For the original German review, see here.

Lenovo has a practical, 12-inch convertible in its lineup with the ThinkPad Yoga 260. Once again, it brings the multi-mode concept to the business sector. Can Lenovo's Yoga also impress fans of conventional clamshell subnotebooks? Examples would be the ThinkPad X250 and HP's EliteBook 820 G2 convertibles, also with matte Full HD screens but not a 360 degree hinge.

There are also the EliteBook Revolve 810 G3 (11.6 inches), Toshiba's Satellite Radius 12 and Lenovo's Yoga 3 Pro 13 (Core M-5Y51) that turn a small subnotebook into a tablet in the professional sector. Unfortunately, while the Revolve 810 G3 only offers an HD resolution, it is more expensive with a price tag of over  2000 Euros (~$2181). The Satellite Radius 12 is not quite as expensive; we are currently testing it and thus many rates are already in the database. Lenovo's Yoga 3 Pro 13 features remarkable, incredibly slim casing design. The tester did not like the keyboard in view of professional use quite as much. Users who want a docking solution might consider the 12-inch Toshiba Portege Z20t-B-10C tablet (Core M-5Y71), which is inserted in the keyboard unit.

_Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 260 20FD001XGE (ThinkPad Yoga Series)

_Case

Lenovo delivers a high-quality construction that is plain yet highly pleasing with matte, firm surfaces. It is not uniformly robust; two hands can warp the base to some degree. The hinges are mounted very well in the base. No movement tugs at the plastic adversely. The hinges are pulled very tight, but they cannot prevent the slim lid from rocking. Thus, the display rocks more or less when touched by a finger (touch in laptop mode). The hinges can be rotated by 360 degrees. A mechanism lifts the keyboard grid and fixes the keys. The keyboard is disabled in tablet mode. The mechanism provides a haptic feature: The fixture makes the tablet's new underside more even and thus more pleasant to carry in the hands.

Unfortunately, the convenient stylus compartment on the left mars our impression. The stylus is inserted and recharged here. The opening creates a weak point that also tore right away in the review sample. That does not happen when picked up at a corner, but it can often happen when loading the chassis mechanically. We have marked the small tear in screenshot three.

We could visibly warp the lid. However, this flexibility is not annoying during use, especially since pressure marks are not produced at the edges. This did not happen when we applied selective pressure on the back, either.

Predetermined breaking point?

The stylus' compartment creates a ...

... sensitive breaking point.

_Connectivity

Power, volume, stylus holder, line/mic combo, micro-SD, Sim card slot, UBS 3.0, HDMI, Kensington

Power supply, docking port, DisplayPort, USB 3.0 sleep & charge, SmartCard reader

_Communication

Intel's Dual Band Wireless-AC 8260 including a Bluetooth 4.1 chip (without vPro) always ensured a reliable connection to the router in the test. It also functioned outstandingly outside the building; the connection did not break off at the 45 meter (~148 ft) measuring point (outdoors). Optionally, a Broadcom 802.11ac (2x2) with Bluetooth 4.1 Wi-Fi chip can be selected in Lenovo's store. This adds vPro, but then Intel's Wireless Display will no longer be available.

Although an RJ45 port is not installed due to the slim build, customers do not have to forgo cabled networks. Intel's I219-V Ethernet Connections is on board so that the Ethernet port in the docking station functions.

Security

The Yoga 260 is equipped with a Trusted Platform Module (dTPM), which contains a cryptographic key for uniquely identifying the computer. A SmartCard reader, fingerprint scanner and Kensington lock supplement the security in terms of hardware.

Accessories

In addition to the 45-watt power supply, a digital pen is included in the box and handwriting detection software is installed. The ThinkPad Pen Pro is the same size as a pen. Its 2048 pressure levels are to ensure accurate inputs. The WRITEit software turns handwriting in almost every text field into data input. For example, we could jot keywords directly in the browser URL bar and WRITEit converted them, providing word suggestions when illegible. The stylus is recharged automatically in its compartment in the tablet. It reaches a capacity of 80% within a few minutes for quick use; the rest needs much longer.

Docking Options

Native docking stations are still an important criterion for professional users. The USB 3.0 docks have not changed in the recent years. Usually they function well, but they have to convert all data, such as image, audio or Ethernet, into the USB protocol. This always requires a bit of performance on the fly, and thus manufacturer-specific docks that are docked to the hardware (without drivers) are still in fashion. Lenovo has favored the OneLink port for years. It is an extension of the power supply and corresponding docks are offered for it. This technology has also moved into parts of the budget class.

This is different in the current Yoga 260. It has a OneLink+ port separated from the power supply. A OneLink dock cannot be connected. It has to be the "ThinkPad OneLink+" docking station. It also supplies the laptop with power (dedicated 90-watt power supply). This docking station is a better choice than USB 3.0 solutions when using two external monitors. Users who do not need a docking station can use a single adapter; Lenovo has a VGA/RJ45 and mini-DP/VGA adapter in its lineup.

Warranty

Yoga 260 buyers can select from a set of different services. A two-year warranty (bring in) is included. The ThinkPlus ePac warranty upgrade to 3 years with battery replacement in case of defect costs 120 Euros (~$131). Users who need on-site repair in a worst case scenario can buy Lenovo's ePac On-Site repair. This service extension includes time and effort as well as spare parts with response on the next business day.

_Webcam

The camera takes pale photos with relatively grainy surfaces in the usual HD resolution. It is sufficient for a video call. However, photos are virtually useless due to the heavy noise.

Webcam 1280x720

Reference Canon EOS 1100D

Few details, heavy noise

Strongly pixelated areas

The base plate allows easy access to all components. The CPU is soldered and thus only elements such as LTE, Wi-Fi, RAM, fan, battery, and CMOS battery can be replaced. Accessing is impressively simple. However, a warning: The breaking point in the stylus holder is most vulnerable, particularly without the supportive base plate.

Easy maintenance via base plate

The plate can be removed without hitches

Wi-Fi chip and CMOS battery

Fan and SoC (soldered)

Base plate

Firmly mounted: 360 degree hinge

Empty M.2 slot - e.g. for LTE module

RAM: 8 GB

256 GB SSD module in M.2 slot

One of the speakers

Keyboard

The keys' layout and technical qualities are similar to the ThinkPad X250 to the last detail. This is also true for the UltraNav unit composed of TrackPoint and touchpad. The chiclet keyboard is still splash proof. The ThinkPad characteristic of swapping the FN and Crtl keys (can be changed in BIOS) is found here again. The combination of firm pressure point, generous drop and high stability contributes to the input device's rich, mechanical typing feel. This is rarely found in other laptop lineups. The keys can be illuminated with white LEDs in two levels when desired.

ClickPad

The TrackPoint has three dedicated, gently triggering buttons. The touchpad (8.7 x 5.3 centimeters/~3.4 x 2.1 in) is installed as a fully integrated ClickPad. Lenovo's implementation stands out with a crisp and well-defined pressure point. However, some users will miss real keys. Of course, the TrackPoint's keys can be used together with the ClickPad. The pad does a good job and convinces with good gliding traits and finely adjusted multi-touch gestures.

Touchscreen

The manufacturer has applied an anti-glare layer to the touchscreen. It is naturally bubble-free and fitted absolutely impeccably. The surface feels pleasantly matte, but is still sleek enough to allow the finger to glide without stops. The surface is sensitive up to its edges. A finger can clearly move along the black bezel and the object is still moved. Inputs are implemented quickly, whether with one or several fingers, or with the ThinkPad Pen Pro. We quickly got used to handwriting detection. It is now finally possible to fill out every text field using the stylus without having to attach the keyboard in tablet mode.

Typical ThinkPad layout

Backlight level 1

Backlight level 2

ClickPad with keys and TrackPoint

_

Display

Subpixel array LEN40E6 N125HCE-GN1

The screen size is 12.5 inches, and offers 1920x1080 pixels as a finger touchscreen. The panel with the model number N125HCE-GN1 (LEN40E6) is an IPS screen mounted on a 360 degree hinge. The resolution equates to 176 PPI. The pixel grid is still visible at a close distance. Lenovo is the only manufacturer besides Toshiba that sells touchscreens with anti-glare surfaces. However, this only applies to elite business devices like the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Touch. An IPS HD version with 1366x768 pixels is also offered in Lenovo's shop (touchscreen).

The brightness in the screen's center reaches almost 400 cd/m², but the average is "only" 335 cd/m² because the surrounding area is darker. The brightness differences are not great; we measured an illumination of 84%, which is in a good midfield. The rivals are also within a range of almost 400 cd/m².

_Buyers looking for high color space coverage will not find it here. sRGB is covered by only 62%, no need to mention AdobeRGB. A color profile was not loaded on our Yoga 260 ex-factory, but the manufacturer has installed a selection of profiles for different applications. They can be loaded via Windows' tools; Lenovo does not have a convenient tool for this.

Although we did not discover a bluish tint, the CalMAN analysis (TFT without color profile) exhibits a light shift toward green. This is seen in the CalMAN Grayscale screenshot under Target/Actual. Consequently, the Grayscale DeltaE is 9, which is a relatively bad rate that is only surpassed by low-cost TN screens (DeltaE of 12 -15). However, more expensive rivals do not always do a better job. The Portégé Z20t-B-10C has DeltaE rates of 9 and 10. Calibration via a photospectrometer can reduce this inaccuracy slightly. The color profile linked in the box for the Yoga 260 FHD can also be used for this.

Color profiles on board but not loaded

AdobeRGB 41%

sRGB 62%

CalMAN Grayscale

CalMAN ColorChecker

CalMAN Saturation Sweeps

_The brightness does not change in battery mode. It can be set to 371 cd/m² in the center, provided that the brightness sensor is disabled. That is situated in the display bezel's upper right corner. In conjunction with the AR-layer, we are faced with a Yoga 260 that is perfectly suitable for outdoor use.