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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme In-Depth Review!

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The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is a high-end mobile workstation designed to be the ultimate expression of Lenovo engineering prowess.

Let’s take an in-depth look at the ThinkPad X1 Extreme and find out what sets it apart from the competition!

 

The Official Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Tech Briefing!

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) is an ultra-light mobile workstation that can be equipped with a 4K HDR touchscreen display with Dolby Vision and optional pen support. But it’s no ordinary mobile workstation.

As an enterprise-grade mobile workstation, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme is designed to be secure and tough. Not only is it built to withstand 12 military-grade requirements, it is secured by Lenovo ThinkShield technologies from the factory till the end of its lifespan.

 

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Price + Availability

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) is available in Malaysia with immediate effect. It has a starting price of RM 7,749 / ~US$ 1,890, with the following specifications :

  • Intel Core I5-8300H processor
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64-bit
  • 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display (300 nits)
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti (4 GB)
  • 8 GB DDR4-2666 memory
  • 256 GB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD

Here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :

 

Unboxing The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) comes in a large brown cardboard box. Let’s take a quick look around, before unboxing it…

After you fully unbox it, you will find the following items inside :

  • One Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme mobile workstation
  • One set of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme User Guide, and Safety + Warranty Guide
  • One 135 watt Lenovo charger + power cable

That’s it! Lenovo does not spend (or waste) money on superfluous fancy packaging and accessories.

Next Page > The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Up Close + Key Features

 

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The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Up Close!

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) is powered by the 8th Generation Intel H series 6-core processor, with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics and fast NVMe SSD storage.

Lenovo offers two 15.6-inch display options :

  • a Full HD IPS display with 300 nits brightness and 72% Adobe RGB colour gamut, or
  • a 4K UHD HDR display with 400 nits brightness and 100% Adobe RGB colour gamut

The Full HD display option is slightly (0.3 mm) thinner and marginally (100 grams) lighter than the 4K UHD display option.

Despite sporting a large 15.6-inch display, it is only 18 mm thick, and weighs just 1.8 kg. It even has a long-lasting 80 Whr battery inside!

In addition to processor options, Lenovo also allows you to customise the following options :

  • DDR4-2666 Memory : 8 GB / 16 GB / 32 GB / 64GB
  • PCIe SSD Storage : 256 GB / 512 GB / 1 TB / 2 TB
  • Optional IR camera with Glance technology

 

Dual Fan, Dual Heatpipe Cooling

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) is designed to run in the most extreme conditions. Hence, it is kept cool by a dual-fan, dual-heatpipe cooling system that you can just see through the large vents on its underside.

The two heatpipes whisk heat away from the CPU and GPU to the two heatsinks – each kept cool by a fan that sucks in cool air from the underside. The hot air is then exhausted out the back. The inside of the chassis is also kept cool passively by large vents.

 

Webcam + Optional IR Camera

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) comes with a very basic 720p webcam. At this price point, we would have expected at least a 1080p webcam. But at least it comes with a ThinkShutter privacy cover.

Lenovo offers an optional IR camera, which we highly recommend because it allows for the more secure Windows Hello login method.

The IR camera also supports the Lenovo Glance technology, which merges face-, eye- and gaze-tracking. It allows the cursor to automatically focus on where you are looking at, or windows to shift with a move of your eyes. This is especially useful when you are working on multiple monitors.

 

Lay Flat Display

Whether you opt for the Full HD or 4K UHD panel, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) has a lay-flat display design. Its hinge is designed to let the display lay completely flat.

This makes it easier to work with other people, particularly since the display is touch-sensitive and supports writing with a pen. Lenovo offers an optional pen, but you can also use a third-party pen like the Genius Pen.

Next Page > More Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Features

 

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Fingerprint Sensor

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) has an enterprise-grade fingerprint sensor. Instead of being integrated into the Power button, it is built into the chassis, to the right of the keyboard.

It uses a Match-on-Chip fingerprint sensor, which means the fingerprint data is registered, stored and verified by the fingerprint reader chip itself.

This prevents a hacker or malware from using a man-in-the-middle attack to falsely verify a fake fingerprint.

 

Keyboard + Touch Pad + TrackPoint

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) has a full-sized keyboard that is spill-resistant. That means it will withstand a small spill of water without shorting out.

In addition to its glass touchpad, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) comes with the iconic ted TrackPoint joystick. Also known as a pointing stick, the TrackPoint is pressure-activated, allowing for faster and better cursor control with minimal movement.

 

Connectivity Options

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) comes with a plethora of connectivity options and ports.

Wirelessly, it supports 802.11 AC 2×2 WiFi connectivity, which means it has dual transmit and receive antennas for better reception and range. It also supports the latest Bluetooth 5.0 technology.

Here is a list of ports you will find on the left and right side of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) :

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  1. AC Power Port
  2. Two USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C / Thunderbolt 3 ports
  3. HDMI 2.0 port
  4. Network extension port
  5. 3.5 mm combo audio and microphone port
  6. Smart Card reader
  7. 4-in-1 SD card reader
  8. Two USB 3.1 Gen 1 ports (one is always on)
  9. Kensington lock slot

 

Battery + Charging

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) comes with a 4-Cell Li-Cylinder battery that Lenovo says will last up to 15 hours.

It has a total capacity of 80 Watt-hours, which means it will last one hour if the X1 Extreme uses 80 watts of power, or two hours if it uses 40 watts, or four hours if it sips just 20 watts of power.

Lenovo pairs it with a compact 135 watt rapid charging adaptor that they promise will recharge the battery to 80% in just one hour. A small LED indicator light next to the power port tells you the X1 Extreme’s charging status at a glance.

Here were our findings when we put its battery to the test :

  • 4K Gaming : 1 hour 40 minutes
  • 1080p Gaming : 2 hours 17 minutes
  • Full Screen 1080p YouTube : 3 hours 30 minutes

Next Page > Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Performance Examined!

 

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PCMark 10 – Productivity App Performance

Surprisingly, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) only scored 4,332 in PCMark 10 on AC power.

Many other laptops powered by the Intel Core i7-8850H processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU would score just over 5,200 – about 20% higher.

When we switched to battery power, its performance was throttled by about 31% to improve battery life.

On AC Power

On Battery Power

 

3DMark Fire Strike (DX11, 1920 x 1080)

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) scored 6,323 on Fire Strike, using the Max-Q version of the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti.

This makes it about ⅓ as fast as a gaming laptop based on the full-powered NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, which would score around 15,800.

If you run it on battery power, its performance gets throttled by about 21%, reducing its Fire Strike score to just under 5,000.

On AC Power

On Battery Power

 

3DMark Time Spy Strike (DX12, 1920 x 1080)

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) scored 2,393 on Time Spy – about ⅓ as fast as a full-powered NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, which would score around 7,000.

When we switched to battery power, its performance was throttled by 9.5% – the smallest drop we recorded.

On AC Power

On Battery Power

Next Page > Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Verdict, Specifications, Price + Availability

 

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Our Verdict Of The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) looks and feels every bit like business laptop – from its angular design all the way to its matte black colour scheme. But it’s far more than just another mobile workstation.

Beneath its business-like veneer is a tough laptop that not only offers enterprise-grade Lenovo ThinkShield protection from factory till the end of its lifespan, but also military-grade toughness. In fact, every ThinkPad X1 Extreme has to pass 12 military-grade tests.

These aspects are important to note because the ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) is neither the most powerful mobile workstation in the market, nor does it offer the best performance for the money. In fact, our benchmarks show that it consistently underperforms laptops with the same processor and graphics card.

Performance, mark our words, is not what the ThinkPad X1 Extreme is offering. It is the entirety of the package that differentiates the X1 Extreme from its competitors – configurability, security and reliability in a thin and light package.

If you have the cash to spare, it offers an incredible 4K HDR display with 400 nits of brightness and 100% Adobe RGB colour gamut. You can also configure it with up to 64 GB of DDR4 memory, and up to two PCIe SSDs offering up to 2 TB of storage!

You can also count on its diverse connectivity options – super-fast Wireless-AC and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, with many ports to use – the latest Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C ports as well as the good-old 3.5 mm audio port!

It’s not just work, work, work though. The ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) supports Dolby Audio Premium and Dolby Atmos, so it doubles as a great entertainment and gaming laptop after a hard day’s work.

Just don’t expect to game at 4K. Its GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU with Max-Q Design is fast enough for 1080p gaming.

Ultimately, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) is designed for those who need absolute security and reliability. Whether you are working in the comfort of your flying office, or in harsh field environments, you know you can depend on the X1 Extreme.

 

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Specifications

Here are the key specifications of the new Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK). But remember – it is highly customisable, so the price and options will vary greatly, from country to country.

SpecificationsLenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
Operating SystemUp to Windows 10 Professional
Display OptionsA. 15.6-inch 4K HDR display
- 3840 x 2160 pixels, 400 nits brightness
- 100% Adobe RGB colour gfamut
B. 15.6-inch FHD IPS display
- 1920 x 1080 pixels, 300 nits brightness
- 72% Adobe RGB colour gamut
Processor8th Gen Intel Core FL-H vPro processor
Graphics ProcessorIntel UHD Graphics 630
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti
MemoryUp to 64 GB DDR4-2666 memory
StorageUp to two M.2 2280 PCIe SSDs (max. 2 TB)
ConnectivityIntel Wireless-AC 9560
- 802.11 AC 2x2
- Bluetooth 5.0
Camera720p HD video camera with ThinkShutter privacy cover
Optional Infra-red (IR) camera for Windows Hello login
SecurityFast Online Identity (FIDO) authentication
dTPM 2.0
Match-on-Chip touch fingerprint reader
Windows Hello facial recognition (with optional IR camera)
ThinkShutter privacy cover
Smart card reader
Kensington lock slot
AudioDolby Audio Premium
Dolby Atmos for headset
Noise-cancelling dual-array far-field microphones
KeyboardSpill-resistant keyboard with white backlighting
Touch PadMulti-touch glass touch pad
Ports2 x USB 3.1 Gen 1
2 x USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Thunderbolt 3)
4-in-1 SD card reader
HDMI 2.0
LAN port
3.5 mm audio / mic combo port
Battery4-Cell Li-Cylinder Battery (80 Whr)
- 135 watt power adaptor
Dimensions361.8 mm wide
245.7 mm deep
18.4 mm thick (FHD) / 18.7 mm thick (4K(
WeightFHD non-touch : 1.7 kg
4K touchscreen : 1.8 kg

 

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Price + Availability

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme (US | UK) is available with immediate effect. Here are some direct purchase links for your convenience :

 

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