Why You Can Trust CNET Lenovo Yoga C940 vs. Yoga C740: Which 2-in-1 is right for you?
Sometimes the best option isn't the most expensive.
- More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
Lenovo currently makes two of the best two-in-one laptops you're going to find in the Yoga C740 and Yoga C940. Both have a premium look and feel, but the streamlined C740 starts at less than $800, while the premium C940 jumps off around $1,100. Although some of the price difference is performance-related, there are also a few key features that bump the C940 up to the next level.
That said, the C740 is an excellent general-purpose laptop that'll meet the needs of many people, even if you never intend to use it as a tablet. Sometimes you simply don't need to spend a lot of money to get what you need. Before you jump on the higher-end C940, here are the features differences to weigh.
Read more: Best 2-in-1 laptops for 2020
Write out of the box
The C940's active pen stores in the back.
One of the biggest extra features of the C940 is its active pen. Stored in a charging garage on the back right edge of the laptop, the pen is always within reach and slides out and is ready to draw or write on the display.
The C740 is pen-enabled, but Lenovo doesn't include a pen, so you'll have to buy one on your own. If you're not 100% certain you're going to use it, however, this is a good feature to drop, especially since you can always pick a pen up later if you change your mind.
Hinges great and small
No matter what position you're using the screen in, you still get clear audio.
It's one of those things you might miss if you don't look closely. The C740 has two small 360-degree hinges that allow you to flip the display around to the back of the keyboard to use it as a tablet. The C940 has one long hinge that not only lets you change from laptop to tablet but is filled with speakers. The design means no matter what position you're using the screen in, you still get clear audio.
Also, the C940's audio is actually good. While laptop makers frequently talk up their speakers and audio processing, most never live up to the hype. However, the design paired with its integrated Dolby Atmos processing sounds better than most ultraportable laptops. I mean, you'll still be better off with a larger desktop speaker set or good headphones, but the C940's speakers are enjoyable.
Some lakes are deeper than others
Intel didn't exactly make things easy for consumers with its current Core i-series mobile processors. They're all considered 10th-generation chips, but their architectures are not the same. The C740 uses Intel's 10th-gen Comet Lake processors, while the C940 has 10th-gen processors using its Ice Lake architecture. The Ice Lake chips deliver better performance across the board including integrated Iris Plus graphics.
The Ice Lake CPUs also includes support for Wi-Fi 6 (802.11x), which gives you a little futureproofing, assuming you haven't already jumped to the latest wireless standard. And Thunderbolt 3 is integrated into the CPU die (instead of as part of a supporting chipset) so extra drivers for it aren't needed. (The C740's USB-C ports are not Thunderbolt 3.) Ice Lake just gives you all-around faster performance and a deeper feature set.
The C740's 10th-gen Comet Lake processor didn't disappoint and was plenty for typical work and entertainment use, plus battery life was impressive at more than 11 hours on our streaming video test.
Bigger and better
Both models come in 14- and 15.6-inch screen sizes. The 15.6-inch C740 is essentially the same as the 14-inch, but with a larger display and a keyboard with a number pad. The larger C940, however, can be configured with more powerful processors including a ninth-gen Intel Core i9 and discrete graphics courtesy of Nvidia's GeForce GTX 1650. Also, like the 14-inch C940, the 15.6-inch can be configured with a 500-nit UHD-resolution display with DisplayHDR 400 support.
Both of these laptops are excellent, but if you don't need the faster performance and pen features of the C940, it's a reasonable choice to save a few hundred bucks and go with the C740.
The C740 has plenty of processing power for everyday home, office and school tasks plus long battery life. The thin and lightweight all-metal body gives it a premium look and feel. And while it doesn't have all the extras of the C940, you still get features like pen support and a privacy shutter for the webcam.
Whether you go with the 14- or 15.6-inch model, you're getting the best features Lenovo offers in a consumer two-in-one. That includes things like a 4K UHD HDR display; speakers that you'll actually want to use; Thunderbolt 3 for power, speedy data transfers and external display support; faster integrated graphics and the option for discrete graphics on the 15.6-inch; and an included active pen that stores in the body. And it's all still wrapped up in a sturdy, but lightweight metal body.