Lenovo was brave enough to debut the first Windows folding screen PC, but its subsequent offerings have been “coming soon” for longer than it seems reasonable. We reviewed his original Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold (13.3-inch) in December 2020, but his new and improved 16.3-inch model, which we got hands-on with in September 2022, has yet to be released. However, one of his unannounced Lenovo prototypes is currently Listed on eBay. This “Ultra Rare Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 16″ Unreleased Prototype 16+256GB Foldable” is now available for $1,999 (Buy Now or Best Offer), plus applicable shipping from Beijing, China.
Lenovo’s revamped Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold addresses many of the shortcomings noted in reviews of the smaller device. We quickly found the larger 16.3-inch folding screen to be better suited for use in laptop mode, and replacing the original Intel Lakefield chip with an Alder Lake option was a welcome upgrade. However, during our hands-on, we didn’t have enough time to assess whether other weaknesses of the original model, such as software bugs and battery life, were addressed.
image 1 of 6
WC-William on eBay provided a very detailed description of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold Prototype for sale. According to the specs he shared, the model he owns is nearly identical to our hands-on system, but the CPU/RAM/SSD configuration was near the bottom end of the device. In other words, Lenovo’s official specs show this machine has a better configuration than this list: 12th Gen Intel Core i7 ES model, 16GB of DDR5, and a 256GB SSD.
| CPU | Up to 12th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 U series |
| screen | 16.3-inch, 2024 x 2560 foldable OLED, 12-inch diagonal in laptop mode |
| Graphics | Intel Iris Xe (integrated) |
| RAM | Up to 32GB LPDDR5 |
| depository | Up to 1TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD |
| battery | 48 WHr (Optional additional 16 WHr battery in some configurations) |
| camera | 5 megapixels, infrared |
| networking | Wi-Fi 6E, optional 5G Sub 6 and LTE, Bluetooth 5.2 |
| release date | November 22! |
| starting price | $2,499 |
As a prototype, this machine has been turned, poked, and poked many times, so it shows some wear and tear. For example, the list states he has two screen defects. One is noticeable black dots (groups of stuck pixels?) and the other is irregular screen shading on parts of the display panel. Also, the webcam does not open, which I assume is a driver issue. The seller claims that the ThinkPad’s flaw “doesn’t really affect everyday use.” To give the deal a head start, the $1,999 asking price is claimed to be “about $1,200 less than the public price,” with an unannounced matching stylus priced at $100 also included in the sale. It says.
A final warning is given to potential buyers, asking them not to mess with drivers, BIOS or system updates, as the changes could disrupt the current functional state of the prototype. No returns accepted, seller says.
We’re now more than half way through 2023, and while competing 17-inch foldable devices have been available for some time, it’s possible that the ThinkPad X1 Fold (16.3-inch) won’t be released in the form shown above. Today, especially those looking for cutting edge portable upgrades based on Intel processors will always be eagerly awaiting news of the often leaked and exciting mobile he updates.
