Lenovo ThinkPad X13 (Gen 6)
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The sixth-gen ThinkPad X13 is out there now for $1,569.
- At 2.0 kilos, it is one of many lightest laptops I’ve examined all yr, with a improbable battery that costs within the blink of an eye fixed.
- It is dear, the show is simply common, and the keyboard/trackpad would possibly really feel too cramped for some.
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We’re large followers of the ThinkPad right here at ZDNET, reviewing a number of fashions throughout the totally different collection annually. It is fairly an intensive catalog at this level, from the highly effective P collection to the inexpensive E collection to the skinny and light-weight X collection. So for those who overlook find out how to inform them aside, I do not blame you.
Additionally: I’ve examined dozens of ThinkPads: Here is the Lenovo mannequin I maintain coming again to
The X1 Carbon is arguably the ThinkPad’s flagship mannequin, and most premium by way of design. But it surely’s costly, relegating itself to the higher tier of the market as an “executive-tier” machine.
Enter: the ThinkPad X13 (Gen 6), Lenovo’s reply to a extra accessible ultraportable ThinkPad, with among the finest options of the X1 Carbon however at half the worth in a battery-efficient, high-performing package deal.
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Armed with an Intel Core Extremely 7 255 U-series processor (Intel’s most power-efficient chips), the sixth-gen X13 is designed for customers who want excessive portability and not using a entire lot of efficiency trade-offs. Weighing simply 2.05 kilos, it is actually one of many lightest laptops I’ve examined over the past yr, with a strong construct that passes the one-finger take a look at, and simply sufficient ports for the common skilled.
The ThinkPad X13 Era 6 is a quintessential ThinkPad with a black-and-red physique, TrackPoint, and bodily proper and left buttons above the trackpad, however… in miniature. Its 13.3-inch IPS show is not something groundbreaking, however the 400-nit, WUXGA (1920×1200) decision is crisp, glare-resistant, and straightforward to work on. The built-in Intel graphics spherical out its business-forward mission.
Equally, whereas the keyboard is not significantly cramped, the trackpad could be for some folks. At 4.5 inches lengthy and round 2.5 inches deep, it is dwarfed by trackpads on bigger ThinkPads just like the P1 Gen 8, which is sort of 6 inches throughout. Though this is identical measurement as discovered on different 14-inch ThinkPads, it is nonetheless on the small facet for my part, and one thing to remember.
By way of bodily design, nevertheless, these two issues are the largest trade-offs for the laptop computer’s diminutive measurement. With help for as much as 64GB of soldered LPDDR5x reminiscence and 2TB of native storage, the {hardware} is actually on par with its bigger siblings, together with fashions with the Intel or AMD Ryzen AI Professional 300-series chips.
Additionally: The Lenovo ThinkPad streak is over – this mannequin breaks a decade-long development in one of the simplest ways but
For on a regular basis customers, connectivity is adequate, with two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports supporting PD 3.0 and DisplayPort 2.1, one HDMI port that helps an exterior monitor at 4K and 60Hz refresh price, a 5Gbps USB-A port, and a headphone jack.
Not like different ThinkPads within the X1 collection, the audio system on the X13 are upward-facing and positioned on both facet of the keyboard. This leads to audio that is actually loud and clear, however slightly hole and missing in bass.
This sort of audio profile is extra ultimate for voice calls, webinars, and videoconferencing, use circumstances extra aligned with its enterprise on-the-go use case. The 5MP RGB digital camera is of fine high quality, offering a transparent, sharp picture even in less-than-ideal lighting circumstances in my testing.
As a grab-and-go laptop computer for cellular professionals, its fine quality is — you guessed it — its battery. This factor has improbable battery life, lasting properly over a full workday and simply into the following. When idle, battery life drops to a trickle, and long-lasting video calls (that would have been an e-mail) barely tax it.
Additionally: I like to recommend this low-cost ThinkPad to most professionals
The 54.7Wh battery and U-series Intel Core Extremely 7 255 processor work collectively to ship a cool, quiet energy profile that runs quietly until below a demanding workload.
That is adopted by the truth that it helps fast charging, reaching 80% in an hour with a 65W charger or increased. That is a kind of options I hear customers complain about: fast charging usually requires heftier chargers at 100W or increased. If you do not have considered one of these available, you will get a “low charger” message and will not have the ability to reap the benefits of the characteristic.
Not one thing you will possible run into right here, as most chargers within the wild are at the least 65W (as is the charger it comes with), so you will nearly all the time have the ability to cost at this expedited price. In my testing, I discovered this to be correct, growing from 5% to 77% in slightly below an hour.
Additionally: Per week with Lenovo’s strongest ThinkPad modified how I take into consideration work laptops
All in all, the X13 pushes the boundaries of portability for the ThinkPad line, representing the far finish of the spectrum whereas sustaining every part else that defines it. If you would like a succesful 13-inch workhorse that you will have no issues toting round city, that is the laptop computer for you. That mentioned, as a business-minded ThinkPad, it is not precisely low cost, hovering across the $1,500 mark for the 16GB model: a value that requires dedication to the model.
ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation
Of all of the ultraportable laptops we have examined over the previous couple of years, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13 exudes reliability with a premium {hardware} profile and tried-and-true bodily kind. There are not any gimmicks right here; it is a ThinkPad by means of and thru, well-suited to enterprise customers who demand portability and a improbable battery life.
I would suggest the X13 to customers who desire a actually gentle laptop computer however aren’t eager on experimental kind elements or lower-end {hardware}. Whereas the show is simply common and doubtlessly too small for some, it is backed up by strong {hardware}. In that sense, the X13 brings extra muscle than competing ultraportables just like the Asus Zenbook A14 or the Floor Professional 12-inch.
