Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 Analysis

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 is a follow-up of the distinctive X1 Nano [Gen 1]which was a breakthrough throughout the ultralight laptop computer pc world. The Nano sequence is designed to take the portability of the ThinkPad X1 sequence to the acute, and it has confirmed broadly worthwhile.

This second know-how pushes the thought to the next stage, due to system effectivity and totally different {{hardware}} updates from cautious shopper options analysis. The second-generation ThinkPad X1 Nano builds upon the similar sub-two kilos extraordinarily mobility concept initially launched nevertheless makes use of in all probability essentially the most modern {{hardware}} when launched.

“~22% LIGHTER THAN THE MACBOOK AIR”

As such, Lenovo is specializing in a selected viewers that cares initially about extraordinarily mobility. That is pretty fully totally different from nearly each different skinny & mild, such as a result of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, Dell XPS 13, HP Spectre X360, and naturally, the MacBook Air and MacBook Skilled. All are constructed as all-rounded, skinny & mild.

Nonetheless, the MacBook Air weighs 1270g vs. the X1 Nano Gen 2’s 995g, a extremely noticeable distinction from a shopper experience viewpoint.

The chassis can also accomodate an elective 4G or 5G modem for people who want to maximize their productiveness. Whereas WIFI could also be broadly accessible, it can’t consider with the moment and ubiquitous safety of 4G/5G (for a worth).

Specs Highlights

Our analysis unit ($2150 as examined) acquired right here outfitted with the Intel Core i7-1280P (28W TDP), 32GB RAMand 1TB of SSD storage, which is great for a laptop computer pc of this measurement and weight. Lenovo has many additional processor selections, relying in your required computing velocity and funds.

The soldered RAM could also be chosen as 16GB or 32GB of memory with none enhance selections, so choose rigorously. 32GB of RAM on an ultramobile is a formidable memory risk in case you’ll be able to afford it, nevertheless bear in mind that it gained’t affect the benchmark outcomes.

“FORMIDABLE MEMORY OPTION”

The SSD selections are 256/512/1024GB of storagewhich must be ample for the meant office-productivity viewers Lenovo is catering to.

Industrial Design

Normal, the X1 Nano Gen2 design is much like the sooner know-how, so each little factor related to design, ergonomics, and very mobility is simply in regards to the similar, and it’s trustworthy to ponder this mannequin a effectivity substitute primarily.

Should you occur to’re new to the ThinkPad X1 Nano sequence and in no way had one in your fingers, you may be shocked at how mild it feels. Many people assume I’m handing them an empty laptop computer pc shell after they keep it for the first time. This laptop computer pc is ~22% lighter than the MacBook Air.

The chassis is painted with the long-lasting “ThinkPad Black” {smooth} paint, nevertheless in case you’re getting the more expensive touch-display risk, you’ll get a luxurious carbon weave present cowl. It’s not present on this specific unit, sadly.

In distinction to many various extraordinarily cell laptops, this X1 Nano Gen2 is designed to be opened and maintained by the patron (or the IT division). It’s potential to remove the underside cowl to entry the user-replaceable SSD. Sadly, the RAM is soldered (fairly widespread for ultra-compact laptops).

Keyboard and Trackpad

Because of it is so skinny, the spill-resistant keyboard has a shorter key journey than your standard-size ThinkPad laptop computer pc. Nonetheless, the journey stays significantly deeper than the newer MacBook Skilled keyboard, which is very shallow.

The tactile options is sharper than totally different ThinkPads, and I want it. Should you occur to’re a ThinkPad fan, chances are you’ll want to check out it sooner than purchasing for to gauge how loads it fits your model, nevertheless I uncover it very comfortable and very counsel it.

For reference, I exploit an IBM Model M as my desktop keyboard and a Logitech Mechanical MX Mini as soon as I journey. I moreover private a Keychron V1 (Khail white switches) and Keychron K1 (Gateron blue switches).

The trackpad feels super-smooth and works good. It’s not an important you may get on a laptop computer pc this measurement, nevertheless I like having the bodily trackpad buttons on account of they’re additional appropriate. I don’t use the Trackpoint, nonetheless it stays a extraordinarily sought-after attribute for lots of ThinkPad clients.

For additional security, there’s a fingerprint reader to the appropriate of the trackpad, and I extraordinarily counsel using it together with the IR webcam logging. Every are very protected and additional useful than typing a protracted password.

Ports

The laptop computer pc is so skinny that Lenovo didn’t embody any USB-A or totally different huge ports. That’s common for ultramobile laptops. Nonetheless, two Thunderbolt 4 ports could very nicely be extended using a TB/USB dock (from Anker or Sabrent) at dwelling or the office.

I’m curious to see if Lenovo could modify the rear of the chassis to swimsuit full-size ports. I don’t assume that can lastly kill the silhouette of the laptop computer pc whereas giving clients just a few full-size ports. Having one USB-A and one HDMI connector may very well be fantastic nonetheless it’s understandably very troublesome to implement.

Sound

The X1 Nano Gen 1 choices good sound top quality identical to the distinctive model. The sound coming from the quad-speaker setup (2W x2 woofers and 1W x2 tweeters) is very efficient and basic spectacular for this measurement. Nonetheless, there’s a little bit little bit of distortion at most amount, and the bass could very nicely be elevated.

That acknowledged, the sound is loud adequate that I can’t take into consideration using a 100% amount in a resort room, airport, and even all through a bunch title on the office, so I don’t assume this is likely to be a difficulty.

Present

Like beforehand, Lenovo has two 13” present selections: contact and non-touch. Every use a low-power 60Hz IPS LCD panel with 450 NITs brightness, 100% sRGB safety, 85-degree view angle, and a 1000:1 distinction ratio.

The show display screen’s physique is surprisingly rigid for such a thin present and solely bends barely in case you actively try and deform it. There’s nearly no flex when opening the laptop computer pc with one hand…

“FOR PROFESSIONAL LIGHT CREATIVE WORK”

That’s a superb brightness and coloration gamut, which allows for expert mild ingenious work paying homage to design, photographs, and internet progress. You’ll more than likely use a monitor or a loads bigger and dear cell workstation in case you need one factor higher-end.

The (2160×1350) 2K resolution stays an excellent various on account of it is significantly sharper than 1080p whereas not undermining the battery life as a 4K present would.

Webcam

The 1080p webcam is a notable enchancment from the sooner 720p one. Since individuals are relatively extra on video calls, it’s not a negligible enchancment. It might even grow to be a sway challenge throughout the ~2 Lbs class on account of all components must be as small as potential, which might affect the image top quality.

The usual could also be very inexpensive and higher-than-average in low mild for its worth class. There’s some noise (grain), nevertheless the framerate stays extreme, and the usual is good adequate to have a productive video title with out the video stream top quality turning right into a distraction.

Lenovo promotes that the lens has an f/2,0 aperture (and a quad-microphone array), which signifies that OEMs could rapidly start competing over digital digicam specs, as they do on smartphones.

Effectivity

Our ThinkPad X1 Nano has an Intel Core i7-1280P CPU, even earlier than the 1260P throughout the X1 Carbon Gen 10 we reviewed earlier. As such, the laptop computer pc scores elevated in CPU benchmarks like Geekbench (~2X earlier than the sooner know-how) and productiveness benchmarks paying homage to PCMark 10.

That’s in all probability essentially the most noticeable and invaluable enchancment for these hesitating to get an X1 Nano Gen 1 as a result of potential effectivity tradeoffs.

The similar is true for GPU-heavy exams paying homage to 3DMark TimeSpy. Whereas this is not a gaming machine, every CPU and GPU exams current you don’t go away any effectivity on the desk by going from the X1 Carbon Gen10 to the X1 Nano Gen 2. For a productiveness laptop computer pc, it packs extreme computing power.

“THE MOST NOTICEABLE AND VALUABLE IMPROVEMENT”

Needless to say the X1 Nano sequence is simply not designed to be a high-performance workstation. There’s a single cooling fan set to take care of noise ranges comparatively low, so its cooling power isn’t maximized.

As a result of that, working the CPU at 100% for extended intervals will in the end assemble up heat and set off some thermal throttling. That acknowledged, your typical office apps mustn’t set off any of that.

The SSD effectivity is lower than the X1 Carbon storage, nevertheless this did not negatively affect the benchmark outcomes, even in these PCMark 10 exams with some disk train involved.

The X1 Nano SSD we examined is a “KBG5AZNT1T02 LA KIOXIA” 1TB, whereas the one throughout the X1 Carbon Gen10 is a Samsung MZVL2512HCJQ-00BL7 512GB.

Effectivity/Weight Ratio

When a laptop computer pc is so mild, it’s important to take a look on the effectivity/weight ratio; few of us analyze that. The data reveals the X1 Nano Gen 2’s unimaginable effectivity/weight ratio in all benchmarks, which is extraordinary for the ultramobile class.

This ratio must be THE effectivity metric to have a look at for on account of no person buys this type of laptop to understand “absolute effectivity,” which we already established as fantastic on this class.

Battery Life

The PCMark 10 Trendy Office battery life yielded 8hrs 8mn for this laptop computer pc and its 49.6 WH battery functionality. That’s significantly decrease than what we obtained with the first know-how X1 Nano Gen 1, nevertheless this can be very merely outlined by the loads elevated effectivity of the X1 Nano Gen 2.

The X1 Nano Gen 2 has a far more extremely efficient and power-hungry processor, and we’re testing completely the quickest mannequin of this laptop computer pc. Should you occur to would moderately have an prolonged battery life and absolute velocity is simply not very important, you’ll be able to go for the Core i5-1240P mannequin, which does not attribute as many “Effectivity” (high-power) CPU cores.

Using a Lenovo 65W chargerwe noticed that whereas the battery could nonetheless declare to be “fast-charge” enabled, it was not charging as fast as a result of the X1 Nano Gen1 or the most recent X1 Carbon Gen 10.

Conclusion

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano Gen 2 (official net web page) is an excellent skinny & mild (~2Lbs) laptop computer pc. All information elements current it. Nonetheless, throughout the ultramobile class, it stands unchallenged.

That is “why” of us want to buy this laptop, which is supported by the market information we studied. Of us consider it to the iPad, which signifies they want one factor loads lighter than a thin & mild laptop computer pc. Nevertheless to ensure that you a Dwelling home windows laptop that runs the entire [Windows] apps you already use, the iPad gained’t cut back it.

“IN THE ULTRAMOBILE CATEGORY, IT STANDS UNCHALLENGED”

Subsequent, information reveals of us evaluating it with skinny & mild, such as a result of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10, XPS 13, MacBook Air (M1, M2), ThinkPad Z13, and ThinkPad T14. Nonetheless, these are significantly heavier than the X1 Nano Gen 2, so I take into consideration them in a single different class and actually really feel completely fully totally different when you carry them.

If you want 0.3” to 1” additional in present diagonal and don’t ideas the extra weight, that may very well be an excellent trigger to get one. Nonetheless, in case you’re after the lightest 13” laptop with out compromising on effectivity, the X1 ThinkPad Nano Gen 2 is the one recreation in town. It is merely the proper ~2Lbs laptop computer pc within the market correct now.

Filed in Laptop programs >Evaluations. Study additional about Laptop computer pc Evaluations, Lenovo and Lenovo evaluations.