**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

**Coming Review** Lenovo Yoga 9i 14" 8th Gen (and discounts!)

 (Go to the bottom of this post to learn more about discounts via LifeMart. I'd never heard of it until recently, but... it's a money-saver.)

The Lenovo saga continues.

Because I have an amazing family and because my current laptop keeps dying on me, I have a Yoga 9i coming.

When I was trying out the Flex 7i (refurbs), I did dream of the Yoga laptop. There was no way I could swing it. It's too pricey for me and I thought of it purely as a dream machine. When I posted online about a super-slick dual-screen laptop I saw, my family was like, "Do you want that?"

Uh, yes. Duh. Right? 

But wanting and needing are not the same. And I told them that I would much prefer the 2-in-1 style that I've gotten used to. I mean, dual-screen laptops are very James Bond-ish but my life is not. 

For me, I need something I can use during long appointments at the clinic and for those days when I am stuck in bed feeling like crap. And the 2-in-1 style suits that. I can use it as a notebook when I'm in bed or I can tent it to fit the tiny tables attached to the infusion chairs, and I can use it in almost any part of my apartment. My laptop is my life. I use it to track reminders and calendar notes and, yes, I blog with it.

Blogging is the one thing I do that keeps my mood up and gets me through my sick days. So, would I like to have that fancy dual-screen setup? I'd have loved to have it when I was busy working and dealing with a normal life - and could buy it for myself. But, for now, I have to be realistic.

What I asked for: the Yoga 7i. What I'm getting: the 9i with more RAM and more storage. How blessed am I? 

As I wait for the laptop - and, as I write this, it will be 5 weeks of waiting! - I couldn't help but read some more reviews. And this is where I got frustrated.

When searching for reviews of "Lenovo Yoga 9i", I had to weed through reviews that had nothing to do with the Yoga 9i 2-in-1. There were reviews for the dual-screen Yoga; the slim Yoga; and, Yoga of earlier generations. I mistyped a couple of times and got results for Yoda and for (Hindu) Yoga.

Finally, I found several reviews that applied. Okay. New frustration and a new rant:

Why do so many reviewers try to compare Windows to Mac? Almost every review I saw tried comparing the Yoga to the Macbook. Why? I am not a Mac user. Mac and Windows are two different systems. It's as if I was looking for reviews of hiking trails (that will never happen!) and got comparisons of that with frontage roads.

If reviewers are going to do comparisons, they should stick to comparing Windows machines against Windows machines. Since I was looking at 2-in-1 setups, maybe even just compare those types of setups.

One of my brothers is a Mac-head (?) and I respect that. However, I have always been a Windows user. I'm not interested in switching operating systems. I don't care how fast, pretty, smooth, all-wonderful, blah-blah-blah the Mac is. I just don't care.

Okay. Rant over.

From reading several reviews and watching a ton of videos, I learned that the Yoga 9i is/has...:

• The best keyboard ever (or else it's not the greatest)
• A super display - even with just the 2k version (or, nope, get the 4k!)
• An amazing speaker system (but maybe kind of "tinny")
• A genius-designed speaker setup (but still doesn't sound quite as good as the Mac.
• A beautiful-looking laptop (but not as beautiful or thin or light-weight as the Mac)
• Great hinges that are sturdy and just stiff enough (or might break if you look at them)
• (Unlike the great and wonderful Mac) a stylus. (But the Mac is still a superior machine.)
• 2 nice color choices (but not as many color choices as the Mac has)
• "Benchmarks" are better than most laptops (even the Mac in some areas! But we won't focus too much on that...)
• Is a wonderful machine that is perfect for most users (you know, the ones that don't have a Mac.)
• A good touchscreen (but a bit too "slick".) And a stylus that writes as smoothly as a regular pen. Of course, until Mac comes out with these features, they are not all that important! LOL.

Windows or Mac?

Overall, I think this is going to be the perfect machine for me. The only things I can tell for now that I might not love:

• There are not a lot of ports. I never paid much attention until now but my Dell has enough ports that I can plug in my wireless mouse and my printer at the same time, and charge some other devices. Though to be fair, there are a couple of ports (or whatever) on the Dell that I have never used. I have no need for HDMI or card readers. I barely know what they are.
• Lenovo's support. I tried my hardest to find the model I wanted on Amazon. Especially because the family is paying for the machine, I could afford to get one of those amazing 4-year Asurion warranties. With Lenovo, I got the 1-year Accidental Damage coverage and the basic 1-year courier or carry-in warranty.
• I have no idea how good or bad Lenovo support is. I do know that I've heard some "iffy" things.

That's about it though for any negatives. Right now.

Some of the negatives that reviewers pointed out don't bother me. A lot of pros and cons about any laptop depends on the user preferences. For instance, some reviewers weren't in love with the pen/stylus but that's not unusual. I love the stylus for my Dell but one of my nieces tried it out once and declared that it was "kind of weird". She's a Windows user but has never used a stylus. It can be weird until you t used to it.

A couple of reviewers liked the graphics for everyday use but don't think they are great for gamers. So what? The most gaming I do is a bit of Solitaire and Farmville. What I do like the graphics for is watching Netflix or YouTube. I'm not over here freaking out on Fortnight (or whatever it's called).

A lot of reviews kvetched about no "on-board" storage for the pen. (One guy actually used the term "on-board" like he's a Navy specialist.) Maybe if my Dell had "on-board" storage for the pen I'd feel let down but... I know how to carry my pen in my case or purse or whatever without losing it. And I lose my glasses while they are on my head! People, just tuck your pen in your shirt or purse or something. (By the way, the sides of the Dell are magnetized to hold the pen but... weak magnets!)

By the way, I didn't realize this until after the laptop was on order but it comes with a sleeve. Not that exciting for me but, hey you pen-losers, there is a spot for the pen on the sleeve. So there you go.

When the ordering was all done and I was thanking my family for the laptop, my Mac-using brother said that I could have spent a bit more and gotten the James Bond dual-screen one - or maybe even a Mac, I just laughed. I'm happy-to-pieces with this Yoga. Let's not forget that I could be rocking a refurbed $300 machine. Instead, I have something that I absolutely don't even deserve. So I have zero complaints. Even the Mac-loving brother admits that, if he did use Windows, he'd choose a Lenovo.

Since my family sprung for this lovely machine, I truly realize that, with gifts. it really is the thought. Just the idea that I am so loved in this crazy clan of ours is my biggest "forever-gift". My family is always there for emotional support and they put up with my depression and anxiety without conditions. If that is all they ever did for me, that would be more than enough.

So.

When I get the new laptop, you know that I will review the crap out of it!

Peace

--Free

DISCOUNTS

I don't want to forget to mention that there were coupons involved in this purchase. I wanted to save my family every nickel I could. 

When you get ready to buy anything - travel, products, services - be sure to know that my Medicare (UHC) gives access to LifeMart. It's available in several ways, apparently. Do some searching and ask around. Perhaps you have a credit card or insurance or something that will grant free access to LifeMart?

Via Lifemart, I got a coupon there that saved around $250. Then the salesman found another coupon that saved around $45. Every bit adds up. So, please, please, please, check for any coupons you can find. When you can, ask the salesman for any other savings that may be available.

Teachers, students, and seniors can get discounts for many purchases - as can former and current military personnel.

All told the coupons and benefits saved us around $322. That's dang near the price of the refurbed laptop I tried out.

Shop around and shop wisely!

** UPDATE * * Y'all... Two Lenovos Bugged Out on Me. TWO.

If you skip down and read the original post, I am raving there about that refurbed Lenovo. After you read that glowing report, come back and read this to know why I may never own another Lenovo - new or refurbed.

 Okay, so I loved that dang Lenovo Flex 7i. Until it wigged out and, after a shutdown, it decided to act a fool. Both of them did - the first one and then the replacement. They both went wacko. The replacement was worst than the first one. Way worse and in so many ways... 

 First, when I powered it up, I could log in with my fingerprint but, once on the desktop, I couldn't sign into my accounts. And, for even more fun, I couldn't sign out of my accounts - you know, the ones I wasn't even logged into. (Even Reddit couldn't help me unravel that problem.)

If that computer was a new man in my life, it was one that I had to get a restraining order against after the first couple of days. It was the equivalent of the man of your dreams being the man of your dreams and then, on the third or fourth day, revealing that he belongs to a blood-drinking cult or is a vegan.

At least with the first computer, I was able to wipe all my data before returning it. That second one? Nope. Every reset came with a message that it had not been able to wipe my data. I even did a complete wipe of the drive. Same thing.

What a nightmare.

Because I am slightly paranoid, before I returned Flex Number Two, I unlinked the machine from every other device and account I own. Then I changed all my passwords and set them to two-factor authentication mode. I'd only ever done that for any kind of financial account because it is so dang annoying. Now, any time I sign into anything, my phone is nagging me. It's for my own good but it really makes me relate to moms with kids tugging at them saying "Mama, Mama. Mama. Mama."

So, right now, I am back on the Dell. I have to let it rest in between uses and keep it plugged in whenever it's powered on. I can't even be mad. It might be a crazy machine but it's a normal kind of crazy, not some new crazy that I need special training to understand. 

Am I still looking for a laptop? Yeah, but I'm afraid of refurbs now. I did look around online pricing new 2-in-1 machines but the prices shocked me back to the beginning of menopause. After a couple of hours, I was crying and laughing and having conversations with the woman I remember being and sweating a lot. 

Next week, when I am somewhat recovered from this long episode of madness, I might have another go at looking for a different refurb. My problem is that I've gotten spoiled to the 2-in-1 setup but I need a lot more RAM and storage than I can afford. So many first-world problems, right?

In the meantime, pray for me. I have been having dizzy spells again. I don't know if this is the sarcoidosis flaring up again or if I just need some adjustments to my meds. No matter what, I am forever blessed and grateful to God.

***************************

This is the Lenovo I recently got to try out. It's the Flex 7i. I loved it. But I had to return it.

This is the product description that caught my eye:

Lenovo 2023 Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop,14" IPS 2K(2240x1400) Touchscreen, Intel 10-Core Processor i7-1255U Up to 4.60GHz, 16GB Ram, 512GB SSD, Backlit Keyboard, Fingerprint Reader, Win11 OS(Renewed) 

This is the actual laptop. When I got it, I was tickled to see that the seller included a padded cover branded "HP"! (It's a great cover though.)

that's a cute cover, HP!

The RAM (18G) and storage (512) were superb and double what my Dell has. The 14" screen is technically an inch smaller than on the Dell but actually... there wasn't much difference because the Lenovo screen had a thinner margin. I mean that the screen filled the screen. On the Dell, a whole inch at the bottom is taken up with the logo and a black margin.

The graphics were stellar and I am now disappointed whenever I'm looking at the Dell graphics. The price was amazing and probably the only kind of price I can afford without sweating. 

But.

 I had to return the Lenovo. 

The one I got was a refurbished machine and something was wrong with the motherboard. I was so disappointed! 

There are some more (for now) but I am waiting to let the return clear off my card before I dive in again. I'm just praying that there are more of that specific model with those specific specs left by then...

So what did I love so much about the Lenovo? Everything - well, almost everything. Here's where the love comes in:

• It's a 2-in-1 - the same as this Dell that is about to die
• The better graphics. Even the webcam was better. Nice and sharp.
• It's built better than this Dell. It's sturdier and has better materials all around.
• Of course, it's lighter-weight and more compact (because of the size).
• There are Lenovo support apps built into it.
• The charger is USB and less bulky.
• The backlit keyboard can be turned on or off. (Dell also has this feature but is trickier to find. I actually didn't know this was a thing until I had the Lenovo.)
• A stylus/pen is supported (but not my Dell pen.)
• My favorite is the built-in web camera blocker. Awesome!

the screen with the blocker on

The Lenovo had everything I love about the Dell but better. However, there was one thing I really disliked: there were not enough ports.

On the Dell, I have enough ports for my USB mouse, a printer USB, and other things I can't think of. On the Lenovo, the charger takes up one of the only 2 USB ports. So I had the charger plugged in and the USB for the mouse. That's it. I had no other USB ports. To print, I had to either not be using the charger or I'd have to remove the USB for the mouse.

I do know that there are hubs (or docks -?-) to add ports. Still, that was a bit of an added hassle. But the price - under $600 for the laptop (with a 90-day warranty) and an additional 2-year warranty - was so good. 

no special lighting

I might not get a Lenovo just yet but when I am down to the wire and this one is completely dead, Lenoovo is going to be my choice. The refurbs on Amazon are selling out and I really haven't been able to find it elsewhere - even at full price... When I do I will probably go with a new one and have to do payments but it will be worth it.

Peace

--Free