Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet (2017) review: Competition pushes this competent tablet down - scottbouleareire

Mark Hachman / IDG

At a Glance

Skilful's Rating

Pros

• Generally solid construction with some smart design touches
• Fold-downfield kickstand makes for a comfortable lap feel for
• Fingerprint reader adds Windows Hello capabilities

Cons

• Ordinary performance
• At fourth estate time, on the pricy side
• Expansion modules monetary value extra

Our Verdict

Lenovo's second-generation ThinkPad X1 Tablet is a solidly configured, if somewhat expensive, 2-in-1 tablet that's sure to satisfy traditional ThinkPad fans.

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Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Tablet (2017) does little to differentiate itself from the company's first-generation X1 Tablet, and we'Re generally okay therewith. Lenovo kept what we liked most—the comfy kickstand, fingerprint reader, and modular accessories—but upgraded the new 12-column inch ThinkPad X1 Tablet with an Intel Kaby Lake potato chip to bring it succeeding with the contention.

The ThinkPad stigma is equated with no-gimcrackery business machines, and the X1 Tablet offers a server of utilitarian checkbox items like frontand put up cameras, an SD card slot, and the time-honored TrackPoint nubbin, which should appeal to ThinkPad fans. But those features might not personify enough to hush the ring of emerging, stylish rivals like the Samsung Extragalactic nebula Book, which offers better barrage life, and at a lour price. Let's beryllium clear: The new X1 Pad is a competent cardinal-in-uncomparable. But the competition has built, and for that cause we'Re knocking the second-generation X1 Tablet's score down a half-star from its predecessor.

Mark Hachman / IDG

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet's keyboard is actually a 2d-generation model, though you'll take over to look closely to notice the changes.

Modest specs, but solid workmanship

Lenovo's second-contemporaries X1 Lozenge maintains the same black bento-box tasteful

that ThinkPads are known for. Compared to its predecessor, it's almost imperceptibly thicker at 11.47 x 8.25 x 0.55 inches with the keyboard related to. It weighs 2.38 pounds with the keyboard and 1.66 pounds without. The X1 achieves a nice balance between structural rigidity and maneuverability, allowing you to easily reposition the gimmick, from desktop to lap, order, without it ever opinion clunky operating theater awkward. Overall, Lenovo's build quality seems Eastern Samoa sound atomic number 3 ever.

Inside, little has changed since Lenovo launched its first-generation ThinkPad X1 Tablet ultimate reverberate, save for the inclusion of a new 1.2GHz, Core i5-7Y57 processor—one of the 7th-generation dual-core, four-thread Kaby Lake models. Our review model included 8GB of LPDDR3 memory, and 256GB of PCIe NVMe M.2 storage. It offers Wi-Fi via Intel's Wireless-AC 8265 2×2 radio, and Bluetooth 4.1. A pair of cameras (8MP rear, 2MP front) round out the tablet's capabilities.

Mark Hachman / IDG

A rear photographic camera is still a nice feature to have.

It's worth noting a small upgrade remote the X1, however: Though both generations of X1 Tablets use USB-C for charging, Lenovo uninhibited the "surround verruca" plug of its first X1 pro of the two-piece power brick victimised by most laptops. Information technology's now much easier to fit into a office strip.

While USB-C is utilised for power delivery to the 36 watt-hour battery, elaboration comes via a single USB 3.0 port, too as a Mini DisplayPort connector for an external admonisher. Don't forget about the MiniSD card expansion slot concealing underneath the kickstand, either. For surety, there's both a Kensington lock port also every bit the integrated fingerprint reader to the right side of the pill. If you'd like, WWAN capabilities are purchasable for an extra $220, though we didn't test that feature.

Mark Hachman / IDG

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Pill hides a MicroSD card slot underneath the kickstand. Two screws also offer entry to its innards.

Lenovo includes a 12-inch IPS 10-point touch display with the moderately odd resolution of 2160×1440. The display is pleasingly bright, pumping out 385 nits of luminance in our tests. While it South Korean won't deliver the richness of, say, the OLED screen connected the Samsung Galaxy Book, IT's sufficient.

The starting price for the new X1 Tablet is $1,304; the interlingual rendition Lenovo provided us for review is priced at $1,547.10. That includes the keyboard as well as the ThinkPad Pen Pro.

A decent typewriting experience

Though the Lenovo X1 pad and keyboard are shipped as a unwed unit, Lenovo refers to the keyboard American Samoa the ThinkPad X1 Tablet Gangling Keyboard Gen 2, as opposed to the first-generation keyboard that shipped with the original X1 Tablet.

Though I was unable to perform a side-by-incline compare with the early-gen X1, my impression this time some was of a keyboard that feels slenderly springy and vasiform, like walking down a hallway framed with plywood, not concrete. There's perceptible bend. Lenovo uses the dual charismatic-hinge approach that Microsoft does with its Surface tablets to clench the tablet and keyboard together firmly, eve on the lap.

Mark Hachman / IDG

The kickstand on the Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Pad is still the best: comfortable on the lap, and sturdy.

Typewriting on the new X1's keyboard feels at ease, with average key go by; the key electric resistance, however, was slimly too besotted for my liking. Thither's noticeable backlight bleed from underneath the keyboard, though the uniformity of light surrounding each individual key makes me think this was an aesthetic choice, and not a design flaw. As always, keyboard preference is somewhat subjective, but my boilers suit take is that this is a slight step down from the previous simulate.

Mark Hachman / IDG

The X1 Lozenge at nearly full recline. Lenovo claims that the Opencast-style hinge allows typewriting in three positions, but it's sturdiest when the keyboard is in this position.

In my mind, however, one of the key merchandising points for the new X1 Tablet remains the flock-drink down kickstand. Instead of jabbing your thighs like the kickstands happening most other two-in-ones, the X1 kickstand folds down to create a mostly flat come on that supports the remainder of the device. You May non represent totally satisfied—the chilly metal of the kickstand tail end feel right-down chilly happening bare skin, and the smooth surface may slide on a desktop—just the ThinkPad X1 Tablet provides a stable typing surface, American Samoa long as you don't recline it likewise far. Unlike the Microsoft Surface Pro (2017) and some others, the X1 doesn't sample to go a digital easel for mental object creation. The hinge reclines the tablet comfortably to about 50 to 60 degrees, and that's it.

Mark Hachman / IDG

This shot shows the updated row of function keys as well as a traditional, handy ThinkPad feature: the on-screen battery bore.

Lenovo also reprioritized its function keys, replacement whatever functions (F10 used to be search, and now triggers the Bluetooth settings). Former icons give birth been reworked, like F11 and F12, but still trigger Lenovo's own, comprehensive Lenovo Settings app. Be careful that the bottom row of Lenovo's keyboard puts the Function headstonein front the Command key on the far left-hand side, and not after, a marked difference from all but Microsoft and Logitech keyboards.

The new X1 Tablet also sports Lenovo's iconic TrackPoint, that low cherry-red nubbin that serves as a joystick of sorts. There was a time when the TrackPoint—originally intentional past IBM—was a virtual essential, given the congener timbre of touchpads at the time. While any touchpads still can't quite cut it, that's not the case with the new X1 Lozenge. Lenovo's touchpad is efficient, if a tad finicky at registering clicks, providing a nice smooth airfoil to slide a finger over. Lenovo's three mouse-like buttons on top side of the trackpad are also a legacy feature article, although admittedly, selecting text Lenovo-style—one finger on the button, the other on the trackpad or mouse—is still superior to using the touchpad alone.

Note Hachman / IDG

Both the iconic red TrackPoint and trackbad buttons stay on the ThinkPad X1 Tablet (2017).

The original Thin Keyboard that shipped with the first-gen X1 Tablet provided ii options for attaching the bundled pen: a pen cringle that committed to the keyboard via a slot, and a small plastic holder that jibe into one of the USB slots. On the second-gen model, it appears that the pen loop is now for good basifixed, and the additional USB holder wasn't included with our unit. No matter. The intertwine flops extinct of the right smart when utilised, and holds the pen firmly.

Mark Hachman / IDG

Simple but effectual: The fabric pen loop on the ThinkPad X1 Tablet (2017). A trifle of the backlight bleed from the keyboard is also apparent here.

As for the ThinkPad Indite Pro itself ($35 if sold separately), it provides 2,048 levels of pressure. Though in that respect's no "eraser" as on Microsoft's Surface Pens, the Pen Pro contains both a leftmost- and a right-click button that can be organized A you choose. It's powered by a AAAA battery, standard for tab pens. Draught with IT was issue-free, also accepted.

Although you'Ra probably not purchasing the X1 Pill for features like its sound capabilities, it's worth noting that its speakers sound quite a noneffervescent. Queerly enough,the Dolby Sound technology Lenovo included makes for a pleasurable hearing experience when headphones or earbuds are plugged in.

Mark Hachman / IDG

The fingerprint sensor on the X1 Tablet recognized my finger without fail.

The two cameras on the fresh X1 work well, providing HDR and digital zoom. They're a bit slow to focus, however—typical of tablets—and photos are a little water-washed out. Neither camera is Windows How-do-you-do capable, but the fingerprint reader to the right of the lozenge worked flawlessly equally a Windows Hello authentication device.

Though Lenovo doesn't emphasize the tablet's modularity, the new X1 still supports "feature expansion," the supplement modules that differentiated the first-gen X1 Pill. The first X1 could be expanded via a $150 Productivity module, $300 pico-projector Conferre module, and a $220 3D Imaging module. Now just the first two modules exist. (We previously reviewed those modules, and their performance should remain comparatively unchanged with the second-gen X1 Tab.)

Denounce Hachman / IDG

A small spacer clips off of the X1 Lozenge, allowing an expansion module (not shown) to be installed. Don't lose that spacer!

Each of the modules snaps in betwixt the tablet and the keyboard, though you'll have to remove, set aside (and not lose), a small constructive continue that will toll you $30 if you lose it. Evidently, grease one's palms the mental faculty that suits your needs. I prefer the cheapest, Productivity module "barrel battery," which can add high to five hours of battery life, a bonus that bottom serve you fortunate close to anywhere.

Performance: Rather basic

Reviewers tend to put a somewhat big emphasis connected benchmarks, if only because they're uncomparable of the only prosody free to assess execution. For a device alike the X1 Pad, vindicatory one benchmark matters: the PCMark Work benchmark, which measures basic office tasks. For such chores—think Microsoft Office, Google Docs, Beaver State right base web surfriding—the second-gen X1 Pad's anemic i5 chip suffices. Remember, a web browser like Chrome or Microsoft Edge can eat up system resources like any other app, but organisation memory—non processing power—is more important Hera.

Of course, any tablet will be helped immensely by 8GB of memory, a decent SSD, and a adequate C.P.U.. Lenovo skimped a bit connected the latter, just information technology's not a mete out-breaker. Processors have advanced farthest enough that the second-gen X1 Pill can even provide some light up gambling along the road, provided you break up and choose your lotion.

We compared Lenovo's  X1 Tablet (2017) against many other two-in-one tablets, as well every bit some notebooks. We've besides enclosed central processor speeds and display resolutions, where applicable, so you can better assess competing options.

Again, the most important bench mark is PCMark Work, which measures performance across a range of situatio tasks.

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We've also enclosed the Microcomputer Home and Creative benchmarks, which focus the tablet through image manipulation and light gaming. The numbers say the second-generation X1 is simply middle-of-the-moving—and that's compared to older tablets, so much as the Surface Pro 4 and Surface 3.

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We too test the tablet's ability to render a scene using the Cinebench benchmark by Maxon, which asks for each one core of the CPU to render portion of an project. It's supported along Cinema 3D, a 3D content-creation tool. Patc it's completely fantastic to await the X1 Tablet (2017) to supply a complex 3D scene for movie work, we can usance it to reveal how powerful the tablet is compared to its competitor. It's a popular benchmark for even high-end CPUs. Again, Lenovo's second-gen X1 Tablet is unquestionably ordinary.

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The Handbrake test, using the open ai-generator tool of the same name, measures how well the tablet's mainframe transcodes a top-tier movie claim into a file format that can be viewed on a tablet. Again, the X1's performance falls good below its immediate competition, and into the range of older tablets.

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Play is a factor out, though to a little level. As a bill of potential gameplay, the 3DMark benchmark reveals that you won't be able to play some aft a weeklong day of PowerPoint presentations. Buck up, though—solid, non-qualifier PC games ilk Terraria,Oxenfree, and Microsoft's possessMinecraft are quite playable, and even elder first-person shooters likeSaints Row 4 are (barely)playable at their lowest settings.

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Finally, there's battery life sentence. PCWorld measures this by setting the display's light production to a precise level (proven with a photometer), and so iteration a 4K video until the battery expires. In terms of its overall rankings, Lenovo's new X1 Tablet and its 36.4 watt-hour battery performed better here than in new benchmarks. At 8 hours, 2 minutes, that's barely a typical workday, only most of a long plane flight. Nevertheless, you have umteen other options if this is a major consideration in your two-in-one leverage.

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Conclusion: Consider the competition

As the charts in a higher place demonstrate, the Lenovo X1 Tablet (2017) is an average cardinal-in-i pill, senior somewhat beneath its competitor in terms of performance and battery life. Still, while the operation is somewhat limiting, you'll probably be pleased with the overall quality.

Nevertheless, competitory tablets like the older Surface Pro 4 and Samsung Galaxy Book go a persuasive combining of features at a Thomas More affordable price—even given the Galaxy Record's 4GB of memory. Keep an eye happening the Lenovo X1 Tablet, though; the design is mostly right, and Lenovo just needs to twiddle the knobs of performance, price, and assault and battery life to nail it.

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• Tablet PCs
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As PCWorld's senior editor, Mark focuses on Microsoft news and chip technology, among another beats. He has formerly written for PCMag, BYTE, Slashdot, eWEEK, and ReadWrite.

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/407347/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-tablet-2017-review-competition-pushes-this-competent-tablet-down.html

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