Detailed review of the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon professional laptop: is it the best choice for a professional? Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G6 review: a treasure for everyday work Thinkpad x1 carbon technical specifications
Externally, it is practically no different from the demo sample. By and large, there are only two differences: the presence of Cyrillic on the keyboard and a neater frame around the display. In the demo sample it was made of unsightly smooth plastic, but in the retail laptop the plastic acquired a rough texture, thanks to which it looks better and gets less dirty.
Otherwise the design remains the same. Thus, all parts, except the aforementioned display frame, are equipped with a velvety soft touch coating. On the “working panel” it is smoother, on the lid and bottom it is more “rubbery” so that the laptop can be held more firmly in your hands.
Unlike most ultra-thin laptops, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon can be folded flat.
The stated thickness of the case is about 19 mm. Just don’t ask us what the compilers of these stated characteristics had in mind. According to the results of our measurements, the thickness of the case varies from 16 to 23-odd millimeters - depending on what you mean by this parameter.
In a word, the ThinkPad ultrabook turned out to be noticeably more “meaty” than the “champion” Samsung 900X3C. However, the black color and the cunning shape of the case hide this fact well - the X1 Carbon does not look thick at all.
According to the reviewer, the X1 Carbon keyboard is the best that can be found in ultra-thin laptops. It is slightly inferior to typical ThinkPad keyboards in terms of key travel, but still several heads above anything that other ultrabook manufacturers use, especially the thinnest ones.
Actually, it was precisely because of the long-travel keyboard in combination with TrackPoint that the first ThinkPad ultrabook turned out to be so plump - if not for these two elements, the thickness of the case could have been reduced by one and a half times.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon has an internally backlit keyboard. It is turned on by the most convenient key combination - Fn + spacebar.
Next to the volume control buttons is a mysterious black key. In previous generations of ThinkPad, it was blue, called ThinkVantage and was responsible for launching the package of proprietary utilities of the same name for configuring and diagnosing the system.
Now it runs something called SimpleTap, a simple full-screen shell designed, apparently, to work with a laptop using touch input. By the way, it’s very interesting: what will Lenovo do with this dubious innovation in light of the release of Windows 8, which has a much more successful touch interface?
There is a fingerprint sensor on the right side of the case. As with other ThinkPad laptops, it allows you not only to identify the user in an already running system, but also to turn on the laptop and then automatically log in to the system. In this case, the switched off ThinkPad periodically blinks the LED built into the sensor.
Like all other full-fledged ThinkPads, the X1 Carbon ultrabook is equipped with two manipulators: a buttonless touchpad and a TrackPoint mini-joystick. The implementation of the latter is quite classic for ThinkPad - with an additional scroll button.
As for the touch panel, it is quite convenient. The coating, at first glance, seems the same as on the body, but in reality it turns out to be much less “rubbery” and incredibly pleasant to the touch, “silk”. The finger glides over it quite well. The panel dimensions are large. Recognition of right and left button presses works quite adequately. In general, using the touchpad is quite convenient - at least by the standards of “buttonless” panels.
The set of connectors has not changed at all since we saw the demo sample. There is only one difference - in the final implementation, the only USB 3.0 port was repainted black. It looks more harmonious, but is somewhat less convenient in the first days of using an ultrabook - you have to look closely at the small signatures next to the ports.
Despite the absence of a 3G modem in the tested configuration, there is a SIM card slot on the back wall. Don’t rush to rejoice: this does not mean that the laptop is fully prepared for installing a WWAN module. We'll talk more about this in a few paragraphs.
Many of the traditional ThinkPad features are missing from this model. There are no docking options, no numerous battery options, no famous drainage holes, no specially shaped feet.
⇡ Technical specifications
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon | |
|---|---|
| CPU | Intel Core i5-3317U: 1.7 GHz (up to 2.6 GHz with Turbo Boost); 2x256 KB L2; 3 MB L3; two computing cores |
| Chipset | Intel QS77 (1E56) |
| Graphics controller | Intel HD 4000, integrated into the processor |
| Screen | 14.0 inches, 1600x900; TN technology Matte finish, LED backlight (LG LP140WD2-TLE2) |
| RAM | 4 GB DDR3L-1333 (soldered on the motherboard, no expansion connectors) |
| HDD | 128 GB SSD (SanDisk SD5SG2128G1052E), non-standard form factor |
| Optical drive | Absent |
| Flash card connector | SD/MMC |
| Interfaces | 1 x USB 3.0 1 x USB 2.0 1 x Mini DisplayPort 1 x combo audio jack (mini-jack 3.5 mm) |
| WiFi | 802.11a/b/g/n, 2x2, 2.4/5 GHz (Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205S) |
| Bluetooth | 4.0 (Broadcom) |
| 3G | This configuration has a SIM card slot, but no adapter or antennas |
| Network adapter | Absent |
| Sound | Realtek ALC269; two speakers, two microphones |
| Battery | From flat cells, 46 Wh (3110 mAh, 14.8 V) |
| power unit | Power supply 65 W (19 V; 3.42 A) |
| Other | Metal body, carbon fiber cover, keyboard backlight, TrackPoint, fingerprint sensor, webcam |
| Size, mm | 329x226x20.3 excluding legs 329x226x23.2 including legs |
| Weight, kg | 1,34 |
| operating system | Windows 7 Professional SP1 (64 bit) |
| Official manufacturer's warranty | 36 months |
| Price | From 49,000 rub. |
We tested the production Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon in one of the lower configurations - with a Core i5-3317U processor. There is also a slightly more expensive version with a slightly faster i5-3427U (1.8 → 2.6 GHz) and a significantly more expensive version with a significantly faster Core i7-3667U (2.0 → 3.2 GHz).
The RAM is soldered onto the motherboard, and there is no way to expand it - there are no expansion connectors. Unfortunately, Russian buyers are not yet offered an option to increase the volume: all configurations sold in our country have 4 GB of DDR3L-1333 preinstalled. So in this case, there is an additional incentive to purchase a laptop in the States: Americans are offered an 8 GB version.
Update: As we were informed from the Russian representative office of Lenovo, configurations with a memory capacity of 8 GB in our market for large customers will be available on special order.
Graphics, however, even in the USA are only available integrated. For those wishing to own a ThinkPad ultrabook with a discrete graphics adapter, we recommend taking a look at
ThinkPad is the world's oldest line of laptops, once produced by IBM. Since 2005, the legendary series of business laptops has come under the wing of the Chinese company Lenovo. In 2017, the fifth generation of Lenovo ThinkPad x1 Carbon was released - the top version of ultrabooks in the company's line.
Key Features of Lenovo ThinkPad x1 Carbon
Basic specifications of the ThinkPad x1 Carbon model.
Detailed overview of the main features
For the fifth generation of the ultrabook, a completely new case had to be developed. The fact is that the company’s junior models began to literally “breathe down the back” of the top version, so when developing a new generation, designers and technologists had to work hard. As a result, the x1 Carbon 5th Gen can boast a weight of 1 kg 100 g, the width and thickness have been reduced by more than 1 cm. By the way, the x1 Carbon fully lives up to its name - carbon fiber is actually used in the body materials, although the main material, of course, , plastic. It is thanks to the material that x1 Carbon has a fairly strong body, despite its low weight and visible fragility.
For the fifth generation of ultrabook, a completely new case had to be developed
The main advantage of this model is its 14-inch monitor, combined with the light weight and compactness of an ultrabook. For example, the 13-inch MacBook Pro weighs 200 grams more. To achieve such indicators, the manufacturer had to narrow the side frames of the screen as much as possible. The screen can be opened up to 180 degrees.
The main advantage of this model is the 14-inch monitor
When looking at the keyboard, the first thing that catches your eye is the proprietary TrackPoint joystick, which distinguishes the x1 Carbon from other models. Located between the B, H, G and N keys, the joystick can replace the traditional touchpad for laptops, although it is also available. The joystick is quite comfortable to use, so the proprietary feature does not at all interfere with ergonomics.
When looking at the keyboard, the first thing that catches your eye is the proprietary TrackPoint joystick
As with all modern laptop models, all ports and adapters are located at the back and on the side walls of the case. Unfortunately, the x1 Carbon does not support SD memory cards - only microSD. The scheme of their use is the same as on modern smartphones - the card is inserted together with the SIM card into the combined tray. Access to it is possible only with the lid of the ultrabook closed. And it’s not easy to open it - you’ll need a sharp tool. In short, everything here looks the same as on modern mobile phones.
The set of communication ports of the ultrabook is quite sufficient: 2 USB 3.0 ports, 2 universal USB-C ports with support for PowerDelivery 2.0 for charging the device, one HDMI port and one Mini-Ethernet port. The ultrabook kit includes adapters for all ports.
The ThinkPad x1 Carbon traditionally comes with two matrix options: standard Full HD and WQHD (2560 by 1920 pixels). The display itself, in any of its variants, does not cause any complaints, with the exception of small highlights in the left corners. An important advantage of the x1 Carbon is that the screen maintains maximum brightness even when powered from the battery. However, Lenovo still had to sacrifice something - the screen response is 31–41 milliseconds. These are quite large figures, so this model is not very suitable for modern x1 games. However, it is positioned as a business model, and not just another device for gamers.
ThinkPad x1 Carbon traditionally comes with two matrix options: standard Full HD and WQHD (2560 by 1920 pixels)
The performance of this model matches the specifications. By default, the ultrabook is equipped with a dual-core Intel Kaby Lake-U Premium PCH processor. But there is a choice of RAM: the buyer is free to purchase a package with 8 or 16 GB of RAM. The video card is only built-in Intel HD Graphics 620 with a maximum stated frequency of 1050MHz.
In such a compact case of this ultrabook model it was possible to integrate only one version of the Samsung SM961 hard drive with a capacity of 512 GB. After installing the unchanged Windows 10, the amount of free memory is 454 GB - quite enough for the business model. Tests showed the maximum possible disk performance, so this configuration looks quite successful.
In such a compact case of this ultrabook model it was possible to integrate only one version of the Samsung SM961 hard drive with a capacity of 512 GB
The integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 video card is quite sufficient for the main purposes of this model. The owner of this device will be able to watch movies in high definition or even edit videos. Naturally, the built-in video adapter is inferior to powerful discrete video cards like the Nvidia GeForce 940MX, which are found on a number of business models. The difference in performance reaches 50–60 percent. But this is normal - after all, an ultrabook is designed for work. However, you can still play powerful modern games on it. To do this, you need to either select low quality settings or connect an external video adapter through the port. One of the USB-C ports supports Thunderbolt 3 technology (maximum data transfer speed - 40 GB per second).
Due to its particularly thin body, the x1 Carbon gets quite hot at maximum operating modes. The main areas of temperature increase are the processor and cooling system. Therefore, it is not recommended to place the laptop on your knees, otherwise its right side will heat up even more, since that is where the cooling system is located.
Due to its particularly thin body, the x1 Carbon gets quite hot at maximum operating modes
The noise level is quite good - the maximum fan output in test mode was less than 40 dB, which is quite comparable with other models of thin laptops. However, the threshold for turning on the fan is quite low - only in rest mode and at minimum load does it remain off. Even under light load (browser + WI-FI, watching video), the fan can turn on, in which case the noise level is 32 dB. At average load the noise level increases to 34 dB. However, the reduction in load is immediately reflected in the operation of the cooling system - the fan immediately turns off.
Despite the fact that the new generation x1 Carbon has become even thinner and lighter, Lenovo managed to perform a small miracle. Compared to the previous model, the 5th generation has a higher power battery - 57 Wh, which is 5 Wh more than the previous generation. This is one of the highest indicators in its class. Such battery power allowed us to achieve impressive results:
- in maximum consumption mode, the battery life of the ultrabook was 2 hours;
- in Internet surfing mode with WI-FI turned on and the backlight level at 75%, the x1 Carbon lasted 8 hours (1 hour more than its nearest competitor);
- In video viewing mode, battery life reached 12 hours.
Charging occurs quite quickly - only 1 hour is required to charge the ultrabook to 75–80%. However, fully charging the battery takes quite a long time - the remaining 20–25% is “overcome” in 1 hour 30 minutes.
Charging is quite fast - only 1 hour is required to charge the ultrabook to 75–80%
The impressive power consumption and battery life results combined with the performance make this Ultrabook a leader in this comparison category compared to other business laptop models.
Video: ultrabook review
A full analysis of the features of the new generation of ultrabooks from Lenovo is in the video review.
The stated characteristics and test results showed that the x1 Carbon is one of the most interesting options on the ultrabook market. Of course, one cannot fail to note the disadvantages: lack of support for SD cards, rather strong heating and increased noise are obvious disadvantages. However, they are largely explained by the advantages of the model. ThinkPad x1 Carbon is an ultrabook for those who care about the combination of decent characteristics (primarily screen size and performance) with the minimum possible weight and size of the device itself. We can say that the new generation x1 Carbon is Lenovo’s confident step towards leadership in the market for ultra-thin business-oriented laptops.
IBM ThinkPad corporate laptops were once considered the standard of quality, reliability and durability. The owners valued them for their strict, old-fashioned design, durable construction, comfortable keyboard, and excellent functionality. There were fears that the Chinese company Lenovo, which bought the computer division of IBM, would deviate from its high standards and turn the ThinkPad series into ordinary consumer goods. Fortunately, this did not happen; continuity was preserved. The development of the legendary line continues in the same direction: the hardware is updated, the design is refreshed, but all the traditional ThinkPad features are preserved in the new models.
Some time ago, Lenovo decided to expand the ThinkPad series with not just another high-tech laptop, but an executive-class model that combines traditional reliability and ergonomics with a more modern appearance. Unnecessary functionality in such a laptop was removed, and the body acquired a thinner, aggressive shape. The new model, called ThinkPad X1, was conceptually reminiscent of ultrabooks, but unlike them had a strict design and practical finish.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon model considered in our review belongs to the second generation of Lenovo “corporate ultrabooks”. This time, the engineers went even further: almost all connectors were removed, except for the most necessary ones, the body became even smaller, and smooth lines began to dominate the design. From a technical point of view, the new model is a typical ultrabook, but stylized as a classic ThinkPad.
Technical characteristics, design
Hello, fellow countrymen, today we have a business and black Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon for review. There is nothing superfluous here, everything is to the point, the right laptop for people with money.
Black is the best color
The laptop has an extremely strict design - nothing superfluous, black color and angular shapes. Simple, expensive, unfashionable! Well, so what, this is a serious technique for respectable people. Where do such significant conclusions come from? Well, where else can you find a webcam with a curtain? This is not your MacBook to seal with tape. True, I received a laptop without such a luxurious option.
There is also a fingerprint scanner for data protection, it is located to the right of the touchpad. The location is convenient, in my opinion, it’s easier to press than in the upper right corner, as on a MacBook, constantly accidentally launching Siri. By the way, for protection it’s easier to use the built-in camera and face unlock, but just in case you can use your finger.
There is another subtle point. The laptop doesn't look like it's worth the money. It is modest and even simple; if appearance is important to you, not content, then this is definitely not your choice. I won't say that this is bad, but if you are not aware of the history of the ThinkPad brand, then it will be difficult to understand why a black laptop costs so much money. But enough of the lyrics, I’ll tell you what I remember.
Lightweight, comfortable, but not fashionable
I liked the size of the laptop - it fits into a small city backpack and weighs nothing - 1.1 kg! And this is a model with a 14-inch screen.
But the finishing of the case was not very impressive. The build quality is a plus; despite its light weight, the laptop is well assembled. But this easily soiled velvety plastic - how stained it is. You wouldn't go to a business meeting in a greasy jacket, would you? But they haven’t invented dry cleaners for laptops, so you have to clean the magnesium-carbon case from stains at least once a day. It turns out with varying degrees of success; aluminum is much more practical in this regard. It seems like there is also a silver version, it should be more practical, but try to find it.
You can open the laptop as much as 180°, then it turns into a kind of spread-out tablet with a keyboard. It looks cool, the hinges are tight and don’t come loose, finding a comfortable position for the screen is not a problem at all.
What kind of display do you need?
The screen is excellent. It is matte - a rather rare phenomenon these days, when everyone is installing glossy displays. It has a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels and a diagonal of 14 inches. And the touch control also works, in a couple of weeks I got so used to it that then, out of habit, I poked my finger at the MacBook display, trying to close applications. Alas, poppies don’t yet have this luxury.
In general, Lenovo offers a bunch of modifications for the Carbon, the diagonal remains unchanged, 14 inches. But you can choose a resolution: 1920×1080 or 2560×1440, a matte or glossy display, and also add touch control.
Life without adapters
The connectors are in perfect order: a pair of Thunderbolt 3 (aka USB Type-C), two USB-A, HDMI, 3.5 mm headphone jack. There is no DVD, of course, there is no Ethernet port, but if you need internet via a wire, you can connect the cable using the adapter included in the kit. There is no SD slot, but you can insert a microSD - the compartment is not in the most convenient place and is closed with a flap. But thanks for that, suddenly you urgently need to transfer data from the memory card, and there will be no time to search for a card reader. Things don't wait!
You look at this luxury and think that Apple was too hasty when it removed convenient USB from the latest generations of MacBooks. You can retain both the thin body and all the conveniences for connecting peripherals; the X1 Carbon clearly demonstrates this to us.
There are also versions of the laptop with a built-in 4G modem. Moreover, I put a SIM card in the laptop and decided to try how it works. It turned out that all Carbons have SIM card slots, but not every laptop has a modem. So check before purchasing.
How nice it is to type here
The keyboard is very, very, very good. It is soft, but just enough to make typing pleasant, this is not the harsh response of the keys in MacBooks with a butterfly keyboard. The buttons have a convenient shape, there are no errors when typing quickly, I’m writing now and trying to type as many words as possible - it’s time to give the laptop back after the test, and it’s so good. The keyboard is backlit, of course.
The red dot in the center of the keyboard is a trackpoint for precise control, a ThinkPad signature feature for many years, it’s impossible to imagine the Carbon without it. Even if you don’t use it, it will still be pleasing to the eye, something you won’t find in either HP or ASUS. Honestly, I tried to get used to it, but I couldn’t, it didn’t work. But apparently, this element has its own magic, since it is for this that ThinkPad laptops are chosen.
The touchpad supports gesture control and recognizes finger touches perfectly. Previously, there was an opinion that only MacBooks have excellent touchpads, but you can also get a high-quality touchpad on a Windows laptop, I liked everything here.
What's inside and how long does it work?
The laptop is expensive, but at the same time, this is not a gaming solution for you, so no discrete graphics. And without it, you know, you won’t be able to play with toys, other devices have been invented for this, so study the offers from the series.
In the “base” with the sixth-generation ThinkPad X1 Carbon, we get an eighth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. Then everything is limited by your needs and budget.
You can choose an option with 512 GB or 1 TB, increase the amount of RAM to 16 GB, and also add a more powerful Intel Core i7. Windows 10 flies, but it would be strange to expect anything different from such a filling. The laptop can handle any office tasks, you can even play something old if you have the desire and free time.
The laptop lasts a long time and charges quickly. Like a typewriter with the screen at 80% brightness and connected to Wi-Fi, it lasts 7-8 hours. More than enough for a full working day, and I also really liked the phone charging feature - one of the USB ports charges gadgets even when the laptop is not working. Just like a big and expensive powerbank.
The X1 Carbon charges via USB Type-C and it’s simply divine, the time has come when you no longer worry that you forgot to charge your laptop. I just took another one and the process began.
Acoustics are simple
I temporarily switched to the X1 from the current generation MacBook Pro 15, the sound from Lenovo did not impress me - it is ordinary, lacking volume and richness. Therefore, if you want high-quality audio accompaniment while watching a movie, it is better to connect speakers. Or headphones - it depends on the situation.
Verdict
I'm not a big fan of Windows laptops; over the years, macOS has become convenient, native and loved. I liked the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. And if I were choosing a Windows laptop with a classic design for my soul and work, I would pay attention to it. Comfortable, cute in its own way, I want to believe that it is also reliable. The range of prices for the sixth generation Carbon is quite large: initial versions cost from 100 thousand rubles, top versions cost 170 thousand.
If you don’t like the price, you can always buy something cheaper and simpler. But there are times when all the stars align, you don’t need a MacBook, but you want to please yourself. And then the purchasing department brings in the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon. And that’s it, here it is, laptop happiness.
Every self-respecting manufacturer offers a wide range of its products, from budget models to premium ones. So Lenovo, among a large number of models, offers an image business laptop, produced since 2012 and has already reached the 6th generation. Almost unchanged externally, it is renewed internally. Today we are talking about the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G6 (2018), a review of which caught my eye, and I propose to talk about my impressions of this laptop.
Description and characteristics
The “carbon” series fully lives up to its name by the extensive use of carbon fiber and light magnesium alloys in the body structure. This made it possible to make the laptop compact, lightweight, with a rigid frame that reliably protects from mechanical influences. True, this also entailed prices, but this is traditionally discussed in the final part.
The small thickness and thin frames around the display have already become a mandatory element of a premium device. So in this case, visually the X1 Carbon seems more likely to be 13-inch, although in reality it has a 14-inch screen.
This is in contrast to many competitors who actively use metal. Here preference is given to a different material. At the same time, there is no tendency to actively accumulate fingerprints on surfaces, unlike cheaper glossy plastic.
One of the main changes in the 6th generation of this series of laptops is the transition to 8th generation Intel processors, or rather, the use of them from the energy-saving “U” series. As befits top-end solutions, not only the “folk” pair i5-8250U/i7-8550U is used, but also the rarely seen i7-8650U. This CPU differs from the 8550U in slightly higher frequencies (1.9 GHz base and 4.2 GHz in Turbo Boost mode). What this gives besides exclusivity - more on that a little later.
Main characteristics
| CPU | i5-8250U/i7-8550U/i7-8650U |
| Screen | 14 inches, FullHD (1920 x 1080) or WQHD (2560 x 1440) |
| OS | Windows 10 Home(Pro) 64-bit |
| Video card | UHD Graphics 620 |
| Memory | 8/16 GB LPDDR3 1867 MHz |
| Number of memory slots | - |
| Storage device | 128 GB SSD SATA or 256/512/1024 GB SSD PCIe, M.2 |
| WiFi | 802.11b/g/n/ac |
| Bluetooth | 4.2 |
| Interfaces | 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 with Intel® Thunderbolt™ 3 support, 3.5mm headphone/microphone combo jack, 1 x 2-in-1 card reader |
| Webcam | 720p webcam |
| Battery | 57 W, lithium-ion, non-removable |
| Size, mm | 323.5 x 217.1 x 15.95 |
| Weight, kg | 1.13 |
Please note that the RAM is soldered onto the motherboard and cannot be upgraded. The required volume must be selected in advance, before deciding to purchase one or another modification. However, in the case of this model, talking about further modifications is somewhat absurd, because when choosing a device of this class and such a cost, it is unreasonable to save on a drive.
The use of discrete video cards is not provided; only the video core built into the processor is used.
Appearance
Externally, the 6th generation is almost no different from the previous one. Indeed, there is no point in changing a successful and not yet boring design. The changes are purely decorative - the ThinkPad logo has become black, not gray as before. A two-color “X1” inscription on the lid has also been added.
The laptop is available in two colors, black and silver, and the soft-touch texture is present only in the black version.
The materials used (carbon fiber, magnesium alloy) made it possible to significantly reduce the weight of the laptop. It is lighter than its direct competitors - Dell XPS 13 and MacBook Pro 13 inches. Only 1.1 kg is by no means a burdensome burden.
Its compact dimensions also inspire respect, while the video camera, although not distinguished by outstanding characteristics, is located in the usual place, above the screen, and not below it, as has recently begun to happen in laptops with thin frames around the display.
Keyboard and touchpad
Lenovo traditionally equips its laptops with excellent keyboards, sometimes considered almost the best. The key travel is 1.8 mm, and there is a comfortable tactile feedback when pressed. The usual red trackpoint is also installed.
The touchpad is quite large and supports multiple clicks. There is a fingerprint scanner to the right of the touchscreen.
Screen
There are several screens to choose from with resolutions FullHD (1920 x 1080) and WQHD (2560 x 1440), optionally it can be a touch display with no glossy glass coating. Of course, all matrices are IPS.
In-cell technology is used, in which there is no separate touch layer, but it is built directly into the screen, which allows you to avoid increasing the thickness, and energy efficiency is improved.
The 2560 x 1440 resolution screen is available in two options: standard and HDR. They also differ in brightness, in the first case it is about 300 cd/m2, and in the second - about 500 cd/m2.
Both screen options are very good, FullHD and WQHD, and, according to the results of measurements that can be found on the Internet, the first has a color gamut of 129% sRGB, and the second - as much as 199% sRGB, which is an excellent result. 100% AdobeRGB coverage is also claimed.
As a result, all screens are very good, especially the HDR option.
Drives
Everything is simple here. The dimensions of the case leave no other options but to use an SSD drive. Depending on the modification, this can be either a SATA SSD or a drive using the PCIe interface. The latter option is preferable, since the laptop promises high performance, and the corresponding high-speed drive will be very useful.
As a rule, Samsung 960 Pro drives are installed, although it is possible that, depending on the modification and the country where the laptop is sold, other SSD models may be used.
In this case, the Samsung drive showed impressive operating speed, which, however, is quite expected.
Communication capabilities
Although the case is quite thin, the manufacturer managed to preserve even full-size USB connectors, in combination with compact Type-C, of which there are two, and one of them is also used to connect the power supply.
The location of the hot air exhaust grille may be somewhat confusing. It is located on the right side, which may not be very convenient for those who prefer to use a mouse when working.
Cooling system and noise
I must say that in terms of acoustic comfort the laptop is very good. The fan is noisy under load, but within acceptable limits. At the same time, the cooling system monitors the temperature regime, although this does not prevent throttling.
Performance
The most interesting thing is to find out the performance of the laptop, especially with the top i7-8650U. And this is where interesting results emerge. Tests were conducted by hothardware.com.
First testing in Geekbench. If the Dell XPS 13 with i7-8550U is expectedly faster than the i5, then the i7-8650U unexpectedly ended up behind, even slightly, but lost to the younger i5.
In single-threaded mode, the result is logical, the processors are lined up in accordance with their hierarchy, but when all cores are involved, everything is different.
In the Cinebench R15 benchmark, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G6 could not beat the i7-8550U installed in the new generation of the Dell XPS 13 laptop. Although it showed very close results. At the same time, it was noticed that with the “Balanced” mode settings in Windows, the processor noticeably overheated and throttled.
If you allow the fan to run faster, throttling decreases, although the noise, if at all, increases, then only slightly.
The next set of tests is PCMark.
And again, there is no benefit from a top-end processor.
Comparing the performance of the video core is not so interesting, since AMD Vega video cards are significantly faster, and the speed of the UHD 620 depends little on the processor, showing very similar results.
Conclusion. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G6 (2018), review of a top-end laptop
The laptop is clearly good. First of all, and this is striking in the literal and figurative sense, it has an excellent screen. The WQHD HDR version is especially impressive. Image quality should be compared with OLED panels rather than more traditional matrices. The only thing you need to remember is that a screen with a resolution of 2560 x 1440 in the HDR version cannot be touchscreen. If you absolutely want to poke your finger at the screen, then you will have to make do with standard WQHD.
High-quality case, excellent keyboard, slightly noisy cooling system, high drive speed. And there seems to be no complaints about the performance of 8th generation Intel processors.
And here the question arises. I may be wrong, but it seems that the 8th generation U-processors are too good to be installed in such compact laptops. In the sense that they are very productive, but at the same time they could potentially be faster, but are limited by the capabilities of the laptop’s cooling systems and the 15-watt TDP limit.
It is characteristic that in the case of single-threaded operation, the dependence of performance is proportional to the hierarchy of processors. The higher the frequency, the faster the work. The problem occurs when all cores are used. Here the maximum frequency is quickly reached, and heating occurs quickly, which forces the frequency to be reduced in order not only to keep the temperature within acceptable limits, but also not to “fall” beyond the 15-watt power consumption limit.
This leads to the expected problem - the more compact the laptop case, the more difficult it is to cope with heating. In fact, this is what happens. Cooling a hotter “stone” is more difficult, and sometimes this leads to the fact that the i5-8250U is sometimes even faster than its older brothers.
And the i7-8650U does not show the results that it could, in no way outperforming the i7-8550U. This raises the question, why is it needed then, what is the point of overpaying for an older CPU model if the same results can be achieved using younger processor models.
Returning to the laptop itself, I will say: this is an excellent business model, top-end both in appearance and in price. Its sales have not yet begun in Russia, but prices abroad range from about $1,500 for a basic model with an i5-8250U, 8 GB of memory, a FullHD screen and a 512 GB SSD. The top version with an i7-8650U, 16 GB of memory, a terabyte SSD and a gorgeous HDR screen exceeds $2,500. Expensive? But expected...
