
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (2018, 2019) - An overview of all rumours, dates, configurations, and reviews
Changelog
10.09.2018: Current information about the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2019 added.
Rumours, Dates & Release
Lenovo released the ThinkPad X1 Carbon in 2012 and marked the introduction of the first true “Ultrabook” in the venerable ThinkPad series. Since then, the X1 Carbon has been at the cutting edge of the ThinkPad series’ ultra-portable offerings and is now on its sixth iteration.
Lenovo launched the sixth generation of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon in spring this year, shortly after announcing the device at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2018.
The timing of the sixth generation’s announcement is typical of X1 Carbon launches too. Lenovo has announced all previous iterations of the device at CES except for the first generation, so it would make sense for the seventh X1 Carbon to be announced at CES 2019 in January next year. Speculatively, we expect to see Lenovo unveil the X1 Carbon 2019 in Las Vegas between January 8-11, 2019.
Concrete rumours about the connectivity of the next X1 Carbon are still scarce. Lenovo will likely equip the device with a choice of Intel’s latest “Whiskey Lake” generation processors, probably either the Core i5-8265U or the Core i7-8565U. Notably, these 15 W CPUs will pick an integrated Wi-Fi module, the first Intel Core processors to do so.
Aside from a probable CPU upgrade, Lenovo could also introduce a new design. Lenovo last redesigned the X1 Carbon in 2017, with the 2018 model being more of an updated X1 Carbon 2017. It could be possible that we see another iteration based on the 2017 design, but Lenovo has until now never relied upon the same X1 Carbon design for more than two years. Hence, it is time for a newly designed X1 Carbon.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 2018 Reviews
The X1 Carbon 2018 has been reviewed extensively, being one of the most attractive models in the ThinkPad series. We have currently reviewed two variants of the device; the base model with an Intel Core i5-8350U processor and a Full HD display along with the Core i7-8550U and QHD HDR display equipped flagship model.
Historically, the X1 Carbon has had excellent input devices. The sixth generation excels in other ways too, particularly with its robust yet lightweight case and its plentiful ports. The X1 Carbon 2018’s selection of ports is even more impressive too considering that it is a 14-inch notebook.
Moreover, the 2018 edition has numerous displays options including a Full HD touchscreen option and the excellent, albeit gloss, QHD HDR display. The device makes good use of its processors too, while the ample battery life leaves little room for criticism. There are drawbacks though like the awkwardly placed microSD card slot, the absent WWAN ready option and the lack of a full-size RJ45 Ethernet port. We also criticised the Core i7-8550U model for its high temperatures under load and its overzealous fan. By contrast, the Core i5-8350U equipped model has neither of these issues.
Design & Features – Pictures and Videos
Undoubtedly, the most notable change of the last two X1 Carbon generations compared to previous models has been the dramatically smaller display bezels. The X1 Carbon is currently the most compact 14-inch ThinkPad device that Lenovo sells and weighs 1.13 kg thanks to its use of lightweight and premium materials like magnesium and a carbon fibre plastic composite. The X1 Carbon 2018 is the lightest 14-inch business notebook that we have tested and weighs the same as the smaller 12-inch ThinkPad X280.
Lenovo has particularly focussed on the X1 Carbon’s display options with the release of the sixth generation with previous models typically having disappointingly few display options. The 2018 edition has an impressive 14-inch QHD HDR display that has vivid colours and high maximum brightness, although the panel has a glossy finish. Lenovo also introduced a matte Full HD touchscreen display too.
Model Variants & Pricing
There are two ways for the average consumer to buy a ThinkPad; either directly from Lenovo or one of the many third-party suppliers. Purchasing from Lenovo allows for greater flexibility as you can customise your device, while other suppliers stock just pre-configured devices. Lenovo separates X1 Carbon models by the processors and displays that are used. RAM is also an important consideration though as you cannot subsequently upgrade it; all models have RAM that is soldered to the motherboard.
However, the M.2-2280 SSD is replaceable, as is the Wi-Fi card. Other differences between models include WWAN capabilities, a Windows Hello infrared camera and case colour; the X1 Carbon 2018 comes in either black or silver.
The X1 Carbon 2018 starts at €1,600 and rises to over €2,500 for the Intel Core i7-8650U model with a QHD HDR display, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB SSD and WWAN capabilities.
Possible Configurations
- CPU: Intel Core i5-8250U, Core i5-8350U, Core i7-8550U, Core i7-8650U
- RAM: 8 GB or 16 GB - LPPDDR3 2,133 MHz
- SSD: 256 GB, 512 GB or 1 TB PCIe M.2-2280 SSD
- Display: 14-inch IPS LCD – Matte options: Full HD (1,920 x 1,080) Full HD touch or QHD (2,560 x 1,440); each 300 – Glossy option: QHD HDR Low Temperature Polysilicon (LTPS)
- OS: Windows 10 Home (64-bit) or Windows 10 Pro (64-bit)
- Warranty: Three-years standard with on-site service, extendable up to five-years
Price comparison
Price comparison
Tags
Further Information about the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon


Lenovo ThinkPad P16 G2 Laptop Review: Improved with 165 Hz screen & Nvidia RTX 2000 Ada
Intel Core i7-13700HX | NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU | 16.00" | 3 kg

Deal | Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 2 laptop with AMD Ryzen 5 Pro 7540U discounted by 53%

No more ThinkPad Yoga: New Lenovo ThinkPad X13 2-in-1 comes to the market
Since 2013, the ThinkPad Yoga sub-brand was Lenovo's convertible series for the B2B business. No more: The new Lenovo ThinkPad X13 2-in-1 G5 drops the Yoga name...
Lenovo quietly releases Core Ultra equipped ThinkPad X13 G5
A release without any fanfare: Lenovo has released the new Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Gen 5. The newest model sports Intel Core Ultra, also known as Meteor Lake. The X...
MWC 2024 | Lenovo ThinkPad Executive 16-inch Backpack presented with RFI blocking pocket for $179.99
Lenovo has announced the ThinkPad Executive 16-inch Backpack as part of its MWC 2024 showcase. Arriving in spring 2024, the ThinkPad Executive 16-inch Backpack ...
MWC 2024 | The real ThinkPad T480 successor: New ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 is iFixit approved
Lenovo is doing a reversal when it comes to the repairability of its ThinkPad T series: The new Lenovo ThinkPad T14 Gen 5 features two SO-DIMMs and a user-repla...
MWC 2024 | Thinner Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 loses AMD option, gains X1 Carbon design features
The new thin and lightweight ThinkPad T14s G5 is a major redesign of this thin and lightweight laptop. Importantly, Lenovo axes the AMD version of this model, g...
MWC 2024 | Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 3 announced before Q2 2024 release with return to more modular and repairable design
Lenovo has announced a refresh of the ThinkPad T16. Adopting a revised design that is also more repairable, the Lenovo ThinkPad T16 Gen 3 will be available in Q...
MWC 2024 | Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 arrives with Intel Core Ultra processors, aims to boost mobile productivity
Lenovo launched the Gen 1 ThinkPad X12 Detachable laptop tablet back in 2021. It stood as an excellent pick for mobile productivity, but the specs are now relat...
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon gets a major facelift this year to accompany the new Meteor Lake-H CPU and OLED panel with double the refresh rate of the previous genera... Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon G12 laptop review: First major refresh in three years

Deal | Lenovo ThinkPad P14s laptop with 64GB RAM and 2.8K OLED is 54% off right now
The 14-inch workstation also sports the well-performing AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 7840U CPU and a 1TB SSD. Thanks to a colorful OLED display, the ThinkPad P14s Gen 4 is w...
Deal | ThinkPad P16s with Core i7, QHD screen and Nvidia dGPU is 69% off in Lenovo's clearance sale
Although the Intel version of the ThinkPad P16s Gen 1 is $200 more expensive than the AMD-powered counterpart that has recently been marked down, this model of ...
Deal | Lenovo ThinkPad T15g laptop with RTX 3080, 4K display and 32GB RAM is 60% off today
The ThinkPad T15g is not directly designed to be used for gaming, but thanks to a dedicated RTX 3080 graphics card and a super-sharp 4K IPS display, the steeply...