Lenovo today announced a range of new ThinkPad laptops, headlined by the 16-inch ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4. (We tested the Gen 3 model last fall.)
We were able to get a closer look at the laptop prior to its announcement at a preview event in New York City, and can bring you our initial hands-on impressions. Check out the video below for a look at the system, as well as its specs and feature set.
A Proven, Sleek Design (With Some Upgrades)
If you’d prefer a text rundown, we’ve got you covered, as well as some info on other ThinkPad announcements. To start, the X1 Extreme Gen 4 base model will be priced at $2,149, with component upgrades available from there. This is a high-end professional machine with advanced features, so while it may cause some sticker shock, the pricing is in line with the class of laptop it is. It will be available in August.
The system maintains the signature ThinkPad look, along with the premium keyboard and slim design. It weighs a hair under 4 pounds and measures 0.78 by 14.13 by 9.99 inches (HWD).
One of the most noticeable changes to this generation is the screen size. It’s a 16-inch panel that has shifted from a standard 16:9 aspect ratio to 16:10 (which is increasingly common). This gives a bit more screen real estate, which can be especially useful for professionals with a lot of data sheets or windows in their workflow.
The default resolution is full HD, but you can go up to a QHD+ (2,560-by-1,600-pixel) or UHD+ (3,840-by-2,400-pixel) screen, the latter also upgrading the exterior lid. By default, it’s a more standard matte finish, but on the top-end display option, Lenovo uses a woven carbon-fiber design that’s smooth to the touch.
Packed With Power: Core i9 Processing, RTX 30 Series Graphics
The X1 Extreme Gen 4’s exterior looks every bit the premium laptop, but the internal components are head-turners on their own, too.
Despite its thinness, the system can take up to Intel Core i9 vPro H-Series processors and up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 graphics. Average professional workflows don’t need that much power, but anyone crunching through demanding data sets, media files, and/or modeling or animation will appreciate the extra grunt.
The graphics options in the lesser models begin quite modestly, it should be noted. Professionals are more likely to need processing power, but only a subset of those require a potent GPU. To that end, the system starts with Intel UHD Graphics, and the lowest available discrete GPU is the recently introduced GeForce RTX 3050 Ti. The memory and storage top out at 64GB and 4TB, respectively.
Extras and Ports
Rounding out the design are some helpful professional features and a solid port selection. The webcam is 1080p (a step up from the common 720p, for sharper professional video calls) and includes a privacy shutter. You also get support for Wi-Fi 6E, a power-on fingerprint reader, and TPM 2.0. Plus, 5G connectivity will be an option on offer.
As far as the ports, the X1 Extreme Gen 4 includes two USB-A ports, two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support, an SD card slot, and an HDMI connection.
Outside of the X1 Extreme Gen 4, Lenovo also announced a handful of refreshed models lower down the ThinkPad stack, notably the AMD Ryzen-based ThinkPad L13 Gen 2 and L13 Yoga Gen 2. Also announced were an IdeaPad 5i-14 Chromebook, an IdeaPad 5i-13 Chromebook, ThinkVision M15 and L15 mobile monitors (larger than the company’s existing 14-inch ThinkVision portable panels), full-size ThinkVision and L-Series desktop monitors, and ThinkVision MC50 and LC50 Webcams. The Windows laptops will all be available in August, the Chromebooks in June and July, and the ThinkVision products sometime in Q3.
Lenovo also announced a series of accessories under a new brand, Lenovo Go, which you can see and read more about in a separate hands-on article and video (which also includes coverage of the portable monitors). Check back for a full review of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4 as soon as a unit becomes available to PC Labs.
