Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsthe best computer/laptop I have ever purchased
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2015
This is, quite simply, the best computer/laptop I have ever purchased. As a business consultant, I travel constantly and I wanted a laptop that would be ultra-light, reliable, fast, extremely versatile, tough, and looks highly professional. This laptop gets five stars in each of those categories. The picture quality is the best of any laptop I've owned. The laptop itself is extremely light--something that is important when you are lugging a laptop bag everywhere you go. The stylish watchband hinge is what gives the Yoga 3 Pro its magic, though. For example, while flying, you can unfold the laptop so it is nearly flat and props against the seat in front of you on the plane, thus allowing you to easily watch videos in an extremely cramped situation. You can put the laptop in 'tent' mode and place it at the head of a meeting table to quickly share presentations for a group. You can easily switch to tablet mode at a lecture and take notes with a stylus. The keyboard is great, with good travel/pressure on the keys. Feels 'quality' and, best of all, illuminates when you want it for low light situations.
All-in-all, I can't rave enough about this laptop. The only drawbacks I've noticed so far (and I have been actively using mine for over a month), are: a) The volume is limited on the speakers. The volume is loud enough in most circumstances, but not suitable, for instance for playing music while performing other tasks and moving around a room. With headphones, the volume is fine. I recommend getting small, peripheral wifi speakers to boost sound when you need it. b) The built-in camera doesn't seem to be all that great. Not a major issue, depending on how you use the computer, but the pictures seem a little grainy. Not bad, though. c) Battery life is 'okay'. On a full charge, my laptop lasts anywhere from 4 to 5 hours. This is less than some other laptops, but in my opinion, a minor issue as I typically have access to a power source during that time. Also, these days you can easily purchase peripheral backup power sources if battery life is a concern, so it's an easy workaround.
UPDATE: Since I first purchased this laptop just a few months ago, I discovered a MAJOR design flaw which anyone thinking of buying this laptop should be aware of. It is the battery and charging system. My Yoga 3 Pro functioned fine--until today--right before I was set to use it for a critically important presentation. For some reason, although the system reported the battery was 'in good condition', the power adapter was not being detected and therefore was not charging the battery. (I since went online and found that others have had this issue.) I had to watch helplessly as the power drained from my laptop and I could no longer even turn it on to attempt a fix. And, since the battery is inaccessible without unscrewing and removing the bottom plate of the laptop and thereby voiding its warranty, I could not even swap out the drained battery for a new one, even if I had one available. As a result, I had to call Lenovo Tech Support. The woman I spoke to was in India. She was helpful, to a very limited degree, but the language barrier was severe. More importantly, I should not have even had to call her, since a battery/power issue of this kind is pretty unacceptable for a computer that runs upwards of $1,000. This is a blatant design flaw--and a really bad one. Now, I have to send my still-new laptop away to a service center, hoping to get it back within the next few weeks. My laptop has a ton of valuable data on it and I really need it this week as I am scheduled to do several important presentations. I am NOT happy.
