Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 refurbished - $636 AC + tax Shipped

Received mine Tuesday; all sorts of issues with it. I've reinstalled windows 3x now, made sure the drivers were updated, and applied all Windows updates...yet still getting a USB error on resume from suspend, software keyboard doesn't automatically display/retract, etc. First bad Lenovo refurb experience for me... Calling them today I suppose!

Quote from DamienChaos : Received mine Tuesday; all sorts of issues with it. I've reinstalled windows 3x now, made sure the drivers were updated, and applied all Windows updates...yet still getting a USB error on resume from suspend, software keyboard doesn't automatically display/retract, etc. First bad Lenovo refurb experience for me... Calling them today I suppose!

Whats the return policy on a bad shipped laptop? Mine finally shipped today, 4 days after ordering. Not pleased. Will be checking my local best buy's through the weekend to hopefully find an open box deal. We'll see.

Quote from couponhunter : How can you even began to compare this to Surface (that will release on Feb 9)? Yoga: 3rd Gen i5, 4GB upgradable RAM, 13.3", 1600x900, 128GB SSD Surface, 3rd Gen i5, RAM non-upgradable, 10.6", 1920x1080, 64GB SSD All I wanted was a 13.3"/14" laptop with 1600x900 resolution and priced under $600. Seems like there are none!

Seconded. But 14" too big.

13.3" or 12.5".

Quote from jnads : Seconded. But 14" too big. 13.3" or 12.5".

That's what she said !

Quote from MeatCatalog : Whats the return policy on a bad shipped laptop? Mine finally shipped today, 4 days after ordering. Not pleased. Will be checking my local best buy's through the weekend to hopefully find an open box deal. We'll see.

Returns are accepted within 21 days. Since the depot and outlet are both so close to my location in NC, and my wife fell in love with the thing, I figured I'd give them a chance to fix it; as the repair turn around time is 7 days from their receipt. That seems to be a comfortable margin...if it isn't fully functional when I get it back, then I'll just return it.

FWIW, the quality isn't as top-notch as the Think line, but it really is a nice device. The keyboard and its bezel are disappointingly spongy, with both moving up/down with quite a bit of travel when typing (particularly in the top right hand side key area, as reported elsewhere), but I guess that's no surprise since I believe it is held in with two-sided tape. I'm rather picky, but my wife enjoyed it enough (between reboots and bluescreens) to warrant going through the trouble of sending it for repairs.

The biggest question I have is why, in tablet/tent mode but using the "Desktop", does the on-screen keyboard not automatically pop up when a text field is touched and then retract upon completion of text entry? Works fine in Metro apps, but not the desktop. Maybe it was just this one funky device.

If nothing else, the Yoga makes me *VERY* glad I picked up a W520 before they switched over to the chiclet style keyboard for the Think line.

--DC

Quote from DamienChaos : FWIW, the quality isn't as top-notch as the Think line, but it really is a nice device. The keyboard and its bezel are disappointingly spongy, with both moving up/down with quite a bit of travel when typing (particularly in the top right hand side key area, as reported elsewhere), but I guess that's no surprise since I believe it is held in with two-sided tape. --DC

You can remove the keyboard and apply your own double sided tape to keep it from being spongy. I suggest just removing the top right area and squeeze in a couple of the tape in that area.

I had the same problem with an BB open box yoga and that fixed the keyboard.

Also just curious , what are the manufacturer date on these refurbished machine? All or most BB open box are October while the new ones are dec.

I went through two open box BB and they both have problems. One with serious KB sponginess that not fixed as above and overheating and crashing. Another is with slightly looser hinge that feels slightly weak. Anyone who bought these lenovo outlet ones have the same issues?

Quote from DamienChaos : Returns are accepted within 21 days. Since the depot and outlet are both so close to my location in NC, and my wife fell in love with the thing, I figured I'd give them a chance to fix it; as the repair turn around time is 7 days from their receipt. That seems to be a comfortable margin...if it isn't fully functional when I get it back, then I'll just return it. FWIW, the quality isn't as top-notch as the Think line, but it really is a nice device. The keyboard and its bezel are disappointingly spongy, with both moving up/down with quite a bit of travel when typing (particularly in the top right hand side key area, as reported elsewhere), but I guess that's no surprise since I believe it is held in with two-sided tape. I'm rather picky, but my wife enjoyed it enough (between reboots and bluescreens) to warrant going through the trouble of sending it for repairs. The biggest question I have is why, in tablet/tent mode but using the "Desktop", does the on-screen keyboard not automatically pop up when a text field is touched and then retract upon completion of text entry? Works fine in Metro apps, but not the desktop. Maybe it was just this one funky device. If nothing else, the Yoga makes me *VERY* glad I picked up a W520 before they switched over to the chiclet style keyboard for the Think line. --DC

From what i've read, to put 8GB of ram in it requires removing the keyboard which is held in by double sided tape. I will probably do this if the machine is suitable otherwise, while at the same time installing more tape to eliminate the sponge/squeak others have reported.

Quote from megapper : You can remove the keyboard and apply your own double sided tape to keep it from being spongy. I suggest just removing the top right area and squeeze in a couple of the tape in that area. I had the same problem with an BB open box yoga and that fixed the keyboard. Also just curious , what are the manufacturer date on these refurbished machine? All or most BB open box are October while the new ones are dec. I went through two open box BB and they both have problems. One with serious KB sponginess that not fixed as above and overheating and crashing. Another is with slightly looser hinge that feels slightly weak. Anyone who bought these lenovo outlet ones have the same issues?

Hmm, perhaps I will not look for an open box after all. There are none in my city as of now, but lenovo taking 4 days to ship my refurb is pretty bad.

Quote from MeatCatalog : From what i've read, to put 8GB of ram in it requires removing the keyboard which is held in by double sided tape. I will probably do this if the machine is suitable otherwise, while at the same time installing more tape to eliminate the sponge/squeak others have reported. Hmm, perhaps I will not look for an open box after all. There are none in my city as of now, but lenovo taking 4 days to ship my refurb is pretty bad.

Don't let what I say deters you from trying to find one.
You can open it and thoroughly test it before taking it home so issues with KB and hinge are easily detected.

Quote from swa2k4 : the yoga is turbo and very fast... btw it is back in stock

I can't find it in stock, can you give the link? Thanks!

Quote from sarahbr2 : I can't find it in stock, can you give the link? Thanks!

its out of stock sorry it can be found for full retail on lenovo site..also you can use a student discount if you are or know someone who is.

btw i received my refurb yesterday ...everything checks out fine just like the new one i had from best buy..no problems...already installed 8gb ram and an extra 256gb ssd last night too. everything running beautifully thank God. very good good deal...cant wait till this fall for the sequel!?

Quote from swa2k4 : btw i received my refurb yesterday ...everything checks out fine just like the new one i had from best buy..no problems...already installed 8gb ram and an extra 256gb ssd last night too. everything running beautifully thank God. very good good deal...cant wait till this fall for the sequel!?

Glad yours works well! I can hold out hope that the depot will conduct the appropriate repairs and send back a fully functional device. It really was a good deal. The Staples deal for the s230u this weekend is also pretty sweet, but the size and screen of the Yoga 13 easily make it a fully viable laptop replacement.

Fingers crossed that the depot gets it right...

i tried the partition fix ("hotfix") from the lenovo site and had an error during the process and messed up the computer. lenovo wanted money to fix. it's currently being restored @ bestbuy. i wish i knew a safer way to fix the partion problem...

... lots of issues... i have had only one issue which is the trackpad sticking. returned it. the partition hotfix worked like a charm though.

Quote from tenchichrono : ... lots of issues... i have had only one issue which is the trackpad sticking. returned it. the partition hotfix worked like a charm though.

A refurb or to best buy from an open box? If a refurb, how easy is it to return it to lenovo?