X1 Nano review 4

Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Nano is an ultralight laptop that doesn’t do much to differentiate itself from ThinkPads that have come before. 

It looks the same, runs the same, it is the same. The only differences are it’s a lot lighter than other ThinkPads.

Boasting a 2K display, its build and screen are it’s best features, and while it’s a very good ultraportable device, I’m not convinced it’s worth the high price point.

Pros

  • 2K display
  • 16:10 aspect ratio
  • Great in-built audio
  • Lots of security features

Cons

  • Lacks ports
  • Expensive

Price & Configurations

The X1 Nano is expensive. The base model costs $3,599. This puts it at the top of the price range for an ultraportable laptop, similar to the Razer Blade Stealth, which costs $3,500, and the HP Spectre x360 Flip Ultrabook costing $3,200.

The X1 Nano comes in a number of different configurations.

The base model comes with an 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1130G7, which you can upgrade to an i7-1160G7 for an extra $290 or an i7-1180G7 for an extra $520.

You can also choose to upgrade the screen to a 10-point multi-touch display for an extra $170. And as expected, you can upgrade the internal storage from a 512GB SSD to a 1TB SSD for an additional $460.

This means the max spec X1 Nano costs around $5,000. And this makes the X1 Nano a costly laptop.

Our X1 Nano review sample was equipped with the mid-range i7-1160G7 processor, with 16GB RAM and a non-touchscreen.

X1 Nano review 1

Design

Anyone familiar with the ThinkPad laptops will immediately see the resemblance between the X1 Nano and the other laptops in the ThinkPad range.

The X1 Nano looks identical to other ThinkPads. It has the same black carbon fibre body, the logo located in the bottom right of the keyboard, the red pointer nub, and the mouse buttons above the trackpad. Why change a winning formula?

There hasn’t been much, if any, change in the design. However, the first thing I noticed was how light the X1 Nano is.

Weighing less than a kilogram, the Nano is thin and easy to carry. It weighs about the same as a paper notebook. It’s amazing. I never had any worries about the strength of the laptop. The X1 Nano has a sturdy build, and I was comfortable putting it in my bag freely. 

The keyboard and trackpad work as they should. It’s comfortable to type on, and navigating windows is a breeze.

Annoyingly, the X1 Nano lacks ports. The laptop only has two Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports, a headphone jack and a nano-SIM card slot. Although there seems to be a trend in which ultraportable laptops are designed with fewer ports, there isn’t enough here. I would have been grateful for at least one USB-A port.

X1 Nano review 2

Display

The X1 Nano’s 2K display is what sets it apart from the competition.

It’s a vibrant and sharp 60Hz, 13-inch screen with a 2160 x 1350 resolution. It supports Dolby Vision, and it looks great. Watching Netflix and YouTube videos is a pleasant experience on the X1 Nano.

Its 16:10 aspect ratio makes the display feel large due to the extra verticality on the screen. Suitable for scrolling and reading through websites.

Performance

The X1 Nano performed as expected. This isn’t a laptop designed for gaming or video editing.

The 16GB of RAM and the i7-1160G7 processor allowed me to have multiple Chrome tabs while listening to Spotify and watching a 2K YouTube video without any hiccups. 

The X1 Nano also had fast startup times. It performed well.

Audio

The X1 Nano comes with a Dolby Atmos speaker system built-in. It has two upward woofers, and two downward woofers, and the sound it generated was impressive.

There was a significant amount of bass and clarity that came from the speakers. Something that’s often lacking in ultraportable laptops.

You can customise the sound to your preferences, and being able to personalise the microphone for different uses like conference calls was also a great feature.

X1 Nano review 3

Features

The X1 Nano is compatible with WiFi 6, and it also has an option for 4G/5G connectivity, so you can use the laptop in areas where there isn’t WiFi. In places like New Zealand, where WiFi isn’t always accessible, this is very beneficial.

The laptop also comes with a number of security features called ThinkShield security selections. And while most of these aren’t new, they worked well. 

The X1 Nano uses its Trusted Platform Module, which encrypts your data to help prevent hacking. There’s a fingerprint reader that can tell if a fake finger is being used, and there’s also a human presence feature that automatically locks your laptop if you move away from it. You can also unlock your laptop from sleep mode using the in-built camera, which is cool.

All these security features are great, especially for business users who are constantly on the go. For working at home, the human presence feature was what I enjoyed most. The screen turning itself off when I walked away saved a lot of battery throughout the day.

Battery

The battery in the X1 Nano isn’t spectacular, but it isn’t bad either.

As with all laptops, battery life changes depending on usage; however, I averaged around 7 hours off a single charge performing normal work activities like typing.

You can also rapid-charge the laptop from 0-80% in an hour via its Thunderbolt 4 port. It’s fine.

X1 Nano review 5

Verdict

Lenovo’s X1 Nano hasn’t made many significant changes from its predecessor. Other than the upgraded processor the main change is the weight of the laptop.

The X1 Nano is incredibly light and it’s a great laptop for on-the-go use.

It has a good battery, a great 2K display and it has some upgraded security features that come in handy, especially in a business environment.

But are these changes worth the high price point? Probably not. If you’re a ThinkPad fan, everything you want is here. The design is the same, the layout is the same, it works. However, for over $3,000 there are better ultraportable laptops on the market.