Review: ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 5 is impressively quick, with the suitable settings

Our tackle the fifth-generation model of Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Extreme is—spoiler—just about the identical as what we mentioned about the fourth-generation model. It runs sizzling and it is costly, but it surely’s highly effective and arguably a more sensible choice than Dell’s XPS 15 for folks whose laptop computer is their major pc quite than a sidecar for a desktop workstation or gaming PC, because of an expanded port choice and extra highly effective GPU choices.

It additionally modifications even lower than is typical for a year-over-year laptop computer refresh, including Intel’s Twelfth-generation Alder Lake CPUs however sticking to the identical RTX 3000-series GPUs from Nvidia and related reminiscence and storage configurations. We’ll level you to final yr’s overview for prolonged commentary on the keyboard, ports, and basic feel and appear, which haven’t modified a lot yr to yr. It makes use of the everyday comfy Lenovo laptop computer keyboard plus the pointing nub and trackpad, all among the many finest you may get in a laptop computer from Lenovo, Dell, Apple, or some other firm.

The X1 Extreme can also be moderately straightforward to improve and restore in comparison with thinner and lighter laptops, with simply accessible DDR5 RAM slots and a pair of M.2 SSD slots. In our overview mannequin, one had a 1TB SSD in it, and the opposite was open for upgrades. Lenovo nonetheless publishes a {hardware} upkeep handbook (PDF) to assist folks carry out these and different upgrades and repairs.

We got a model with a distinct display screen and GPU than the one we received final yr, which provides us a greater thought of how the high-end configurations will carry out however much less of a way of year-over-year battery life modifications or different enhancements (the transfer from Eleventh- to Twelfth-gen Intel CPUs has been dangerous for battery life general, although laptops just like the ThinkPad that use H-series chips have managed to interrupt even or enhance barely).

One change value noting in comparison with final yr’s X1 Extreme: Lenovo affords totally different configuration choices for its 16-inch display screen. There’s a brand new 1920×1200 show on the bottom mannequin, down from the 2560×1600 show that was the low-end choice final technology. If you do spring for the 2560×1600 display screen, although, you get an considerable refresh price improve, from the everyday 60 Hz all the way in which as much as 165 Hz. You ought to typically stick with 60 Hz more often than not for the sake of battery life, however increased refresh charges could make animations and scrolling look smoother and make video games really feel extra fluid and responsive—it is value trying into in the event you assume you will be enjoying video games on the X1 Extreme repeatedly.

The top-end choices are 4K IPS screens, one with contact and one with out (not like the XPS 15, there is not any OLED choice out there). We examined the top-end 3840×2400 IPS touchscreen; the panel is brilliant and sharp, with a decent 1,397:1 distinction ratio and a 557 nit peak brightness (as measured by our colorimeter). But its colour gamut protection is considerably disappointing for one thing this costly, with 98.3 p.c protection of the sRGB gamut (which is ok) and 85.1 p.c protection of the DCI-P3 gamut (which is a bit low). Apple’s MacBook Pros and Dell’s OLED display screen for the XPS 15 cowl the entire DCI-P3 gamut, and whereas it is not vital characteristic for everybody, Lenovo is falling wanting its competitors right here.