Closest Windows competitor to the MacBook Air 13: Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 laptop review
The ThinkBook ThinkPad.
With the ThinkPad X9-14 Aura Edition, Lenovo has made a completely new addition to the already plentiful roster of 14-inch ThinkPads. In our review, we discover that it is a worthy addition to the line, despite its decidedly un-ThinkPad design - or maybe because of it?Benjamin Herzig 👁 Published 🇩🇪 🇫🇷 ...
Verdict: MacBook Air competitor done right
Lenovo has made the un-ThinkPad: At least in terms of looks, the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition is not a ThinkPad. However, when it comes to the quality of components and the engineering behind it, this device does have ThinkPad quality. From an intelligent and easy maintenance design to the great typing feel of the keyboard and the fact that Lenovo did manage to put an HDMI port on this MacBook Air competitor, the X9-14 is not a ThinkPad on the surface, but by heart.
There are some missing features, like USB-A, the mechanical camera shutter and 5G/LTE - and not to forget the iconic red ThinkPad TrackPoint. All of this makes the X9 less interesting for the established ThinkPad customer base, but we think it serves its intended purpose well: Compete against the MacBook Air as well as other "prosumer" models like the Dell XPS. The biggest flaw of this entry level config of the X9-14 is the mediocre 1080p webcam. Also, the fans can get loud, though they can be kept mostly quiet by using balanced mode. Other than that, it is a great addition to the ThinkPad line and a wonderful choice for an everyday office laptop that also delivers an all-around quality experience.
Pros
Cons
Price and Availability
The Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition is available for $1,239 over on lenovo.com.
Table of Contents
- Verdict: MacBook Air competitor done right
- Specifications
- Case: Aluminum ThinkPad without much ThinkPad flare
- Connectivity: X9-14 without USB-A
- Input Devices: Completely new ThinkPad keyboard
- Display: ThinkPad X9 with only OLED screen options
- Performance: Lunar Lake with a solid showing
- Emissions: Fan stays mostly off, but can get loud under load
- Energy Management: Efficient, despite the OLED screen
- Notebookcheck Rating
It does not happen every day that Lenovo introduces an entirely new model line to the venerable ThinkPad brand. Exactly this was the case when Lenovo showed off the brand-new ThinkPad X9 at CES 2024 this year.
We have already tested the bigger Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15 Gen 1 Aura Edition. Today, we are taking a look at the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition, which is squarely aimed at the Apple MacBook Air.
Specifications
Case: Aluminum ThinkPad without much ThinkPad flare
In terms of looks, the ThinkPad X9 series is certainly the most un-ThinkPad-like ThinkPad we have seen so far. It looks both more modern and more generic than other ThinkPads. The design identity of the brand is not really visible here. If you take away the ThinkPad logos, the X9 could be any other Lenovo Yoga series laptop.
Black is the color of ThinkPads, but the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition is the exception to the rule. It is clad in a dark gray. Lenovo uses aggressive chamfering on the ThinkPad X9-14, making it look thinner than it actually is. This is also the reason why the X9-14 has the black bar at the bottom cover - it houses both the fans and the ports.
An all-aluminum build is not new for ThinkPads. The aluminum feels very nice, and unlike the usual black ThinkPad coating, it shows basically no fingerprints. Stability is good, too. There is a little bit more keyboard flex on the X9-14 compared with the X1 Carbon, but this is only an issue if you press really hard on the deck. The overall craftsmanship is very good.
Nice: The screen still opens 180 degrees, so at least in this regard, the X9-14 behaves like a typical ThinkPad laptop. The hinges allow for one-handed opening and there is zero screen-wobble.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 is pretty compact for a 14-inch laptop, as it is smaller than the other 14-inchers in our comparison. In terms of weight, it is more in line with the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air and Dell XPS 13, too, although it gets clearly blown out of the water in this regard by the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13.
Connectivity: X9-14 without USB-A
Lenovo has learned from older ThinkPads, like the X1 Nano or ThinkPad Z13, that business customers need an HDMI port, which is why we find one on the left side of the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14. However, different from the bigger ThinkPad X9-15, there is no USB-A, definitely a compromise. At least, Lenovo placed one of the Thunderbolt 4 ports on each side, so customers can choose from which side they want to charge the X9 - we hope Lenovo will make this design decision on other ThinkPad models in the future as well.
Communication
Using the newest Intel Wi-Fi BE201, the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 G1 has one of the best Wi-Fi solutions for a laptop in 2025. The soldered Wi-Fi module supports the newest Wi-Fi 7 standard and Bluetooth 5.4. Transfer speeds are fast, though sending data was slower than receiving it.
Despite being an enterprise line, there is no 5G/LTE option for the ThinkPad X9 series.
Webcam
The WUXGA panel used here is bundled with a 1080p webcam. The images are usable for video chatting, but the image is noticeably less sharp than the 8 Mpix option we tested on the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-15.
Security
The Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 G1 may be a business laptop, but its security outfit is slightly more limited when compared with other ThinkPad models. A Smart card reader, a Kensington lock slot and a physical webcam shutter are missing. The electrical shutter button (F9) simply does not provide the same peace of mind.
What the X9 does have is a fingerprint sensor that is embedded in the power button. It also offers log-in via facial recognition, thanks to the Infrared camera. A modular SSD increases data security as well.
Accessories
Shipped with the ThinkPad laptop comes a 65 W USB-C GaN charger. This is the only accessory that is included in the box with the ThinkPad X9 14.
Maintenance
Lenovo made the opening process amazingly easy. There are only four Philips head screws in total in all four corners of the bottom cover, which are captive and can not get lost. After the screws are loosened, the cover lifts slightly, which makes it easy to open the few clips at the back of the device. The front is actually magnetically aligned, making re-assembly a breeze as well.
As easy as the opening process is: There is not a lot to do inside the ThinkPad X9. RAM is soldered on-package, as on all Lunar Lake laptops. There is no WWAN option and thus no open M.2 slot for a WWAN module, and the Wi-Fi card is soldered. Only the M.2 2242 SSD is upgradeable, which is a plus point over something like the Apple MacBook Air with its soldered drive. At least, Lenovo made the battery replacement easy on the X9.
Sustainability
As with all recent ThinkPad laptops, the packaging of the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 is completely plastic free and compostable. Adding to the sustainability aspect, Lenovo uses 50 percent recycled aluminum for the case, and the cobalt in the Lithium Polymer battery is 100 percent recycled. Producing a ThinkPad X9 14 leads to a carbon emission of 150 kg/CO2 equivalent.
Since this is an enterprise-grade laptop, Lenovo will provide software updates for many years, the same is true for replacement parts support. Plus, there are repair manuals, both in written and video form.
Warranty
Lenovo sells the ThinkPad X9-14 with three years of on-site warranty, which is only valid in Germany. Internationally, the warranty becomes a simple bring-in one. It is possible to upgrade the warranty for an upcharge. Available options include a longer runtime of up to five years, a longer battery warranty and Accidental Damage Protection (ADP), which covers functional damage from drops and spills.
Input Devices: Completely new ThinkPad keyboard
Keyboard
The ThinkPad X9-14 represents the biggest change in ThinkPad keyboard design in the last 13 years. Lenovo keeps the overall chiclet nature of the keyboard, but completely remakes the keycap-design. The keys look squarer, but they still retain the smile-shape at the bottom and very slight concave shape. Key travel is shorter than on most other ThinkPad laptops, at just 1.35 mm. New is an auto-mode for the white keyboard backlight.
We really enjoy the typing experience of this keyboard. Despite the short travel, it provides the sort of pillowy feeling that ThinkPads are known for. It is definitely a comfortable keyboard you can type on for long, though we dislike the keyboard layout changes. Especially the changed arrow keys and removal of dedicated PgUp/Down keys, PrtScr and Insert keys are bad design decisions.
Touchpad
Normally, for a ThinkPad, this section would be titled "Touchpad and TrackPoint" - not for the X9 though, as Lenovo ditches the TrackPoint pointing stick. The manufacturer tries to offset this loss of functionality by massively increasing the touchpad size and using a haptic touchpad. Indeed, with 13 x 8 cm, the touchpad feels roomy without getting in the way when typing and due to the haptic nature, the user can click anywhere. The Sensel touchpad provides very nice feedback that almost feels mechanical, and users can also set it to a lower or stronger haptic response, depending on preferences. The trackpad has a glass surface, giving it a premium feel.
Display: ThinkPad X9 with only OLED screen options
In the screen department, Lenovo takes a bold step for a business laptop with the ThinkPad X9, as the whole line features OLED screen exclusively - IPS options are nowhere to be found here. The Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition offers two 14-inch 16:10 OLED screens:
- WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200), 400 cd/m², 100 % DCI P3, matte, 60 Hz, HDR
- 2.8k (2,880 x 1,800), 500 cd/m², 100 % DCI P3, semi-matte/semi-glossy, 120 Hz VRR, HDR, multitouch
We measure an average of 399 cd/m², so the screen pretty much exactly offers the promised 400 cd/m². That puts it at a disadvantage against some of the IPS competition that offer 450 to 500 cd/². Of course, as an OLED screen, the display of the ThinkPad laptop has other advantages to offset this, like the perfect black and extremely strong contrast, the HDR support or the fast response times. One disadvantage of OLED is the use of PWM to regulate the screen brightness, but with a frequency of 480 Hz, it should not be a huge issue for most users.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brightness Distribution: 98 %
Center on Battery: 400 cd/m²
Contrast: ∞:1 (Black: 0 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.8 | 0.5-29.43 Ø4.86, calibrated: 5
ΔE Greyscale 1.7 | 0.09-98 Ø5.1
97.8% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.9% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.2% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.2
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition ATNA40CT04-0 , OLED, 1920x1200, 14", 60 Hz | Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU IPS, 2560x1664, 13.6", 60 Hz | HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 IPS, 2240x1400, 14", 60 Hz | Dell XPS 13 9350 LG Philips 134WU2, IPS, 1920x1200, 13.4", 120 Hz | Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X NE140QDM-NX4, IPS LED, 2560x1600, 14", 144 Hz | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE ATNA40YK20-0, OLED, 2880x1800, 14", 120 Hz | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 MNE007JA1-2 , IPS LED, 1920x1200, 14", 60 Hz | HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 SDC41AA, OLED, 2880x1800, 14", 120 Hz | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display | -4% | -21% | -19% | -0% | -19% | 0% | ||
| Display P3 Coverage | 99.2 | 98.4 -1% | 67.3 -32% | 70.8 -29% | 99.5 0% | 69.6 -30% | 99.7 1% | |
| sRGB Coverage | 99.9 | 99.9 0% | 99 -1% | 98 -2% | 100 0% | 99.8 0% | 100 0% | |
| AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 97.8 | 87.9 -10% | 68.6 -30% | 71.6 -27% | 97.1 -1% | 71.4 -27% | 98 0% | |
| Response Times | -799% | -493% | -830% | -784% | 8% | -780% | 47% | |
| Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 3 ? | 34.5 ? -1050% | 22.8 ? -660% | 37.3 ? -1143% | 36.3 ? -1110% | 2.4 ? 20% | 33.6 ? -1020% | 0.74 ? 75% |
| Response Time Black / White * | 4.2 ? | 27.2 ? -548% | 17.9 ? -326% | 25.9 ? -517% | 23.4 ? -457% | 1.9 ? 55% | 26.9 ? -540% | 0.7 ? 83% |
| PWM Frequency | 480 | 240 ? | 480 ? | |||||
| PWM Amplitude * | 22 | 33 -50% | 26 -18% | |||||
| Screen | 29% | -85% | 42% | -20% | -4% | 36% | 9% | |
| Brightness middle | 398 | 525 32% | 341.4 -14% | 462.8 16% | 457 15% | 407 2% | 436 10% | 392 -2% |
| Brightness | 399 | 506 27% | 315 -21% | 435 9% | 457 15% | 410 3% | 420 5% | 378 -5% |
| Brightness Distribution | 98 | 92 -6% | 87 -11% | 87 -11% | 95 -3% | 99 1% | 93 -5% | 95 -3% |
| Black Level * | 0.42 | 0.39 | 0.19 | 0.12 | 0.24 | |||
| Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 4.8 | 1.4 71% | 5.63 -17% | 1.92 60% | 4.9 -2% | 4.9 -2% | 1.2 75% | 2.4 50% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 9.1 | 2.8 69% | 11.94 -31% | 3.45 62% | 8.5 7% | 9.1 -0% | 3.5 62% | 6.6 27% |
| Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 5 | 0.48 90% | 1.7 66% | 4.7 6% | 0.7 86% | |||
| Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.7 | 2 -18% | 8.8 -418% | 0.6 65% | 5.7 -235% | 2.3 -35% | 1.4 18% | 1.9 -12% |
| Gamma | 2.2 100% | 2.2 100% | 2.14 103% | 2.19 100% | 2.25 98% | 2.26 97% | 2.17 101% | 2.21 100% |
| CCT | 6485 100% | 6876 95% | 6034 108% | 6539 99% | 7647 85% | 6310 103% | 6477 100% | 6463 101% |
| Contrast | 1250 | 875 | 2436 | 3808 | 1817 | |||
| Total Average (Program / Settings) | -258% /
-130% | -289% /
-187% | -270% /
-119% | -274% /
-147% | 1% /
-0% | -254% /
-114% | 19% /
16% |
* ... smaller is better
It is best to use the ThinkPad's screen with the factory profile, as a calibration does not really increase color accuracy. The best results are achievable when working with the DCI P3 color gamut, for which the display is also made.
Color gamut coverage is truly excellent, as even the wide AdobeRGB color gamut is covered almost completely.
Using the ThinkPad X9 outside the office is certainly possible. The screen is not completely matte, there are some faint reflection, but the high contrast of the display helps to keep the content visible even in bright environments.
Display Response Times
| ↔ Response Time Black to White | ||
|---|---|---|
| 4.2 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 2.2 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 2 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 15 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (20.7 ms). | ||
| ↔ Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey | ||
| 3 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined | ↗ 1.5 ms rise |  |
| ↘ 1.5 ms fall | ||
| The screen shows very fast response rates in our tests and should be very well suited for fast-paced gaming. In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.165 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 10 % of all devices are better. This means that the measured response time is better than the average of all tested devices (32.3 ms). | ||
Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)
| Screen flickering / PWM detected | 480 Hz Amplitude: 22 % |  | |
The display backlight flickers at 480 Hz (worst case, e.g., utilizing PWM) . The frequency of 480 Hz is relatively high, so most users sensitive to PWM should not notice any flickering. However, there are reports that some users are still sensitive to PWM at 500 Hz and above, so be aware. In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 8437 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 343500) Hz was measured. | |||
Performance: Lunar Lake with a solid showing
There is a range of Intel Core Ultra 5 and Intel Core Ultra 7 options for the ThinkPad X9-14: Intel Core Ultra 226V, 228V, 238V, 258V and 268V. All of them are Intel Lunar Lake processors that are paired up with 32 GB of LPDDR5X-8553 RAM (soldered on package), except for the 226V, which has 16 GB RAM. The featured iGPU is either the Intel ARC 130V or ARC 140V. Lenovo uses a single M.2-2242-SSD for storage, with a capacity of up to 2 TB.
Testing Conditions
Lenovo employs the Windows settings to let the users set the ThinkPad's power modes. There are three modes, which influence the CPU power consumption and thus performance and heat output by setting the power limits of the processor (Power Limit 1/PL1 = power consumption under sustained load, Power Limit 2/PL2 = maximum power consumption under short-term load):
- Best battery life: PL1 10 W / PL2 37.5 W
- Balanced: PL1 17 W / PL2 37.5 W
- Best performance: PL1 30 W / PL2 40 W
We performed all of our performance benchmarks on the "Best performance" mode.
Processor
The Intel Core Ultra 7 258V is an Intel processor of the "Lunar Lake" generation. It has eight cores in total, with four bigger P cores and four smaller E cores. The clock rates range from 2.2 to 4.8 GHz. More comparisons with other CPUs are accessible via our CPU comparison list.
Performance is not the focus of Intel's Lunar Lake platform as much as efficiency is. This is especially true for multicore benchmarks, as the AMD Ryzen AI powered ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 and the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite powered HP EliteBook Ultra G1q both outperform the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition. Compared with the other Lunar Lake laptops, the ThinkPad X9 achieves roughly the same level of sustained multicore performance.
There was no CPU performance throttling when the device was running on battery power.
Cinebench R15 Multi Loop
Cinebench R23: Multi Core | Single Core
Cinebench R20: CPU (Multi Core) | CPU (Single Core)
Cinebench R15: CPU Multi 64Bit | CPU Single 64Bit
Blender: v2.79 BMW27 CPU
7-Zip 18.03: 7z b 4 | 7z b 4 -mmt1
Geekbench 6.4: Multi-Core | Single-Core
Geekbench 5.5: Multi-Core | Single-Core
HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2: 4k Preset
LibreOffice : 20 Documents To PDF
R Benchmark 2.5: Overall mean
| CPU Performance Rating | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU -9! | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Average of class Subnotebook | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Cinebench R23 / Multi Core | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (1555 - 21812, n=74, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (9114 - 11097, n=15) | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Cinebench R23 / Single Core | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (1664 - 1947, n=15) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (358 - 2165, n=74, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Cinebench R20 / CPU (Multi Core) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (579 - 8541, n=69, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (3530 - 4314, n=15) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Cinebench R20 / CPU (Single Core) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (643 - 749, n=15) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (128 - 826, n=69, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Cinebench R15 / CPU Multi 64Bit | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (327 - 3345, n=74, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (1504 - 1656, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Cinebench R15 / CPU Single 64Bit | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (258 - 298, n=15) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (72.4 - 322, n=70, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Blender / v2.79 BMW27 CPU | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (159 - 2271, n=71, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (315 - 414, n=15) | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| 7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (11668 - 77867, n=65, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (32198 - 36724, n=15) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| 7-Zip 18.03 / 7z b 4 -mmt1 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (5265 - 5869, n=15) | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (2643 - 6442, n=67, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Geekbench 6.4 / Multi-Core | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (2244 - 17489, n=75, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (9311 - 11334, n=15) | |
| Geekbench 6.4 / Single-Core | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (2593 - 2795, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (960 - 3820, n=70, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Geekbench 5.5 / Multi-Core | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (2557 - 17218, n=66, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (7717 - 9864, n=15) | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Geekbench 5.5 / Single-Core | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (1891 - 2046, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (726 - 2350, n=66, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| HWBOT x265 Benchmark v2.2 / 4k Preset | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (0.97 - 25.1, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (10.5 - 14.2, n=15) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| LibreOffice / 20 Documents To PDF | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (38.5 - 220, n=66, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (41.1 - 59.3, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| R Benchmark 2.5 / Overall mean | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (0.403 - 1.456, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (0.4457 - 0.4852, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
* ... smaller is better
AIDA64: FP32 Ray-Trace | FPU Julia | CPU SHA3 | CPU Queen | FPU SinJulia | FPU Mandel | CPU AES | CPU ZLib | FP64 Ray-Trace | CPU PhotoWorxx
| Performance Rating | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| AIDA64 / FP32 Ray-Trace | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (1135 - 32888, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (9215 - 12781, n=15) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Julia | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (5218 - 123315, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (48758 - 63401, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU SHA3 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (444 - 5287, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (2271 - 2817, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU Queen | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (10579 - 115682, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (49510 - 49818, n=15) | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| AIDA64 / FPU SinJulia | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (744 - 18418, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (4103 - 4440, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| AIDA64 / FPU Mandel | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (3341 - 65433, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (25361 - 33565, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU AES | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (638 - 161430, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (37728 - 40753, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU ZLib | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (164.9 - 1379, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (499 - 632, n=15) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| AIDA64 / FP64 Ray-Trace | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (610 - 17495, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (4891 - 6930, n=15) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| AIDA64 / CPU PhotoWorxx | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (51323 - 54971, n=15) | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (6569 - 64588, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
System Performance
Lunar Lake may not offer the best multicore performance, but its everyday performance is excellent. This is reflected in the system performance benchmarks, too. The Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition is a system that will not keep its users waiting.
CrossMark: Overall | Productivity | Creativity | Responsiveness
WebXPRT 3: Overall
WebXPRT 4: Overall
Mozilla Kraken 1.1: Total
| PCMark 10 / Score | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (6265 - 7314, n=15) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (4993 - 7788, n=57, last 2 years) | |
| PCMark 10 / Essentials | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (9363 - 11406, n=57, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (9295 - 11467, n=15) | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| PCMark 10 / Productivity | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (7357 - 9619, n=15) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (5435 - 10623, n=57, last 2 years) | |
| PCMark 10 / Digital Content Creation | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (9333 - 10048, n=15) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (5305 - 12442, n=57, last 2 years) | |
| CrossMark / Overall | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (1590 - 1742, n=14) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (365 - 2038, n=67, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| CrossMark / Productivity | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (1558 - 1684, n=14) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (364 - 1918, n=67, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| CrossMark / Creativity | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (1727 - 1977, n=14) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (372 - 2396, n=67, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| CrossMark / Responsiveness | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (312 - 1899, n=67, last 2 years) | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (1251 - 1411, n=14) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| WebXPRT 3 / Overall | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (156 - 482, n=66, last 2 years) | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (219 - 314, n=13) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| WebXPRT 4 / Overall | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (199.5 - 291, n=14) | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (132 - 348, n=67, last 2 years) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Mozilla Kraken 1.1 / Total | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (265 - 1104, n=75, last 2 years) | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V (468 - 559, n=15) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU | |
* ... smaller is better
| PCMark 10 Score | 7081 points | |
Help | ||
| AIDA64 / Memory Copy | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (107682 - 114336, n=15) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (14554 - 109035, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Read | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (82846 - 89417, n=15) | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (15948 - 122210, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Write | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (109734 - 117935, n=15) | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (15709 - 117898, n=68, last 2 years) | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
| AIDA64 / Memory Latency | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (7.2 - 187.8, n=67, last 2 years) | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Average Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (95 - 101.1, n=15) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 | |
* ... smaller is better
DPC Latency
When doing real-time audio tasks, system interruptions can lead to problems. We test this with the LatencyMon tool, which detected some problems. This seems to be due to the GPU driver. In the YouTube test, there were only four dropped frames, so there should not be that many problems in everyday use.
| DPC Latencies / LatencyMon - interrupt to process latency (max), Web, Youtube, Prime95 | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
* ... smaller is better
Storage Devices
It is very good that Lenovo sticks with a modular approach, unlike Apple with its MacBook Air. However, the M.2-2242 form-factor is not very popular, and it restricts the maximum storage capacity. In our storage benchmarks, the Lenovo laptop does OK, but the PCIe 4.0 drive is certainly not one of the fastest ones around. At least, it does not throttle under sustained load.
* ... smaller is better
Disk Throttling: DiskSpd Read Loop, Queue Depth 8
GPU Performance
GPU performance is one of the strong points of Lunar Lake, as its GPU is pretty fast for an integrated graphics chip. The Intel ARC Graphics 140V easily beats out the AMD Radeon 880M of the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 AMD. It is not the at its best in the ThinkPad X9, though, as there is some throttling in the Cyberpunk 2077 sustained load test. Still, some light gaming is definitely possible with the ThinkPad X9-14, especially when utilizing things like Intel's XeSS upsampling.
| 3DMark 11 Performance | 12057 points | |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Score | 8855 points | |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 4296 points | |
Help | ||
* ... smaller is better
| Cyberpunk 2077 2.2 Phantom Liberty - 1920x1080 Ultra Preset (FSR off) | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (8.48 - 31.4, n=50, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| GTA V - 1920x1080 Highest Settings possible AA:4xMSAA + FX AF:16x | |
| Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X | |
| HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 | |
| Dell XPS 13 9350 | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition | |
| Average of class Subnotebook (7.81 - 53, n=65, last 2 years) | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 | |
Cyberpunk 2077 ultra FPS Chart
| low | med. | high | ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GTA V (2015) | 151 | 137.5 | 50.1 | 23.7 |
| Dota 2 Reborn (2015) | 101.6 | 88.6 | 88.5 | 85.2 |
| Final Fantasy XV Benchmark (2018) | 63 | 36.9 | 29.9 | |
| X-Plane 11.11 (2018) | 40.6 | 36.7 | 33.6 | |
| Far Cry 5 (2018) | 77 | 48 | 44 | 45 |
| Baldur's Gate 3 (2023) | 39.1 | 28.4 | 27.5 | 24 |
| Cyberpunk 2077 2.2 Phantom Liberty (2023) | 34.2 | 27.4 | 25.6 | 23.3 |
| F1 24 (2024) | 72.1 | 71.6 | 54.8 | 17.2 |
Emissions: Fan stays mostly off, but can get loud under load
System Noise
While quiet when idling, the two fans of the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition can spin up a lot under load. This only happens when the device is in the "Best performance" mode. Under max load, we measured a maximum noise level of 43.6 dB(a), which is more than any of the competitors except for the Dell XPS 13. If the Lenovo laptop is set to "Balanced", the fan noise stays much more moderate, with only 26.5 dB(a) under medium load.
We did not detect any coil whine with the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14.
Noise Level
| Idle |
| 24.9 / 24.9 / 24.9 dB(A) |
| Load |
| 26.5 / 43.6 dB(A) |
 | ||
30 dB silent 40 dB(A) audible 50 dB(A) loud |
||
min:  , med:  , max:  Earthworks M23R, Arta (15 cm distance) environment noise: 24.9 dB(A) | ||
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00 | Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU M3 10-Core GPU, M3, Apple SSD AP0512Z | HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SD X Elite X1E-78-100, SK hynix PC801 HFS512GEJ9X101N BF | Dell XPS 13 9350 Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 256V, Micron 2550 512GB | Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, Western Digital PC SN5000S SDEQNSJ-1T00 | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, SK hynix PCB01 HFS001TFM9X179N GL | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 Radeon 880M, Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, Kioxia XG8 KXG8AZNV1T02 | HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 Arc 140V, Core Ultra 7 258V, Kioxia XG8 KXG80ZNV1T02 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Noise | 8% | 3% | 6% | 2% | -1% | 8% | ||
| off / environment * | 24.9 | 23.4 6% | 24.1 3% | 24.1 3% | 23.2 7% | 23.6 5% | 23.9 4% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 24.9 | 23.4 6% | 24.4 2% | 24.1 3% | 23.2 7% | 23.6 5% | 23.9 4% | |
| Idle Average * | 24.9 | 23.4 6% | 24.4 2% | 24.1 3% | 23.2 7% | 26.5 -6% | 23.9 4% | |
| Idle Maximum * | 24.9 | 24.3 2% | 24.4 2% | 24.1 3% | 23.2 7% | 27.6 -11% | 23.9 4% | |
| Load Average * | 26.5 | 25 6% | 26.2 1% | 31.2 -18% | 29.9 -13% | 26.5 -0% | 28.4 -7% | |
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra * | 40.5 | 34.2 16% | 31.7 22% | 43.3 -7% | 41.9 -3% | 31.5 22% | ||
| Load Maximum * | 43.6 | 34.8 20% | 45.2 -4% | 31.2 28% | 40.5 7% | 41.8 4% | 31.5 28% | |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 30.6 |
* ... smaller is better
Temperature
Despite using an aluminum chassis that should transfer heat well, the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 does not get very toasty to the touch. At most, we measured a temperature of 46.4 degrees Celsius / 116 F directly over the CPU between the two fans on the bottom. The palmrest only gets slightly warmer than in the idle state.
There is no throttling in the stress test, which puts both CPU and GPU under maximum load for an hour. The CPU power consumption fluctuates up and down in a wave pattern, always staying above 20 W.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 45.4 °C / 114 F, compared to the average of 35.9 °C / 97 F, ranging from 21.4 to 59 °C for the class Subnotebook.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 46.4 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 39.3 °C / 103 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 26.9 °C / 80 F, compared to the device average of 30.8 °C / 87 F.
(±) 3: The average temperature for the upper side is 33.3 °C / 92 F, compared to the average of 30.8 °C / 87 F for the class Subnotebook.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 29.4 °C / 84.9 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(±) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.2 °C / 82.8 F (-1.2 °C / -2.1 F).
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V | Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU Apple M3, Apple M3 10-Core GPU | HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100, Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS | Dell XPS 13 9350 Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V | Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, AMD Radeon 880M | HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, Intel Arc Graphics 140V | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | 15% | 3% | 18% | 11% | 9% | 0% | 17% | |
| Maximum Upper Side * | 45.4 | 44.3 2% | 40.8 10% | 34.8 23% | 41.6 8% | 42.3 7% | 45.9 -1% | 37.9 17% |
| Maximum Bottom * | 46.4 | 43.4 6% | 40.4 13% | 37.4 19% | 43.2 7% | 40.1 14% | 48.7 -5% | 44.3 5% |
| Idle Upper Side * | 30.2 | 22.3 26% | 32.2 -7% | 25.4 16% | 25.7 15% | 27.3 10% | 29.6 2% | 23.3 23% |
| Idle Bottom * | 29.9 | 22.1 26% | 31.2 -4% | 26.2 12% | 25.3 15% | 28.3 5% | 28.5 5% | 23.6 21% |
* ... smaller is better
Speakers
In recent years, Lenovo has improved on the speakers of their ThinkPad laptops, which had been pretty bad for many years. The Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition may have the best ones of all the recent 14-inch ThinkPad. The dual stereo speakers that fire out of the sides are not quite as loud as the speakers of the Apple MacBook Air 13, but they deliver more bass.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition audio analysis
(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (81.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.2% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (10% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 4.1% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (4.7% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.4% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.3% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 7% of all tested devices in this class were better, 2% similar, 91% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 4% of all tested devices were better, 1% similar, 95% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU audio analysis
(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (83.2 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 13.3% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 0.4% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (1.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 4.5% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (1.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (10.7% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 8% of all tested devices in this class were better, 3% similar, 89% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 19%, worst was 53%
Compared to all devices tested
» 5% of all tested devices were better, 2% similar, 94% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 24%, worst was 134%
Energy Management: Efficient, despite the OLED screen
Power Consumption
Among the device in our comparison list, the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 G1 is the only one with a WUXGA OLED screen. Its idle power consumption is higher than on WUXGA IPS screens, but lower than for the laptops equipped with higher-res IPS displays. Overall, the power consumption is really impressively low for an OLED equipped laptop.
The charger can deliver up to 65 W to the Lenovo laptop, which is enough to cover the maximum power consumption of roughly 61 W.
| Off / Standby | 0.4 / 0.6 Watt |
| Idle | 3.6 / 4.6 / 5.2 Watt |
| Load |
31.2 / 61.8 Watt |
   
| |
Key:
min: ,
med: ,
max: Metrahit Energy | |
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, WD PC SN740 SDDQMQD-1T00, OLED, 1920x1200, 14" | Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU M3, M3 10-Core GPU, Apple SSD AP0512Z, IPS, 2560x1664, 13.6" | HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, SK hynix PC801 HFS512GEJ9X101N BF, IPS, 2240x1400, 14" | Dell XPS 13 9350 Core Ultra 7 256V, Arc 140V, Micron 2550 512GB, IPS, 1920x1200, 13.4" | Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, Western Digital PC SN5000S SDEQNSJ-1T00, IPS LED, 2560x1600, 14" | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, SK hynix PCB01 HFS001TFM9X179N GL, OLED, 2880x1800, 14" | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, Radeon 880M, Kioxia XG8 KXG8AZNV1T02, IPS LED, 1920x1200, 14" | HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, Kioxia XG8 KXG80ZNV1T02, OLED, 2880x1800, 14" | Average Intel Arc Graphics 140V | Average of class Subnotebook | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Consumption | -16% | 12% | 18% | -29% | -1% | 2% | 0% | -23% | -42% | |
| Idle Minimum * | 3.6 | 1.95 46% | 2.5 31% | 1.3 64% | 3.9 -8% | 4.7 -31% | 2.8 22% | 3.7 -3% | 3.74 ? -4% | 4.27 ? -19% |
| Idle Average * | 4.6 | 8.7 -89% | 5.7 -24% | 2.5 46% | 8.9 -93% | 5.7 -24% | 5.1 -11% | 5.4 -17% | 6.16 ? -34% | 7.37 ? -60% |
| Idle Maximum * | 5.2 | 8.9 -71% | 5.8 -12% | 4.1 21% | 9.6 -85% | 6.1 -17% | 5.8 -12% | 5.7 -10% | 7.67 ? -48% | 9.06 ? -74% |
| Load Average * | 31.2 | 34.3 -10% | 24.2 22% | 40.1 -29% | 43.4 -39% | 29.8 4% | 33.1 -6% | 39.4 -26% | 40 ? -28% | 45.6 ? -46% |
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra * | 47.3 | 33.5 29% | 46.1 3% | 42.8 10% | 35.3 25% | 44.6 6% | 35.3 25% | |||
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra external monitor * | 48.4 | 26.8 45% | 43.1 11% | 41.8 14% | 34.1 30% | 39.4 19% | 32.4 33% | |||
| Load Maximum * | 61.8 | 35.4 43% | 66.4 -7% | 57.3 7% | 64.1 -4% | 60.1 3% | 66.4 -7% | 62.9 -2% | 61.4 ? 1% | 68.8 ? -11% |
| Witcher 3 ultra * | 28.6 | 23.1 |
* ... smaller is better
Power Consumption Cyberpunk / Stress Test
Power Consumption external Monitor
Battery Life
Compared with the bigger ThinkPad X9-15 (80 Wh), the battery capacity of the internal battery here is more conservative - the Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 has 55 Wh. Together with the efficient Lunar Lake platform and the lower resolution OLED screen, this is still enough to almost come close to the Apple MacBook Air 13 in terms of battery life. The Apple laptop, which is known as a battery life benchmark, lasts just over 15 hours in our Wi-Fi test (150 cd/m²), the ThinkPad sits at 14 hours. Using dark mode, the battery life can be potentially even longer.
| Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 55 Wh | Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU M3, M3 10-Core GPU, 52.6 Wh | HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 SD X Elite X1E-78-100, Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS, 59 Wh | Dell XPS 13 9350 Core Ultra 7 256V, Arc 140V, 55 Wh | Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 63 Wh | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 57 Wh | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, Radeon 880M, 58 Wh | HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 64 Wh | Average of class Subnotebook | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Runtime | 67% | 28% | 66% | 71% | -5% | 7% | -15% | 25% | |
| WiFi v1.3 | 850 | 914 8% | 792 -7% | 1236 45% | 973 14% | 658 -23% | 847 0% | 722 -15% | 760 ? -11% |
| Load | 76 | 171 125% | 124 63% | 142 87% | 173 128% | 86 13% | 87 14% | 121.3 ? 60% | |
| Cyberpunk 2077 ultra 150cd | 94 |
Notebookcheck Rating
The ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition is tailor-made by Lenovo to compete with the MacBook Air, which it does well in many ways. There are some compromises in the feature-set, but it is a nicely executed productivity laptop for light tasks.
Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition
- 03/27/2025 v8
Benjamin Herzig
Potential Competitors in Comparison
Image | Model / Review | Price | Weight | Height | Display |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. 88.8%  | Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Gen 1 Aura Edition Intel Core Ultra 7 258V ⎘ Intel Arc Graphics 140V ⎘ 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | Amazon: $1,628.84 List Price: 1800 Euro | 1.2 kg | 17.8 mm | 14.00" 1920x1200 162 PPI OLED |
2. 92.4% v7 (old)  | Apple MacBook Air 13 M3 10C GPU Apple M3 ⎘ Apple M3 10-Core GPU ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | Amazon: $1,299.00 List Price: 1759€ | 1.2 kg | 11.3 mm | 13.60" 2560x1664 225 PPI IPS |
3. 82.3%  | HP EliteBook Ultra G1q 14 Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 ⎘ Qualcomm SD X Adreno X1-85 3.8 TFLOPS ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | Amazon: $719.99 List Price: 1700 USD | 1.3 kg | 11.2 mm | 14.00" 2240x1400 189 PPI IPS |
4. 85.3%  | Dell XPS 13 9350 Intel Core Ultra 7 256V ⎘ Intel Arc Graphics 140V ⎘ 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | Amazon: 1. $1,599.99 2025 Latest Dell XPS 13 9350... 2. $1,499.99 ist computers Dell XPS 13 Bu... 3. $15.98 Puccy 2 Pack Film Protector,... List Price: 1400 USD | 1.2 kg | 15.3 mm | 13.40" 1920x1200 169 PPI IPS |
5. 85.9%  | Asus ExpertBook P5 P5405-NZ0102X Intel Core Ultra 7 258V ⎘ Intel Arc Graphics 140V ⎘ 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | List Price: 1500€ | 1.3 kg | 16.5 mm | 14.00" 2560x1600 216 PPI IPS LED |
6. 89.9%  | Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 21NS0010GE Intel Core Ultra 7 258V ⎘ Intel Arc Graphics 140V ⎘ 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | Amazon: 1. $1,899.00 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ge... 2. $2,463.97 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ge... 3. $2,529.00 Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Ge... List Price: 2700 Euro | 982 g | 16 mm | 14.00" 2880x1800 243 PPI OLED |
7. 87.5%  | Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 21M2S00G00 AMD Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 ⎘ AMD Radeon 880M ⎘ 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | Amazon: 1. $1,400.00 Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 6 1... 2. $699.98 Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Business... 3. $764.95 Lenovo ThinkPad E14 Gen 6 21... List Price: 1500 Euro | 1.3 kg | 19.2 mm | 14.00" 1920x1200 162 PPI IPS LED |
8. 89.6%  | HP EliteBook Ultra G1i 14 Intel Core Ultra 7 258V ⎘ Intel Arc Graphics 140V ⎘ 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | Amazon: 1. $34.99 Laptop Case Cover for HP Eli... List Price: 2349€ | 1.2 kg | 12.1 mm | 14.00" 2880x1800 243 PPI OLED |
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The selection of devices to be reviewed is made by our editorial team. The test sample was provided to the author as a loan by the manufacturer or retailer for the purpose of this review. The lender had no influence on this review, nor did the manufacturer receive a copy of this review before publication. There was no obligation to publish this review. We never accept compensation or payment in return for our reviews. As an independent media company, Notebookcheck is not subjected to the authority of manufacturers, retailers or publishers.
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