The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 ticks all the boxes if you're looking for a sturdy business notebook.
By SUBASHINI SELVARATNAM
bytz@thestar.com.my
ONE look at the Lenovo ThinkPad X1, you will know it is a notebook for business professionals. This is because the X1 comes in a plain black chassis that gives you that business look-and-feel.
However, at just 17mm thick, it is definitely one of the thinnest notebooks that I have reviewed.
Despite its thinness, the X1 is a sturdy notebook with a well-made chassis. The notebook's hinge is designed in such a way that it allows the screen to be opened until the notebook is perfectly flat.
Lenovo claims the X1 has passed eight military specifications relating to durability and thus gives mobile professionals the confidence to work anywhere with it.
One of the features that I like about the notebook is the 13.3in display, which is made of Corning Gorilla Glass that is scratch-resistant. I tried to scratch the display with my car keys but not a scratch appeared.
SLIM: The X1 is just 17mm thick.
Pleasant experience
The first thing you notice when you power on the X1 is how fast it boots up - in less than 30 seconds, you will be on the Windows desktop, ready to go. Typing documents on the notebook's keyboard was a pleasant experience. The keys are well spaced-out and there is ample space on the palm rest area that makes it easier for you to type.
All the function keys on the notebook are also easily accessible and convenient. Some of the function keys that came in handy include the ones for finding and replacing a word throughout the document pages and saving files instantly. You also get the standard shortcuts such as adjusting volume, mute and adjusting the brightness of the screen.
It is worth mentioning that the keyboard is spill resistant - I accidentally spilt some water on the keyboard, and the water did not seep deeper into the keyboard. All I did was quickly wipe the keyboard with a dry cloth, and continued typing the document as if the problem never occurred.
The notebook has a track point, which some may love or hate. However, if you are not used to it, you are better off using the standard touchpad, which is pretty good. You can also switch on the keyboard's backlight when you are typing in the dark.
The X1 also comes with the ThinkVantage Toolbox, which is a suite of programs that offers system health, security and networking, and diagnostics, to ensure the notebook is "healthy." For security purposes, you will also find a fingerprint reader on the notebook.
STURDY: X1's hinge is designed in such a way that it allows the screen to be opened until the notebook is perfectly flat.
The X1 can also handle HD videoclips and movies. I played some 720p videoclips several times using Windows Media Player and the notebook played them beautifully without any hiccups.
Despite being built for business, the X1 comes with Dolby Home Theatre v4 sound, which when coupled with the 13.3in high-definition display and built-in speakers, makes for a decent entertainment machine.
Watching movies and listening to music was quite a pleasant experience - the video quality is good while the audio is loud and clear. No complaints in this department. If you want to watch a movie on a larger screen, you can connect the notebook to a HDTV via HDMI-out.
When used for watching videos, surfing the Internet, listening to music and wordprocessing, the battery lasted for only about three hours. I have to say that it was a bit disappointing as I expected the battery to last for another 30 minutes at least.
Having said that, if you charge the battery for 30 minutes or so, you get up to 80% of the battery charged, which might just be enough time for you to type a quick document before you board a plane or attend an urgent meeting.
Conclusion
The X1 is a sturdy notebook that comes with all the necessary features that you want in a business-class notebook and more.
The only complaint that I have is the rather short battery life and the premium price tag. But having said that, you will be getting a sturdy business-class notebook with solid specifications.
Pros: Sturdy; good specifications; good video and sound quality; rapid battery charging.
Cons: Short battery life.
THINKPAD X1
(Lenovo)
Business notebook
Processor: Intel Core i5-2520M (2.5GHz)
Memory: 4GB DDR3 SDRAM
Display: 13.3in HD Super Bright display (1,366 x 768-pixels)
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 3000
Storage: 320GB
Connectivity: WiFi 802.11bgn, 10/100 Ethernet port, Bluetooth
Ports/slots: Three USB ports (1 x USB 3.0, 1 x eSATA combo, 1 x USB 2.0), memory card reader, headphone/microphone jack, HDMI and mini DisplayPort video outputs
Battery: Four-cell battery
Operating system: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional 64-bit
Other features: Integrated HD 720p camera and HD microphones, Backlit keyboard, 6-row precision keyboard
Dimensions (w x d x h): 13.3in x 9.1in x 0.8in
Weight: 1.72kg
Price: RM5,999
Rating: 3.5
Review unit courtesy of Lenovo Malaysia, 1-800-18-2388