Lenovo has released a slew of new ThinkPads, and there’s some interesting stuff among them. A new ThinkPad X13s with Snapdragon chips, a fifth-generation ThinkPad X1 Extreme with a WQXGA 165Hz screen option, and new P-series and T-series laptops are all on the way.
The screen shape is the piece of news that excites me the most. Lenovo informed me a few months ago that much of its portfolio would be transitioning to the 16:10 aspect ratio this year. They seem to be sticking to their word. The new versions are all 16:10, which means they’re taller and more spacious than the previous 16:9 ones.
The all-new ThinkPad X13s, which is the first laptop to incorporate the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 compute architecture, is a bit more… interesting. Qualcomm boasted about this platform’s “60 percent higher performance per watt” than competing x86 systems and “multi-day battery life” when it was first announced. With its x64 program emulation capabilities, the ThinkPad X13s will run an Arm version of Windows 11.
In video conversations, Qualcomm has boasted AI advancements like as sharper autofocus, auto-white balance, and auto-exposure. The battery life and performance of the 8cx Gen 2 have been inconsistent, so this will be an intriguing system to examine. These Arm chips are more commonly seen in devices that prioritize thinness and lightness over the high-powered workstations I associate with the ThinkPad category.
Aside from the processor, the X13’s main selling point is its portability. It’s not quite as light as the lightest ThinkPads we’ve seen, but it’s still fairly light for a laptop at 2.35 pounds (1.06kg). With one hand, I was able to navigate Lenovo’s demo area rather well. Although there is no fan (which helps with the size and weight), Snapdragon chips are engineered to be highly efficient even without heavy-duty cooling.
Recycled materials are also used in several components of the chassis, notably the top and bottom covers, which are made entirely of recycled magnesium. In my brief time with the X13s, I didn’t notice any difference in build quality – it felt as solid and well-made as any portable ThinkPad.
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme is the big news in the workstation world. The processors in this powerful multimedia workstation have been upgraded to Intel’s 12th Gen Core i9 H-series processors, which are compatible with Intel’s vPro platform. For the first time, it also features a 165Hz 16:10 display option (along with a 4K option). One of my few complaints about the last X1 Extreme I reviewed was the cramped 16:9 screen, thus this is a significant improvement in my opinion.
Across the board, the T-series and P-series are equipped with 16:10 screens and FHD cameras. They’ve also been upgraded to new Intel CPUs; AMD’s Ryzen Pro 6000 chips are also available in the T-series. There are 14-inch and 16-inch devices in both series.
It’s a bit of a jumble when it comes to pricing and availability. The P-series and Intel T-series versions will all be available in April, with costs ranging from $1,399 to $1,419, according to the timeline. In May, the X13s (beginning at $1,099) and AMD T14s ($1,399) will be released. The X1 Extreme Gen 5 ($2,049) and the remainder of the AMD T-series machines ($1,299) will be released in June.
