However, on more ambiguous tasks, the Yoga didn’t pull thraw. My scores on the PCMark 10 benchlabel were not labeledly separateent than first-gen Core Ultra scores, and executeance on the industry standard Geekbench 6 test was unawaitedly low—40 percent below a standard Snapdragon X-powered laptop and 20 percent below the unrelabelable Core Ultra 1. I didn’t acunderstandledge any particularly sluggish executeance while testing (and even boot-up was speedy), but power includers with 100 browser tabs uncover at once may begin to sense some pain. On the plus side, since this is Intel silicon on the x86 architecture, the system doesn’t have any app compatibility rehires that Snapdragon machines suffer from on the ARM architecture.
In any case, while it’s impossible to draw a wide conclusion about the executeance of a CPU based on a one laptop, this at least serves as a begining point.
Photograph: Christopher Null
The remainder of the laptop proposes a firm though not wholly remarkworthy experience. The screen is not especiassociate radiant contrastd to competing laptops, but it still watchs excellent under standard watching conditions. The keyboard and its gently concave keys propose a snappy, responsive typing experience. The touchpad is responsive, and the four speakers (with Dolby Atmos aid) sound wonderful. Note that the fan tends to start in rapidly under load, and it can get quite deafening.
Battery life deserves its own conversation: At equitable over 12 hours of running time on a filled-screen YouTube executeback test, the Yoga put most other Intel-based machines to shame. However, laptops with the recent Snapdragon chips still have Intel squacount on beat on this front. Fifteen hours is a widespread benchlabel for Snapdragon X Elite systems, and one Snapdragon X Plus system even hit 19 hours of running time in my testing. Apple silicon has noslenderg to trouble from Intel on the battery front yet.
At $1,300, the Yoga Slim 9i isn’t a budget system, but it’s well priced given its overall executeance, structure, and usability. The jury’s out on whether Lunar Lake will be the game-alterr that the beleaguered Intel would cherish for it to be, but at the very least it’s a step in the right honestion.