X
Tech

ThinkPad X1 Carbon: When an Ultrabook is not an Ultrabook

Don't put an Ultrabook sticker on this new notebook from Lenovo. It's a ThinkPad, and that carries more marketing weight.
Written by James Kendrick, Contributor

Lenovo has refreshed its thin ThinkPad, making it the thinnest and lightest ThinkPad ever produced. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is about as thin as two iPhones, yet the carbon fiber cage keeps it durable as expected from the ThinkPad line. The temptation is there to hang the Ultrabook moniker on the X1 Carbon, but that would be a mistake.

The new ThinkPad has the latest components inside, but at 3 pounds is as thin and light as those Ultrabooks storming the market. The high-resolution screen (1600x900) is a good fit for the 14-inch display, and the Lenovo Rapid Charge technology perfect for the road warrior. That provides an 80 percent charge in only 30 minutes, which is a great feature for a thin and light notebook.

See also: Review: ThinkPad X1, solid MacBook Air competitor | ThinkPad X1 is now my franchise keyboard | ThinkPad X220 review: Awesome keyboard and 20 hour battery

No pricing is available yet for the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, so that alone may put it out of the Ultrabook range of specifications. Even if that isn't the case, to market the X1 Carbon as an Ultrabook would be a tragic mistake.

The Ultrabook designation is strictly a marketing term designed to invoke the image of a thin and light notebook. The fact is the ThinkPad brand is a well-known as any in the PC world, and that carries far more clout in the market than Ultrabook.

So don't push this new ThinkPad as an Ultrabook and you'll be fine, Lenovo. It is a ThinkPad after all.

Editorial standards