The Lenovo Yoga 3 is the latest ultrabook that seeks to combine form and function into a flexible package. It’s also the first Lenovo laptop to use Intel’s new Intel Core M processor.

Ultrabooks are usually a compromise between power, battery life and portability. Some manufacturers do it better than others, with Lenovo being one of the good ones. The Lenovo Yoga 3 continues to please while mitigating the inevitable shortcomings of this form.

The machine measures 12.8 x 330 x 228mm and weighs 1.2kg. The case is made of plastic that has some flex in it – admittedly, this takes some getting used to. The 13.3-inch QHD+ touchscreen is capable of 3200 x 1800 pixels and offers excellent resolution for the price. It’s a great screen that produces excellent brightness and colour resolution.

The Yoga signature is the ability to flip the screen through 180 degrees. That’s even easier now with a new hinge system so you can still tent, stand and display to your heart’s content.

The Intel Core M-5Y70 CPU runs at 1.1GHz and works with 8Gb of RAM. The Yoga 3 also features a 256Gb SSD, USB and MicroHDMI. The Yoga 3 runs Windows 8.1 and comes with free 30-day trials of McAfee LiveSafe and Microsoft Office 365. It also has apps like Skype, Zinio, Amazon, Evernote already installed as well as some proprietary apps.

The Intel Core M is a definite step up from Atom but still falls short of i5 and i7. Despite that, the Lenovo Yoga 3 is swift enough for business or pleasure and contains enough oomph to play light games or stream video. The aim of the Core M is to generate less heat and consume less power. It succeeds in this but at the expense of all-out performance.

Power users won’t like the compromise between portability and performance. For lighter users and those for whom portability is most important, the Lenovo Yoga 3 is a good buy.

Jesmond Darmanin is a technology enthusiast who has his own blog at www.itnewsblog.com.

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