Lenovo has steadily been making gains in the laptop industry through its ThinkPad lineup of portable computers.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop is a recent model that is a sleek and cutting-edge.
In this article, we first give an overview of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop, noting its benefits and drawbacks. Then, we compare this laptop to similar products offered both by Lenovo and other companies. Finally, we end with our thoughts on the future of the Lenovo ThinkPad lineup.
Lenovo_Thinkpad_X1 14 inch FHD Carbon Flagship Premium Ultrabook…
- Intel Core i7 (6th Gen) 6600U 2.60GHz (Turbo 3.40GHz)
- 8GB RAM and 512GB Solid State Drive, 14″ LCD IPS 1920 x 1080, 16:9, anti-glare, LED backlight
- Bluetooth 4.1, 2x USB 3.0 1x USB 3.0 (Always On) 1x Mini DisplayPort 1x HDMI 1x OneLink+ connector 1x Headphone/microphone combo jack
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Laptop laptop can be purchased on Amazon for $1725. This specific model has an 8th generation Intel i7 processor and a 14-inch Full HD display.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop is available with four different types of Intel’s 8th generation processor, namely two under the i5 label and two under the i7 label. The variations in price refer to the speed and power of each chip.
Furthermore, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop is available with four different screen displays, each of which is 14 inches. Two screen options offer Full HD while two screen options offer Quad HD. Each screen offers IPS technology as well as anti-glare technology. Customers can also choose a multi-touch touchscreen option.
Lenovo has advertised that the ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop can provide up to 15 hours of battery life using RapidCharge technology.
This laptop weighs about 2.5 pounds, though the exact dimensions will depend on the specific model you purchase.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon also offers an optional LTE-A card for purchase, which allows this laptop to function like a smartphone, gaining access to the internet at pretty much any location.
The chassis of the laptop is made from four layers of reinforced carbon fiber while the roll cage of the laptop is made from magnesium alloy, making this one of the most durable laptops on the market.
The Benefits of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Laptop
- The ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop is one of Lenovo’s flagship products and they have been tinkering with it over the last 5-10 years. This constant finetuning has resulted in the most recent models that offer some of the best screens available on laptops.
- Many customers that use the ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop claim that it offers the best visuals of any laptop they have used. Customers specifically have four different screen options to choose from depending on the resolution they want as well as the features.
- One of the screen options includes Dolby Vision technology, which results in increased brightness, contrast, and screen colors. Lenovo has advertised that this is the first time a laptop has offered this kind of technology, making it unprecedented in the industry. This is a kind of technology that is frequently incorporated into HD televisions, which is a testament to how dynamic the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop is.This technology, paired with the HD display and IPS technology, make this laptop ideal for users who will be streaming a lot of content and are sensitive to the details of each image. Additionally, this technology will result in more immersive games, making this a great laptop for children.
- Lenovo has also advertised that each laptop comes with anti-glare technology, which makes the laptop more portable than ever before. Many customers say this technology has been surprisingly effective, and while it doesn’t remove all glare, it certainly helps minimize it. This allows users to use their laptop wherever they like, not just where light is ideal.
- This is an important distinction on the market for laptops, as many companie s make all kinds of claims regarding the specifications of their display. Yet, in certain conditions, this display underperforms. With the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, users do not have to worry about these imperfections. Instead, this computer has been designed with portability in mind, making it a great travel laptop.
- This is supported by the fact that it weighs less than 2.5 pounds. In combination with the sleek, thin dimensions, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is one of the most dynamic laptops available.
The Benefits of the Multi-Touch Display
One of the screen options that customers can choose from is a multi-touch display. This allows the screen to be used as a touchscreen, which is ideal for users who use their laptop in a more interactive way. This feature makes the laptop easier to use and also invites group usage, which is perfect for creative settings where collaboration is encouraged.
Furthermore, what’s great about the multi-touch display is that it’s an optional add-on. Many laptops on the market feature touchscreens but require customers to purchase them as part of the laptop. While this technology certainly represents the future of laptops, not all customers are ready to upgrade. Many customers have been conditioned to use the trackpad and keyboard associated with a laptop and want to continue to use this interface.
Of course, buying a Lenovo laptop with a touchscreen doesn’t mean that you have to use that feature. But, it’s nice that Lenovo has included options to purchase the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Laptop without a touchscreen, as this makes these laptops cheaper and simpler for some users. Ultimately, it doesn’t make sense to spend more money on a laptop for features that you will not use.
This indicates that Lenovo wants to empower the customer to customize their machine as much as they can, even if that means removing the multi-touch capability.
The Benefits of the Rechargeable Battery
Batteries are rarely emphasized in reviews of laptops, but it’s an important area that should be discussed.
When we read about technology online, we can become detached from using the product as we focus so much on abstractions. We can forget that the product needs to be charged in order to be used. When the laptop is being charged, it’s significantly less portable since it must be plugged into a wall charger.
Lenovo has advertised that the battery on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon stays charged for up to 15 hours. This is impressive and means that users can essentially use their laptop all day without worry. Then, they can charge it at night, assuring that they always have a charged laptop throughout the day when their productivity is most important. Most people are more stationary at night, which makes it easier to charge your laptop then.
Furthermore, the RapidCharge technology featured on this laptop allows the battery to be charged 80% of the way in just an hour. This is perfect for users who often forget to charge their battery, as the laptop can be sufficiently charged over a lunch break.
This technology also benefits travelers who often go on long flights. It means that they can charge their computer at the airport in order to maximize their productivity on the plane.
The Drawbacks of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Laptop
- Even though the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon offers many features, it’s not a perfect laptop by any means.
- Many customers have complained that there are too many options available for purchase within the ThinkPad X1 Carbon series. This is an interesting critique, as customers usually laud expanded options.
- Many customers claim that some of the options are difficult to distinguish from others. While the multi-touch screen option is obviously in a class of its own, some of the other distinctions regarding the screens of this laptop are subtler. It can be difficult to notice the difference, for example, between a screen that features full HD and Quad HD even though the latter has twice the resolution.
- These various options can overwhelm customers and cause them to have buying remorse, thinking there is always some better or more affordable model available. Yet, when purchasing a laptop, you want to be as confident and happy with your purchase as possible, not questioning whether you should have invested in a slightly more vibrant screen or saved your money and gone with the relatively less vibrant screen.
- Furthermore, it’s not clear from Lenovo’s website whether the touchscreen option allows users to turn their laptops into tablets. Since this ability has not been specified, it’s likely that the multi-touch option functions exactly like a traditional laptop yet allows customers to touch the screen if desired.
- On a basic level, this way of advertising the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop is frustrating and confusing. Lenovo should be more transparent about how features are integrated into their products.
- On another level, this limited touchscreen ability makes this laptop less versatile. It might provide a more seamless experience in some situations, but most of the time users will want to collapse their laptop into a tablet form when using a touchscreen.
How Does the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Compare to Similar Products?
Within the Lenovo laptop lineup, the Yoga series offers customers a more seamless interface through the use of a more integrated touchscreen technology.
In particular, the ThinkPad Yoga 920 is a popular laptop that is comparably priced to the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop. The Yoga 920 is available in a limited-edition version that focuses on the aesthetics of its design, offering customers a gorgeous laptop that bridges the gap between fashion and design.
Additionally, the Yoga 920 allows customers to transform the laptop into a tablet using hinge technology. This makes the laptop great for using when snuggling up on the couch or on-the-go when our environment is less than ideal. The touchscreen capability of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 carbon, on the other hand, is more limited in these environments since the laptop cannot be transformed into a tablet.
Furthermore, the Samsung Notebook 9 Pen is another comparable laptop that features a touchscreen while also emphasizing traditional laptop capabilities. This laptop also comes with a stylus pen which many users find effective and useful.
At the end of the day, many of the laptops at this price point offer similar functionality and features. Some customers prefer one design over another based on their interface preferences, and the best way to determine this is to use the devices in person.
Our Final Thoughts on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon
We think the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Laptop is a powerful machine that is also very portable and sleek. Customers will appreciate the minimal design of this laptop yet simultaneously how many features are available.
Since this line-up of laptops from Lenovo has been finetuned over the years, there are various generations available of the X1 Carbon, each with different processor options and screen options. This can make navigating the market for these laptops challenging, as it can be unclear which version you are getting as well as when that version was released.
This is especially important to remember for customers who frequently use Amazon to purchase electronics, as sometimes incorrect or incomplete information is offered on the product webpage. We recommend that customers do plenty of research before they purchase a laptop through a 3rd party website. The best bet is to always peruse the manufacturers website first, even if these products are more expensive.
We think future Lenovo laptops will be lighter and faster than ever, integrating touchscreen capabilities on every device. While the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop offers customers the ability to get a multi-touch screen, we think this option will be modified in the future. We think that future Lenovo laptops will all come with touchscreens, as this will eventually be the norm in the industry. Then, if customers don’t want this feature, they can select an option without a touchscreen.
In this sense, we think Lenovo will continue to pioneer the market for laptops and we can’t wait to see what they innovate in the future.