Lenovo Yoga AIO 27i Desktop Review: A Capable, if Utilitarian, All-in-One Computer

8.0/ 10
SCORE

Lenovo Yoga Aio 27i (27IAH10) Desktop AIO

$900 at Lenovo

Pros

• Ample performance for everyday computing
• Can work as an AIO computer or monitor
• Decent display

Cons

• Memory is soldered on
• USB ports max out at 10Gbps

The Lenovo Yoga AIO 27i (aka the 27IAH10) bucks the trends of an all-in-one desktop being much more expensive than the sum of its parts. Inside, it’s packing a fairly potent PC that’s more than capable of handling most office or light creative workloads. It funnels all of that out through a respectable 27-inch display. Even its keyboard, mouse and integrated webcam are of decent quality.

The $1,319 list price is a bit high compared w bundling a mini PC like the Mac Mini or Minisforum X1 AI Pro and a decent monitor. One of those combos would be a bit less money, depending on what configuration you went with. But there’s something to be said for the elegant integrations Lenovo has done with this system. Unlike some AIO desktops, this one has an HDMI input. So when the hardware inside the 27i gets a bit long in the tooth, you can retire it and just use the screen as a standalone monitor. Or, you can use that input for a gaming console and take advantage of the screen’s 120Hz refresh rate.

At the time of testing, the Lenovo Yoga AIO 27i (27IAH10), my test configuration was listed at $1,330 but had a sale price of $950. Lenovo also offers a model built around a previous-gen Intel Core Ultra 5 125H processor that comes with half the storage and a touchscreen display but is otherwise largely identical. That model comes with an «Estimated Value» from Lenovo of $1,229, but was on sale for $900 at the time of writing. Lenovo lists some additional configurations that include a Core Ultra 9 285H CPU option, discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics, up to 32GB of memory and an optional 15-watt wireless charger. However, because the memory is soldered on, you won’t be able to upgrade it after purchasing, and given the memory shortage, I recommend getting as much as you can afford.

The 27i system includes not only the AIO desktop but also a wireless keyboard and mouse. While these aren’t high-end peripherals, they’re also not throwaway-quality add-ins. I found the keyboard largely satisfying and the mouse fine for the basics. They both connect to the PC via a single USB-A dongle.

Up to snuff

Despite being on the affordable side for an AIO desktop, the 27i is surprisingly potent. The Intel Core Ultra 7 255H’s single-core speeds may not be quite up to the same level as Apple’s M4 chip, as found in the latest Mac Mini or iMac, but it proves equally capable in multicore workloads, as confirmed in my testing using both the Cinebench R24 and Geekbench 6 tests. The 255H in the 27i even shows up the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V found in Lenovo’s much more expensive Yoga AIO 32i (32ILL19).

The system is even relatively competitive with the AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370-powered Minisforum AI X1 Pro, a high-end mini PC. It goes toe-to-toe on single-core performance, though it takes some blows in multicore speeds. The 27i’s Intel Arc 140T gives it the edge, though, as this proves slightly more potent in more demanding 3DMark tests than AMD’s AMD Radeon 890M solution in the Minisforum. It’s always worth remembering that this kind of integrated graphics still has a long way to go to catch up to discrete graphics cards. For instance, the 32i (32ILL19)’s meager RTX 4050 blows both the Lenovo Yoga AIO 27IAH10 and Minisforum systems away in graphical workloads.

All that said, the 27i’s performance is more than enough for common office workloads and can easily hold up to browsing, media consumption and even light creative tasks. The system manages this performance quietly as well, with the cooling fan barely audible even when the system is under a heavy load.

Utilitarian in a good way

The 27i takes a different approach to the all-in-one design compared to Lenovo’s Yoga 32i. Instead of putting all of its computing bits into the base of the monitor stand, it packs them into the neck, making it wide and a little bulky. Even so, it’s impressively discreet. While it doesn’t have the same elegance as the 32i, it manages more utility, offering height, tilt and rotation adjustments for the display. The entire stand also swivels on its lazy Susan-style base.

That flexibility also makes the Lenovo Yoga AIO 27IAH10 a decent monitor. Again, differing from the more premium 32i, the 27i actually offers an HDMI input to let you skip its built-in computer and use it as a normal monitor. So, years down the line, when the computational power of the system is no longer up to snuff, you can continue using the perfectly serviceable display with another computer.

The screen itself isn’t half bad, either. It has a resolution of 2,560×1,440 pixels, which provides reasonable sharpness at 27 inches, and it can run at a smooth 120Hz. It offers 479 nits of brightness in HDR mode (398 nits in SDR mode), covers 99% of the sRGB color space and even puts up a decent color accuracy with an average dE1976 of 1.18. Between its brightness and matte finish, it’s easy on the eyes.

The speakers aren’t quite so impressive. They’re a bit lacking in the low end, which makes for a harsher presentation for music and takes some energy out of movies. But if you’re just listening to speech and instructional presentations, they do the job.

The system doesn’t fall too short on ports either, with some on the back and side. All five USB ports (three Type-A, two Type-C) are 10-gigabits-per-second USB 3.2 Gen 2 spec, which is good, but it’s a bit disappointing and a little surprising that none are the higher speed USB4 or Thunderbolt 4. There’s also an HDMI output so you can pair the 27i with a second monitor. Lastly, there’s an Ethernet jack for a wired internet connection.

Above the screen is a 5 megapixel webcam. This not only provided sharp, if a bit noisy, video, but it’s paired with an IR emitter to enable Windows Hello facial recognition for quick biometric sign-on. The mics also did a decent job picking up my voice. I sounded a bit distant, but they canceled out background noises well enough so a listener could focus on just my voice.

Lastly, the Lenovo Yoga AIO 27i (27IAH10) vents heat out of the top of the stand, and it did so quietly. While there are at least two layers of grille that filter the air taken in by the computer, neither appears very fine. Without an obvious way to get to the cooling system and clean it out occasionally, it will likely accumulate dust and suffer in the long term.

Is the Lenovo Yoga AIO 27i worth buying?

As all-in-one PCs go, Lenovo definitely put together a nice one with the AIO 27i. It has strong processing performance, a good-looking 27-inch display and enough ports and connections to satisfy just about any need. The lack of discrete graphics or a single high-speed USB-C port is disappointing, but not unusual at its price. Plus, it’s nice to have both an HDMI input and output. It’s a pretty great package overall, especially if you can pick one up for under $1,000.