Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 1

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 1

With a trendy, modern design and powerful performance from its CPU and GPU, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 1 is aimed at multimedia professionals who need to travel frequently but require a machine with excellent keyboard quality.

A new breeze in high-performance Ultrabooks

Under pressure from its competitor, the premium XPS line, Lenovo has introduced its first high-performance Ultrabook capable of serving the multimedia industry. The machine maintains a traditional black color with sharp edges. It utilizes a magnesium alloy for the lid and chassis to enhance durability and significantly reduce weight; additionally, the manufacturer uses an aluminum alloy for the base to improve heat dissipation and provide absolute stability. The machine is also coated with a carbon fiber layer to create a sleek look and maximize durability when used in various harsh environments.

The lid features the familiar X1 branding, which previously appeared on the X1 Carbon Gen 6 and Gen 7. The bezels are thin and modern. The ThinkShutter slider is neatly placed on the top bezel, making it easy to cover the camera. Also, as a high-performance Ultrabook, the machine is designed with a unibody hinge design to maximize heat dissipation.

Optimized display experience

The first-generation ThinkPad P1 is equipped with a standard Full HD IPS screen, featuring 92% sRGB and 61% AdobeRGB color gamut with average brightness of around 300 nits. With such high color coverage, this screen is suitable for graphic designers or those performing professional photo editing tasks.

Additionally, the machine offers two other options: 4K and 4K Touch, providing realistic colors for professional design work. However, a Full HD IPS screen is likely sufficient for most work needs.

Comprehensive performance

The machine uses the high-performance 8th Gen Intel Coffee Lake CPU series, allowing users to run heavy programs such as rendering long 4K videos or running heavy emulators, especially when equipped with the Core i9 8950HK option.

The graphics system is also categorized to suit work needs, with a base option of Intel UHD 630. Additionally, the machine offers a GTX 1050Ti graphics card option, providing excellent graphics processing capabilities.

Optimized connectivity for peripherals

The machine features 2 USB Type A 3.1 Gen 1 ports on the right side, 2 USB Type C 3.1 Gen 2 ports with Thunderbolt 3 integration, a traditional SD card slot, 1 HDMI 2.0 port, 1 Mini RJ-45 port, and 1 3.5mm headphone jack. With this number of ports, users no longer need to worry when connecting other devices like external mice and keyboards.

Keyboard and Touchpad

The keyboard has a 2.2mm travel distance, reasonable key spacing, and curved keycaps that fit the fingertips, providing comfort during long typing sessions. This is perhaps one of the best keyboards on an Ultrabook today.

The touchpad is large with a glass surface but includes a soft matte layer that provides a great tactile feel. It features low latency and sensitive multi-touch gestures thanks to the Windows Precision Driver. The left and right click buttons offer good tactile feedback and quick response.

The Trackpoint still provides absolute precision. The auxiliary mouse button cluster is sensitive, with clear tactile points and feedback.

Security capabilities

The X1 Extreme Gen 1 is equipped with a 3-layer fingerprint sensor near the arrow key cluster, with a dTPM 2.0 chip embedded directly into the BIOS for setting up hard drive passwords and boot passwords. Additionally, the machine is equipped with the familiar ThinkShutter to prevent third-party intrusion. Furthermore, the machine features Windows Hello facial recognition with two highly sensitive infrared sensors.

Can the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme claim the throne of high-performance Ultrabooks?

With a completely new design and powerful performance in an Ultrabook form factor, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is truly a highly worthwhile Ultrabook, perfect for those who love thinness and high mobility, especially those who enjoy the typing experience on a ThinkPad.