Lenovo’s new mini PC puts the Mac Studio to shame, but getting one is a challenge

Lenovo's new mini PC puts the Mac Studio to shame, but getting one is a challenge

What you need to know

  • Lenovo just launched the YOGA Portal, a compact desktop that runs on an Intel Core i7-14700 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070.
  • The YOGA Portal is only available in China at this time, though there is a global version of the PC with different specs called the ThinkCenter Neo Ultra.
  • The YOGA Portal costs roughly $2,500 after conversion and compares well against a Mac Studio in a similar price range.

As a seasoned tech analyst with over two decades of experience under my belt, I must say that Lenovo’s YOGA Portal has left me quite impressed. Having reviewed numerous PCs and worked closely with various manufacturers, I can confidently assert that this compact powerhouse is a game-changer in the mini PC market.


Observing here, I’ve come across an intriguing piece of tech: Lenovo’s latest offering, the YOGA Portal. This mini PC, standing at just 4.25 inches tall (108 mm), houses impressive hardware, including an Intel Core i7-14700 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070. The price tag? Approximately $2,500, if you could get your hands on one. Interestingly, the YOGA Portal is essentially the Chinese variant of the ThinkCenter Neo Ultra, sharing a similar design but offering different CPU and GPU configurations.

On the Yoga Portal, there’s a specific space for an advanced AI-enhancing Neural Processing Unit (NPU) processor, similar to what you might learn about in our NPU tutorial. Notably, some of its internal features like storage and memory can also be upgraded for better performance.

As an analyst, I find myself particularly captivated by the YOGA Portal, specifically its integrated RTX 4070 graphics card. This isn’t your typical mobile GPU; it’s a full-fledged desktop variant. The fact that they’ve managed to house this substantial component within the compact YOGA Portal is nothing short of impressive.

Lenovo YOGA Portal vs Mac Studio

Lenovo's new mini PC puts the Mac Studio to shame, but getting one is a challenge

As a researcher, I find comparing devices across different operating systems to be an intricate task. For instance, the straightforward comparison of RAM capacity isn’t always cut and dried, as demonstrated by Apple’s assertion that 8GB of RAM on a Mac is roughly equivalent to 16GB on a PC. The use cases for macOS and Windows also differ significantly, with gaming performance often being a key consideration for Windows users. However, in certain aspects, our iMore colleagues argue that Lenovo’s YOGA Portal surpasses Apple’s Mac Studio, going so far as to say it outperforms Apple’s boxy desktop. Let’s delve into why this is the case, at least from a specific perspective.

The YOGA Portal stands at approximately 4.25 inches tall, while its base measures around 7.68 inches by 7.99 inches. This means the YOGA Portal is slightly taller than the Mac Studio, but both devices are compact enough to fit comfortably on a desk. What sets the YOGA Portal apart is its internal components – it’s powered by an Intel Core i7-14700 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card.

On the YOGA Portal, you’ll find four M.2 slots designed for enhancing capabilities in Wi-Fi, Artificial Intelligence, and Solid State Drive. Lenovo’s laptop boasts a variety of ports considering its size, featuring two USB-A ports, an audio jack, and a USB-C port on the front side. The backside of this PC offers four USB-A ports, two HDMI 2.1 connections, an Ethernet socket, and four DisplayPort 1.4 slots. Additionally, it provides optional rear connectors for USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, or VGA.

Instead of that, let me rephrase it: Unlike other models, the Mac Studio is powered by M2 Max or M2 Ultra chips, which are robust processors capable of managing intensive 3D workloads, albeit not the latest technology available. The base price for a Mac Studio starts at $1,999, while the fully-equipped version can cost up to $8,799.

The M4 chip, introduced by Apple, will debut first in the 2024 iPad Pro. Afterward, it is anticipated that this series of processors will successively appear in the M4 MacBook Pro, M4 MacBook Air, and M4 Mac mini. It might take some time before a Mac Studio equipped with an M4 chip becomes available. However, it’s important to note that an M4-powered Mac Mini would offer remarkable performance and be more space-efficient than the YOGA Portal by a significant margin.

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2024-08-14 22:01