Gigarefurb Refurbished Laptops: Hands-on Preview: Lenovo Yoga 720

Tuesday 28 February 2017

Hands-on Preview: Lenovo Yoga 720 – the 4K, GTX-powered 2-in-1 laptop

Lenovo’s Yoga lineup has always been about versatility. These 2-in-1 laptop/tablet hybrids are seriously portable, but they’ve typically been a little underperforming compared to their clamshell counterparts. This year’s Yoga 720 defies those ingrained preconceptions, packing Kaby Lake i7s, 4K displays and dedicated graphics.

Designed as a premium Windows 10 laptop, 2017’s Yoga 720 comes in two distinct flavours. The 13in model is markedly cheaper – with prices starting at $US860 – but you’ll have to fork out at least $US1,100 for its 15in counterpart. Obviously, there’s that screen-size difference, but what else differentiates the two? And are they decent enough to make a dent in the already-oversaturated hybrid market?

Lenovo Yoga 720 review: Key specifications and release date

Lenovo Yoga 720 (13in)	Lenovo Yoga 720 (15in)
Up to 7th-gen Intel Core i7	Up to 7th-gen Intel Core i7
Up to 16GB RAM	Up to 16GB RAM
Up to 1TB PCIe SSD	Up to 1TB PCIe SSD
Intel HD Graphics 620	Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050M
13.3″ 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) 13.3″ FHD (1,920 x 1,080)	15.6″ 4K UHD (3,840 x 2,160) 15.6″ FHD (1,920 x 1,080)
1.3kg	2kg
Starting at $US860	Starting at $US1,100
April 2017	April 2017

Lenovo Yoga 720 review: Design, key features and first impressions

Both Yoga 720s are noticeably more impressive than their hybrid counterparts, at least at face value. With the 13in measuring just 13.9mm and the 15in 19mm, both are slim enough to be slipped into your rucksack and weigh just 1.3kg and 2kg respectively.

They’re gorgeous to look at, too. Considering you’re paying top-tier prices, you should expect lavish build quality, with both Yoga 720s seriously looking the part. That all-metal chassis is a welcome change of pace and isn’t too heavy either.

Take a look on the right side and you’ll spot a solitary USB 3.1 port, while the left houses both regular USB 3s and a USB Type-C port for charging. Both models ship with a fingerprint reader for Windows Hello login, too.

The biggest difference between the two lies in the graphics card options. While you’re stuck with the bog-standard integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 chip for the 13 (perfect for Minecraft but not much else), there’s the option to upgrade to a proper Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050. Should you go down this route, expect a big hit to both your battery life and your wallet. Pair that with the Kaby Lake processor and 16GB of RAM, though, and you’ll be all set for on-the-go gaming.

Let’s talk 4K. Both Yoga 720s come with 4K resolution options (Full HD is on the cards should you want to save your pennies), something first seen in 2016’s disappointing Dell XPS 12 hybrid. Hopefully, the screen doesn’t hog battery life as much here, but expect to run out of juice far quicker than its Full HD counterparts.

Lenovo Yoga 720 review: Early verdict

Let’s get down to pricing. Both Yoga 720s ship with a hefty premium, with Lenovo remaining tight-lipped about higher configurations’ prices, but expect to see the 15in model with all the bells and whistles to retail for nearly two grand. That’s not cheap, but remember, no other hybrid offers this choice when choosing specs. Yet.