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| PC World - 22 Jun (PC World)Modern external computer data storage technologies (DAS, or Direct Attached Storage) run the gamut from USB hard drives, to optical discs (yes, still), to USB thumb drives, to the latest, greatest NVMe SSDs in high-speed Thunderbolt or USB 4 enclosures.
PCWorld has been reviewing external storage since the 1980s and the era of floppy drives, though these days we stick with SSDs and the occasional hard drive. Everything else seems, well… quaint. Not to mention, drearily slow.
What does PCWorld look for in an external storage device?
Capacity
Generally speaking, more capacity is better, but determining capacity takes no effort on our part — it’s generally written plainly on the box. Capacity by itself doesn’t score a lot of points unless it’s a jump from the norm, however…
Price
…the cost per gigabyte counts heavily in our evaluations. That said, the star rating is weighted more toward the quality of the product, not how much it costs. But all things being equal, the cost per gigabyte can tip the scales.
Performance
Basic performance obviously depends on the technology involved: HDDs, SSDs, USB, Thunderbolt, etc… We run benchmarks and perform real-world operations to determine its speed relative to others of the same ilk. Performance relative to a device’s peers as well as in the grand scheme counts greatly in the final rating. There’s far more granular info on our testing methodology and consideration below.
Durability
Of course, speed is nothing if a device gives up the ghost in six months. HDD failure has become progressively rarer since the bad old days when up to 15 percent of hard drives failed per year. Early SSDs also had their issues, but the only problem we’ve heard of recently was with the SanDisk Extreme Pro line. Every SSD we’ve tested is still going strong, as are all the hard drives from the last five years or so.
That said, SSDs are still a relatively young technology, and NAND blocks/cells can only be written to so many times. We make special note of the TBW ratings for SSDs. That’s an acronym for terabytes written, or the number of terabytes that may be written before a drive runs out of replacements (overprovisioning) for worn-out cell blocks.
MTBF (mean time before failure) ratings for HDDs are a guess at best, and rarely accurate or provable, so we generally don’t pay attention them.
Seagate Ultra Touch HDD
Seagate Ultra Touch HDD
Seagate Ultra Touch HDD
Given the limited time we have between testing and publication, 100 percent accuracy on long-term reliability is impossible. We keep our test units in service, but it can take years for a problem to crop up.
One thing we can check is how well an external device sheds heat — the general enemy of electronics. If the temperature of an SSD gets too high, the controller will slow down/throttle operations to reduce said temperature to avoid damage to the components.
We also check the quality of construction and the materials used. With SSDs, shock mounting and shock resistant silicone covers are plusses, but with HDDs they’re an absolute must.
Many devices are IP rated — i.e., designed and tested to ward off dust and liquids. We’ll always discuss this with any ruggedized device, and it does score brownie points.
Portability
When it comes to portability, smaller is obviously better. Thumb drives are generally the smallest and most portable. Their integrated Type-A or occasionally Type-C connector eliminates the need for an additional USB/Thunderbolt cable or power adapter, which takes up space and which you must remember to bring with you. If a device is designed to be portable, the overall ease of transport is obviously considered.
Corsair E1000U
Corsair E1000U
Jon L. Jacobi
Corsair E1000U
Jon L. Jacobi
Jon L. Jacobi
Devices designed for your desktop might be portable to a degree, but a bit of size and heft is in order. Anyone who’s ever inadvertently sent a small, light drive flying across the table (or room) understands. It’s especially true for 2.5-inch external hard drives, which can’t absorb nearly as many G’s as an SSD. With desktop drives, we also rate such stability — i.e., we check for non-skid feet, etc.
Power requirements
AC adapters are required with 5.25-inch hard drives (still the only way to get more than 8TB in a single unit!), and with very large-capacity USB 3.x SSDs. Single, external 2.5-inch hard drives rarely require an AC adapter; however, some RAID units with more than one drive will. At least non-Thunderbolt types.
Sandisk’s 8TB USB 3.2×2 SSD requires an AC adapter (the round port). Most single external SSDs and HDDs do not.
Sandisk’s 8TB USB 3.2×2 SSD requires an AC adapter (the round port). Most single external SSDs and HDDs do not.Jon L. Jacobi
Sandisk’s 8TB USB 3.2×2 SSD requires an AC adapter (the round port). Most single external SSDs and HDDs do not.Jon L. Jacobi
Jon L. Jacobi
Speaking of which, both USB 4 and Thunderbolt deliver more power over their connections than older USB 3.x, which is why you generally won’t need external power unless, as mentioned, there’s more than one drive in the enclosure.
One exception to this is when using Thunderbolt generational adapters (Thunderbolt 2 to Thunderbolt 3/4), which may not pass through power. In that case, external power, or a dock with power, may be required.
How does PCWorld test external storage?
Connectivity/bus speed considerations
Connectivity, i.e. the transport protocol or bus type, is the essential indicator of expected performance and compatibility and obviously the first thing we consider. Highly compatible 5Gbps USB SSDs will max out somewhere south of 500MBps, while also highly compatible 10Gbps USB SSDs top out at around 1GBps.
20Gbps USB 3.2×2 drives can reach 2GBps, but only on the still somewhat-rare 3.2×2 connector or USB 4. But even that’s not a given. While Macs (and many PC Thunderbolt ports) support USB 4 20Gbps, they only support 10Gbps when using USB 3.2×2 SSDs. Why? Don’t know. USB 4 and Thunderbolt 3/4 SSDs can operate at 40Gbps, or around 4GBps.
In USB 4 and Thunderbolt 3’s case, it’s not actually specified that they support anything greater than 20Gbps. Yeah, it’s a mess of a “standard,” but we always test drives on their native bus at their highest possible speed. Note that the Thunderbolt 4 ports on our test bed also support all flavors of USB, including USB 4.
All USB drives are backwards compatible to at least USB 2.0, but they’re always limited to the speed of the bus they’re on.
Generally speaking, though faster is always better, we compare external storage devices with their technology peers: 10Gbps USB to 10Gbps USB, Thunderbolt 3 to Thunderbolt 3, hard drive to hard drive, etc.
Internal technology considerations
The technology inside a device (SATA, NVMe) also has a lot to do with its expected performance. For instance, a SATA SSD will never go much faster than 500MBps even across USB 4 or Thunderbolt 3/4. SATA HDDs rarely top 250MBps (3.5-inch) or 120MBps (2.5-inch).
NVMe on the other hand is fast enough that the bus is a major limiting factor. For example, the fastest internal PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD we’ve tested clocked almost 15GBps, while the fastest Thunderbolt SSD could muster only 4GBps.
All HDDs to a small degree, and SSDs to a large degree write slower as they fill up so the benchmark numbers we publish are best case. Drive slowdown is why we recommend that you always buy at least twice the SSD capacity that you might think you need. This is not generally necessary with HDDs, but a good idea.
Again we generally compare similar internal technologies in our reviews: SATA vs. SATA, 20Gbps USB vs. 20Gbps USB, etc.
NAND and SSD design considerations
When it comes to testing, SSDs have “special needs.” Mostly because of the way they cache data to achieve and maintain best performance. Primary caching is either done with onboard DRAM, which offers the fastest random performance, or in the case of cheaper Host Memory Buffer (HMB), your device’s system memory. Recent implementations of the latter have turned in startlingly good numbers with sequential transfers.
But the primary cache is generally a relatively small amount. A couple of gigabytes with DRAM and 58/64MB with HMB. Hence SSDs use another method as secondary caching.
A controller can write 3-bit (Triple Level Cell/TCL) or 4-bit NAND at either their native bit depth or, far faster, as on/off 1-bit SLC. This single-bit writing is used for secondary caching. Data is later rewritten at the greater bit depth to reclaim the lost space.
The reason writing at greater bit depths is slower is due to the error-checking required to determine if the correct voltage (one of 8/16 levels with TLC/QLC) was written to a cell, rather than the simple charged/not charged binary of 1-bit SLC.
This screen cap shows the slowdown in write speed due to secondary cache running out.
This screen cap shows the slowdown in write speed due to secondary cache running out.
This screen cap shows the slowdown in write speed due to secondary cache running out.
How vendors handle this secondary caching technique mostly affects performance during very long writes. Some fix the amount of NAND that can be used for secondary caching, while some allocate it dynamically. We often have to rewrite the 450GB file several times, depending on the capacity of the SSD, before the drive will drop to its native 3-bit/4-bit write speed, which can vary anywhere from 150MBps (slow QLC) to nearly 1GBps (faster TLC).
Note that as a drive fills up, performance may suffer as there is less NAND available to allot as secondary cache. We test with empty drives but warn users that performance may degrade over time. It’s also why we recommend that you overbuy in terms of capacity.
Many NMVe SSDs use DRAM for primary caching and some use your computer’s own memory as cache (Host Memory Buffer/HMB). The former greatly improves random performance, while the latter can actually improve sequential performance.
The number of chips on an SSD can also affect performance, as the more chips there are, the more data paths there are to shotgun data over. This is, again, why we warn you in each review that our results apply only to the capacity SSD we tested.
All these factors must be accounted for and inform our modus operandi when it comes to testing SSDs.
Further reading: Best external drives
What tests does PCWorld run to determine how fast an external storage device is?
Benchmarks
NVMe SSDs, as they have matured, have broken the nearly 1:1 ratio of benchmark to real-world transfer performance that existed right up through SATA SSDs — drastically, when it comes to internal SSDs, and to a lesser, but still noticeable extent with bus-constrained external SSDs.
The benchmarks aren’t errant, they simply use their own I/O, which has matured to take advantage of NVMe’s unique capabilities such as multiple threads and queues.
Operating systems, and the vast majority of software have not. For example, Windows Explorer never uses more than a single queue or thread. Hence our test transfers proceed at a far slower pace than what’s actually possible, and spoken of by the benchmarks. A drive capable of reading at 15GBps in benchmarks, will barely manage 4GBps under Windows.
We benchmark using CrystalDiskMark 8 and AS SSD 2.0. There are other perfectly valid benchmarks, but these are two whose results have consistently matched the level of the technology involved over the years.
Also, we have a huge set of results from years past to compare. On occasion, at vendor request we will run other benchmarks such as ATTO or IOmeter to simulate a particular workflow that a drive has been optimized for.
Real-world tests
To augment the benchmarks and give users an idea of what they’ll actually see under Windows, we perform a series of real-world transfers. Firstly, a 48GB folder full of smaller files and folders, and a single 48GB virtual hard drive (VHD) written to and read from the device. The second drive is actually a 58GB RAM disk that is faster than the fastest NVMe SSD we’ve tested to date. But it’s getting to be a close contest, so we may have to come up with other means in the near future.
Our final test is writing a single 450GB VHD file to the drive. This is not to measure performance as such, but to test the secondary caching. See above.
Note that both our 48GB and 450GB VHD files are filled with data, to minimize the impact of any compression techniques. Some controllers can compress all zeros with lighting speed, which throws a monkey wrench into the results.
What hardware does PCWorld use to test external storage devices?
We test all storage products on a dedicated X790 (PCIe 5.0) motherboard/i5-12400 CPU combo with two Kingston Fury 32GB DDR5 modules (64GB of memory total). The Intel integrated graphics are used as well as Windows 11 (22H2) 64-bit. The 48GB transfer tests utilize an ImDisk RAM disk taking up 58GB of the 64GB total memory. The 450GB file is transferred from a Samsung 990 Pro 2TB, which also contains the operating system.
PCW storage test bed. USB 4 is tested over Thunderbolt.
PCW storage test bed. USB 4 is tested over Thunderbolt. Jon L. Jacobi
PCW storage test bed. USB 4 is tested over Thunderbolt. Jon L. Jacobi
Jon L. Jacobi
On occasion, should any aberrations arise on the main test bed, we also test on our older AMD test bed. This consists of an MSI MEG X570 motherboard socketing an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-core CPU and 64GB of Kingston DDR4. The same software is used as on the Intel platform. This machine is also the software test platform.
For Mac-oriented products or those tested for Macworld, a first-gen Mac Studio M1 Max with 32GB of memory and a 1TB internal SSD is employed. This system has the aforementioned interesting limitation common to all Apple Silicon Macs — it supports USB 4 20Gbps, but does not support USB 3.2 2×2 20Gbps. Sigh.
How does PCWorld determine an external storage device’s rating?
As noted, our overall ratings reflect a lot of factors, but the performance/cost ratio carries by far the most weight. And with only a 10-level system (five full stars, five half stars), the star ratings aren’t particularly nuanced.
Therefore, it’s important to actually read the reviews for the particulars, and at least the pros/cons to see the major strengths and weaknesses when trying to decide which storage device you want to buy.
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| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 22 Jun (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
ProsFantastic valueEasy layout switchingHall-effect sticksConsShort trigger travelSome games don’t like Switch formatOur VerdictThe Nova HD has all the features you want in a basic controller, plus a ton of extras like hall-effect analog sticks. It’s not great for driving fans, but everyone else will love its value and flexibility.
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Controllers are expensive. They always have been, at least if you insist on buying the first-party gamepads for consoles or Microsoft’s de facto standard for PC, the Xbox controller. And there have always been cheaper alternatives, the bane of visiting gamers and younger siblings everywhere. Gamesir’s Nova HD hopes to buck that trend.
And it does. Shockingly well, in fact: Not only does the Nova HD have several features you won’t find on standard console controllers, it can go multi-platform, switching between PC, mobile devices, and the Nintendo Switch with ease. And unlike some other controllers that require adjustment for Nintendo’s stubborn insistence on its weirdo layout, the Nova HD can swap between standard and Nintendo face buttons on the fly, no driver software required.
This controller uses the Nintendo layout, but don’t worry, it’s easy to fix.
This controller uses the Nintendo layout, but don’t worry, it’s easy to fix.Michael Crider/Foundry
This controller uses the Nintendo layout, but don’t worry, it’s easy to fix.Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
While it lacks the fit and finish of “premium” controllers, its extra features — specifically that layout swap option and hall-effect analog sticks — mean that Gamesir’s option is a legitimate contender for anyone who wants to save a little cash. For $35, you give up nothing versus the Xbox controller or Switch Pro controller, and even gain a few options.
Gamesir Nova HD features
I was sent the Nova HD in its “retro” colorway, with muted beige, grays, and purples clearly meant to evoke the Super NES. Not really my style, but I appreciate the theming, especially since Gamesir’s logo goes along with it — not every brand is that flexible. It’s also available in a more radical ’80s-flavored transparent teal.
The rear of the controller is more monotone, but once you turn it on you get a bit of a light show. Multicolor circles light up around the analog sticks, a trend that’s common enough to be spotted here on budget controllers and on premium devices like the ROG Ally. Again, not to my taste, but you can turn it off if you like. More on that later.
For $35, you give up nothing versus the Xbox controller or Switch Pro controller, and even gain a few options.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Other than that, this is a bog-standard Xbox-style controller. Buttons feel good if not amazing, the layout is nice and familiar, the sticks are a bit on the loose side (common with hall effect). If I have a complaint, it’s that the triggers, which feel more like the PS5 controller than anything else, are a little short on the travel.
In addition to a mode switcher on the front and one extra contextual button to be compatible with the Switch, you get two assignable buttons on the back, a feature that’s become more and more popular as of late. While you’re back there, note a very light diamond texture on the back of the grips — appreciated if you’re prone to sweating in long sessions, like a gamer who shall remain nameless. (It’s me. I’m talking about me.)
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
The package also includes a free carrying case. I’d have preferred a USB dongle instead, but hey, at this price beggars can’t be choosers.
Good all-round, not great for driving
Playing through an unhealthy amount of Hades II, I never encountered any serious issues. Initially the sticks were prone to float a bit, causing Melinoë to walk slowly in a circle. Call it a side effect of those hall-effect components having no friction points. But it seemed to work itself out after a few hours and never showed up again. Well worth it for a design that is, as far as I know, immune to the dreaded stick drift.
The triggers are a notable downside with very short travel.
The triggers are a notable downside with very short travel.Michael Crider/Foundry
The triggers are a notable downside with very short travel.Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Playing plenty of Brawlhalla left me with no complaints, though I imagine that a more serious fighting game fan might wish for clickier face buttons. When trying racing games I found the Nova HD passable, but those triggers are much more prone to clicking at full throttle than slowly ramping up to it. Any driving-heavy game is one I’d avoid with this controller.
Pairing and layout options
The Nova HD offers three pairing modes in addition to its generic controller default: Switch, Android, and “Receiver,” activated by powering on with the home button + X, B, and Y, respectively. I didn’t get to try the controller’s USB-based receiver, I was all-Bluetooth, all the time. I don’t even see a receiver on Gamesir’s store, so I’m not sure what the deal is.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Anyway, I found very little difference in the pairing modes, especially since Steam lets me customize controls already. And I was already anticipating that need, since the default layout is Switch-style, with the A button on the east position. But it turns out I needn’t have bothered. In addition to a bunch of other settings adjustments baked into the firmware, the Nova HD lets you swap between the Nintendo default layout and the Xbox, with A on the south position.
All you have to do is hold the Mode switch button, M, and B, for two seconds. Bam! The controller swaps between the two primary layouts used in just about every game platform, and it remembers it when you turn off the power. This is the first time I’ve seen a controller with this option, no external software required. It’s freakin’ brilliant. Though there’s nothing it can do about the actual legends printed on the buttons, this means it can effortlessly swap between my gaming PC and the Switch that also lives on my desk.
Press the M button and B for two seconds to switch between Xbox and Nintendo layouts. That’s it. That’s all it takes.
Press the M button and B for two seconds to switch between Xbox and Nintendo layouts. That’s it. That’s all it takes. Michael Crider/Foundry
Press the M button and B for two seconds to switch between Xbox and Nintendo layouts. That’s it. That’s all it takes. Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
The Nova HD needs no other software to pull its party tricks. The LED lights on the sticks can be adjusted — brightness, effect animation speed, or general color — with the M button and other combos. Ditto for enabling dead zones in the sticks, and programming macros or turbos into the rear “paddle” buttons. You’ll probably need to keep the manual handy (or download the PDF) for a while as you learn all the combinations, but before long you’ll be doing it without thinking.
Compatibility issues
There is one big let-down for this otherwise excellent controller, and it’s that games that just don’t like the Switch Pro gamepad (which it emulates, including a gyroscopic sensor) don’t like the Nova HD either. For example, Rocket Racing in Fortnite just would not cooperate and detect the controller’s triggers. This, even though the closely related Rocket League worked fine, caused it to instantly default to both Xbox-style inputs and matching interface indications.
So yeah, there may be an occasional headache with some games. I think you’ll be able to overcome them between individual game settings and Steam’s excellent “all are welcome” controller support, but consider yourself forewarned.
Should you buy the Gamesir Nova HD?
For just $35, the Nova HD is a fantastic budget pick, rivaling even the excellent 8BitDo in terms of value and capability. For someone who wants to use the same affordable controller on Switch, mobile, and PC, it’s darn hard to beat.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Racing fans won’t like the triggers, and I wish it came with a USB dongle in the box. But considering that you get a full controller with customizable rear buttons, rumble, and hall-effect sticks, plus the option to swap between the two most common layouts on the fly, I’m more than willing to forgive those shortcomings.
If you need a multi-platform controller for dirt cheap, Gamesir’s Nova HD should be at the top of your shopping list.
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| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 21 Jun (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
ProsExcellent keyboard with a full number padHuge, precise trackpadSharp displayLoud, clear speakersGood-quality aluminum buildImpressive performance even in gamesConsHigh priceSome annoying bloatwareSlightly weak battery lifeOur VerdictThe Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i is one of the best mainstream Windows laptops on the market, with great specs, a gorgeous display, and a killer keyboard.
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i would not look out of place in an office, but this 16-inch laptop has another side. A laptop this size offers a good mix of portability and screen real estate, and there’s also room for some serious hardware. This machine is well-made, attractive, and extremely powerful—it can even play modern PC games with surprising fluidity. On the other hand, even the base-model is very expensive, and most PC users don’t need this much power.
Looking for more options? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available right now.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i: Specs and features
The Yoga Pro 9i is Lenovo’s flagship laptop, and it comes in a number of configurations. Lenovo fiddles with pricing and specs almost constantly, but you can expect to pay a minimum of roughly $1,480 for the machine. Fully specced out, it’s around $2,100. This computer sits at the top of Lenovo’s mainstream notebook offerings, but some of the company’s Legion gaming laptops are more capable and expensive.
Despite being a Yoga-branded laptop, this is not a 2-in-1. The 16-inch touchscreen’s hinge stops at 180-degrees like other traditional notebooks. That display is either a standard IPS LCD or miniLED, both at 3200 x 2000 resolution. There are two CPU options, too, a Meteor Lake Core Ultra 7 or Core Ultra 9. There are also two GPU options in the form of an Nvidia RTX 4050 or 4060, something you don’t get on the step-down Yoga 7i. Here are the full specs of the review unit.
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 185H
Memory: 32GB
Graphics/GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 6GB, 100W TDP
Display: 16-inch 3200 x 2000 IPS, 165Hz, 400 nits
Storage: 1 TB PCIe Gen4 NVMe
Webcam: 5MP with IR for Windows Hello
Connectivity: 1x USB-C with Thunderbolt 4, 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI, 1x 3.5mm audio jack, 1x SD card reader
Networking: Wi-Fi 6e, Bluetooth 5.3
Battery capacity: 84 Wh, 170W slim tip charger
Dimensions: 14.28 x 9.99 x 0.70 inches
Weight: 4.41 lbs
MSRP as tested: $1,699.99
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i: Design and build quality
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
The Yoga Pro 9i is a relatively large laptop, but it’s a good size given the hardware inside. It’s only 0.7 inches thick when closed, and the 4.41 pound weight is a bit lower than other high-end laptops. Despite having a large display, the bezels are nice and slim, so it should fit in most laptop sleeves and compartments. The top bezel is a bit unusual with Lenovo’s trademark “reverse display notch,” which houses the 5MP webcam and microphones. It looks a bit strange at first, but it does offer a nice lip when closed to make the machine easier to open.
Some laptops feel rickety and too flexible when you pick them up, but not the Yoga Pro 9i. The entire chassis is aluminum, and all the panels are thick enough to feel solid and resist flexing. The hinge is also nice and tight, keeping the screen stable if you need to pick up and move the machine, but opening cleanly with one hand.
While there’s no physical camera shutter, Lenovo does have a button on the right edge that electronically disables the camera when not in use. In addition to video chats, the camera can be used to your presence and put itself to sleep if you walk away for added security. The right side is also where you’ll find the USB-A ports, card reader, and the power button. On the opposite side, you get the USB-C ports, HDMI, 3.5mm, and the power port.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i: Keyboard and trackpad
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
Lenovo has some of the better laptop keyboards on the market, even on cheaper models. The Yoga Pro 9i offers generous key spacing and deep 1.5mm travel, making it easier to get up to speed without making excessive typos. It’s worlds better than the current Dell XPS lineup in that respect.
The keys have above average tactility, and the bottom out is solid, not bouncy or mushy at all. The keys are backlit, as you’d expect on a premium laptop. The lighting is even, and it doesn’t bleed around the keys too much, but there are only two manual brightness stops—I’d like to see a few more options.
If you are so inclined, this laptop sports a dedicated key for Microsoft Copilot. We’re going to see this new key a lot—it’s between the arrows and spacebar, taking the place of the rarely used menu key. Speaking of the arrows, I wish Lenovo would use full-sized keys here. You get a full key for the left and right arrows, but up and down occupy a single key unit split down the middle. That can make it hard to find the arrows by feel.
I appreciate the inclusion of a full number pad on the Yoga Pro 9i. At 14 inches wide, there’s just enough speed to fit everything, but Lenovo did have to reduce the size of the keys. The numbers are also right up against the modifiers (shift, enter, etc.), which can increase the frequency of accidental presses. Again, it can be hard to find this division by feel.
The keyboard is shifted to the left to make room for the number pad, and the trackpad is off to the side with it. I usually prefer to have trackpads in the middle regardless of the keyboard layout, but it’s not much of an issue here because the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i has an enormous trackpad that covers much of the available space below the keyboard. The trackpad’s high-precision, Gorilla Glass-covered surface is a delight. I bumped the sensitivity a bit higher, and I hardly missed my mouse.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i: Display and audio
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i really wows with its display. I’m testing the lesser of the two screen options, a 16-inch IPS LCD at 3200×2000. It supports a 165Hz refresh rate, but the default mode has the machine locked to 60Hz. It also supports multitouch if you want to try to use Windows with touch. While the OS can be frustrating to poke, the glass is smooth and resists fingerprinting well. It would be more useful if the hinge allowed full rotation, though.
The miniLED version offers more vibrant colors and higher brightness, but the LCD is no slouch. It’s extremely crisp, and the 400 nits brightness rating is good enough for use in bright lighting. However, the glass screen cover is very reflective, and the brightness isn’t enough to make up for that if you try to use the computer outdoors.
Laptop speakers are rarely what you would call “good,” but the Yoga Pro 9i earns that distinction and then some. It has an impressive six-speaker setup, including four subwoofers and two tweeters. That’s even more robust than the Dell XPS 16, which PCWorld praised for its audio quality. The Yoga’s sound is clear, loud, and doesn’t distort at high volumes. The speakers also drive home the quality of the overall computer—there’s some minor vibration in the chassis when you crank the volume, but it doesn’t rattle or produce any unwanted noise. Even bass-heavy media will sound great on the Yoga Pro 9i, although don’t expect deep thumping.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i: Performance
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i can tear through spreadsheets, documents, and other general computing tasks, but it can also satiate your appetite for games once work is all wrapped up. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 is not the most capable laptop GPU, but it’s a rocket ship compared to the integrated GPUs most mainstream laptops use. I ran this machine through the usual battery of productivity tests, plus some of the benchmarks we usually reserve for gaming laptops.
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
PCMark 10 is designed to test a machine across a variety of metrics like web browsing, video chat, and photo editing. Here, we’re looking at the overall score, and the Yoga Pro 9i puts up one of the best scores we’ve seen thanks to that Core Ultra 9 CPU, which has a TDP of 30W.
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
Cinebench is a CPU-focused test that shows how a machine handles heavy but brief multi-core workloads. The Lenovo machine does well here, coming in just behind the Alienware m16 R2. While that machine has a lower-specced CPU, its default power profile doesn’t leave as much performance on the table. The Yoga Pro 9i still beats all the other mainstream notebooks we’ve tested lately.
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
The Handbrake test is similar to Cinebench in that it shows how a computer handles multithreaded tasks, but this is a longer-duration test where thermals matter more. Again, the Yoga Pro 9i comes in just behind the performance-tuned Alienware m16 R2. However, it’s a cut above all the other mainstream laptops in our database—it’s about a third faster than the Dell XPS 14, for example.
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
While the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i is not technically a gaming laptop, it’s equipped with a capable RTX 4050 GPU, and the upgraded model has an RTX 4060. In 3D Mark’s Time Spy benchmark, the Yoga leaves other mainstream laptops in the dust. Even the Dell XPS 14 with the same GPU falls well behind the Lenovo machine.
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
To get a better handle on gaming performance, I ran the Yoga Pro 9i through the Shadow of the Tomb Raider benchmark, which is an excellent real-world test of gaming power. Comparing the Yoga Pro 9i to a slate of gaming notebooks, this laptop holds its own. Computers with the RTX 4070 and 4090 are well out in front, but the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i can surpass even some machines with more powerful RTX 4060 GPUs.
I’ve used the Yoga Pro 9i alongside gaming notebooks, and it’s more than good enough to push some pixels after a long day of office work. Using DLSS upscaling, it’s possible to play games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 on the gorgeous 3200×2000 display with good visual fidelity. You won’t be able to crank up advanced graphical features like ray tracing, but most games will still look great on this machine.
In general day-to-day usage, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i has never felt sluggish. Apps open fast, the ample RAM keeps multiple windows and a gaggle of browser tabs running, and Windows hasn’t crashed once. Lenovo’s excellent Vantage settings app also makes it easy to control the features and performance of the machine in one place. As for the rest of the software, it’s a standard Windows experience after you ditch the McAfee app and a few other pieces of bloatware in your way.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i: Battery life
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i has an 84Wh battery, which is on the small size for a 16-inch laptop. Combined with the powerful hardware and high-resolution screen, the battery life is acceptable but not particularly good. Our battery test consists of playing a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat in the Movies & TV app (in airplane mode) until the laptop runs out of juice. The Yoga Pro 9i managed just under nine hours in this test, which is below most mainstream notebooks. However, it runs a little ahead of gaming notebooks.
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
IDG / Ryan Whitwam
We ran this test first in the default 60Hz refresh mode. While the screen looks nice in 165Hz mode, it takes a big bite out of your battery—the laptop loses about an hour in the video benchmark. When there’s no power to plug in, I’d suggest sticking with 60Hz mode. The higher refresh rate will have a bigger impact in general computing compared to video. That said, even at 165Hz, you should be able to make it through a work day with the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i.
Plenty of laptops are relying entirely on USB-C for charging now, but not this one. Because there’s a dedicated GPU inside this machine, it needs more power than current USB devices can supply. The 170W “Slim Tip” charger keeps the machine running at full speed, and it recharges quickly. However, you can plug a USB-C cable with USB Power Delivery support into one of the two ports to charge the machine at up to 100W. The system will throttle performance when powered over USB-C.
Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i: Conclusion
The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i is one of the best mainstream Windows laptops on the market right now. The performance is top notch, whether you’re juggling spreadsheets or getting a few frags in before bed. The battery life is passable; it might be nice to have a bit more longevity, but I like the aggressive performance tuning. The build quality is also solid, with a full aluminum housing with no flex or rattle. I would have preferred a fully rotating screen, but the Yoga Pro 9i gets the traditional laptop form factor right. The screen is easy to open with one hand, and it stays where you leave it even if you move the machine around or pound on the keyboard.
Speaking of the keyboard, Lenovo did a good job of making the keys feel spacious even with that full number pad. The tactility is excellent for a laptop, and the keys feel solid at bottom out with almost no mushiness. I’m also a fan of the huge trackpad, which is clad in glass and feels buttery smooth. The audio-video experience is top tier, as well. Even the base model IPS display is excellent compared to similar laptops, and there’s a miniLED upgrade available. The speakers are also good—and not just good for a laptop.
The fantastic hardware brings us to this machine’s biggest con: the price. You’re looking at around $1,500 for the cheapest variant. My test unit clocked in at $1,700, and it doesn’t even have the upgraded miniLED screen. You can easily spend over $2,000 on the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i with all the trimmings. All the prices feel a bit too high—that’s MacBook Pro money. The model I reviewed has already been on sale as low as $1,500, and that seems about right. The good news is Lenovo shuffles prices frequently, so the Yoga Pro 9i will undoubtedly go on sale again.
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| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 19 Jun (PC World)PC sales have been struggling this year, and giving the “Copilot+” label to laptops equipped with newer hardware and the latest Microsoft AI features was supposed to give them a shot in the arm.
The first round of these next-gen laptops, powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips, are finally available to buy… minus the much-touted Recall feature, which has been put on hiatus for the launch.
If you buy a new laptop with the coveted “Copilot+” label, be aware that one of the key differentiating features that Microsoft has been pushing so hard won’t actually be available at launch.
Recall—the Copilot+ tool that records more or less every interaction you have with Windows and its applications—has been recalled delayed. After a huge amount of initial feedback (including privacy and safety concerns), Microsoft has decided to test the feature with Windows Insiders first before releasing it to the general public at a later date.
The showpiece for the Copilot+ program is the new Surface line, including the refreshed Surface Laptop and Surface Pro, but there are plenty of other choices from the big manufacturers. Dell, HP, Lenovo, Samsung, and Asus all have laptops with Snapdragon X processors and their integrated NPUs with a claimed 45 TOPS performance capacity.
There’s little hard data on the capabilities of the new Snapdragon X chips versus more conventional Intel and AMD offerings. Considering how poorly previous attempts at Windows on Arm have gone, it’s only natural that consumers would be skittish.
What little data we’ve been able to get indicates that the Snapdragon X Elite is at least roughly comparable with the latest laptop processors from the competition, though emulation for games and other intense applications could be an issue. As you might expect, the Arm hardware does seem to have a marked advantage in efficiency.
We’re currently testing the new Surface hardware and other Snapdragon X laptops here at PCWorld, and we’re preparing in-depth reviews for your eager eyeballs. Stay tuned.
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