Is the New Lenovo ThinkPad X13s the M1 MacBook Air Equivalent We’ve Been Waiting For?
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We didn’t think a business oriented laptop could possibly be in the running to displace the M1-powered Apple MacBook Air as one of the best laptops you can buy, but Lenovo certainly has our attention. As part of its MWC 2022 announcements, the company officially introduced its ThinkPad X13s, which is notable for featuring the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Compute Platform. We’ll detail more of that later, but believe us when we say it left us speechless after spending a brief time with the ultra thin and lightweight laptop.
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Key Specifications
Dimensions: 11.76 x 8.13 x 0.53-inches
Weight: 2.35 pounds
Display:13.3-inch WUXGA 16:10 Display
Processor: Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Compute Platform
Battery: 49.5 Wh Li-ion polymer (video playback up to 28 hours)
What We Love About The Lenovo ThinkPad X13s
It’s ridiculously thin and lightweight at nearly half an inch thick and tipping the scales in at 2.35 pounds. Most laptops try to be flashy with their designs, such as using an aluminum chassis or adding a slick look with glass surfaces. Lenovo’s approach at first pass may seem subdued, but upon closer inspection, we’re absolutely delighted by its recycled magnesium covering. This effectively gives the laptop a somewhat matte finish, so it’s much better at resisting ugly smudges and fingerprints.
You’ll also fall in love with the 13.3-inch WUXGA Display, which will be available in either touch or Eyesafe low blue light options. Some people may be thrown off a bit by the 16:10 aspect ratio, but it allows for better side-by-side viewing of applications you’re running.
The real star of the show is undoubtedly the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Compute Platform powering the laptop. You should be thrilled because performance wise, it can go toe-to-toe with the M1-powered MacBook Air. This chipset not only enables the ThinkPad X13s to be designed without the usual fans used to cool down the laptop’s internal components, but it doesn’t compromise on performance either — so it’ll be able to handle processor intensive tasks like video editing, without the worry of overheating or being bogged down.
Think of it much like your smartphone or tablet, always-connected gadgets that run incredibly fast without the need of fans to help dissipate heat. Another benefit of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Compute Platform is its extended battery life, which is rated for upwards of 28 hours. If it can truly achieve that mark, it’s going to completely change all of our expectations of laptops.
Pricing And Availability
Even though the ThinkPad line has long been associated as a business-centric laptop, the ThinkPad X13s has the ingredients to push out into the consumer market as a formidable everyday laptop. Whether it’s for business or pleasure, it certainly has an appealing package to the masses.
Luckily we won’t have to wait long for it either because it’s slated for release in May 2022 with a starting price of $1,099.99. Wireless carriers AT&T and Verizon will also carry it later in 2022. That’s probably attributed to the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Compute Platform, just because it was designed specifically to offer 5G connectivity.
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