Product Listing

Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro: One step forward, two steps back

By Kenny Yeo - 16 Dec 2014

Performance Benchmarking, Battery Performance & Portability

Performance Benchmarking

We will be testing the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro using our usual suite of benchmarks. And as for comparison, we will be including results from recently tested Ultrabooks including the HP ZBook 14 and ASUS Zenbook UX302 and Microsoft's Surface Pro 3, which is arguably its keenest rival in this segment. Other contenders include HP EliteBook Folio 1040G1 and its predecessor, the Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro, which was the winner of our Tech Awards 2014 Best Ultra Portable Notebook category. Here is the list of benchmarks used:

  • PCMark 8
  • 3DMark 2013
  • Tomb Raider
  • Far Cry 2

And here is a quick look at how the Yoga 3 Pro compares against its rivals.

Test Notebooks Compared
  Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro HP Elitebook Folio 1040 G1 ASUS Zenbook UX302 HP ZBook 14
  Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro Microsoft Surface Pro 3 Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro HP Elitebook Folio 1040 G1 ASUS Zenbook UX302 HP ZBook 14
Processor and Chipset
  • Intel Core M-5Y70 (1.1GHz, 4MB L3 cache)
  • Intel Core i5-4300U (1.9GHz, 3MB L3 cache)
  • Intel Core i7-4500U
  • QM88
  • Intel Core i7-4600U (2.1GHz w/ Turbo, 4MB Cache)
  • Intel Core i7-4500U (1.80 GHz)
  • QM88
  • Intel Core i7-4600U (2.1GHz, 4MB L3 Cache)
Operating System
  • Windows 8.1
  • Window 8.1
  • Windows 8.1
  • Windows 8.1 Pro
  • Windows 8.1
  • Windows 8 Pro
System Memory
  • 8GB
  • 4GB
  • 8GB
  • 8GB 1600MHz DDR3
  • 4GB
  • 8GB
Video & Display
  • 13.3-inch 3200 x 1800 pixels resolution
  • Intel HD Graphics 5300
  • 12-inch ClearType display
  • 2160 x 1440 pixels resolution
  • Intel HD graphics 4400
  • 13.3-inch IPS LED Backlit (3200 x 1800)
  • 10-point capacitive touch screen
  • 14-inch LED FHD UWVA Anti-Glare (1920 x 1080)
  • Integrated Intel HD Graphics 4400
  • NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M
  • 13.3 inch, Full HD IPS display (1920 x 1080)
  • 10-point capacitive touch screen
  • 14-inch Full-HD 1080p
  • AMD FirePro M4100 1GB GDDR5
Storage
  • 256GB / 512GB
  • 128GB SSD
  • MicroSD expansion (Up to 64GB)
  • 256GB SSD
  • 256GB mSATA SSD
  • 750GB HDD with 16GB SSD cache
  • 256GB SSD
Optical Drive
  • None
  • None
Connectivity
  • Wireless-AC
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • 802.11 ac/a/b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • Wi-Fi (N)
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • Wireless 802.11 a/b/g/n
  • Bluetooth 4.0
  • 802.11ac (dual-band), Bluetooth 4.0
  • Intel Wireless-AC 7260
Audio
  • Integrated JBL speakers
  • Stereo speakers with Dolby Audio-enhanced sound
  • Integrated stereo speakers
I/O Ports
  • 2 x USB 3.0
  • 4-in-1 card reader
  • Headphones jack
  • Micro-HDMI out
  • 1 x USB 3.0
  • 1 x MicroSD
  • 1 x Mini-DisplayPort
  • 1 x Headphones jack
  • 1 x USB 3.0
  • 1 x USB 2.0
  • 1 x micro-HDMI
  • 1 x audio combo jack
  • 1 x SD Card reader
  • 2 x USB 3.0
  • 1 x DisplayPort 1.2
  • 1 x headphone/microphone combo
  • 1 x side docking connector
  • Mini DisplayPort
  • 3 x USB 3.0
  • HDMI 1.4
  • headphone/microphone combo port
  • SD card reader
  • 4 x USB 3.0 ports
  • 1 x DisplayPort
  • 1 x VGA
  • 1 x Ethernet port
  • 1 x SD card reader
  • 1 x Smart card reader
Battery Type
  • 44wH non-removable
  • Integrated 42.2wH
  • 54WH, 3700mAh
  • 6-cell Lithium Polymer Battery (42Wh)
  • 50WH, 4560mAh
  • 3 cell, 50Wh battery
Dimensions
  • 330 mm x 228 mm x 12.8 mm
  • 292 x 201 x 9.1mm
  • 330 x 220 x 15.5mm
  • 338 x 233.5 x 15.9mm
  • 325 x 226 x 17.2mm
  • 339 x 237 x 21mm
Weight
  • 1.19kg
  • 800g
  • 1.39kg
  • 1.49kg
  • 1.47kg
  • 1.62kg
Miscellaneous
  • Includes pen input

 

PCMark 8

As we noted earlier, we do not have high hopes for Intel’s new Core M processor and our fears were confirmed by the results on PCMark 8. The Yoga 3 Pro’s scores were generally underwhelming and trailed its closest competitor - the Surface Pro 3 - by around 20% to 30%. The Yoga 3 Pro is also significantly worse than its predecessor, which is powered by the pretty decent Core i7-4500U processor. If its any consolation its score on the Storage benchmark was pretty impressive, no doubt thanks to its fast internal SSD, which is supplied by Samsung.

Interestingly, while the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro didn't quite excel in the synthetic tests, it managed to rank as well as the Surface Pro 3 when running Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite applications through tasks automated on PCMark 8. This is important for Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro because these test runs capture real-word performance better and is a better indication of the notebook's capability in productivity tasks.

 

3DMark 2013

The Core M-5Y70 processor in the Yoga 3 Pro also sees the debut of the new Intel HD Graphics 5300 integrated GPU. The Intel HD Graphics 5300 has 24 EUs (execution units), which is slightly more than the older Intel HD Graphics 4400 (20 execution units) but considerably lesser than the HD Graphics 5000 (40 execution units). The HD Graphics 5300 also runs at a lower range of clock speeds that only goes up to 900MHz, whereas the HD Graphics 4600 and 5000 maxes out at 1100MHz.

Unsurprisingly, the Yoga 3 Pro did not post encouraging scores and lost out to other comparable devices such as the Surface Pro 3 and even its predecessor by a fair margin. The Surface Pro 3, Yoga 2 Pro and Elitebook Folio 1040 are both powered by the Intel HD Graphics 4400.

 

Far Cry 2

Bearing in mind the Yoga 3 Pro’s disappointing showing on 3DMark 2013, we did not have high hopes for Far Cry 2 and our expectations were confirmed when the Yoga 3 Pro barely managed even 20 fps at the “Medium” settings. Still, its results were in line with expectations seeing that the Surface Pro, Yoga 2 Pro and Elitebook Folio 1040 all managed marginally better frame rates that were far from playable. On the other hand, the ASUS Zenbook UX302 managed playable frame rates at “medium” settings thanks to its discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 730M mobile GPU.

 

Tomb Raider

Tomb Raider being a newer and more demanding saw even poorer numbers from the Yoga 3 Pro as it got only single digit results. The fact that its competitors got better results was also academic as all the devices in this category managed far from playable results. Clearly, if you want to play new games like Tomb Raider, you would require a dedicated gaming notebook like the Aftershock X13-V2 or MSI GS70 Stealth whose scores we've reflected below for comparisons.

 

Battery Life & Power Consumption

So far, the Yoga 3 Pro hasn't really excelled. In our benchmarks so far, it has been outperformed by its predecessor, something which we feared judging from the less than impressive specifications of the new Core M-5Y70 processor. However, with its low TDP, we thought even if it was outclassed in terms of performance, it would be able to impress in our battery and power consumption tests.

And the results proved that our gut feelings were right. Despite its slim size and high resolution display, the Yoga 3 Pro managed 4 hour and 25 minutes on a full charge - or 12 minutes longer than the Yoga 2 Pro. This is even more impressive when you consider that it has a smaller battery than its predecessor. And when calculating its power consumption, it was just a tad over 10W - an improvement of about 17% over its predecessor and the lowest we have recorded for an Ultrabook in our tests. 

 

Portability Index

The Yoga 3 Pro's power adapter is really small and uses a USB style connector adapter.

Our Portability Index factors in battery life, weight and volume so you can see which notebook is the most worthwhile to carry around.  With its long battery life, slim dimensions and light weight, it is little wonder that the Yoga 3 Pro managed a respectable index of 4.239 on our Portability Index. This is even better than the Surface Pro 3 (with Touch Cover), which managed an index of 3.840. It is also a significant improvement over the Yoga 2 Pro’s score of 2.696. At this point, it is also worth mentioning that the Yoga 3 Pro has a really compact power adapter. The Yoga 3 Pro is really suited for users who are constantly on the move - and not sacrifice battery life.

Traditionally, products that are this svelte usually trade battery stamina and overall performance, but as we've found out, while the Yoga 3 Pro may not best its predecessor, it can match some of it abilities and deliver a more desirable form factor and our Portability Index below certainly shows:-

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7.5
  • Design 8.5
  • Features 8.5
  • Performance 7
  • Value 7
  • Mobility 9.5
The Good
Super slim, lightweight design
Sharp, high resolution display
Well constructed hinge
Good keyboard and trackpad
Lower power consumption
The Bad
Display flexes when held in certain positions
Lackluster performance
Display a little dim
Glossy, reflective display
Placement of power button could be better
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