Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 10): The best laptop for professionals?
Lenovo’s ThinkPad series is considered by many to be the benchmark for business laptops, and the X1 Carbon is its most iconic model. New Lenovo computers (10e Generation) features a 14-inch screen, 12-inch Intel Core processore generation, touchscreen and, new for this generation, a 1080 p webcam. With a base price of 3,115 euros (excluding discounts), this is definitely not a cheap model. But is the price justified?
Build quality
In terms of design, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 presents no surprises. The black chassis is punctuated by the ThinkPad X1 logo on one corner and the Lenovo branding on the opposite corner. The dot above the “i” in “ThinkPad” glows red when the laptop is on, letting you know if you closed the laptop without turning it off. Some models have a woven carbon fiber finish on the lid, which gives it a two-tone look.
Image: Sandra Vogel/ZDNET.
The build quality is good, as you’d expect from a ThinkPad. The lid is made of carbon fiber and the body is made of magnesium alloy. I struggled to bend the screen even when trying, and while there was a bit of play around the keyboard, the corners of the chassis were solid.
The X1 Carbon is a compact and lightweight laptop to carry. The chassis has a footprint of 315.6 mm by 222.5 mm, for a thickness of 14.95 mm at the rear. A small lip in the center of the lid helps you open the machine – an easy thing to do with one hand, as the weight balance between the screen and the stand allows the bottom of the computer to stay on the table when the cover is open. The machine weighs only 1.12 kg.
Screen and speakers
The 14-inch display strikes the perfect balance between convenience and portability. Lenovo uses an aspect ratio of 16:10 and offers a variety of display options. The model I tested featured a WUXGA (1920 x 1200) IPS touchscreen with a matte finish and 400 nits of brightness. The combination that makes the slab comfortable to use.
The 1920 x 1200 display is available with or without touch compatibility. There are also configurations with a WQUXGA (3840 x 2400 px) or OLED (2880 x 1800 px) screen. The computer also benefits from the PrivacyGuard feature which reduces screen readability for those in the vicinity of the machine.
The machine has four speakers, two in front and two with vertical grilles on the sides of the keyboard. The audio quality is impeccable: the maximum volume is quite loud, and while there is some distortion, it is acceptable. At three-quarters of the maximum volume, the distortion disappears. Bass and treble are perfect for listening to rock and classic music reproduced well.
Above the screen is a webcam with a sliding shutter. Users can take advantage of facial recognition and presence detection which locks the laptop when the user steps away from their machine. All configurations of this laptop are equipped with FHD (1080p) cameras. If facial recognition isn’t your thing, there’s a fingerprint reader built into the power button on the keyboard.
Keyboards and trackpads
I found the keyboard very comfortable to use, with just the right amount of resistance and bounce. Key Hall width and height and buttons fn also a good size. Fans of the Lenovo TrackPoint and its accompanying buttons above the trackpad will be happy to find it time and time again on this machine.
Image: Sandra Vogel/ZDNET.
The trackpad itself feels a bit small compared to what’s out there right now. Lenovo has sacrificed part of the palm rest to provide more space for the keyboard. Some users, particularly those with large hands, may feel aggrieved by this decision.
Various configurations
There are a wide variety of configurations, with Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors out of 12e generation. RAM can be up to 32 GB and storage up to 2 TB. The GPU is integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics. Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2 are present on all models, while mobile broadband – 4G LTE and 5G (sub-6 GHz) – is available as an option.
My test unit has an Intel Core i7-1255U 12e generation, 16GB RAM, Intel Iris Xe graphics card, 512GB SSD, and WUXGA (1920 x 1200) touchscreen with PrivacyGuard. The machine got Geekbench CPU scores of 1543 (single core) and 6732 (multi core).
Image: Lenovo.
For wired connections, there’s a full-size HDMI port, a 3.5mm audio in/out jack, two USB-A ports, and two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports. One of the USB-C ports is busy when the battery is out of charge. Configurations with mobile broadband also have a Nano SIM slot.
Autonomy
Battery life is probably the biggest problem with the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. After three hours (with all default settings, including brightness) writing in web apps, streaming sound and video, and surfing the web, the battery dropped from 100% to 39%. That suggests just under five hours of battery life in total.
At least there’s fast charging and the power brick is small enough to carry around easily. Plugged in computer at 32% and kept working on it, after 15 minutes battery was 48%, after half an hour it was 62% and after 45 minutes it was 74%.
Conclusion
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 10) is an excellent 14-inch laptop. Exceptionally well-built yet lightweight, it offers a multitude of configuration options including 4G/5G compatibility. Its excellent keyboard, excellent speakers and 1080p webcam make it a great machine.
The main disappointment concerns too light autonomy. Some users may also find the palm rest shallow and the trackpad a bit small. But if you can get around this problem, this laptop is totally worth it.
Profit :
- compact, lightweight and well built;
- many configuration options;
- excellent keyboard and speakers;
- 1080p webcam with privacy shutter.
Lack:
- small trackpad and palm rest;
- disappointing autonomy;
- no SD/MicroSD card slot.
Feature
- Processor : Intel Core i5-1235U, Core i5-1240P, i5-1250P, i7-1260P, i7-1270P with vPro
- Graphics card : Intel Iris Xe Graphics (integrated)
- Operating system : Windows 11 (Home, Pro), Ubuntu Linux, Fedora Linux
- Screen : WUXGA 14 inch (1920 x 1200) IPS, 400 nits – WUXGA (3840 x 2400) IPS Touch, 400 nits – 2.8K (2880 x 1800) OLED, 400 nits
- RAM: up to 32GB LPDDR5
- Storage : up to 2TB PCIe SSD Gen 4
- Battery : 57Wh
- Battery charging: fast charging (power supply 65W or more)
- Security : dTPM 2.0, presence detection via IR (optional), PrivacyGuard (optional), facial recognition via IR (optional), fingerprint reader in power button, webcam privacy cover, Kensington lock slot
- Audios: 4 speakers, Dolby Atmos / 4 microphones (360 degrees)
- Camera: Hybrid FHD IR with Privacy Protection
- Wireless : Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax, 2.4GHz, 5GHz, 6GHz)
- bluetooth: 5.2
- NFC: yes (optional)
- Mobile Broadband: Fibocom L860-GL-16 4G CAT16 (optional), Fibocom FM350-GL 5G SUB 6 (optional)
- Harbor: 2 USB-C Thunderbolt 4, 2 USB-A (3.2 Gen 1), audio in/out, HDMI 2.0, Nano SIM (optional)
- Keyboard : backlit, 110mm glass trackpad
- Color : black, woven carbon fiber on top cover (optional)
- Size: 315.6mm x 222.5mm x 15.36mm.
- Heavy : from 1.12 kg
- In the box : ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10, battery, 65W USB-C charger (supports fast charging), quick start guide
- Price : from €3,115
Alternative
Source: ZDNet.com
