The bottom line: Our quick verdict on the Lenovo Yoga Book

Yoga Book

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67 Scores

Engadget

67

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Key Specs

  • Type  Tablet (Convertible)
  • Bundled OS  Other
  • Processor speed  2.4 GHz
  • System RAM  4 GB
  • Maximum battery life  Up to15 hour
  • Pointing device  Trackpad

From $500

There's nothing quite like the Lenovo Yoga Book. It's a small, lightweight clamshell device running your choice of Android or Windows 10 as an OS. Take a tour of the hardware and you'll find a 360-degree hinge, a screen and, uh, no keyboard. That's right, instead of where the keyboard deck would be is a flat-touch sensitive surface that doubles as a digital notepad and sketchpad. It works as a keyboard too, except the buttons, as it were, are all virtual, ready to disappear when you're done using them.

The design is nothing if not inventive, and Lenovo deserves credit for that, but it's almost ahead of its time. That or just not very well executed. While digital artists might enjoy the doodling features, our reviewer was never able to master the keyboard. Even when she learned to type accurately, she could never do so quickly. And that's a problem for a $500-plus device designed for being productive on the go. For that, you may as well buy, you know, a laptop.

Engadget Score Poor Uninspiring Good ExcellentKey

Lenovo Yoga Book

67

Pros
  • Sleek, compact design
  • Unique pen-and-paper integration
  • Long-lasting battery
Cons
  • Very difficult to type on
  • Some software glitches in the Android version
  • Middling performance

Summary

The Lenovo Yoga Book, available with either Android or Windows, is a compelling hybrid device -- at least on paper. It ditches a physical keyboard for a touch-sensitive surface that does double duty as a keyboard and digital sketchpad. With the included stylus, you can draw on the deck, even when the tablet is asleep, and your notes will still be saved. You can even write on real paper and convert your scribblings to digital. Still, none of these writing features make up for the terrible typing experience. Although it scores points for novelty, the Yoga Book is too unreliable to be a true productivity machine.

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