Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7 is a 2-in-1 device.

For a laptop to make a statement, it needs to be more than just the latest components – it needs to be stylish. The Lenovo Yoga 9i is ready to compete in today’s market with its 12th generation Intel P-series processors, but it shows that it’s more than just another thin and light convertible with luxurious details.

You can tell right away that the Yoga 9i has been designed to grab your attention with its lustrous polished finish. But real amenities like a high-definition webcam with background blur, an optional tall and fast OLED touchscreen, and abnormally loud speakers tell the truth.

(Note: OLED versions of the Yoga 9i are not available for purchase, but Lenovo told us they should be available from Best Buy within the next two weeks.)

Slim and shiny

The Yoga 9i proves that a laptop doesn’t have to be a MacBook, or even a MacBook imitation, to have a striking design. The aluminum body of my test unit is silver, but the laptop is also oatmeal gold and dark grey. I liked the subtle glitter on the matte lid, deck and keyboard of the silver version. Instead of begging for attention by living in the center of the laptop’s lid, the cut-out Lenovo and Yoga logos play cool and wait until you notice them on the edges of the lid.

You can call the design of this laptop “edgy”- not because it is rebellious, but because of the bright shiny edges of the deck. Reflective and polished, they offer a rounded alternative to the sharp, pointed edges of laptops we often see. Lenovo says the edges make the machine more comfortable to hold in tablet mode, but I found they added unnecessary slipperiness.

More bulky is the thin, flat power button on the right side of the deck; I’ve accidentally bumped into it repeatedly when moving my laptop, even after weeks of using the machine. The polished edges of the Yoga 9i are nice, but I’d have preferred dull, non-reflective, sharp edges if that meant I’d have better grip and fewer accidental power button presses.

If you rarely hold your laptop by the left and right sides, this probably won’t bother you. There are no power buttons on the spine, of course.

There is also a soundbar. The holes covering the 360-degree hinge and its two tweeters are the final details that turn the laptop into a statement piece. However, I’m worried about the durability of the speakers, especially given the fact that the holes are open even when the laptop is closed.

Finally, the Yoga 9i doesn’t let subtlety ruin its port selection. On the left, it has two Thunderbolt 4 ports and even a USB-A port (3.2 Gen 2 at 10Gbps). On the right side, there is a 3.5mm jack and another USB-C (3.2 Gen 2) port.

There’s no HDMI or DisplayPort here, but between Thunderbolt 4 options for a USB-C monitor and an OLED screen, you can hopefully get by.