Lenovo Yoga C930

[hajime]

My Yoga C930 with 4K screen arrived. Any existing users know any good battery/charger that is lighter than the stock one and perhaps also charge the laptop faster? Any recommended pen to use?

Did your C930 come with a thin sheet of black paper in between the LCD and the keyboard? Do you put on that paper whenever you travel?

It looks like there is a greenish coating on my screen. What about other users?

 

[hajime]

When I played HDR 4K videos, even at the 2nd lowest dimmest level, the screen became brighter. How come?

When playing HDR videos, I can hear fan noise. Is this normal? The machine has i7-8550U CPU.

 

[maflynn]

When I played HDR 4K videos, even at the 2nd lowest dimmest level, the screen became brighter. How come?

Did you review this thread in Lenovo's support site?
https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo...n-brightness-changing-on-its-own/td-p/3823539

I had the same problem and fixed it by taking these steps (note, however, that my computer is not in english, so the bold names are translated and may differ from the names you'll see. Feel free to correct any inaccuracy) :

• Right-click on the desktop and select "Intel graphics settings".
• On the newly openned window, click on "Power".
• Then, select "Battery powered" on the menu to the left, and set "Technology of reduction of current consumed by the screens" to "Off".

 

[LindsayD]

When I played HDR 4K videos, even at the 2nd lowest dimmest level, the screen became brighter. How come?

When playing HDR videos, I can hear fan noise. Is this normal? The machine has i7-8550U CPU.

From the detailed discussion on fan noise in another forum thread, it's established that fan noise in a thin laptop (indeed any laptop) is normal when under load.

Playing high resolution videos for more than a few minutes would (and should) result in some degree of fan usage. A completely silent machine isn't going to happen unless you opt for one of the fanless designs. That aside, you're already aware of some of the changes you can make to reduce fan noise where possible - give that a try. So long as the fan isn't blasting all the time then you can rest assured your machine is normal.

All the yoga machines I have seen, including similar designs by Dell and HP, have fans which are quite active at times. No doubt my L390Y will be the same (I'm still waiting for it). If you do some research this often crops up on forums where those models are discussed.

Some Lenovo panels have a film over the screen to reduce reflections and to protect it if it's a touch model. Many users have successfully removed it. That may or may not be what is causing your greenish tint, it's easy enough to check if a film is in place.

 

[SDColorado]

It looks like there is a greenish coating on my screen. What about other users?

As @LindsayD suggested, it is likely an anti-glare/anti-reflective coating. Shouldn't be noticeable when the screen brightness is up. Some manufacturers it is a little blueish, others a little greenish.

Being a touch model, it may also have an oleophobic coating to reduce fingerprints.

 

[maflynn]

When playing HDR videos, I can hear fan noise. Is this normal? The machine has i7-8550U CPU.

Yup, as noted by @LindsayD, the CPU is under load and the fans need to ramp up. Unless you purchase a fanless laptop you are going to incur circumstances that cause the fans to ramp up

 

[LindsayD]

With respect to the screen, this is what I was thinking of (I've no idea if the c930 has a protector film but it's easy enough to examine it and find out): https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/4riuyf/yoga_x1_remove_screen_protector/

 

[hajime]

With respect to the screen, this is what I was thinking of (I've no idea if the c930 has a protector film but it's easy enough to examine it and find out): https://www.reddit.com/r/thinkpad/comments/4riuyf/yoga_x1_remove_screen_protector/

Thanks for your info. I am not that brave.

 

[LindsayD]

Hajime, it would be helpful to know if your laptop does have one of those films attached or if the green tint you're seeing is simply part of the factory calibration. You just need to examine one of the corners with a magnifying glass.

 

[navaira]

Battery charger: same question. I have a spare Macbook Pro charger, but it's not powerful enough – it keeps the laptop at the same charge level unless I try to do something exciting such as playing (any) video.

Fans: set the BIOS option to "Intelligent". Strangely, "Quiet" will make it louder. By the way, the fans only go AWF all the time when you're using Windows. What slightly helps is looking up the option (registry fun) to change the max speed from 2.00 GHz to 1.99 GHz. Please don't ask me why.

Screen tint: Intel's fault. The software that comes with the laptop is the worst. If you switch between light and dark apps (say, this forum vs Spotify), it will take a few seconds to adapt, during which time it will look like all sorts of sh*t. This was the final drop for me. Every time I changed the setting, the updates would bring it back. I ended up saving an article explaining which registry key needed to be changed. This was what made me change the operating system.

Paper: yup, was there. I don't use it. Keys do leave traces on the screen, though. I just clean it with a microfiber cloth.

When the screen is black (but backlight not off), I have a bit of light leakage in the bottom right corner. Due to the OS I have installed now this is not a problem in the slightest.

I really wish the screen didn't have "being a mirror" as its second full-time job, but I don't dare to apply a "matte protector" (it exists).

 

[hajime]

Battery charger: same question. I have a spare Macbook Pro charger, but it's not powerful enough – it keeps the laptop at the same charge level unless I try to do something exciting such as playing (any) video.

Fans: set the BIOS option to "Intelligent". Strangely, "Quiet" will make it louder. By the way, the fans only go AWF all the time when you're using Windows. What slightly helps is looking up the option (registry fun) to change the max speed from 2.00 GHz to 1.99 GHz. Please don't ask me why.

Screen tint: Intel's fault. The software that comes with the laptop is the worst. If you switch between light and dark apps (say, this forum vs Spotify), it will take a few seconds to adapt, during which time it will look like all sorts of sh*t. This was the final drop for me. Every time I changed the setting, the updates would bring it back. I ended up saving an article explaining which registry key needed to be changed. This was what made me change the operating system.

Paper: yup, was there. I don't use it. Keys do leave traces on the screen, though. I just clean it with a microfiber cloth.

When the screen is black (but backlight not off), I have a bit of light leakage in the bottom right corner. Due to the OS I have installed now this is not a problem in the slightest.

I really wish the screen didn't have "being a mirror" as its second full-time job, but I don't dare to apply a "matte protector" (it exists).

Thanks.

Have you encountered the following issues?

1. When I took it out from a computer bag, I flipped it to tablet mode. Wallpaper showed up but the Windows login prompt did not. I had to flip the LCD to turn the laptop into laptop mode. Then, the login prompt showed up. What is wrong?

2. After I logged on, some area of the screen were not responsible. For example, I touched the Windows icon at the bottom left but nothing happened. Similarly, the computer did not respond when I touched the middle of "Type here to search". Is the touch screen defective?

 

[Never mind]

Thanks.

Have you encountered the following issues?

1. When I took it out from a computer bag, I flipped it to tablet mode. Wallpaper showed up but the Windows login prompt did not. I had to flip the LCD to turn the laptop into laptop mode. Then, the login prompt showed up. What is wrong?

2. After I logged on, some area of the screen were not responsible. For example, I touched the Windows icon at the bottom left but nothing happened. Similarly, the computer did not respond when I touched the middle of "Type here to search". Is the touch screen defective?

Perhaps you must log in Laptop mode first. Only way to know for sure is to download the Manual and read it for your particular unit

 

[hajime]

Perhaps you must log in Laptop mode first. Only way to know for sure is to download the Manual and read it for your particular unit

Thanks. Reading it now.

Don't know why the fan has been on for 30 minutes even it is not doing anything. At least for the X1E I got in November, sometimes it was dead silent. Shall I try the C930 for 1-2 more weeks and see if there are any features that I will miss if I go back to X1E? Is it better to order another X1E and have the two side by side to compare for 2-3 weeks?

 

[LindsayD]

Hajime, what was the machine doing in the background (if anything) while the fans were running? Sometimes that will happen if it's doing a large software update for Windows or suchlike, or if a particular service has started to run behind the scenes. Is the bios up to date? Otherwise, have you worked your way through the various settings which can help to reduce fan noise? Once you've done that, if you are otherwise happy with the computer, I would suggest you undervolt.

Aside from that I don't think anyone can answer your questions , only you know what you will be happy with. I would always advise taking time before choosing any laptop and doing a few weeks of research first so that you fully understand the behavior of the machine in question. Otherwise you are going to be ordering one machine after another and then (perhaps impulsively) returning it.

 

[SDColorado]

Hajime, what was the machine doing in the background (if anything) while the fans were running? Sometimes that will happen if it's doing a large software update . Otherwise, have you worked your way through the various settings which can help to reduce fan noise? Once you've done that, if you are otherwise happy with the computer, I would suggest you undervolt.

Aside from that I don't think anyone can answer your questions , only you know what you will be happy with. I would always advise taking time before choosing any laptop and doing a few weeks of research first so that you fully understand the behavior of the machine in question. Otherwise you are going to be ordering one machine after another and then (perhaps impulsively) returning it.

You raise a good point. Windows will do a lot of tasks and downloads in the background on initial setup. While it will have the outward appearance of “doing nothing,” it may actually be hard at work.

 

[LindsayD]

SDColorado - yep.

For any newbies reading this: just head to "settings>updates and security" and see if a Windows update is under way. And if so, your machine could be a bit louder and a little slower than normal. Next, start Task Manager (control + alt+ delete) and check CPU usage and if that is more than 10% identify what service is causing it - some services and background tasks can be disabled without issue (but always check before you disable anything). Also check what is running at startup and if you need those things on startup. Your anti-virus software will periodically scan your machine (which can take a while) - that's another thing which (in my experience) can make the fans rev up randomly. I find Norton to be the worst for that. Check your drivers are all up to date. Do you have the latest bios (if not, do research and get opinions on any new update before you implement it). Is Cortana switched on and do you need it?

Then check your power, battery, bios settings as others here have described around the forum.

Lastly, undervolt. In my (limited) experience 'U' series chips cannot take as much undervolting as their more powerful counterparts, but YMMV. But it's always worth trying. In cases where the machine in question is a few years old undervolting may not be an option as the CPU might be locked (3rd gen Intel and earlier).

Speedfan may be helpful in controlling when the fans kick in - it's trial and error.

Repasting - last resort in my opinion, unless you have significantly high temperatures and have tried all else. Just did that to one of my laptops and it made no discernable difference - the reason being that the factory paste job wasn't as bad as expected and was doing its job.

 

[hajime]

I spent about 5 hours watching youtube videos on Yoga C930. At the end, I had about 15-20% battery power left. Is this considered to be good, so so or very good? I have the 4K LCD version.

Tested to use the screen under sunlight. It is not bright enough for me to see things clearly.
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Hajime, what was the machine doing in the background (if anything) while the fans were running? Sometimes that will happen if it's doing a large software update for Windows or suchlike, or if a particular service has started to run behind the scenes. Is the bios up to date? Otherwise, have you worked your way through the various settings which can help to reduce fan noise? Once you've done that, if you are otherwise happy with the computer, I would suggest you undervolt.

Aside from that I don't think anyone can answer your questions , only you know what you will be happy with. I would always advise taking time before choosing any laptop and doing a few weeks of research first so that you fully understand the behavior of the machine in question. Otherwise you are going to be ordering one machine after another and then (perhaps impulsively) returning it.

I updated Windows and the BIOS is up to date. Then, I let the machine idle and checked macrumors. When I heard the fan noise, I checked the background task. It was like 5% edge. Now 3% edge and 2% task manager and I hear the fans noise.

I guess I may need to try out different settings.

 

[SDColorado]

Maybe invest in a pair of Bose QC35 II's, Sony WX-1000XM3, Surface Headphones or the like. I have a pair of the WX-1000XM3's I use when working. It is amazing how much noise even your home or office make. Ventilation, refrigerator, etc. You don't realize until you silence it all

 

[hajime]

I don't remember how the X1E's speakers sound like but the soundbar of the C930 Yoga is excellent!
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Perhaps you must log in Laptop mode first. Only way to know for sure is to download the Manual and read it for your particular unit

Manual does not say anything about that. Tried it today again and no problem. So one time worked and one time failed.

 

[navaira]

I've never tried to log in in tablet mode, to be honest, but now I'm curious and want to try

That soundbar is both incredible sound-wise and a genius idea. Finally there are laptop speakers I can't possibly cover while typing.

I'm surprised by how comfortable I am with this laptop. Macbook Pro 2018 constantly gave me anxiety – is that a speck of dust? Didn't I close the lid too abruptly? Is the E key definitely still functioning? OMG THIS IS SO EXPENSIVE I CAN'T BREATHE! Etc. It just felt like I was working on a laptop made of diamonds that kept threatening to fall off. The C930 just feels sturdy and friendly at the same time. Literally the only thing I would change is the trackpad.

Oh, and battery life with an alternative OS is 4 hours, but then I always use Chrome.

 

[hajime]

I've never tried to log in in tablet mode, to be honest, but now I'm curious and want to try

That soundbar is both incredible sound-wise and a genius idea. Finally there are laptop speakers I can't possibly cover while typing.

I'm surprised by how comfortable I am with this laptop. Macbook Pro 2018 constantly gave me anxiety – is that a speck of dust? Didn't I close the lid too abruptly? Is the E key definitely still functioning? OMG THIS IS SO EXPENSIVE I CAN'T BREATHE! Etc. It just felt like I was working on a laptop made of diamonds that kept threatening to fall off. The C930 just feels sturdy and friendly at the same time. Literally the only thing I would change is the trackpad.

Oh, and battery life with an alternative OS is 4 hours, but then I always use Chrome.

If they made a 15.6" version with brighter LCD or using the case for the x1E, that would be nice. Don’t like the fingerprint and palmprint magnet of the x1e.

 

[maflynn]

I don't remember how the X1E's speakers sound like but the soundbar of the C930 Yoga is excellent!

They're downward facing and generally not that great. For my needs they're serviceable

 

[LindsayD]

hajime, now that you've had your C930Y for a few days, how do you feel about the fan noises? You seem less disturbed than you were with the X1E. To gain a relative comparison, on a scale of 1-10 (where 10 is obnoxiously awful and you can't be in the same room) how would you rate the fan activity of each machine?

Regarding working in sunlight - I don't think any screen will cope with that, even the bright 4K ones I've seen! A 4K screen with 400nits of brightness will obviously be brighter than a 1080 screen with 300nits of brightness - but sunshine is brighter still and will overwhelm anything. If your screen is even slightly glossy then it will be even harder to work outdoors. Would you really be working in sunlight often enough for this to be a concern?

 

[maflynn]

hajime, now that you've had your C930Y for a few days, how do you feel about the fan noises?

It appears, he's looking to buy the X1E.

 

[c0ppo]

It appears, he's looking to buy the X1E.

X1E isn’t noise free, even with 1.19 BIOS update, and the speakers are below average. Those are my only two complaints about the device.

But then again, hajime is on a impossible mission. Finding thin, light, silent and powerful.