The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is all business professional

This is the 11th generation of the X1 Carbon, which means Lenovo has continued to get this one right. It continues to embody the core of what portability, power, and reliability are all about. The latest version (Gen 11) still houses an aerospace-grade carbon fiber aluminum build, making the laptop more durable for day-to-day business travel. Let’s jump into the specs, and then we’ll talk about our testing and help you decide if the Thinkpad X1 Carbon can get the business done for you.

Specifications and Build Quality

Coming in at just 2.48 pounds and 0.60 inches thick, the X1 Carbon might be light and elegant, but it’s certainly not light regarding features. Lenovo refined the keyboard with slightly squared keycaps for a cleaner look and better typing feel. The keyboard deck is topped off with a wider 110mm glass touchpad. Air intake is managed under the keyboard to help maintain thermals, and waterproof seals help keep spill resistance.

The X1 Carbon Gen 11 covers you on all screen variations as well. Whether you need the ultimate resolution for content creation or just everyday office workflow and stretch the battery life, you’re covered; the thin bezels and 16:10 aspect ratio offer more screen real estate to work with.

Display Options:

• 14” WUXGA 16:10 (1920×1200) IPS LP AG (400nit, 100%sRGB, Eyesafe)
• 14” WUXGA 16:10 (1920×1200) IPS LP AG Touch (400nit, 100%sRGB, Eyesafe)
• 14” WUXGA 16:10 (1920×1200) IPS LP AG Touch with Privacy Guard (500nit, 100%sRGB, TUV ePrivacy Cert)
• 14” 2.2K 16:10 (2240×1400) IPS AG (300nit, 100% sRGB)
• 14” 2.8K 16:10 (2880×1800) OLED AGARAS (400nit, 100% DCI-P3, Eyesafe)

Lenovo also took into account the eye strain of a business professional. Many X1 Carbon models offer Eyesafe (seen above), which helps manage blue light without users making the adjustments themselves.

The X1 Carbon doesn’t hold back on communications and media either. It offers a full HD webcam with noise reduction, Dolby Atmos for sound with two upward-firing speakers, matched by two downward-firing speakers. Dolby stays in play with a quad-array, 360-degree set of microphones with dynamic leveling and noise suppression.

The X1 Carbon is both tough and smart. Tough in that it continues its legacy of durability with a 12-point military-grade certification. With “Smart Charging” to help with battery longevity and Rapid Charge, it’s brilliant on the go, getting up to 80 percent charge in just one hour.

The Experience

The Lenovo X1 Carbon was my favorite business-thin and light laptop in 2023. There, I said it. Being the favorite also comes with a cost, starting at $1,349 on the Lenovo website. Built for business tasks, editing websites, taking notes, or doing a quick podcast, it’s gotten the job done. The keyboard is the signature comfort you expect from Lenovo, and the large trackpad is smooth and accurate. It was a joy going from office to home and holiday travels. Light in the backpack at just 2.8 lbs, it’s hard even to know it’s there.

Is this the laptop for editing video? No, but given that there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports, attaching an EGPU could help you. Are there any complaints? I wish there were Thunderbolt 4 ports on both sides of the laptop; sometimes, your outlet isn’t on the left side. The battery life is good, assuming you’re not on full-screen brightness and keeping to basic office tasks. I could get 7-8 hours comfortably.

The X1 Carbon isn’t a laptop you’ll walk into your local retailer and purchase; it’s an online purchase for most people. Until you hold it in your hand and put it through your daily workflow, or like me, but it through an extended use period, it’s hard to appreciate what a gem this lineup is.