I tested Lenovo’s $3,000 foldable laptop and it left me amused and confused

ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The up to date ThinkPad X1 Fold is Lenovo’s newest foldable PC that goals to make a 16-inch laptop computer extra transportable than ever.
• The design is surprisingly sturdy, whereas the show itself is beautiful and colourful.
• Its largest drawback is efficiency, which, for over $3,000, is simply too gradual for most individuals to get their work performed.

Lenovo isn’t any stranger to creating bizarre laptops. Simply final 12 months, it strapped two laptop computer screens collectively and known as it the Yoga Ebook 9i, to the delight of our contributing author Jason Cipriani. Earlier than that, we had a laptop computer with a second E-ink display screen mounted to the again of the principle LCD. And, someplace in the midst of all that chaos, Lenovo shipped its first laptop computer with a versatile show known as the ThinkPad X1 Fold.

Overview: Lenovo Yoga Ebook 9i: A dual-screen laptop computer earlier than its time, and I am right here for it

The unique X1 Fold was a tried-and-true, first-generation product with first-generation points. With poor efficiency, dangerous battery life, a chunky design, and a excessive asking worth, it wasn’t a sensible alternative for nearly anybody. Now, Lenovo is beginning to push its second-generation ThinkPad X1 Fold, which it despatched me to evaluate.

The brand new model has an improved design, upgraded specs, and a equally excessive asking worth of $2,499 and up. The model I am testing prices practically $3,300, which makes this one of many pricier laptops you may get. However what I’ve discovered is you are paying for its distinctive design which, admittedly, is straight-up superior. The remainder of the laptop computer, although? That is one other story.

View at Bhphotovideo

Specs (as reviewed)

There isn’t any denying that the folding display screen of the X1 Fold is dope. Now in its second era, the 16.3-inch OLED panel — three inches bigger than the unique mannequin’s 13.3-inch show — stays sharp and vivid with vivid colours. It is a gorgeous display screen to behold while you unfold it for the primary time, and whereas it isn’t the largest laptop computer show ever shipped, it feels prefer it while you open it up (in spite of everything, it isn’t on daily basis you’ve got a 16-inch OLED panel within the palm of your hand).

The sharp Quad HD+ decision retains every little thing pin-sharp, whereas the boosted 600 nits of brightness makes the X1 Fold simple to see, even in sunny cafes. As a result of it might bend in half, Lenovo makes use of a softer plastic materials to guard the show as an alternative of glass, which creates a crease within the center. The crease is noticeable, and you’ll really feel it while you drag your finger throughout it, however while you begin utilizing the laptop computer, it fades into the background, and also you cease fascinated by it. That is the case for many foldable telephones, too; while you begin utilizing them for some time, after a bit, the crease is not as distracting.

Lenovo’s bell-shaped hinge design permits the X1 Fold to shut utterly flat, which is a pleasant contact. It helps to guard the fragile show from harm brought on by objects or particles that slips in by way of the cracks. I have not had any points with sturdiness to date, however I would have to make use of it over a 12 months or so to actually put it to the check.

Talking of sturdiness, Lenovo obtained the X1 Fold military-grade licensed for drop safety. The sturdy magnesium/carbon fiber alloy enclosure, coupled with a grippy textured exterior, makes this one of many strongest foldable gadgets I’ve ever used. I want Lenovo would carry this aesthetic to common laptops; it makes the entire thing really feel indestructible.

Additionally: That is probably the most rugged and customizable laptop computer I’ve ever examined – and it isn’t a Getac

Like the unique, the second-gen X1 Fold retains the keyboard separate from the principle unit. Lenovo consists of it within the field with each X1 Fold, together with a kickstand since a stand is now not constructed into the X1 Fold itself. This lets you prop the laptop computer up in a wide range of methods similar to in a traditional laptop computer orientation, vertically (which is ideal for writing, by the way in which), and even in a clamshell fashion by bending the laptop computer upward and inserting the keyboard on the decrease half of the display screen.

That is by far the largest benefit of the X1 Fold. The added versatility you get from a type issue like this cannot be matched by any regular clamshell laptop computer, and the one one which will get shut is Lenovo’s personal Yoga Ebook 9i. Admittedly, you will use sure orientations way over others (clamshell mode is de facto solely designed for airplane tray tables), however the truth you’ve got so many choices could make shopping for the X1 Fold price it to some.

The keyboard itself is a basic ThinkPad keyboard with good journey, albeit a tighter measurement than what you is perhaps used to. There’s an built-in fingerprint scanner that I did not use all that always for the reason that X1 Fold’s webcam works with Home windows Good day, however in the event you desire scanning your finger, you’ve got that possibility. The laptop computer additionally ships with a stylus within the field for signing paperwork, sketching, and extra.

Additionally: This ultraportable Lenovo laptop computer has a secret Trackpoint operate

In case you have not been protecting monitor, these are 4 completely different gadgets you’ll want to carry with you everytime you wish to journey with the X1 Fold. Lenovo says you possibly can maintain it easy and use the pill by itself with the on-screen keyboard, however for what that is, nobody ought to do this. So, Lenovo made it simple to stack every little thing up; fold the X1 Fold, collapse the kickstand and keyboard, stack them on high of one another, and fix the stylus magnetically to the facet of the laptop computer. It is a chunky, weighty package deal to lug round, however all of the magnets imply every little thing stays collectively effectively in your bag.

The unit I have been testing prices virtually $3,300, and with it comes a Twelfth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. I’ve used loads of laptops in my time as a tech reviewer, and at any time when I see specs like this, I assume that the laptop computer they’re in prices someplace round $1,300-$1,600, not over $3,000. You possibly can spend much more and get a Core i7 chip, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage, however even that may be present in laptops like Lenovo’s Slim Professional 9i for lower than $2,000.

Coupled with a novel thermal design, no bodily followers, and the dearth of discrete graphics, the ThinkPad X1 Fold performs like a laptop computer at half its worth. Firing up a dozen and a half Chrome tabs, operating Spotify within the background, and replying to messages in Slack is sufficient to make it skip a number of beats, and making an attempt to do one thing like edit images in Lightroom is a little bit of a headache.

Full disclosure: this laptop computer is not painfully gradual, however it’s in the event you’ve spent $3,300. It is all concerning the context of the specs. These internals are high quality in most traditional laptops, however in one which prices 3 times the price range of most clients, they are much more durable to justify.

Relying in your configuration, Lenovo provides you with both a 48Wh battery or a 48Wh battery coupled with an additional 16Wh cell, totaling 64Whr. I’ve the latter, and it is barely sufficient to get by way of a full day. I suppose in the event you have been cautious concerning the quantity of heavy duties you probably did all through the day, stored the brightness down, and did not join too many Bluetooth gadgets to it, you may stretch it to eight hours. However in the event you use it as you’d another laptop computer, that endurance will shortly shrink to 4-5 hours on a full cost.

Additionally: Lenovo made a Mac Studio for Home windows customers, and it would even be higher

It additionally takes some time to cost with the included 65Wh charger. Fortunately, you will have a few completely different locations to plug it in due to the 2 USB-C ports which might be positioned on completely different sides of the system.

Surprisingly, Home windows 11 runs effectively on the ThinkPad X1 Fold, with one big exception: it might by no means work out whether or not to change to pill mode or desktop mode. Once I open up the system and prop it up on the kickstand, it stays in pill mode 80 % of the time. Once I join the keyboard to it, nothing adjustments. However occasionally, if the keyboard robotically connects, it will relax to desktop mode, and all of the iconography will shrink right down to regular sizes. That is solely often, thoughts you, not each time the keyboard robotically connects.

Additionally: HP simply unveiled a transportable all-in-one pc, and that wasn’t the craziest announcement

It is usable, certain, nevertheless it’s a really bizarre bug that is probably brought on by the bizarre type issue of the X1 Fold. It is exhausting for Home windows to determine while you wish to use it as a pill and while you wish to use it as a laptop computer. The one time it will get it proper is while you use the system in clamshell mode.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

Ultimately, the X1 Fold is a laptop computer you can purchase in the event you actually need a ThinkPad with a folding display screen. It is an extremely cool piece of know-how, one which’s certain to seize the eye of everybody round you. However in day-to-day use, it isn’t very sensible given the efficiency and battery life limitations. For anybody who needs one thing comparable with higher efficiency and battery life will wish to have a look at the Yoga Ebook 9i, which is the closest factor to a folding laptop computer that is considerably sensible available on the market as we speak.

I am not going to lie, I am going to miss the X1 Fold once I ship my evaluate unit again. Having such an enormous, folding display screen is extremely enjoyable. However I am unable to get all my work performed on it, and for over $3,000, that is a dealbreaker for me. However in the event you’re keen to shell it out for a glimpse into the way forward for laptops, you will take pleasure in toying round with it.