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Lenovo Yoga C940 2-in-1 is more phonelike with Intel's help

The PC maker also announced new 15-inch Yogas with discrete graphics and Alexa features at IFA 2019.

Joshua Goldman Managing Editor / Advice
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Expertise Laptops, desktops and computer and PC gaming accessories including keyboards, mice and controllers, cameras, action cameras and drones Credentials
  • More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
Joshua Goldman
2 min read
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The C940's design changes are subtle from the Yoga C930.

Lori Grunin/CNET

If you've ever reached for your phone instead of your laptop simply because it's faster to wake up, unlock and start working, new laptops like Lenovo's Yoga C940 might change that. The company's flagship 14-inch two-in-one is one of a handful of Intel Project Athena devices announced at IFA 2019 aimed at making laptops perform more like your phone

The C940 is designed to instantly wake from sleep, and has a fingerprint reader that works in a second and Wi-Fi that connects just as fast, a UHD-resolution display with 500-nit brightness to help you see past reflections and a battery life up to 10.5 hours -- or 17.5 hours if you opt for the 400-nit FHD-resolution display. 

Read: Best 2-in-1 PCs in 2019 for when you need a laptop and tablet in one  

In overall design it isn't drastically different from last year's Yoga C930, save for a new hinge design that's one piece instead of two. Aside from new 10th-gen Intel processors inside, the update is mostly about enabling those Athena features along with some smarter software features. Those include an option to boost performance, battery life and cooling with a button press; using Amazon Alexa services even when the system is locked or asleep; and dynamically upscaling FHD video in Windows Media Player on the C940's optional 4K UHD DisplayHDR screen. 


The 14-inch Lenovo Yoga C940 arrives in October starting at $1,250. Also, if performance and display size are more of a concern than mobility, Lenovo will also offer the C940 with a 15.6-inch, 500-nit DisplayHDR screen (full HD or UHD), up to a ninth-gen Intel Core i9 CPU and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics chip starting at $1,710. Or, if you want the larger size and but not the two-in-one design, look for the Lenovo Yoga S740, which is a traditional clamshell with similar component options to the 15.6-inch C940 for $1,450. 

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The Yoga C740 comes in 14- and 15.6-inch sizes like the C940. 

Lori Grunin/CNET

Got all that? Great, because it's about to get a little more confusing. Also arriving in October is the Yoga C740, which will also come in 14- and 15.6-inch sizes. These are more straightforward hardware updates to last year's 14-inch Yoga 730 with 10th-gen Intel Core-i processors and the option, at least on the 15.6-inch size, of a 500-nit HDR display. You'll be able to talk to Alexa from across the room on these as well. Prices start at $870 for the 14-inch and $900 for the 15.6-inch. 

Rounding things out is the $850 13.3-inch Yoga C640. It, too, has Intel's 10th-gen Core-i processors, but offers optional 4G LTE access. At less than 2.9 pounds (1.3 kg.), the smaller size and extra mobile connectivity should make it a good commuter-friendly pick. Look for it in October with the rest of these.  

Read more of the latest news from IFA 2019.

All the new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets and more from IFA 2019

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