How to open Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (16″, Gen 11) – disassembly and upgrade options

LaptopMedia.com Guides How to open Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (16″, Gen 11) – disassembly and upgrade options

From: Dimitar Stalev 27 June 2026 / 14:20 0

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Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (16″, Gen 11)

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 356H
VideoCard: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 (Laptop)
RAM: 64GB RAM
STORAGE: 2000GB SSD

Detailed review

Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (16″, Gen 11)

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 386H
VideoCard: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (Laptop)
RAM: 32GB RAM
STORAGE: 1000GB SSD

Detailed review

Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (16″, Gen 11)

Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 356H
VideoCard: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 (Laptop)
RAM: 32GB RAM
STORAGE: 1000GB SSD

Detailed review

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Step 1: Removing the bottom panel

Power off the laptop and place it on a soft, clean surface.
Undo the 10 Torx T5 screws securing the bottom panel. All screws are the same length, which makes reassembly easier.
Use a thin plastic pry tool to carefully release the clips around the edges.
Work slowly and avoid pushing the tool too deep inside, because the internal layout is dense and the motherboard sits close to the bottom panel.
Lift the bottom cover away from the chassis.

More info: The bottom cover has thermal pads that help transfer heat away from internal components, so make sure they stay in place during servicing.

Step 2: Battery removal

Disconnect the battery connector from the motherboard before touching the SSDs or any other internal component.
Loosen the captive screws securing the 92.5Wh battery pack. The screws stay attached to the battery body.
The battery cable is short, so slightly lifting the pack can make disconnecting and reconnecting it easier.
Lift the battery out of the chassis carefully.

More info: The 92.5Wh battery is replaceable as a complete unit, but the short cable and dense internal layout require some care during removal.

Step 3: Memory Upgrade

The memory is soldered directly to the motherboard.
There are no SO-DIMM slots, so RAM upgrades are not possible after purchase.
Lenovo offers this model with 32GB or 64GB of LPDDR5X-7467 memory.
We ordered a configuration with 32GB of soldered RAM.

More info: Since the memory cannot be upgraded later, choosing the right RAM capacity at purchase is important, especially for creator workloads, local AI models, and heavy multitasking.

Step 4: Storage Upgrade

The laptop has two M.2 PCIe 4.0 x4 slots.
One slot is intended for shorter 2242 drives, while the longer slot supports 2280 SSDs.
Our retail unit comes with a 1TB Samsung MZAL81T0HFLB NVMe SSD installed.
The second M.2 slot is free, so you can add another SSD without replacing the original drive.
This is especially useful for project files, RAW photos, video footage, games, and local AI models.

You can buy Gen 4 M.2 SSDs here: Buy from Amazon.com (#CommissionsEarned)

Hint: Don’t forget to check out our Top M.2 SSDs Performance Rankings for insights on the best storage options available.

Step 5: Cooling system overview

The cooling system uses two fans and a shared thermal module covering the CPU and GPU side of the board.
Our configuration is equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU.
With the laptop viewed from below, the processor and soldered memory area are on the right half of the motherboard, while the dedicated GPU area is on the left.
Fan cleaning should be manageable for experienced users once the bottom cover is removed.
Repasting is possible in principle, but the compact layout and large shared cooling assembly make it a more advanced procedure.

More info: The Wi-Fi solution sits next to the primary SSD area and is covered by a small protective plastic strip over the antenna connectors. Our configuration uses Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE211 with Bluetooth support, but this is not a standard removable M.2 Wi-Fi card, so wireless upgrades are not part of the usual maintenance path.

More info: In practical terms, the main user-replaceable parts are the SSDs and the battery. The RAM, CPU, GPU, and Wi-Fi solution are soldered to the motherboard. Overall, maintenance is good for basic service and storage expansion, but the soldered memory and non-removable wireless module limit long-term upgrade flexibility.

Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (16″, Gen 11) in-depth review

The Lenovo Yoga Pro 9i Aura Edition (16", Gen 11) is designed for users who need serious creator performance without moving to a bulky gaming laptop or a traditional mobile workstation. It combines a premium aluminum chassis, a 16-inch 3.2K Tandem OLED touchscreen, Intel Core Ultra H-series processors, and NVIDIA RTX 50-series graphics in a slim 16-inch body.Our configuration pairs the Intel Core Ultra 9 386H with the GeForce RTX 5060 Laptop GPU, a large 92.5Wh battery, and Lenovo’s huge glass ForcePad with pen support. On paper, this makes it a very capable machine for video editing, ph[...]

Read the full review

Pros

Outstanding 3.2K Tandem OLED display with 100% DCI-P3 coverage
Excellent factory color accuracy in sRGB and Display P3 modes
Very high HDR and SDR brightness for an OLED laptop panel
Strong sustained CPU performance in long workloads
RTX 5060 maintains close to 100W under sustained GPU load
Excellent battery life for a powerful 16-inch OLED laptop
Premium aluminum build quality
Practical port selection with Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, USB-A, and UHS-II SD card reader
Two M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots, with a free second slot in our unit
Large glass ForcePad with pen support
Lenovo Yoga Pen Gen 2 included in the box