My experience of using the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (2nd Generation)

If you look at your doctor's office, you might come across a Lenovo ThinkPad monitor. Or that in some office, here and there, you see a characteristic red dot in the middle of a laptop keyboard. It's from a Lenovo ThinkPad, no doubt. And it's not for nothing. The professional range of this company stands out for its performance, and the X1 Extreme laptop is just one more sample. Now I have been able to test its second generation. A big but thin and light laptop with power for whatever you throw at it. And when I say everything is everything. This is what I have come to clear after laying my hands on him for a few days .

Rubberized carbon fiber finish

Since I have made the spoiler about the power of this Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme , I take the license to start with one of those details that are very liked although they seem of little importance. At least for me. And it is the finish of this laptop. The material, the texture and the sensations it offers right out of the box.

All of it is covered in a rubbery textured material that has trapped me. Forget the metal or plastic you know from other laptops. In this case, with a modern design and almost focused on carbon fiber gaming, the sensation is of a resistant, different and non-slip object. In addition, during the first days of use it has stood out for avoiding getting too dirty. Although in the end the fingerprints are well reflected wherever you touch it. So you better have a rag handy.

The good thing is that it is a 15-inch screen laptop with a body that barely weighs 1.7 kilos . Its thickest part is 18.4 millimeters, and it is completed by measurements of 361.8 mm x 245.7 mm. It is not the lightest and tightest 15-inch laptop on the market, but its finish and power set it apart from other similar products.

Also, don't let this rubbery feel mislead you: it ventilates really well . Giving you good wax with full-throttle games or video editing tasks your fans get up and running fast. And yes, it is quite loud. But it is also very cool. After hours of play or work, only a small region on the back of the laptop feels hot. Nothing that is in contact with the user.

So I keep its tactile sensation, the portability of its design and weight, and the modern lines of the finish. Elements like the ThinkPad brand seem to break this scheme with a more retro touch, but the X1 sign in red, the carbon fiber carving and the LED lighting (on the outside label and the keyboard) give it a touch that goes further. of the merely professional.

Ultra performance

But let's get to the really interesting thing. Is a price of more than 2,000 euros and your professional fame justified? Well, I already told you that playing, working and doing any task with this Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (second generation) is possible. In fact, I am left with the feeling of not having gotten the best out of it . But I am nothing more than a tech journalist with a passion for video games, not a stockbroker or data scientist who needs up to four screens full of data. But yes, whatever it is, this Lenovo does not mess up.

I have used it for several days as a day to day work computer. That is, to edit all kinds of text documents, keep countless tabs of the Google Chrome browser open and take advantage of its graphic qualities to retouch photos in Photoshop and edit 4K videos in Adobe Premiere. And without complaint .

Of course, the tension has come with the video game issue. Of course running Fortnite is not a job for this laptop. And games with various elements like the 2018 title Jurassic World Evolution aren't a problem either. Although its automatic settings do not put everything on high, I have verified that the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 MaxQ (with 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM memory) can handle it without stopping. Even with more animated titles like Monster Hunter 3, everything runs smoothly. It sets its fans in motion, as you would expect, but it doesn't mess up. And the same is true when moving video clips in 4K resolution with Premiere. Everything works like a high-performance desktop computer in an office, but with the caveat that you can take it anywhere in one hand.

The fault of all this is the 9th generation Intel Core i7 processor that it includes. But even more so, its 32 GB of RAM . Something that can only be solvent with a sovereign amount of GB. It is normal, then, that basic tasks such as moving documents become a breather. But also that you launch games, programs and even enjoy Virtual Reality without stopping. In the case of the storage of this ThinkPad X1 Extreme laptop that I have had in my hands, the volume was 1 TB, and with its SSD format it has only shown that it is agile for any task. There is no complaint here.

Do not forget that it is a professional cut laptop. In other words, it offers all the performance you can have on your office computer, but wherever you take it . Of course in the days that I have been able to pottery with him it has worked as expected. Always agile and fresh with the most demanding tasks. If you are a professional designer, analyst, video editor, or you move with a lot of graphics, data and you use external monitors (in plural), this Lenovo is what you are looking for.

4K display with HDR400

They make it difficult for a server to think about working when they are planted in front of a computer capable of moving games in Ultra graphics mode, at full configuration, and above with a 15.6-inch 4K screen . But yes, this Lenovo is made to work. And its screen, although it provides leisure activities such as video games and even movies, has its attention on graphic design, with the calibration of its colors. And also for working long hours, since all its models come with anti-reflective finishes that avoid visual fatigue as much as possible.

In my experience with the screen of this second generation Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme I can only say that it is more than correct. With 4K resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels and its IPS technology I have enjoyed games, movies and various Photoshop works. The colors are clear and the images are very sharp and with great contrast. Of course, this panel has HDR400, and it is something that stands out.

Another point that I especially liked is the shine. It can display images up to 500 nits , which even help improve that sense of image quality. And even better if we take into account that we can work anywhere without reflections with it. I assume that the OLED panel (not available in Spain) of the most advanced model does achieve that “wow” effect with the images. But to work and not get tired with your eyes, this screen is more than valid.

The only but that can be removed from this panel comes, precisely, from outside the panel. And it is not the computer that best takes advantage of the screen frames in their minimum expression. They are not too big either, but little by little the manufacturers are accustoming us to a better use of the surface. Something that would subtract millimeters from this laptop in its volume.

Glance and other work tools

When you open the lid of this laptop it is difficult not to notice the two eyes that look at you right at the top. There is a webcam, yes, but there is also an infrared camera right next to it, somewhat larger in size. And for what? Well, to respond to the problem of multiple connected monitors that many professionals face. In other words, it has the Glance system to carry the pointer and the contents of one monitor to another just by guiding itself by the direction of your eyes. It is not that you are going to move around the computer like Charles Xavier, using the power of your mind, but it can save you time if you have everything distributed in different panels.

Data engineers and other workers who need multiple windows with different real-time data know what I mean. You are going to change the menu of one of your programs, or you want to take a file from one desktop to another and you have to face going all that distance with the mouse. Well, if you have Glance active you just have to direct your eyes to the monitor in question so that the pointer appears there and what it takes with it. Although it also has other uses such as being aware of your attention and blocking every time you look away from the screen of this Lenovo . The result will be a safe experience for no one but you to gossip at your window.

I have tried it on my meats and it is terribly sensitive. An icon shows that it is seeing where you are looking. And it tastes great when you stop having your eyes on the screen. So I have been forced to disable it to avoid unlocking Windows every two to three. I said, it is a computer to work.

For publishing and design professionals, Lenovo introduces the Lenovo Display Optimizer tool as standard . With it you can establish the color scheme with which to work, whether you are a photographer, you are going to read on the screen, you are a film professional or you simply want to adjust it to your liking. Or to taste some compatible color program, from which you can extract the settings to adjust everything on the screen.

Nor have they forgotten the characteristic joystick or keyboard mouse of the ThinkPad range , from controlling the pointer with the tip of the finger. But not by moving it by the trackpad, but by tilting it. And a third physical mouse button, just above the aforementioned trackpad to have everything at hand.

By the way, in terms of security, this laptop has a fingerprint reader and a simple but effective physical plate to cover the webcam. So it is compatible with Windows Hello, Cortana, and everything you might need from Windows for the normal and safe performance of your documents and files. Here my only downside comes from the hand of the reader, who more than once has forced me to repeat the action of planting my finger on it, but it is agile as soon as it has read me correctly.

Fast charging and all connections

Whether to transfer files, stream or play online, this Lenovo has shown me the advantages of WiFi 6 connectivity . A standard that is already reaching the market and that could not be missed in a professional laptop like this.

Besides, it has two USB 3.1 ports, one of them always active to transmit power to your connected devices. But more interesting is to have two Thunderbolt 3 , with which to transfer data as fast as to use external graphics cards, bring the 4K image to other monitors without delay or connect all kinds of professional devices. Not missing the HDMI 2.0 port, the microSD card reader and, in addition, a smart card reader. In case you have to sign. By the way, its Bluetooth is 5.0, but surely by now you had already imagined it.

Finally, I can talk about the battery. Another surprise within this team. Lenovo says that you can take advantage of it until you get an autonomy of almost 14 hours . In my days of use I have alternated the cable with the battery, but if you use editing tools and programs that go beyond the Internet browser and Word, I can assure you that the autonomy is much reduced. Of course, it also depends on other factors such as connectivity, brightness and screen resolution ... Of course, it is clear to you that the battery is up to the level of this laptop, and that if you need to work on a trip you can do it.

But I most liked its fast charge, which is precisely what makes me forget the issue of autonomy. Its 135W charger gives you 80% autonomy with just one hour of charging. That is, if you charge it for just a few minutes, you have hours of life without cable. And that precisely has meant that, during these days, I got to move without the cable between the office and home. A few minutes of charging here, and enough to work a few hours there . As I say, without getting the most out of it. My games of video games have pulled the cable.

Conclusions

I have no doubt that the leap from this generation of Lenovo X1 Extreme is noticeable. Better processor, more memory and the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics make it possible with everything you throw at it, whatever the professional sector you come from. It is not a gaming computer, let's be clear, but neither should we put aside the virtues of leisure aside with a 15-inch anti-reflective screen and 4K resolution with HDR400 contrast enhancement. And its Dolby Atmos sound.

Its design has been very attractive to me thanks to the touch of the chosen material and the finish with the carbon fiber pattern. But it is true that after several days it is easy to see this black man dirty with some fat. Even so, the finish is resistant and non-slip. But best of all, the device only weighs 1.7 kilos, despite its size.

I just miss a more responsive keyboard . It is comfortable and very wide, but in my experience it skipped some of the letters unless I wrote forcefully. Almost as if he were a pianist.

Very well, by the way, this just introducing bloatware, and yes, useful professional tools like Glance or the color scheme program. From here each professional installs their programs and works.

Without a doubt, a laptop with a good design and a lot of power to take into account. I have tried the most powerful of the available versions, with a price of 2,970 euros and plenty of fluency and RAM. But there are cheaper options of 2,300 and 1,920 euros that can compete head to head with other much more expensive professional computers, with less screen and a dubious solvency against the second-generation X1 Extreme.