[Stand-Alone Evaluation by PConline] If there exists a product that can be called the epitome of its category, and everyone immediately recognizes it upon seeing it, then this product is undoubtedly a success. In my view, today's product is the most widely acknowledged and influential series among all laptops — "The Little Red Dot."
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017 (20HRA007CD). Reference Price: Loading... Images Reviews Price Quotes Overview.
In terms of product positioning, the X1 series is undoubtedly the highest-end product line within ThinkPad. The latest generation of the X1 Carbon is the flagship model of ThinkPad's traditional ultrabook lineup. In the business sector, ThinkPad has always played a crucial role. What changes has the ThinkPad X1 Carbon undergone as the fifth-generation product?
ThinkPad or ThinkPad?
For such a classic product, maintaining its heritage in appearance is undoubtedly very important. Regardless of the first generation, these products must retain the most classic design elements, which also provide a sense of nostalgia for those who have used older models. The appearance of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017 didn't undergo significant changes compared to previous models.
The carbon fiber A surface provides the greatest degree of comfort to the touch, but the trade-off is fingerprints. The ThinkPad logo remains in the upper left corner, while the Lenovo logo is in the lower right corner. These details tell us that whether it’s the first generation or the latest model, it’s still the ThinkPad.
Speaking of the features of the ThinkPad, the iconic little red dot will still be found in the center of the GHB three keys, regardless of which generation the product belongs to. The keyboard still feels excellent. The keyboard with the silent metal spring mechanism hasn’t changed in touch, but it makes the sound quieter. The two-level adjustable backlight keyboard is also very bright, with light white illumination, which aligns well with the business positioning.
In terms of interfaces, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017 remains quite good. On the left side of the body, there are two Type-C ports, a USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port, and a mini-RJ45 port. On the right side of the body, there is a shutdown charging USB 3.0 port and a headphone/microphone combo port.
To mention it alone, this generation of SD card readers is located behind the entire notebook, at the point where the screen and keyboard connect. It’s easy to overlook if you don’t pay attention.
Unchanged? How can it be?
Although the appearance of the ThinkPad has always maintained a certain style, once you open the lid, you’ll notice the biggest change in this generation of X1 Carbon. The latest ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017 features a narrow bezel design with 5mm on the left and right sides and 9mm at the top. At the press conference, Lenovo specifically emphasized that the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017's narrow bezel design doesn’t sacrifice structural strength.
Although it has a narrow bezel, the camera and microphone are still above the screen and should remain there. When people use the camera, they naturally look towards the top of the screen, so no double chins, nostrils, etc., will appear during video calls. The microphone is also parallel to the mouth to ensure perfect audio quality.
In terms of keyboard layout, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017 has also made some changes. For convenience, F8-F12 now have new shortcut functions, including WiFi switch, Windows control panel, Bluetooth switch, keyboard settings page, and customizable function keys.
The location of the vents is also different from the previous generation. This generation of ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017 doesn’t use the previous hinge design but instead uses recessed hinges. Therefore, the rear air outlet has been moved to the right side of the body, which is more conducive to the heat dissipation of a notebook like the X1 Carbon. The only downside is that the hot air blown from the right outlet after prolonged use may blow into the user’s hands.
For users with screen size requirements, you can also purchase the monitor separately, using the Type-C interface as the connector. It offers better transmission speeds, 99% sRGB accurate color reproduction, and with the 4.4mm bezel, whether for entertainment or work, it can make the experience even more perfect.
In addition to improving the visual effects of the narrow frame, the overall size has also become smaller. Now the body size is 323.5 mm * 217.1 mm * 15.95 mm, which is almost 1 cm shorter and narrower than the previous generation. In terms of weight, the body weighs 1.115Kg and the travel weight is 1.459Kg, which is still excellent.
Go Further
In terms of hardware, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017 didn’t bring much surprise to everyone. The one I’m testing has an Intel Core i5-7200U, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. For business purposes, this is a very standard configuration. Here, I’ve also tested several commonly used applications to see how this notebook performs.
â– CineBench R15
CineBench is a very credible set of CPU and graphics testing systems. The latest version is R15. Compared to the R11.5 version that supports up to 16 cores, the R15 version can support up to 256 logical cores. Additionally, the new version enhances the investigation of shaders, anti-aliasing, shadows, lighting, and reflection blur, making the performance measurement of CPUs more accurate.
â– 3DMark
3DMark is a software designed by FutureMark to measure the performance of graphics cards. The 3DMark has evolved over time to not only measure the performance of graphics cards but has gradually become a tool for measuring the overall performance of a machine.
â– AS SSD
AS SSD Benchmark is a German SSD testing software that can test continuous read/write speeds, 4K alignment, 4KB random read/write, and response time performance, providing a comprehensive score. The software also includes a Compression Benchmark project, which can describe the performance changes as the compressible data occupancy (compression ratio) in the data model increases.
â– Office Software
For such a business laptop, running sub-data alone is always weak. I chose office software to test the ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017. After opening 10 PPTs and 10 WORDs in one breath, the CPU occupancy rate is about 20%, and the performance is still very strong.
â– Life
Battery life is undoubtedly the most important aspect for a business laptop. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2017's battery life is truly impressive. Starting at 1:10 PM, with 100% brightness and keyboard backlight level 2, it lasted for three and a half hours before reaching 50%.
Product Configuration
ThinkPad X1 Carbon
Processor: Intel Core i5-7200U
RAM: 8GB
Video Card: HD Graphics 620
Display Screen: 14 inches, resolution 1920×1080
Hard Disk: 256GB SSD
Battery: 57Wh
Weight: Total weight: 1.115Kg, Travel weight: 1.459Kg
Pre-installed System: Windows 10 64-bit
Price: 9999 yuan
Performance Testing
Default Settings (Higher scores indicate stronger performance)
Cinebench: OpenGL 32.46fps/CPU 206cb
3DMark: 5297 (Cloud Gate)
SSD: Read 1296.75MB/s Write 575.46MB/s
Editor's Summary: The fifth-generation X1 Carbon 2017 has a very high level of performance and storage space. It can be said that this ThinkPad is at the top of business laptops. It’s safe, stable, high-performance, long-lasting, and easy to carry. It pushes it to a higher status. ThinkPad is a rare partner for businesspeople. It’s even a belief for the first batch of users who use notebook products. A high-performance ThinkPad is a product that can accompany you for a long time.
Stretch Lcd Display,Stretch Screen,Bar Screen,ELED LCD
Shenzhen Risingstar Outdoor High Light LCD Co., Ltd , https://www.risingstarlcd.com