Need a laptop that can survive a little more rough and tumble than you’d expect? Lenovo is launching a new generation of the ThinkPad X1 with Dolby on-board, too.
Laptops are typically made for lots of things, but work is one of those activities that is often high up on the list. The thing is “work” can mean a lot of different jobs, and it can take you to a lot of places.
If “work” is at a desk or on a lap, you might be able to deal with any old laptop. However if work requires you to be out in the field, and potentially means the laptop might see a little more wear and tear, you might have special needs, and there might be different options for you to consider.
Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 has long been one of those options, with the models tested to military specifications, yet not encased behind layers and layers of thick plastic padding. Far from it, the ThinkPad X1 is built with “MIL-STD” specifications in mind, including shock drops, sand and dust, extreme temperatures, and vibrations.
Water isn’t one of those tests, and unsurprisingly, computers made with military specifications typically aren’t IP rated, because computers don’t typically work well when you throw them in water. However different jobs call for different levels of durability, and if there’s a possibility that you might drop your laptop, knowing that it has survived a military standards test for falls should give you some comfort.
This year, that durability and degree of ruggedness is continuing in the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 range, appearing in the standard thin laptop that is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (now in its 8th generation), while also making an appearance in the slightly thicker ThinkPad X1 Yoga (now in gen 5), the latter of which sees a 360 degree hinge.
Both laptops also see inclusion in the Intel Project Athena program, developed to encourage an all-day battery life in laptops with faster WiFi, easier battery charging, and a practically instant on start time.
Getting them to that point has seen Lenovo equip the latest Intel Core processors, making them 10th gen chips you can expect to find, with up to 18 hours possible from the battery in either the X1 Carbon or X1 Yoga models.
But battery life and processing isn’t much without a bit of entertainment value, and each get that, as well.
This year, Lenovo is rolling out optional support for Dolby Vision HDR, while including Dolby Audio in both models, providing entertainment values alongside.
Privacy is also a big part, with options for security ranging from a fingerprint reader to a camera cover, as well as a “PrivacyGuard” which basically changes the screen so that it can’t be viewed from the side.
It’s just some of the things Lenovo is launching at CES this week, with more to come.
Leigh Stark was flown to CES 2020 in Las Vegas, USA as a guest of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA).
