The all-new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold is miles ahead of its previous iteration. Bigger and better in every meaningful way, it now features a 16in fold-out display with slimmer bezels and a full-fledged 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor. Let’s get into it.
Compared to its predecessor, Lenovo touts the new innovative design as having a 22 per cent larger 16in folding OLED display, 25 per cent thinner chassis, and all round thinner screen bezels for a more premium look and feel. It certainly looks the part, and to boot the entire frame is made of aluminium and comes with an attachable back cover that the laptop maker claims is made from 100 per cent recycled materials.
OLED display technology is renowned for rich, vibrant hues and Lenovo’s chosen panel touts a 2023×2560 resolution, max peak brightness of 600 nits in HDR mode or 400 nits in SDR mode, and covers 100 per cent of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. Sadly, display refresh rate is not specified.
In terms of specs, the foldable device is essentially a modern-day Windows laptop, powered by up to 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processors with integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics. Storage includes up to a 1TB SSD and memory options up to 32GB LPDDR5, with Windows 11 Home or Pro pre-installed. Battery capacity comes in at either 48Whr or 64Whr based on configuration, with both units supporting 65W rapid charge.
Moving on to I/O, we have two Intel Thunderbolt 4 connections, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 port and a nano-SIM tray. As for audio, the X1 Fold comes equipped with a Dolby Atmos three-speaker system and four integrated Dolby Voice-enabled microphones. Finally Wi-Fi 6E is onboard alongside Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity.
Whew! That’s a lot of tech crammed into an unfolded 276.1 x 345.7 x 8.6mm frame, and better yet, the device folds into a slightly thicker yet satisfyingly smaller 176.4 x 276.2 x 17.4mm profile for carrying convenience. The entire system weighs a nifty 1.28kg and if you decide to accompany it with the optional keyboard and stand, it weighs a total of 1.9kg.
The biggest appeal is Lenovo’s unique method of display versatility and integration. The company is among the first to launch with an enhanced version of the Intel Visual Sensing Controller, an AI-powered chip that ensures seamless switching between its portrait, laptop or landscape mode. The tech is integrated within the five-megapixel RGB/IR sensor that doubles as Windows Hello face recognition. Neat.
Laptop mode is your classic clamshell with the screen split directly in half. This mode can be used with a magnetically attachable keyboard or onscreen keyboard and grants the user a reasonable 12in of screen real estate to play with.
The next mode is landscape mode, think of it as your classic tablet mode, for use when there’s a need for larger screen format, especially ideal for movies and binge watching your favourite shows. The accompanying back cover can double as a stand, and then used seamlessly with a connected keyboard and mouse.
Finally there is portrait mode, ideal for reading, editing documents, or scrolling your favourite social feeds or websites (i.e. Club386).
For those interested, the next-gen ThinkPad X1 Fold is expected to be available starting November 2022 starting at $2,499. UK pricing is yet to be announced.
