I’ve been using the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 for a week, and while I really like it, there are a few areas I hoped would improve from the Gen 10, like battery life, thermals, and performance. The key upgrade this time is the 15-watt U-series processor specifically Intel’s 13th Gen Core i7 1355U.
Design and Keyboard
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 comes in a standard black but the 2.8K version adds a stylish carbon fiber weave finish. While its sleek design looks great the glossy surface easily picks up fingerprints requiring frequent cleaning. Made from a carbon fiber and magnesium blend possibly with recycled materials offers a balance of durability and eco-friendliness.
As far the ports on the left side, there are two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports for data transfer, charging, and display connections, along with a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port and HDMI 2.0b. The right side has a 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack, another USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, and a Kensington lock slot. However, lacks of microSD or full-sized SD card reader, which could be a drawback for some users.
You can open the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 with one finger and the screen tilts back 180 degrees allowing you to find the perfect viewing angle every time definitely a convenient feature. While some have criticized recent ThinkPad keyboards, I disagree. Typing on this keyboard especially for long documents or emails is a pleasure. The keys offer excellent tactile feedback and ThinkPad keyboards still stand out as the best compared to other laptops.
Keyboard is also spill-resistant and has a multi-level backlight making it easy to work in dimly lit environments. The solid hinge design minimizes screen wobble while typing an issue with some other laptops. The touchpad performs well with smooth two-finger scrolling and reliable gestures. Of course, the iconic TrackPoint is as responsive as ever remaining a key part of the ThinkPad experience.
1080p webcam captures 30fps ideal for Zoom calls and hybrid work setups. It includes an IR camera for face recognition with Windows Hello, along with a fingerprint scanner in the power button for alternative login. Webcam also features Studio Effects like auto framing, eye contact, and background blur standard offerings on many 2023 laptops, though some may find the eye contact feature a bit unsettling.
- With 16 GB LPDDR5 of memory, runs as many programs as you want without losing the execution
- The 14″ 1920 x 1200 screen provides a great movie watching experience
- 512 GB SSD is enough to store your essential documents and files, favorite songs, movies and pictures
Display and Audio
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 offers several display options, with the new 14-inch 2.8K OLED as the standout. It reaches 400 nits of brightness, is DCI-P3 certified, and has anti-glare and anti-reflective coatings, making it their premium choice. The 4K UHD option has been removed, so the 2.8K OLED is now the highest resolution available. There’s also a 2.2K option, but I don’t have that model for review. The model I’m using is the Full HD+ touchscreen with a low blue light filter and anti-glare coating, the same as last year.
For most users, the Full HD+ display is the best choice offers deep blacks, vibrant colors and high contrast while delivering better battery life than the OLED option. While the OLED offers better color accuracy and higher resolution, the Full HD+ strikes a balance between performance and efficiency.
If you’re a content creator, the OLED display is ideal due to its superior color accuracy and resolution. However, for everyday use and media consumption like watching Netflix or YouTube the Full HD+ IPS display is more than enough. The 60Hz refresh rate is standard across all models, including the 2-in-1 variant, which is fine for business use where battery life is prioritized over higher refresh rates. Matte display reduces glare a nice touch compared to glossy screens and having a touchscreen on a matte display is rare and it’s great to see this feature included.
Audio is another area where the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 shines. The Dolby Atmos speakers offer a rich, spatial audio experience, with clear mids, good volume, and even some bass impressive for a business laptop.
User Upgrade Ability
The SSD is user-upgradable and its PCIe Gen 4 speeds are excellent for both reading and writing. However, the RAM is soldered onto the motherboard and not user-upgradable. Lenovo uses LP DDR5 RAM running in dual-channel mode and you can now configure it with up to 64GB double the 32GB maximum from last year according to press materials.
For wireless connectivity, the Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.1 combo card is also soldered and non-upgradable but both work flawlessly without any issues. When it comes to mobile broadband, there are two options: a 4G LTE Cat 16 modem or a 5G Sub-6 Cat 20 modem. Both support eSIM and physical nano SIM cards.
Benchmarks and Performance
| Benchmarks | Score |
|---|---|
| PCMARK 10 | 5,676 |
| GEEKBENCH 6 (Single-Core) | 2,369 |
| GEEKBENCH 6 (Multi-Core) | 8,515 |
| CINBENCH R20 | 2,778 |
| CINEBENCH R15 | 1,098 CB | 111.95 FPS |
| CINEBENCH R23 | 1,588 Single-Core / 5,466 Multi-Core |
| 3DMARK Fire Strike | 4,510 |
| DMARK Time Spy | 1,564 |
Performance with an Intel Core i7 1355U, a 13th-gen processor featuring 10 cores eight efficient and two performance cores. Benchmark results show well-suited for productivity tasks like Microsoft Office, email and web browsing handling everyday tasks smoothly. However, there’s no major boost in single or multi-core performance, and some thermal throttling occurs, as I’ll explain shortly.
| Lenovo Yoga 9i Gen 8 Core i7-1360P | 1,805 |
| Samsung Galaxy Book 3 Pro Core i7-1360P | 1,683 |
| ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 Core i7-1355U | 1,588 |
| HP DragonFly Pro Ryzen 7 7736U | 1,538 |
This scored 5466 in the Cinebench R23 benchmark indicating lower performance due to thermal throttling. This result is expected since the review unit uses a 15-watt U series processor, unlike the previous generation’s 28-watt P series. While the performance isn’t as strong as its predecessor in line with the shift to a lower-powered CPU.
The integrated Iris XE Graphics is suitable for light gaming but isn’t built for AAA titles on high settings. However, with two Thunderbolt 4 ports, you can connect an external GPU for better gaming performance. Lowering settings can still give you playable frame rates, but the laptop is mainly designed for productivity on the go.
Thermal throttling is noticeable under heavy workloads, as shown by the Time Spy stress test score of 77.1. While the laptop does throttle to keep temperatures in check, it never becomes excessively hot. There are some warm spots, but it’s comfortable enough for use on your lap or while typing.
Fan noise under heavy loads stays around 43-44 decibels, which is relatively quiet compared to other laptops. In everyday productivity or balanced mode, the fans aren’t disruptive and shouldn’t be a concern during regular use.
Battery Life
| Laptop | PCMARK 10 Modern Office | PCMARK 10 Video Playback |
|---|---|---|
| ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 57Wh, Core i7-1355U | 11 hours 41 Minutes | 14 hours 4 minute |
| ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 57Wh, Core i7-1260P | 10 hours 49 minute | 9 hours 14 minute |
Battery life has significantly improved with the Gen 11 model compared to last year’s Gen 10. In my comparison, both laptops had the same Full HD Plus touch display, but the Gen 11, powered by the Core i7 1355U, outperformed the Gen 10 with its Core i7 1260P. In the PC Mark 10 Modern Office battery test, the Gen 11 lasted 11 hours and 41 minutes, about an hour longer than the Gen 10’s 10 hours and 49 minutes.
The biggest difference came in the PC Mark 10 Video Playback test. The Gen 11 lasted an impressive 14 hours and 4 minutes, while the Gen 10 only managed 9 hours and 14 minutes. Overall, Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 shows a notable improvement in battery life especially for video playback.
Final Thought
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 has several highlights, starting with the stunning 2.8K OLED display. The improved battery life and cooler performance compared to previous models are definite advantages. The keyboard remains excellent providing a satisfying typing experience. Plus the option for 4G LTE or 5G mobile broadband adds great connectivity flexibility.
However, there are a few drawbacks. There’s no 4K Plus display option, which might disappoint those seeking the highest resolution. Additionally, there’s no higher refresh rate, although this may not be an issue for most users. Under heavy load the laptop experiences throttling and the fingerprint-prone surface requires frequent cleaning. Lastly, the RAM is soldered, so you can’t upgrade it later be sure to pick the right configuration when buying.
