Hello everyone, In this article we are writing full review of the Lenovo Slim 7 Pro, also known as the Yoga 7 Pro for the year 2023. Lenovo has made some interesting choices this year, which have resulted in significant improvements to the battery life compared to its predecessor, the Lenovo Slim 7 Pro, which we loved last year but wished had better battery life. However, there are some trade-offs that we’ll be discussing in this review. So, without further ado, let’s dive into my review of the Lenovo Slim Pro 7 for 2023.
Specs & Pricing
The pricing for this device is actually quite impressive, especially considering what you get for the price. Currently, it is priced at $1,199 at Best Buy in the US. For those interested, there is a link in the description below for more information on where to purchase. This laptop comes equipped with a Ryzen 7 7735 HS processor, a 14.5 inch IPS display with a 90 Hertz refresh rate, and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card. It also has 16 gigabytes of RAM, 512 gigabytes of SSD storage, and all of this comes at the price of $1,199.99. If you are interested in purchasing this laptop, be sure to check out the link in the description below.
Comparison with Slim 7 Pro X (2022)
There are some significant differences between the Lenovo Slim 7 Pro for 2023 and its predecessor, the Lenovo Slim 7 Pro X from 2022. One of the main differences is that the Slim 7 Pro is equipped with a Ryzen 7 7735 HS processor, while last year’s model had a more powerful Ryzen 9 6900 HS processor. However, both devices feature the same graphics card, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050. Another key difference is the battery life. The battery on the 2023 Slim 7 Pro has been significantly improved compared to its predecessor, addressing one of the main concerns from last year’s model.
Size, Weight & Build
The Lenovo slim 7 Pro for 2023 has some notable differences when compared to its predecessor, the Lenovo slim 7 Pro X from 2022. The new model is powered by a Ryzen 7 7735 HS processor, whereas the previous year’s model had a more powerful Ryzen 9 6900 HS. However, both models have the same graphics card, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050. One of the significant differences between the two models is the battery, with this year’s model having a 73 Watt-hour battery, up from 70 Watt-hours on the slim 7 Pro X. The display on this year’s model is a 2.5K resolution IPS display, whereas the previous model had a 3K resolution. The refresh rate has been reduced to 90Hz from 120Hz on last year’s model, resulting in better battery life. The laptop weighs 1.59 kilograms or 3.5 pounds, making it portable enough to take on the go. The laptop has a storm gray finish and an all-metal design, and there is minimal Flex in the chassis, which indicates good build quality. However, the laptop does attract fingerprints, which will require occasional cleaning.
Hinges, Keyboard & Touchpad
For those curious, the Lenovo Slim Pro 7’s lid can be opened with just one finger and the screen can be adjusted to a 180-degree viewing angle. The hinges are quite sturdy, with minimal screen wobbling. Typing on the keyboard is a comfortable experience, with good key travel and tactility, making it suitable for extended typing sessions. The keyboard has Lenovo’s signature smile-shaped keys and a multi-stage backlight for typing in darker environments. The touchpad is decently sized and responsive, supporting various gestures, and has a diving board style touch pad that works well. The touchpad is not haptic, but it still functions well.
Lenovo Slim 7 Pro Ports
On the left side of the laptop, you will find an HDMI 2.1 port which allows you to connect to a monitor with a 4K resolution at up to 60 hertz. Additionally, there are two USB type-c ports, the first of which is a full-function USBC 3.2 Gen 2 port. Next to that is a USB 4 port which provides 40 megabits per second and offers functionality similar to that of a Thunderbolt port on an Intel laptop. I was able to connect my Thunderbolt dock and SSD drive to the USB 4 port, and both worked well. On the right side of the laptop, there is a kill switch for the webcam, the power button, a 3.5 millimeter microphone headphone combo jack, and a USB-A port. The port selection is good overall, but there is no SD card reader, which is not surprising given the thin and light chassis and the trend we’re seeing in 2023.
User Upgradeability and Internals
The SSD on this laptop is user upgradeable, as shown in the live unboxing earlier. It is an m.2 PCIe Gen 4 drive and provides excellent read and write speeds. The RAM, however, is soldered onto the motherboard and is not upgradable by the user, which is a common trend in 2023. It comes with 16GB of dual-channel VDR5 RAM and has been performing well. The laptop has Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1, with a slotted card for future upgrades. Both the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth have been working flawlessly without any issues.
Performance, Benchmarks and Gaming
This laptop comes with the AMD Ryzen 7 7735 HS processor, which is an 8 core 16 thread processor based on the Zen 3+ architecture. Although some might be disappointed that it’s not based on Zen 4, laptops with that architecture are expected to come later this year. But, for now, this processor is very efficient and performs well. In fact, the single and multi-core performance benchmark results show that it’s quite good for everyday tasks like using Microsoft Office, email, web browsing, and even video editing in DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro, including 4K video editing. The RTX 3050 discrete GPU helps with these tasks as well, and even though it’s not a gaming laptop per se, it can handle some popular titles at playable frame rates with lowered settings. However, there is a decrease in performance in heavy sustained workloads like the cinebench R23 multi-core score, which is lower than last year’s slim 7 Pro X. Nonetheless, the overall performance is good for what you need it to do.
Thermals, Surface Temps and Fan Noise
Now, as far as the thermals are concerned, I never saw it get overly hot, although there were a few hot spots, as you can see in the surface temperatures. They were never too hot to the touch, but they can definitely get pretty warm, as seen in the measurements. As far as the fan noise is concerned, under performance mode and heavy load, it will ramp up and become noticeable at around 51 decibels. So, it is definitely very audible under performance mode when under heavy load. However, under balanced or silent mode, it’s not an issue, but it will be if you’re running this under heavy load.
Lenovo Slim 7 Pro Battery
Now, having a lower resolution and refresh rate, and going with a Ryzen 7 instead of a Ryzen 9, means that you’ll get better battery life. And we’re seeing a nice increase in battery life year over year. In fact, I’m seeing nearly three hours more than last year’s Slim 7 Pro X, which is really good, folks. I’m very happy to see that because one of the big complaints about the otherwise great laptop from last year was the battery life. So, we’re definitely seeing a nice improvement year over year. Of course, the trade-off is that you’ll get less multi-core performance than last year’s model, but I’ll take that slight hit in multi-core performance to get those extra three hours of battery life. That’s a trade I’ll make any day.
Now, if you find yourself needing to plug in the supplied power adapter, it’s USB-C and gives you rapid charge. It only takes 15 minutes to give you three hours of runtime, and it only takes about 90 minutes or so to fully charge from zero to full. And that’s not too bad.
Display
Now, let’s take a look at the laptop’s display. It is a 14.5-inch IPS display with a 2.5k resolution, which is 2560 by 1600. Additionally, it has a 90Hz refresh rate, providing a smooth scrolling experience. I believe 90Hz is a good balance between a fluid experience and decent battery life. As seen from the battery life numbers, this laptop has very good battery life. The color gamut coverage is also decent, making it suitable for tasks such as Photoshop, Lightroom, and video editing. It has good color accuracy with a low Delta e score. The display is multi-touch, which means you can navigate the OS with your finger and use pinch-to-zoom gestures. It worked well and was quite responsive. The display is also a Dolby Vision display, providing an excellent experience when streaming content from platforms such as Netflix, Amazon, and YouTube. However, it is a 16:10 aspect ratio display, which means you’ll get slight black bars on the top and bottom when viewing media optimized for a 16:9 aspect ratio. On the other hand, a 16:10 aspect ratio means you’ll have to do less scrolling when browsing the web, and you’ll see more on the display. One thing to be aware of is that this is a glossy display, which means you may notice some glare and reflections, depending on your lighting conditions. Overall, for a mid-range laptop, this is an excellent IPS display, and you won’t be disappointed.
FHD IR Webcam & Internal Mics
The Lenovo Slim 7 Pro for 2023 (outside North America) comes with a full HD 1080p 30 frames per second IR camera, allowing you to log in with face recognition via Windows hello. There’s no fingerprint scanner on this model, so you’ll have to use the camera or input a password/passcode. The video quality and audio quality of the array mic seem pretty decent, but let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Unlike other laptops, I didn’t see any studio effects on this model, perhaps due to its price point. If you’re using it for Zoom or work from home, please let me know how it performs for your hybrid work needs.
Audio and Sound Test
Now, moving on to the audio quality, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro is equipped with stereo speakers that deliver a total of four watts, with each speaker providing two watts of power. It also comes with Dolby Atmos to enhance the spatial audio experience. In order to give you an idea of how it compares to other laptops in the market, I will compare it to the sound quality of the MacBook Pro 14 M1 Pro, which is widely regarded as one of the best sounding laptops out there.
Final Thought
The Lenovo Slim 7 Pro, or as it’s known outside North America, the Yoga 7 Pro, for 2023? Well, it’s interesting that they opted for the Ryzen 7 instead of the Ryzen 9, a 2.5K display instead of 3K, and a lower refresh rate of 90Hz instead of 120Hz. But this translates into better battery life, with almost three hours more compared to the Slim 7 Pro X from last year. This is definitely an improvement, although there is a slight hit in multi-core performance, which is not very noticeable in real-world usage.
In terms of other performance aspects, it ran relatively cool and quiet, with the fans getting to around 52 decibels under heavy load. Fan noise isn’t an issue except for when running it under heavy load in performance mode. Port selection is good, with the exception of no SD card reader, but the USB 4 port worked with many of my Thunderbolt accessories, which is a welcome addition.
At a price of $1200, it’s a good deal, with some downsides like soldered RAM, limited RTX 3050, and lower multi-core performance. However, the Ryzen 7 7735 HS is a decent processor based on the Zen 3+ architecture. All in all, it’s a solid choice for real-world usage.
Now, of course, the biggest problem with the Slim 7 Pro X last year was battery life, but they have addressed that. Although there is a slight hit in performance, it’s not a big deal in real-world usage, and you won’t notice the difference. Overall, this is a laptop that I can definitely recommend for 2023.
At a price of $1200, it's a good deal, with some downsides like soldered RAM, limited RTX 3050, and lower multi-core performance. However, the Ryzen 7 7735 HS is a decent processor based on the Zen 3+ architecture. All in all, it's a solid choice for real-world usage.
