The ThinkPad Yoga S1 is a well-made business convertible with a beautiful flexible display, but it lacks the connectivity to be a true enterprise force.

The Lenovo Yoga line has become quite popular, offering consumers the convenience of a tablet with the stability of a laptop. Now Lenovo wants to afford that same level of flexibility to its enterprise-grade users with the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga S1.

Outfitted with a magnesium alloy build and equipped with an Intel Core i5-4200U CPU and a 128GB SSD the notebook features the durability and performance expected of a business notebook, all while retaining the flexibility of the 360-dgree hinge design that the Yoga namesake has become known for.

However, offering the allure of a consumer ultrabook with the practical needs of a business notebook is no small task. Can the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga S1 walk that fine line? Or will the device stretch itself too think? Read the full review to find out.

Similar to other ThinkPad devices the Yoga S1 employs a high-quality black matte magnesium alloy build. The understated black protective surface is smooth and cool to the touch, making the device both comfortable to use and easy to transport. Of course in true ThinkPad fashion the alloy construct isnt only there for superficial appeal; as it affords the device top-notch durability, having passed MIL-SPEC tests for pressure, extreme temperatures, dust and vibrations.

However, unlike the traditional squared Lenovo ThinkPad T Series design, the Yoga S1 sports a softer curved look more akin to the Lenovo ThinkPad S431. The aesthetic much like the rest of the notebook looks to parse the divide between being a practical business tool and a stylish ultrabook.

More in line with the typical Yoga design, the ThinkPad Yoga S1 features the iconic 360-degree display hinge, allowing the notebook to easily transform between the standard notebook, tablet, tent and stand modes. New to the Yoga S1, the molding around the keyboard raises to create a flat surface when display hinge passes 180 degrees. While it may seem like a rather small feature, the flat surface does make the device more comfortable to handle in tablet mode. As with other Yoga devices the majority of the notebooks buttons (sans a Windows button located below the devices display) have been positioned along the right side of the devices chassis. From there you can access the power button, independent volume controls or lock the displays screen orientation.

Measuring in at 12.5 x 8.7 x 0.76 and weighing in at 3.5 pounds, the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga S1 offers a form factor conducive to travel, but its not quite as portable as some of its competitors. Devices such as the 3.35 pound Dell XPS 12 (0.79), the 2 pound Microsoft Surface Pro 2 (0.53) or even the 3.06 pound IdeaPad Yoga 2 (0.61) offer more portable form factors. However the small hit to portability is a small price to pay for the premium durable build employed by the ThinkPad Yoga S1.

Originally posted here:
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga S1 Review: Market Elasticity