Lenovo Yoga Mini i: A Cylindrical Mini-PC with Intel Panther Lake CPU, 32GB RAM, and Windows 11

Lenovo has officially launched its new Mini-PC, the Yoga Mini i, in China. Its design unmistakably draws inspiration from Apple's Mac mini, though Lenovo has opted for a cylindrical form factor over a rectangular one to subtly differentiate its aesthetic. Beyond this visual cue, the similarities largely end, as the Yoga Mini i is built upon conventional x86 architecture and runs on Windows 11 as its operating system.

Constructed from aluminum, the Lenovo Yoga Mini i boasts compact dimensions of 130 x 130 x 48.6 mm and weighs approximately 600 grams, a portability that Lenovo highlights by marketing it as a "handheld" computer. This versatile device is engineered to seamlessly integrate into various environments, from a home office desk to a professional studio, and is even convenient enough for travel. A notable advantage it holds over the Mac mini is its enhanced connectivity options and the inclusion of a built-in fingerprint reader, providing advanced biometric security for user logins.

Lenovo Yoga Mini i Specifications

At the core of the Lenovo Yoga Mini i lies an Intel Panther Lake processor, offering several configuration choices. Consumers can select from an efficient Intel Core Ultra 5 325 with 8 cores (comprising 4 P-Cores + 4 LPE-Cores) up to a powerful top-tier variant featuring an Intel Core Ultra X7 358H with 16 cores (4 P-Cores + 8 E-Cores + 4 LPE-Cores). These processors are paired with up to 32 GB of soldered LPDDR5X RAM operating at 8533 MT/s, alongside up to 2 TB of NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD storage. The most advanced configuration further integrates the Intel Arc B390 iGPU, which delivers up to 64% faster performance compared to the AMD Radeon 890M.

Moreover, the Mini-PC incorporates a dedicated NPU capable of delivering up to 50 TOPS of AI performance, thereby qualifying it as a Copilot+ PC, optimized for Microsoft's latest AI functionalities. These specifications collectively position the Yoga Mini i as a high-performance Mini-PC wrapped in an elegant and premium design. It provides ample processing power for a wide range of applications, including office productivity, multimedia consumption, advanced AI tasks, video and photo editing, and even gaming, particularly in its highest-end configuration.

The cooling system of the Lenovo Yoga Mini i cleverly takes inspiration from the Mac mini's design, featuring a raised base that facilitates the intake of cool air from beneath the unit, ensuring efficient thermal management.

Connectivity and Launch Price

When it comes to connectivity, the Lenovo Yoga Mini i truly distinguishes itself from the Mac mini. It offers a comprehensive array of ports, including two Thunderbolt 4 / USB4 ports, two additional USB-C ports, one USB 3.2 port, an HDMI 2.1 video output, a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. This robust selection allows for simultaneous connection of up to four external monitors. Wireless capabilities are also cutting-edge, featuring Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0. Further enhancements include an integrated stereo speaker system (2 x 2W), dual microphones, a fingerprint reader for security, and an innovative Wi-Fi Sensing presence detection system that can discern movement and even breathing patterns in its environment.

The Lenovo Yoga Mini i debuts in China with a starting price of 5,499 yuan, which converts to approximately €690 or $800 USD. This initial price point corresponds to the configuration equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 5 325 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD. Given its impressive specifications, premium design, and solid build quality, this represents an excellent value proposition in the Mini-PC market.