Want more screen? Flip out the kickstand hidden in the leather cover of the screen and prop the entire unfolded display up on a desk. Photo: Ben Sin
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https://scmp.com/lifestyle/gadgets/article/3114899/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-fold-review-most-versatile-portable-computer Gadgets
Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Fold review: the most versatile portable computer ever, and worth the US$3,200 price with its impressive design
- Capable of being used as a laptop computer, a tablet, and a monitor, and equipped with a stylus, the X1’s folding mechanism is superior to any foldable phone
- Its display uses OLED technology, its battery life is respectable, and the only real downside is Microsoft’s Windows 10, which still isn’t smooth in tablet mode
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, a 13.3-inch tablet with a foldable screen, keyboard and stylus, in unfolded large-screen mode. Photo: Ben Sin
Since their debut in 1992, ThinkPad portable computers – sold by IBM until it was acquired by Lenovo in 2005 – have been marketed more for business use in the boardroom than for casual or entertainment use at home or coffee shops.
But the latest ThinkPad, the X1 Fold, is as much a machine for play as it is for work. It’s not just the most versatile ThinkPad in history, but perhaps the most versatile portable computer yet.
Design and hardware
The X1 Fold is essentially a 13.3-inch tablet with a foldable screen and an impossibly thin keyboard that, when connected, becomes a fully functional portable computer. It can be assembled in a number of ways, thanks to a design that is at once technically and conceptually impressive.
The keyboard can snap magnetically onto the device, covering half the screen and, with a bend, the X1 Fold becomes a small clamshell laptop.
Want more screen? Flip out the kickstand hidden in the leather cover of the screen and prop the entire unfolded display up on a desk and use the Bluetooth keyboard untethered. When not in use, the keyboard can remain sandwiched between the folded screen. There’s even a loop to store the stylus.
The leather cover of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold has a hidden flap that doubles as a kickstand, allowing the tablet computer to be able to stand on its own. Photo: Ben Sin
The display, which also has touch support, uses OLED technology, so colours are more vibrant than LCD panels, and with a resolution of 2K, everything looks razor sharp.
The folding mechanism is superior to any foldable phone I’ve tested yet, because it does not leave a noticeable crease at the folding point. Lenovo says it is rated MIL-STD-810H, which means it has passed the rugged test standards used by the US military. The hinge does feel sturdy from my testing and can stay in place at any angle.
When folded, the ThinkPad X1 Fold is thick and heavy at 1.1 inches, but it’s not too hard to handle. Its overall dimensions are similar to that of a hardcover book. Its almost exactly 1kg weight is heavy by tablet standards but light by laptop standards.
When folded, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold has dimensions and thickness resembling a hardcover book. Photo: Ben Sin
Software and features
The X1 Fold runs Microsoft’s Windows 10, which means it’s fine as a laptop/computer, but quite bad as a tablet. Despite the fact that Windows-powered tablets have been around for at least half a decade, Microsoft’s software is still poorly optimised for touch input.
Even when switched to the dedicated “tablet mode”, buttons are impossibly small. The UI is also slow to adapt to changing orientation – rotate the device 90 degrees and you can expect to wait up to a full second before the screen adapts. I’ve tested dozens of Windows tablets and they’re all like this – I’m inclined to believe this is a Microsoft and not a hardware problem.
Lenovo has built some additional software tricks, such as a software button to immediately snap two apps into split-screen mode. You can also assign short-cut gestures using the stylus’ buttons.
The folding mechanism of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold is well built – there is no noticeable crease in the folding part of the screen and the hinge is sturdy. Photo: Ben Sin
Performance and battery life
Despite all the bendy moving parts and main shape as a tablet, the X1 Fold has internals of a fully fledged computer: it’s powered by Intel’s Core i5 – albeit the less powerful “Lakefield’’ processor meant for Chromebooks – and even has a fan inside to help with cooling.
I used this machine for days writing articles, sketching and annotating documents, and watching videos and performance did not skip a beat. However, gaming can be hit and miss, with dropped frame rates if playing graphically intensive games.
When unfolded the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold tablet offers an immersive 13.3-inch viewing experience. Photo: Ben Sin
The 65Wh battery can run for about seven hours of use mainly consisting of productivity tasks. This can be considered a disappointment, but I’m willing to give it a pass because charging is done via USB-C so it’s not hard to find a cable, and because I adore its versatility so much.
When I’m at a narrow counter table at a coffee shop, I bend the X1 Fold to 90 degrees and use it as a mini laptop. When I have more desk space, I unfold the display, prop it up on its own and I have a full-sized monitor. I use the stylus to annotate documents or sketch. At night I use it on the bed reading e-books or streaming Netflix.
The Lenovo X1 Fold’s keyboard can connect magnetically to the bottom of the tablet, so that it can be folded 90 degrees and become a clamshell laptop. Photo: Ben Sin
Conclusion
Like all foldable devices right now, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold is expensive. In Hong Kong, the X1 Fold with keyboard and stylus sells for HK$24,799 (US$3,200). There is the option to buy just the X1 Fold without the accessories for around HK$19,699, but without a keyboard or stylus the device loses a lot of its versatility. No matter what, these prices are far above what most normal consumers would consider.
Foldable devices always make a huge leap from the first to the second version, so most people should wait for that. As it is, this is cutting-edge tech that’s a glimpse into the future of portable computing.