Expanding on their lineup of portable and durable thin and light laptops, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano hits a new low by coming in at just under two pounds. With an 11th Gen Intel processor, huge battery life, and a bright, sharp screen, it’s an easy-to-use portable option for on-the-go professionals. Be sure to hit the video below to check out all the details.
ThinkPad X1 Nano: quick specs
- CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1185G7, up to Core i7-1160G7
- Graphics: Integrated Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- Memory: Up to 16GB
- Storage: 256 as specced, upto 1TB
- Battery: 45Wh
- Display: 13in 2K Dolby Vision 2160 x 1350
- Brightness: 450 nits
- Starting Price: List: $1,465.99
- Dimensions: 11.53 x 8.18 x 0.55 – 0.66 inches
- Weight: 907g / 1.99lbs
Design overview
To make the ThinkPad X1 Nano the lightest one yet, Lenovo has made the top out of a carbon-fiber hybrid material and the bottom features a magnesium-aluminum chassis. Despite that lightweight, though, the X1 Nano features a nearly full-size backlit keyboard.
While it’s incredibly light, the ThinkPad X1 Nano feels very well built. Like other ThinkPad computers before it, the X1 Nano has passed product testing to ensure its durability with a few different procedures. To learn more, head over to Lenovo’s website.
The matte black finish looks sleek, and the screen snaps shut and easily opens from closed without feeling flimsy. Moving the X1 Nano around, putting it in a bag, and using it on a lap is incredibly easy and comfortable.
Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Nano: video
Ins and outs
As a thin and light laptop, the ThinkPad X1 Nano has pretty limited input and output options. On the left side of the computer are dual Thunderbolt 4 or USB-C port as well as an audio jack. Of course, Thunderbolt 4 means that it’s easy to add some quick connectivity with hubs and adapters when needed, but it keeps things simple when on the go.
Keyboard and trackpad
A nearly full-size backlit keyboard makes typing on the ThinkPad X1 comfortable. The board uses scissor lift mechanisms and I didn’t find many issues using the keys. They have short travel but offer some nice feedback. I was able to get similar typing scores as I usually do on a bigger mechanical keyboard.
Likewise, the trackpad operates just as expected with great responsiveness. Taps are easy and gestures register quickly.
And of course, the ThinkPad X1 Nano has the TrackPoint for quick navigation without taking fingers off the keys. While not everyone’s cup of tea, there are a lot of people who rely on this quick navigation tool to make quick adjustments instead of moving a hand away from home row.
Performance
Not meant to be a gaming or rendering beast, the ThinkPad X1 Nano can crush most normal office work with ease, thanks to the 11th-gen Intel core i5-1130G7 running at 1.1Ghz. The model we have is the base model, but the Thinkpad X1 Nano can also be optioned up to a 2.1Ghz Core i7-1160G7.
Running PCMark 10, the ThinkPad X1 Nano scored a respectable 4409, which was down just over 100 points from a gaming laptop but scored better than 37% of all results. And from my experience running web browsers, writing scripts, and watching media, the Nano has plenty of power under the hood.
Of course, I had to try gaming to see what I could get on Valorant. With the resolution set to 2160 x 1350 and everything turned down, I was able to keep FPS above 100 during normal movement. It did dip down to 70-80 occasionally when things were getting busy.
While it’s not meant as a gaming machine, light gaming is absolutely possible on the lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano.
ThinkPad X1 Nano’s impressive battery life
Where the Lenovo X1 Nano performance excels, though, is battery life. The 48Wh battery kept the PCMark 10 Modern Office battery benchmark going for just over 14 hours with the brightness at 50% and power mode set to “better battery.” That’s extremely impressive. Every time I looked over at the benchmark, I was amazed by how much battery was left on the X1 Nano.
Display and Dolby Vision
Packing a 2160 x 1350 IPD display, the screen on the ThinkPad X1 Nano looks sharp and also gets pretty bright at up to 450nits. That 16:10 ratio goes beyond the more common 16:9 ratio to give a little more vertical screen real estate and is a welcome addition for productivity. And with Dolby Vision and 100% sRGB, it produces a great-looking image.
Dolby Atmos
With two upward-firing tweeters and two downward-firing drivers, the X1 nano packs a Dolby Atmos speaker system. While it won’t reproduce deep bass in music or movies, the speakers get plenty loud and remain clear even at high volumes. Watch chaotic action scenes like those in 6 Underground kept the audio clear with impressive left-right separation.
Webcam
While it’s nice to have a privacy cover built into the bezel of the display, the 720p webcam isn’t the highest performer. It did do a good job at keeping my face well exposed in a variety of lighting conditions, but the resolution was very soft.
ThinkPad X1 Nano: other premium features
Booting up and signing in is also extremely quick on the X1 Nano. Windows Hello lets you log in with either the webcam or the fingerprint reader next to the touchpad. With these setups, from powering on the laptop to logging in takes only a matter of seconds – great for productivity on the go.
Thanks to a radar sensor next to the webcam, the X1 Nano can also detect when someone is at the computer and can wake itself up and also lock itself when you leave the computer. Combine this with Windows Hello, and it makes a pretty seamless login experience.
9to5Toys’ Take
Lenovo has nailed it for a thin and light, easy-to-use laptop with long battery life with the ThinkPad X1 Nano. The combination of easy login, quick startup, and all-day battery with enough power for crushing emails and work tasks, it’s a great choice for on-the-go productivity.
For more from Lenovo, check out our recent review of the Yoga 9i 2-in-1.
Buy Lenovo Thinkpad X1 Nano
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