Lenovo X1 review: the thinnest and lightest ThinkPad

The Lenovo X1 is the thinnest (16.5 mm) and lightest (1.7 kg) notebook in the ThinkPad line. Of course, to the MacBook Air in terms of thickness and elegance to him far. But many features of ThinkPad notebooks have become legendary. The new X1 almost all of them are present:


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Outside

Externally, the Lenovo X1, like all ThinkPads, is brutal. If it were not for the thin body, many would call it a laptop from the 90s (so often speak of my X201i, despite the Core i7 inside). The figure “16.5 mm“ is a marketing move. This thickness is only in the thinnest part of the laptop, at the edge of the screen. The rest of the body is 21.5 mm. But this is a real breakthrough for the ThinkPad line. The laptop is much more invisible in the bag than the X201i.



The main surprise is gloss. Unheard of for the ThinkPad line! True, the glossy is not the 13.3-diyum display itself, but the glass that covers it. Glass is not easy, but Corning Gorilla is scratch-resistant: monotonous driving on it with the key really did not lead to the result.

But the display has become brighter. There is no special technology here (as, for example, the Samsung 9 series), but the difference, compared to the same X201i, is obvious. Gloss spoils the whole raspberry: on a sunny day, the display clearly shows your reflection and the entire collection of fingerprints.



The third major difference is the island-type keys. Before that, we only saw it in the relatively new Edge series and two laptops of the X line. Having used the X100e for a whole year, I became a fan of Lenovo island keys. Their well-thought-out concavity and elasticity still seem better to me than that of the Vaio notebooks.

The only thing I did not get along with was the touchpad. In appearance, it is convenient, but I was not used to its positioning and keyless system. Maybe I just needed more time. By the way, the trackpoint came to my rescue. Whoever says anything is cool.

Inside

Until the notebook was turned on, I did not expect any surprises from the filling. But I got a pumped grade. Inside, in addition to the 320 GB hard drive, there was also an 80 GB SSD-drive on which Windows was installed. So, the 44 updates that Winda, as usual, downloaded when it was convenient for her, were installed in 10 (!) Minutes. Then the computer began to reboot. The sound of greeting came even before I reached the toilet. That day I decided that my next laptop would be with an SSD drive.

I got a Lenovo X1 with a Core i5 processor. There is also a version with Core i3. But the Russian representation of Lenovo gave me a grudge that a version with i7 will also appear. I hope no one will have to spend money on a dentist.

The only thing that alerted me was the heating. Once I did not turn off the X1, put it in my bag and went to work like that. After 40 minutes, when I took out the laptop, the bottom of the X1 was piping hot. I want to hope that this is the problem of this particular sample.

Chips

ThinkPad laptops are one of the few for which features you need to allocate a separate paragraph.

In X1, despite its modest thickness, there is a roll cage stiffening framework. The body of the laptop is made using magnesium, and you can spill water on the keyboard. During filming, we poured exactly two glasses of water on the X1. And I returned it in fully working condition.

Important about the battery (by the way, non-removable). With a standard battery, in austerity mode, the X1 can work for up to five hours in standalone mode. But on the bottom of the laptop there is a connector for connecting an additional battery - with it you can not return to the outlet for 10 hours. But the thinness of the X1 does not remain a trace.

Another interesting feature - Rapid Charge. Speaking in Russian: “fast charge”. In just 30 minutes at the outlet, the main battery takes up 80% of its capacity. Indispensable for those who run from meeting to meeting.

The laptop has interesting speakers: they are slyly located both on the bottom and on the side. Therefore, even if you put the X1 on a blanket, the sound will still be heard well.

Summary

Answering the question "Did I like the X1?", I will answer "Rather, yes." But I would buy it myself only at the US price (about 30%). In the case of Russian sales, I will probably wait for X2. There, you see, and get rid of the gloss, and the flashlight in place will be returned.

TTX

Processor: Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 second generation
RAM: up to 8 GB DDR3
Display: 13.3 inches, 1366x768, widescreen, ultra-bright
Video: Intel HD Graphics 3000
Communications: Bluetooth, 3G, Wi-Fi
Connectors: USB 2.0x2, USB 3.0, HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, microphone input, audio / headphone output, eSATA, LAN (RJ-45)
Drives: 250/320 GB SATA (optional: additional SSD-drive 80/120/160 GB)
Battery: up to 5 hours with built-in, up to 10 hours with an additional
Dimensions: 337x231.1x16.5-21.3 mm
Weight: 1.7 kg
Features: Roll Cage strength cage, protection from spilled liquid, Corning Gorila glass, keyboard backlight, Rapid Charge system
Price: from 42000 rub.