Lenovo’s Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition lands as one of the most compelling Windows 11 laptops for creatives in 2025: it pairs a near‑best‑in‑class OLED screen (including an optional tandem OLED), high‑end Intel Core Ultra H‑series processors, and Nvidia RTX 50‑series laptop GPUs in a thin, port‑rich chassis — and then asks you to accept middling battery life and occasionally loud fans in return.
Lenovo introduced the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition as the 16‑inch flagship in its tenth‑generation Yoga family, aiming squarely at creators who want powerful CPU/GPU performance without the visual and physical excess of a gaming chassis. The “Aura” badge highlights premium display options — notably a 3.2K Tandem OLED variant — and a focus on balanced real‑world performance for photo and video editing, 3D tasks, and hybrid work.
This launch sits in a broader 2025 trend: Windows laptops increasingly favor high‑brightness OLED panels, more practical I/O (HDMI 2.1, SD slots), and Core Ultra H‑series processors with on‑die NPUs. Lenovo’s value proposition is to give creators a pragmatic alternative to pricier gaming machines or Apple hardware, while leveraging Windows 11’s productivity and AI features.
But the Yoga Pro 9i is not flawless: expect moderate battery life, occasional fan noise, and potential power‑adapter considerations under sustained heavy loads. If you prioritize maximum unplugged runtime or silent fan‑free operation, other architectures may serve you better. For creators who want a single Windows laptop to edit, render, and occasionally game — while valuing an exceptional OLED canvas and practical ports — the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition is one of the strongest, best‑priced contenders in the 16‑inch class today.
Key buying checklist before checkout:
Source: ZDNET Upgrading to a Windows 11 laptop? This Lenovo with a tandem OLED display I tested is a win
Lenovo introduced the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition as the 16‑inch flagship in its tenth‑generation Yoga family, aiming squarely at creators who want powerful CPU/GPU performance without the visual and physical excess of a gaming chassis. The “Aura” badge highlights premium display options — notably a 3.2K Tandem OLED variant — and a focus on balanced real‑world performance for photo and video editing, 3D tasks, and hybrid work. This launch sits in a broader 2025 trend: Windows laptops increasingly favor high‑brightness OLED panels, more practical I/O (HDMI 2.1, SD slots), and Core Ultra H‑series processors with on‑die NPUs. Lenovo’s value proposition is to give creators a pragmatic alternative to pricier gaming machines or Apple hardware, while leveraging Windows 11’s productivity and AI features.
Design and build: practical, restrained, and thoroughly usable
Lenovo plays conservatively with the Yoga Pro 9i’s industrial design: the chassis is neutral and professional in appearance, favoring a function‑first approach over flash. Expect an aluminum unibody, a robust hinge, and minimal flex across the deck. The Yoga lineup continues Lenovo’s legacy of good keyboards, and this model keeps that reputation with full‑sized keys and about 1.5mm travel on a well‑laided layout.- Dimensions and weight vary by configuration, but Lenovo lists the 16‑inch Aura Edition starting at approximately 17.9 mm thin / 1.93 kg (about 4.25 lb) for some SKUs. Review samples and retailer SKUs commonly report weights in the ~4.25–4.4 lb range and a thickness in the 0.7–0.76‑inch band depending on options. That variance is normal for 16‑inch performance‑thin laptops.
- The chassis is pocketbook‑friendly for a 16‑inch machine: thinner and lighter than many gaming 16‑inch rivals while still hosting a full complement of ports (listed in the next section). The tradeoff: a conservative finish that’s businesslike rather than aspirational.
Keyboard, touchpad, and surface feel
Lenovo delivers a confident typing experience — accurate, with pleasing travel and stable keycaps. The touchpad is large and Microsoft Precision‑driven, though some reviewers note the absence of haptic (force feedback) click technology that would better match the premium display and price. The power key sits on the top‑right edge and can be accidentally pressed when plugging in power, so pay attention when docking.Display: the real headline — Tandem OLED vs. standard OLED
This laptop’s chief selling point is the display. Lenovo offers two PureSight Pro OLED choices:- 3.2K Tandem OLED (upgrade option): 3200 × 2000 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio, 120 Hz refresh, Tandem OLED stack for extreme brightness and HDR performance, marketing claims up to 1,600 nits peak with VESA DisplayHDR True Black 1000 and broad color coverage (100% sRGB, 100% P3, 100% Adobe RGB). Lenovo positions this panel as the top tier for creators who need color fidelity and outdoor/field visibility.
- 2.8K OLED (base option): a slightly lower‑res, but still excellent 2.8K 120 Hz OLED with Dolby Vision, HDR1000 True Black, and 100% DCI‑P3 coverage. This panel is a strong value; it’s slightly less luminous than the Tandem option but retains the color accuracy creators expect.
What “Tandem OLED” actually means (and why it matters)
Tandem OLED stacks two OLED emitter layers to achieve higher peak brightness while preserving HDR performance and aiming to spread the power load across layers. In practical terms, that means much brighter HDR highlights (useful for color grading and HDR content verification) and improved outdoor legibility. Notebookcheck and Lenovo’s own materials confirm the Tandem approach and Lenovo’s high peak brightness figures for the Aura Edition. However, marketing peak brightness (1,600 nits) is not the same as sustained typical brightness during normal content viewing, so treat peak numbers as spec advantages rather than continuous everyday brightness.Practical takeaway on the panel
- For photographers and colorists: the Tandem OLED is the clear upgrade if you need the best HDR and outdoor legibility without stepping up to a much heavier workstation.
- For mixed creators and pros who value battery life: the 2.8K OLED provides a superior balance of color accuracy and efficiency.
- Expect both panels to be noticeably better than typical IPS laptop screens for contrast, color depth, and HDR handling.
Ports, connectivity and expansion
Lenovo thankfully errs on the side of practicality:- Charger barrel (proprietary) + two USB‑C / Thunderbolt 4 (40 Gbps) with PD and DisplayPort support.
- HDMI 2.1 output (useful for high‑res external displays and consoles).
- Two USB‑A 5 Gbps ports.
- Full‑sized SD card reader (important for photographers).
- 3.5 mm audio jack.
- Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 on recent SKUs for improved wireless headroom.
Performance: Core Ultra 9 285H and RTX 50‑series — desktop muscle in a portable shell
Lenovo’s Aura Edition uses Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285H (Arrow Lake H family) in the higher configurations, a 16‑core powerhouse for an ultraportable class. It pairs with Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050 or RTX 5060 (and in some markets higher RTX 5070 options), delivering strong results across creative apps, rendering workloads, and even gaming at reasonable settings.- Memory and storage: typical high‑end SKUs ship with 32 GB LPDDR5X (soldered) and 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe — fast and future‑proofed for large media files and multitasking.
- Real‑world creative workloads such as photo editing, timeline scrubbing, and GPU‑accelerated filters in DaVinci Resolve or CapCut are described as snappy by reviewers; heavy timelines or long renders will still push thermal limits, but the CPU/GPU pairing remains one of the better compromises in a thin 16‑inch chassis.
Gaming and sustained loads
The RTX 5050/5060 options make the Yoga Pro 9i a capable gaming laptop for moderate sessions, but Lenovo intentionally avoids a pure‑gaming design: the chassis is thinner, and cooling favors balance over absolute TGP headroom. That means:- Play modern titles at medium to high settings at 1080p/1440p with good frame rates.
- Long, extended gaming sessions will expose thermal and battery limits more quickly than thicker gaming machines (Legion / Razer Blade), and competing gaming laptops will often sustain higher TGPs and quieter thermals under long runs.
Thermals, noise and power quirks — the tradeoffs
Several consistent themes emerge from hands‑on reviews and community reports:- Fans can be vocal: short, frequent fan bursts appear during routine multitasking like large file copies or heavy tab browsing, and loud sustained fan noise surfaces under prolonged CPU+GPU load. The chassis itself doesn’t get uncomfortably hot, but audible fan activity is noticeable and has been called out by reviewers.
- Charging and peak power: Lenovo ships a 170 W slim charger with many Aura configurations, but users and reviewers report that under simultaneous heavy CPU+GPU load the 170 W brick may not be enough to maintain 100% battery charge or to avoid power‑stepping in extreme scenarios. Some customers and community threads recommend a 230 W higher‑capacity brick to eliminate discharge or performance throttling under sustained heavy loads. This behavior has been observed in a subset of configurations and workloads, and Lenovo’s product materials and community threads document both the phenomenon and the 230 W option. Practical advice: if you plan to run sustained renders or long gaming sessions while plugged in, consider budgeting for the heavier 230 W charger or validate with Lenovo for your exact SKU.
- Thermals management tradeoff: Lenovo’s tuning aims to keep fan noise moderate while maintaining sustained performance; that balance benefits creators who don’t want a gaming‑like roar, but it also means the Yoga Pro 9i will not match a thicker, more aggressive gaming chassis for long‑duration thermal headroom.
Battery life: ambitious hardware, realistic endurance
The Yoga Pro 9i packs an 84 Wh battery (a common size for 16‑inch performance laptops), but real‑world endurance depends heavily on display choice and workload. Reviewers report:- Mixed productivity (web browsing, document work, light editing): roughly 5–7 hours depending on display brightness and which OLED panel is installed. The Tandem OLED will generally consume more power when driving high brightness or HDR content.
- Creative workloads and gaming: expect much shorter runtimes and plan to work plugged in for extended renders or gameplay. The higher‑brightness Tandem OLED and discrete RTX GPU will push battery draw into the higher end of the spectrum.
Where the Yoga Pro 9i wins for creators — and where it concedes ground
Strengths for creative professionals:- Display quality: Tandem OLED gives the Yoga Pro 9i a unique edge in HDR highlight brightness and color coverage for color‑critical workflows.
- Real‑world performance: Core Ultra 9 + RTX 50‑series deliver excellent single‑ and multi‑thread performance for editing, compositing, and GPU acceleration.
- Practical I/O: full SD card slot, HDMI 2.1, two Thunderbolt 4 ports and USB‑A reduce dongle dependence for studio work.
- Value positioning: pricing often undercuts gaming equivalents while delivering a better display and more pragmatic port set, making it competitive versus Dell XPS and Razer lines.
- Battery life: not class‑leading; expect to carry the charger for heavier days or when using the Tandem OLED.
- Noise under load: fans can be noisy, with short bursts in everyday use and louder sustained levels during heavy loads.
- Soldered RAM: 32 GB is generous, but it is soldered LPDDR5X, which limits post‑purchase upgrades — buy the memory you expect to need over the laptop’s life.
Comparing the Yoga Pro 9i to obvious rivals
- Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M‑series): superior battery life and OS‑level creative optimizations (Final Cut Pro, optimized plugins) but limited ports and no discrete Nvidia GPU. If you need the best unplugged endurance and macOS‑centric workflows, MacBook remains the leader. If you need CUDA support, Windows is the choice.
- Dell XPS / Dell 16 Premium: sleeker minimalism and strong displays; Lenovo answers with more ports, better configurability for creators, and often a lower price for equivalent GPU/CPU specs.
- Lenovo Legion Pro 7i (gaming cousin): higher sustained GPU TGP and superior cooling for extended gaming, but thicker, heavier, and usually with a less color‑accurate, less HDR‑bright display. The Yoga Pro 9i trades sustained thermal headroom for a thinner chassis and a superior creator‑focused panel.
Practical buying advice
- Recommended configuration for most creators: Core Ultra 9 285H, RTX 5060, 32 GB LPDDR5X, 1 TB PCIe Gen 4, and the 3.2K Tandem OLED if color fidelity and HDR verification are essential and you expect to spend much time outdoors. Expect the price to climb into the low‑to‑mid $2,000s for that build.
- If battery life matters more than absolute display peak brightness, choose the 2.8K OLED configuration — you’ll retain excellent color fidelity at a lower power cost.
- If you plan sustained heavy CPU+GPU loads while plugged in (multi‑hour renders, extended gaming), consider purchasing or requesting the 230 W charger option to avoid possible power‑draw limitations on some SKUs. Validate with Lenovo support for your exact configuration before assuming the included 170 W brick is sufficient. Community reports and review notes document scenarios where the heavier 230 W brick eliminated discharge under long loads.
Risks, unverified claims, and what to check before you buy
- Peak brightness numbers (1,600 nits) are manufacturer peak claims for the Tandem OLED. Independent testing may show lower sustained typical brightness in everyday content. Treat peak figures as marketing‑oriented metrics; verify independent display test results once review units are tested for sustained luminance and color calibration.
- Some SKU‑level differences (weight, cooling profiles, NPU capability) can change key behaviors such as fan noise, Copilot+ feature availability, and sustained performance. Confirm exact SKU specs and, where on‑device AI features matter, confirm NPU details and Copilot+ certification for the specific model you plan to buy.
- Community‑reported power behavior under prolonged high load is real for some configurations, but it’s not universal; verify with Lenovo support or retailer Q&A for your exact GPU/CPU/RAM combo if you expect to run extended full‑power workloads while plugged in.
Final verdict
Lenovo’s Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition is a sensible, well‑balanced creative laptop that puts the display front and center — and for many creatives that’s exactly the right decision. The optional Tandem OLED is a genuine differentiator for anyone who does HDR grading or needs reliable outdoor visibility and the deepest OLED blacks. The combination of Core Ultra 9 processing, Nvidia RTX 50‑series laptop GPUs, a sensible port array, and a light‑but‑sturdy chassis makes this a compelling all‑rounder.But the Yoga Pro 9i is not flawless: expect moderate battery life, occasional fan noise, and potential power‑adapter considerations under sustained heavy loads. If you prioritize maximum unplugged runtime or silent fan‑free operation, other architectures may serve you better. For creators who want a single Windows laptop to edit, render, and occasionally game — while valuing an exceptional OLED canvas and practical ports — the Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition is one of the strongest, best‑priced contenders in the 16‑inch class today.
Key buying checklist before checkout:
- Choose the display that matches your workflow: Tandem OLED for HDR and outdoors, 2.8K OLED for better battery balance.
- Confirm RAM and storage at purchase — RAM is soldered and not upgradeable.
- Decide if you need the 230 W charger if you will run long, full‑power workloads while plugged in.
- Read independent reviews and display measurement results for the exact SKU you plan to buy to validate brightness, color accuracy, and sustained performance expectations.
Source: ZDNET Upgrading to a Windows 11 laptop? This Lenovo with a tandem OLED display I tested is a win