Are there any alternatives?

The Dell XPS 15 is a direct competitor to the Yoga 9i in the 15-inch clamshell market, and it’s a strong one. It has a better display, at least as far as we’ve tested, and therefore offers a better option for demanding creative pros. The XPS 15 is also less expensive than the Yoga 9i, currently almost $200 less for an equivalent configuration.

　　A direct alternative is the HP Spectre x360 15, which offers the same configuration as the 9i for $300 less (on sale). The Spectre x360 15 is a much more striking 2-in-1 aesthetically and offers slightly better connectivity. But the Yoga 9i is faster and can be upgraded to a Core i9 to really blow the HP out of the water.

　　Finally, you could consider the HP Envy 15, which is a whopping $650 less than the Yoga 9i as configured. And for $250 less, you can get a spectacular OLED display and an Nvidia RTX 2060 Max-Q GPU that makes the Envy 15 a much more powerful and pleasant laptop.

　　

How long will it last?

The Yoga 9i is built like a tank and will last forever. Okay, maybe not forever, but for as long as you’ll need it to last. The one-year warranty is industry standard and too short, as always.

　　

Should you buy it?

Yes. The Yoga 9i is the fastest 2-in-1 we know of, and it offers outstanding audio quality and a great design. But consider the 4K display if you’re going to be using it for photo or video editing.