Lenovo x1 carbon dimensions. Detailed review of the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon professional laptop: is it the best choice for a professional? Key Features of Lenovo ThinkPad x1 Carbon

14.09.2024

Few ultra-thin laptops can boast excellent performance, stylish appearance, and great functionality. The model under consideration meets all these requirements and has many trump cards in stock that will undoubtedly appeal to business users and office workers who want to stay always in touch. Let's see what the ThinkPad X1 is really like.

Specifications

CPU:	Intel Core i5-2520M 2500 MHz
RAM:	4 GB DDR3 1333 MHz
Information storage:	320 GB 7200 rpm SATA
Display:	13.3" 1366 x 768 WXGA LED
Video card:	Intel GMA 3000
Drive:	absent
Wireless:	Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 + HS
Interfaces:	USB 2.0, USB 2.0/eSATA, USB 3.0, HDMI, Display Port, SIM card reader
Additionally:	HD camera with light sensor, 2-speaker sound, Dolby Home Theater support
Battery:	6-cell Li-ion 3500 mAh
Dimensions, weight:	337x231x21.3 mm, 1.68 kg
Operating system:	Windows 7 Professional

Design

When looking at a laptop, first of all you pay attention to its small dimensions (337x231x21.3 mm). The weight of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 is also not critical - 1.68 kg.

This is what the device looks like. The laptop body is very durable, as are the vast majority of ThinkPad series laptops. The main thing that catches your eye is the rigid design (Roll Cage), the use of magnesium or aluminum alloy, rigor in execution, extreme reliability and, as a result, compliance with US Department of Defense standards. But, surprisingly, the thickness of the laptop is small.

The laptop lid is devoid of anything fancy. She is more modest, even ascetic. The only elements decorating the outer surface are the unchanged brand logos. The matte cover on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 is already a big plus, since fingerprints will not be very visible.

Inside, as well as outside, everything is extremely strict, everything superfluous is excluded. The dark surface is only slightly “diluted” by the bright red trackpoint.

The bottom of the laptop does not have a large number of compartments. Mainly, ventilation holes are concentrated here. Thanks to four rubber feet, the laptop is securely fixed on a flat surface.

The build quality of the laptop leaves a pretty good impression. There are no significant deflections or creaking surfaces. By the way, the body is also not afraid of scratches.

Display and sound

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 laptop is equipped with a small widescreen display with a diagonal size of 13.3 inches. The resolution of the LCD screen is 1366x768 pixels, so the font on the WXGA+ display cannot be called particularly large. However, the readability of characters will be acceptable, and your eyes will not get tired when working at the display for a long time.

The only thing that disappoints is the mirror surface of the screen (or rather, the glass covering it) - often glare and reflecting everything. Also frustrating is the low contrast level and unstable viewing angles. But an undoubted advantage can be considered the LED backlight, thanks to which the brightness level will be excellent and the display will have a long service life. By the way, the super-bright display (350 nits) will be a great help when watching videos or working with texts for a long time, even in low light conditions. Equipping a business laptop with Gorilla Glass “glass protection” is no less interesting.

Speaking of sound, it is worth immediately noting the support for Dolby Home Theater technology. The premium feature allows you to compare the sound to a home theater system. The sound coming out of the two stereo speakers is surprisingly clear, free of significant distortion at maximum, and relatively balanced. In general, a High Definition audio system will provide realistic and spacious sound with sufficient volume levels that most users will rarely use headphones.

The laptop is equipped with a built-in HD camera with a light sensor.

Keyboard and touchpad

The keyboard of the ThinkPad X1 laptop is thought out to the smallest detail. Firstly, you don’t have to worry about the surface if liquid accidentally spills, because the keyboard unit is waterproof. Secondly, it is convenient to work on the keyboard even at night in complete darkness or with insufficient lighting, since the keyboard is equipped with a backlight. So the characters will be perfectly visible in any case. The main thing is that the backlight level can be adjusted.

As for the rest, the keys are located at the optimal distance from each other, because the keyboard is island-shaped. Consequently, your fingers will not often hit adjacent keys. Typing will be comfortable. In addition, ergonomics is determined by clear markings, acceptable key sizes, and their concave surface.

By the way, in addition to the main set of keys, to the right of the keyboard there is a power button, a key that launches the system recovery function, adjusting the sound level, and others.

In addition to the keyboard, you can use the touchpad and trackpoint. For control, these two devices are quite good. The trackpoint is located in the center of the keyboard and has a rubberized fine-point surface. Positioning with it is not difficult, you just need to get used to it. Fans of touch typing will especially appreciate this input device.

The laptop's touchpad, however, is in no way inferior to it. It is quite sensitive, has a pleasant surface on which fingers glide easily. Above the UltraNav touch zone are the trackpoint control keys. But there are no traditional buttons under the manipulator. So the user implements the function of the left button by clicking anywhere on the touchpad.

A biometric scanner can also be seen on the working surface. Using this security measure, you can protect the information on your laptop from access by unauthorized users.

Processor and equipment

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 NWG2LRT laptop is equipped with a dual-core second-generation Core i5-2520M processor with a clock frequency of 2.5 GHz and 3 MB cache memory. The capabilities of the processor, built on the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture, are enough to solve office tasks and more complex computing operations.

The laptop has 4 GB of system memory standard DDR3-1333 MHz (1 slot). It is possible to expand the RAM up to 8 GB.

As for the hard drive, it cannot be called too capacious. However, 320 GB is enough to store most useful information, including text documents, media files, etc. The hard drive connected via the SATA/300 interface operates at 7200 rpm and is quite fast. Separately, it is worth mentioning that SATA/300 provides throughput up to 2.4 Gbit/s and provides for an increase in operating speed up to 600 MB/s.

The solid-state drive deserves special attention. In addition to the fact that some configurations include an SSD, it is possible to work together with a hard drive and an Intel Micro Solid State Drive with a capacity of 80 GB.

If we talk about the video card, then it is the simplest. The integrated Intel® HD Graphics 3000 with 256 MB of dedicated memory is great for simple tasks, but complex graphics processing is not for it. The same can be said about games. In particular, modern toys will be too much for her, while playing old games is quite easy. In general, this video card is not intended for gamers; its capabilities are too limited.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 laptop comes pre-installed with the 64-bit Windows 7 Professional operating system, providing the user with excellent functionality and ease of use.

Ports and communications

There are enough interfaces in the laptop so that you don’t feel left out when connecting peripheral devices. All ports are located on the side panels of the case, but the main part is still located at the back.

In particular, on the right you can see the card reader. On the left is a combined audio output for microphone and headphones, as well as a USB 2.0 port.

But on the back there is a digital HDMI interface, next to it there is a Display Port and USB 3.0. In addition, the rear panel provides eSATA combined with USB 2.0, a network port, a SIM card reader and a charging socket.

There are no ports at the front.

The laptop's wireless communications are represented by a Bluetooth 3.0 + HS module and a Wi-Fi 802.11a/b/g/n adapter.

Battery

It cannot be said that the battery installed in the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 laptop is capacious enough, only 3500 mAh. Although, this capacity is enough to ensure continuous operation for 5 hours. Otherwise, it's a standard 6-cell lithium-ion battery.

What's really amazing is the ability to charge the battery to almost 80 percent in half an hour. This is possible thanks to Lenovo Rapid Charge technology.

By the way, when using an additional battery, the battery life will increase to 10 hours.

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Conclusion

So, the ThinkPad X1 laptop will appeal to most mobile users. The weight and size of the device will not burden you on a business trip, its high performance will allow you to cope with most computing operations, and the variety of ports and connectors will expand your connection options. However, one cannot fail to note the stylish design, practicality, ease of use, and reliable body.

Ultrabook X1 Carbon belongs to business class laptops. This is evidenced by its discreet classic appearance and impressive technical characteristics. The reviewed laptop has the following parameters:

Processor Intel Core i7-5600U, 2600 MHz (cache 32kb/32kb/256kb/4Mb);
RAM: 16 GB (limited edition) DDR3 SDRAM in dual channel mode;
integrated graphics adapter Intel HD Graphics 5500 (1 GB);
IPS matte touch screen 14"" with a maximum resolution of 2560x1440 pixels;
SSD 256 GB (M.2);
WiFi 802.11a/c;
Bluetooth 4.0;
fingerprint scanner;
TPM 1.2 security module;
keyboard backlight;
light sensor;
camera 1.3 MP;
microphone;
weight: 1.2 kg (one of the lightest ultrabooks due to the special case material);
2 USB 3.0 ports;
mini-DisplayPort and full-size HDMI;
3.5 mm audio output;
non-standard connector for connecting power or a docking station;
non-standard connector for the network cable (connected via a special adapter).

It is clear that with such characteristics, the laptop can easily cope with all everyday tasks: office, reading, surfing the Internet, watching movies, even developing in some CAD software.

This laptop looks just great. Graceful, strict, elegant and very light.

When closed, the laptop is less than 20mm thick. The screen can be opened 180°.

The X1 Carbon ultrabook screen opens 180°

The material of the case is very pleasant, light and at the same time durable. Collects almost no fingerprints. The assembly of the case is of very high quality and reliable: nothing creaks, hangs or rattles. It is very pleasant to work with such a laptop.

On the bottom side of the computer there are two holes for speakers and an air intake grille for cooling the processor. Four large rubber feet provide good grip on the surface on which the laptop stands.

2 Keyboard Ultrabook X1 Carbon

The keyboard of this laptop has both strengths and weaknesses. I would consider the strengths, first of all, that the keys themselves are very comfortable, quite large and have a clear stroke. Typing on this keyboard is very pleasant. It’s convenient that under the Space key there are additional buttons that simulate mouse buttons. The keyboard backlight with two brightness levels is also a very useful feature. Someone will probably find the trackball useful - it's just a matter of habit. I personally only used it for about 5 minutes over the course of a year. In any case, it does not interfere with work at all, and its presence adds to the line ThinkPad charisma and recognition.

But there are some downsides, and, in my opinion, quite serious ones. Everyone already knows that the Fn and Ctrl keys have been swapped. The fact that this can be fixed through the BIOS is also ( Config Keyboard/Mouse Fn and Ctrl Key swap). But, by and large, this arrangement is not difficult to get used to. Less obvious things are more difficult.

For example, the arrow keys are very small, although there is room for normal-sized keys. If you constantly work with texts, you have to use arrows very often. And with such a size, it’s easy for a shooter to miss. The hands are inexpressive, small and without indentations for fingers so that they can be found by touch.

Here, next to it, almost overlapping the arrows, are the PdUp and PdDn keys. Just as small and indistinct. But the Home and End keys are located at the top of the keyboard, in the upper right corner.

For example, when working with texts, I much more often need the arrows and Home and End keys, rather than PgUp/PgDn. I use them to jump to the beginning or end of a line or word, and it happens all the time. And reaching for the far edge of the keyboard every few seconds, distracted from the text, is extremely inconvenient. I couldn’t get used to it, so I had to resort to a trick and use a special program KeyTweak reassign keys. So, instead of the PgUp key I assigned Home, and instead of PgDn - End, and vice versa. It has become much more convenient.

The right Shift key is absurdly large. It's even bigger than the Enter key. And often you miss and instead of entering you press this Shift. A completely strange and unjustified decision. Next to such a large key, another function key could fit, for example, calling up the context menu, which is not here. Instead there is a PrtScr key. Do you need to take a screenshot so often that the key is located almost at your fingertips? Another strange decision.

That's not all. The top row of function buttons also has disadvantages. For example, the F10, F11 and F12 keys are assigned, respectively, to search, switch open windows, open Conductor. Why is this done? There are special operating system combinations Windows, which do exactly the same thing. These buttons could have a much more useful purpose. For example, as I already said, there is no button to open the context menu. There is no button to turn off the display (which is a very convenient feature that many laptops have). There are no Pause and Scroll Lock buttons.

To Lenovo's credit, the X1 Carbon has several of its own combinations to implement functions:
- Scroll Lock is simulated by pressing Fn+K;
- Pause is simulated by pressing Fn+P;
- Break is simulated by pressing Fn+B;
- SysRq is simulated by pressing Fn+S.

Despite all this, the keyboard is overall good and enjoyable to type on.

2 Screen Ultrabook X1 Carbon

There is also something to be said about the screen. Unfortunately, he is not up to par. From a laptop of this level you obviously expect something of better quality. Despite the fact that the screen has a high resolution and an IPS matrix, this does not help. The display is generally good, but not of the highest quality. Vertical viewing angles are good, but lateral ones are noticeably worse.

In addition, the screen attracts dust with great pleasure. Maybe it's the touchscreen panel, but the fact remains a fact.

After a few months of use, overexposed areas appeared on my display. They are almost invisible against a motley background, but if you look at a uniform background, they are noticeable. And I read about such a problem in several articles, so this is not a defect of my device specifically, but a general predisposition of the series.

In the sun, the ultrabook screen makes it practically impossible to read from it due to the fact that it loses brightness. During the day on the street - only in the shade.

And more about the adaptive brightness level. In the dark, for example at night, when watching a movie or reading, the brightness sensor begins to behave strangely. Periodically, the screen brightness either decreases or increases. On my operating system Windows 7 it cannot be turned off, and this causes some inconvenience. Control of this sensor is provided starting from Windows 8.1 and higher. But if you need it Windows 7, then you have to put up with it.

3 I/O Ports Ultrabook X1 Carbon

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon has a very thoughtful selection of ports for an Ultrabook. These include two USB type A ports, a full-size HDMI, and a 3.5 audio jack. The connector for the network cable is made miniature, and this is a plus, considering that laptops are mainly connected to the network over the air. There is also a mini-DisplayPort. One of the USB connectors can remain energized even when the computer is turned off (configured in the BIOS: Config USB Always On USB) - can be used to charge any gadgets. On the back there is space for an LTE modem.

I’ll give you one life hack that might be useful to someone. Despite the fact that both USB ports operate on the 3.0 protocol by default, the X1 Carbon supports the hardware implementation of the 2.0 protocol. If for some reason you need to work with the old protocol, it can be done. Let's go to the BIOS, to the section Config USB and exhibit USB 3.0 Mode V [ Disabled].

Lenovo X1 Carbon has a fingerprint scanner. Many people write that the scanner does not work well. Here's another secret: it works quickly and recognizes fingerprints well. But to do this, you need to quickly, literally in half a second, run your finger across it from top to bottom. If you swipe your finger slowly, there is a greater chance that the scanner will not recognize your fingerprint.

Using a docking station, you can significantly expand the number of available ports. Thus, the docking station adds 4 USB 3.0 ports, two USB 2.0 ports, a full-size connector for an Ethernet cable, an audio jack for a headset, as well as two additional video outputs: DisplayPort and DVI-I. In general, a very useful and convenient thing.

The only negative, perhaps, is that the docking station is only suitable for this ultrabook model, because... It is connected via a specific connector that is not compatible with anything else.

The laptop supports up to two simultaneously connected monitors in FullHD resolution (except for the main one). If monitors are connected via a docking station, the video outputs on the laptop itself are disabled. You can connect a VGA monitor to the docking station via a DVI-VGA adapter.

4 Cooling system and X1 Carbon 3 gen battery.

The battery lasts for several hours of operation, usually no more than 3. I wish there was more. Perhaps this is due to the age of the computer (manufactured in 2015). The battery charges in about a little over an hour.

But the cooling system pleases. It is very quiet even under load. In principle, the X1 Carbon never gets very hot, even if you run resource-intensive applications on it, including high-quality movies and games. Yes, X1 runs games from 3-5 years ago on medium or minimum settings! Depends on the system requirements of a particular game, of course. And at the same time, the ultrabook does not heat up much, and the cooling system operates quietly. Thank you very much to Lenovo for this!

Ultrabook X1 Carbon gen.3 with the bottom cover removed. The bottom cover is secured with seven screws and opens very easily.

5 Test results X1 Carbon gen.3

Here are a few pictures showing the results of testing the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 3rd generation laptop using the AIDA64 program:






X1 Carbon graphics accelerator test	X1 Carbon Memory Test	Information about the X1 Carbon gen.3 CPU
Information about the X1 Carbon gen.3 graphics adapter

Hello, Habr! Today we want to talk in detail about the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. There aren't many laptop series in the world that have been released for half a dozen years in a row. The 2018 X1 Carbon is already the 6th generation in the popular series. Externally, the computer has hardly changed, but in terms of hardware and other components there are quite a few pleasant innovations. But first things first.

Appearance

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a laptop for people who spend a lot of time outside the office, frequently type (email, texts, presentations), give presentations, and regularly face the need to work on the road. That is, we are talking about business users or freelancers from completely different areas with an above-average income level. Most of all, these people value mobility, convenience, good autonomy and high performance.

Mobility and convenience - this is a story about the design and, in part, the ergonomics of input devices, which will be discussed a little later. The computer case is made of magnesium alloy and covered with carbon fiber. This is all not only for the sake of a strict and attractive appearance, but also for its light weight. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon version 2018 weighs only 1.13 kilograms. At the same time, the developers were able to fit a 14-inch screen into a small body with dimensions of 323.5 x 217.1 mm. The thickness is absolutely fantastic: less than 16 millimeters!

As a result, such a gadget looks very solid, and it’s comfortable to carry it with you every day. It is also very pleasant to touch the matte velvety surface of the computer. Yes, fingerprints remain on it, but they are noticeable only upon very close inspection, and laptops are examined point-blank only by technology reviewers and service technicians, but not by ordinary users.

By the way, good news for those who like to drink tea while sitting at their laptop. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon has a keyboard protection against water, and at the bottom of the PC there is even a drainage hole through which moisture that gets on the buttons flows down. The bonus is useful, but you need to treat it wisely: this does not mean that liquids cannot harm electronics. “Protection” does not equal “invulnerability,” plus the fatal consequences of some sticky soda that glues everything together have not been canceled.

Interfaces

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon does not claim to be the champion in the number of connectors on the sides, but the developers were not given such a task. The main thing is that there is absolutely everything you need here. Let's start from the right side. There is pure minimalism here: full-size USB 3.0 and a headphone input.
On the right there are more interfaces: HDMI, full-size USB 3.0 and two USB Type-C, one of which is combined with a proprietary one for accessories and docking stations, among which the ThinkPad Ultra Docking Station stands out.
This is not cheap (23,950 rubles), but absolutely irreplaceable for anyone who connects their laptop to a large monitor (or several monitors) at home or in the office and uses a lot of peripherals in their work. This is what she looks like:

And it has so many interfaces that anyone would envy: four USB 3.1, two USB Type-C, two DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.0, VGA and a combined audio jack. The station supports vPro and PXE Boot technology and can charge a laptop up to 80% in just 30 minutes. In general, this is a really useful thing if this scenario for using a mobile PC is close to you.

You probably noticed that the laptop itself does not have an input for a network cable, which automatically becomes a noticeable drawback for many corporate users. It is clear why it is not there: the interface is large and simply does not fit into a thin case. But there is a solution: the ThinkPad X1 Carbon comes with a compact adapter with RJ-45, which connects to the same proprietary connector discussed above.

By the way, how about taking a look at the back panel? There's a surprise here: a pull-out tray with a slot for a microSIM card. An indispensable thing for those who have something to hide from public Wi-Fi networks or those who often need to work in places where these same networks are usually not visible. Just don’t forget that for SIM to work you need to select the X1 Carbon configuration with a WWAN module. There is also a slot for microSD, with which you can significantly expand the data storage space.

Display

Agree, it’s nice when you can choose a laptop not only by configuration, but also by screen parameters? The case is, however, rare, but the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is just one of those. The laptop is available with four different displays: with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, 1920x1080 pixels (touch), 2560x1400 pixels (maximum brightness - 300 nits), 2560x1440 pixels (maximum brightness - 500 nits). In all cases, the diagonal is, of course, the same - 14 inches, matrix type - IPS. The thickness of the frames around is very, very modest, which you can see for yourself in the photographs below.

Our specific test sample is Full HD with support for touch input, but there are no visual differences from the non-touch configuration. This option is good if more or less serious work with graphics is not included in the proposed scenarios. And for preparing presentations, web surfing, text editors, and watching videos, this will be absolutely enough. Color rendition is normal, there is no need to complain about viewing angles at all. In addition, it is worth considering the lower load on the hardware and greater battery life compared to WQHD displays.

However, autonomy is autonomy, and the “top” screen with a resolution of 2560x1400 is very attractive. Firstly, HDR support. Secondly, color gamut indicators. If on a Full HD panel the user receives about 90% coverage of the sRGB color space, then on WQHD this is already full coverage of the entire spectrum. In Adobe RGB the difference is even more dramatic: ~90% versus ~60%. Well, let’s take into account the increase in price: it’s not that big for such significant advantages.

And the conclusion is simple: ThinkPad X1 Carbon with “top” matrices is great for serious work with graphics, hurray! And it not only fits, but in this regard stands out favorably against competitors in its niche. Just keep in mind that the brighter (500 nits) WQHD panel is glossy, and the less bright (300 nits) is matte. But on the other hand, you can distinguish them right in the store “by eye”; you don’t have to go into specifications or run tests.

Also pay attention to the hinges: they used to be silver, but now they are black to match the color of the case. It seems like a small thing, but it definitely gives it a +1 to appearance. But in terms of reliability, nothing has changed: the hinges are still metal and firmly hold the laptop lid in any position up to the maximum 180 degrees. In none of them does it outweigh the main part of the laptop with the keyboard.

Input devices

The keyboard of the 6th generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon has undergone absolutely no changes. Many users rightfully consider it one of the best in its class, so there is not the slightest reason to upset them and force them to get used to something new. It is clear that this is all a purely individual matter, but, in our opinion, these full-size and slightly concave buttons with a deep and quiet stroke give a truly cool sensation when typing. And your hands don’t get tired.

There is a backlight, it has two brightness levels. Important buttons (Esc, F1 with a mute indicator and F4 with a microphone mute indicator) are additionally highlighted with bright dots against the background of the rest. There are also additional LEDs in the power button and next to the USB Type-C, which is responsible for powering the laptop, so that they can be easily found even in complete darkness.

The trackpoint, of course, has not gone away, as well as the large touchpad with excellent response and a tactilely pleasant surface. To work with it, you can use either auxiliary mechanical buttons above the touch panel or press its lower part, if that is more convenient for you. There is also a fingerprint scanner and an IR camera with two lenses. The latter is not used in all configurations; more often in its place is a regular “web” with a convenient curtain.

Hardware component

The main hardware innovation in the 2018 ThinkPad X1 Carbon is, of course, the 8th generation Intel Core processors with reduced power consumption. Two additional cores and two additional running threads are a very nice performance boost. Specifically, our test sample has 16 GB of RAM and an Intel Core i7-8550U. Compared to last year's predecessor (i7-7500U), its base clock frequency decreased from 2.7 GHz to 1.8 GHz, and the maximum, on the contrary, increased from 3.5 to 4 GHz. The calculated thermal power remained at the same level - 15 W.

Tests in Cinebench R15 show that in single-core computing the power of the new chip has increased by about 15-18% compared to the old one. In multi-core operating mode, the gain reaches an impressive 60-70%. If previously there were few reasons for an upgrade in this regard, now the difference can really be felt, and not only in benchmarks. Just remember that like all other processors in the new U series, the i7-8550U also begins to gradually reduce frequencies under prolonged load. However, specifically in the case of the X1 Carbon, this does not happen as quickly, and the drop is not as noticeable as with competitors. The secret is in the increased temperature limit.

Of course, you shouldn't expect miracles of gaming performance from the integrated UHD Graphics 620. Not a single laptop in the same class as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is focused on games at all. However, this computer will not let you get completely bored. It’s clear that you won’t be able to run Kingdom Come or even The Witcher here even at minimum settings, but popular online projects (DOTA2, Overwatch, WoT) run without problems at low or sometimes even medium settings.

The perception of fan noise is an individual matter, but we found the new ThinkPad X1 Carbon to be quite good in this regard. Even under quite serious loads, the cooler did not buzz so much that it began to really irritate. There is also no need to be especially afraid of heating. If the laptop is on the table, then there will be no problems even during complex calculations. But holding it on your knees during them may not be very comfortable - in stress tests, temperature values can still slightly exceed 50 degrees. However, when working with texts and while watching videos, they are around 35-40 degrees.

As a result, we can say that the laptop copes with all its main tasks without problems. The overall system performance is excellent, as confirmed by PCMark 10 tests, which we will present below. The computer responds to all commands cheerfully and without hesitation - there are no annoying delays.

Finally, a few words about the SSD drive. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon has 4 options, of which the most optimal, perhaps, is the one used in our test laptop. This is a PCIe model with 512 GB of internal memory, or to be precise, a Samsung PM981 with a Polaris V2 controller. Its speed performance is very decent, so you are unlikely to want to change the module in the next few years. If desired, the data can be encrypted - there is a TPM module on the motherboard. And you can return the laptop to factory settings, if something suddenly goes wrong, not only using the tools built into Windows, but also using proprietary Lenovo software.

Upgrade options

With the upgrade options of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, things are not particularly rosy, but such is the price to pay for a thin body and modest weight. This is the picture you can see if you unscrew the five screws and remove the bottom cover:

You can independently replace only the SSD drive in the M.2 2280 form factor. You can also easily remove the battery, and remove and replace the WWAN module. There are no options for increasing RAM - all the RAM is soldered onto the motherboard, so we strongly recommend choosing configurations with the maximum amount for future use. That is, with 16 GB on board.

Autonomy

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a very durable machine. In the case of models with a Full HD screen, a full battery charge (57 Wh) will be enough for 6.5 hours of video playback with the same resolution and maximum brightness level. If the brightness is reduced to a still comfortable 60-70%, there will be a noticeable increase in another couple of hours. If we talk about working with texts and web surfing, then the user definitely has a full working day (and with an extra couple of hours to spare).

Charging the gadget from 0 to 80% is quite fast - it takes a little more than an hour, and then the same amount for the remaining 20%. A useful “feature”, especially when you realize that in 40 minutes you have to run off to a meeting, and the cleaning lady carefully turned off the office pilot and all the time since the morning the laptop has been doing nothing but slowly but surely discharging.

How much does it cost and where to buy?

Well, it's time to take stock. So, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is one of the lightest laptops in its class. It is perfect for business users and freelancers, including those working with graphics. For the latter, you need to choose modifications with a WQHD display, which has good color gamut indicators. 8th Gen Intel Core U-series processors paired with fast SSDs deliver excellent day-to-day performance. At the same time, the PC still works for a long time on one charge. The icing on the cake is the ability to install a SIM card in the computer to work wherever it is convenient for the user, and not just where there is Wi-Fi. Plus, there is a fantastically comfortable keyboard, on which, let’s not be afraid of these words, typing is a real thrill! Overall, the X1 Carbon is a laptop we love and are really proud of. We hope you like it too.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (3rd Gen) laptop looks stylish and attractive, but almost the same as its predecessors, for example, the first Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Despite the use of durable premium materials, we were not very pleased with the build quality of the laptop.

The design of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (3rd Gen) isn't what you'd call a classic design, but it's attractive and generally won't attract too much attention. In principle, this is even good for a business user - the device looks neutral, does not distract and does not raise unnecessary questions. Visually, it is a rectangle with a thin profile and a dark gray (or carbon) color; it would seem that what is unusual about it? The only things that attract attention are the red trackpoint in the middle of the keyboard, the touchpad with downright massive buttons on top, and the fingerprint scanner almost on the very edge of the case. Also, the ThinkPad inscriptions on the operating panel and lid look a little unusual, located at an angle to the side ends. The side bezels around the screen look wide, and the screen itself is quite thick. The bottom is clean and neat, with a pair of speakers (not the best placement) and small ventilation holes. At the same time, the laptop can be easily disassembled, so if desired, you can easily access the contents of the device. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon (3rd Gen) is positioned as a very durable, almost rugged laptop - its body is made of lightweight carbon fiber. According to the manufacturer, the device meets US Department of Defense standards and is tested against dust, vibration, heat, cold, water and humidity. It turns out that he is not afraid of splashes and impacts. It feels like the laptop went through all 7 circles of hell until it ended up on the shelf in the store. Its strength in principle can be called a plus; the body of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is almost not pressed through, only in the area of the keyboard, but even then only a little. Even its lid, quite thick but durable, opens 180 degrees and is perfectly fixed in any position. However, our test unit simply clicked in the lower right corner if you tapped or pressed on it, which in one fell swoop ruined the entire impression of materials and build quality.

You can buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon in only one color – dark gray.

Dimensions and weight - 4.7

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is light and compact, but not the thinnest laptop in its class. It's quite portable, but you can always go for something thinner or lighter, like the HP Specter 13.

The thickness of the case is small, in some places it reaches 1.85 cm, which is not very small by the standards of expensive ultrabooks, it is only slightly thinner than the budget HP Stream 13. But its weight, thanks to carbon fiber, is small, approximately 1.3 kg. So, it is even lighter than the 13-inch Acer Aspire V13. Together with a light charge (290 grams), the total comes out to a little more than one and a half kilograms - this is how much many laptops weigh without a charger. Device dimensions - 33.1x22.7x1.85 cm.

Keyboard

The ThinkPad line is known for its comfortable keyboards, perhaps even the best among ultrabooks. But at the same time, they do not have the most common key layout.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon's keyboard is really comfortable to type on, but it takes some getting used to. Thus, the keys are set high and spaced apart from each other, they have a long stroke and a clear pressing threshold. This is unusual for ultrabooks, which may be why the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a little thicker than its competitors - it needed room for a comfortable keyboard. The diagonal of the laptop is small (14 inches), so there is no digital block here. The keyboard has three-level key backlighting (“off”, “low brightness”, “high brightness”). The only questions that raise questions are slight pressing of the substrate (despite advanced materials) and the unusual layout. So, the Fn and Ctrl keys were swapped and, it seems, we never got used to it during the tests. The Page Up and Page Down keys have been moved to the arrow block; they can be pressed by mistake, since they are closely adjacent to the “left” and “right” buttons.

Touchpad

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon's touchpad is small in size, but easy to use thanks to the presence of separate keys above it and a round trackpoint on the keyboard.

Its area (approximately 61 cm2) is slightly insufficient for comfortable work on a 14-inch screen. The touch surface, in our opinion, is not the most pleasant to the touch, but it is sensitive, with high precision of cursor guidance. It’s a little unusual to see that the touchpad has separate keys, and also on top, and three at once. They symbolize the left, right and center mouse buttons. In fact, it's quite convenient, especially if you work in conjunction with the trackpoint on your keyboard. This is a round button that can be tilted in different directions and thereby move the cursor. At first this seems unusual, but in general it is a matter of habit. By the way, over the course of several years, such a “pile up” of controls has acquired many fans. It is noteworthy that the keys do not click when pressed and operate silently, unlike, for example, the ASUS G551JM. The only thing we didn't like was the deterioration in the sensitivity of the touchpad closer to the bottom edges.

Ports and interfaces - 4.4

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon has a good set of wireless interfaces and connectors, and they are quite conveniently located. However, it does not have an optical drive or a standard Ethernet network port, only a proprietary one from Lenovo. But there is immediately HDMI and mini-DisplayPort. In general, the laptop received the following set of connectors:

Two USB 3.0
DisplayPort 1.2
Power socket combined with dock connector
Mini-jack
MicroSIM card slot
HDMI (1.4)
Branded Ethernet port (requires an adapter to a standard plug)
Kensington lock.

The laptop received a network card with a speed of 1000 Mbit/s, support for Bluetooth 4.0 and dual-band Wi-Fi (a/b/g/n). The case has a slot for MicroSIM cards, but in our case the device did not have a built-in modem; you need to find out about its availability in the store in advance. Compared to the same HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G2, the hero of the review lacks an NFC chip, as well as a slot for MicroSD cards, which HP has. But we were pleased with the full-size HDMI connector and at least some option for connecting to the Internet via cable, albeit through an adapter. I would also like to see a third USB connector; after all, two are sometimes not enough.

Performance - 3.2

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon can be called productive by ultrabook standards. It is sufficient for most business tasks, but it will no longer cope with many modern games from 2014-2016 even at minimum settings.

The laptop received 4 GB of RAM and a dual-core energy-efficient (15 W) Intel Core i5-5200U processor with Broadwell architecture. Turbo Boost technology can increase the clock speed from 2.2 to 2.7 GHz. Using the Hyper-Threading function, each core processes two streams of information, so the work of two cores can be compared to the work of four at once.

In various performance tests, the processor obtains the following results:

3DMark06 (CPU) - 3302 points
Cinebench R15 - 254 points
GeekBench 2.4 - 5896 points
GeekBench 3 - 5136 points.

These are average, quite typical results for a business ultrabook. They are comparable to the scores of the popular ASUS K501LB with the same i5-5200U processor, but are 10-20% inferior to the same HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G2 with i7-5600U (more cache and higher frequencies).

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon does not have a separate video card and is equipped only with a built-in Intel HD 5500. In terms of performance, it is approximately comparable to entry-level discrete cards. It can't handle many demanding games from 2014-2016, but some of them are playable on low graphics. In various tests, the video card is rated as follows:

3DMark 06 - 6761 points
3DMark Fire Strike - 623 points
In the test scene from CineBench R15 -30.6 fps.

The Lenovo Z5070 laptop with a weak but separate graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce 820M, entry level) received scores about 10-15 percent higher in the same tests, but the ASUS K501LB with mid-level graphics received almost twice as much. Relatively old games work fine up to high settings, but newer and heavier ones like Rise of The Tomb Raider, Witcher 3 and Fallout 4 slow down even at low graphics. At the same time, something simpler, for example, World of Warships, FIFA 16 or Sims 4, works quite well. However, you shouldn't consider the ThinkPad X1 Carbon as a gaming platform.

There may be a large number of modifications of a business laptop on sale. Thus, the volume of internal memory (128, 180, 240, 256, 360, 512 GB), processors (i5-5200U, i5-5300U, i7-5500U, i7-5600U) and the amount of RAM (4 GB instead of 8 GB) may vary ).

Display - 3.3

This is perhaps the only point where the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon disappointed us. The laptop uses a Full HD display with a TN matrix, which condemns it to narrow viewing angles and low contrast.

The screen diagonal is 14 inches, it is quite clear thanks to Full HD resolution (1920×1080 pixels), the pixel density is 157 per inch. Individual pixels will not be visible unless you move your face too close to the screen.

The image on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (3rd Gen) can be called average in quality, but poor for its class and price. The maximum measured brightness is relatively high - up to 337 cd/m2, brighter, as a rule, only “tablet” laptops like. Together with the matte finish, this allows you to use the device outdoors on a sunny day. But only if you look at the screen at the right angle, because its viewing angles are mediocre. The contrast ratio is typically low for a TN panel, at 300:1, slightly higher than the budget Lenovo Ideapad 100S, but worse than most business laptops. The brightness distribution turned out to be quite uniform - 89%. Color accuracy is average, without calibration it is not very good, the color deviation is about 10 units. But if you calibrate it, the quality of color display will become comparable to the level of televisions. The color gamut is narrow, again, this is a “merit” of the TN matrix - 82% of the sRGB standard is covered.

A display of this quality looks very strange for a device with a rather impressive price tag. The matrix is not bad by the standards of TN technology, but is inferior to most IPS screens. But keep in mind that the ThinkPad X1 Carbon has modifications with high-quality images and a resolution of 2560x1440 pixels. And with some additional payment you can also get a touch interface.

Battery - 5.0

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon can be called a long-lasting laptop; in some tests its battery life is slightly higher than that of the HP EliteBookFolio 1040 G2 and MacBooks.

In load mode, the device lasted about 2 hours 20 minutes, which is higher than that of the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 2 Pro. Basically, it's not that long, but it's better than most laptops. In idle mode (reading with the screen almost dimmed), it lasted almost 15 hours, about the same as the HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G2. The best results come only from transformers or devices that are frankly weak in performance. Working in the browser drains the battery in about 5-6 hours, not bad, but not enough, for example, for a full work day.

The included charger charges the laptop in just over an hour and a half, which is pretty fast.

Noise and temperature - 3.4

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (3rd Gen) can be called almost silent, and it does not suffer from overheating. In idle mode, you most likely will not be able to hear the noise from the laptop, but if you load it with complex tasks, the noise level does not exceed 46-47 dB around the device, which is relatively quiet. In standby mode, the laptop does not heat up at all, its surface temperature is no more than 27 degrees. But after half an hour of hard work, the bottom of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon can bring slight discomfort. Its surface heats up to 40 degrees. This is comparable to the results of the HP Envy 15x360 and better than the weaker Lenovo IdeaPad 100S.

Our impressions of the new 14-inch ThinkPad X1 Carbon are almost entirely positive. The case is even more compact than before, without sacrificing stability - yet it is of very high quality and well made. The screen is at the level of its predecessor - with a matte finish, quite bright, and does not use PWM/PWM. Of course, we have seen better matrices for this diagonal, but it has long been known that screens are not the strong point of Lenovo laptops. The laptop weighs about 1.1 kg.

This model has new ports - as many as 2 USB-C with support for Thunderbolt 3, and there are also the usual UBS-A and HDMI. This means that in terms of expandability, the laptop will remain relevant for at least a few more years. The key travel on the keyboard is now as good as on the T-series models; We liked this keyboard even more. The glass-covered touchpad is also good.

The new ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a very good ultrabook for business, especially if you need compactness (without sacrificing performance). The smaller dimensions of the case, of course, could not but affect the heating: the case will heat up more, and the fan will be audible under high loads.

Overall performance leaves a mixed impression. On the one hand, the X1 Carbon 2017 is very fast in practice - thanks to the Core i7 and PCIe solid-state drive, but under heavy load the cooling system works to the limit of its capabilities. Under heavy load, the Core i7 will work slower than the Core i5, and the case will heat up noticeably, and the fan will change rotation speed depending on the load level. The X1 Carbon maintains a very conservative CPU temperature of 75°C and does not degrade performance when running on battery power. At first, the cooling fan was clearly audible, but its algorithm was improved in the BIOS update - version 1.15. Under load, the fan, of course, accelerates quite quickly (which is not surprising given such small dimensions of the case), but completely turns off under light loads.

Considering the above, the X1 Carbon 2017 configurations with Core i5 processors may be a smarter choice. Their lower clock speed puts less strain on the cooling system, and operating temperatures are also lower.

We didn't like the microSD card adapter at all (and its location on the back of the case), as well as the limitations on wireless network adapter support. X1 Carbon is not "WWAN-ready"; it either has a 4G modem out of the box, or mobile networks are not supported at all (such configurations do not have the necessary antennas).

The combination of a high-quality chassis, a large screen size, excellent input devices, an excellent selection of ports, great battery life and decent portability makes this laptop a very attractive and smart buy, even despite the negatives mentioned.