The New ThinkPad X1 Carbon: Less is More (and More is More)
At first sight, the previous version of Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon and the new one both are incredibly thin and lightweight. But the new machine is a giant leap from its predecessor. The New ThinkPad X1 Carbon features a new “Combo OneLink Dock” (part of the power port) for docking. I saw this docked to a 4000x2000 resolution display at CES. And that looked incredible!
At first sight, the previous version of Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon and the new one both are incredibly thin and lightweight. But the new machine is a giant leap from its predecessor. The New ThinkPad X1 Carbon features a new “Combo OneLink Dock” (part of the power port) for docking. I saw this docked to a 4000×2000 resolution display at CES. And that looked incredible!
The New ThinkPad X1 Carbon boasts up to nine hours of battery life and three charge modes to charge the battery quickly and keep it healthy. I tested the battery capacity and charge time myself, and the claims are good so long as you use battery-maximizing settings (dimmer screen, slower CPU). The new X1C also has a “Deep Sleep Mode” that hardly drains the battery at all for long periods of inactivity.
The first thing I will address is what is creating the most buzz: the new five-row keyboard and the touchpad. I’ve read quite a few opinions on the new keyboard that go both ways. I’ve heard some people lambaste the design as (yet another) step in the wrong direction for keyboards. I’m somewhere in between. My opinion is that this is the best implementation of a full-featured keyboard on limited real estate; that is, we’re not talking about a W Series workstation replacement weighing in at twice the weight. We’re talking about a thin, lightweight, ultra-portable laptop.
As with the ports and optical drive, there are certain tradeoffs with the new keyboard design. I never did like the combination F-keys myself, in part because different makers had different implementations and key behavior frequently was unpredictable. But the new adaptive function row is actually very intuitive and easy to use. When a given key or command map is displayed, it’s pretty clear what each softkey is assigned to do. Then there’s the new touchpad. I’m largely ambivalent because I’m first a mouse user, then a TrackPoint and lastly the TouchPad. But while I was using it, it was generally appreciable and responded as it should.
Finally, there are some less obvious features that I’m pretty pleased with, mostly pertaining to power management such as "airplane power mode," which optimizes charging when there is limited voltage, such as on an aircraft. And, of course, it’s simply more powerful in terms of processor, integrated graphics and other items "under the hood.
In closing, the New ThinkPad X1 Carbon did not disappoint. For users who value portability, usability and reliability, the New X1 Carbon is a no-brainer for professionals, students and other users on the move.
This post was written by Chris Karaffa, Lenovo advocate. Guest blogs such as this one are published monthly, and are part of The VAR Guy's annual platinum sponsorship.