Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 Review
I have been eagerly waiting to pen down my review about Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 for a while. As I have already used the ThinkPad P1, hence I was waiting for the OLED model that possessed some unique differences with the previous one.
Although, the new ThinkPad X1 looks quite similar to the previous version, yet it comes all packed with ninth-generation Intel H-series processors. It also has an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 instead of the regular 1050Ti. And you also get the option of switching to the 4K OLED display in this gadget.
The original gadget named X1 Extreme of the ThinkPad series came up with a lot of firsts in its model. It was the first X1 gadget with a 15.6-inch screen with dedicated graphics. It was also the first with a 45W H-series processor. So, if you require portability along with power, then keep an eye for the review of ThinkPad X1 here.
Specifications of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2
So, let me just provide you with all the basic details of the specifications of the product before I dive into the review of the gadget:
- CPU: Intel Core i9-9880H with vPro (2.30GHz, up to 4.80GHz with Turbo Boost, 8 cores, 16MB cache)
- GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5
- Display: 15.6″ UHD (3840 x 2160) OLED, touchscreen with Dolby Vision HDR 500, anti-reflection/anti-smudge, 400 nits
- Body Dimensions: 361.8×245.7×18.7mm (14.2x 9.7×0.7″),
- Weight: 1.7kg (3.76 pounds)
- Storage: 1TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe NVMe Opal2
- Memory: 2 x 16GB DIMM DDR4-2666
- Ports: USB 3.1 Gen 1 (one always on), Thunderbolt 3 (w/function of Power Delivery and DisplayPort), HDMI 2.0, Ethernet extension connector, SD Card Reader (SD, SDHC, SDXC), supports UHS-II SD card, Microphone or headphone combo jack available
- WLAN and Bluetooth: Intel AX200 11ax 2+2 + Bluetooth 5.0
- Camera: IR camera and HD720p camera, fixed focus
- Keyboard: 6-row, spill-resistant, multimedia Fn keys, LED backlight, TrackPoint pointing device and buttonless glass surface with multi-touch touchpad
- Security: Power-on password, hard disk password, supervisor password, security keyhole, Discrete TPM 2.0, TCG Certified, Intel vPro technology
- Battery: supports Rapid Charge,80 Wh
- Windows Hello: IR camera, fingerprint sensor
- Material: The display cover is of carbon fibre/graphite hybrid, the bottom is of aluminium alloy
- OS: Windows 10 Pro
- Price: $2,866.80
Kindly note that this price changes according to the discounts and offers available at different stores and websites. I got a good amount of discount when I got this one from the website of the company.
A Detailed Review of The Chief Attributes of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2
Design
This product uses the same soft-touch-coated layer of carbon fibre and the magnesium chassis as tits previous generation gadgets. It is a clamshell laptop that opens at an angle of 180 degrees. With this product, you also get several ports, which makes it an ideal choice for business purposes.
The laptop has 135W charger, two Thunderbolt 3 ports,an Ethernet connector,HDMI 2.0, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. Hence, you can plug in an increased number of external monitors with this one. Each of the Thunderbolt port supports one 5K monitor or two 4K ones. These are also capable of 40GBps data transfer. You get two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports and an SD card slot on the right side of the device.
Audio and the Display
I wanted a laptop with a 15.6-inch display, and this one is the best in this price range. It comes with four display, two of which are 4K UHD, and two are 1080p. You also get an FHD model along with Dolby Vision HDR 400 and 500- nit brightness.
Although I wanted to go for 1440p, yet I feel this combination is the best one to strike the perfect balance between the resolution and the battery life. The OLED display enables the model to lit up the pixels individually rather than being in the front of a backlight. It happens to be the only version that supports touch.
I wasn’t so much mesmerized by the audio quality of the laptop. The 2W speakers are average performing and do fill up the entire room. But I felt it has a slight tinny effect on its performance.
Keyboard
The keypad typing experience with this one is pleasant and comfortable, which is quite common for the premium ones. Other than this, the key-press is much deeper than on other laptops. I personally prefer the deeper ones in comparison to the shallower ones available in the market. There is also the presence of a fingerprint sensor just right to the keypad. So, it provides a choice between biometric authentication and the facial recognition type. The AMOLED display enables one to choose whether they want to use the touchscreen or not.
Performance and The Battery Life of The Gadget
The ThinkPad comes with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650. It gives a powerful performance due to the presence of the 8-core, 16-thread Intel 9th-gen Core i9-9880H. I did a test on the performance of the gadget with video editing, and it did a splendid job for me. Especially for 4K 30 fps or the 1080p 60 fps, this one does its job pretty well.
The power of the laptop comes from the battery, and it does a decent job. I used it for non-stop for around 4 hours with the OLED model and 5 hours without the model. On the other hand, you can get about 6 hours of battery while listening to music in the background.
 Pros |  Cons |
|---|---|
| Thin body design provides light workstation | The gadget is relatively on the costlier side |
| Comes with an excellent build quality | The display uses PWM for all levels of brightness |
| Provides expansion up to 64GB DDR4 memory | Speakers aren’t much impressive |
| Presence of two thunderbolts 3 ports | |
| Presence of SD card slot | |
| Dual M.2 slots |
My Final Verdict
Honestly, just like the last model by the company, this one is also a lovely PC. I don’t regret purchasing this one as I received a premium version of a PC, which happens to be the portable one. This PC is much more than the plain simple, productive ones.
However, what concerns me with this gadget is its battery. That is because there is always a balance between battery life and power. It makes my decision a bit complex as I have to go on choosing any one of them.
Also, I wouldn’t say I like the proprietary charges. I believe there should be one charger to serve all purposes. But yes, the gadget is a unique combination of portability with power. It only weighs 3.76 pounds, even with the incorporation of the 45W CPU display. I also love the OLED display and the keyboard of this gadget. So, if you like such attributes, then time to go for Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2.
