to be an all-rounder, but it falls a little short of expectations.

Google’s Pixel A series of smartphones have always been the go-to mid-range device for reliable smartphone photography, not performance. They have also always offered the cleanest and most up-to-date Android software experience (along with a reliable update timeline) compared to all other brands in this price range, making them the go-to device for people who want a vanilla Android software experience. So, while Google’s Pixel A series was not the best device in terms of gaming or battery life, it was still an attractive choice for the average consumer. But Google had to upgrade with the times. It wanted to pack more features in it to compete with other brands. And hence the very interesting and feature-packed Pixel 7a was launched at Rs 43,999 (same as the Pixel 6a).

Times have changed, and Google has once again increased the price of this practical little smartphone, now with a starting price of Rs 52,999. The premium price means this affordable offering from Google will be competing with some very interesting smartphones from Chinese brands and Samsung. Meanwhile, Google has upgraded the AI smarts of its A-series this year with the introduction of Tensor G3 (bringing it almost on par with the Pixel 8). It will be interesting to see how these features perform against a host of devices that offer better performance at this price point. I’ve been using the Pixel 8a for a few weeks now, and here’s why I think there’s a slight chance that it could be your next premium smartphone:

Google Pixel 8a Review: Price in India

The Google Pixel 8a is the first A-series smartphone to be offered in multiple storage variants in India. The base 8GB RAM and 128GB storage variant is priced at Rs 52,999, while the new 256GB storage variant is priced at Rs 59,999. While it might seem logical to spend a bit more and get the 256GB storage variant (more storage is always better), you might change your mind when you see what the competition is offering at this price point.

has included in the box a Type-C to Type-C USB cable for charging and data transfer, a USB Type- A adapter for data transfer, and a SIM ejection tool.

Google Pixel 8a Review: Design

The Google Pixel 8a has a very attractive design, including new Aloe and Bay finishes exclusive to this model. The phone has evolved from a boxy design with sharp edges to a rounded look that feels very comfortable in the hand. The overall size is compact, making it easy to handle even with one hand.

The Google Pixel 8a’s back panel is still made of polycarbonate, but it has a premium matte finish.

We received the Bay finish for review. It has a matte polycarbonate rear panel that is bifurcated by the iconic visor-like camera stripe. The flat camera module and the slightly rounded sides of the phone’s frame are colour-matched, resulting in a very trendy and vibrant design targeted at the youth. Though the rear panel is made of polycarbonate, it is dust and fingerprint resistant and looks very premium .

The quality issues we noticed in our Pixel 7a review have also been addressed: Aside from being IP67 certified (submersible to a depth of one meter) , the fit and finish of the phone is excellent and justified given its new premium price.

One aspect of the Pixel 8a’s design that I didn’t like at all was the display. As is common with entry-level smartphones, the bezels are quite thick, reminding me of 2018’s iPhone XR. Also, the thick black bezels (thickest at the bottom) eat into the display area, which is crucial on such a compact smartphone. The Samsung Galaxy S24, which was released last year and is similarly priced, has very thin bezels compared to the Pixel 8a.

The Google Pixel 8a’s display is sunlight-readable, but the bezels are very thick.

Google Pixel 8a Review: Specs and Software

While the hardware specs and bragging rights aren’t the highlights of the Pixel 8a, it does pack some interesting features considering the price. First, there’s the Tensor G3 SoC, which enables a host of AI features (some on-board, others not) that aren’t possible with the Tensor G2 currently found in the Pixel 7a. The processor also features Google’s Titan M2 coprocessor for added security. The Tensor G3 also enables the new secure Face Unlock feature that debuted on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. During the review period, the feature worked perfectly as long as there was enough light for the selfie camera to clearly see my face. If not, I had to use the fingerprint reader, which also worked perfectly.

The Tensor G3 also brings the modest Pixel 8a on par with the more premium Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro when it comes to communication standards. There’s Wi-Fi 6 for a stable data connection at home or in the office, and Bluetooth 5.3, which is more than enough to connect to both Pixel and third-party accessories. It also includes NFC and Google Cast functionality, and has the usual Global Positioning System support. In addition to the physical SIM slot, eSIM is still available with dual standby and support for multiple 5G bands.

The Pixel 8a runs Google’s Pixel UI based on Android 14. As with the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro devices, Google is also offering seven years of OS, security, and Feature Drop updates, something that most smartphone brands at this price point and above can’t match. It remains to be seen if the new Tensor G3 processor can adequately power Google’s future Android experience, but such a commitment says a lot about the brand when it comes to software support (not to mention after-sales support).

The Google Pixel 8a’s Android software experience is the best and is packed with AI-enabled features.

As for the Pixel UI, it’s very similar to what we saw on the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro devices launched late last year, with a few new features added since then: I really like the fun widgets (that match the system theme and accent perfectly), including the new separate contacts widget with a photo in the background and call and message buttons on the front.

Also new is the Snapshot widget, which turns your home screen into a board for taking and pinning photos. The widget features a camera button to instantly take an image and pin it to your home screen, and also acts as a reminder every time you unlock your device.

Additionally, the premium Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro models have a host of AI-powered features, including Audio Eraser (which lets you erase unwanted sounds in any video), Magic Editor (which lets you remove, move, or enhance objects in your photos), and Best Take (which lets you choose a different facial expression), which are included here too. All of these features work beautifully and, if needed, are solid additions rather than just gimmicks.

Google Pixel 8a Review: Performance

The Tensor G3 processor is designed with Google’s artificial intelligence and machine learning requirements in mind, but it’s by no means inferior when it comes to running everyday apps and casual games, so most regular users who use the phone daily for social media apps and calling won’t notice any issues related to those, but boot up a game or the camera and it’s clear that this phone isn’t cut out for either.

The Google Pixel 8a takes two hours to charge, which is quite slow compared to the competition.

Starting with synthetic benchmarks, the smartphone scored lower than usual, scoring 8,69,163 points in AnTuTu, while it received a more acceptable 1,580 and 3,558 points in Geekbench’s single-core and multi-core tests. These scores put it at a par with the mid-range Poco F6 (priced at Rs 30,999), but it doesn’t quite compare to devices like the iQoo 12, which is powered by the latest Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC and is similarly priced, and scored an AnTuTu score of 1,98,3471 (as per our own testing), which is more than double that of the Pixel 8a.

Once you launch a game, you start to realize the limitations of the Tensor G3. Call of Duty: Mobile was playable at Ultra and Very High graphics, but it wasn’t as responsive as most smartphones under this price range, and I did skip a few frames while gaming. The phone also heats up quite a bit when playing 3D games. Gaming aside, I experienced more real-world issues when using the phone’s camera. When I launched the camera app, the phone heated up in less than five minutes, and when I started shooting video (4K or 1080p), it got even hotter. After about 10 minutes in the afternoon sun, the phone was too hot to hold, but then I noticed other underlying issues.

The display automatically dims to a near-invisible level to reduce heat build-up (making it hard to see what’s in the viewfinder), and the phone’s manual controls also disappear – along with the usual white balance, shadow and brightness controls, the shadow controls also disappear, only to reappear once the phone has cooled down.

Once it gets moderately warm (about 10 minutes of mixed camera use), the phone displays warnings that it’s “too hot,” “recording may end abruptly,” and “video quality will be reduced to compensate for overheating.” This is apparently due to the lack of a cooling system. Google has previously refused to put a cooling system on any of its phones, opting instead for “software optimizations,” but as the above messages make clear, this doesn’t work.

These issues ruin the camera experience. However, it is a bit odd that the Pixel 8 Pro did not have such a big heating issue. My guess is that it is due to the compact size of the Pixel 8a. Like the Pixel 8 Pro, the Pixel 8a also suffers from the same issue in portrait mode, where taking multiple portrait photos in rapid succession can cause the phone’s shutter button to grey out (buffer full), causing you to miss some moments. In fact, the Pixel 8a is well suited to perform best in cold weather and is not the phone to take on your next summer vacation.

Considering the larger battery, the Pixel 8a’s battery life unfortunately didn’t last as long as the Pixel 7a’s. It barely lasted 12 hours and 15 minutes in our video loop battery test, which isn’t great by any standards. This is likely due in large part to the 120Hz display versus the Pixel 7a’s 90Hz display. With normal use (no camera or games), you can get the phone to last more than a day, but you’ll likely end up with only around 20% battery left and need to charge it at the end of the day. With heavy use (lots of calls), the phone won’t last a full day and you may need to charge it before leaving the office on your way home.

Google Pixel 8a Review: Camera

The Google Pixel 8a also inherits the new camera interface that’s been rolled out to other recent Pixel models (except for the Pro Controls). Nothing’s different here, just tap the settings icon near the top-left corner to access basic white balance, shadow, and brightness sliders. What hasn’t changed is the camera; Google has kept the rear and front-facing cameras from the Pixel 7a, which means we might see some small improvements, mainly due to the new processor.

Google Pixel 8a daylight camera samples, from top to bottom: ultra-wide, primary, 2x digital zoom crop.

Photos taken with the main camera show natural colors and good dynamic range, but it was easy to see blown highlights in some photos, especially in photos taken under contrasty lighting. Photos show the typical cool tones that Pixel cameras have long adopted, unlike the Pixel 8 Pro. Thankfully, there is a white balance slider to correct this while shooting. Noise is well controlled whether shooting outdoors, indoors, or in low-light or dim environments. Results with the 2x digital zoom focal length are good in sunlight, but detail drops significantly in low light, so it is best not to use it in dim light.

Portraits taken with the rear camera have good details and edge detection but are noisy, especially when photographing subjects in artificial lighting or low light conditions. In fact, it is best to avoid 2x zoom in portrait mode. Most users will find the default 1.7x in portrait mode to be enough to remove unwanted distortion. Selfies are packed with a lot of detail, but the edge detection is a bit aggressive and doesn’t detect edges evenly, resulting in noticeable borders around the subject. Skin tones look very natural, but I noticed that the selfie camera can’t handle bright background lighting and the background gets washed out.

Google Pixel 8a’s daytime selfies have inaccurate edge detection and washed-out backgrounds.

The Google Pixel 8a’s main camera performs well in low light.

The ultra-wide camera takes impressive photos with great detail and better dynamic range, capturing more in the frame compared to the main camera, and it’s great that Google has managed to perfectly match the color tones of both rear cameras, which is still a rarity at this price point.

Video quality is hit or miss depending on how hot the phone gets as it automatically downgrades. Still, we were able to capture a decent sample. 4K 30fps video seems to hit the sweet spot for this phone, delivering good image quality and contrast. However, the camera, for some reason, doesn’t maintain focus while panning and looks a bit blurry when panning. Low-light video capture isn’t as great for a smartphone in this price range, with footage showing noise and textures looking a bit blurry overall.

Google Pixel 8a Review: Verdict

Google’s Pixel 8a certainly seems like a strong contender at the lower end of the premium segment. But the phone does have some flaws. While the Tensor G3 processor handles everyday tasks without a hitch, it heats up too much under load. Battery life isn’t best in class, and wired charging is quite slow compared to competing devices at this price point. It’s also notable that the display is small compared to most smartphones at this price point. So, unless a compact form factor and timely updates are all you’re looking for in your next premium phone, it’s very hard to recommend this phone.

The situation is made worse by the Pixel 8a’s starting price of Rs 52,999 (8GB + 128GB), with plenty of devices from competing brands selling for less in India.

If you’re looking for a compact form factor, Samsung’s Galaxy S23 (reviewed, albeit a year ago) is a much better option, and it also features Qualcomm silicon (Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 SoC) that was dropped from this year’s model. The AI features of the latest S24 series are also included in the S23, so there’s no major lack in terms of features. The S23 also offers a more flexible camera setup, with a proper 3x telephoto camera. It also has an evaporative cooling system that manages heat, so it doesn’t slow down or get hot under load.

Sold for the exact same price, the iQoo 12 (Review) offers a bigger display, much better performance, better cameras and faster wired charging, and if you’re happy to spend a bit more, the OnePlus 12 (Review) isn’t too far behind at Rs 64,999 (12GB + 256GB) and is a great all-rounder in this price range.

The post Google Pixel 8a Review: A stands for ambition appeared first on Review Products.

If you are on a tight budget, should you spend more than Rs 25,000 on a gaming phone?

Smartphone manufacturers usually offer one or two models aimed at gamers at different price points. These smartphones are usually performance-focused, with powerful chipsets and displays that support higher frame rates. The recently launched Infinix GT 20 Pro, powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 Ultimate SoC and a gaming-specific Pixelworks chip, is one of the gaming smartphones in the mid-range segment. We tested the smartphone for a few days to see if it lives up to the company’s performance and battery life claims.

Infinix GT 20 Pro Price in India

The Infinix GT 20 Pro price in India starts at Rs 24,999 for the base model with 8GB RAM and 256GB inbuilt storage. The phone also comes in a variant with 12GB memory and 256GB storage, priced at Rs 26,999. The company is selling the phone in Mecha Blue, Mecha Orange and Mecha Silver colour options.

The company sent me the Mecha Blue edition of the GT 20 Pro, with a charger and cable included in the box. The device also came with a GT Pro Gaming Kit, which includes a GT Mecha case, a GT cooling fan, and a GT finger sleeve. There’s a catch, though: Infinix says these accessories will ship with the phone at no extra cost, but for a limited time (to be determined).

Infinix’s latest GT series smartphones build on the cyber-mecha design introduced with the GT 10 Pro model back in August 2023. Both of these phones feature the company’s Mecha Loop Lighting, inspired by Nothing’s monochrome glyph interface for smartphones.

The back features a transparent panel over what appears to be a mostly metal finish, with the camera module having a similar shape and layout to its predecessor. The RGB LED lighting module on the back panel is shaped like a “G,” with a curved section that lights up for calls, notifications, charging, and music. There’s also a Party Mode that can be enabled to keep the lights on continuously, at the expense of battery life.

The Infinix GT 20 Pro has metal-like edges and gets scratched easily.

Infinix has equipped the GT 20 Pro with metal-look plastic sides that feel smooth to the touch and won’t slip out of your hand when you grip the phone. The power button and volume rocker are on the right side, while the SIM tray and USB Type-C port are at the bottom along with the speaker grille. There is no 3.5mm headphone jack.

The top edge of the Infinix GT 20 Pro features an infrared (IR) blaster that lets you control various devices and home appliances using quick settings shortcuts. There’s a second speaker grille and the text “Sound by JBL” in small letters.

The 6.78-inch screen feels vertical and is a bit difficult to use with one hand, but the phone’s slim design makes it easy to hold. My thumb could easily reach the power button. It’s also very comfortable to hold in landscape mode, which is good news for gamers.

The Infinix GT 20 Pro is equipped with MediaTek’s Dimensity 8200 Ultimate chip, a Pixelworks X5 Turbo chip for improved gaming performance, and up to 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM. The 4nm mobile processor is equipped with one Arm Cortex-A78 core clocked at 3.1GHz, three Cortex-A78 cores clocked at 3.0GHz, and four Cortex-A55 cores clocked at 2.0GHz.

The company’s latest GT series smartphone runs on Android 14 out of the box with XOS 14 for GT skin running on top of it. According to Infinix, the GT 20 Pro will receive two major Android version upgrades and a third year of security updates. It has an in-display fingerprint sensor which is extremely reliable and can unlock in less than a second .

The Infinix GT 20 Pro runs on XOS 14 based on Android 14.

The Infinix GT 20 Pro supports 5G, 4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS, and a USB Type-C port. It also has a range of sensors, including an accelerometer, ambient light sensor, electronic compass, gyroscope, and proximity sensor. The device is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that charges at 45W using the included charging brick. The phone also has an IR blaster that can control home appliances and works well with several Sony entertainment devices.

Infinix GT 20 Pro Review: Performance

The company claims that the Infinix GT 20 Pro can deliver up to 90fps in games that support higher frame rates, and I tested it with Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) and Call of Duty: Mobile. The phone easily handles titles like Genshin Impact on “medium” settings, and there were no stutters or glitches, unlike other phones in the same price range.

I didn’t notice any slowdown in the phone after gaming for over an hour, and I barely used the included GT cooling fan while playing with the phone. It’s worth keeping in mind that the gaming test was conducted in the summer, when temperatures were well above 40 degrees. The cooling fan attaches magnetically to the case, and keeps the back of the phone pretty cool, if you don’t mind extra wires getting in the way while you play.

There’s also an X-Boost mode that offers battery saving, standard power consumption, and performance modes. Other optimizations are available, including an HDR mode that subtly improves the visuals (mainly color) in games like Asphalt 9 and Genshin Impact. There’s also an eSports mode that optimizes notifications, performance, and other settings for a more immersive gaming experience.

The Infinix GT 20 Pro can handle games like Genshin Impact at the “Medium” setting.

The phone runs an optimized version of XOS 14 for GT, with very few pre-installed apps, which is surprising for a phone in this price range. There are no ads either. Browsing the web and social media apps is smooth, and other apps work fine too, although there were a couple of rare instances where some apps would reload when switching after loading another app.

The Infinix GT 20 Pro performed well in common benchmark tests, scoring 895,790 points in the AnTuTu v10 test, 1,000 points and 3,413 points in Geekbench’s single-core and multi-core tests respectively. In PCMark’s Work 3.0 performance benchmark, the GT 20 Pro scored 18,328 points.

Infinix GT 20 Pro benchmarks

The phone also performed well in graphics benchmark tests, scoring 6,514 and 6,441 points in the Wild Life and Wild Life Unlimited tests respectively. It scored 3,865 points in the Sling Shot test and achieved “Best” in the Sling Shot Extreme test. Similarly, the phone scored 54 fps in GFXBench’s Car Chase test, 101 fps and 144 fps in the Manhattan 3.1 and T-Rex tests respectively.

Infinix has equipped the GT 20 Pro with a 6.78-inch Full HD+ (1,080 x 2,436 pixels) AMOLED screen with a refresh rate of up to 144Hz and a peak brightness of up to 1,300 nits. The display is very responsive when using everyday apps and games, works well outdoors, and has good visibility, although it’s not as bright as other smartphones that boast the same peak brightness level.

According to the Digital Wellbeing app, the most frequently used apps and games on the Infinix GT 20 Pro were Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), Genshin Impact, WhatsApp, and YouTube Music. With the device’s 5,000mAh battery, the screen-off on time was around 6 hours and 22 minutes (average).

The Infinix GT 20 Pro has a Bright Display

The Infinix GT 20 Pro lasted for 17 hours and 32 minutes in our HD battery video loop test, and it took about 63 minutes to charge from 0 to 100 percent using the included charging cable. After 30 minutes, about 48 percent of the battery was still charged. It also supports in-game bypass charging, which seems to help keep battery levels consistent during gaming sessions while preventing overheating without the need for a cooling fan.

Infinix GT 20 Pro Review: Camera

Powered by the Samsung HM6 sensor, it has a 108-megapixel main rear camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS) support, a 2-megapixel macro camera, a 2-megapixel sensor for capturing depth information, and a 32-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies and video chats.

Two of the Infinix GT 20 Pro’s rear cameras can be used to capture images using the default camera app. The 108-megapixel camera captures images with a fair level of detail, especially when there is enough natural light and you are close enough to the subject. The built-in camera app also has a Pro mode that lets you adjust various parameters such as white balance and ISO levels, but I got much better results using the default mode called “AI Cam.”

When taking photos with the main camera, you need to make sure there is enough light.

When taking photos of distant subjects in less than ideal lighting conditions, the Infinix GT 20 Pro’s main camera may capture images with slightly inaccurate colors – images with brown areas may appear dark or have a slight reddish tint.

The main camera can also capture images with 3x zoom using in-sensor crop, which works well when the subject is not too far away and there is enough light. If you take photos in low light or at night, the captured image will lose a lot of detail as the camera produces a smooth image to reduce noise.

Images taken in low light environments are very smooth.

The Infinix GT 20 Pro’s macro camera is very mediocre, even when taken in daylight. Edges of objects are blurred, colors are not as vibrant as those of the main camera, and images lack sufficient detail. Low-light images taken with the macro camera have even less detail and are noisy.

The default camera on the Infinix GT 20 Pro supports OIS up to 4K/30fps and can record videos up to 4K/60fps. To use OIS, you need to enable Ultra Steady mode in the camera app. We highly recommend using this feature if you plan on walking around while taking videos.

The Infinix GT 20 Pro’s macro camera struggles to capture detailed, sharp images.

On the other hand, the selfie camera on this phone is pretty good, but to get full resolution images you need to enable the 32MP mode from the camera interface. It’s good that I didn’t notice any “beautify” feature while clicking pictures. Images are very sharp in normal lighting conditions and average in low light scenarios too.

The Infinix GT 20 Pro also comes with a dual video mode in the default camera app, which lets you capture videos using both the main (rear) camera and the selfie camera simultaneously. There is no lag while capturing dual videos and you can also adjust the size of the videos captured using both the cameras.

Infinix GT 20 Pro Review: Verdict

Is the Infinix GT 20 Pro the best performance-oriented phone you can buy under Rs 25,000 right now? If you’re looking for a powerful phone that can handle most games and other intensive tasks, the answer is yes. No other phone offers the same level of CPU and display performance while gaming. The phone also comes with a neat operating system, which is becoming increasingly rare in this price range. The phone also gets two OS upgrades that make it an improvement over its predecessor.

Other smartphones available in the same price range include the Samsung Galaxy F55 (first impressions), Motorola Edge 50 Fusion, Nothing Phone 2a (review), Poco X6 Pro (review) and OnePlus Nord CE 4 (review). Of these, only the Poco X6 Pro beats the Infinix GT 20 Pro in benchmark tests. Meanwhile, the other smartphones offer a better overall experience, including better camera performance. This is worth keeping in mind if top-notch gaming performance isn’t the only consideration when buying a smartphone.

The post Infinix GT 20 Pro Review: Great performance at an affordable price appeared first on Review Products.

Lenovo’s Yoga laptop lineup has included 2-in-1 options for the past few years. Now, the company has equipped the Yoga 7i 2-in-1 variant with new Intel Core Ultra H-series processors, which also give it an OLED display and improved battery life. The new Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is also being called an AI laptop, as it comes with a dedicated Copilot key.

After using the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 for over a week, here’s what I think about this convertible laptop: I’m not a fan of convertibles, be it laptops or cars, but for those who want the best of both worlds – a laptop and a tablet – the Yoga 7i might be an option.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 Price in India

Starting with the price, the Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is neither too expensive nor too cheap. Prices start at Rs 1,01,990 for the model with an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H CPU, a 14-inch OLED display with WUXGA resolution, and 16GB RAM . This is the model that was sent to us for review.

The laptop has rounded corners, making it comfortable to hold.

A model with Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU, 14-inch OLED WUXGA display, and 16GB RAM is also available for Rs 1,19,990 . Finally, the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H option with 2.8K OLED display and 32GB RAM is available for Rs 1,29,990 . All models come with integrated Intel Arc Graphics. The laptop comes in two colour options – Tidal Teal and Storm Grey. The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 box also comes with a Lenovo digital pen and a 65W charger. We received the Tidal Teal model.

Let’s talk about the design. The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 features an all-aluminum design with curved edges and rounded corners. There are no sharp edges anywhere on the laptop. The design language is also very minimalistic, with a small Lenovo logo and Yoga branding on the lid. Since this is a 2-in-1 laptop, we need to talk about the 360-degree hinge. Lenovo says that they have reduced the size of the hinge, which makes it easier to open the lid with one hand. We found this to be true, but that’s also thanks to the inverted notch on the top for the webcam, IR sensor, and microphone. The hinge is very durable and I don’t think it will be an issue in the long run. When you use the laptop in normal mode, the hinge lifts up slightly, which also helps with cooling.

The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 has plenty of connectivity options, but the power button is oddly placed.

Moving to the side, the laptop has all the ports you need. The laptop’s power button is located on the right side next to the microSD card slot and a USB Type-A (USB 3.2) port. The placement of the power button is not ideal; I accidentally pressed it while trying to lift it using the right edge, which locked the laptop. On the left edge, there is an HDMI 2.1 port, dual Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C ports, and a combo headphone port. At the back, there is an exhaust vent.

The bottom of the laptop has two large grills for cooling and rubber feet. The panel is removable and made from 50 percent recycled aluminum. The laptop weighs 1.49 kg and is 16.64 mm thick at its thinnest point. It’s also rated to withstand 21 MIL-STD 810H durability tests, though we don’t recommend dropping the laptop to find out. We didn’t notice any bending in the lid or back cover. Everything feels well-built.

In tent mode, the speaker faces away from you.

Opening the lid reveals a keyboard and a large trackpad. The laptop has two speakers with grills on either side of the keyboard. The 14-inch OLED display has slim bezels on all sides and a resolution of 1920 x 1200 pixels at 60Hz with a 16:10 aspect ratio. The display is glossy but offers 400 nits of brightness and 600 nits of peak HDR brightness. It’s fine indoors but not suitable for outdoor use due to the glossy panel. The blacks are deep and the colors are vibrant. It has a wide viewing angle and very little color shifting. It’s a great panel for watching content, photo editing, and even drawing. Speaking of drawing, the display supports multi-touch and also comes with a Lenovo Digital Pen 2 that can be used as a stylus. The display is also Dolby Vision HDR certified and covers 100% DCI-P3 color space. There’s also a 2.8K PureSight OLED model with a 120Hz refresh rate.

I primarily used the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 in laptop mode, although touch input is excellent in tablet mode, and you can use multi-touch gestures supported by Windows 11. As a tablet, the Yoga 7i is a bit bulky for my taste and wasn’t fun to use while walking around the house. You can also use it in tent mode, but in that case, the speakers face the wrong way.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 Review: Keyboard, speakers, touchpad, camera

The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 has a great keyboard, and it’s clear that Lenovo also makes ThinkPad laptops that are known for their keyboards. Typing on the 2-in-1 was comfortable as the keyboard had ample key travel and good tactile feedback. There is also ample spacing between the keys so it doesn’t feel cramped. The laptop also has a dedicated Copilot key located in front of the left arrow key. You can toggle through the Copilot chatbot with the press of a button. The keyboard also has a backlight with two levels of brightness and an adaptive mode that can automatically dim or brighten the backlight depending on the environment.

Lenovo has equipped this laptop with two speakers. The speakers are placed on either side of the keyboard, so they face upwards. The volume isn’t great, but the quality is good. There’s no distortion, and Dolby Atmos is supported. However, there are some flaws in the placement, and the speakers move to the rear when you use the laptop in tablet or tent mode. In noisy environments, you’ll probably want to use headphones.

Beneath the keyboard is a large touchpad that supports multi-touch gestures in Windows 11. It has a nice click and smooth surface. In tablet mode, the touchpad and keyboard are also automatically disabled.

Moving on to the webcam, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 has a Full HD camera with a privacy shutter. The video quality is good and it also supports AI features like Windows Studio Effects and Smart Gestures. The notch that houses the webcam also has an IR blaster that supports face authentication login via Windows Hello.

Now, let’s talk about the specs. This 2-in-1 laptop is well equipped and comes with either an Intel Core Ultra 5 125H or Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU. The chipset is paired with integrated Intel Arc Graphics. The laptop can be configured with up to 32GB of LPDDR5X-7467 RAM and up to 1TB of NVMe storage. Both of these are soldered in, so you can’t upgrade the RAM or the storage.

In terms of connectivity, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 offers Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

This laptop runs Windows 11 Home out of the box and comes bundled with Office Home and Student 2021. It doesn’t have any special software, but you get Copilot support with a dedicated key. It also has Lenovo AI Engine+, Windows Studio Effects, Smart Noise Cancellation, and other handy features. It also comes with Lenovo Vantage software that lets you fine-tune your system to your liking. Features include Super Resolution, Dolby Atmos sound profiles, different modes tailored for different activities, three power modes, and Flip to Boot, which powers up the laptop as soon as you open the lid, just like the Apple MacBook.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 Review: Performance

Performance-wise, this laptop is perfect for everyday use, content consumption, and creative endeavors. I didn’t encounter any major issues during my time with the Yoga 7i 2-in-1.

Multitasking on the laptop is also excellent, especially in tablet mode. Thermal management is also excellent, with the built-in cooling system doing a great job of minimizing heat. However, there were a few times when the laptop suddenly got hot and the fans turned on even though I had no programs running, which is probably a bug in Windows 11. Overall, the laptop performs very well.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 Review: Battery life

Battery life on the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is very good. Lenovo has included a 71Whr battery, and the laptop consistently performs well enough to get through a day’s worth of use, including browsing, working with multiple tabs in Chrome, watching YouTube videos, streaming Netflix, and light photo editing. This is true in both regular laptop mode and tablet mode, with tablet mode actually offering better battery life.

The laptop comes with a manual privacy shutter for the webcam

The laptop comes with a 65W charger in the box that supports fast charging – it takes around 1.5 hours to fully charge the laptop and just 30 minutes of charging will get the battery to around 80% .

Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 Review: verdict

As I said at the beginning, I am not a big fan of 2-in-1 laptops, but if you are looking for a powerful laptop that can also be used as a tablet, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is a good choice. Even the base model priced at Rs 1,01,990 is a good option and you get good performance and long-lasting battery from this laptop. The OLED display is great for content consumption and creative work, but you can spend a little more and get a 2.8K OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and get an even better experience. The only drawback is that you cannot upgrade the speakers and storage. But overall, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is an easy 2-in-1 laptop to recommend.

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