With the Yoga 9i Gen 8 and the Legion Pro 7i Gen 8, Lenovo offers its first machines equipped with Raptor Lake CPUs. High (even very high) end machines that take full advantage of the advantages of 13th generation Intel CPUs.
Unveiled last January at CES, Intel’s brand new mobile CPUs have it all. More powerful than their predecessors, they rely on a hybrid architecture capable of adapting to the specific needs of the machines on which they are installed (gaming, creativity, ultraportables) in order to offer impressive performance.
Something to give ideas to laptop manufacturers who are just beginning to unveil the first machines equipped with the latest generation Intel CPUs. This is the case of Lenovo which has just released two machines built around the Raptor Lake architecture. On the one hand, the Yoga 9i Gen 8, a versatile ultrabook ideal for creativity or office automation. On the other, the Legion Pro i7 Gen 8, a gaming laptop with a devilishly impressive technical sheet, capable of overshadowing some fixed PCs.
The new Lenovo laptops in a nutshell:
Intel Raptor Lake: A game-changing 13th generation
With this 13th generation of processors, Intel continues its momentum from the previous generation by once again offering CPUs built on a hybrid architecture combining two distinct types of cores:
- on one side, the Performance-Cores (P-Cores). Larger, they are there to provide raw computing power and improve the performance of the most demanding applications (games, 3D creation software). They also stand out for their ability to use thehyper threadingwhich allows them to run two threads software simultaneously;
- on the other side, the Efficient-Cores (E-Cores). Smaller than P-Cores (multiple E-Cores can be installed in the same physical space as a P-Core), they are there to do the heavy lifting and shine on background tasks. They also work hand in hand with P-Cores to optimize performance on resource-intensive tasks (video rendering for example). They also make it possible to optimize the electrical consumption of the machine, so as to obtain greater autonomy.
This architecture, which has already proven itself on the previous generation, allows the new Intel CPUs to best adapt to your uses to offer optimal performance in all circumstances. New generation requires, Raptor Lake CPUs also offer a significant power gain, as well as better management of power consumption.
Among the novelties brought by this 13th generation of processors, we can also note the integration of a brand new Intel Xe graphics chip, which allows, among other things, to take advantage of XeSS, the Intel equivalent of Nvidia’s DLSS.
Artificial intelligence is also part of it with a dedicated chip within the processor, and capable for example of improving the image or sound during video calls. Small other improvements are also worth noting, such as the management of the latest generations of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, Thunderbolt 4 or RAM in DDR5.
Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8: a flexible and versatile machine to accompany you on a daily basis
With the Yoga 9i Gen 8, Lenovo offers a PC cut out for creativity and office automation. A versatile machine, which stands out in the first place for its devilishly elegant silhouette. The manufacturer has opted for a case with rounded edges of the most beautiful effect, which also has the luxury of being extremely ergonomic. Comfortable to use, it benefits from an edge-to-edge keyboard with a nice back, and a large glass touchpad.
On the technical sheet side, Lenovo has made the right choices. At the heart of the machine is Intel’s 13th generation Core i7-1360P. A processor that works wonders on laptops dedicated to productivity by offering an excellent balance between performance and power consumption, which allows it to benefit from unparalleled autonomy. Able to accommodate up to 16 GB of RAM in LPDDR5 and an SSD of up to 1 TB, it is perfect to accompany you in all your tasks.
Another strong point of the Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8: its screen. The manufacturer has opted for a 14-inch PureSight OLED panel (in 2.8K or 4K depending on the model), in 16:10 format and Dolby Vision compatible. Better still, it’s a touch screen, compatible with the Precision Pen 2 (which is included), and able to bend to your every need thanks to its 360-degree swivel hinge. Classic laptop, easel, tent or tablet, it’s up to you to choose the mode that best suits your current needs.
The Yoga 9i Gen 8, finally, has everything you need to meet your every need. He can thus count on a Full HD infrared webcam (among other things for facial recognition) with a privacy cover. It also benefits from compatibility with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. Finally, its sides are lined with all the connectors you could need: 2 USB-C Thunderbolt 4.0 ports, 1 USB-A 3.2 port, a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port and an earphone / microphone connector.
Already available on the Lenovo site and at most retailers, the Yoga 9i Gen 8 is available from 2,499 euros.
Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 8: the ultimate gaming laptop
If you are looking for a PC to play in the best possible conditions, the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 has serious arguments in its favor. The manufacturer has installed one of the most impressive technical sheets of the moment in the chassis of this 16-inch laptop, without making it swell too much. With barely 2.8 kg on the scale for about 2.5 cm thick, it remains relatively compact for a machine in its class.
At the heart of the system, the Core i9-13900HX. A real monster of power located at the very top of the 13th generation of Intel processors. To accompany it, Lenovo opted for a 12 GB GeForce RTX 4080 (just that), 16 GB of DDR5 RAM at 5600 MHz and bet on a 512 GB M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC SSD. ensure top-of-the-range performance on most of the games of the moment, including with settings that are a bit greedy.
To best manage this power, Lenovo has installed Coldfront 5.0 on its Legion Pro, its most advanced cooling system to date, optimizing heat dissipation by AI. This particularly optimized heat management also allows it to benefit from excellent autonomy. Especially since Lenovo has installed a gigantic 99.99 Wh battery. Compatible with Super Rapid Charge technology, it recharges at high speed.
Entirely designed to offer the best possible performance in game, the Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 is equipped with a 16-inch Pure Sight screen in 16:10 format. A WQXGA IPS panel (2560 by 1600 pixels) which occupies 93.6% of the screen surface, and which benefits from an adaptive refresh rate of up to 240 Hz. HDR and Dolby Vision compatible, covering 100% of the RGB gamut, it also benefits from Nvidia G-Sync technology.
To complete this already impressive range, Lenovo has installed a Legion TrueStrike keyboard on its machine. Numeric keypad, full-size arrow keys, 1.5 mm stroke and RGB backlighting are included for advanced user comfort. All the necessary connections (USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 × 2, USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 × 4, HDMI 2.1, Ethernet) are also included.
The Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 8 is now available from 3,499 euros at Lenovo. And for those who want the ultimate in hardware, know that there is an option to equip the Legion Pro with an RTX 4090 for 749 euros more.