The new ThinkPad X1 Tablet has a lot going for it and will no doubt appeal to a lot of business-oriented folks who don't need a full-sized ThinkPad. There are, however, a few things you might dislike. Here's a good look at the X1 Tablet to help you decide whether or not it's for you.

About this review Lenovo loaned Windows Central a review unit of the second-generation ThinkPad X1 Tablet. This specific configuration has an Intel Core i5-7Y57 vPro processor, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a 256GB PCIe solid-state drive (SSD). This exact configuration costs about $1,719. See at Lenovo A former cubicle jockey's awkward ode to the ThinkPad Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet hardware and specifications Lenovo has a decent amount of configuration options for this 2-in-1, including vPro processors, SATA and PCIe SSDs, and LTE-A connectivity. Best VPN providers 2020: Learn about ExpressVPN, NordVPN & more Here is a full list of the tech specs available.

Category XX Processor Intel Core i5-7Y54 (up to 3.2GHz)

Intel Core i5-7Y57 vPro (up to 3.3GHz)

Intel Core i7-7Y75 vPro (up to 3.6GHz)

Dual-core Storage 128GB SATA III SSD

256GB PCIe-NVMe SSD

512GB PCIe-NVMe SSD RAM 8GB/16GB LPDDR3-1866MHz SDRAM Display 12-inch FHD+ (2160 x 1440) IPS, touch, glossy Graphics Intel HD Graphics 615 Ports USB-C 3.1 (Power Delivery)

USB-A 3.1

Mini DisplayPort

microSD card reader

Nano-SIM (optional)

3.5mm jack

Kensington lock slot Audio Dual stereo speakers Wireless Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 8265

802.11ac (2 x 2)

Bluetooth 4.1 WWAN Qualcomm Snapdragon X7 LTE-A (optional) Camera Front-facing 2MP

Rear-facing 8MP Keyboard Magnetic attachable ThinkPad keyboard Touchpad Precision touchpad

TrackPoint and physical buttons Pen ThinkPad Pen Pro (optional) Biometrics Fingerprint reader (optional) Security TPM 2.0 for enterprise security

vPro technology Battery Two-cell 37WHr Weight 1.69 lbs (0.76 kg), tablet only

2.35 lbs (1.07 kg), tablet and keyboard Dimensions Tablet only:

11.47 inches x 8.25 inches x 0.34 inches

291.5 mm x 209.5 mm x 8.45 mm

Tablet and keyboard:

11.47 inches x 8.25 inches x 0.55 inches

291.5 mm x 209.5 mm x 13.85 mm OS Windows 10 Home

Windows 10 Pro Color Black Price Starting at $1,449

The good stuff What you'll like about the ThinkPad X1 Tablet

Lenovo has taken the essential parts of a ThinkPad and distilled them into a 2-in-1 device with an included detachable keyboard. The magnesium and fiber chassis and keyboard have the usual matte black color with a bit of sparkle, and they have the usual soft-touch finish. The tablet has a bit of flex to it but seems to hold up to a fair amount of abuse — you won't be scared to pop it in your bag — and has MIL-STD-810G military durability certification to back this up. On the tablet are physical power and volume buttons for quick access without the keyboard attached, and a fingerprint reader in the bezel allows for speedy Windows Hello sign-ins. At the top of the display is a front-facing, two-megapixel webcam, and on the back of the chassis is an eight-megapixel camera. The ports on the left and right edges are spaced well and won't cause congestion when you're working with multiple peripherals. On the left side is a Kensington lock slot and a 3.5mm jack, and right-side ports include Mini DisplayPort, USB-C 3.1, and USB-A 3.1. This is a nice blend of ports for using your current and legacy devices, but the lack of Thunderbolt 3 is also something that a lot of people criticized the original X1 Tablet for. As for the Nano-SIM and microSD card slots, they're tucked away under the kickstand. Detachable keyboard is ThinkPad through and through Fans of ThinkPad keyboards will love the keyboard. Despite its compact size, key spacing is about the same as larger laptops (although keys are marginally smaller), key travel is comfortable, and the cupped keys hold your fingers nicely. There are two levels of backlighting, and you have volume, brightness, and snipping tool keys among other handy shortcuts.

The trusty TrackPoint and physical buttons are also here, and they are a nice addition for long-time ThinkPad users. If you aren't one for the little red nub, a mylar Precision touchpad sits just below the spacebar. It suffers from the enthusiastic sensitivity most other ThinkPads also suffer from out of the box, but a few tweaks in the settings calmed it down. The keyboard has a magnetic attachment that easily connects to the tablet. While typing, you'll want to release the kickstand, which is hinged along the bottom of the tablet. Because the kickstand deploys from the bottom, it lays out flat and remains stable in your lap. It's far more stable than kickstands that are hinged in the middle of the device, like that of the Surface Pro. The keyboard is actually quite rigid, as well, providing an overall superior typing experience while in your lap.

Many business-oriented folks will love the modules (sold separately) that can be attached where the keyboard attaches. The presenter module has a Pico projector, HDMI port, and 10WHr battery, and the productivity module has USB-A 3.0, HDMI, OneLink+, and a 24WHr battery. And the keyboard can still be attached when using the modules. This ThinkPad display is bright and inking is satisfying The 12-inch display with a 2K resolution and IPS panel is bright enough (360 nits) to use outdoors and has great color. In testing, it hit 96 percent sRGB and 73 percent Adobe RGB, which are both respectable results. I saw no problems with contrast, and everything was crisp and clear.

The capacitive panel has multi-finger gesture support, and the included ThinkPad Pen Pro provides a satisfying inking experience. The pen has 2,048 levels of pressure and two side buttons you can set to work with certain apps, and its low latency feels almost like you're using a real pen and paper. It has a clip near the top but does not have an eraser, something you might be used to if you're a Surface Pen user. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet performance Again, this configuration of the ThinkPad X1 Tablet came with an Intel Core i5-7Y57 vPro processor, 8GB of LPDDR3-1866MHz SDRAM, and a 256GB Samsung PM961 PCIe-NVMe SSD. I used this tablet as my primary device for about a week and a half and was generally happy with its performance.

CPU GPU PCMark SSD CPU Geekbench 4.0 Benchmarks (Higher is better) Device CPU Single core Multi core Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet (2nd Gen) i5-7Y57 vPro 3,965 7,259 Surface Pro 2017 i7-7660U 4,513 9,346 Surface Laptop i5-7200U 3,725 7,523 Lenovo ThinkPad T470 i5-7300U vPro 4,394 8,580 Dell Latitude 5285 i7-7600U 4,635 9,289 Lenovo ThinkPad X270 i7-7600U 4,512 8,566 Lenovo ThinkPad T470s i5-7300U vPro 3,919 6,077 Lenovo Yoga 720 i5-7200U 3,881 7,509 Lenovo X1 Carbon i5-7300U 4,139 8,311 HP EliteBook x360 G2 i7-7600U 4,496 8,435 Samsung Notebook 9 15 Ext i7-7500U 4,316 8,320 Dell Latitude 7280 i7-7600U 4,381 7,935 Dell XPS 13 (9360) i7-6560U 4,120 7,829 HP Spectre 13 i7-7500U 4,100 7,469 Surface Book i7-6600U 3,948 7,415 The processor in the X1 Tablet is a real performer, surpassing some other Core i5 models we've tested. For business purposes, say word processing, heavy web browsing, and a bit of multimedia editing, you shouldn't have a problem. Keep in mind this is a fanless processor, so you won't be hearing anything kick on when the going gets tough. GPU Geekbench 4.0 Graphics OpenCL (Higher is better) Device Score Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet (2nd Gen) 17,454 Surface Pro 2017 30,678 Surface Laptop 19,256 Lenovo ThinkPad T470 21,276 Dell Latitude 5285 21,921 Lenovo ThinkPad X270 17,376 Lenovo ThinkPad T470s 16,635 Lenovo Yoga 720 18,185 Lenovo X1 Carbon 20,932 Dell Latitude 5480 21,616 Dell XPS 13 (9360) 19,410 Surface Book 18,197 Dell Latitude 7280 17,827 Graphics in the X1 Tablet are handled by integrated Intel HD Graphics 615. You won't be playing any intensive video games here, but you can get away with some favorites, like Minecraft, at max settings without a problem. Overall, the X1 Tablet keeps up with a lot of other laptops we've reviewed. PCMark PCMark Home Conventional 3.0 Device Score Comparison Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet (2nd Gen) 2,461 Better than 40 percent of all results Surface Pro 2017 3,055 Better than 57 percent of all results Surface Laptop 2,494 Better than 40 percent of all results Lenovo ThinkPad T470 3,103 Better than 62 percent of all results Dell Latitude 5285 3,079 Better than 57 percent of all results Lenovo ThinkPad X270 3,009 Better than 57 percent of all results Lenovo ThinkPad T470s 2,576 Better than 40 percent of all results Lenovo Yoga 720 2,717 Better than 46 percent of all results Lenovo X1 Carbon Core i5 2,965 Better than 57 percent of all results Samsung Notebook 9 15 Ext 2,998 Better than 57 percent of all results Dell XPS 15 (9560) 3,534 Better than 71 percent of all results Dell Latitude 7280 2,829 Better than 52 percent of all results HP Spectre x360 15 2,472 Better than 41 percent of all results The PCMark Home Conventional test measures how well a bunch of your system components work together in a variety of everyday tasks. This ThinkPad X1 Tablet didn't put up outstanding results, and you'd no doubt want to opt for the Core i7 configuration with 16GB of RAM if you want to perform any specialized tasks. Still, I didn't notice any standout issues in general daily use. SSD CrystalDiskMark (Higher is better) Device Read Write Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Tablet (2nd Gen) 1,353 MB/s 1,275 MB/s Surface Pro 2017 1,285 MB/s 963 MB/s Surface Laptop 423 MB/s 237 MB/s Lenovo ThinkPad T470 1,079 MB/s 716.1 MB/s Dell Latitude 5285 1,300 MB/s 1,113 MB/s Lenovo ThinkPad X270 PCIe 1,049 MB/s 636.9 MB/s Lenovo ThinkPad T470s 1,557 MB/s 1,333 MB/s Lenovo Yoga 720 1,904 MB/s 1,169 MB/s Lenovo X1 Carbon 1,518 MB/s 1,188 MB/s Samsung Notebook 9 15 Ext 1,365 MB/s 1,213 MB/s Dell Latitude 5480 SATA 443 MB/s 469 MB/s Razer Blade Pro 2,571 MB/s 2,467 MB/s Dell XPS 15 (9560) 2,207 MB/s 1,628 MB/s Dell XPS 13 (9360) 1,287 MB/s 794 MB/s HP Spectre x360 15 1,128 MB/s 862 MB/s Surface Book 1,018 MB/s 967 MB/s The Samsung PM961 SSD keeps up with all the other hardware here, providing snappy read and write speeds that were better than a lot of other laptops we've tested. You shouldn't have any problems, as long as you get this type of SSD. There is a bit of a shortage on the market, so you aren't guaranteed one.

The bad stuff What you'll dislike about the ThinkPad X1 Tablet Many of the things you might dislike about the ThinkPad X1 Tablet are part of a feature you probably will like depending on what you use the tablet for.

The kickstand is more suited to your lap The kickstand offers plenty of stability in your lap, but when using it on a flat surface, there's a limited range of motion before it wants to suck up into the back of the tablet. For typing, you'll be fine, but for drawing with a pen, you're looking at a maximum 45-degree angle before it falls flat on the table. That's unfortunate. The kickstand's design creates a few seams along the back, and the module dock cover adds to those seams. In order to attach a module, you must remove a slim piece of plastic and set it aside somewhere safe. The modules are an ingenious addition for anyone who gives a lot of presentations, but the setup just seems a little awkward. I'd say forego the modules completely, but you'll need one if you want a long battery life.