Lenovo Yoga 3 14 review

An elegant and affordable, but weak laptop

A big, bad Yoga
A big, bad Yoga

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What separates the Yoga 3 14 from the Yoga 3 Pro is its fifth-generation Intel Core i5 processor. In order to make the Yoga 3 Pro as slim and light as it is, Lenovo used a fanless Core M processor, which isn't as powerful or fast as the Core i5. Later in this review, I'll further explore the difference between the two processors and whether Core i5 dramatically improved the Yoga 3 14's performance.

Specifications

Here is the Lenovo Yoga 3 14 configuration sent to TechRadar for review ($949, £799.99, AU$1,350):

  • CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i5-5200U (Dual-core, 3MB cache)
  • Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 5500
  • RAM: 8GB DDR3L (1600MHz)
  • Screen: 14-inch FHD LED AntiGlare Multitouch (1,920 x 1,080)
  • Storage: 256GB SSD
  • Ports: 2 USB 3.0, USB 2.0, 4-in-1 card reader (SD, MMC, SDXC, SDHC), HDMI out, audio combo jack
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11 A/C WiFi
  • Camera: 720P webcam
  • Weight: 3.5 pounds (1.58kg)
  • Size: 13.18 x 9.03 x 0.72 inches (W x D x H)

Unlike the Surface Pro 3, the Transformer Book Chi T300 and the Yoga 3 Pro, the Yoga 3 14 only comes with a full HD screen. The Yoga 3 Pro outclasses all of these laptops with a 3,200 x 1,800 WHD+ screen. Aside from the Yoga 3 Pro, I doubt you'll really notice the difference between any of these screens, unless you're a photographer, videographer or graphic designer.

Lenovo Yoga 3 14

The Yoga 3 14 features the most up-to-date graphics card of the bunch (the Yoga 3 Pro and the Transformer Book Chi come with Intel HD Graphics 5300, while the Surface Pro 3 comes standard with a 4400 chip). Its wide selection of ports is comparable to the Yoga 3 Pro, but it's a tangible improvement over the Transformer Book Chi T300, which only has one micro USB 3.0, one mini HDMI and one microSD card reader.

Lenovo Yoga 3 14