We’ve all been hearing rumors about the new product being manufactured by Lenovo… well it’s been made official few days ago when the ThinkPad X1 was finally announced. Even though it might not sound like a big deal, in comparison to the prior ThinkPads, the X1 is very thin and also very strong; it’s the first one to be manufactured with a trackpad that doesn’t have the button.
The new X1 definitely brings a new fresh look yet it still stays true to its ThinkPad-ness. It has a 13-inch screen and runs in Windows 7; it was also announced that Intel Core i7 processor will be included as an option in a short period of time because for now they only have Intel Core i5 and Intel Core i3 available. The X1 also comes with an HDMI output, 4 in 1 card reader, traditional headphone & microphone jack, and it weighs about 3.76 pounds which is a very good weight given that other Lenovo products tend to be a bit heavier.
Lenovo didn’t try to overkill the thinness and weight of the X1; it isn’t as thin-looking as the MacBook but it can definitely be handled with only one hand and have no problems. It also comes with a latch enclosure which makes it look even cleaner and neat.
As stated before the ThinkPad X1 is very strong and the reason we say that is because it’s made with magnesium alloy and it uses Corning Gorilla Glass. This was put to the test at the product’s launching when the group’s VP tried scratching the screen with a key producing no harm.
Lenovo kept many things in mind when putting this laptop together; the keyboard was revamped to a point that spills won’t be able to fry the inside of the laptop. Also, the SysRq key is now gone and the keyboard can now be backlit. In addition you will notice that the volume controls are no longer on the keyboard but rather on the side of the deck.
Thinking about the business people that might be using web conferences to keep their business going, the X1 comes with a 720 pixel built-in webcam. The quality of the pictures and video is pretty neat. In terms of connectivity this laptop handles it pretty well: USB 2.0-eSATA combo, USB 3.0 port, 802.11a/b/g/n, display port, sim card(for 3G connectivity).
The X1 comes with a powerful sound system; the speakers are Dolby and have a pretty loud volume in comparison to other ThinkPads and other laptops in general. This is great since many laptops come with very poor volume.
Again having the busy businessmen in mind, the X1 comes with what they call RapidCharge technology; this allows the user to charge the battery a lot faster. By letting the battery charge for 30 minutes it will be boosted up to almost 80 percent charged allowing the user get back to work. However many might be disappointed that the battery cannot removed and even though Lenovo promises that the battery will endure 1,000 cycles, it is recommended to attach a slice battery.
The new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 was made available on May 17, 2011 starting at $1,399.
