Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold Hands-On: The First Of Its Kind

Last year, when Lenovo teased it foldable PC, the product wasn’t completely ready, but it is now and is putting on a show at CES 2020. Yes, all laptops are foldable, but not like the ThinkPad X1 Fold. This innovative laptop has a flexible plastic OLED screen measuring 13.3 inches while lacking a built-in touchpad and keyboard. Instead, it looks like a tablet rather than a typical clamshell device.

The device’s large display makes the most use in landscape mode, which you can either prop up with its folding kickstand or an optional Fold Stand. Then, you can use the laptop with its Bluetooth keyboard to maximize productivity.

At other times when you would prefer compactness to productivity optimization, you can put the keyboard aside, rotate the ThinkPad X1 Fold, fold it in half and you’ll have a portable laptop in one piece and use it with the on-screen keyboard supported by Windows 10.

If you need to draw or write something with hands rather than the keyboard, you can use the stylus, which is fully supported no matter which mode you’re in. And with Windows Inking integration, you can make a sketch or annotate a PDF file as you wish.

However, the Mode Switcher app is probably the best thing about the X1 Fold, designed for multitasking optimization. This is extremely helpful because Windows 10 Pro wasn’t exactly made for laptops with foldable displays. Lenovo said it will update this laptop so it can work with Windows 10X, an operating system Microsoft has built for folding tablets. But the timeline for that remains unknown.

According to Lenovo, this ThinkPad X1 Fold has passed the 810G tests like every other ThinkPad device has to, including drop tests, meaning its durability should go beyond usual expectations for this kind of device.

The maker adds that the screen of the X1 Fold consists of six layers for greater rigidity, which means it offers the 6H hardness despite being plastic. The screen is resistant to scratches from objects like fingernails, the stylus, and other daily items.

Take a closer look and you’ll see that instead of a metal or plastic bezel, the X1 Fold sports a silicone border running along its edge so that the screen can bend without creating gaps, which prevents dirt and dust from getting inside. There’s also a leather cover that slides back and forth depending on how much you bend the laptop.

When the device is closed there is a small gap left to avoid creases in the middle of the screen. Even better, the gap can fit its physical keyboard perfectly. Lenovo didn’t confirm the X1 Fold’s CPU but it may pack the 10nm 10th-gen Intel Lakefield processors for significant power savings when you put the device in standby mode without having to trade off top-end performance. Additionally, the laptop has 8GB Ram, an optional 5G modem, and a 1TB SSD, the X1 Fold is expected to perform as well as traditional clamshell laptops.

However, its battery life is not really desirable with 11 hours on one charge, which is fine but that measurement is only on paper. A bigger issue is that the touchpad on the magnetic keyboard is relatively small for the complex, large screen. Also, when folded, the laptop is 27.9 mm thick, which is not slim at all. And it has a hefty price tag of Rs 1,80,000 ($2,500).

All in all, this foldable laptop is like no other on the market. Lenovo says that it has already had buyers in line for the ThinkPad X1 Fold including sales departments, hospitals, and manufacturing companies. The laptop is currently being exhibited at CES 2020 along with many other laptops.

Also, check out battery prices in case your current laptop's battery life has been going down. Besides, Google also presents at the even, here is everything Google announced at CES 2020.