PC maker Lenovo has just launched a slew of new devices for the Singapore market, including ultraportables, 2-in-1 laptops premium all-in-one desktop PCs.
Among them is the Yoga S940 ultraportable laptop, which looks at first glance like any other slim devices on the market.
The main difference is how the Windows 10-based laptop is makes use of some of the features of top-end smartphones.
Like many of today’s flagship smartphones, the front-facing camera module of the S940 ultraportable includes a 3D sensor that can know when you are not at your desk and automatically lock the screen to deter prying eyes.
In a multiple-monitor set up, it can shift the opened window to the monitor you are looking at, saving you the mundane task of clicking and dragging windows around.
With the 3D sensor, the laptop is also a photography tool. The front-facing camera can blur out the background like you would take a portrait shot with the shallow depth-of-field effect.
This is also the first laptop to have chamfered glass edges wrapped around its thin bezels. Yes, just like the latest smartphones from Samsung.
I like that the 14-inch screen comes with 4K Vesa499 HDR support and it is matched it with Dolby Vision and the ATMOS sound system, which are perfect for binge-watching Netflix on the go.
The ultraportable’s price of S$3,099 means it doesn’t come cheap. But you do get the latest hardware.
Underneath the hood is the latest 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB PCIe solid state drive. Top-of-the-line specs, which means the laptop can can easily last more than a couple of years of office work.
I do wonder if we are overpaying for some of these smartphone aesthetics and shallow depth-of-field camera effects, though. To some, they may seem gimmicky.
At a media event yesterday in Singapore, Lenovo also brought out an interesting all-in-one PC that some may find to be an alternative to Microsoft’s oft-praised Surface Studio.
If you want a digital canvas that lets you draw on screen, the cheaper S$4,299 Yoga A940 just might be the answer. With a 27-inch touch-enabled, 4K screen, it can be tilted downwards to offer a 25-degree angle great for drawing and writing with the stylus.
It also comes with the Lenovo Precision Dial that reminds me of Microsoft’s Surface Dial. It has two control dials so you can change, for example, the amount of ‘flow’ of the digital paint on the canvas as well as the size of the brush.
This makes it more intuitive to create images using the pen without having to visit the control panel too often to change the settings. Perfect for digital artists, designers, photographers and videographers.
With a click of the button at the end of the dial, you can map the settings with the respective dials according to your working style. If you are a lefty, the Dial can be switched over to the right side of the screen easily.
The A940 has its own customised keyboard that docks perfectly with the monitor stand. Beside it is a 15W wireless charging pad that can juice up your phone, Lenovo active pen or any peripherals capable of wireless charging. Definitely a nice feature for an office PC.
The A940 desktop PC comes with an Intel i9-9900 chip, AMD Radeon RX560 graphics, a good 32GB of RAM, 2TB of hard disk storage with ample space for video and photo editing and 1TB PCIe SSD for faster bootup times.
This is more than you’d need for video and photo editing today.
Despite the cheaper price tag than the Surface Studio, I do hope Lenovo comes with a stripped-down and cheaper version of the A940 that has a simpler monitor stand.
This way, you use it with your own mechanical keyboard as well.
