If you're a fan of gigantic-screen laptops, I can't say I share your affinity. On the other hand, I can't help but feel drawn to the quite large 2-in-1 convertible laptop that Lenovo announced on Thursday.

The new Yoga C940—Lenovo's flagship convertible—will be available with a 15.6-inch screen in addition to its customary 14-inch one. I usually prefer laptops with 13-inch displays, but based on the brief time the company let me spend with the big Yoga C940, I'm impressed. Sure, at 4.2 pounds, it's too heavy to be an ultraportable laptop, and it's uncomfortable to hold with one hand as a tablet. But it's only about a pound heavier than its little sibling, the new 14-inch Yoga C940, which replaces the Yoga C930 that we already considered to be the best high-end 2-in-1 you could buy.

My main aversion to large-screen 2-in-1s is their weight, but with such a small weight premium, the big Yoga C940 forces me to rethink the 2-in-1 equation. If you're frequently going to prop up a convertible like a tent to display presentations or movie shows, an extra inch of screen real estate for an extra pound seems like a fair tradeoff.

The price premium is another question. The 14-inch Yoga C940 will start at $1,250 when it goes on sale next month, while the 15-incher will go for an eyebrow-raising $1,710 starting price. That's a big difference that could tip the scales back in favor of the 14-inch design. We're looking forward to spending more time with both to give them full reviews; for now, here are my first impressions.


A Head-Turning Display The main reason to spend the extra money—and deal with the extra weight—is to gain a luxurious, expansive screen, and here the Yoga C940 does not disappoint. The top-end model offers a 4K (3,840-by-2,160-pixel) screen with 15.6 diagonal inches that is capable of displaying Dolby Vision HDR content and has a maximum brightness of 500 nits. This is pretty much the ultimate laptop screen. The only way I could see it getting better is if Lenovo offered an OLED version or a variable-refresh-rate screen as Apple does on the iPad Pro. The base model of both the 14-inch and 15.6-inch Yoga C940 uses a lower-resolution full HD (1,920-by-1,080-pixel) display.

Looks Good in Iron Gray Lenovo will offer a single Iron Gray color option for the 15-inch Yoga C940. You won't be able to order it in the darker Mica color that is available on the 14-inch version. You're not buying a premium Yoga for its range of color options, though. The styling is perhaps best described as refined and understated. If you don't like the vast, smooth expanse of the display lid, you can always put some tasteful stickers on it.

Maximum Keys Although the 15.6-inch display is the main reason to choose the larger Yoga C940, it isn't the only reason. There's also enough room to add a dedicated number pad to the right of the keyboard. Spreadsheet jockeys will rejoice. Alas, the keyboard isn't as comfortable as the one that graces most of Lenovo's flagship business ThinkPad laptops. The Yoga C940's keys feel a bit more hollow. I'm guessing that they will be less satisfying for long typing sessions, although we'll have to spend more time with them to be sure. This isn't a bad keyboard, it's just not the most comfortable that Lenovo offers.

Stylus Included One of the best improvements that Lenovo made to the Yoga series with last year's C930 is the addition of an included stylus and a built-in "garage" (or niche) in which to store it. The digital pen even charges itself as soon as you slip it into the garage. It's a vast improvement over the old design used on the Yoga 920, which featured a larger stylus but nowhere to store it.

An Unmistakable Edge The edges of the Yoga C940 are arrestingly beautiful, standing out even in a world where laptop makers now obsess over edge design (to wit: HP's jewel-like Spectre x360 ). The right edge is especially noteworthy, because there's little to mar its smooth face other than a power button and a USB port.

No SD Card Reader There are a few more ports on the left edge: two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a power port, and an audio jack. This is a relatively weak port complement for a big laptop, which means that if you're buying a 15.6-inch laptop for its port selection, you'll want to look elsewhere. The Yoga C940 has no SD card reader or dedicated video output. (You'll have to use an adapter for video output from the Thunderbolt ports.) Wireless connectivity should be excellent, however, thanks to next-gen Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax). A choice of Intel's 10th Generation Core i7 or Core i9 CPUs will power the 15-inch Yoga C940.

Hidden Speaker Grilles The speakers hidden in the display hinge are one of the Yoga C940's niftiest features. Not only does this placement ensure that they're always facing you for greater audio clarity in when propped as a tablet or a tent, but it also means that the rear of the laptop is slightly less busy. Cooling grilles are the only significant blemish on the otherwise smooth expanse here. Another noteworthy audio feature is the ability to converse with Amazon's Alexa voice assistant even when the Yoga C940 is locked or asleep. As long as the lid is open, Alexa should respond to your voice. I wasn't able to test this or many other features during my brief demo, so check back soon for PCMag's full review.

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