In this article, We have a business-focused two-in-one convertible laptop the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 2023 with a 13th Gen processor and a beautiful full HD Plus display. It’s a matte display, so you don’t get any unnecessary glare or reflections. In this review, we’ll dive into X1 Yoga Gen 8 features, performance, display, battery life, and more to determine if this laptop is worth or Not?
Unboxing and Design
When unboxing the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8, you’ll find the laptop itself, along with some documentation and a power cord. The laptop features an all-metal design with a storm gray finish, which is sleek and professional. Unlike the X1 Carbon gen 11, the X1 Yoga Gen 8 doesn’t collect fingerprints easily, making it more practical for everyday use. The laptop weighs around 1.726 kilograms (3 pounds 12.9 ounces), making it a portable option for on-the-go professionals.
ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 Ports
In terms of connectivity, the X1 Yoga Gen 8 offers a range of ports. On the left side, you’ll find two USB Type-C Thunderbolt 4 ports, a full-size USB-A port, and an HDMI 2.0B port. On the other side, there’s a 3.5mm microphone headphone combo jack, another full-size USB-A port, and a Kensington Lockport. This selection of ports ensures that you have all the necessary options for connecting your peripherals and accessories.
Internals and User Upgradeability
Getting inside the X1 Yoga Gen 8 is a breeze. Simply loosen the five Phillips head screws, and you’ll have access to the internals. Inside, you’ll find two small fans for cooling and a 57-watt hour battery. The SSD is user-upgradable, and Lenovo offers the option to outfit the laptop with up to 64 gigabytes of LP DDR5x RAM. However, it’s worth noting that the RAM is soldered into the motherboard, so upgrading it yourself isn’t possible.
When it comes to wireless connectivity, it has Wi-Fi 6E and a Bluetooth 5.1 combo card that is soldered into the motherboard. This means that as a user, you cannot upgrade it. However, I’m seeing really great results here with both the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, There are no issues on either front, and both are working flawlessly. And you have the choice of a 4G LTE Cat 16 modem that supports eSIM, or you can go with the sub-6 5G modem, which is a Cat 20 modem that also supports eSIM. Both options also support physical nano SIMs. This is great for mobile professionals who need to work on the road and require a secure always-on connection.
Hinges, Keyboard and Trackpad
For those wondering, you can open the lid of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 with one finger, the hinges rock solid on this model. I noticed very little, if any, screen wobble when I was typing, which can be a bit annoying on other laptops. But with this one, it’s pretty good.
The ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 also features a spill-resistant keyboard, which is always a great feature to have which is my favorite. The tactility of the keys is good, the key travel is satisfying, and overall, the typing experience has been excellent exactly what you’d expect from a ThinkPad keyboard. It’s great for productivity.
Additionally, the keyboard has a multi-stage backlight, allowing you to work in a dark room or a dimly lit environment. The backlighting works well. The trackpad is responsive and functions smoothly for scrolling and performing gestures. Everything works as you would expect. And the iconic TrackPoint, which is part of the ThinkPad DNA, and it’s also present on this laptop.
Display
There are actually a few different display options available on the X1 Yoga Gen 8, The top-of-the-line option is the OLED display. You can get the X1 Yoga Gen 8 with a 3840 by 2400 UHD Plus OLED display. It’s an HDR400 display and supports Dolby Vision. It can reach a brightness of up to 500 nits. Although I don’t have that specific display, it’s a great option for those who require a higher pixel count, better color gamut coverage, and more color accuracy.
Lenovo also sent over a full HD Plus matte display, which eliminates glare and reflections. Last year, they provided a glossy version of the full HD Plus display, but personally, I prefer the matte display. It reduces distractions caused by glare and reflections, making it ideal for work, especially in a business-focused laptop like this. In terms of color gamut coverage, it’s decent but not the best. If you need better coverage, opting for the UHD Plus OLED display would be the way to go. While the full HD Plus display is pretty color accurate, the OLED display would likely offer even more color accuracy.
Brightness-wise, the display reaches 381 nits, slightly lower than the claimed 400 nits. Nevertheless, it’s still a bright display that works well for productivity tasks. It features a 16:10 aspect ratio, which means less scrolling when browsing the web and more content visible on the screen—a great advantage for productivity. However, when consuming media that’s specifically made for a 16:9 aspect ratio, you may see small black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. It’s not a major issue, but something worth mentioning. The refresh rate of the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 display is 60 hertz, There’s no option for a higher refresh rate like 90 or 120 hertz as found in other laptops. However, for a commercial business-focused laptop like the X1 Yoga Gen 8, prioritizing better battery life with a 60 hertz refresh rate is definitely more preferable than sacrificing battery life for a higher refresh rate. The main focus here is productivity, and that’s what X1 Yoga Gen 8 laptop excels at.
Additionally, the touch layer of the display works exceptionally well. It’s highly responsive when navigating the operating system, allowing for smooth finger gestures like pinch-to-zoom. Overall, it delivers a great user experience
The Modes and Pen
Being a two-in-one convertible, the X1 Yoga Gen 8 allows you to switch between different modes. You can use it in tent mode or stand mode for consuming media, or switch it to tablet mode for note-taking and sketching. The laptop comes with a pen that conveniently stores and charges within the device itself. The pen is responsive and works well for taking notes and sketching, making it a valuable tool for creative professionals.
Speakers and Audio Quality
The X1 Yoga Gen 8 features Dolby Atmos speakers, which contribute to the spatial audio experience. For a two-in-one convertible, the sound quality is surprisingly good. I must say, the sound is truly impressive. Lets Listen the Sound.
The volume is good, the mids are decent, and there’s a noticeable presence of bass. Overall, the sound quality is pretty impressive.
IR Webcam, Mics and Fingerprint Reader
The camera on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 2023, is a 1080p camera that records at 30 frames per second. This camera features an IR sensor, enabling face recognition for logging in with Windows Hello. Additionally, the power button doubles as a fingerprint scanner for those who prefer that method. The setup process was easy and straightforward. For those curious, the camera has Studio Effects built-in, offering features like Auto Framing, which keeps you in the frame during video calls. There’s also the Eye Contact feature, which creates the illusion of direct eye contact with the person you’re conversing with—a bit on the creepy side, as I like to call it. Furthermore, there’s a background blur effect that works reasonably well. It’s particularly useful if you want to hide a messy background or maintain privacy in your work environment. One important note to mention is that there’s a physical shutter switch located above the camera, that switch allows you to turn off the camera for added security and privacy. Overall, Lenovo has done a pretty nice job with the camera setup on the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8.
Performance, Benchmarks and Gaming
| PCMARK 10 | 5,809 |
| GEEKBENCH 6 (Single-Core) | 2,457 |
| GEEKBENCH 6 (Multi-Core) | 9,223 |
| CINEBENCH R20 | 3,790 |
| CINEBENCH R15 | 1,610 CB | 111.3 FPS |
| CINBENCH R23 | 1,811 Single-Core, 7,762 Multi-Core |
| 3DMARK Fire Strike | 4,841 |
| 3DMARK Time Spy | 1,659 |
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 is equipped with an Intel Core i7 1355u processor. This processor has a total of 10 cores, with 8 efficient cores and 2 performance cores, It operates at 15 watts and includes integrated Iris Xe graphics. Based on the benchmarks, it demonstrates good single and multi-core performance, making it suitable for everyday tasks such as Microsoft Office, email, and web browsing. In the Cinebench R23 test, it achieved an impressive single-core score of 1811, which is great for everyday tasks. In terms of multi-core performance, it scored 7762. While it may not be the best in its class, it’s important to note that this is a U-series processor compared to the more powerful P and H-series processors. Nevertheless, it performs well for its intended use.
Comparing it to last year’s model, the X1 Yoga Gen 7, which featured a Core i7 1260p processor with 12 cores and a 28-watt power draw, this year’s model, with the Core i7 1355u processor, offers 10 cores—8 efficient cores and 2 performance cores—at only 15 watts. Despite the lower wattage and power, we can still see improvements in performance. However, one aspect they have in common is the integrated Iris Xe graphics. As I’ve mentioned before, this graphics solution is in need of an update. It’s becoming outdated and falls short in terms of graphics performance, as evident from the 3DMark TimeSpy and Fire Strike scores. Over the years, there hasn’t been a significant difference in graphics performance between these models.
Gaming and Video Editing
| Games | LOW | MEDIUM | HIGH | ULTRA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The WITCHER 3 | 97 FPS | 36 FPS | 33 FPS | 10 FPS |
| GTA V | 100 FPS | 87 FPS | 24 FPS | 10 FPS |
| DOTA 2 REBORN | 113 FPS | 91 FPS | 51 FPS | 46 FPS |
| CYBERPUNK 2077 | 16 FPS | 14 FPS | 10 FPS | 9 FPS |
The ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 is not specifically designed as a gaming laptop, However with the integrated Iris Xe graphics, you can achieve playable frame rates by adjusting settings in popular titles. This has been the case with integrated Iris Xe graphics solutions in the past few years. However, it’s not recommended for high-end video editing, especially 4K video editing, or for playing AAA titles. The laptop simply doesn’t have the necessary power for such demanding tasks. Nevertheless, it can handle occasional gaming sessions with lower settings.
| Asus Zenbook Pro 16X OLED Core i9-13905H, RTX 4080 | 1:32 Minutes |
| DELL XPS 17 9730 Core i7-13700H, RTX 4070 | 1:47 Minutes |
| ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 Core i7-1355U, Iris Xe Graphics | 8:25 Minutes |
When I rendered a three-minute H.264 4K video in DaVinci Resolve, it took 8 minutes and 25 seconds. To put that into perspective, the Asus Zenbook Pro 16x OLED only took one minute and 32 seconds to render the same video. So, while the X1 Yoga Gen 8 performs adequately for video playback, it’s not the most efficient solution when it comes to video rendering.
Thermals, Surface Temps and Fan Noise
One thing worth noting is that the X1 Yoga Gen 8 tends to experience thermal throttling under heavy loads. During the Time Spy stress test, it received a failing score of 72.4 percent, indicating that thermal throttling was detected under such conditions. As a result, you may experience a decline in performance during sustained heavy workloads. It’s important to keep this in mind.
Regarding surface temperatures, I didn’t observe excessive heat buildup under heavy load. The top of the keyboard reached around 45-46 degrees Celsius, while the underside reached approximately 51-52 degrees Celsius. Although it did become slightly warm on the bottom, it wasn’t a major concern overall.
In terms of fan noise, it measured around 41-40 decibels, fluctuating between the two levels. The fan noise was never overly distracting or excessively loud, which is a positive aspect.
Battery Life
| Laptops | PCMARK 10 Modern Office | PCMARK 10 Video Playback |
|---|---|---|
| ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 57Wh, Core i7-1355U | 11 Hours 41 Minutes | 14 Hours 04 Minutes |
| ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 57Wh, Core i7-1355U | 10 Hours 52 Minutes | 15 Hours 37 Minutes |
The battery life of the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 is equipped with the same 57-watt hour battery as its sibling, the X1 Carbon Gen 11, which is known for its excellent performance. In terms of battery life, it performed impressively in the PC Mark 10 Modern Office test, lasting for 10 hours and 52 minutes. Moreover, during the video playback test, it delivered an impressive endurance of 15 hours and 37 minutes.
To provide some context, I compared its battery performance to one of its recent competitors, the Dell Latitude 9442 2-in-1, which features a 60-watt hour battery. In the Modern Office battery test, the Latitude achieved a duration of 12 hours and 45 minutes, while the X1 Yoga recorded 10 hours and 52 minutes. However, when it came to video playback, the X1 Yoga outperformed the Latitude, offering an impressive 15 hours and 37 minutes compared to the Latitude’s 12 hours and 40 minutes. These results are quite interesting, showcasing that both laptops deliver good battery life, whether you opt for the Latitude or the ThinkPad.
Overall, the X1 Yoga Gen 8 provides a reliable and long-lasting battery performance, ensuring that you can work or enjoy multimedia content for extended periods without worrying about running out of power.
Final Thought
What do I think about the X1 Yoga Gen 8 for 2023? It offers a truly fantastic Full HD Plus IPS display with a matte finish, which I absolutely love. Additionally, it features touch functionality, adding another layer of convenience. The battery life is impressive, especially if you opt for the Full HD Plus option. The keyboard is excellent, and you have the flexibility to choose between 4G LTE and 5G connectivity options. The port selection is also great, offering good connectivity options.
However, there are a few downsides to consider. Firstly, there is no high refresh rate option available, which might be a drawback for some users. Under heavy load, the laptop tends to throttle, resulting in a decrease in performance. Another aspect to note is that the RAM is soldered, which means it cannot be upgraded. Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 can be pricey, although companies often receive discounts when purchasing in bulk.
There's no denying that the X1 Yoga Gen 8 remains one of the best, if not the best, two-in-one convertible laptops available on the market. Choosing this model would be a wise decision. Personally, I have a special appreciation for the Full HD Plus matte display—it's a feature that truly stands out. Overall, I highly recommend the X1 Yoga Gen 8 for its outstanding qualities and performance.
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Design10
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Hardware10
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Ports9
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Display9
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Audio9
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Keyboard10
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Webcam9
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Performance7
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Thermals / Fan Noise8
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Battery10
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Price Value8
