IBM ThinkPad X40 Review

By Ian Bell Updated July 15, 2004

Quote from the review:

“The ThinkPad X40 is IBM’s smallest and lightest laptop to date. Complementing the company’s current ultraportable, the ThinkPad X31 (from Â£1,339 ex. VAT), the ThinkPad X40 weighs just 1.25kg(around 25 per cent lighter than the ThinkPad X31) and is some 20 per cent smaller, making it a dream of a machine for frequent business travellers that don’t need high-end computing power or a largedisplay. Encased in tough titanium composite carbon fibre reinforced plastic case, which is three times the strength of ABS plastic, the laptop offers mobile business users all the features andconnectivity required to make working on the move more comfortable. Similar to its predecessor, the ThinkPad X40 sets the standard for portability, battery life and wireless connectivity in a mobilecomputer system, but its processing power is limited.” Read the full review

Publisher

I work with the best people in the world and get paid to play with gadgets. What's not to like?

Computing

The premium ThinkPad that outdoes the X1 Carbon in almost every way

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 front view.

Lenovo's 14-inch ThinkPad X1 Carbon has been its premium business thin and light laptop for years. The laptop is now in its 11th generation, and it's benefitted from a series of updates that culminate in a place on our list of the best 14-inch laptops.

Now, Lenovo has introduced a brand-new ThinkPad Z line, with the 13.3-inch ThinkPad Z13 being a direct competitor to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon G11. Can this upstart laptop compete with such a venerable machine?

Computing

Usually $2,159, this Lenovo ThinkPad laptop is discounted to $553

lenovo thinkpad x13s review front angled

Lenovo continues offering great laptop deals with the chance to buy a Lenovo ThinkPad X13 laptop for just $553. A doorbuster deal, this won't stick around for long. According to Lenovo, its estimated value is $2,159 and that's definitely inaccurate. While Lenovo is always keen to stress that the price estimate is based on industry data from itself and other third-party retailers, this is definitely an inflated one. Still, if you avoid figuring out what the discount might actually be, $553 for a sturdy and reliable laptop is a good price. Here's what else you need to know about it.

Why you should buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X13
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 has all the essentials you could need for working on the move. There's an 11th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of SSD storage. Sure, that's simple stuff that won't compete with the best laptops but it's dependable in a work context. A better component to highlight is its 13.3-inch WUXGA screen with a 1920 x 1200 resolution, 300 nits of brightness, and anti-glare properties. Above it is a 720p webcam with a privacy shutter while you also have a backlit keyboard with a fingerprint reader to save you from entering so many passwords manually.

Computing

The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is both faster and longer-lasting

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 front view showing display and keyboard deck.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the company's premier business-class thin and light laptop, and has made an appearance at times on our list of best business laptops. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 10 was a solid option for business professionals, and Lenovo recently refreshed the laptop with the Gen 11.

The new model switched to low-power CPUs, the only major change to go with a few different display options. You might be worried that, while low-power CPUs might provide better battery life, there could be a drop in performance. Did Lenovo sacrifice speed for longevity?
Specs and configurations