As part of Lenovo’s bumper CES 2020 press conference, the Chinese tech firm has revealed the latest models in its ThinkPad X1 Carbon and X1 Yoga brands.
Sitting alongside its new ThinkPad X1 Fold and the ThinkBook Plus, the 2020 models of the Carbon and Yoga ThinkPads look the same as last year’s range but bring enhanced durability and security, 4K displays and Dolby Atmos. Plus, Lenovo has upgraded the separately sold ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard to make docking with the laptops easier and more comfortable.
For starters, both laptops meet the Mil-Spec standard, meaning they have been built to pass the US Military’s durability, ruggedness and reliability tests. This involves putting them through a series of extreme environmental trials including temperature, pressure, dust, humidity and vibration testing.
As a result, all the laptops in the X1 brand can withstand extremely low and high temperatures (from -25°C up to 63°C for 24 hrs); humidity levels of up to 98%; being subjected to sand and dust for up to six hours at a time; and have been subjected to high acceleration and repeated shock pulses meaning they can be dropped multiple times without any damage being caused.
Security-wise, both are protected by ThinkShield, Lenovo’s security package designed to protect them at every stage of the manufacturing and supply-chain stage in addition to the standard online and identity security features.
They also have the option of adding Lenovo’s ThinkPad PrivacyGuard which stops people from being able to peer over your shoulder and read your screen. Not only does the bright 500 nit FHD display obscure the view, the ThinkPad PrivacyAlert also warns you if anyone is looking at your screen.
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Both laptops also offer a 4K HDR display option with Dolby Vision, complemented by Dolby Atmos support, and are powered by 10th-generation Intel Core vPro processors. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is part of Intel’s Project Athena innovation program - an initiative set up to develop thin and light laptops with long battery life, fast response times, and that instantly wake from sleep.
Elsewhere, the keyboards across the devices include unified communications buttons, built into the functions row, for instant Voice-over-IP access. The separate ThinkPad TrackPoint Keyboard II mirrors the design and function of these in-built keyboards, providing a familiar touch and feel when the laptop is docked to an external display.
This keyboard is sold separately, connects via 2.4Ghz wireless or with Bluetooth 5 via Microsoft Swift Pair in Windows 10 and it offers up to two months battery life on a single charge. It can also connect to up to two devices with support for Windows and Android and includes 6-point entry for the visually impaired.
Both the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8 and the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 5 are expected to be available “later in 2020” – an exact date is not yet known – and prices start at $1,499 and $1,599 respectively.
