Just as we were beginning to think that the rumours of 13”-display notebooks’ shutdown were true, Lenovo issued the best possible denial, by demonstrating X1, the new, prestigious model. The notebook we’ve tested isn’t the final version, but it’s complete enough for us to be able to estimate how good the final product will be.
The initial impression we had when looking at the first press material have been confirmed live as well. X1 is a designer’s refresh, one that’s both recognisable enough for existing ThinkPad notebook users, but also improved enough with its angled edges to emphasize the new, aggressive line. The surfaces are matte all around and fairly resistant to fingerprints, while the rubber shutters are there to close the connectors that aren’t currently in use. We’re unsure about the lack of a lock on this model, as it both eases and simplifies use, but also reduces the impression of firmness when the notebook is closed. Expectedly for the X-series, the enclosure is made of magnesium, providing extra firmness and lower weight.
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We aren’t too surprised by the lack of an optical drive, but the same can’t be said about the integrated battery. The choice was probably justified in some way at the project desk, but the fact remains that the battery is probably the first thing that’ll “pass away” on this notebook, making a visit to the servicing centre mandatory. Although the notebook can hardly be classified as heavy, the aforementioned two compromises made us expect it to be lighter by about 200 grams. However, the massive CPU cooler has eaten away at all that. The rubber feet on the bottom are very mundane and usual, which is to say that the “cat feet” are a thing of the past; this is most likely due to cost-cutting by Lenovo, further backed by the fact that SSD devices are completely shock-proof by nature.
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Once the lid is lifted, and you’re free to open it up to an entire 180 degrees, you come to the fairly controversial display. We immediately found the frame too wide, and the height reduction of 1.5 cm and width gain of 0.5 cm doesn’t help the impression either. Unlike the previous 13” display from the X-series, this one has a glare coating, with an additional Gorilla glass layer to protect it from physical damage. Even the resolution has been reduced from 1400x900 to 1376x768, but the viewing angles are much better, and so are brightness and backlight uniformity, owing to the inclusion of LED technology.
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The second part of the ultra-thin enclosure consists of the keyboard and touchpad section, and unlike the previous paragraph, there’s only room for superlatives here. The already excellent keyboard has now turned fantastic, by far the best of any notebook we’ve ever tested. Its looks have been modernised, and the keys are no longer pressing against each other. If you have a look at the keyboard from straight above, under a right angle, you’ll see drainage holes for any accidentally spilt liquid. The adjustable backlight is one of the features we’ve liked the most. The touchpad is just as impressive, especially in size, but also in its very precise, non-imposing texture. The buttons are incorporated into the lower section of the touchpad, serving as an integral part of it until pressed.
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