Lenovo ThinkPad X13 (AMD) review
Our Verdict
The ThinkPad X13 is a meaty, fast productivity laptop that's a little lite on frills.
For
- Solid speedy operation
- Excellent keyboard
- Serious durability
- Plenty of ports
Against
- Lackluster bombardment life
- Display's on the dim side
Tom's Guide Verdict
The ThinkPad X13 is a compact, fast productivity laptop that'southward a picayune light on frills.
Pros
- +
Solid speedy operation
- +
Excellent keyboard
- +
Serious durability
- +
Plenty of ports
Cons
- -
Lackluster bombardment life
- -
Display'south on the dim side
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 is the first generation of the venerated laptops featuring AMD Ryzen processors. This modify ways that Lenovo is investing in chips outside of Intel's hallowed halls for the long booty, and it's hoping that you'll come along for the ride.
The AMD fleck within the X13 can exercise everything an Intel Core i7 equivalent can, similar return video, edit photos, and burn down through various applications at once. And though its integrated graphics carte du jour ways it tin can't compete with the best gaming laptops when it comes to playing games, yous can load your favorite MMO and play in betwixt answering emails.
Equally you'll see in our Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review, this laptop is a semi-customizable, somewhat rugged business-focused automobile. You can choose from 3 tiers of AMD Ryzen chips and several different memory and storage options, starting under $1200. If you're looking for a work laptop that can handle the load, you might discover yourself a deal here.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review review: Toll and configurations
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 with AMD Ryzen architecture is bachelor in several configurations. You can choose between either of the three major third-generation processors, starting with the entry-level Ryzen 3 PRO 4450U starting at $683 (currently at a large discount from its $i,140 MSRP).
There's also the higher-end $1,433 Ryzen vii Pro 4750U (which has an MSRP of $2,600). The machine I reviewed features the mid-tier AMD Ryzen five Pro 4650U, 8GB of RAM and has 256GB of SSD storage and while it's typically $1,999, Lenovo'south sale pricing knocks it down to $1,119 — and then look out for offers. The graphics carte on all models is an integrated AMD Radeon. Lenovo as well offers upwards to 1TB of SSD storage.
All the ThinkPad X13 models come up with an anti-glare 13.3-inch display, though there are options hither. You tin choose between Hard disk drive or Full HD, simply but the latter is available with a touchscreen. You lot can as well pay extra for a display that's brighter at 500 nits and includes an anti-glare Privacy Guard.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13 (AMD) came out in late summer/early on autumn 2020.
While we don't know when the next ThinkPad X13 volition come out, we did get our hands on the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga. It's the thinnest ThinkPad ever, and one of the all-time laptops of CES 2021.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review: Pattern
The ThinkPad X13's signature black exterior makes for a basic, business organisation-first blueprint. Lenovo says its aluminum chassis passes a variety of military-grade durability tests, making it resistant to life's everyday laptop follies. Unfortunately, it'south not resistant to fingerprints, with the 13.three-inch matte touchscreen display taking the brunt of the smudge. You'll want to keep a wipe handy.
Lenovo packs a bit into the ThinkPad X13'south compact package, including two options for mouse input, a nearly full-featured keyboard, and Dolby Sound stereo speakers. It's low-cal for a business laptop, weighing a mere 2.eight pounds, like to the Dell XPS 13 (two.6 to two.viii pounds, getting heavier when you lot add a touchscreen). It's a tad lighter than the 3-pound 13-inch MacBook Pro.
As per the ThinkPad's signature expect, there's a protective bezel effectually the rim of the laptop'southward display. It takes away screen infinite, but it'southward to help reinforce a bit of stability into the overall build.
I found the ThinkPad X13 comfortable to employ while lying on the couch just preferred it propped up on the table and docked for maximum productivity because of its minor size. The X13'due south dimensions are 12.3 10 eight.6 x 0.7 inches; it's not too wide to slide into a tote handbag, and if you're non besides stuck on the slim-factor, information technology'southward only a tad thicker than the XPS 13 and the MacBook Pro (both 0.6 inches thick).
Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review: Ports
The ThinkPad X13 has a myriad of ports for a laptop of this size. Information technology has 2 USB three.ane Type-C ports for charging the computer and connecting adapters, and two standard USB three.1 Type-A ports for peripherals and flash drives. There'south as well an HDMI two.0 port for hooking up to a monitor, a headphone jack, and a Kensington-mode lock port for tethering information technology to a desk. A bulk of the ports are on ane side of the laptop for piece of cake docking.
The MacBook Pro and XPS 13 only offer USB-C ports, though Dell throws in a USB-C to A adapter.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review: Display and touch screen
The ThinkPad X13's 13.3-inch 1080p IPS brandish is a solid laptop screen for working and zoning out. The matte finish might seem a little antiquated in this day and age of crystal clear, high-resolution displays. But the trade-off is a screen you tin can more than easily meet in direct sunlight or with vivid backlighting.
In our testing, the X13's display reproduced about 102.1 percent of the sRGB color gamut. Its color spectrum isn't equally vibrant or as saturated as the latest MacBook Pro (114%), catastrophe up closer to the XPS thirteen (107.5%). You'll however lookout Netflix specials and peruse colored spreadsheets in exactly the palette they're meant to be seen. But I noticed even while watching merch hauls on YouTube that in that location was a slight lack of vibrancy in color compared to my external monitor. The most noticeable color disparity is with deep blacks, which don't appear as deep, exacerbated by the matte display. It's sufficient for streaming content, simply noticeable when playing games.
The ThinkPad X13'southward panel's biggest flaw is its non-that-bright dim display, which peaks at just 278 nits. The XPS 13 (417 nits) is much brighter, as is the 13-inch MacBook Pro's (485 nits).
The ThinkPad X13 has a lower resolution display, offering a mere 1920 x 1080 screen resolution compared to the MacBook Pro's 2650 10 1600 screen resolution and Dell XPS 13's 1920 x 1200 screen resolution. The disparity isn't immediately noticeable when continued to an external display, simply on the XPS 13's screen, desktop space gets apace chaotic in its native resolution.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review: Audio and cameras
I wouldn't usually suggest that you blast out a laptop'south speakers, just I welcome you lot to do it on the ThinkPad X13. The laptop's Dolby speakers were impressively bassy and able to option upward on the variables in tone on some intricate Anjunabeats trance mixes. Of course, this is still a laptop, and the strain becomes noticeable the farther up you go on the volume dial. I also found that considering sound protrudes somewhat from the lesser of the device, it tends to get a bit deadened if the X13 is sitting on your lap. Invest in a pair of headphones if you want something more immersive.
I capeesh any laptop that puts the webcam where it belongs: square in the heart, correct above the display. The X13'south 720p camera is sufficient for logging on to permit your Zoom call know you lot're at your desk-bound. It's depression resolution enough that I wouldn't apply information technology to conduct the telephone call or any other virtual conference. The camera isn't even fun for taking the occasional selfie, and in some cases where a headshot is required for a badge or virtual meeting profile, information technology might leave you looking a little pixelated.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review: Keyboard, touchpad
If you've never typed on a ThinkPad, there's an adjustment menstruation to using the X13'southward keyboard setup. Despite the X13's comfortable keyboard, you'll have to acquire to alive with the Role fundamental stacked side by side to the Control button. My pinky frequently dislocated the two. Everything else with the keyboard layout works, including the narrow strip of function keys across the pinnacle that act as quick toggles for things like volume and effulgence command. Lenovo even managed to sneak in navigational keys like Folio Up and Down, though they're split throughout the keyboard's correct side. Information technology'due south overnice to see them available, as they're incredibly helpful for coding and configuring virtual machines, and they're non keys you typically find on a laptop.
You lot'll also have to decide how you want to utilise the combination TrackPoint and trackpad offering. The TrackPoint is a holdover from the early on days of business concern laptops, and there are plenty who prefer it. But for those who don't—and I certainly did not, as I didn't even like the TrackPoint dorsum in the xc's—the TrackPoint is a permanent fixture sitting flush in the middle of the keyboard. It can be distracting, only I was able to ignore it subsequently a while.
As for the trackpad, information technology's responsive plenty to follow a slight finger drag but not too sensitive that a mere brush of your palm produces a false positive while typing. I did have trouble tapping between the correct and left mouse buttons while dragging and selecting something. I eventually forged a usage pattern wherein I'd interchangeably use the TrackPoints corresponding mouse buttons while dragging with the trackpad. In the finish, I appreciated the flexibility the two mouse options offered, but I would have preferred a large, flat trackpad over this whole rigamarole.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review: Performance
The ThinkPad X13 I tested is runs on a half-dozen-cadre ii.1GHz Ryzen 5 Pro 4650U CPU with 8GB of RAM and proved fast and capable. The X13 tin handle running multiple browsers at one time along with apps like Adobe Artistic Suite and Discord, and fifty-fifty indie apps, like Joplin and VLC. In particular, Lightroom handled simultaneous importing and scrolling of over 300 RAW files, plus editing with ease. Google Chrome was responsive, whether I was playing the Spotify web app or using one of the dozen extensions I have plugged in.
In benchmark tests, the ThinkPad X13 performed well in a higher place the Core-i5 version of Apple MacBook Pro 2020 in GeekBench 5, which measures overall performance. The X13 scored 4,935 in the multi-cadre tests, slightly above the 4,847 from the XPS 13 (Intel Core i7-1065G7 with 16GB of RAM) while the MacBook Pro (Core i5-1030NG7 with 16GB of RAM) scored 4,399.
For storage performance, the ThinkPad X13 managed to transfer over 5GB of files in six.83 seconds, with a rate of 746.5 MBps. That'southward faster than the 627 MBps rate from the XPS 13's 512GB SSD.
Even with the X13'south integrated AMD Radeon RX Vega graphics card, I liked how the Elderberry Scrolls Online looked and performed. I played the game with graphics set to high and though the frame charge per unit hovered around 42 FPS, I experienced no stuttering traversing through the laidback MMO. Any casual gamer can get their fix through this system configuration.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review: Bombardment life
Lenovo promises up to 12 hours with the ThinkPad X13, only on the Tom's Guide battery exam information technology only lasted seven hours and 53 minutes before petering out. That'due south over 2 hours less than the MacBook Pro 2020 (ten:21), and nearly 5 hours less than the XPS 13's posted time of 12:39.
Anecdotally, the ThinkPad X13's overall bombardment performance is just okay. Even when I left it on standby for a mean solar day or 2 to focus on something else, I'd return to the ThinkPad X13 with piffling juice. When we can safely fly once again, the ThinkPad X13 volition merely make it through an east-to-due west coast hop. At the very least, the X13 charges via USB-C, and so you can easily plug it into a power brick if you lot have i handy.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review: Heat
I worked on this laptop review during one of California's worst heat waves, right in the center of fire season. I never felt uncomfortable using the laptop on my lap, though I e'er used information technology in this manner while unplugged. I wasn't able to test it outside in the oestrus, simply it stayed regulated indoors. While idling, the ThinkPad X13 was well-nigh 84 degrees Fahrenheit around the trackpad and the hottest underneath at 99 degrees. I also tested it while I was charging and playing Elderberry Scrolls Online at the same fourth dimension. The hottest point on the laptop was 110 degrees right around the 50 key.
Lenovo ThinkPad X13 review: Verdict
I would take liked a laptop like the ThinkPad X13 to conduct me through college and my offset few years on the job force. It'southward rugged, packs extra keys in the keyboard, and has enough ports to have adapters coming in and out of it. I appreciate the flexibility of the touchscreen and multiple mouse offerings, even if the combination trackpad and TrackPoint took me a while to get used to. I also like that the X13 doesn't have up a ton of room; this is the kind of laptop to get if you want it docked in a tight space. And you will want it docked considering although the 13.3-inch touchscreen is viable, you must have a monitor to make total employ of the X13's capabilities.
AMD's third-generation Ryzen processors don't offering whatever noticeable performance divergence over Intel's breed to the naked center. It isn't necessarily more than affordable either, every bit this detail configuration will cost you as much equally the Dell XPS thirteen with a Core i5 and similar specifications. Equally this ThinkPad X13 review has shown, the trade-off is that y'all go the badge of robustness for lugging around a ThinkPad, plus a few other productivity-inclined features you won't find on other overly-polished models.
Source: https://www.tomsguide.com/reviews/lenovo-thinkpad-x13-amd
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