Battle of the Yogas: ThinkPad X1 Yoga (2nd gen) VS. Yoga 910

[EricX]

Disclosure:  I received these laptops from Lenovo as part of their advocacy program, so huge thanks to the folks over at Lenovo. I don't receive compensation for my review, and as always, all opinions are my own.  

The ThinkPad X1 Yoga is first modern ThinkPad that I've ever owned.  I’ve been using Lenovo’s Ideapad lineup for a very long time, and while I’ve used ThinkPads in the past, the X1 Yoga will be my first personal ThinkPad that I own.  So how does it stack up to the Yoga 910?  Let’s find out!
 
I have the i7 UHD model of the Yoga 910 and the i5 FHD model of the ThinkPad X1 Yoga.  I tried out the latest Yoga 920, but I haven’t tried the latest X1 Yoga yet… hopefully, I will! 

Hardware & Design

Even though both laptops carry “yoga” in their name, the hardware behind them is vastly different.  The ThinkPad X1 Yoga has the classic ThinkPad black design, which is made of a carbon-fiber hybrid for the top cover and a magnesium-PPS hybrid for the bottom cover.  The Yoga 910 has a similar design from the Lenovo’s Yoga lineup, with an aluminum build throughout.  

The ThinkPad only comes in two colors: classic black and silver; whereas the Yoga has a whole suite of colors to choose from, such as silver, copper, bronze, and even a few exclusive designs, such as the Vibe designs for the Yoga 920 and the Star Wars themed designs for the Yoga 910. 

The ThinkPad feels more substantial in the hands, with less display flex and keyboard flex than the Yoga 910.   

Both the X1 Yoga and the Yoga 910 can bend 360 degrees to flip from a laptop into a tablet.  However, there’s something really cool with the X1 Yoga’s hinge mechanism that the Yoga 910 doesn’t have – the ability for the keyboard to go back inside the machine when it’s outside of laptop mode.  The hinge mechanism of the ThinkPad is also stiffer than the Yoga’s hinge.  

Overall, both machines seem very reliable, and while I give the build quality edge to the ThinkPad; the design is completely subjective.  I personally like the ThinkPad look more, but I know some people would prefer the Yoga’s more colorful look. 

Ports

The ThinkPad X1 Yoga definitely wins in this department, with 2 USB C ports, 3 USB ports, an HDMI port, a mini-ethernet port (albeit the full-sized adapter wasn’t included with mine), and a headphone jack.  The Yoga 910 falls a bit short in this area, with only 2 USB C ports, a headphone jack, and one full-sized USB port.  There’s also a Kensington lock on the X1 Yoga that’s not present on the Yoga. 

Display

I have the FHD model of the X1 Yoga and the UHD model of the Yoga 910, so it’s obvious that the Yoga 910’s display has better clarity and detail.  However, I compared my friend’s Yoga 920 with a FHD display to the FHD display of the X1 Yoga, and the colors on the Yoga is way more vibrant has more contrast than the ThinkPad’s display.  I should also note that the 3rd gen X1 Yoga will have a Dolby HDR verified display, but I haven’t seen it in real life to compare it to the 2nd gen which I currently have.  

If you’re a video editor or photo editor, I would recommend the Yoga over the ThinkPad.

Speakers​

Just physically, the speaker size of the Yoga 910 is substantially bigger than the ThinkPad X1 Yoga’s.  That size difference unequivocally leads to a way better audio experience with the Yoga 910.  There’s less distortion when playing music at high volumes, and more bass with the Yoga 910 than the X1 Yoga. 

The speakers on the Yoga 910 are tuned by JBL, and software on the Yoga allows you to change the audio profile to whatever you like.  No such customization is available on the X1 Yoga, unfortunately.  

Take a listen for yourself.  Both laptops are set at 80% volume, with the music profile on the Yoga 910: 

Keyboard 

The ThinkPad keyboard has spoiled me…. Typing on the X1 Yoga is an absolute godsend.  The Yoga 910’s keyboard isn’t bad at all, but it’s no ThinkPad.  The main differences are that the ThinkPad has way more key travel and tactile feedback than the Yoga.  The Yoga feels really clicky, and the short key travel distance leads me to more typing errors than on the ThinkPad.  It’s really hard to describe on paper or even with a video, so I highly urge you to try out a ThinkPad for yourself at your local computer store.  

I consistently score a high word per minute count on the ThinkPad X1 Yoga over the Yoga 910, and I’m currently typing this review on the ThinkPad.  

If you type a lot on your laptop, then you definitely want to go with the ThinkPad.  

 

Trackpad

The trackpad on the Yoga 910 seems more responsive than the one on the ThinkPad, and that’s mainly because the ThinkPad’s trackpad has more travel distance.  On the other hand, the trackpad on the ThinkPad is more comfortable to use since it’s a smoother surface.  I can’t really declare a winner on the trackpad, but I should also note that I almost never use the trackpad on the ThinkPad because of the TrackPoint.

Yes, the ThinkPad line is one of the only laptops left with the nibble in the middle of the keyboard, but I still love using it.  It’s more convenient for me because I can type and move the cursor, all with my hands in the same position.  Using a trackpad, you would have to move your hands down to the trackpad to move the cursor, and I absolutely love not having to do that with the ThinkPad.  The TrackPoint is very responsive and accurate, but I had to change the settings before using because the default settings were to fast to my liking. 

Battery Life

I have the i7 UHD model of the Yoga 910 and the i5 FHD model of the X1 Yoga, so the X1 Yoga’s battery lasts a whole lot longer, and that’s a bit expected.  What’s not expected is that even though the Yoga 910 sports a 25% larger battery than the X1 Yoga, the estimated battery life for both laptops are really similar.  Lenovo says that both machines have a battery life up to 15 hours, and LaptopMag’s battery tests show very similar results for similar spec’d machines. 

So I would say that you could expect more battery life on the Yoga 910, albeit not a whole lot more. 

Charging Time

Since the X1 Yoga has a smaller battery and is bundled with a 65W fast charger in the box, it’s able to charge from 0 to 80% in just one hour, which is pretty impressive.  I can attest to this, and with my testing, the X1 Yoga consistently charges faster than the Yoga 910.  It’s important to note that the Yoga 910 only includes a 45W charge in the box, and while you can use the 65W charge from the X1 Yoga to charge the Yoga 910, it’s still not as fast as a rate since the X1 Yoga has a smaller battery to juice up. 

Fan & Cooling

The Yoga 910 has two fans which exhaust and intake air all through the hinges.  While it’s a very elegant solution, I don’t think it’s as effective as the single fan that has one intake vent and exhaust vent.  The ThinkPad is usually quieter than the Yoga 910 while doing the same exact things, which strains the battery less.  It’s also cooler to the touch than the Yoga 910. 

Odds and Ends

While this isn’t a really major thing, I should also mention that the fingerprint sensor on the Yoga 910 is slightly faster than the X1 Yoga, even though the X1 Yoga has a slightly larger sensor. 

Also, the X1 Yoga has an included pen which is held in a slot inside the laptop.  I use the pen regularly, and I love the fact that there’s a slot for it inside the laptop, which makes it much harder to lose.  The Yoga 910 doesn’t come with an included pen, but the Yoga 920 does, and it is more accurate and pressure sensitive than the X1 Yoga.  However, the pen for the Yoga 920 doesn’t have a designated slot inside the laptop, meaning you’ll have to remember to bring it with you wherever you go, which can be quite a burden. 

I should also note that there’s a WWAN option for the X1 Yoga, whereas there is no such option for the Yoga 920.  

 

Conclusions

I feel that the Lenovo’s Yoga lineup suits content creators or consumers. The better speakers and display are a huge contributing factor to this, and the design of the Yoga would most likely fit those in this category. 

The ThinkPad X1 Yoga, on the other hand, is great for those who want a classic business look and type a lot.  The ThinkPad X1 Yoga has become my typing companion, and I love typing essays or documents on it.  

Got any questions?  Feel free to drop them below!

[lm222]

Thank you for your accurate post!

I have a doubt, I hope someone can help me . 

I am thinking in buying a new laptop . YOGA 920 vs Thinkpad YOGA. 

I need a machine thati is:

- light to transport (home to office-university-travel),

- main work: statistics software-database management-Office.  --> working on various applications at same time.

- Take notes/comment on documents (Digital Pen useful for this, I suppose).

What should I buy? What are the differences, being Thinkpad is more expensive?

- Really worth buying an 8th gen? (Thinkpad is 7th gen).

- Enough with 8 GB RAM ? (Yoga 920 not able to modify).

** Now working with an i5 2500GHz 4GB RAM. 

THank you!

[EricX]

I'd recommend the ThinkPad if you'll be typing a lot.  I'd also like to add that the ThinkPad has a slot for the pen (which the Yoga 920 doesn't have).  

You're paying more for better quality on the ThinkPad, along with a better keyboard and trackpad experience.  

And in your case, 16GB is more suitable, especially if you're jugging multiple applications at once.

7th gen vs 8th gen processors isn't a huge difference performance wise, but I have heard that battery life is better on the 8th gen.  I believe the ThinkPad X1 Yoga with the 8th gen processor is coming out in a month or so.

Hope that helps

[thinkpaduser7]

The Thinkpad X1 Yoga 2017/2:nd edition's OLED monitor is superior to any other monitor on the market, so that's one more score for the Thinkpad.

[billbolton]

I have a Yoga 900 and the aluminium case scratches VERY easily.... quite disppointing compared to any of the ThinkPads I've had!

[EricX]

That's true - the matte finish of the ThinkPad is wayyy more durable.

[idanan]

+1 For "I should also note that I almost never use the trackpad on the ThinkPad because of the TrackPoint."

Once you have a trackpoint, there is no point to the trackpad.

One thing to be aware is that the Yoga 910 has a glossy display, while the X1 Yoga has an anti-reflective coating

which makes the screen infinitely more usable.

Interestingly, it is the only one with an AR coating on an HDR display. I finally went for an X1 Carbon (non-yoga)

and was a little dissapointed that the HDR option is glossy and got it with the Non-Glare QHD display which is

very good.

[vegan-fanatic]

---

@EricX wrote:

That's true - the matte finish of the ThinkPad is wayyy more durable.

---

I agree, my X220 has taken a licking and it is still ticking.

I upgraded the RAM on my X220 and have a 480GB SSD so it is still respectable

[pantojaf]

Great review. I owned the two. I moved on to the ThinkPad X1 because it has much more features and the Yoga 920 keyboard really annoyed me, BUT I feel that the 920 was much more hardware reliable. In terms of screen, I would dare to say that the OLED screen of the Carbon won the Yoga 920 4k screen.

[for anybody... 4k screen is doublty worthy... most apps will not support it and on top of that everything goes REALLY SMALL ]

I am having now problems with the X1 Carbon both in the WWAN and with screen flickering ..... the new owner of the Yoga 920 (I sold it) is super enjoying it without a problem....

Hope it helps

[EricX]

Thanks for the feedback  Haven't tried the OLED version yet but heard stellar things about it.

I haven't had any issues with WWAN or screen flickering, but I would suggest installing the latest wireless card drivers and display drivers from support.lenovo.com.

If that doesn't work, you should probably go for a warranty RMA.