It's no secret that Windows 8 hasn't exactly struck a chord with every desktop user. It makes sense, though, that the dual-natured operating system would be much more at home on dual-natured devices. You know, the kind that sit at the intersection of the desktop and mobile, like the Lenovo Ideapad Yoga. Join Gizmag as we put the new 11-inch model, the Yoga 11S, through its paces.

The Ideapad Yoga 11S follows Lenovo's 13-inch version, which debuted late last year, and the Yoga 11, which runs the limited Windows RT. This new version combines the smaller form factor of the RT version with the full Windows 8 experience of the original.

The appeal of the Yoga series is evident in its branding. Like a yogi practicing the camel or the downward dog poses, the Yoga can stretch from Notebook Mode to Tablet Mode. And just as no respectable yoga practitioner would limit themselves to just two poses, the Yoga can transform into a couple other positions along the way.

The biggest advantage of this kind of device is that there are basically no compromises when used as a laptop. Unlike the flexible keyboard cover on the Surface Pro, the Yoga gives you that solid base on your lap that you'd expect from an Ultrabook. In fact, the Yoga essentially is a touchscreen Ultrabook, albeit one with a 360-degree hinge.

In Tablet Mode, the Yoga 11S gives you a spacious, but not too unwieldy, 11.6-inch screen. It's nice to be able to convert it into a tablet so easily, but the tablet experience is somewhat compromised. It's a strange sensation to feel the device's physical keyboard on the back when using it as a tablet. The keys are unresponsive when it's folded back beyond 190 degrees, but your fingers are well aware of those moving keys. It makes it damn near impossible to forget that this isn't a dedicated tablet.

The other positions are Stand Mode (below), which is like laptop position in reverse, and Tent Mode, which flips the device upside down to stand itself up like, well, a tent. These positions are probably most useful for watching videos, reading recipes while cooking, giving presentations, or setting up some sort of touchscreen demo for others.

That 11.6-inch multitouch screen is a great size, and we appreciated the extra space it provides over smaller devices like the Surface Pro (the Yoga gives you 20 percent more real estate than the Surface). At 1366 x 768, the Yoga's resolution could be sharper, though, and at 135 PPI, it doesn't look nearly as sharp as some competing devices.

The Yoga 11S is sturdy and rugged. It's outer shell is made of a magnesium aluminum alloy. The device's almost rubbery-feeling chassis is a pleasure to hold. It weighs 3.08 lb (1.4 kg), which puts some significant heft in your hands (it's 114 percent heavier than the iPad). But we didn't think it felt too ridiculously heavy in Tablet Mode. At 11.73 x 8.03 x 0.67 in (29.8 x 20.4 x 1.7 cm), it's a pretty large device, so that weight is spread out much wider than on most other tablets or hybrids.

The Yoga sports two USB ports (one 3.0, the other 2.0), and that second one is a welcome addition. It has an HDMI port for video out, and an SD card slot (full-sized, not microSD).

The Yoga has a terrific keyboard, and an equally great trackpad. Keys are as responsive as you'd need them to be, and are curved to maximize comfort. Even the "leather-touch" (it's plastic, but feels kinda like leather) palm rest is uncommonly comfortable.

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Review: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11S