Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Carbon 7th gen

[thettareddast]

First post: Hello everyone

I am really tempted by this laptop. In many ways it seems to good to be true in terms of the specs, IO, weight etc. I am currently weighing up this vs Dell XPS 13 vs Macbook Pro 13 Touchbar and I'm finding that the main consideration I always come back to is will it be reliable, durable and if something does go wrong, how easy will it be to resolve.

I have had (a while ago) a Dell Laptop that completely failed in 1 year and an XPS desktop which lasted a good 4-5 years but did ultimately fail. I have had many iPods, iPhones and IPads and have had probably 4 of them fail on me (plus a pair of Beats X). However I simply went to an Apple store and they were replaced free of charge (and I have never had Apple Care).

The X1C7 seems to be almost the perfect laptop, however I have seen mixed reviews regarding the quality and customer service with Lenovos. Similar with Dell although my work X280 is completely fine. Apple seems to also have its flaws in terms of keyboard, T2 issues etc. but it seems in a lot of cases Apple has sorted people out. On the other hand spec wise the MacBook Pro seems largely inferior if comparing similarly priced models.

Ah...decisions, decisions.

I have the X1C6, and a Latitude 7390 that atleast based on specs is very roughly similar to XPS13.

The Latitude has better keyboard than Lenovo, and better battery life than Lenovo. I didnt like the feel of a colleagues XPS15 keyboard.

They both have similar build - sturdy, solid, high density rubberized finished. (XPS is more hard plastic?).

Even though I really try to trim and minimalize software on the Lenovo, there are various overlap in terms of power management, performance management, screen management (such as night tint mode), and driver management between Windows vs Lenovo. The end result is not that great and Probably if I do a fresh install and keep all Lenovo software off, it'll be okay. But the Latitude image is nice and works flawlessly.

I've had tons and tons of dells in that past and disliked them all. This is the best of the lot. I've also owned a bunch of Apple laptops and they've all been superb. The current lineup is not as attractive to me (keyboard, bezel, touchbar).... then again, that both Dells are 13.3" isnt really comparable to the Lenovo with a larger screen for productivity. There are differences in thickness and footprint as well.

All said, you cant go wrong with any of them. Me, I'd probably coinflip between Dell and Apple.

 

[roxygal9]

Hi I thought I'd weigh in since I have owned by X1C 6th generation for about 1 year now. I have to say this machine is fantastic - it is zippy even a year later (i5 16RAM/512SSD), have had no issues with it tanking, the screen is beautiful (have the 2k HDR screen model), and it is so light. I have a 12 inch MacBook as well, and the X1C almost feels like its the same weight even though its 2.49 pounds because of how the weight is distributed on the 14 inch model. It odes have occasional fan noise, but it is not overbearing.

The only negative I find with it, is the battery life definitely takes a hit when you have the screen brightness on half or more. But the quick charging feature is useful, and I bought a smaller charger that also supports quick charging to carry around with me rather than the brick Lenovo provided. If you are considering the 6th gen I highly recommend it. Its keyboard is just fantastic. I am actually in the process of moving my files over to windows 10 from my MacBook. I need the versatility of windows and I just purchased a Surface pro 6 as I want to handwrite notes. I think the surface pro will be a nice addition to the Thinkpad. I love the MacBook, but I just don't need it anymore. now that Apple has discontinued the MacBooks, I wonder how quickly I will be able to sell this rose gold beauty. It has been a great machine, and I hate to part with it, but the X1C and the surface pro will likely be all I need.

 

[zen]

My X1C7 arrived this week! i5, 16GB RAM, UHD display, 256GD SSD.

Overall design impressions:

Super nice! Amazingly light, great display (greater pixel density than a retina MBP, and with Windows scaling at 250% it looks sharper than any display I have ever seen), incredible keyboard (seriously, this keyboard), and overall very solid. The carbon weave on the top case is kinda pointless - it is very subtle, from some angles you can't even see it, so it may as well be solid black. The whole unit is smaller, thinner, lighter than my 13" MBP with a larger display, more ports, and the best keyboard in the market today.

Performance:

Seems good? Day 1, it got hot enough to fry an egg, and the battery life was terrible (about 2 hours), but it had a tonne of updates to run, including two BIOS firmware updates and a thermal management update, and from day 2 onwards it has been running silent and cool. Battery life seems about 6-7 hours, which is fine considering this is a UHD display. I have the Lenovo Intelligent power management thing on, so it balances battery and performance, and this seems to work well.

Downsides:

Firstly, the trackpad is terrible. I mean... it works. But that's about all I can say. It's small, and feels crappy. Having said that, I believe all Windows laptops have terrible trackpads. I have no idea why they can't match Apple in this department. It can't be that hard, can it?

Secondly, there is an intake vent on the right rear underside - basically, right where my thigh is when I use the laptop on my lap. I didn't notice the vent on day 1, and I think me blocking it with my leg probably contributed to the heat issue. But now I know it is there, it's easy enough to avoid. The laptop is so light that moving it slightly does not result in any balance or weight issues when it is on my lap.

If anyone has any questions, I'm happy to answer them! After three days now, I'm very happy with this device. The keyboard alone makes it wonderful to use, and I'm very happy to have gone for the UHD display. I only work in text, but the smoothness/sharpness (however you want to describe it) is truly amazing.

 

[ghanwani]

I have the X1C6, and a Latitude 7390 that atleast based on specs is very roughly similar to XPS13.

The Latitude has better keyboard than Lenovo, and better battery life than Lenovo. I didnt like the feel of a colleagues XPS15 keyboard.

They both have similar build - sturdy, solid, high density rubberized finished. (XPS is more hard plastic?).

Even though I really try to trim and minimalize software on the Lenovo, there are various overlap in terms of power management, performance management, screen management (such as night tint mode), and driver management between Windows vs Lenovo. The end result is not that great and Probably if I do a fresh install and keep all Lenovo software off, it'll be okay. But the Latitude image is nice and works flawlessly.

I've had tons and tons of dells in that past and disliked them all. This is the best of the lot. I've also owned a bunch of Apple laptops and they've all been superb. The current lineup is not as attractive to me (keyboard, bezel, touchbar).... then again, that both Dells are 13.3" isnt really comparable to the Lenovo with a larger screen for productivity. There are differences in thickness and footprint as well.

All said, you cant go wrong with any of them. Me, I'd probably coinflip between Dell and Apple.

Can you comment on the trackpad of the 7390 vs the trackpad on an MBP?

 

[Cryates]

Firstly, the trackpad is terrible. I mean... it works. But that's about all I can say. It's small, and feels crappy. Having said that, I believe all Windows laptops have terrible trackpads. I have no idea why they can't match Apple in this department. It can't be that hard, can it?

Interesting. I received my X1C7 yesterday, and I personally think the trackpad is fine. It’s not groundbreaking by any means, and lacks all of the gesture function of the Apple trackpad, but it does its basic job just fine for me. The Surface Laptop 2 trackpad is great, so imo Windows makers are slowly figuring it out. Apple just excels far beyond the pack in trackpad development however.

 

[maflynn]

Firstly, the trackpad is terrible. I mean... it works. But that's about all I can say. It's small, and feels crappy. Having said that, I believe all Windows laptops have terrible trackpads. I have no idea why they can't match Apple in this department. It can't be that hard, can it?

I just don't get why companies don't put any effort into designing a decent trackpad. My thinkpad's trackpad is serviceable, but truth be told, I take a mouse with me when I travel.

 

[zen]

Interesting. I received my X1C7 yesterday, and I personally think the trackpad is fine. It’s not groundbreaking by any means, and lacks all of the gesture function of the Apple trackpad, but it does its basic job just fine for me. The Surface Laptop 2 trackpad is great, so imo Windows makers are slowly figuring it out. Apple just excels far beyond the pack in trackpad development however.

I just don't get why companies don't put any effort into designing a decent trackpad. My thinkpad's trackpad is serviceable, but truth be told, I take a mouse with me when I travel.

Well... I did say mine works. And it does. It works. It does the job. But that's it. Compared to an Apple trackpad it IS terrible... but it is perfectly functional. If you hadn't ever used an Apple trackpad, you wouldn't think anything of it, I'm sure. I'm happy to live with this laptop for next 5-7 years so maybe MS's trackpad tech will have spread a little further by then!

 

[maflynn]

I did say mine works. And it does. It works.

Agreed, and mine works, but as you mentioned, its no where near as well as Apple's. That's what is confusing and disappointing, its not rocket surgery.

 

[zhenya]

Interesting that you find the trackpad that bad. My X1C 5th gen is 99% as good as my MacBook trackpad. There are some settings you can customize, and make sure it is being recognized as a Precision Touchpad. Gesture support is also excellent, although Windows is not nearly as responsive or smooth as MacOS, but it’s still functional. I use the touchpad on my Thinkpad for 100% of my work including technical design.

 

[maflynn]

I use the touchpad on my Thinkpad for 100% of my work including technical design.

Mines not bad, but its not as good as the MBP, and that's my point

 

[zen]

Interesting that you find the trackpad that bad. My X1C 5th gen is 99% as good as my MacBook trackpad. There are some settings you can customize, and make sure it is being recognized as a Precision Touchpad. Gesture support is also excellent, although Windows is not nearly as responsive or smooth as MacOS, but it’s still functional. I use the touchpad on my Thinkpad for 100% of my work including technical design.

I have heard that about the older X1Cs - I believe that with the X1C7, they are using a new trackpad design and software. Apparently some later X1C6s have the same trackpad, and it is noticeably different from the other sort used for earlier X1C6s and earlier generations.

 

[TSE]

The Carbon series has always been awesome. I'm glad Lenovo brought out the Extreme, too. Some of the best laptops money can buy. Sometimes when I use my XPS 15 I just wish the keyboard was a little bit better - maybe in a few years when I'm in the market for a new laptop I'll look into Lenovo. I just worry about Chinese spyware on my device.

 

[hajime]

Are the cover and palmrest areas of x1c7 fingerprint magnet like the x1e7s?

 

[zen]

Are the cover and palmrest areas of x1c7 fingerprint magnet like the x1e7s?

Yep. And the trackpad. The chassis itself cleans up fine - I've been using a gentle screen cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth (some people recommend isopropyl alcohol). The trackpad, however, does not come clean.

I've had this machine abour three weeks now, and while I like it, I certainly would consider a metal-bodied laptop in future, as the cleaning requirements of this machine annoy me (I know it is tradition for ThinkPads to get scuffed and dirty, but I like clean devices!). The X1 Yoga is now aluminium, but it is a couple of hundred dollars more expensive than the X1 Carbon.

 

[hajime]

Yep. And the trackpad. The chassis itself cleans up fine - I've been using a gentle screen cleaning solution and a microfiber cloth (some people recommend isopropyl alcohol). The trackpad, however, does not come clean.

I've had this machine abour three weeks now, and while I like it, I certainly would consider a metal-bodied laptop in future, as the cleaning requirements of this machine annoy me (I know it is tradition for ThinkPads to get scuffed and dirty, but I like clean devices!). The X1 Yoga is now aluminium, but it is a couple of hundred dollars more expensive than the X1 Carbon.

Thanks. That is one reason I considered X1Y4 but due to delay in shipment, I cancelled it. I wonder if I should just get a X1Y4 (color is kind of ugly for me at least in photos) or Yoga C930 or continue to wait. No words about availability of thicker oled p53 yet. Even Apple will release 16" in two months, new keyboard will be experimental and they may continue to make it difficult to install linux natively.

 

[zen]

Thanks. That is one reason I considered X1Y4 but due to delay in shipment, I cancelled it. I wonder if I should just get a X1Y4 (color is kind of ugly for me at least in photos) or Yoga C930 or continue to wait. No words about availability of thicker oled p53 yet. Even Apple will release 16" in two months, new keyboard will be experimental and they may continue to make it difficult to install linux natively.

If Apple just returned to the old chiclet-style keyboard, then I'd say I'd go back to a Macbook after this laptop. However, I'm banking on this one lasting a good 5 years or more, so maybe by then Apple will have got themselves sorted out with whatever new mechanism they use.

The keyboard on this X1C7 is exceptional, and I'm very happy with that, as well as the UHD display, which with Windows scaling gives me the same experience as an Apple retina display (and scaling was something Windows had been bad at in the past). It also weighs a fraction of my old MBP. But the trackpad is awful and the need to clean this thing every day is a drag!

 

[raqball]

I have always been a big fan of the Lenovo X1C and got shipping notice today for my 4th Gen X1C Yoga...

I'll update this after it arrives. Currently using my Yoga 930C so the X1C will be replacing it.

Complete specs I ordered:
​

Part No: 20QF0016US

Configuration Details

● Processor: Intel® Core™ i7-8665U with vPro (1.90GHz, up to 4.80GHz with Turbo Boost, 4 Cores, 8MB Cache)

● Operating System: Windows 10 Pro 64

● Display Type: 14.0" 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) 470 nits, IPS with Dolby Vision™ HDR400, multi-touch, glossy

● Memory: 16GB LPDDR3 2133MHz (Onboard)

● Hard Drive: 1TB Solid State Drive M.2 PCIe-NVMe, Opal

● Warranty: 1 Year on site

● Graphics: Integrated Intel® UHD Graphics 620

● Camera: IR & 720p Camera with microphone

● Pen: ThinkPad Pen Pro

● Fingerprint Reader: Fingerprint Reader

● Keyboard: Backlit Keyboard - US English

● Wireless: Intel® 9560 802.11AC vPro (2 x 2) & Bluetooth® 5.0

 

[jrichards1408]

ThinkPad are a joke!

Estimated delivery time is October! Forget that. They don't even say why!

 

[raqball]

ThinkPad are a joke!

Estimated delivery time is October! Forget that. They don't even say why!

Custom configs always take a few weeks from Lenovo... If you order a pre configured system they generally ship in a few days..

 

[jrichards1408]

Custom configs always take a few weeks from Lenovo... If you order a pre configured system they generally ship in a few days..

Few months not few weeks.. Plus the pre configuration units also talking a month to be delivered. Check the UK website mate

 

[raqball]

Well okay but not sure I'd call the machines a joke. The one I ordered was $2100 which id the price of a TB MBP with 16GB ram and 512 SSD and that X1C Yoga will flat out demolish a MBP..

 

[jrichards1408]

Well okay but not sure I'd call the machines a joke. The one I ordered was $2100 which id the price of a TB MBP with 16GB ram and 512 SSD and that X1C Yoga will flat out demolish a MBP..

The shipping is a joke

 

[0989382]

Well okay but not sure I'd call the machines a joke. The one I ordered was $2100 which id the price of a TB MBP with 16GB ram and 512 SSD and that X1C Yoga will flat out demolish a MBP..

...examples? Evidence? The MBP (and any Macs) are well renowned for 'demolishing' Windows PCs with double the specs on paper for real world tasks like video editing, exporting etc...

 

[raqball]

...examples? Evidence? The MBP (and any Macs) are well renowned for 'demolishing' Windows PCs with double the specs on paper for real world tasks like video editing, exporting etc...

Sorry not interested in derailing the thread... The specs alone smoke the MBP 13" with touchbar for the same price..

Don't like the X1C? Cool don't buy it..

I am selling my mid 2018 13" i5/512/16 for $1500... Paid $2200 for it... Interested?

 

[0989382]

Sorry not interested in derailing the thread... The specs alone smoke the MBP 13" with touchbar for the same price..

Don't like the X1c? Cool don't buy it..

Yeah, heard good stuff about ThinkPads and Windows isn't bad, but when you make statements like that you don't get away with them easily... Specs alone, I fully agree. On paper. in the real world? ;-) .. don't kid yourself or the OP / forum-ers'