Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen 2

Looks Like A Thinkpad

The X1 Yoga has Lenovo’s familiar soft-touch dark-gray finish, which tends to pick up fingerprints easily. You’ll need to keep a terry or microfiber cloth handy to wipe finger oils off the exterior and the screen. It’s a very corporate look compared with the bright-silver HP EliteBook x360 1030 G2, our latest top pick for business convertibles. The laptop measures 0.69 by 13.1 by 9.0 and weighs 3.09 pounds. It should fit comfortably in a standard laptop case and is light enough to carry around from meeting to meeting. It’s larger in every dimension and heavier than the EliteBook x360, but we can attribute that to its larger screen. Last year’s lighter ThinkPad X1 Yoga was slightly thicker, but with the same length and width.

As a 2-in-1 convertible laptop, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga’s screen can pivot 360 degrees on its dual hinges, allowing you to use the touch screen in four modes. In addition to Laptop mode, there’s Stand mode , Tablet mode , and Tent mode . One innovation that other convertibles can’t match is the X1 Yoga’s retractable backlit keyboard, an improvement over the last generation X1 Yoga. The keys retract into the keyboard deck after you tilt the screen beyond 190 degrees, so you can’t catch the caps on things and pull them out inadvertently. It also gives your hand a flat surface to grip when the system is in Tablet mode.

Screen Flickering / Pwm

The viewing angle stability of the ThinkPad’s OLED display is next to perfect and better than what we are used to from most notebooks with IPS panels. The screen content is visible from all positions with no grayish haze marring the picture. In typical fashion for OLED displays, the color temperature changes slightly at very shallow angles, which in our case resulted in a slight shift towards green. During normal use, this is never an issue.

For a comparison between OLED and IPS please check here.

Testing The Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen : Five Convertibles Hit The Track

For our benchmark charts, we compared the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 to its business rivals, the Asus ExpertBook B7 Flip and the 15.0-inch Dell Latitude 9520 2-in-1. Two high-end consumer convertibles, the 14-inch Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 7 and the 15.6-inch Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro 360, rounded out the field. You can see their basic specs below.

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Four Generations Of The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga

Lenovos X1 Yoga is my favorite business laptop. Ever since the X1 Yoga Gen 1 came out, I liked it over the other X1 options as it was an all-rounder, while doing everything really well.

That first generation came out in 2016, and each year theres been a new one, the 2nd Gen, 3rd Gen and now in 2019, were at the 4th Gen.

Its about time I did a round up and comparison of these four models.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 YogaGen 1

The Gen 1 came out in 2016 as the X1 Carbon became lighter, thinner and lost its touchscreen. There was mixed reaction to this decision from Lenovo, and although the Yoga had existed in several forms previously, this was the first in the ThinkPad X1 series.

Notable on this model is the OneLink+ connector a shortlived port for a OneLink+ dock that only survived a single generation, to be replaced by USB-C/Thunderbolt. It has the standard rectangle style power plug hole, again this would not be seen on future X1 Yogas.

This is the only model to not have a dedicated Ethernet port, instead a special OneLink+ Ethernet dongle, USB2 100mbit dongle or USB3 gigabit dongle was required.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 2

2017 saw this release with the 7th Gen Intel CPU and the OneLink+ port abandoned, replaced by USB-C. This was great, since it was now an industry standard and meant there was a lot of flexibility with what power pack and dock you could use.

Battery life on this was claimed to be a lot better than the Gen 1.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 3

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen 2 Vs Gen 3

In this post we will compare Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen 2 and Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen 3

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A Veritable Smorgasbord Of Display Options

The base X1 Yoga has a 14-inch 1080p IPS touchscreen, which equipped our review unit. We also reviewed the WQHD IPS and OLED displays on the earlier model, giving points of reference for the entry-level screen. The first thing to note is that 1080p is just on the border of being too pixelated when used in a 14-inch display, so pixel-peepers might want to look at the higher-resolution options for this fact alone.

In terms of overall quality, the 1080p IPS display is just a bit below average, based on the objective results generated by our colorimeter. Brightness is acceptable at 312 nits, and contrast is average at 830:1 at full brightness. So far, those results are just okay compared to competitive systems such as the HP EliteBook x360 G2, which is a directly competitive business-oriented 2-in-1.

However, color gamut support is weak at 67 percent of AdobeRGB, where most competitors come in at around 72 percent or higher. The second-generation ThinkPad X1 Yogas 90 percent of sRGB color gamut is also low, with 94 percent or higher being the norm. Color accuracy, where a score of 1.0 or less is considered excellent, was also average at 1.93. Finally, gamma was 2.1, close to the optimal score of 2.2 and demonstrating that the screen might be a little brighter than intended.

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Display

Tearing a page from the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the X1 Yoga Gen 6 debuts a new 14-inch, 1920 x 1200-pixel IPS display with a 16:10 aspect ratio. We tested the FHD+ screen, but those who need the absolute best picture quality should consider the brighter and more detailed 4K panel.

If you prioritize battery life, go with the standard display youll get a good viewing experience to go along with several additional hours of runtime. I enjoyed watching the Germany vs. England Euro 2020 quarterfinals match as much as it pained me to see my country lose. The panel was sharp enough for me to track the ball and the colorful boots worn by the outfield players stood out against the black-and-white jerseys. Best of all, the matte screen dampened light sources, so I wasn’t forced to look past my own reflection.

Watching the trailer for Snake Eyes on the ThinkPad X1 Yoga was a two-minute thrill ride. The display kept pace with the frenetic fighting scene at the start of the clip, and then dazzled as the scenes changed from an underground fighting ring to the splendor of Mount Fuji. Neon signs illuminating a rainy rooftop at night burst with more vivid colors than I anticipated on a matte panel. The screen is also well-calibrated out of the box as skin tones looked natural and web page backgrounds were snow white.

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Pricey But Worth It For The Art Department

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2nd Gen with OLED is a very attractive corporate PC for stars in your art department. The bright and clear screen, extra memory, larger SSD, and faster processor will help them effortlessly edit photos, critique high-resolution videos, and approve web site or print proofs. That said, the HP EliteBook x360 remains our Editors’ Choice for business 2-in-1 since it has a 4K screen option, many more hours of battery life, a lower price, and slightly better performance. Keep it, the Microsoft Surface Book, and the Dell Latitude 5289 2-in-1, on your short list if you’re vetting the X1 Yoga.

At Least It Charges Fast

Performance on my X1 Yoga was excellent, which isn’t much of a surprise given its maxed-out configuration: 1.9GHz Intel Core i7-8650U vPro processor, 16GB of 2,133MHz RAM and a 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD. For day-to-day office chores like email and word processing, though, you’ll be fine with the entry-level config running a 1.6GHz Intel Core i5-8250U. If your days usually have you handling more intensive tasks — anything from working in large databases or spreadsheets to creating multimedia presentations — or you just want more headroom for the future, go ahead and get the i7.

Battery life, though, is a bit disappointing. Lenovo claims up to 15 hours, but that’s for a lower-end configuration with a seventh-gen Core i5 processor. The X1 Yoga I tested ran for 7 hours and 34 minutes on our streaming video test. With power and screen brightness adjustments, you can get more work time out of it, but considering the long battery times we’re seeing from other systems, this feels short. The thing that saves it, though, is that the USB-C port can charge the laptop to 80 percent in only an hour — perfect to recharge on those airport layovers — or you can run the X1 Yoga off an external battery pack.

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Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Battery Life

The X1 Yoga has always delivered a full day of battery life, but the 6th Gen model is the first to stay powered deep into a second day of use. Enduring for 14 hours and 45 minutes on the Laptop Mag Battery Test, the X1 Yoga outclassed the ThinkPad X1 Carbon and the category average but ran out of steam just before the EliteBook x360 1040 G7 and Latitude 9420 .

Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen 7 Specs

Fourteen-inch business laptops are the foundation of corporate mobile computing, and convertible models add extra flexibility for presentations and pen-input tasks like document markup. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 is a first-class example with a fine keyboard, a 12th Generation Intel CPU, and plenty of ports in a compact chassis. Its only negative is that business laptops cost a lot more than consumer modelseven elite ones like Lenovo’s own Editors’ Choice-award-winning Yoga 9i Gen 7, another 14-inch convertible. It rings up at about $700 less, with a sharper OLED panel versus our ThinkPad’s IPS screen.

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Design: The Rare Aluminum Thinkpad

• The ThinkPad X1 Yoga is made of aluminum, and the chassis is mostly the same size as it was last year.
• It has four USB ports, two of which are USB Type-A and two of which are Thunderbolt 4.

Lenovos ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 4 was the first time that the product was made out of aluminum. And indeed, its a rare material to find in a ThinkPad, which is known for using carbon fiber in premium devices. The general design of the product has changed a bit since then, changing up the ports, adding a 16:10 display, and so on, but it still comes in the Storm Grey color.

Its not the same chassis as last year though, although its very similar. Its ever so slightly heavier, at 3.04 pounds instead of three pounds, and its actually a little bit wider at 315.6mm instead of 313mm. Of course, if you put the two next to each other, you probably wouldnt even be able to tell which one is which.

As usual, it looks clean and professional, with the only markings on the lid being a metallic ThinkPad X1 logo on the corner, and a Lenovo logo in the opposite corner.

Having the pen built in means it’s always with you, always charged, and it doesn’t get in the way.

Personally, I think this matters. If youre not going to be using the ThinkPad X1 Yoga as a tablet from time to time, you should ask yourself why youre considering buying it. Without the convertible functionality, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a better option.

Battery Life On The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen 7

Based on our testing, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 can last just over a workday without being plugged in. It ran for an average 9 hours and 1 minute on our battery test, which constantly streams video, browses the web and runs graphics tests while connected to Wi-Fi and with the display set to 150 nits of brightness.

The consumer-focused Yoga 9i beat it at 8:08, but it has an OLED screen. The Asus Zenbook was in a similar region at 8:15. None of them lasted as long as last year’s X1 Yoga, which ran for just shy of 14 hours.When we asked Lenovo about the discrepancy, the company disputed the numbers. In its own testing representatives said it saw battery life around 12 hours. It’s possible that any reduction in battery life is due to the higher, 28W P-series processors rather than last year’s U-series parts. We conducted the test multiple times across two units.

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Keyboard Touchpad And Stylus On The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen 7

Lenovo’s ThinkPad keyboards have a legacy of snappy, responsive chiclets. But the ThinkPad X1 Yoga’s keyboard is just OK. The keys have the classic scallop shape and 1.5 mm of travel. But as I took a Monkeytype test, reaching 113 words per minute, I felt that they were mushier than I would like.

The center of the keyboard is punctuated with a bright red dot: the TrackPoint nub, which lets you move the mouse without taking your hands off the keyboard. If that’s how you prefer to navigate your PC, more power to you, it works fine. There are three dedicated mouse buttons above the touchpad for use with the nub.

But I prefer to use a trackpad. Lenovo’s is 4.3 inches wide, but not particularly tall. I had just enough room to perform sweeping three and four-finger gestures in Windows 11, but I would prefer something roomier. The TrackPoint’s buttons take up a fair bit of space, but that’s the choice Lenovo made here.The included stylus is garaged on the right side of the laptop. It’s not as meaty as a full-sized stylus, but I think this thin pen is the best option for a business notebook. It’s there when you need it, all the time, and it’s good enough for jotting down quick notes. The garage also means that it’s being recharged all the time, and I never had an issue with it running out of battery.

Upgradeability Of The Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Yoga Gen 7

Getting into the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 for upgrades or repair is mercifully easy. Before you get to taking anything apart, though, be sure to take out the stylus The bottom cover is held in by five captive Philips head screws. You won’t need to worry about losing any screws just loosen them and pry the base off.

There’s not too much inside to easily upgrade or repair. The SSD is the big replaceable piece. It’s under a copperheatsink that can be removed easily enough. The RAM is soldered to the motherboard

While the battery is removable, It’s definitely not a standard part. There’s a gap in it to fit the stylus into the holding garage. If you need to replace it, you’ll likely need to get an official part from Lenovo.

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Following Thinkpad Family Traditions

Though clad in gray aluminum instead of matte black, the X1 Yoga Gen 7 is a ThinkPad through and through, from its MIL-STD 810H certification against the bumps and bruises of travel to the TrackPoint mini-joystick centered in its keyboard. Like a growing number of notebooks, it swaps the familiar 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio for a slightly taller 16:10 display. Our unit’s touch screen offers 1,920-by-1,200-pixel resolution, though a 3,840-by-2,400-pixel, 500-nit OLED panel is optional.

The aspect ratio helps keep the X1’s size down to a trim 0.61 by 12.4 by 8.8 inchestaking it out of the box, I could easily have mistaken it for a 13.3-inch laptop. Another 14-inch business 2-in-1, the Asus ExpertBook B7 Flip, also has a 16:10 screen but is a bit bulkier at 0.74 by 12.6 by 9.2 inches, though barely heavier at 3.15 to the Lenovo’s 3.04 pounds.

The $1,589.40 base model on Lenovo.com combines a Core i5-1240P processor with 8GB of memory and a 256GB solid-state drive. Our review system, $2,456.99 at CDW, steps up to a Core i7-1260P with 12 coresfour performance cores and eight efficient coresand 16 threads plus Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics. It has 16GB of RAM and a 512GB NVMe SSD along with Windows 11 Pro, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth. IT managers can specify Core i5 and Core i7 CPUs with Intel’s vPro management technology.