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ThinkPad X1 Extreme: At First Glance
Lenovo launched the Thinkpad X1 Extreme series in 2018. This was really exciting because, at the time, Dell XPS, and Apple MacBook pro were the leading ultraportable laptops.
Even at a time when there are a lot of ultra-portable laptops to chose from – the ThinkPad X1 Extreme series will always be considered because of its impressive number of ports.
If you are familiar with its predecessor – the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 – you’ll realize that the new model is the exact same design but with different chips.
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Considering that ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 has the same design as its predecessor, does it have more to offer? Read on to find out.
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- Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 8C (4P + 4LPE) / 8T, Max Turbo up to 4.8GHz, 12MB Intel Smart Cache
- 14" 2.8K (2880x1800) OLED 500nits Anti-glare / Anti-reflection / Anti-smudge, 100% DCI-P3, 120Hz VRR, DisplayHDR True Black 500, Dolby Vision
- 32GB LPDDR5X-8533, MoP Memory
- 1TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0x4 NVMe
- Windows 11 Pro, Backlit Keyboard, Fingerprint Reader, WiFi+Bluetooth, 1-Year Warranty
Thinkpad X1 Extreme: Design, Dimension & Weight
Like previous versions of ThinkPads, Lenovo combines durability and style with the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3. This is as a result of the magnesium chassis of this laptop.
Unfortunately, this laptop doesn’t feature a lot of color variants to choose from. You can only get the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 in black.
However, in addition to the black color, Lenovo offers Carbon-Fiber Weave on the top cover. It is worth noting that this option is only available on the 4K panel model of this laptop.
On the laptop’s surface, you will see the “ThinkPad X1” text logo at the lower right corner of the laptop’s lid. This text logo is inscribed in black with a touch of red.
When it comes to size, this laptop comes in two different weights and dimensions depending on the display panel option you purchase.
More precisely, the touchscreen model has a dimension of 361.8mm x 245.7mm x 18.4mm and weighs 1810g. On the other hand, the non-touchscreen model has a dimension of 361.8mm x 245.7mm x 18.7mm and weighs 1700g.
This difference in weight and dimensions is a common occurrence in laptops with different display options.
Comparatively, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 is taking the lead as a lighter laptop than some of its competitors. For instance, Dell XPS 15 has a dimension of 344.72mm x 230.14mm x 18mm and weighs between 1830g – 2050g.
Despite having slightly smaller dimensions, this Dell product still weighs more than the ThinkPad.
As for opening the laptop’s lid, you can do so with one hand. The hinges are strong but not stiff, they bend all the way back to lay flat but not as a convertible laptop
On opening the lid of the laptop, you’ll see a 15-inch screen. Lenovo decided to give its customers four display options to chose from.
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Thirdly, you also get the option to buy the laptop in 4K IPS HDR400 with Dolby Vision at 3840 x 2160 resolution and 600 nits. Finally, there’s the 4K OLED Touchscreen HDR500 with Dolby Vision at 3840 x 2160 resolution with 400 nits.
My review unit has a 4K IPS HDR400 display with Dolby Vision at 3840 x 2160 resolution.
Additionally, Lenovo offers an optional stylus pen. Even though this laptop isn’t a convertible, its ability to lay flat at 180° makes the pen fairly easy to use.
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In terms of color accuracy and vibrance, you will enjoy the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 laptop. This is because it features 100% sRGB and 420 nits which are really impressive.
This display is ideal for both indoor and outdoor use. This is because of its anti-glare feature which makes the screen non-reflective.
Still on the display, Lenovo refused to opt for a more sophisticated bezel-less display. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 still has fairly thick bezels even for a premium laptop.
This is disappointing when you compare its appearance with the Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 which have very slim bezels.
Moving to the base of the laptop, there’s the power button on the right, positioned beside the keyboard layout.
In terms of security, there is a fingerprint scanner. This very responsive fingerprint scanner is located beside the shift key on the right side of the keyboard layout.
Asides from the fingerprint scanner, you can also unlock this device using the facial recognition webcam with Windows Hello. This webcam is located at the top bezel with a shutter switch to turn on/off the webcam for privacy.
For the keyboard, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 features a spill-resistant keyboard. Spill-resistant keyboards have an additional layer that delays the amount of time it takes the liquid in affecting the keys.
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- Released in early 2024, Lenovo’s 12th generation of the flagship ThinkPad X1 Carbon is a powerhouse of performance boosting features in an ultrathin and ultralight form factor. Gen 12 X1 Carbon updates include Intel’s 14th-gen Meteor Lake Core Ultra processors bringing improved graphics performance, stronger multi-core performance, AI capabilities, and greater power efficiency without sacrificing performance.
- Unopened retail packaging, sold as configured by Lenovo. One Year Onsite Lenovo Warranty. Add up to 5 years of Lenovo Premier Support when you register your computer with Lenovo.
- Manufactured with recycled carbon fiber, the X1 Carbon Gen 12 incorporates recycled materials from front to back. The top, bottom, keyboard, and even the battery back all include recycled materials. Bio-based materials like bamboo and sugarcane are integrated into the laptop packaging, ensuring it is 100% rapidly renewable.
- The updated keyboard includes tactile bumps on some of the keys, making it easier for touch typists. The revised 120mm glass touchpad is larger than the last one (110mm) and still includes the familiar ThinkPad buttons at the top. Other changes include a slightly smaller form factor, thinner bezels providing a 5% higher screen-to-body ratio and it’s even lighter, just 2.41 pounds without the charger!
- A full HD webcam, dual-microphone array, and stereo speakers allow for easy video conferencing while working on the go. With a range of ports, including two USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, two USB-A 3.2, and HDMI ports, connect multiple peripherals as well as experience faster downloads and quick file transfers. Minimal preloaded applications mean maximum battery life and responsiveness for users, and faster deployment for IT admins.
This means you don’t have to panic when you accidentally spill liquid on the laptop’s keyboard.
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 makes typing enjoyable on this laptop. This is because it has key travel of 1.5mm and a smooth chassis to rest your arm.
Unfortunately, the downside of this keyboard is the optional backlit. For a premium laptop, I expected the Gen 3 keyboard to be backlit by standard, not an option.
Also on the keyboard is the evergreen TrackPoint which has been a part of the Lenovo ThinkPad for years. This red-cap button is located somewhere in the middle around the ‘B’ key of the keyboard layout.
The TrackPoint center button is secondary to the touchpad, it is used to scroll through documents or Web pages. The button can also be used to enlarge items on the screen.
Interestingly, the “F7 – F11” function keys on the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 have more features.
The ‘F11’ key activates the Lenovo vantage which is an application that makes it easy to manage your device settings – improve performance, and enhance your overall laptop use.
F10 is used to pick up a call. F9 functions for opening notifications. F8 is used to disconnect a call. F7 is used to switch between monitors.
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At the base of the laptop, there’s the cooling fan and dual speakers. For the speakers, it would have been a lot better if they were located on the side like the Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 which produce better sound quality.
In terms of ports and slots, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 features very good port options. On the right, you will see two USB 3.2 Gen 1 slots and a full SD card reader.
While on the left, there’s the headphone jack, HDMI 2.0, two USB-C Thunderbolt 3, and power in.
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Despite not having so much design difference as its predecessor, its overall look still makes it a desirable laptop. For that reason, I will be rating it a nine out of ten.
Thinkpad X1 Extreme: Processor (CPU) Performance
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 is powered by a 10th Gen Intel Core i7 10850H processor. If you need more processor power, this laptop can be also be purchased with the 10th Gen Intel Core i9 vPro 10885H processor.
The Core i7 of our review model is a 6-core processor with a 12MB cache. It also has a base frequency of 2.50 GHz and a boost frequency of 5.10 GHz.
On the other hand, the Core i9 is an 8-core processor with a 16MB cache. It also has a base frequency of 2.40 GHz and a boost frequency of 5.30 GHz.
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At the end of this test, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 had a score of 2836. Compared to its strong competitors, this is a high score.
In the same test, the Dell XPS 15 had a score of 2825 while the MSI GS66 Stealth had a score of 2358.
Apparently, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 performs well without hitches and it also provides additional CPU configuration. For that reason, I will be rating it a nine.
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In terms of memory, our review model features 32 GB RAM DDR4. Furthermore, this memory can be upgraded up to 64 GB RAM.
The memory expansion is possible because of the two memory slots on this laptop. One memory slot already has 32 GB RAM while the second slot is empty and can also accommodate another 32 GB RAM.
In determining the memory performance, I carried out a PC Mark 10 test on this laptop. This benchmark test aims to help you understand a laptop’s performance for certain categories of work such as content creation.
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- UNOPENED RETAIL PACKAGING, sold as configured by Lenovo. Includes one year Lenovo Onsite Warranty. Add up to 5 years of Lenovo Premier Onsite Support Plus when you register your computer with Lenovo.
At the end of this test, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 scored 5198. Following it closely is the Dell XPS 15 which had a score of 5108.
Also, the MSI GS66 STEALTH scored 4904 on the same test.
Apparently, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 has better memory performance than MSI GS66 Stealth which is a gaming laptop.
I will be rating it a nine because of its performance and memory upgradability.
ThinkPad X1 Extreme: Storage Options & Performance
The storage capacity of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 is actually commendable. Interestingly, there are two SSD storage drive slots on this laptop.
One of these slots contains 1 TB M.2 2280 PCIe SSD storage drive. The second slot is empty to expand the storage which is expandable up to 4 TB.
What is even more exciting is this: even with such large standard storage and more slot for expansion, the ThinkPad still features a full SD Card option. I find that very impressive because you can not run out of storage options on this device.
In other to know just how well the storage performs, I conducted a Crystaldiskmark test. This benchmark test is used to test the performance of storage drives to determine how fast or slow the drive performs.
At the end of this test, ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 had a score of 3524.61 MB/s as the read speed while the write speed was 2984.96 MB/s.
The Dell XPS 15 followed it closely with a read speed of 3442 MB/s and a write speed of 2705 MB/s. The Apple MacBook Pro 16 was also tested with a read speed score of 3241.6 MB/s and a write speed of 2726.6 MB/s.
Lenovo ThinkPad Extreme Gen 3 has excellent storage options and also performs well. I will be rating it a nine.
ThinkPad X1 Extreme: Graphics Card Performance
In terms of graphics, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme G3 offers two GPU configuration options to choose from. More specifically, there’s the Intel UHD Graphics and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q.
The Intel UHD Graphics is an integrated GPU with a base frequency of 350 MHz and a boost frequency of 1250 MHz. While the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q is a dedicated GPU with 4 GB GDDR6 dedicated VRAM.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesAlso, this dedicated GPU features a base frequency of 1035 MHz and a boost frequency of 1200 MHz. Our review unit is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX GPU.
As I stated earlier, the Intel UHD Graphics is an integrated graphics card, meaning that it shares memory with the CPU in performing tasks. The NVIDIA GeForce on the other hand is a dedicated graphics card which means it has its own memory and performs tasks independent of the system memory.
In a nutshell, NVIDIA GeForce performs better for graphics and gaming than the Intel UHD. To have an idea of what this GPU can do, I ran a GPU performance test using 3DMark 11.
The 3D Mark 11 is a video card benchmark test for measuring the gaming performance of a laptop. This benchmark test provides reliable test results based on a laptop’s performance during game-like tasks.
Moving on, at the end of this test, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 scored 12275 points. This is slightly higher than its predecessor; the Extreme G2, which had a score of 10885 points.
However, Dell XPS 15 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 outperformed the ThinkPad. The Dell XPS 15 which has the same GPU graphics card as our review unit, had a score of 12865.
On the other hand, Apple MacBook Pro 16 with an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M GPU scored 14725 points in the same test.
To further test the gaming performance of ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3, I played some games. On this gaming test, cyberpunk 2077 played at 27 fps on high game settings and 63 fps on low game settings.
DOTA 2 REBORN played at 106 fps on high game settings and 130 fps on low game settings. Call of Duty Black Ops Cold War played at 45 fps on high setting and played higher at 100 fps.
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 performs well even for a non-gaming laptop. Based on this, I will be rating it an eight.
Rank #4
- Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 268V vPro Processor (LPE-cores up to 3.70 GHz P-cores up to 5.00 GHz / 32 GB MOP)
- Graphics: Integrated Intel Arc Graphics 140V
- Memory: 32 GB LPDDR5X-8533MT/s (Memory on Package); Storage: 1 TB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4
- 14" 2.8K (2880 x 1800), OLED, Anti-Glare/Anti-Reflection/Anti-Smudge, Non-Touch, HDR 500, 100I-P3, 400 nits, 120Hz, Low Blue Light
- Dimensions (WxDxH): 8.08 – 14.37mm x 312.8mm x 214.75mm / 0.32 – 0.56ʺ x 12.31ʺ x 8.45ʺ Weight: Starting at 986g / 2.17lbs
ThinkPad X1 Extreme: Battery Life & Performance
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme G3 features a 4-cell 80 Wh which Lenovo claims will last up to 15 hours battery life. To verify Lenovo’s claim, I decided to put the battery to test.
I started off with basic tasks, using MS Word, YouTube, and general browsing. At the beginning of this task, the laptop was fully charged, the brightness was at 50% and the WiFi connection was turned on.
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In addition to that, I carried out another test of video playback with a different setting.
For this test, the laptop was fully charged with brightness set to 50%, volume at 100%, and WiFi connection turned off. To get the most out of the battery, I turned on battery-saving mode.
After the settings, I did a video playback of a 40-minute documentary which is locally saved on the laptop’s hard disk. The essence of this video playback is to have the video on repeat till the laptop runs out of battery.
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At the end of this test, the laptop’s battery lasted 7 hours 23 minutes.
The ThinkPad performed poorly compared to its competitors. Dell XPS 15 lasted 12 hours 11 minutes on the same video playback test.
While the Apple MacBook Pro 16 outperforms both of them with a battery runtime of 18 hours 32 minutes on the same test.
For a premium laptop such as this, Lenovo could have done better in its battery performance. So, based on its underperforming battery, I will be rating it a six.
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Yes. The performance and durability of this laptop make it suitable for students.
Yes. Lenovo offers an optional touchscreen resolution display for this laptop.
Yes. Even though it’s not a gaming laptop, its performance serves well for gaming
Yes. The performance and capacity of this laptop makes it ideal for programming
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Its durability, portable size, and performance serve well for a wide range of people. From students to content creators, video editors, business owners, and so on.
Conclusion
Overall, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 laptop is an impressive premium laptop. Its lightweight and durable build makes it a suitable mobile workstation laptop.
If you mostly work from home, this laptop is just what you need. The display options, memory performance, and keyboard feature enhance productivity.
I would recommend this laptop for IT experts, engineers, and anyone that needs portability and performance in a laptop.
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Also, Individuals involved in graphics tasks can also consider this laptop with its impressive graphics performance.
You also don’t have to break the bank to get this laptop. The ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 3 is affordable compared to the likes of the Apple MacBook Pro 16.
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