Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2015) Review

Laptop Reviews - The ThinkPad X1 Carbon, now in its third generation, tries to bridge the gap between slim, fashion-first laptops and solid business machines. Laptops over the years have become worse and worse in terms of features and comfort, largely because of a push to become as thin and light as possible. Even business-focused laptops, such as Lenovo's ThinkPads, have somewhat succumbed to this trend. The tradeoffs have been a reduction in upgradeability, fewer ports, worse keyboards and trackpads, and shorter lifespans - all things that casual users don't necessarily mind, but are alarming to those whose lives depend on their work machines.

Lenovo knows that style is important, and the X1 Carbon line attempts to bring that sort of appeal into a brand otherwise known to be frumpy and serious above all else. It's all about being slim and light while still offering cutting-edge technology and class-leading comfort. It's a hard balance to achieve, and with a legion of long-term fans, Lenovo doesn't have quite the same amount of leeway as others do when it comes to features and cutting corners.

The 2015 ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a valiant attempt at achieving that balance, and while it is undoubtedly a ThinkPad, it's actually quite modern and stylish. It carries forward many of the hallmarks of its lineage, such as sturdy metal hinges, a black matte exterior, and even the 45-degree ThinkPad logo in metal with a red LED dotting the i. It also pulls back a lot by discarding radical changes made to its predecessor, which caused a huge outcry amongst brand loyalists. The modern touches this time are limited to tech features, such as a big, high-resolution screen, plenty of wired and wireless connectivity, and the latest high-end internals. We're eager to see how things play out for the new ThinkPad X1 Carbon, and whether Lenovo can keep everyone happy.

Verdict
As far as business use cases go, there's a lot to like about the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon - if you have a bottomless expense account, that is. In fact, there's a lot to like for pretty much any consumer use case as well, and anyone who can afford such an indulgence should give this one serious consideration. Sure, it isn't the most stylish or the slimmest and lightest laptop around, but manufacturers seem to be forgetting that the primary reason for having a laptop in the first place is to get things done.The most obvious competitors are the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display models, which both offer equal or better specs in better-looking bodies for quite a bit less money.

On that note, ThinkPads exist for a reason and Lenovo has somewhat successfully managed to pick and choose consumer-friendly "features" that don't make it more difficult to get work done. The 2015 X1 Carbon is a vast improvement over its predecessor in this regard, but more can still be done and we hope Lenovo takes that up as a challenge.

There's no doubt that this is an outrageously expensive device, and for most people, it won't work out to adequate value for money. If you're a demanding creative professional who can really make use of the phenomenal screen but don't specifically need graphics power or a massive battery, this is the laptop you'll want to work and travel with every day.