Lenovo’s new ThinkPad X9 is the least ThinkPad ever

Lenovo got here to CES 2025 to show that there’s nonetheless room in its ThinkPad household for recent designs. It might appear sacrilegious to ditch the carbon fiber frames and Trackpoint nubs present in traditional ThinkPads, however that’s precisely what the brand new ThinkPad X9 line does.

Lenovo might not admit it outright, however the objective with these new fashions is to entice youthful patrons who won’t have a ton of nostalgia for the corporate’s 30-year-old laptop computer line. That stated, the X9 line (which will probably be out there in each 14- and 15-inch variants) nonetheless delivers the identical military-grade sturdiness (MIL-SPEC 810H) you’d count on from a typical ThinkPad whereas boasting a good sleeker and extra minimalist look.

The lid of the X9 line is constructed from a clean sheet of aluminum with the one defining attribute (apart from the ThinkPad brand) being the lengthy communication bar that homes the laptop computer’s microphones and cameras. On the within, Lenovo’s streamlined aesthetic reveals the whole absence of a Trackpoint nub, a redesigned keyboard with new keycaps and a good bigger haptic touchpad than what you’d get from the X9’s siblings.

So despite the fact that I’m an elder millennial who has some fondness for old-school ThinkPads, I have to admit that I discover Lenovo’s break from custom reasonably interesting. I by no means understood the Trackpoint nub, particularly on fashionable notebooks with tremendous responsive touchpads. Eliminating it not solely reduces distractions, however makes the keyboard simpler to make use of. And even with its tweaked keycaps, there’s nonetheless loads of journey to ship a really snug typing expertise.

On its backside, Lenovo is utilizing what it calls an Engine Hub to ship nice connectivity for its dimension together with a Thunderbolt 4 port on either side, a full HDMI 2.1 jack, 3.5mm audio and USB-A, whereas nonetheless offering loads of room for thermal administration. The X9 line’s D-cover (the underside panel) may also be eliminated by loosening simply 4 captured screws, which provides you quick access to the laptop computer’s user-replaceable SSD and battery. Sadly, as a result of the system is powered by as much as Intel Core Extremely 7 processors, RAM is soldered on so you possibly can’t improve its reminiscence by yourself.

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Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 and 15 Aura Version hands-on images

Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 and 15 Aura Version hands-on images

Each the 14- and 15-inch variations of the X9 characteristic brilliant OLED shows with 2.8K resolutions and 400 nits of brightness (or 500 nits on the X9 15) and all fashions include 80Whr batteries, Wi-Fi 7, 8-megapixel high-def webcams and twin noise-canceling microphones. I additionally respect lots of the smaller design touches just like the bodily shutter for the webcam and what is likely to be one of many smallest 65-watt energy adapters I’ve seen from any main laptop computer producer up to now.

Lastly, Lenovo’s Aura Version branding is there to remind you that the X9 line features a handful of AI-powered instruments together with Sensible Share, dynamic energy modes, enhanced safety and extra. And in case something ever goes incorrect, you’ll even have entry to 24/7 stay assist that’s meant to ship extra of a white-glove expertise in comparison with much less premium machines.

All advised, the brand new X9 line actually does seem to be a extra fashionable strategy to laptop computer design. Now, that doesn’t imply Lenovo must kill the traditional ThinkPad (I nonetheless love these carbon fiber frames), however particularly for youthful clients, I really feel like there’s loads of room for each of those traces to stay collectively fortunately.

Each fashions are anticipated to go on sale in February, with the ThinkPad X9 Aura Version beginning at $1,399 or $1,549 for the 15-inch model.