yoga 14 screen

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 review: a twist of Wacom ES

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 Review

by Tablets for Artists

Update, Spring 2016: There is a newer version, the 20FY0002US.  I have written a separate review of it you can read here. Click to see it at Amazon. This newer one doesn’t have the battery issues some of the units from the earlier model did, and this one comes with the Wacom ES pen in a silo in the body. Recommended.
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Type of Tablet

Convertible Tablet PC (Laptop that turns into a tablet via a hinge. Keyboard is not detachable).

The rumored 15″ version that works with the pen never happened.

UPDATE: This computer in Windows 10 is now available at Best Buy.

NOTE: There are several versions of the Yoga ThinkPad 14 and some do not have the Wacom digitizer. The ones that do are: the 20DM008UUS, which has Windows 8.1, and the 20DM009GUS with Windows 10. It is confusing, the salespeople aren’t informed, and the info doesn’t appear in the product info. 

lenovo thinkpad yoga 14 review

Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14

 

Overview

The computer, made of magnesium alloy with a plastic keyboard, is solid and good-looking, as well as slim. The display is bright and clear with deep colors. The hinge works well in all the positions. The trackpad is large and responds well. The extra screen space is a great addition for drawing. The ThinkPad Yoga 12 weighed 3.5 lbs., and the 14 weighs in at 4.2 lbs. The 12 actually had a brighter screen at 324 nits, but to me it did not look as bright, maybe because the 14 has a smudge-and-fingerprint-resistant coating that adds to the glossy sheen, whereas the 12 was matte. Glossy as it is, the surface is not too slippery for drawing, though I prefer drawing on the matte. So there is a tradeoff here between brightness and texture.

It boots up and shuts down quickly. Programs open quickly, too. There is just a single slot of RAM, and the 8GB is not expandable. But 8GB is plenty to run Adobe CC and other graphics programs. Bootup and shutdown are quick.

thinkpad yoga 14 opens flat

The Yoga 14 can open to a flat position, so you could draw on it like this and keep access to the keyboard.

lenovoyoga14tabletmode

Or you can push the screen down so it’s flat, with the keyboard on the bottom. Keys will be locked, so it’s helpful to use an external keyboard to access keyboard shortcuts.

 

 

Features

IPS display with 10-point multitouch, screen size 14″
Screen resolution 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)
brightness: 267 nits
1 TB hybrid hard drive with 16GB solid state drive
360-degree design to fold into 5 settings: laptop, tablet, tent, table, stand
Intel 4th Generation Core i5-4210U processor
8 GB RAM, non-expandable, soldered in (possibly could be expanded with some difficulty)
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 840M graphics that will switch on automatically when you open a program that uses it (or you can change options in the NVIDIA settings)
720p Webcam
keys that retract when in tablet mode
backlit keyboard (user turns on backlighting when wanted)
Dolby Home Theater audio

Height: 0.8″
Width: 13.3″
Depth: 9.4
Weight: 4.2 lbs.

3 USB ports: two 3.0 and one 2.0
No Ethernet port
1 full HDMI output

What’s in the Box

Thinkpad Yoga 14 2-in-1 14″ Touch-Screen Laptop
4-cell lithium-polymer battery
Power cord, AC adapter
Owner’s manual

Durability

The Lenovo Thinkpad Yoga 14 has military-grade protection for shock, vibration, sand and dust. The computer is solid and should be a brawny travel companion.

Portability

The PC’s weight, while light for its size, it’s a lot to tote around for long periods of time.

Wacom ES Digitizer

The 14 uses Wacom ES, which is sort of like a marriage between Wacom EMR and N-trig. The pen takes batteries. The ThinkPad Yoga 12 uses traditional Wacom EMR technology, so you could use a regular Wacom pen such as the type you use for the original Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2, and attain 1,024 levels of pressure sensitivity. You cannot use that kind of pen with the 14.

Wacom ES feels somewhere in between N-trig and traditional Wacom EMR. It has the 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity of Wacom, with the better edge accuracy of N-trig. It’s the same tech used in the Toshiba Encore 2 Write. (That does not mean that all the pens will work on all of them.) The drawing/painting experience won’t be quite as fluid as Wacom EMR, but it requires less initial activation force (amount you have to press down to get a mark) than the Surface Pro 3, which is N-Trig, so you won’t have to worry about having to press hard. ES (also called AES) tends to have a lower hover distance.

If you go to see this computer and want to see that it actually has Wacom, simply type the word Wacom into the Windows search box and the Wacom settings will pop up in the search results.

Pen

To get pressure sensitivity, you must use the ThinkPad Active Capacitive Pen, also called the Lenovo ThinkPad Pen Pro. (Since this is multitouch, you can use any old capacitive stylus–such as for the iPad–on this, but with no pressure sensitivity).

thinkpad active capacitive-pen

Here’s the pen on Amazon.

The pen takes an AAAA battery. It has two programmable buttons. It also has a holder that attaches to the laptop via a USB port.

On Amazon and other sites, there is something called the Lenovo ThinkPad Active Digitizer Pen. Do not buy that. That is a traditional Wacom pen and will work on the ThinkPad Yoga 12 2-in 1, but not on the 14. The name is very confusing. To make things even more confusing, there is an earlier version of the 14 that has no active digitizer. So be sure you are getting this 2nd-generation model. There is also a Yoga 15 without the digitizer. Best Buy and Lenovo are not much help with providing info on what pen goes with what. The Lenovo Web site contains very little info. Lenovo’s Helix pens will also not work on the ThinkPad Yoga 14.

Drawing on the ThinkPad Yoga 14

Wacom ES is not too big of a compromise from traditional Wacom. If you’d rather have an all-in-one than a Cintiq13, and a Cintiq Companion isn’t affordable or what you want, and you want something larger than most options, this is a reasonable choice as far as drawing.  The 8GB of RAM lets you easily multitask and use Adobe Photoshop and all the CC programs. In Photoshop CC, you can select to run the NVIDIA dedicated graphics GPU (watch the video below)–actually, it will go on by itself but some people choose to control the settings more.

The Lenovo’s screen is bright, and images look crisp. Using keyboard shortcuts on the Yoga 14 is tricky because the keys retract once out of laptop mode so you’d have to unfold the tablet or use the on-screen keyboard, or, better, use a Bluetooth keyboard. In Photoshop CC, you can create Photoshop Actions to avoid keyboard commands.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8eUW6N2wK8

Watch this video to see a drawing demonstration, and see how to run the dedicated NVidia graphics GPU in Photoshop CC for better performance.

As far as typing, the keyboard is comfortable and well-made, and the ThinkPad little red button nested in the keys can be used as a pointer. The trackpad is large and has buttons on it than can be used as selection and right-click tools.

Screen

The 1080 IPS High Definition screen is bright and cheery with excellent viewing angles, good contrast and a smudge-and-fingerprint antiglare coating. It’s glossy, but not too slippery to draw on. The colors are rich and contrast is deep.

The Dolby sound can get very loud, but it has a bit of tinniness.

As you can see, the screen is pretty glossy and bright. Photodon.com has screen protectors especially made for this computer. You can try one that’s not too matte, such as the 25% anti-glare one, to preserve image sharpness.

Here you can verify that it has a Wacom driver–when in doubt, just type Wacom into the search box.

yoga 14 screen

Battery life

around 6.5 hours

The battery life is a good 90 mins. less than the ThinkPad Yoga 12s.

Battery issues

There are serious concerns with the battery beyond that it doesn’t last a full workday. Many users had battery problems, causing inconsistent brightness, power drain, and random shutdowns. The Lenovo forums contain a long thread by stressed-out users. One person figured out the issue and the fix, but it’s not something everyone can do themselves, plus the method may void the warranty. These complaints are not showing up a lot in the Lenovo Yoga ThinkPad 14 reviews so far, so I don’t think this is incredibly widespread, but it’s hard to say because the release of this model is relatively recent as of this writing. Lenovo is aware of it and perhaps they will do something about it. We will follow the issue and add updates. A couple of commenters here and elsewhere have said that they got ones with no problems and really like them. Still, pay close attention to any return policies.

Tip: disable adaptive brightness and power management to get more consistent brightness.

 

Pros

fast processor
dedicated graphics
2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity with pen
great display
nice keyboard
large screen

Cons

glossiness of screen not ideal for drawing
have to buy pen separately, lack of information from dealers
not as fluid as traditional Wacom
battery life of 6.5 hours relatively short
weight of 4.2 lbs. hefty to carry
risk of getting one with bad battery

 

User reviews

Many people are really happy with the Yoga 14 because it’s fast, the pressure sensitivity works well, and it can run Photoshop and other programs breezily. One Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 review described it as “amazing.”

This is it in tent “pose”:

<lenovoyoga14review2

 

The Verdict

This laptop is a very good choice for an artist, if you get one without the battery issues. So it’s hard to give a clear recommendation in this Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 review, because as an art tablet it’s pretty great, so it gets a qualified “Namaste” (recommendation). If you feel life’s about taking risks, it may be worth it. The ThinkPad Yoga 12 (also called the ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1) has a smaller, 12.5″ screen, but these battery issues haven’t been reported and it has traditional Wacom. As far as the 14, the price is great for the features it offers.

NEWER VERSION WITH WINDOWS 10
BUY ON AMAZON — The one for sale on Amazon is model 20DM000VUS, which is the Windows 8.1 version. You can easily upgrade for free to Windows 10. As with all the models of this computer, it does not come with the pen, you have to order the pen from the link right below.
See more info/buy the Lenovo Active Capacitive Pen here (Lenovo).
Read our review of the ThinkPad Yoga 2-in-1 (ThinkPad Yoga 12)
See the ThinkPad Yoga 12 on Amazon (same as ThinkPad Yoga 2 in 1. The 12 is an informal name to distinguish it from the 14).
 The Yoga 14 works with Lenovo’s OneLink and OneLink Pro docks.
lenovothinkpaddock

 

 

Lenovo ThinkPad One Link Pro Dock (pictured) (Amazon)

Lenovo ThinkPad Pro Dock

 

 

 

end of Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 review

Read review of the newer version of the TP Yoga 14.

 

Summary
Review Date
Reviewed Item
Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 (first of the Wacom-penabled versions)

103 thoughts on “Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 review: a twist of Wacom ES

  1. Ascospo

    So the model number 20DM000VUS WILL 100% work with the pen? I am a day away from possibly purchasing it and I am SO afraid that I will purchase this on the bid and I’ll be out of luck when it tells me I can’t use the pen for my Digital art o ^ o /)

    So, Is it confirmed the pen will work, Thank you very much if you see this!

    Reply
    1. tablet@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      That one does have the pen, but there is a recent conversation here where some people were having problems with it due to a recent update. If a model no. works with the pen, then all of them should, but Lenovo is confusing with that stuff, so I make sure the ones I link to have the pen, but I can’t be 100% sure of other things. It should have it, though. If you want to send me the listing I can look at it.

      Reply
      1. Ascospo

        What should I look for with the computer?? I have recieved it but the pen seems to not work, I can confirm the computer is the correct number but is there a way to connect the pen? Do I need a special driver?

        Reply
          1. Ascospo

            Okay! Here’s answers!
            1.It did not have anything Wacom installed sadly
            2.I purchased from a 3rd party, bestbuy
            3.Windows 8
            4.Pen battery seems to work, I have switched it out with 5 other batteries and no result
            5.Yep, Finger works!
            6.I indeed dis and I got the error that “No tablet has been detected”

          2. tablet@tabletsforartists.com Post author

            You could try typing Reset My PC into Search and doing that. Either pick reset it all or keep files if you have files on it. That actually helped me on my ThinkPad when I accidentally disabled the pen function by deleting something.
            Other options–take to Best Buy and ask them, maybe reinstall whole OS or go to Windows 10. Or ask on TabletPC Forum where there are a lot of people and some may have more ideas.
            I don’t know if doing things will affect the Best Buy warranty, you might want to ask them.

  2. Oie

    Hello I bought mysel a thinkpad s3 yoga 14 wich does not have any pen included. Big mistake will send it back. But I’m still in need for a laptop and the ability to draw detailed artworks with it. My question is… is this model with the digitizer built in the screen or is it another falce announcment. I have hear that when the model says active pen included, that does not neccecerely mean I can draw and have palm rejection and pressure sensitivity. Can you pleas help me find out, does this computer fill my needs since this is the only one in my country shops.
    The laptop I have mind is:
    Thinkpad s3 yoga14
    20DM009M

    Here you can find the model and it’s specs

     http://shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/tech-specs/tablets/thinkpad-yoga-14#view2

    Can you pleas help me I don’t know what else to do.

    Reply
    1. tablet@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi,
      I’m looking at that URL. If it says it has the active pen, then it does have the digitizer. However, there is also small print that says, in short, “tech specs may vary,” which is their way of not being definite. Your best bet is to contact the store you want to buy it from, because resellers (retail stores) sometimes customize them. Customers can also customize certain features; you may be able to order one with a digitizer via Lenovo. The ThinkPad Yoga 260 and 460 have the active pen and are on that same site (the Great Britain one) here: http://shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/thinkpad/yoga-series/?footer-id=thinkpad_yoga_series
      The 460 is called the ThinkPad Yoga 14 second-generation here. The X1 also has the pen and is on the British site here http://shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/tablets/thinkpad/x1-tablet/?IPromoID=LEN152597&
      Some of the ones here have it to (if they have a picture of it with the pen, then it has the digitizer) http://shop.lenovo.com/gb/en/laptops/?menu-id=laptops#type=two_in_one
      As for that other one, it SHOULD have it, but I don’t see a place to order it from that site so can’t see if it can be configured. If it’s for sale on a different site, please send me the URL so I can look at it.

      Reply
      1. SM

        I can’t install the Wacom Driver in a fresh install of Windows 10., You know a solution for this, or some alternative?

        Reply
          1. SM

            I have a fresh install of Windows 10 in Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 20DM000VUS.

            Error…:
            “There is no supported tablet on this system”

  3. Jacob

    The Wacom drivers that came pre-installed on my Yoga 14 are very limited in comparison to what the Wacom interface allows for with my desktop Intuous. I basically just get two button function mapping and radial menu. Is there a way to install other Wacom drivers that allow for some of the advanced features? What I’m specifically after is app-specific customizability of the buttons. Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Yuki

    I get this model, you now is this have stylus?

    20dm S/N[deleted] 14/11

    And Want think about de Huawei MateBook?

    Thanks.

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi, is that the 20DM000VUS? If so, then yes it works with a stylus but you have to buy it separately. It’s the stylus in this review. The Matebook is good to draw on, but it has a Core M processor, which while they have improved, is really for mobile and not strong enough for heavy Photoshop,etc. use but you can certainly draw on it, it would work better with smaller art programs. A lot of people do not like the keyboard that is made for it, but you can use a different keyboard. An i7 or i5 is better for Adobe programs.

      Reply
  5. Mikael

    Hi! awesome review!
    I can’t make out from the video what software is used when testing the pressure sensitivity at the beginning. Which one is that?

    Reply
  6. NATAN

    Hi,
    I got the computer model 20FY0002US‏ from eBay,
    It’s a great computer with a great pen, my model came with a slot for the pen which is excellent.

    Thank you very much for the help and support.

    Reply
    1. MarPra

      Is your screen too glossy? would you mind to send me a picture of the screen so I can have an idea.

      Thanks in advance

      Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi, that link didn’t lead to a pen, but to a laptop. The only pen the Yoga 14 can be used with is the one that’s linked to in the review.
      Tablet PCs with those kinds of specs tend to be expensive. Can you tell me what you need? Do you need full Windows, Photoshop? Do you use a lot of filters and layers? You might try looking at the large comparison chart at the tablet PCs. The ones that are referred to as “digital sketchbooks” are usually less costly. The Surface 3 is one you might consider, or the Toshiba Dynapad. But those are less powerful than the higher-spec ones. The original Surface Pro and Surface Pro 2 are powerful. Mostly used ones around now. There is the Cube i7 available from some online Chinese sites, too, I haven’t tried it but have read good things. I don’t know about the shipping.

      Reply
      1. Ashwin Kumar

        Thanks for the reply! I am a Software developer, and I sketch a lot too. I wanted some high specs along with digitizer support, so that I don’t have to carry a wacom tablet with me all the time. Turns out there is no such thing except for the Thinkpad yoga i7, which costs a substantial amount just to get an i7 config, that too with an under-powered graphics card.
        Digital sketchbooks are less costly and severely under-powered. I think I’ll get a powerful MSI laptop and maybe pair it with a wacom intuos.
        Thanks for these reviews and help btw. Really thorough and extensive!

        Reply
  7. Angel

    I just managed to find / purchased the 20DM008UUS factory refurbished on amazon. The new one at best buy was sold out but your review had my heart set one haha. I dont trust best buy refurbished/open box. I had really bad luck with geek squad certified samsung galaxies (note the plural) Hopefully when i type wacom in the search something wacom related will show up! I also got the pen pro from your link. Im super excited to try it out. If it doesnt work Ill report back.

    Anyway I just wanted to mention how awesome your blog is and that I hope you get tons of traffic and sponsors! I was just reading all of the comments and you guys really went above and beyond trying to help everyone. It has not gone unappretiated/ unnoticed by this passerby.

    Reply
  8. BJB

    I am so glad I found this review! I have PC knowledge but not much art. 🙂 I am trying to help an artist with a laptop/tablet purchase. They use mostly Sketchbook with a Wacom bamboo tablet but getting into some Photoshop drawing also. For the price range comparing the Yoga 12 to the Surface 3 (the atom-based device not the pro).

    The Yoga 12 is in the ballpark. However they currently use a Wacom Bamboo tablet. The thought was you would have the option to use your Wacom pen either on the Yoga 12 (if the wacom is not plugged in) or on the Wacom tablet (if it is). I saw a comment here that at least with the yoga 14, once you install your Wacom tablet drivers, it uninstalls or disables the touchscreen and native digitization drivers.

    Are you aware if this is the case with the Yoga 12 also? That would defeat the whole purpose and you might as well just buy a regular laptop if you are going to use the Wacom tablet. The Yoga 12 is an i3 and of course the Surface is the Atom which is a bit below that. But I assume at least with the Surface you are assured that the Microsoft pen works on the device and a Wacom tablet would work also?

    Thanks for any advice!
    BJB

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi,
      Thanks for your question. I am not completely certain of what your friend wants to do–to use the Bamboo pen with the Yoga 12? Or the Bamboo tablet? I think you are asking about the pens.
      None of those devices have cross-compatible pens. Each has a different digitization system that takes a different pen. The Yoga 12 comes with a pen. The Yoga 14 and Surface 3 don’t, you have to buy the pen separately. Bamboo pens don’t work on tablet PCs.
      Let me know if you have more questions.

      Reply
      1. BJB

        Thanks. Sorry, like I said I am not the artist :). No, my question is not trying to use the same pen or save on the Wacom tablet and the surface or yoga 12. The question is all about using the Wacom tablet without disabling the OEM touch and pen capabilities of each device. So your Wacom tablet and their drivers co-existing with the OEM touch capabilities and pen.

        So here is the question. You have the yoga 12. It works with the pen it came with of course and that is great.

        But for whatever reason, you want to plug in and use your your Wacom tablet/pen combination and want to use that with your yoga 12. So the Wacom tablet with the same pen you’ve always used with that tablet.

        If you install your Wacom tablet drivers on the yoga 12, I assume it will work. But will it disable the drivers and touchscreen and ability to use the yoga 12 pen say when you are traveling without your Wacom touchpad? Again, this refers back to a comment saying this happened (at least to one person) on the yoga 14.

        Same question about the Surface 3.
        Thanks! Hope that makes more sense…. Your site is very informative.
        BJB

        Reply
        1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

          Can you tell me the model no. of the Bamboo? I’m asking Wacom for you to get a clear answer. Intuos works with tablet PCs, so Bamboo should work too and not disable the pen. I understand that the previous Wacom driver (7.2 and earlier) works with the older Bamboos but the newer one does not. Also, I believe the Surface 3 would work with the Bamboo in programs that have RealTimeStylus. That’s an extension you can add in Photoshop, Corel Painter 2015, ArtRage, Manga Studio 5, more probably joining in. Otherwise, you get the same issue, that the pressure on one device will stop working. That info is for Intuos, though, since the Bamboo isn’t being made anymore it’s hard to say since perhaps RealTimeStylus wouldn’t work with Bamboo since it does not work well with all graphics tablets. I’ll ask Wacom that too. Using a graphics tablet with a tablet PC is unusual, but I can see it for some uses. I use a Cintiq with a tablet PC.

          Reply
          1. BJB

            I apologize if this is a duplicate post, had a problem with a reply that did not post. Sorry this took so long…I grabbed a S1 Yoga 12 20DL0036US at a great price. The pen tablet I was asking about above is a Wacom bamboo CTL-470. The pen being used with it is a Wacom LP170G Bamboo Connect.

            However now that I have the Yoga 12 and upgraded it to Windows 10 I have an issue over and above whether that tablet digitizer and Bamboo pad can be used at the same time. The tablet arrived without a pen and the holder for it blocked. Now no big deal if I have to buy a pen but my concern is the Bamboo pen did not work with it. So hopefully that is a pen “type” issue and not because they decided to not put a digitizer in this particular model? I had not seen anything online where some Yoga 12 models had a digitizer and others did not?

            I just found these specs:
            http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/tech-specs/tablets/thinkpad-yoga-12/
            Which says:
            Some: Wacom® Active pen with glossy panel, batteries required
            Some: Wacom® Digitizer pen with anti-glare panel, no batteries required
            Then this says “no” under pen.
            http://psref.lenovo.com/Detail/ThinkPad_Yoga_12?M=20DL0036US
            But does this mean no pen is included (which it was not) or that it does not even have the digitizer?

            My screen happens to be glossy….. So perhaps it needs an active pen? As long as it has multiple levels of pressure that is okay for drawing, correct?

            At this point I just don’t know what kind of pen to get to try… Everything I read said the Yoga 12’s used the regular Wacom passive technology.

            I apologize for the long post. I realize you are not Lenovo tech support 🙂 but they don’t seem to be up to speed on all this digitizer stuff.

            On the other hand, the tablet came with the Wintab Wacom driver 7.1.1.20 installed under windows 8.1.

            If you or your sources can confirm this unit does in fact have a digitizer and what pen is recommended that would be most helpful (Lenovo only or Wacom?). Because if this is not the right unit to get them, I need to return it pretty soon.

            Thanks for any help you can provide.
            BJB

          2. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

            Hi, it’s important to look at the model number. I checked and Lenovo says that the model no. you got does work with a pen but you have to buy it, it’s this one. Even though that is batteryless and you have a glossy screen. Hopefully that one will work out. Check back in with an update if you have time.

          3. BJB

            Thank you so much for confirming the Lenovo 4X80F22107 Thinkpad Tablet Pen will work with my Yoga 12! It is on order and I will absolutely post my results!

            Since I am now getting educated in this, one last question. The pen says it gives 1024 level of pressure sensitivity. Is this an “EMR” Wacom-type digitizer pen or the touch type that uses Bluetooth for the pressure? Just curious if the Yoga 12 will function like a “normal” Yoga 12 as per your review.

            Okay, I guess one more question! 🙂 Since I am within my return period, would the above combination compare favorably from a pen/drawing performance standpoint to a Yoga 14 Win 10 20DM009GUS with a Lenovo 4X80H34887 Thinkpad Pro Pen? I get the difference in size/hardware between the 2 tablets but curious about the pen sensitivity and performance. Of course if mine will work just like a “normal” Yoga 12, then your review answers that also.

            Thanks (again)!
            BJB

          4. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

            OK good. It’s a regular EMR pen. Even if it were AES, that’s not Bluetooth either. The Surface Pen, for Microsoft Surface (Book, 3, and Pro 3 and 4) uses Bluetooth in a limited way, to open OneNote and Cortana but not as part of the pen’s writing/drawing function. What you got would not be better or worse than the ThinkPad Yoga 14 for drawing–though people may have a preference for one over the other. The review I wrote was for the Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 12.5-Inch Convertible 2 in 1 Touchscreen Ultrabook (20CD00B1US), I mentioned in it that it’s sometimes informally called the Yoga 12. Sorry if that caused confusion. What you got was an actual ThinkPad Yoga 12. The S1 tells you it’s the first generation. The specs are not as high on the 20DL0036US as the other one, which is an i7, and this is an i3. I think you will be OK with it but try it out. There are many ThinkPads with similar names (many 12s with different specs, too) so you really have to go by the model numbers. For the Bamboo, I think it would work fine but you might need the older driver I mentioned before.

          5. BJB

            Thanks! Glad to hear it is standard EMR and if it needs replacing can use another brand.

            That Yoga 2 in 1 20CD00B1US is nice and certainly more powerful but a little out of the price range for their needs right now. Hopefully the i3-based Yoga 12 20DL0036US is powerful enough as they use Sketchbook Pro right now and starting some Photoshop. Current PC slower than the i3 and works. The Yoga 12 has that 16GB SSD cache drive which seems to give it some kick with other programs I have tried. It “feels” faster than some other i3’s.

            If it is not powerful enough, I can get the i5-based Yoga 14 20DM009GUS for a bit more (but still a lot less than that i7 2 in 1 Yoga). But I sense the smaller 12 inch unit might be more comfortable for portable drawing.

            My universe of choice is now totally restricted to proven pen-enabled model numbers! Live and learn…. Pen arrives tomorrow, I will post results.

            Thanks,
            BJB

  9. Straenge

    Just wanted to mention the tablet that was being sold directly from Lenovo in the US around New Years does have active pen support. I purchased the laptop while it was on sale for $699 and it was 20DM009GUS. I was concerned since there was alot of questions involving both pen support as well as the battery issue but after a week with it, neither seems to be an issue. I ordered the Lenovo pen separate directly from the manufacturer and all seems well. Both handwriting recognition and drawing seems to work quite well overall and it works very well with Sculptris.

    I think the issue were the earlier versions of the same part number had both the battery issue as well as the issue with pen support. As for the one they are presently selling, it seems to be doing fine for both. My only lament is the battery does not last as long as I was hoping but still fairly decent.

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi, yes, that model number works with the pen. But, the only one I can truly be sure of is the ones sold at Best Buy, because this was released with the wrong info being given to BB and Lenovo. I don’t think it’s possible to have two computers with the same model numbers be different, but there was something so odd about this whole release that I cannot be sure. Best Buy was the only seller of the pen one, and now the model no. is appearing in other places, but I am still only linking to the one at Best Buy as that is the only one I can be sure of. This is the only computer I’ve come across about which there has been misinformation given by Lenovo. I would say yes, it probably does work. If you get it, check in the search on the computer for Wacom. The pen does not come with it.

      Reply
      1. NATAN

        I understood!
        Many thanks for everything 🙂 🙂 🙂

        Ps
        Any idea why there is a gap of $ 40 in the price?…
        http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-thinkpad-yoga-2-in-1-14-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-1tb-hard-drive-black/4310900.p?id=bb4310900&skuId=4310900&ref=199&loc=PCH6mjPdCN0&acampID=1&siteID=PCH6mjPdCN0-3ww.JKtFnw1Io35NjJfdOw

        http://www.bestbuy.com/site/lenovo-thinkpad-yoga-2-in-1-14-touch-screen-laptop-intel-core-i5-8gb-memory-1tb-16gb-hybrid-hard-drive-black/7067032.p?id=1219668752948&skuId=7067032

        Reply
        1. tabletsforartists.com Post author

          You’re welcome! Glad to help. 🙂
          The one ending in UUS is the Windows 8.1 one, the -GUS is Windows 10. You could get the cheaper one and upgrade for free.
          Sorry about the delay responding, I only just saw your comment.

          Reply
  10. NATAN

    Thank you! Many thanks!
    1 So if I buy the model 20DM008FIV I can rest easy knowing that the pen would work well?
    2 How does it feel to paint it, compared the surface Pro 4?
    3- Do you have any idea how their speakers?
    4- the normal wacom pen is the better than Active Pen? or no?
    Thanks again

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi,
      Yes, well, Lenovo has confirmed it can be used with the pen, they seem to not be clear on some of the other versions, but sounded definite on this one; I have never heard of that part number.
      I find it a little smoother and quite a bit more sensitive than Surface Pro 4, sort of in between that and traditional Wacom. I would not say worse than traditional Wacom. It’s more accurate, with less parallax, but slightly less sensitive and has a bit of the stepped diagonal line issue when drawing slow diagonals, which can be corrected with smoothers such as in Manga Studio or use Lazy Nezumi… I don’t find that big a deal but depends how you draw. All ES type of pens have that issue Speakers are stereo, Dolby, bottom facing, loud, but not the clearest, and I know some people got sound card issues. It has a nice big screen.

      Reply
      1. NATAN

        Really thank you.
        I found a shop in Israel that sells it with the stylus.
        I know the surface pro 4 digitizer and is pretty good.
        If you say that Lenovo is better, is presumably good +.

        Is there a video that explains what you wrote to me about the diagonal lines?
        Again, thanks 🙂

        Reply
        1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

          Yes, the Surface Pros are good. The digitizers are very accurate, no parallax or edge jitter. The diagonal-jitter thing is on all ES pens and only when drawing slowly, but it’s a bit more pronounced on the N-trig. I did find this Youtble video of the SP 3. And here is a photo I took of lines I drew slowly (on the left-much slower than I usually draw, so some of it is from my hand shaking) and lines I drew quickly (on the right) using Wacom ES. The diagonal jitter affects N-trig and ES. To me it’s not that bad but it depends on the person. Also, different people prefer different digitizers or one can just get used to one kind and need to adjust to another.

          Reply
  11. NATAN

    Hey
    Thank you for your blog is great!
    I looked for a long time something like this:)

    i Found in Israel this model:
    20DM008FIV
    Do you know if he has a digitizer?

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Thanks! Yes, interesting, that model has the Active Pen. I chatted with Lenovo and they said yes, it does have a digitizer and it uses the ThinkPad Pro Pen (same one there is a link to in the review). They said it’s out of stock in the U.S. (Seems to be same as the one in the US with different parts no., though hard to be sure).

      Reply
  12. Daniela

    Ok. I ordered it from Lenovo. I’ll let you know how it goes. I have a question about the pen, in their listing there’s another model with the same name as the one you mentioned but it’s “plus”, and the part number ends with 8 instead of 7. It’s listed as being batteryless. Do you have any idea what it is and if it would work with this model?
    I purchased the battery one you mentioned just to make sure. But I’m curious to know. Thanks.

    Reply
      1. Daniela

        Hello! I just received the pen I ordered for the lenovo 2in1 we are talking about here and guess what? It works!!
        I can’t post a picture to show the pressure sensitivity and all that, but it works, and out of the box too!
        Now I have to figure out how to stop the computer from getting a write-in box instead of getting the on screen keyboard when I need to write something on the screen…
        The pen is great, but character recognition depends too much on handwriting… and mine has gotten terrible over the years, thanks to keyboards…
        Anyway, thank you sooo much for your reviews and help! I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out without your help!

        Reply
        1. tablets for artists Post author

          That’s great! Glad it works! I’m glad to have been of help. Enjoy your Yoga! :0)
          Is there a small icon showing a keyboard in the tray on the bottom right of the screen? if you click on that it should show you a choice of keyboards. Or read this. Hope it works out. Can always use an external keyboard or Bluetooth, as those would be helpful when drawing in tablet mode.

          Reply
          1. Daniela

            hello again, so far so good. I am installing the software and things are working ok.
            I have a question though, about the nvidia thingy you mention in your video. Does it have to be selected every time photoshop is started or is it a one time set up? Same for the other programs, do I have to choose to start it that way every time?

            About the keyboard, it was a lenovo thing, a program to write on screen that made the handwriting window come up all the time and disable the onscreen keyboard. I found it and turned it off. Now I have to find how to reactivate the on screen keyboard… I must have turned that off too….
            Anyhow, again, thanks for your reviews and help! I like this computer!

            Daniela

  13. Denise

    I purchased a Lenovo ThinkPad Yoga 14 that came with a pen that snaps into the side of the laptop. It also has a touch screen. Very nice machine. HOWEVER, I bought it to replace the machine that I have been using my Cintiq with. My thought was that I would still use my Cintiq when I am at my desk, but now when I’m traveling, I could use the on board pen. WRONG! Installing the Cintiq removes the drivers for the on board pen and touch screen. Reinstalling them removes the Cintiq.

    Very disappointed! 🙁

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi, well, that’s an annoyance, but it’s not surprising considering the Cintiq and the ThinkPad Yoga 14 use two different digitizing systems, the Yoga uses Wacom AES, which is something closer to what the Surface Pro uses, and the Cintiq uses traditional Wacom EMR. Drivers don’t always get along… in a way it’s good if one removes the other, because if you have, say, Wacom drivers then install a non-Wacom tablet, or even if your computer has installed its own drivers, you get malfunctions and have to remove all old drivers and start anew. If you have a Wacom EMR tablet PC it usually seems to be OK to also use the Cintiq drivers, but this is a different situation.

      Reply
  14. Daniela

    Thank you for the pointer, especially about the kind of pen to get. (No pun Intended! )
    I’ll let you know what happens.
    I really appreciate your work!

    Reply
  15. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

    Hi, sure. The pen that you use this with is called the ThinkPad Pro Pen. It’s just one Wacom-penabled pen–the pen that Lenovo calls Active Pen does not work with this. The specs are good, it has dedicated graphics, which will give a boost in Photoshop, and 8 GB RAM, an i5, and SSD, plus a TB of storage. All good. You can’t add memory, but 8 GB is enough for all those programs (if you’re doing a lot of 3D or use Photoshop with many layers and heavy fliters, though, you might want more RAM or at least a computer where you could add more RAM, but 8 is enough to do quite a lot, plus the dedicated graphics will help).

    Some of these had battery issues; the price is low for the specs, and I don’t know if that’s the reason. Lenovo has put out several tablet PCs over the years in their ThinkPad line, with the regular (not AES) Wacom digitizers.

    I guess it’s up to you but the specs are good and as long as you don’t get a lemon, and if you’re not using really heavy graphics it’s fine as a laptop.

    Thanks for the info about the forum, I will check it out and add my two cents!

    Reply
  16. Daniela

    hi, I have been reading your reviews for this lenovo 14″ 2in1 and I was about ready to buy one, Lenovo’s site has it for sale at $699. But their tech support and specs tell me that it doesn’t work with a stylus or pen.
    The whole experience with support and sales has been bizarre, but I still cannot find detailed specs for this model and definitely no proof that it does support the pen.
    Any help on this matter? I don’t want to buy it and have to return it, I already did that with a dell….
    Here is the link to this model, http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/laptops/thinkpad/yoga-series/yoga-14/
    and the part number is 20DM009GUS .
    Thanks

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi,
      I had the same experience when asking Lenovo about this computer, both months ago and today, when I again did the chat. They deny it can be used with a pen, but also say that if the part no. is the same then it is the same. They also denied months ago that it works with the pen. The previous model did not, and apparently they were not told there was another release that did. That no. doesn’t even appear in their “PSREF” Product Specifications, which is supposed to be comprehensive. 20DM009GUS is the correct number.

      I don’t think the Best Buy price match policy will apply in this situation, since Lenovo is not on the list, though you could try asking. I do suspect this is the same computer, and I had read somewhere (cannot remember where) that Lenovo was selling them and that it is the right one. There is something so FUBAR about the way they released this that there is no way to be 100% sure without actually ordering one, but I think the likelihood is that it is the same. It is a pain to return things, and Lenovo does charge a 15% restocking fee, which is a little over $100, so you might be better off going with Best Buy to avoid the headache, though it would still cost a bit more. Lenovo sounds very sure that there cannot be two things with the same part no., and the earlier non-digitizer one had a different part number. Wish I could give you a more definite answer!

      Reply
      1. Daniela

        Thank you for your reply and checking it out! I appreciate it!
        well…. I have a couple more questions for you then… without the active pen and with a finger or a fine point pen (the one you mentioned in another post, battery operated one) is it still worth getting it? I’m planning to use it intensively with photoshop, corel painter and draw and such.
        are the specs up to par for these programs, even without the pen? I can still use my wacom tablet with it…
        Or should I just chuck the whole idea and just get s regukar laptop and wait it out till they get their collective pen/touch act together? (Dell was just as bad!)
        also in the lenovo forum there’s a dell product developer asking for feedback from users on the future of tablets and other models. I’d suggest everybody here go to the lenovo forum and tell them what we think they should do!
        thanks again for your answer and excellent work!

        Reply
  17. Kendra

    Two questions about the Yoga 14 – you say there’s a tether that comes with the pen, are you talking about the weird USB thingy, or is there something else I could be using?

    Do you know where I could find info on programming the buttons for use in Photoshop?

    Thanks! I bought my Yoga 14 because of your review =)

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Cool, I hope you’re enjoying it! Yes I meant the weird black USB thingy. I’ll change the word “tether” to “holder” as maybe that’s clearer.
      To program the buttons you need to go into the Wacom Pen Settings (just do a search or look in Control Panel). That driver (Wacom Feel) should already be installed, but if some reason it’s not, you can download it here. If you have any problems, here’s a troubleshooting page that’s general to all Wacom drivers.

      Reply
  18. Sam

    Hi, firstly, Great review! it is hard to find information on Lenovo digitizer support so this was helpful. I am interested in starting to explore digital art and drawing. I already own the 20DM008UUS, and was wondering if the “not as smooth-ness” of the wacom active ES really hinders the drawing experience compared to devices with the classic EMR wacom pens. If you could please shed some light on that it would be greatly appreciated because I am about to pull the trigger on the Lenovo pen pro

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi, it compares well. In some ways it’s better–it’s more accurate. I think it’s fine. If drawing on EMR is deeply ingrained, you will have to adjust a little bit, but the Yoga is pleasant to draw on–between EMR and N-trig.

      Reply
      1. John

        Great review!
        Are you familiar with the diagonal jitter that occurs with N-trig?
        How would you compare Wacom’s ES with regards to this jitter issue?
        I’m down to choosing between the new Lenovo Miix 700 and the Surface Pro 4 M3 version.
        Thanks.

        Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Sure! Specs-wise, the 14 is better–I’ve gone over the potential battery issues in some of the 14s in the review. It’s heavier and bigger than the smaller one–but it’s great to have a big screen, and it has dedicated graphics and a 1 TB hard drive. I’d go with the 14 for art. But test it carefully and mind the window of return, which Best Buy (the only place that sells the 14) has extended for the holidays, here is info on that.

      Reply
  19. Pac

    Hi, thanks for the detailed and quick response.

    As you mention in your review there are two versions if the yoga thinkpad14: one with stylus one without. The one without stylus seems to have a “not digitized” display and many people report about problems using a pen. Not even the Lenovo pens work.

    I have tried several pens this afternoon, adonit jot etc., thick ones thin ones, and none of them has worked. The lines are always interrupted.
    It seems that you can recognize the notebooks without stylus having a GeForce 840. The other ones have 940.
    Thanks

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi, yes, the original 14 did not have a digitizer. Then they added one, and that may be how they ended up not being clear about the ones that did have a digitizer. It sounds like there’s a problem with the computer (not just yours), maybe the software, and that’s why none of the styluses are working right. Make sure that your drivers are up to date. If it’s under warranty, you should get them to look at it.

      Reply
  20. Pac

    hi,

    I got a yoga think pad 14 at work. It is one without digitizer. Does anybody of you know, whether I could use a stylus at all and if so, do you have any recommendations ?

    Thank you

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Hi, you can use any capacitive stylus, the kind you use on an iPad, such as this one, or this Musemee Notier is good for writing. Here is a post with iPad styluses for drawing.

      Even without the apps, these styluses will work on the touchscreen. I would not get Pencil 53 for the Lenovo as at present, it’s made for iPad apps–you could write with it on your screen, but the apps would not be of use.

      Here is a video of someone using the Jot Pro. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJGVTUA0jLs

      The DotPen is an active stylus that is not Bluetooth and works with Windows touchscreens.

      Or you could even use a really inexpensive capacitive stylus such as this.

      Which one to use depends how much precision you need.

      Reply
  21. Whtcrow

    Bless this post. It is so hard to find a good laptop for art and I never would have gotten the right one if not for your blog. I have gone back to reference this so many times. Thank you so much for writing and reviewing this laptop!

    I am now a proud owner of one of the thinkpad yoga 14’s that has a decent battery and it is working absolutely fantastic for me. I really wish Lenovo would advertise this aspect of their laptops properly and give the pen pressure sensitivity side of their laptops more attention rather than dropping it for the Yoga 15.

    Reply
  22. everbeen

    Descriptions about the pen for 14 is so confusing elsewhere. Finally I know which pent to purchase. Thanks for such a great review.

    Reply
  23. tom

    Hi. I was wondering when the keys lock out? Ideally I would lay the screen flat, so I could use keyboard shortcuts at the same time. Is this possible? Thanks for the great review.

    Reply
    1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

      Thank you. The keys lock and retract (“lift and lock”) when you lay the screen flat, creating a smooth, flat bed of keys. Not only that but the keyboard will be facing in the opposite direction from the screen. So you can’t access the keyboard when the screen and keyboard are laid flat, unfortunately. You would have to use an external keyboard (Bluetooth or USB).

      Reply
      1. Anonymous

        Dam, I was really set on the yoga until realising this. Why do so few of the good stylus laptop’s overlook the need for keyboard shortcuts in every design program. Thanks for the quick response. I’d get the sp4 if they did a 14″

        Reply
      2. tom

        Hi,
        It appears on this video of the 15″, that the keys aren’t locked when the screen is pushed back flat.
        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OklejIqmW_s (see 5.50)
        Is this also the case on the 14″?
        although this isn’t ideal i could the get used to doing upside down shortcuts and Ctrl, shift etc when using the stylus.
        thanks

        Tom

        Reply
        1. tablets@tabletsforartists.com Post author

          Hi, sorry, I thought before that you were talking about Tablet mode when the screen is on the reverse side of the tablet. So you mean using it in Laptop mode, opened flat. Yes you can access the keyboard that way on the 14″. You could have the screen closer to you and reach over, or have the keyboard closer and draw bending forward–a bit of yoga!

          If you are using Photoshop you could make some keyboard shortcuts into Actions so you can use the keyboard less.

          There are older ones where the screen swivels around, more conducive to using the keyboard, such as the Lenovo Thinkpad x201 tablet PC, but it’s not as large as the 14.

          Reply
          1. tom

            Thanks for the quick response.
            Thats excellent news. Think i’ll be getting a yoga after all.
            do you know if there are other stylus’s which can be baught and used?
            Have you heard of anyone managing to get 16gb of ram working in the 14″?
            thanks again for the great info.

  24. Ravi SriRam

    Very nice review about the Thinkpad Yoga 14 and one of the few that pertains to its digitizer pen capabilities. As an artist who has used a desktop Wacom tablet for many years, it’s nice to see the laptop manufacturers paying more attention to our needs. May we look forward to a review of the Acer Aspire R13 and its digitizer pen sometime in the near future? Thank you.
    Namaste.
    Ravi SriRam

    Reply

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