Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 review

The explosion of Windows 8 devices has seen manufacturers delivering all kinds of laptops with plenty of different takes on touchscreen integration. We've seen dual screens, tablets with removable keyboard docks, rotating screens and - in the case of the Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 11 - a single screen wich, as its flexy name suggests, can bend right back over itself through a full 360-degree rotation into a flat, tablet-like position.

This means the Yoga 11 can be arranged like a standard laptop, a tablet - albeit with a temporarily defunct keyboard to the rear - or any other functional position in between. It avoids the "floppy" screen of a keyboard dock, and doesn't require a separate stand to hold into any given position.

Of all the options out there, we think the Lenovo Yoga 11 makes a lot of sense in practice, but with a £700 price tag for a Windows RT-only machine, is it worth bending over backwards to buy one, or is that price point just too much of a back-breaker?

Windows RT only

If you're in the market for a new laptop then a variety of Windows 8 devices will inevitably have made their way to your shortlist. But with Windows 8 you'll need to do a little extra research to ensure you're getting exactly what you want,. The latest Microsoft operating system comes in multiple forms, and in the case of the Yoga 11 it's the simpler, "Modern" app store only version, known as Windows RT, that comes loaded on the machine. In short that means no legacy apps - things like Adobe Photoshop, for example - can be installed, nor does the machine have the premium power to deliver truly top-spec performance.

READ: What Is Windows RT? Everything You Need To Know

However, the Ideapad Yoga family does include the larger and more powerful 13-inch Ideapad Yoga 13 which comes loaded with the full version of Windows 8 or Windows 8 Pro. It costs more, but it might be the more appropriate purchase for you and delivers a more thorough laptop experience.

Still, the Yoga 11 sits in its own camp. Think of it as a Microsoft Surface competitor in many respects, lent more firmly towards the laptop angle, and you're on the right track.

READ: Microsoft Surface RT review

Design

The orange-shelled Yoga 11 that landed in the Pocket-lint offices for review sure does look striking. Orange might sound a bit of an over-the-top colour, but we think it's a bright shade that's on the right side of smart; it's sharp but not over-vibrant.But the Ideapad Yoga 11's main point of interest is its 360-degree tilting screen. Out of the box and it may look like any standard laptop: the screen folds flat, screen-down, or looks normal when opened into the regular laptop position too. But push the Yoga 11's screen back that bit further and it will keep on going… and going. It folds right around so that the rear of the screen touches the base of the machine; the keyboard area then becomes the new base, and, voila, the Yoga 11 takes on its tablet-like position.This is all achieved by some nifty double-folding hinges that don't really look like anything unusual from the outside. But that's part of the Yoga 11's beauty - it hides away the apparent wizardry to make for a seamless, integrated user experience that just works. No mess, no nonsense.

The Yoga 11's touchscreen control needn't be used when in its laptop-like positions, but obviously can be if that's the preferred method of control. Unlike tablets with added keyboard docks that can't sit comfortably in the lap at unusual angles, the Yoga 11's firm hinges will hold in any given position. It's ideal for use at a desk, on the go, or pretty much anywhere.As we've mentioned, Windows RT means no legacy software can be installed on the Yoga 11. That'll suit some, less others.

As per other RT devices, which run the "light" 32-bit rather than a full-on 64-bit operating system, the power is reasonable, but limited. It suits its purpose, which serves well for the included suite of Microsoft Office programs that come included, as well as the variety of tile-based app centres from the face of the software.