Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano review: Slim, lightweight, durable, expensive Review

Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 range enjoys a longstanding status for excellence, and previous calendar year the business unveiled two intriguing new versions: the innovative ThinkPad X1 Fold and the ultra-lightweight ThinkPad X1 Nano. Although the 13-inch X1 Nano is Lenovo’s lightest-at any time ThinkPad, it’s going to need to have to pack a productivity punch commensurate with its beginning price tag of £1,739.99 (inc. VAT) in the British isles, or $1,459.99 in the US. 

Lenovo hasn’t sacrificed any of the signature ThinkPad X1 structure options to achieve ultra-portability. The black chassis is emblazoned with the ThinkPad X1 brand on the exterior, with the crimson dot about the ‘i’ illuminated when the laptop computer is in use, whilst the keyboard incorporates the acquainted crimson TrackPoint. The chassis has a desktop footprint of just 292.8mm broad by 207.7mm deep, and it’s a mere 13.87mm thick. And whilst some ultraportables squeeze beneath the magic 1kg mark, the X1 Nano breezes via at 907g. I battle to consider of any 13-inch laptop computer I’ve reviewed that weighs a lot less. 

I was in a position to flex the lid a minimal, but it required sufficient effort for me to consider this laptop computer will survive just good in a bag or backpack with no a protecting sleeve. MIL-STD 810H certification reinforces that evaluation. 

This is not a two-in-1 structure, but the display will hinge again to lie flat on a surface if required. The 13-inch display sits in fairly modest bezels, taking care of a 16:ten facet ratio thanks to a smallish bottom bezel even so, the compromise with ultraportable laptops like this is that the display isn’t really suitable for some kinds of duties.

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You can have two home windows open side by side, but this feels like a bit of a squeeze, and functioning with expansive spreadsheets is one thing of a challenge, even with the 16:ten facet ratio. The display is also on the modest side for supplying displays, whilst the 2K (two,160 by 1,350 pixels, 195.9ppi) IPS panel is sharp and vivid (450 nits max), and colours glance vivid. The matte end is welcome, and viewing angles are superior (170°). My evaluate sample’s display was not contact-enabled: to get this you can both configure it as a customisation possibility (in the British isles), or go for an off-the-shelf preconfigured model beginning at £2,029.99 in the British isles, or $1,519.99 in the US. 

If you do use this laptop computer for displays or, much more most likely, video calls, then you can value the high quality of the speakers. Lenovo has manufactured place for a pair of speakers previously mentioned the keyboard, and there are two much more on the underside. They press out very superior high quality seem: you can find a great deal of volume, with minimal or no distortion even at the upper conclusion. Bass tones are weak, but that’s hardly a novelty in laptops, specially ultraportable ones. 

Lenovo provides its Commercial Vantage software which, between other tweaks, bits of procedure facts and options solutions, lets you change audio options, picking between five profiles. These make a big difference, and are truly worth experimenting with.  

Earlier mentioned the display my laptop computer experienced a webcam and IR digicam for Windows Hello there, the webcam benefitting from a ThinkShutter sliding protect. Neither the IR digicam nor the ThinkShutter are existing in all versions. 

The foundation of the ThinkPad X1 Nano is incredibly slim. This has ramifications for the range of ports and connectors on offer — and this may possibly be a offer-breaker for numerous. There is very little on the suitable edge besides the electrical power button and a cooling vent. On the remaining you can find a 3.5mm headphone/mic jack and a pair of USB-C Thunderbolt four ports, and that’s it. Also, a person of the USB-C ports is in use when the laptop computer is charging. If you want HDMI, USB-A or wired Ethernet, for case in point, you can need to have adapters or a hub. Arguably, presented the X1 Nano’s top quality pricing, Lenovo ought to have bundled adapters for the most common connector sorts.  

A person much more matter: on the again of the chassis, if the specific configuration supports it, you can find a SIM slot for a cell broadband link. 

Even with its slim chassis, the X1 Nano options the outstanding keyboard that’s so characteristic of Lenovo’s ThinkPads. The pot-bellied, slightly concave QWERTY keys are massive and perfectly-spaced, the Enter crucial is double peak and wider than usual, whilst the Fn keys are massive sufficient for stubby fingers to prod at. Lenovo has also found place for Connect with and Conclusion keys on the Fn row. 

You can find a great deal of crucial journey, the keys are perfectly weighted, and I experienced no difficulty contact-typing at my usual velocity, albeit with a slightly louder ‘clack’ than I may possibly have appreciated. There is a modicum of flex in the keyboard, but very little to be concerned about.  

Lenovo has, of program, equipped its TrackPoint between the G, H and B keys, and there are three buttons for use with it sitting previously mentioned the touchpad. Each the TrackPoint and the touchpad are responsive and snug to use. The fingerprint sensor in the wrist relaxation is a minimal modest, but that shouldn’t hamper it in use — and in any case, face login is a much more handy possibility. 

There are 4 ThinkPad X1 Nano versions, all of which run on eleventh-technology Intel processors, detailed on Lenovo’s UK website with rates ranging from £1,739.99 to £2,029.99 (inc. VAT). Two are ‘ready to ship’ and two are ‘build your own’ methods with many configuration solutions. My evaluate sample was this £1,939.99 ready-to-ship model: 

• Intel Core i7-1160G7, Windows ten Professional, 13-inch two,160 x 1,350 pixel non-contact display, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, cell broadband 

Lenovo’s US website currently lists seven ready-to-ship versions, beginning at $1,459.99 and topping out at $two,231.forty. 

The ThinkPad X1 Nano is an Intel Evo-branded procedure, and as this kind of guarantees at the very least all-working day battery lifestyle (9+ several hours). Lenovo promises up to 13 several hours for the system’s 48WHr battery, whilst our checks counsel this is fairly optimistic. In a normal three-hour get the job done session involving composing into net applications, browsing and streaming audio, the battery fell from 99% to 68% — a drop of 31%. That interprets to a complete of just beneath ten several hours – all-working day battery lifestyle yes, but not the total 13 several hours. 

Rapid charging guidance is amazing. At a person position when the battery acquired to 32%, I place it on cost and in 15 minutes it experienced obtained 20%. The percentage obtained falls as the battery fills, and after an hour of charging the battery was at ninety five%. Lenovo’s assert of % to 80% in an hour appears to be justified.  

Conclusions 

We are amazed with Lenovo’s latest ultraportable ThinkPad, whilst the 13-inch display is not going to accommodate every single use case, and the paucity of ports and connectors may place some prospective buyers off. The top quality pricing may possibly be prohibitive, far too. But with a beginning bodyweight of 907g, a robust chassis, an outstanding keyboard, superior show and audio subsystems, and solutions like contact display and cell broadband, the initially-technology ThinkPad X1 Nano ought to strike the spot for a large amount of cell pros. 

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