This $1,229 ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the Cyber Monday Laptop I’d Buy for Myself
When looking for a laptop for myself, I prioritize comfort, productivity, and portability above all else. I need a laptop with a world-class keyboard so I can type at the fastest possible speed without hurting my wrists while using the computer on the tray table of an airplane. You want a bright, colorful display with lots of areas for editing documents and code, and all this in a lightweight, durable package.
Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon series is a favorite of productivity users like myself due to the laptop’s tactile keyboard, precise navigation, light weight and excellent build quality. The laptop series is now on its 10th generation and I own an older 7th generation model and have been using it daily for over 4 years. It helps you be your most productive self when you’re on the go or sitting on your couch. If you’re ready to replace your current system today, pick up the latest ThinkPad X1 Carbon and get it while it’s on sale. Buy now.
Leading up to Cyber Monday, Lenovo is offering deals on a range of ThinkPad X1 Carbon (10th Gen) configurations. Only $1,069 (opens in new tab)But you shouldn’t buy this laptop (or any Ultrabook) with less than 16GB of RAM or less than 512GB of SSD. You can get a ThinkPad X1 Carbon today with 16 GB of RAM, a 512 GB SSD, a Core i5-1240P CPU, and a 1920 x 1200 display. Only $1229 after applying coupon (opens in new tab) (Check the box that appears at checkout to get your second HOLIDAYSURPRISE coupon for $60 off).
I reviewed the ThinkPad X1 Carbon (10th Gen) last September and was impressed with its bright and vibrant screen, snappy keyboard and sharp 1080p webcam. As always, the X1 Carbon Gen 10 is extremely light, weighing just 2.48 pounds at just 0.6 inches thick. It’s so small that it easily fits in a small bag and doesn’t even feel heavy.
What I love most about the size and shape of this 14-inch Ultrabook is how well it balances on my lap. During testing, and my older model, I could put it on my lap for hours without feeling the weight, and it’s compact enough to fit on a tri-table in coach class. , with space for two USB Type-A ports, two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, and an HDMI output. No need to pack a dongle.
I love the ThinkPad X1 Carbon’s snappy keyboard. It feels like a mechanical, clicky keyboard, but it really isn’t, it sounds like it. Thanks to tactile sensations, normally he can type at a rate of over 100 words per minute while it’s on his lap. Carbon’s soft-touch palm rest, both new and old, keeps your wrists comfortable, even after hours of laptop use.
Using the little red TrackPoint pointing stick for navigation is also a lot of fun. Because it gives you precise movement and you don’t have to take your hands off the home row. Like most people, if you prefer a touchpad, you can go with the 4.3 x 2.3 inch glass touchpad.
Unlike many other laptops, the 10th Gen X1 Carbon has a 16:10 aspect ratio screen, starting at 1920 x 1200. Working on my review unit gave me 120 pixels more vertical screen area than the old one. ThinkPad 1080p (1920 x 1080) display. This means 11% more text on the screen at one time.
The 14-inch display is 400 nits bright and should be easy to see even if you’re sitting by the window on a sunny day. The review unit I tested had a slightly different screen than the model sold (it had a touchscreen, while the model sold is non-touch). Therefore, similar results may be obtained with non-touch models.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 was the first X1 Carbon with a 1080p webcam, and in my testing it performed well. Colors such as the blue of the shirt and the turquoise of the glasses were accurately reproduced, and details such as the hair of the beard stood out.
Most ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 configurations, including the one I buy, use Intel’s 12th Gen P-series CPUs. These processors have a maximum TDP of 28 Watts, but Lenovo has set it at 20 Watts. This exceeds the 15 Watt TDP of the U-series processors used in previous generations (and a few current-generation processors). Constitution). In theory, this should improve performance, but in practice, when tested with the Core i7-1260P, the X1 Carbon was in the middle of the pack.
But I wouldn’t buy the ThinkPad X1 Carbon because of its high or low benchmark scores. What matters is how agile you feel when you’re multitasking with tons of tabs open while editing documents or watching videos. In my experience, the X1 Carbon is snappy enough on the Core i7-1260P, and even on the Core i5-1240P like the sales configuration.
One of the downsides of the P-series processors is that they seem to extend battery life. In a battery test that included continuous surfing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits, Carbon said he lasted 8 hours and 48 minutes, a few hours behind its competitors. However, battery life depends on how you use your computer and can take anywhere from 10 to 12 hours depending on your work habits and settings.
It’s not a perfect laptop, but I wish it had a little more battery life in my testing, but the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the laptop I’d buy. on my knees. At $1,229, it’s a productivity laptop available this Cyber Monday.
If you visit Lenovo.com, you may notice that the recommended configuration here is $1,289 instead of $1,229. The price of $1,289 is good enough on its own, but when I added it to my cart and checked the final total, I found that Lenovo gave me a small warning that I could save an additional $60 with the HOLIDAYSURPRISE code ( screenshot below). Please apply to your order.
If this ThinkPad X1 Carbon isn’t for you, check out our list of Cyber Monday’s best tech deals to find other systems.