The definitive light-weight industry laptop computer

I’ve been testing Lenovo’s premier ThinkPad, the X1 Carbon Gen 14 Aura Edition, for a lot of weeks now, each alongside and instead of my workhorse M5 MacBook Pro. You may suppose that Lenovo’s ThinkPads are solely issued by company IT departments, however laptops just like the X1 Carbon Gen 14 provide a shocking mix of basic industry traits and premium shopper options.

It’s clear that the X1 Carbon Gen 14’s greatest hurdle is its value. The laptop computer begins at round $2,500, and the configuration I reviewed prices a bit extra. Intel’s Core Ultra Series 3 chipset helps the X1 Carbon’s newest technology ship higher battery life than its predecessor, however it’s not as performant as different platforms on this value vary. So, the place’s that MSRP going? Everywhere else, from the stunningly vivid show and haptic trackpad to the carbon fiber development and light-weight chassis.

The Lenovo X1 Carbon Gen 14 is the most effective all-rounder industry laptop computer cash should buy, and I’d gladly depart my MacBook Pro behind to maintain utilizing it.

Lenovo loaned us the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 for this overview, however the firm had no enter on this article and didn’t see it earlier than publishing.

9/10

Operating System

Windows 11 Pro

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 7 355 (Series 3)

GPU

Intel built-in graphics

Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 is the whole package deal for anybody available in the market for a industry laptop computer. It packs the most recent Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors, a light-weight 2.15-pound chassis, and a repairable design. It comes with a 2.8K OLED show, and is obtainable with optionally available perks like touchscreen, NFC, and 5G help.

Pros & Cons

• Anti-reflective 2.8K OLED show
• Robust port choice with three TB4 ports
• Lightweight, premium chassis

• Pricey for the extent of efficiency
• Base mannequin solely comes with 256GB storage

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 pricing and availability

You should buy the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 straight from Lenovo’s web site, beginning at $2,534. The laptop computer launched at a less expensive $2,032 value level, however unsurprisingly, costs have ticked upward on account of the worldwide part scarcity. The base mannequin options an Intel Core Ultra 5 355 chip, 32GB of soldered reminiscence, and 256GB of storage.

The configuration I reviewed contains an Intel Core Ultra 7 355 chip, 32GB of soldered reminiscence, and 512GB of storage. Currently, this configuration is build-to-order and prices $2,814. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 could be closely personalized when bought from Lenovo, as there are quite a few processor, show, trackpad, and connectivity choices to select from.

While I did not overview the 5G-enabled ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14, I’m thrilled Qualcomm mobile modems can be found.

This is the sleekest ThinkPad you may see within the workplace

A premium, skinny, light-weight design meets basic ThinkPad eccentricities

From the surface, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 seems like your common ThinkPad. Until you are taking a more in-depth look, and see the X1 emblem, the svelte chassis, and the premium supplies — the X1 Carbon Gen 14 makes use of a mixture of aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber. The laptop computer weighs simply 2.15 kilos, and in comparison with my 3.4-pound MacBook Pro, the X1 Carbon Gen 14 was a breeze to hold.

The wedge design makes the laptop computer look thinner than it truly is, with a 9.2mm minimal thickness and a 17.6mm most. While it is not competing with true thin-and-light laptops, this one is not unwieldy. It’s spectacular that Lenovo managed to cram as a lot I/O because it did in a comparatively slim body. The X1 Carbon Gen 14 sports activities three Thunderbolt 4 (USB-C) ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, a USB-A port, and a 3.5mm combo jack.

Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

That offers you loads of room to connect with numerous shows and peripherals with out reaching for a dongle. Since there are two Thunderbolt ports on the left aspect and one on the appropriate, you may cost from both aspect for comfort. The laptop computer additionally has a Kensington lock, and should you configure it with a mobile mannequin, it’s going to have a nano-SIM tray.

It’s price highlighting the X1 Carbon Gen 14’s repairability, which is one thing you do not see usually on light-weight laptops. It solely takes 4 screws to get contained in the laptop computer, the place you may get direct entry to key elements. Unfortunately, the laptop computer would not have upgradeable reminiscence, however it will get nearly every part else proper with regard to repairability. It earned a 9/10 repairability rating from iFixit, which is commendable.

The keyboard and trackpad are merely wonderful. The keys have a soft-touch floor and simply the correct quantity of journey. The touchpad makes use of haptic suggestions, moderately than the clunky mechanical meeting discovered on too many Windows laptops.

Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

You do not sacrifice performance on account of the haptic touchpad, as you continue to get devoted trackpad buttons and the long-lasting TrackPoint. The premium options proceed as we get to the facility button, which doubles as a Windows Hello fingerprint sensor.

The anti-glare OLED display is ideal for distant work

It’s vivid and high-resolution, with optionally available contact help

Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

I’m a little bit of a show snob, particularly in terms of brightness and outside visibility. I would like my laptops to be simply viewable in all circumstances, and to that finish, I want vivid screens with anti-reflective matte finishes. The X1 Carbon Gen 14 checks all these containers after which some.

You have a number of show choices when configuring an X1 Carbon Gen 14, however my overview unit has a 14-inch OLED panel with a 2.8K decision. It has a variable refresh charge show that may fluctuate between 30Hz and 120Hz. Additionally, Lenovo claims this show gives 500 nits of peak brightness and full protection of the DCI-P3 coloration gamut.

My personal show testing confirmed full protection of the sRGB and DCI-P3 coloration gamuts. The show additionally covers 95% of the AdobeRGB and 93% of the NTSC coloration gamuts, respectively. It’s secure to say that the X1 Carbon Gen 14 is able to dealing with color-accurate work and reproducing colours effectively. You can click on the sq. above to enlarge the outcomes and see them for your self.

Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

As far as brightness goes, the X1 Carbon Gen 14’s show is just excellent. The DisplayHDR True Back 500 panel can dim as little as 1.3 nits, in response to my brightness checks. At full brightness, the X1 Carbon Gen 14 reached 514.1 nits of brightness — sure, that is even larger than Lenovo’s official claims.

Above the show, you may discover a 10MP digicam for video calls with a bodily privateness shutter.

The Intel chip nonetheless leaves me wanting extra

But on a regular basis efficiency and battery life are first rate

Credit: Brady Snyder / MakeUseOf

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14’s greatest weak level may be its Intel Panther Lake processor. It’s not that the Intel Core Ultra 7 355 chip powering the X1 Carbon Gen 14 is dangerous, it is that you are able to do higher for the worth. I had no efficiency issues with the X1 Carbon Gen 14 all through my overview interval, because it dealt with primary internet duties and photograph modifying simply nice.

Compared to Lenovo’s different Core Ultra 7 355 laptops, the X1 Carbon Gen 14 truly comes out forward in benchmarks like Geekbench 6. It outpaced the Lenovo Slim 7 barely, and the Lenovo Yoga 9i by a large margin. Unsurprisingly, once you examine the X1 Carbon Gen 14 to higher-tier laptop computer chips, this laptop computer’s Core Ultra 7 355 simply cannot sustain.

The difficult factor is that a number of the higher-spec laptops beating the X1 Carbon Gen 14 are priced the identical, or lower than, Lenovo’s industry laptop computer. The Dell XPS 14 I reviewed has the more-powerful Core Ultra X7 358H chip inside, and performs accordingly, however prices about the identical as my X1 Carbon Gen 14 overview unit. Meanwhile, there are various laptops powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite or X2 Elite Extreme chips that run laps across the X1 Carbon Gen 14, and value much less.

That stated, I do not suppose both of these laptops are as full of a package deal because the X1 Carbon Gen 14. You’ll must determine whether or not uncooked efficiency or the general expertise issues extra to you. But when laptops like Asus’ beastly Zenbook A16 exist for under $2,000, you must no less than think about them.

To Intel’s credit score, the effectivity of its cellular processors retains bettering. Depending on how lengthy I work, I get half-day or all-day battery out of the X1 Carbon Gen 14. In about an hour and a half of writing and internet looking, my battery drops roughly 15%.

Should you purchase the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14?

You can purchase the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 if:

• You want a industry laptop computer with numerous I/O, plus an important keyboard and trackpad
• You desire a light-weight laptop computer with premium construct high quality that does not skimp on efficiency
• You’re a ThinkPad fan and wish basic options just like the standing mild, TrackPoint, and left/proper/center trackpad buttons

You ought to NOT purchase the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 if:

• You aren’t keen to pay a premium value for the eccentric ThinkPad design
• You want a extra {powerful} processor or discrete graphics
• You’d moderately purchase an Arm laptop computer powered by Snapdragon or RTX Spark

If cash is not any object, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 is the most effective industry laptop computer available on the market. As I exploit the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14, I’m persistently reminded how nice it’s to hold a light-weight, dependable, and premium Windows laptop computer.

It’s an unbelievable all-rounder, however should you want a greater processor, devoted graphics, or best-in-class battery life, it’s possible you’ll need to look elsewhere. For people who want a succesful work machine that also feels cutting-edge, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 is there.

Operating System

Windows 11 Pro

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 7 355 (Series 3)

GPU

Intel built-in graphics

RAM

32GB LPDDR5x 8533MT/s

Storage

512GB PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD

Battery

58Wh

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 14 is not your dad’s ThinkPad. It’s the whole package deal for anybody searching for a industry laptop computer, however it’s additionally ok to compete with any premium laptop computer available on the market.