Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13

Bottom line

Use it as a laptop or a tablet; the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 works great either way, experts say. With good Ultrabook performance and a sturdy build, it's a top choice for a lightweight laptop.

Performance

Solid speed, battery life. "A pretty normal machine that does wacky things with its hinge," is how TheVerge.com describes the Lenovo Yoga. Indeed, the Yoga posts very normal Ultrabook performance numbers in tests. You can start with an Intel Core i3 processor, 4 GB of RAM and 128 GB solid-state drive and step up as high as Core i7 and 8 GB of RAM, which will be fine for anything but heavy-duty gaming. Battery life is also average, 5 to 6 hours in most tests. A Haswell processor, when and if it arrives, should improve that.

While most users report no issues, some complaints of Wi-Fi problems surface at Amazon.com and elsewhere.

Ergonomics

Yoga's poses aren't just a gimmick. Ergonomics is the Yoga's real claim to fame: It "will literally bend over backward for you," Laptop Magazine says. You can set it up as a laptop, tablet, tent or stand thanks to its sturdy hinges, and testers say that's actually useful. Tent mode, for example, is ideal for watching movies. At 13.1 inches and 3.4 pounds, the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13's a little bulky for a tablet, but manageable.

Although the keyboard is exposed on the backside in tablet mode, reviewers say they quickly get used to it. The keyboard and touchpad automatically deactivate in that position, so you won't accidentally type or swipe anything. The Yoga's touch screen and touchpad are very responsive in most tests.

Design

Quietly "nice-looking." Matte gray outside and matte black inside, the Yoga 13's plain design certainly doesn't scream "look at me!" But, as TheVerge.com says, "that's not necessarily a bad thing -- it's nice-looking in a simple sort of way." The sandblasted aluminum finish is very soft to the touch. The 13.3-inch, 1,600 by 900-pixel touch screen is fine, but it's not fully high-def. Audio sounds a little thin, but it's decent for a laptop.

Support & reliability

Dependable laptops, spotty service. PCMag.com surveys its readers to find the most reliable laptop brands every year, and Lenovo always ranks near the top. It's rated even higher for dependability this year. Lenovo's 1-year warranty is standard among laptops, and phone support proves speedy and accurate in a test at Laptop Magazine. Staffers pose anonymous questions to three different phone techs, all with good results, but questions submitted via Facebook and Twitter don't always get answered quickly or correctly.

Some Amazon.com owners say they got a runaround from Lenovo's customer service when their IdeaPad Yoga 13 malfunctioned early, although most report no problems.

Value

Versatile, affordable. The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 is just as portable, powerful and versatile as the other top convertible, the Dell XPS 12 (Est. $1,100 and up) , but with a bigger screen, simpler folding mechanism and lower price. Experts like them both, but prefer the Yoga.