Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8

As a premium Ultrabook with great battery life and stable performance, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 is an extremely suitable Ultrabook for business professionals who often have to work for long periods. In particular, with its lightweight design and perfectly sized 14-inch screen, this will be the ideal laptop for those who frequently travel and work on the go.

Design – Slim and Light yet Incredibly Sturdy

At first glance, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 looks similar to the X1 Carbon Gen 7, but Lenovo always knows how to create a difference within familiar designs. In this year’s version, Lenovo has skillfully moved the “X1” logo to the right side of the ThinkPad text on the lid. The American laptop manufacturer also no longer uses the familiar matte coating for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8, replacing it with a smooth carbon fiber finish. This is one of the key elements that makes this year’s design stand out.

While the exterior has changed, the interior maintains the same layout as the X1 Carbon Gen 7. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 still uses the flexible yet sturdy dual-hinge system like its predecessors. Beside it is a speaker array that provides a vivid audio experience for users. The screen bezels remain a highlight of the X1 Carbon series, always featuring sophisticated, slimmed-down edges.

Meticulously Invested Display

Just like its predecessor, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 is equipped with a Full HD screen as the base option. Notably, Lenovo has provided a slight upgrade to this display by increasing the brightness to 400 nits. This is a significant improvement for those who often work outdoors. The screen has good color coverage, with 95% sRGB and 61% AdobeRGB. This level of coverage is sufficient for photo editing and daily tasks. The Full HD resolution also comes with two other display options: a low-power consumption version and a version with privacy screen technology.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 also offers 2K and 4K HDR display options using Dolby Vision technology, similar to the Gen 7 version, providing a better experience with more realistic colors. However, for business professionals who travel frequently, a Full HD screen with optimized power-saving capabilities might be more than enough.

Keyboard and Touchpad – World-Class Laptop Experience

The keyboard on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 features a design similar to its predecessor. The key travel is shallower at only 1.5mm, but this does not affect the typing experience. And like the 2020 ThinkPad lineup, Lenovo has also equipped this X1 Carbon Gen 8 with dedicated function keys for communication. If you are a long-time laptop user, you have surely heard about the typing feel of this keyboard. With deep travel combined with the characteristic tactile feedback that only ThinkPad offers, the keyboard experience of ThinkPads in general, and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 specifically, is arguably the best on a laptop at this time.

The touchpad is moderately sized with a smooth glass surface that provides a fluid, seamless gliding sensation and is resistant to fingerprints. As always, the ThinkPad touchpad is equipped with Windows Precision Drivers, offering precise and responsive control for every gesture. The two side buttons provide good feedback.
The Trackpoint still offers precise, ergonomic movement. An improvement over the Gen 7 is the physical button system. The Gen 8 version has raised these buttons slightly, creating a more stable and accurate clicking sensation.

Stable Performance

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 utilizes the 10th Gen Comet Lake CPU series, with options ranging from Core i5 10210U to Core i7 10610U. By using this CPU lineup, the X1 Carbon Gen 8 promises superior performance compared to other competitors. Through Cinebench R20 software, this machine delivers impressive results, with both the i5 and i7 options scoring over 1000. With these results, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 can smoothly edit 4K videos or run heavy emulation tasks.

The machine comes with two RAM options: 8GB and 16GB, though for office work, 8GB is likely sufficient. Lenovo has not yet announced specific plans to include the i7 10810U with 6 cores and 12 threads, but the company may release this configuration soon.

Connectivity and Battery Life

As a premium business laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 is equipped with a full range of connectivity ports. The device features 2 USB Type-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports on both sides, 2 USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 support, 1 HDMI 1.4b port, and 1 3.5mm headphone jack. It is quite surprising that such a thin and light machine is equipped with such a complete set of ports.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 continues to use the 51Wh battery found in the Gen 7 version. However, battery life has been significantly improved in this version. Instead of lasting only 8 hours like the previous generation, the X1 Carbon Gen 8 can last up to 12 hours, allowing users to work comfortably for long periods.

Audio System and Security Features

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 is still equipped with 4 speakers, including 2 main 2W speakers located at the bottom and 2 auxiliary 0.8W speakers on the two sides of the hinge. The sound is loud, authentic, and clear, combined with Dolby Atmos Premium technology to provide an immersive audio experience with 7.1 surround sound simulation.

The device is equipped with a one-touch fingerprint sensor featuring 3-layer fingerprint security. A dTPM 2.0 chip is embedded to allow for password settings for the BIOS, hard drive, and startup. The machine also features the ThinkShutter slider to prevent unauthorized visual access. Additionally, there is an option for Windows Hello facial recognition or a privacy screen with PrivacyGuard technology to maximize security.

Is the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 the right choice for you?

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 does not possess an aluminum chassis with sharp CNC-cut lines like the Dell XPS 13 9300. Clearly, this machine is not aimed at users who prioritize aesthetics alone. However, for those who need a timeless, durable Ultrabook paired with masculine lines that exude the aura of a true professional, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 is an unbeatable choice. Combined with absolute performance stability over long periods, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 is certainly a choice you must keep an eye on in the premium Ultrabook segment!