Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Carbon And Yoga Refreshed With Snappy 6-Core Intel Comet Lake
It was just a week ago when we posted out review of the 7th generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon notebook. Technology moves fast, however, and Lenovo has already announced a refreshed model with Intel's latest 10th generation Core processors. However, we're not talking about Intel's 10nm Ice Lake parts, but instead the recently announced 10th generation Comet Lake processors that are still based on 14nm++ process technology.
In addition to the Comet Lake processors, which are available in up to a Core i7 (6 cores, 12 threads), the new ThinkPad X1 Carbon is also one of the first laptops to gain Intel's Athena certification. That means that it supports connected modern standby, Wi-Fi Gig+, and all-day battery life; LTE-A connectivity is also available as an option. Up to 16GB of DRAM can be configured, while up to 2TB SSDs can be fitted to the machine.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon weighs in at just 2.4 pounds and is of course still available with the gorgeous 14-inch 4K Dolby Vision panel (10-bit, 500 nits). Other specs on tap include a Dolby Atmos sound system, far-field microphones for Amazon Alexa support, and the machine can run for up to 18.5 hours per charge.
If a convertible is more to your liking, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga carries over all of the primary specs of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, but features a rotating 14-inch display that still tops out with 4K resolution and 500-nit brightness rating. Whereas the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is made out of a mixture of a carbon fiber weave, plastic and magnesium, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga features a machined aluminum chassis. The ThinkPad X1 Yoga is also slightly heavier at 2.9 pounds, and is just a hair behind on runtimes, coming in at 18.3 hours per charge. The ThinkPad X1 Yoga comes with an integrated ThinkPad Pen Pro for drawing on the display in the convertible's various operating modes.
Finally, we have a new ThinkPad X390, which isn't quite as advanced as its X1-based counterparts. The notebook is available with 10th generation Core i5 and Core i7 power, but you don't get the top-spec hexa-core processors. Maximum memory tops out at 32GB, while you are limited to a maximum 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. You'll also have to contend with a slightly smaller 13.3-inch display that tops out at FHD resolution. Lenovo rates the 2.8-pound notebook at 16.8 hours per charge.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon and ThinkPad X1 Yoga will be available in September priced from $1,479 and $1,609 respectively. The ThinkPad X390 launches in October with a starting price of $1,019.