Lenovo’s signature business ultraportable is now in its 5th generation, adding new Intel Kaby Lake processors and a larger battery without sacrificing portability. And after using this laptop for a few weeks now, it’s clear that Lenovo’s minor year-on-year improvements have led…
For several laptop generations, Lenovo’s ThinkPad line has been the go-to for professionals and office workers. ThinkPads have been remarkably consistent in quality since the beginning, with every iteration improving performance and functionality without removing features ThinkPad owners have come to love.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a perfect example of this. Lenovo’s signature business ultraportable is now in its 5 th generation, adding new Intel Kaby Lake processors and a larger battery without sacrificing the portability of this 14-inch device. And after using this laptop for a few weeks now, it’s clear that Lenovo’s minor year-on-year improvements have led to a stunning device that’s the best ThinkPad ultraportable yet.
Like previous versions of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the 5 th generation model is remarkably compact for a 14-inch laptop. At just 1.13kg heavy, the X1 Carbon is lighter than most standard 13-inch ultraportables, and this has been achieved without sacrificing battery life. Lenovo hasn’t tried to make the X1 Carbon particularly slim, at 15.95mm thick, however its footprint is similar to 13-inch devices thanks to slim bezels around the display.
Lenovo has achieved such a light laptop thanks to their choice of materials for its construction. Rather than opting for a dense metal exterior, like many premium laptops on the market today, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s body is almost entirely soft touch plastic. Generally I prefer metal bodies from a visual and textural perspective, but as far as plastic bodies go, the X1 Carbon’s is excellent. Its pleasing texture makes the laptop a joy to carry, and its minimalist design looks great. Understated designs tend to work well in business environments; this is exactly what the X1 Carbon provides.
For a laptop that’s mostly black plastic, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is surprisingly resistant to fingerprints and grime. After a few weeks of use you will notice a few marks around the place, but it’s far less prone to fingerprint accumulation than some other laptops I’ve tried.
