Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold is probably the most weird, enjoyable, and costly laptop computer I’ve ever examined

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The up to date ThinkPad X1 Fold is Lenovo’s newest foldable PC that goals to make a 16-inch laptop computer extra moveable than ever.
• The design is surprisingly sturdy, whereas the show itself is attractive and colourful.
• Its greatest drawback is efficiency, which, for over $3,000, is just too sluggish for most individuals to get their work achieved.

Lenovo isn’t any stranger to creating bizarre laptops. Simply final yr, it strapped two laptop computer screens collectively and known as it the Yoga Guide 9i, to the delight of our contributing author Jason Cipriani. Earlier than that, we had a laptop computer with a second E-ink display mounted to the again of the principle LCD. And, someplace in the course of all that chaos, Lenovo shipped its first laptop computer with a versatile show known as the ThinkPad X1 Fold.

Evaluate: Lenovo Yoga Guide 9i: A dual-screen laptop computer earlier than its time, and I am right here for it

The unique X1 Fold was a tried-and-true, first-generation product with first-generation points. With poor efficiency, unhealthy battery life, a chunky design, and a excessive asking value, it wasn’t a sensible alternative for almost anybody. Now, Lenovo is beginning to push its second-generation ThinkPad X1 Fold, which it despatched me to assessment.

The brand new model has an improved design, upgraded specs, and a equally excessive asking value of $2,499 and up. The model I am testing prices practically $3,300, which makes this one of many pricier laptops you will get. However what I’ve discovered is you are paying for its distinctive design which, admittedly, is straight-up superior. The remainder of the laptop computer, although? That is one other story.

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Specs (as reviewed)

There isn’t any denying that the folding display of the X1 Fold is dope. Now in its second technology, the 16.3-inch OLED panel — three inches bigger than the unique mannequin’s 13.3-inch show — stays sharp and shiny with vivid colours. It is a beautiful display to behold if you unfold it for the primary time, and whereas it isn’t the largest laptop computer show ever shipped, it feels prefer it if you open it up (in spite of everything, it isn’t day-after-day you might have a 16-inch OLED panel within the palm of your hand).

The sharp Quad HD+ decision retains the whole lot pin-sharp, whereas the boosted 600 nits of brightness makes the X1 Fold simple to see, even in sunny cafes. As a result of it could actually bend in half, Lenovo makes use of a softer plastic materials to guard the show as an alternative of glass, which creates a crease within the center. The crease is noticeable, and you’ll really feel it if you drag your finger throughout it, however if you begin utilizing the laptop computer, it fades into the background, and also you cease enthusiastic about it. That is the case for many foldable telephones, too; if you begin utilizing them for some time, after a bit, the crease is not as distracting.

Lenovo’s bell-shaped hinge design permits the X1 Fold to shut utterly flat, which is a pleasant contact. It helps to guard the fragile show from injury attributable to objects or particles that slips in by the cracks. I have never had any points with sturdiness up to now, however I would have to make use of it over a yr or so to essentially put it to the take a look at.

Talking of sturdiness, Lenovo obtained the X1 Fold military-grade licensed for drop safety. The sturdy magnesium/carbon fiber alloy enclosure, coupled with a grippy textured exterior, makes this one of many strongest foldable gadgets I’ve ever used. I want Lenovo would carry this aesthetic to common laptops; it makes the entire thing really feel indestructible.

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Like the unique, the second-gen X1 Fold retains the keyboard separate from the principle unit. Lenovo contains it within the field with each X1 Fold, together with a kickstand since a stand is now not constructed into the X1 Fold itself. This lets you prop the laptop computer up in a wide range of methods corresponding to in a standard laptop computer orientation, vertically (which is ideal for writing, by the best way), and even in a clamshell fashion by bending the laptop computer upward and inserting the keyboard on the decrease half of the display.

That is by far the largest benefit of the X1 Fold. The added versatility you get from a type issue like this cannot be matched by any regular clamshell laptop computer, and the one one which will get shut is Lenovo’s personal Yoga Guide 9i. Admittedly, you will use sure orientations way over others (clamshell mode is actually solely designed for airplane tray tables), however the truth you might have so many choices could make shopping for the X1 Fold price it to some.

The keyboard itself is a traditional ThinkPad keyboard with good journey, albeit a tighter measurement than what you may be used to. There’s an built-in fingerprint scanner that I did not use all that usually for the reason that X1 Fold’s webcam works with Home windows Good day, however should you choose scanning your finger, you might have that choice. The laptop computer additionally ships with a stylus within the field for signing paperwork, sketching, and extra.

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In case you have not been retaining observe, these are 4 totally different gadgets you want to carry with you everytime you wish to journey with the X1 Fold. Lenovo says you’ll be able to maintain it easy and use the pill by itself with the on-screen keyboard, however for what that is, nobody ought to try this. So, Lenovo made it simple to stack the whole lot up; fold the X1 Fold, collapse the kickstand and keyboard, stack them on high of one another, and connect the stylus magnetically to the aspect of the laptop computer. It is a chunky, weighty bundle to lug round, however all of the magnets imply the whole lot stays collectively nicely in your bag.

The unit I have been testing prices nearly $3,300, and with it comes a Twelfth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. I’ve used loads of laptops in my time as a tech reviewer, and at any time when I see specs like this, I assume that the laptop computer they’re in prices someplace round $1,300-$1,600, not over $3,000. You’ll be able to spend much more and get a Core i7 chip, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, however even that may be present in laptops like Lenovo’s Slim Professional 9i for lower than $2,000.

Coupled with a singular thermal design, no bodily followers, and the dearth of discrete graphics, the ThinkPad X1 Fold performs like a laptop computer at half its value. Firing up a dozen and a half Chrome tabs, working Spotify within the background, and replying to messages in Slack is sufficient to make it skip just a few beats, and attempting to do one thing like edit images in Lightroom is a little bit of a headache.

Full disclosure: this laptop computer is not painfully sluggish, however it’s should you’ve spent $3,300. It is all in regards to the context of the specs. These internals are advantageous in most traditional laptops, however in one which prices 3 times the funds of most clients, they are much tougher to justify.

Relying in your configuration, Lenovo gives you both a 48Wh battery or a 48Wh battery coupled with an additional 16Wh cell, totaling 64Whr. I’ve the latter, and it is barely sufficient to get by a full day. I suppose should you had been cautious in regards to the quantity of heavy duties you probably did all through the day, stored the brightness down, and did not join too many Bluetooth gadgets to it, you could possibly stretch it to eight hours. However should you use it as you’ll every other laptop computer, that endurance will rapidly shrink to 4-5 hours on a full cost.

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It additionally takes some time to cost with the included 65Wh charger. Fortunately, you will have a few totally different locations to plug it in due to the 2 USB-C ports which are positioned on totally different sides of the system.

Surprisingly, Home windows 11 runs nicely on the ThinkPad X1 Fold, with one large exception: it could actually by no means determine whether or not to modify to pill mode or desktop mode. Once I open up the system and prop it up on the kickstand, it stays in pill mode 80 % of the time. Once I join the keyboard to it, nothing adjustments. However every now and then, if the keyboard mechanically connects, it will relax to desktop mode, and all of the iconography will shrink right down to regular sizes. That is solely sometimes, thoughts you, not each time the keyboard mechanically connects.

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It is usable, positive, but it surely’s a really bizarre bug that is probably attributable to the bizarre type issue of the X1 Fold. It is onerous for Home windows to determine if you wish to use it as a pill and if you wish to use it as a laptop computer. The one time it will get it proper is if you use the system in clamshell mode.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

Ultimately, the X1 Fold is a laptop computer you can purchase should you actually need a ThinkPad with a folding display. It is an extremely cool piece of know-how, one which’s positive to seize the eye of everybody round you. However in day-to-day use, it isn’t very sensible given the efficiency and battery life limitations. For anybody who needs one thing related with higher efficiency and battery life will wish to take a look at the Yoga Guide 9i, which is the closest factor to a folding laptop computer that is considerably sensible available on the market immediately.

I am not going to lie, I am going to miss the X1 Fold after I ship my assessment unit again. Having such an enormous, folding display is extremely enjoyable. However I can not get all my work achieved on it, and for over $3,000, that is a dealbreaker for me. However should you’re keen to shell it out for a glimpse into the way forward for laptops, you will take pleasure in toying round with it.