Our verdict
The Lenovo Yoga 730 is a good mix of durability, portability, performance, and affordability. Here's a well-made, compact device that'll easily carry out your typical daily work tasks. The battery life could be better, as could the speakers, but it is still a decent deal.
To the
Robust construction
Well-made trackpad
Fast loading
Against
Weak speakers
Battery life just ok
A little heavy
Introduction, price, design and display
Performance, battery life, functions and conclusion
TODAY'S BEST DEALS
$879.99
at Amazon
There are many things to pick out from the Lenovo Yoga 730. It's not a huge improvement over the previous model. Battery life and speakers aren't great. It's a little on the heavy side. Its display is 'meh'.
However, priced between the inferior, cheap cellar and the sublime premium
2-in-1 laptops
, this convertible gives you the best of both worlds. Starting at $879 (see regional pricing below), the Yoga 730 gives you a quality build that can take a beating without the price tag that could burn a hole in your pocket.
Read more: Lenovo Yoga Book C930
And guess what, you can use the Yoga Book 730 to take care of your daily work tasks—and even watch a movie or two.
Lenovo Yoga 730 (Silver) at Amazon for $879.99
data sheet
Here is the Lenovo Yoga 730 configuration sent to TechRadar for review:
CPU
: 1.60 GHz Intel Core i5-8250U (quad core, up to 3.40 GHz with Turbo Boost, 6 MB cache)
graphic
: Intel UHD Graphics 620
R.A.M.
: 8GB DDR4
Screen
: 13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS (Multi-Touch, Anti-Glare)
storage
: 256 GB SSD (PCIe)
ports
: 2 x USB Type-C Thunderbolt 3, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x headphone jack
connectivity
: 802.11ac (2x2); Bluetooth 1.4
camera
: 720p HD webcam (dual array microphone)
Weight
: 2.62 pounds (1.19 kg)
size
: 12.1 x 8.5 x 0.55 in (30.68 x 20.63 x 1.41 cm; W x D x H)
price and availability
In the ultrabook world, the Lenovo Yoga 730 starts at an affordable $879 (about $1,100), although the configuration used for this review was $949, which is the base configuration with an upgraded SSD. This configuration is not yet available in the UK but costs AU$1,999.
Several configurations are available in the US, with the most expensive being $1,449 (about £1,500, AU$2,519). The only differences in these configurations are the amount of RAM and the size of the SSD, with a maxed out Yoga 730 at 16 GB RAM and a 512 GB SSD.
While the Lenovo Yoga 730's competitors are slightly lighter, with more horsepower or better battery life, these models start at a much higher price point
XPS 13 2-in-1
, for example, starts at $1,199 (about £1,149, AU$1,999) with similar specs to the configuration reviewed here, while the
HP Specter x360
Convertible, also with similar specs, costs $1,149 (about £889, AU$2,499).
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draft
The first thing you'll notice about the Yoga 730 is that it's surprisingly heavy, especially for its thinness and small size. While it's a slight improvement over the Yoga 720, it's still just over half a pound heavier than that
MacBook
at 2.62 pounds. However, the laptop isn't so heavy that you have to lug it around. If you're looking for something really light, you might have to particularly overlook this tiny detail.
Despite the weight, the laptop is compact and thin, with a sleek, minimalist look, a simple 'Yoga' logo in the corner, and an aluminum chassis. We're not entirely happy with the sharper edges, but you'll have no problem looking for a place to stash this thing, even if you're traveling light. And since it's small, it fits comfortably on your tray table when you need to be productive on the plane.
From the overall build, you can tell right away that this Ultrabook feels sturdy and well-made. This includes the dual hinges that hold the display in place and feel very sturdy and premium. This is usually a problem area for many 2-in-1s, especially the cheaper ones, but the Yoga 730's are snug enough to keep the display from wobbling in the standard laptop orientation.
keyboard and trackpad
The trackpad, a Microsoft Precision trackpad that allows for additional Windows-specific gestures and movements, is one of the Yoga 730's best elements. Unlike cheaply built models, this ultrabook's trackpad feels snug and doesn't have any unnecessary give or separation from the Body.
Lenovo's silky trackpad finish might not be appreciated by everyone, but it's accurate and responsive with no noticeable lag. Don't expect the trackpad to perform well for gaming, but it works pretty well for your productivity needs. We also appreciate the soft white backlight , which you can toggle on and off simply by pressing Fn + Spacebar.
The keyboard is equally responsive and precise, with relatively short travel. It's not as comfortable as you'd hope, but that's typical of many 2-in-1s, where the keys are a little stiff and not much Provide springiness. This just means that the keyboard operation will take some getting used to and you might have to put up with some finger fatigue at first.
display and sound
The 13.3-inch touchscreen display feels solid like the rest of the design and is well worth the price.
That's not to say the screen doesn't have its limitations. The display has a glossy finish that picks up fingerprints easily, especially if you use tablet mode a lot. The anti-glare coating only goes so far and is up to actual sunlight It's a bit dim even on its brightest setting, with some dominant purple tones. And the camera at the top center of the display is under-resolved at just 720p.
On the plus side, the screen is slim at 5.9mm on the sides: a relatively thin bezel for more space. The anti-glare coating is ideal for lamps and interior lights. And the webcam offers stabilization.
More importantly, unlike other models where you feel that tiny, annoying gap between the screen and the LCD glass, you don't really get that with the Yoga 730's display. It's smooth and well-made, feels doesn't look cheap and is very responsive to taps, scrolls and presses. It also offers stylus support - the Lenovo Active Pen 2 is a good accessory to invest in if you're a pen user - and by default it offers keyboard click sounds to add a tactile touch Emulate reaction in tablet mode.
The Yoga 730's speakers are very quiet - too quiet. You shouldn't expect much better from a typical 2-in-1, but it's still quite disappointing. And while the quality is fairly balanced, there's very little low -End.
Of course, with headphones, the sound is much louder. You only limited the overall volume you need when using headphones by the type of headphones you use. To adjust the sound, at least partially, you can use the Dolby Atmos software, which includes both presets and a 20-band equalizer.
TODAY'S BEST DEALS
$879.99
at Amazon
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Michelle Rae Uy
Michelle Rae Uy is a Los Angeles-based editor, writer and photographer with a bad case of wanderlust. She is a regular contributor to Thrillist, TravelAge West, HuffPo Travel, Paste Magazine and Travel Pulse. She has written for publications such as Nylon, Fodor's and SmarterTravel and is also a contributing editor for MiniTime.com.
