Lenovo’s new mini PC puts the Mac Studio to shame, but getting one is a challenge
Lenovo’s YOGA Portal is a compact PC with powerful specs, including a full desktop version of the RTX 4070.
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What you need to know
Lenovo has a new compact desktop ormini PCthat packs powerful specs into a tiny body. The YOGA Portal pairs an Intel Core i7-14700 with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 despite being only 4.25 inches tall (108 mm). The PC would set you back about $2,500 — that is, if you were able to buy one. The YOGA Portal is the Chinese version of theThinkCenter Neo Ultra, which has a seemingly identical body but different options when it comes to its CPU (central processing unit) and GPU (graphics processing unit).
The YOGA Portal has a dedicated M.2 slot for an AI-boosting NPU (neural processing unit) processor (you can learn more about these in ourNPU guide). Several of its components, such as its storage and memory, can be upgraded as well.
One of the big selling points of the YOGA Portal is that itsRTX 4070is a full desktop version of the card. The RTX 4070 is not a small GPU, so fitting a full desktop version inside the YOGA Portal is impressive.VideoCardznotes that it would likely be “challenging or even impossible” to replace the graphics card in the YOGA Portal due to the compact design of the PC and the system’s custom cooling solution.
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Lenovo YOGA Portal vs Mac Studio
Comparing devices that run on different operating systems is always a bit tricky. Even something seemingly simple like comparing how much RAM a device has isn’t straightforward, as evidenced byApple’s claims about 8GB of RAM on a Macbeing roughly analogous to 16GB of RAM on a PC. Use cases are also very different between macOS andWindows, with gaming performance often being a priority for the latter. But our colleagues at iMore, whoreviewed the Mac Studio, said Lenovo’s YOGA Portal “blows Apple’s own boxy desktop out of the water.” Let’s take a quick look at why that’s the case, at least in certain areas.
The YOGA Portal is 108 mm tall, and its base is 195 mm x 203 mm (4.25 x 7.68 x 7.99 in). That makes Lenovo’s computer slightly taller than the Mac Studio, but both devices are compact and easily fit on a desk. It’s what’s inside the YOGA Portal that makes it stand out. The PC runs on an Intel Core i7-14700 paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070.
The YOGA Portal also has four M.2 slots, which are meant for WLAN, AI, and SSD expansion. Lenovo’s computer has a nice selection of ports for its form factor, including two USB-A ports, a headphone jack, and a USB-C port on the front. The back of the PC has four USB-A ports, two HDMI 2.1 ports, an Ethernet port, and four DisplayPort 1.4 ports. There are also optional rear ports for USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, or VGA.
In contrast, the Mac Studio runs on the M2 Max or M2 Ultra. Those are impressive processors that can easily handle demanding 3D-focused workflows, but they aren’t the newest internals. The Mac Studio starts at $1,999 but ranges all the way up to $8,799 for the maxed-out model.
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Apple’sM4 chipwill launch first in the2024 iPad Pro. The family of processors is expected to then work its way through theM4 MacBook Pro,M4 MacBook Air, andM4 Mac mini. It could be quite a while before we see a Mac Studio with an M4. Though it’s worth pointing out that aMac Mini powered by an M4would be an exceptional computer and would be more compact than the YOGA Portal by a sizeable margin.
Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
