The ThinkPad Goes Ultrabook — ThinkPad X1 Carbon Tested

MojoKid writes "The venerable Lenovo ThinkPad, with its little red TrackPoint nub, has gone the way of the Ultrabook. If there's one small dig ThinkPads have taken with regularity over the years, it's that though there's a ton of quality and substance built into these machines, style was not a hallmark of the brand. The all new ThinkPad X1 Carbon could very well change the utilitarian stereotype of Lenovo's business-backed line-up, however. As the name suggests, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon is built from carbon fiber material throughout its chassis and internal rollcage. Its 14-inch display drives a native resolution of 1600x900, and its keyboard, arguably one of the nicest features of the ThinkPad line, is backlit and even more refined with contoured key caps. Battery life hits a max of about six hours on a full charge, and the machine weighs in at 3lbs and .31-inches at it thinnest dimension."

Thinkpad Stinkpad Schminkpad

[stkris]

OP said " If there's one small dig ThinkPads have taken with regularity over the years, it's that though there's a ton of quality and substance built into these machines". Which is why when it was my turn to upgrade got a top of the line w530. Yes it is super fast. But the Thinkpad substance is on a decline. First of all the new chicklet keyboard design make me hit the wrong keys all the time. Especially the delete key! And this after two months of trying to get used to it. The old keyboard I could use without looking. But now they have removed all the physical clues. No more gaps between F-key-groups so I have no idea if I hit F5 or F4. Then they have removed the status lights for such things as caps lock and battery vs charging. And then the screen is 1 cm lower than my old T61 - which was 1 or 2 cm lower than my older 4:3 laptop. Each new machine give me fever lines of code to work with. I am not a happy customer any more. My productivity has taken a hit and my boss won't like that. But what can a girl do? Make my own?

Build quality not impressive anymore

[evilviper]

If there's one small dig ThinkPads have taken with regularity over the years, it's that though there's a ton of quality and substance built into these machines, style was not a hallmark of the brand.

That was long ago, when IBM owned the brand. Lenovo kept the quality up to par for a while, but many people who've bought Thinkpads in the past couple years will attest that the quality isn't the best any longer. That they're going for styling now, just further suggests they're completely changing the brand, and it will no longer stand for quality and durability.

Re:Build quality not impressive anymore

[WrecklessSandwich]

Who would you suggest has the best build quality now, then? If you say Apple I will beat you silly with a chassis fan because I want to be able to have children, but anything else I'm genuinely curious to hear.

Re:Always loved the thinkpad style

[Crudely_Indecent]

The day I bought my first thinkpad was the day I stopped replacing broken laptops.

Re:Terrible keyboard layout

[garyebickford]

You just inspired a thought - they could make it so the keys rise up slightly when the lid is opened, providing longer travel. In fact I would love to see a true shift-lock key again, that stays down when it's engaged. And a pony, of course.