Disclosure: I received this device as a member of the Lenovo INsiders' program. All opinion are my own.
Configuration reviewed: Intel Core i7-8560U, FHD w/ multi-touch, 15GB memory, 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD
Configuration reviewed: Intel Core i7-8560U, FHD w/ multi-touch, 15GB memory, 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the business suit of laptops. Take it out of a laptop bag and everyone knows you're ready for business. But what lies under the suit?
Design & Build
The X1 Carbon has a refined look, while keeping the classic ThinkPad DNA. The ThinkPad logo is blacked out, and there is modern X1 logo on the bottom right of the panel. This year, there is also a dark silver option in addition to the classic ThinkPad black. Personally, I prefer the black, but to each their own.
As with all ThinkPads, the build quality on the X1 Carbon is phenomenal. It has an extremely stiff chassis with very little display and keyboard flex. It feels more like a piece of equipment than just a laptop, and that's no surprise considering the Mil-Spec qualifications (meaning it has passed durability tests including extreme temperatures, shocks, and vibrations). It has a soft-touch lid and deck, which is a joy resting my wrists on when I'm typing.
Even though the X1 Carbon packs a 14 inch display, it achieves the same footprint of a 13.3 inch laptop due to its thin bezels. It's also incredibly light, at a mere two and a half pounds (1.13 kg).
Even though the X1 Carbon packs a 14 inch display, it achieves the same footprint of a 13.3 inch laptop due to its thin bezels. It's also incredibly light, at a mere two and a half pounds (1.13 kg).
Despite how thin and light the X1 Carbon is, it manages to pack a slew of ports.
These ports include a Kensington lock slot, a headphone/microphone jack, two USB 3.1 Gen 1 (with one being always-on for charging), two USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2 / Thunderbolt 3 (with Power Delivery and DisplayPort), HDMI, and an Ethernet extension port. The side docking connector holds the Ethernet extension port and a USB-C port.
There is also a slot located on the top of the laptop that houses the nano-SIM slot on WWAN models, as well as a MicroSD card reader.
There is also a slot located on the top of the laptop that houses the nano-SIM slot on WWAN models, as well as a MicroSD card reader.
Security
This is a ThinkPad after all, and security is on the top of the list for any business user. The X1 Carbon has a discrete TPM (which is a microcontroller that store encryption keys, passwords, and digital certifications). With the Intel Core i7-8650U option (which my review unit is fitted with), you'll also get Intel vPro manageability.
Models with the non-HDR WQHD display will support Windows Hello facial recognition with the IR camera. Other models (such as my FHD multi-touch, the FHD non-touch, and HDR WQHD) will have a 720p webcam with a ThinkShutter privacy switch. When the privacy switch is toggled, it also disables the camera on the Camera app. The webcam is only 720p, which means it's not as detailed as 1080p, but the camera should suffice for video conferences and the like.
Models with the non-HDR WQHD display will support Windows Hello facial recognition with the IR camera. Other models (such as my FHD multi-touch, the FHD non-touch, and HDR WQHD) will have a 720p webcam with a ThinkShutter privacy switch. When the privacy switch is toggled, it also disables the camera on the Camera app. The webcam is only 720p, which means it's not as detailed as 1080p, but the camera should suffice for video conferences and the like.
For the models without Windows Hello facial recognition support, there is a built in fingerprint reader on all X1 Carbon variants. This is a match on chip fingerprint reader with anti-spoofing technology, meaning that the storage and verification of your fingerprint is done all on the same chip as the reader itself.
TrackPad, TrackPoint, and Keyboard
The X1 Carbon has the classic TrackPoint we expect from the ThinkPad line, and I still love it. Many people don't know the purpose of the TrackPoint, but for me, it's much easier to type, scroll, and move my cursor with the TrackPoint being in the center of the keyboard. I don't have to move my entire hand down to the trackpad and then move it back up to type. Speaking of the trackpad, it uses Windows Precision drivers, which result in accurate tracking and good palm recognition. It has a very nice soft touch finish that doesn't attract fingerprints easily.
Now the keyboard... Oh, the keyboard.
The keyboard on ThinkPads are by far my favorite on any laptop - and I might even say it matches up to my Logitech G710 mechanical keyboard. With 1.8mm of travel and excellent tactile feedback, the keys feels great for long writing sessions (such as this review). I'm able to achieve 123 words per minute on TypeRacer. This is similar to the results I get on my mechanical keyboard and my X1 Yoga, and easily beats the peak wpm count I can get out of my Yoga 910.
The keyboard on ThinkPads are by far my favorite on any laptop - and I might even say it matches up to my Logitech G710 mechanical keyboard. With 1.8mm of travel and excellent tactile feedback, the keys feels great for long writing sessions (such as this review). I'm able to achieve 123 words per minute on TypeRacer. This is similar to the results I get on my mechanical keyboard and my X1 Yoga, and easily beats the peak wpm count I can get out of my Yoga 910.
Battery
With that amazing keyboard, you'll want to type all day on it, which is not a problem with the X1 Carbon's battery. I have the FHD display variant of the X1 Carbon, which means even more battery life compared to the WQHD display options. I'm able to get through more than two days on a single charge with light to moderate usage which include web browsing, video streaming, and of course typing.
When you do run out of juice, the 65W Rapid Charger will give you up to 80% of charge in one hour.
When you do run out of juice, the 65W Rapid Charger will give you up to 80% of charge in one hour.
Performance & Cooling
My review unit has a Intel Core i7-8560U processor, 16GB of soldered memory, and a 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD. It was able to handle everything I through at it, with no thermal throttling or hiccups. My tasks include basic web browsing, coding, video streaming, and video editing. I did try Dirt 3, and it handled it comfortably. The X1 Carbon is by no means a gaming laptop, but it should be able to handle low-end titles. Because of the two Thunderbolt 3 ports, you can purchase an external GPU and connect it for gaming.
My 16GB of memory was more than enough for my umpteen number of Chrome tabs, and the NVMe SSD is very fast, from loading up applications, transfering files, to booting the operating system.
The SSD is user-upgradable, but the memory is not.
My 16GB of memory was more than enough for my umpteen number of Chrome tabs, and the NVMe SSD is very fast, from loading up applications, transfering files, to booting the operating system.
The SSD is user-upgradable, but the memory is not.
Display
My X1 Carbon has a 1920 x 1080 with touch. The colors on this display is very vibrant, and they stay vibrant while looking at the display at an angle.
This is a touchscreen panel, but you wouldn't expect that by just looking at it. Instead of a glossy glass digitizer, Lenovo used in-cell touch technology, which allows the touch digitizer on the same layer as the panel itself. This means that the display itself isn't affected by glare since the display itself has a matte anti-glare finish. At 300 nits, the X1 Carbon gets bright enough to see in bright situations, but it is not the brightest display on the market.
This is a touchscreen panel, but you wouldn't expect that by just looking at it. Instead of a glossy glass digitizer, Lenovo used in-cell touch technology, which allows the touch digitizer on the same layer as the panel itself. This means that the display itself isn't affected by glare since the display itself has a matte anti-glare finish. At 300 nits, the X1 Carbon gets bright enough to see in bright situations, but it is not the brightest display on the market.
 Minimum brightness |  50% brightness |  Maximum brightness |
For that, you'll want the HDR WQHD display with a whooping 500 nits of peak brightness. I personally haven't seen this display in person yet, but other reviewers have rated it in very high regard,
Speakers & Microphones
The speaker quality on the X1 Carbon are good, but not great. The speakers itself are pointed downwards, as they are located on the bottom case of the laptop. It gets loud enough to fill a small room, but doesn't have the bass to make songs sound good. The speakers are crisp and clear when playing back voices, which make it decent for video calls or podcasts.
The X1 Carbon 7th generation has a brand new speaker system with the speakers pointing up (they are located above the keyboard). While I haven't heard them myself, other reviewers have said that it is substantially better than the 6th gen X1 Carbon that I have today.
The X1 Carbon 7th generation has a brand new speaker system with the speakers pointing up (they are located above the keyboard). While I haven't heard them myself, other reviewers have said that it is substantially better than the 6th gen X1 Carbon that I have today.
There are a pair of far-field microphones on the X1 Carbon, which gives it excellent ability to pick up your voice, especially for Cortana support. Standing about 10 feet away from my laptop, it easily understood what I said to it without hesitation.
Odds & Ends
With the latest 7th generation X1 Carbon out in the wild, you'll see more discount on the 6th gen X1 Carbon. This is an amazing laptop that excels at everything an ultraportable should be good at - battery life, portability, usability, and of course the keyboard. As a student, that keyboard is what sets the ThinkPad X1 Carbon apart from any other non-ThinkPad laptop out there. It's near impossible to find a very good keyboard on a thin and light, but getting an excellent keyboard on a thin and light is a godsend for someone like me (who types a lot).
There are a ton of useful features that business professional will enjoy, as well as general users.
Unless you're a heavy content creator or consumer, I would highly recommend the 6th generation X1 Carbon as it offers superb performance in every way. If you are in the market for something with better speakers, I would highly recommend taking a look at the latest 7th generation X1 Carbon with the upgraded Dolby speaker system.
Check out the X1 Carbon (6th gen) here!
Check out the X1 Carbon (7th gen) here!
There are a ton of useful features that business professional will enjoy, as well as general users.
Unless you're a heavy content creator or consumer, I would highly recommend the 6th generation X1 Carbon as it offers superb performance in every way. If you are in the market for something with better speakers, I would highly recommend taking a look at the latest 7th generation X1 Carbon with the upgraded Dolby speaker system.
Check out the X1 Carbon (6th gen) here!
Check out the X1 Carbon (7th gen) here!
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