Obtaining an AMD Zen 3U series chip can feel like a treasure hunt in many regions, despite their impressive performance. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon series a bulky ThinkPad to access the web via dial-up, relying on the trackpoint and dedicated buttons when the trackpad failed.
Over time, the ThinkPad has evolved becoming thinner, lighter, and more powerful. Now, we have the 9th Gen X1 Carbon, which brings several improvements over its predecessor. Having used other slim laptops like the Dell XPS 13, Razer Book 13, and Asus ZenBook 13 OLED, how does the ThinkPad X1 Carbon compare to these options?
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- Processor: 12th Generation Intel Core i7 1135G7, up to 4.20 GHz Max Boost, 4 Cores, 8 Threads, 8 MB Cache. Microsoft Win…
- Display: 14-inch diagonal, Touchscreen, IPS, micro-edge, antiglare, LED Backlight
Design and Build
Lebovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is a sleek laptop with a durable chassis made from a blend of carbon fiber and magnesium alloy. It has undergone rigorous testing to withstand extreme conditions like high temperatures, mechanical shocks, and vibrations. However, wear and tear may occur over time, especially on the palm rest and carbon fiber finish. The all-black chassis with the ThinkPad logo and red LED power indicator is appealing, and the single hinge design allows for easy one-handed opening. Despite its 14-inch display, the laptop maintains a slim profile at 0.59 inches thick and weighs around 2.5 pounds, making it the lightest thin-and-light laptop I’ve encountered.
The keyboard layout stays quite similar to the previous version. The conventional setup features the iconic TrackPoint in the middle, along with dedicated primary left and right buttons. Observant users will notice that the function keys now offer communication instructions that may be used with Skype and Microsoft Teams. While the location of the function and control keys may vary, this is typical of ThinkPads. However, if you find it uncomfortable, you can quickly alter the layout using Vantage, a useful tool they provide.
Power button also doubles as a fingerprint reader, which works incredibly well. It uses a separate chip to safely store data. Additionally, there is an IR camera that supports Windows Hello, offering a simple and secure login experience. The keys are extremely remarkable! I had been wanting to test them for a long time because of their reputation, and I was pleased with the key travel distance, which provided a satisfactory typing experience. Furthermore, they are spill-resistant, which is a considerable benefit.
They’ve slightly expanded the trackpad, and with its glass surface, navigating across Windows is simple. It provides a very comparable experience as the Dell XPS 13. Furthermore, I must mention the trackpad’s integrated left and right buttons, which are excellent. They give tactile feedback with a somewhat mushy feel, which is one of the most useful things I’ve seen on laptops.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 offers a variety of connectivity options despite its slim design. On the left, you get Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, and an HDMI 2.0 port. The right side includes a Kensington lock, another USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, and a headphone jack. However, I’m a bit disappointed by the lack of USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, which provide double the bandwidth of Gen 1. While this might be due to design constraints, it’s surprising for a laptop in this price range.
Display and Speakers
One of the most significant upgrades from Gen 8 to Gen 9 is the adoption of a 16:10 screen, offering more vertical screen space. This allows for greater content visibility on your display. I have the UHD Plus 60Hz non-touch variant, which boasts an exceptional panel with vibrant color reproduction. It’s an IPS panel covering 100% sRGB, 91% Adobe RGB, and 99% DCI-P3, matching the color accuracy of OLED displays, which is impressive. Moreover, it achieves remarkable brightness, reaching up to 514 nits on our sample. Whether you’re a professional photographer or creating presentations for your company, you’re in for a treat.
However, my only concern is its glossy finish, without any anti-reflective coating to minimize glare. Additionally, this panel lacks the privacy guard feature that restricts viewing angles from both sides to safeguard on-screen content. This feature is only available with the 1200p matte display option, which offers a brightness of 500 nits. So, consider this when making your choice. Another point to consider is that these matte panels slightly compromise the color gamut.
On a brighter note, they’ve introduced dual front-facing speakers with this generation, and they sound impressive. There’s good clarity in the high-end frequencies, and the bass response is commendable. Honestly, I didn’t expect such high-quality audio from a ThinkPad.
Webcam
The Gen 9 ThinkPad X1 Carbon it has regressed compared to its predecessor. Firstly, there’s an odd sharpening effect that, while improving over the smeared appearance, now makes my face look as if it’s covered in craters. Additionally, the colors appear so muted that they almost appear black and white, even on this screen. I’m concerned if the recorded video will reflect the same quality. Despite the auto exposure being turned off entirely now, allowing for better adjustment, I’m overall disappointed. As a professional device, the webcam quality falls short.
Performance
| Laptop | CINEBENCH R20 (Multi-Core) | CINEBENCH R20 (Single Core) | Blender (1440p Scene Render) | GIMP Photo Editing | Microsoft Excel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Asus Zenbook 13 OLED (Ryzen 7-5800U -25W) | 3,532 | 233 | 4:35 | 0:25 | 0:46 |
| Razer Book 13 (i7-1135G7 -20W) | 2,205 | 226 | 7:36 | 0:26 | 0:51 |
| ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 (i7-1165G7 -13W) | 1,999 | 145 | 7:3 | 0:26 | 0:48 |
Real-world benchmarks in the auto performance mode, and the outcomes align with our typical expectations for the i7 1165 G7 in a thin and light laptop. It may not surpass AMD CPUs in multi-threaded benchmarks due to their higher number of processing threads. One challenge here is that the auto performance mode doesn’t maintain a consistent speed, resulting in varied results. Nonetheless, it delivers excellent performance in tasks where the X1 Carbon Gen 9 is likely to be utilized most often, such as word processing, spreadsheet work, exports, and PDF creation.
The results in Premiere require some explanation as they seem almost too good to be true. In this scenario, Lenovo’s app detection in the auto performance mode activates. The Xe graphics receive a slight power boost, operating at around 225 megahertz. Since Premiere is GPU-bound, this additional performance boost significantly impacts longer renders, like the one we tested.
| Laptop | CS:GO (1080P – Highest, M5AA, Ott) | Overwatch (1080P – High Preset) | Fortnite (1080P – High Preset, |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asus Zenbook 13 OLED (Radeon Veg 8-25W) | 42.30-99.86 | 44.91-55.58 | 15.83-28.26 |
| Razer Book 13 (Iris XE-20W) | 56.04-124.18 | 51.85-70.34 | 25.81-42.11 |
| ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Iris XE 22W) | 40.12-10.25 | 50.27-62.11 | 18.02-30.11 |
However, from personal experience, I can attest that playing Civilization on the Carbon during long flights can be an enjoyable way to pass the time. With the Iris Xe graphics in this generation, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon gen 9 can actually handle most basic titles at decent frame rates. Admittedly, there are instances where Intel’s drivers may cause crashes, but overall, it performs admirably in this aspect. On the flip side, this is an area where AMD needs improvement, as their Vega architecture is beginning to show its age, particularly in gaming on laptops.
Battery Life
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon gen 9 features a 4K screen, which, frankly, seems unnecessary in a 14-inch form factor. Nonetheless, we were curious to see how it compares to other thin and light laptops we’ve tested.
| Device | Score |
|---|---|
| Asus Zenbook 13 (65Whr, Balanced) | 3:48 |
| Lenovo X1 Carbon Gen 9 (52Whr, Balanced) | 2:57 |
| Razer Book 13 (i7) (55Whr, Balanced) | 2:05 |
First and foremost, if battery life is your priority, it’s advisable to steer clear of the 4K screen and perhaps even opt for the i5 instead of the i7, like the model we have. Despite these factors working against it, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon gen 9 still manages to deliver respectable numbers, lasting nearly 13 hours in the light load test.
It’s important to consider that, except for the Dell XPS 13, all the other competitors in this lineup either have smaller screens or lower resolutions. Given this, the X1 Carbon’s battery life performance is quite impressive. It leads me to wonder if the 1200p model would come closer to the battery life figures of the ZenBook under heavier loads.
Furthermore, there’s no room for complaints here, as the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 boasts the longest battery life among all thin and light Tiger Lake laptops we’ve encountered thus far. While this class of ThinkPad isn’t designed for running heavy multi-core loads while unplugged, it’s reassuring to know that if the need arises, you won’t have to search for an outlet every hour.
Price and Specs
The base model of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon gen 9 starts at just over $1400. It includes a Core i5-1135G7 processor with four cores and eight threads, eight gigabytes of soldered RAM, 256 gigabytes of storage, Intel Iris Xe graphics, and a 1200p IPS display.
And you’ll find an i7-1165G7 processor, double the memory and storage, priced at around $1865. If you opt for the upgraded display option, a 4K panel that is brighter, the cost goes up to $2000. For further customization, there’s an option for the i7-1185G7 with 32 gigabytes of RAM and a terabyte of storage for an additional $400.
Considering ThinkPad X1 Carbon pricing can vary due to frequent sales and discounts. So, if you’re lucky, you might snag a great deal. However, when comparing their retail values, I’ve noticed that the X1 Carbon tends to be pricier than the Dell XPS 13, Razer Book 13, and especially the Asus ZenBook 13 OLED.
Conclusion
I’m seriously impressed with Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9, Its lightweight design and exceptional durability stand out, paired with a stunning 16:10 aspect ratio that delivers a vibrant, bright display. The keyboard remains best-in-class, offering a comfortable typing experience, and the battery life is commendable, with the option to extend it by choosing the 1200p model. Performance is solid, and notably, it’s one of the quietest laptops we’ve tested, even under heavy workloads.
Yes, it’s on the expensive side, but you’re paying for a device built to last for years. The enhanced security features such as a privacy switch, IR camera, self-healing BIOS, and DTPM chip for data encryption are essential for professionals who handle sensitive information. Personally, I would choose the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 over the Dell XPS 13 for its additional ports and sleek matte black design, which I find more appealing. If you come across a sale or it fits your budget, I highly recommend picking it up without hesitation.
