**1st 7 Days REVIEW** Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8

 This is an update to **1st 24 Hours REVIEW** Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8. I am writing this post on my 7th day using the machine and I have more to say now.

Things I really like:

• The FN (Function) keys are more useful than on any other laptop I've had. I actually use them because of this. The main ones I like are for opening the settings, pulling up the calculator, raising/lowering the volume, and opening the Print Screen/Snip feature. There is even one for use with a portable monitor. 
• The keyboard is a dream - now that I'm used to the size after coming from the larger one on my Dell. 
• I'm more in love than ever with the stylus. It truly does write more like an actual pen than the Dell stylus. I also use this one a lot more.
• The good build quality counts more than I realized at first. I have moved this machine back and forth from my carry bag at least 6 times. It's so solid & "non-flimsy". A lot of that might be due to the smaller size but I still think it's so much better built than my Dell - or my Toshiba or Asus.
• The display is great. My eyes get less tired and I just enjoy the screen more. When I was paying bills and spent over 2 hours straight looking at the screen, I noticed how crisp and sharp everything looked, and, again, my eyes weren't as tired. Maybe that's just me?
• The sound. I am amazed every day at the wonderful sound quality. There is zero need for the sound-boosting apps I've used in the past. 
• The auto-power-up feature is more useful than I expected. I don't think I have touched my Power button since I first set up the machine. It's the little things!
• I was worried about fan noise - well, I wasn't until I read so many super-techy reviews! When I finally heard the fan kick it, it was a bit startling only because I didn't know what the sound was. It's actually not that loud, thank goodness, and it has only kicked in twice so far. On the other hand, I never heard the fan on my Dell. I don't know if that is good or bad.
• Now that I have found the Vantage setting for the battery, I no longer have to worry much about charging over 80%. I do think the battery life (which could be better) is not as bad as I worried about. The real test will be when I take the machine away from home for a full day.
• I don't mind the lack of ports as much as before. I realize that I didn't use all the Dell ports as much as I thought. I'm now in no hurry to spend money I don't have on a docking item.
• I do like the carrying sleeve a lot. I was worried that the pen slot might not be secure but it is. 

Things I don't like (or not so much):

• I wish that the Delete key could swap places with the Print Screen/Snip key. I keep hitting the wrong key to delete. I think that the Delete key is used more by almost anyone so why is the other key in that place?
• The built-in camera shutter button (which I love having) is a bit difficult to find. I'm always sliding my finger across the lid to locate it. Because I never just leave my camera un-shuttered, this is annoying. I remember this shutter being easier to locate on the Flex 7 I tried out. I will probably get better at finding the shutter but...
• Something that freaked me out is how the screen goes black momentarily when I plug or unplug the charger. It scared me until I found an explanation: "... if set to Optimize battery use it disables HDR on battery, which makes the screen go black like when you change the refresh rate."
• The "brick" (?) for the charger is pretty big. It's not a problem at home but for days out, it's going to be taking up some room. The Dell battery was actually smaller.
• While I like the sleeve (because it secures the pen for me), the front kangaroo pouch is almost useless. Once I put the laptop in the sleeve, the only thing that fits in that pouch is a thin sheath of paper. I'm not even sure why it's there.

Overall, I am still really happy with this machine. I think I have started to annoy my family with the "thank yous"! 

I do have to say that this machine - without all the discounts and coupons - is not something I would suggest. There are other machines with a lot of functions that cost less. However, with the discounts and coupons, this was a steal and I have no regrets on behalf of my family!

Peace

--Free