Hardware Laptops Lenovo

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet 3rd Gen hands-on review: the best Windows 10 tablet around?

ThinkPad X1 Tablet (3rd Gen) review
Lenovo knows how to make tablets. It knows how to make keyboards. Turns out it can combine the two.

I have buyer’s regret. After spending £2,000 on a Surface Book 2 for its detachable tablet charms, my eye has been swayed by the third-generation Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet, unveiled at this year’s CES.

It ticks every box bar one, but I’ll come to that later. Fast processor? Absolutely. It supports the eighth-generation Intel Core series, although if you want the last word in power then look away – these are the more power-efficient versions, which are fast but not phenomenal.

Glorious screen? Tick. This 3,000 x 2,000 resolution 13in panel uses IPS technology, with Gorilla Glass protection, and looks fantastic.

It’s also got some strong travel-friendly stats. Even with the keyboard attached, it weighs a reasonable 1.27kg, and Lenovo is promising 9.5 hours of video playback battery life.

There are lots of other nice inclusions too. Twin USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, microSD reader, nano SIM slot, support for up to 1TB of storage and 16GB of RAM, and an optional Lenovo Pen Pro that attaches to the side.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet 3rd Gen: The keyboard

ThinkPad X1 Tablet 3rd Gen keyboard
A keyboard you could fall in love with

But it’s the keyboard that’s the true star of the show here. The ThinkPad range has long been praised for the strength of its keyboards, and this is hands down the best “Surface-Pro-style” keyboard I’ve used.

I say Surface-Pro-style because it attaches magnetically and doubles as a cover; the X1 Tablet is, as its name suggests, a tablet first and foremost. But whereas the Surface Type Cover feels like a cover with an integrated keyboard, the X1 Tablet’s equivalent feels like a keyboard that integrates a cover.

What does that mean in practice? To start with, big keys with great travel – just as good as my Surface Book 2’s. There’s also a generously sized touchpad and integrated TrackPoint.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet 3rd Gen: The drawback

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet 3rd Gen
Trying to type with the X1 Tablet on your lap could be tricky…

In fact, there’s only one area where the Tablet fails and that’s when you want to type on your lap. But that’s inevitable with this style of keyboard: the trouble is that the screen needs a support, which means a kickstand. And although Lenovo’s is both solid and infinitely adjustable, it can’t defeat gravity.

As I said right at the start, I have buyer’s regret. This is a superb tablet that genuinely feels like a laptop with the keyboard attached, and all that power on offer only adds to that impression.

Naturally, it doesn’t come cheap. US prices start at $1,599, and I expect the UK versions to start from £1,499. Will it be worth it? To be certain, I’ll have to wait until I get my hands on a review sample, but it’s already one of The Big Tech Question’s picks of CES 2018.

Tags

About the author

Tim Danton

Tim Danton is editor-in-chief of PC Pro magazine and has written about technology since 1999. He enjoys playing with gadgets, playing with words and playing tennis. Email tim@bigtechquestion.com

Add Comment

Click here to post a comment

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.