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Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 Laptop Review: The second generation of Lenovo's premier multimedia laptop has gotten worse

Everything the same? New CPUs, a faster GPU and a greater choice of displays, that is the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 in a nutshell. Lenovo has only slightly modified the second-generation model, with the chassis remaining unchanged for this year's model. We have put the device through its paces, specifically the one with a matte 4K panel, which has a massive impact on battery life. Update: X1 Extreme is equipped with the GTX 1650 Max-Q after all

It has only been a year since Lenovo entered the premium multimedia laptop market, with the ThinkPad X1 Extreme competing against the Dell XPS 15, the HP Spectre x360 15 and the Apple MacBook Pro 15. The company's first attempt convinced us with the usual qualities of ThinkPads, while its numerous security features made the device interesting for consumers and professionals alike.

Since then, Lenovo has released a second generation, with which it equipped updated components and new displays options. Since almost nothing has changed visually this year, we shall refer you to our review of last year's model for our thoughts here. The same applies to the ports and input devices that the X1 Extreme Gen 2 offers. Alternatively, we have also reviewed the ThinkPad P1 2019, the workstation offshoot of the X1 Extreme. The ThinkPad P1 2019 and X1 Extreme Gen 2 share the same chassis, ports and connectivity, for reference.

Update 03/06/2020: Nvidia now confirmed that the second generation of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme is equipped with the Max-Q version of the GeForce GTX 1650. The designation is supposed to be corrected with the next driver version. However, we still have no official answer from Lenovo. The fact that official spec sheets list different versions is highly irritating for potential customers and should be fixed.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE (ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 Series)
Processor
Intel Core i7-9750H 6 x 2.6 - 4.5 GHz, Coffee Lake-H
Graphics adapter
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile - 4 GB VRAM, Core: 1245 MHz, Memory: 1751 MHz, GDDR5, 441.20
Memory
16 GB 
, DDR4-2666, single-channel, 1/2 slots occupied, max. 64 GB
Display
15.60 inch 16:9, 3840 x 2160 pixel 282 PPI, NE156QUM-N66, IPS, glossy: no
Mainboard
Intel CM246
Storage
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, 512 GB 
, 438 GB free
Soundcard
Intel Cannon Lake-H/S - cAVS (Audio, Voice, Speech)
Connections
2 USB 3.0 / 3.1 Gen1, 2 USB 3.1 Gen2, 2 Thunderbolt, 1 HDMI, 2 DisplayPort, 1 Kensington Lock, 1 Docking Station Port, Audio Connections: 3.5 mm headphone jack, Card Reader: 3-in-1 SD, 1 SmartCard, 1 Fingerprint Reader
Networking
Intel Ethernet Connection I219-V (10/100/1000MBit/s), Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200 (a/b/g/n = Wi-Fi 4/ac = Wi-Fi 5/ax = Wi-Fi 6/), Bluetooth 5.1
Size
height x width x depth (in mm): 18.7 x 361.8 x 245.7 ( = 0.74 x 14.24 x 9.67 in)
Battery
80 Wh Lithium-Ion
Operating System
Microsoft Windows 10 Pro 64 Bit
Camera
Webcam: 720p with infrared + ThinkShutter
Additional features
Speakers: 2 W - stereo, Keyboard: Chiclet, Keyboard Light: yes, 135 W power supply, Lenovo Ethernet Extension Cable, Lenovo Vantage, 36 Months Warranty
Weight
1.711 kg ( = 60.35 oz / 3.77 pounds), Power Supply: 449 g ( = 15.84 oz / 0.99 pounds)
Price
2649 Euro
Note: The manufacturer may use components from different suppliers including display panels, drives or memory sticks with similar specifications.

 

Rating
Date
Model
Weight
Height
Size
Resolution
Best Price
87.1 %
02/2020
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
1.7 kg18.7 mm15.60"3840x2160
87.8 %
08/2019
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
2 kg17 mm15.60"3840x2160
89.7 %
12/2019
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
i9-9880H, Radeon Pro 5500M
2 kg16.2 mm16.00"3072x1920
87.3 %
11/2019
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
2.2 kg17.9 mm15.60"3840x2160
86 %
12/2019
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
2 kg19.7 mm15.60"1920x1080
85.2 %
11/2019
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
i7-10710U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
1.7 kg16 mm15.60"3840x2160

Case - The 4K X1 Extreme comes with a carbon-fibre finish

As mentioned in the preceding section, nothing has changed with the case from last year's model. There is one minor change, though. Lenovo now distinguishes machines that have 4K displays by giving their display lids a different finish. As with the smaller ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the display lid has a carbon-fibre finish. While this looks like the keyboard deck found on the Dell XPS 15, for example, the corners of the lid reveal that this finish is only a sticker or a print of some kind. The design is certainly a matter of taste, but it is less susceptible to picking up fingerprints, at least.

Size Comparison

366 mm / 14.4 inch 234 mm / 9.21 inch 16 mm / 0.63 inch 1.7 kg3.64 lbs361.8 mm / 14.2 inch 245.7 mm / 9.67 inch 18.7 mm / 0.736 inch 1.7 kg3.77 lbs359 mm / 14.1 inch 255 mm / 10 inch 17.9 mm / 0.705 inch 2.2 kg4.85 lbs355.2 mm / 14 inch 238.4 mm / 9.39 inch 19.7 mm / 0.776 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs358 mm / 14.1 inch 246 mm / 9.69 inch 16.2 mm / 0.638 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs357 mm / 14.1 inch 235 mm / 9.25 inch 17 mm / 0.669 inch 2 kg4.41 lbs297 mm / 11.7 inch 210 mm / 8.27 inch 1 mm / 0.03937 inch 5.7 g0.01257 lbs
Left-hand side: Slim Tip power connector, 2x Thunderbolt 3 (USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C), HDMI 2.0, mini-Ethernet, 3.5 mm jack
Left-hand side: Slim Tip power connector, 2x Thunderbolt 3 (USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C), HDMI 2.0, mini-Ethernet, 3.5 mm jack
Right-hand side: Smartcard reader, SD card reader, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (1x Always-On), Kensington lock slot
Right-hand side: Smartcard reader, SD card reader, 2x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A (1x Always-On), Kensington lock slot
SD Card Reader
average JPG Copy Test (av. of 3 runs)
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
172.4 MB/s +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
164 MB/s
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
149 MB/s -9%
Average of class Multimedia
  (17.6 - 205, n=61, last 2 years)
93 MB/s -43%
maximum AS SSD Seq Read Test (1GB)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
198.6 MB/s
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro M501 UHS-II)
192.5 MB/s -3%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
  (Toshiba Exceria Pro SDXC 64 GB UHS-II)
192.1 MB/s -3%
Average of class Multimedia
  (16.8 - 266, n=57, last 2 years)
122.4 MB/s -38%
Networking
iperf3 transmit AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1431 (566min - 1523max) MBit/s
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1374 (720min - 1484max) MBit/s -4%
Average of class Multimedia
  (285 - 1094, n=5, last 2 years)
789 MBit/s -45%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
644 MBit/s -55%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Broadcom 802.11ac
581 (533min - 616max) MBit/s -59%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
571 (351min - 662max) MBit/s -60%
iperf3 receive AX12
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1431 (1279min - 1644max) MBit/s
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX200
1291 (1212min - 1379max) MBit/s -10%
Average of class Multimedia
  (625 - 1675, n=5, last 2 years)
1127 MBit/s -21%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Broadcom 802.11ac
817 (806min - 821max) MBit/s -43%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650x Wireless Network Adapter (200NGW)
674 MBit/s -53%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Killer Wireless-AC 1550 Wireless Network Adapter
572 (477min - 621max) MBit/s -60%

Input Devices - Good, but there are dropouts

In principle, nothing has changed with the keyboard on the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 either, but reports of occasional dropouts when typing have been piling up online. We can confirm that the problem affects our X1 Extreme Gen 2, too. These dropouts are rare, though. We cannot say exactly what the problem is, but for some people having the keyboard replaced has helped. If you experience similar problems with your device, then we would recommend contacting Lenovo Service. However, if the keyboard works properly, then the X1 Extreme Gen 2 offers one of the best typing experiences on a laptop.

Display - ThinkPad with a matte 4K panel

Sub-pixel array
Sub-pixel array
Our review unit suffers from hardly any backlight bleeding
Our review unit suffers from hardly any backlight bleeding

Lenovo offers significantly more display options with the X1 Extreme Gen 2 than it did with its predecessor. In addition to two matte FHD panels, the company now sells two 4K panels. One is a matte IPS panel, while the other is an OLED panel that has a glossy finish. Our test device has the former, which should be very bright and is also advertised with 100% AdobeRGB coverage.

Subjectively, the X1 Extreme Gen 2 offers decent image quality, but there is a slight red tint that makes content look quite warm. Additionally, we cannot confirm the advertised brightness of 500 nits. Our review unit peaks at 470 cd/m² but only in one area of the display, with its average falling to just under 450 cd/m². This is still an improvement over the old X1 Extreme, though. However, our review unit has a higher black level than the one we measured in its predecessor, which yields a lower contrast ratio. Furthermore, the panel's matte finish makes content look less sharp than it does on some competitors. We also found that images look a little grainy on light surfaces. The absence of PWM is a positive though, as is the lack of backlight bleeding.

437
cd/m²
453
cd/m²
468
cd/m²
425
cd/m²
464
cd/m²
470
cd/m²
425
cd/m²
441
cd/m²
446
cd/m²
Distribution of brightness
NE156QUM-N66 tested with X-Rite i1Pro 2
Maximum: 470 cd/m² (Nits) Average: 447.7 cd/m² Minimum: 8.5 cd/m²
Brightness Distribution: 90 %
Center on Battery: 465 cd/m²
Contrast: 1289:1 (Black: 0.36 cd/m²)
ΔE Color 4.2 | 0.5-29.43 Ø5, calibrated: 0.8
ΔE Greyscale 7.2 | 0.57-98 Ø5.3
99% sRGB (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
85.2% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 1.6.3 3D)
96.9% AdobeRGB 1998 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
99.1% sRGB (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
82% Display P3 (Argyll 2.2.0 3D)
Gamma: 2.17
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
NE156QUM-N66, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Samsung 156WR04, SDCA029, OLED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
APPA044, IPS, 3072x1920, 16.00
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
AU Optronics AUO31EB, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
LG Philips LP156WFC-SPU1, IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Sharp LQ156D1JW42, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
B156ZAN03.2, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Display
1%
3%
-22%
-1%
3%
Display P3 Coverage
82
88.1
7%
85.7
5%
61.5
-25%
82
0%
86.3
5%
sRGB Coverage
99.1
99.6
1%
100
1%
92.7
-6%
98.3
-1%
100
1%
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage
96.9
91.8
-5%
99
2%
63.6
-34%
96.2
-1%
99.4
3%
Response Times
94%
-14%
-3%
-12%
-33%
-19%
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% *
46.4 ?(22, 24.4)
2.3 ?(1.1, 1.2)
95%
52.4 ?(23.9, 28.5)
-13%
49 ?(24, 25)
-6%
48.4 ?(24.4, 24)
-4%
60 ?(29.2, 30.8)
-29%
61.6 ?(30.8, 30.8)
-33%
Response Time Black / White *
30.4 ?(17.2, 13.2)
2.4 ?(1.1, 1.3)
92%
34.9 ?(17.8, 17.1)
-15%
30 ?(17, 13)
1%
36.4 ?(21.2, 15.2)
-20%
41.2 ?(22.8, 18.4)
-36%
32 ?(15.6, 16.4)
-5%
PWM Frequency
59.5 ?(100)
131700
26040 ?(24)
Screen
-0%
17%
18%
3%
-23%
4%
Brightness middle
464
421.2
-9%
519
12%
365
-21%
484.8
4%
464.5
0%
396
-15%
Brightness
448
417
-7%
477
6%
357
-20%
463
3%
451
1%
380
-15%
Brightness Distribution
90
94
4%
86
-4%
84
-7%
82
-9%
92
2%
90
0%
Black Level *
0.36
0.39
-8%
0.275
24%
0.26
28%
0.5
-39%
0.28
22%
Contrast
1289
1331
3%
1327
3%
1865
45%
929
-28%
1414
10%
Colorchecker dE 2000 *
4.2
6.06
-44%
2.28
46%
0.99
76%
4.5
-7%
3.36
20%
4
5%
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. *
11.4
11.89
-4%
6.54
43%
1.89
83%
7.55
34%
7.06
38%
7.6
33%
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated *
0.8
0.86
-8%
1.01
-26%
1.19
-49%
3.42
-328%
0.9
-13%
Greyscale dE 2000 *
7.2
2.8
61%
0.9
87%
1.29
82%
5.7
21%
1.3
82%
6.1
15%
Gamma
2.17 101%
2.15 102%
2145 0%
2.2 100%
2.45 90%
2.14 103%
2.25 98%
CCT
6345 102%
6235 104%
6572 99%
6548 99%
6101 107%
6596 99%
7786 83%
Color Space (Percent of AdobeRGB 1998)
85.2
81
-5%
78
-8%
88
3%
58.7
-31%
84.8
0%
88.5
4%
Color Space (Percent of sRGB)
99
99.6
1%
100
1%
92.8
-6%
98.3
-1%
100
1%
Total Average (Program / Settings)
32% / 14%
2% / 12%
6% / 13%
-10% / -4%
-19% / -20%
-4% / 1%

* ... smaller is better

We used the professional CalMAN software for our display measurements in connection with an X-Rite i1 Pro 2 spectrophotometer. The slight red tint that we had already noticed appeared again in these tests, with CalMAN and the spectrophotometer confirming that it affects greyscale too. We were surprised overall though as the factory calibration is anything but good. There are clear deviations from the target values for both greyscale and colours, for example, with additional calibration the only way of being able to exploit the full potential of the display. The results were impressive, too. In short, the NE156QUM-N66 matte 4K panel here needs additional calibration. You can download our calibrated ICC profile from the box above our comparison table.

CalMAN: Grayscale - AdobeRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Grayscale - AdobeRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Saturation - AdobeRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Saturation - AdobeRGB target colour space
CalMAN: ColorChecker - AdobeRGB target colour space
CalMAN: ColorChecker - AdobeRGB target colour space
CalMAN: Grayscale - AdobeRGB target colour space (calibrated)
CalMAN: Grayscale - AdobeRGB target colour space (calibrated)
CalMAN: Saturation - AdobeRGB target colour space (calibrated)
CalMAN: Saturation - AdobeRGB target colour space (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker - AdobeRGB target colour space (calibrated)
CalMAN: ColorChecker - AdobeRGB target colour space (calibrated)

Photo-editing is not a problem after calibrating the display, albeit so long as you are using the AdobeRGB colour space. As usual, Lenovo does not offer any profiles for additional colour spaces like sRGB. While the company advertises 100% AdobeRGB coverage, neither CalMAN nor Argyll could confirm this. Last year's 4K panel performed somewhat better in this regard.

99% sRGB colour-space coverage
99% sRGB colour-space coverage
85.2% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage (Argyll, 3D intersection)
85.2% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage (Argyll, 3D intersection)
97.6% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage (CalMAN, 2D intersection)
97.6% AdobeRGB colour-space coverage (CalMAN, 2D intersection)

Display Response Times

Display response times show how fast the screen is able to change from one color to the next. Slow response times can lead to afterimages and can cause moving objects to appear blurry (ghosting). Gamers of fast-paced 3D titles should pay special attention to fast response times.
       Response Time Black to White
30.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 17.2 ms rise
↘ 13.2 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.1 (minimum) to 240 (maximum) ms. » 80 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (21.6 ms).
       Response Time 50% Grey to 80% Grey
46.4 ms ... rise ↗ and fall ↘ combined↗ 22 ms rise
↘ 24.4 ms fall
The screen shows slow response rates in our tests and will be unsatisfactory for gamers.
In comparison, all tested devices range from 0.2 (minimum) to 636 (maximum) ms. » 77 % of all devices are better.
This means that the measured response time is worse than the average of all tested devices (33.9 ms).

Screen Flickering / PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation)

To dim the screen, some notebooks will simply cycle the backlight on and off in rapid succession - a method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) . This cycling frequency should ideally be undetectable to the human eye. If said frequency is too low, users with sensitive eyes may experience strain or headaches or even notice the flickering altogether.
Screen flickering / PWM not detected

In comparison: 53 % of all tested devices do not use PWM to dim the display. If PWM was detected, an average of 18110 (minimum: 5 - maximum: 3846000) Hz was measured.

We encountered no problems with using the X1 Extreme Gen 2 outdoors, though. The IPS panel has stable viewing angles, too.

Using the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 outdoors on a cloudy day
Using the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 outdoors on a cloudy day
Using the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 outdoors on a cloudy day
Using the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 outdoors on a cloudy day
Viewing angles
Viewing angles

Performance - The X1 Extreme Gen 2 falls short of its potential

LatencyMon WLAN enabled
LatencyMon WLAN enabled

Processor - The Core i7-9750H performs worse than its predecessor

Lenovo offers various Intel processors that have 4, 6 or 8 native cores. In our test device we find the Core i7-9750H, a Coffee Lake Refresh processor that has 6 cores. As with the visually identical ThinkPad P1 2019, the X1 Extreme Gen 2 artificially throttles CPU performance. After a short time, the processor can only consume around 30 W even under pure CPU load. In practice, this means that the processor can only operate at 2.1-2.2 GHz on all cores in benchmarks like Cinebench R15 Multi 64Bit. This is unfortunate and means that the X1 Extreme Gen 2 ranks below its predecessor. Within our comparison group, for example, the X1 Extreme Gen 2 can only muster last place. The device further reduces its performance on battery power, too. Please see our dedicated Core i7-9750H page for more benchmarks and information about the CPU.

065130195260325390455520585650715780845910975104011051170Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø982 (967.16-1074.4)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H; Undervolting: Ø1218 (1194.56-1224.81)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE Intel Core i7-8750H, Intel Core i7-8750H: Ø1065 (1052.44-1126.79)
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH Intel Core i7-9750H, Intel Core i7-9750H: Ø1105 (1057.31-1230.47)
Cinebench R15
CPU Single 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (142.6 - 308, n=96, last 2 years)
249 Points +30%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK
201 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Core i7-9750H
191 Points
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Core i7-10710U
191 Points 0%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
190 Points -1%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
188 Points -2%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Intel Core i9-9880H
184 Points -4%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Intel Core i9-9880H
184 Points -4%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
184 Points -4%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (170 - 194, n=82)
183.7 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
Intel Core i7-8750H
176 Points -8%
CPU Multi 64Bit
Average of class Multimedia
  (580 - 4703, n=103, last 2 years)
2280 Points +112%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK
1600 (1090.6min, 1367.66P1 - 1369.3max) Points +49%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Intel Core i9-9880H
1435 (1401min - 1435max) Points +34%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Intel Core i9-9880H
1362 (1268.87min - 1362.31max) Points +27%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H
1231 Points +15%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
Intel Core i7-8750H
1218 Points +13%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
Intel Core i7-8750H
1135 Points +6%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H
  (952 - 1306, n=85)
1182 Points +10%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Core i7-10710U
1103 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Core i7-9750H
1074 (967.16min - 1074.4max) Points
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
1046 Points -3%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H
952 (291.42min - 964.09max) Points -11%
Cinebench R15 CPU Multi 64Bit
1074 Points
Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64Bit
96 fps
Cinebench R15 Ref. Match 64Bit
100 %
Cinebench R15 CPU Single 64Bit
191 Points
Help

System Performance - X1 Extreme Gen 2 performs well in everyday life

The same applies even in synthetic benchmarks like PCMark, where our review unit often finished near the bottom of our comparison tables. However, its results are by no means bad. These performance issues do not show any noticeable restrictions in everyday life either, because its fast PCIe SSD helps the system react and implement inputs quickly.

PCMark 10
Score
Average of class Multimedia
  (4039 - 8670, n=82, last 2 years)
6552 Points +44%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
5500 Points +21%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
5469 Points +21%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
5449 Points +20%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
5046 Points +11%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5009 Points +10%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (4535 - 5249, n=3)
4890 Points +8%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
4887 Points +8%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4785 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4535 Points
Essentials
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
10539 Points +40%
Average of class Multimedia
  (8480 - 12420, n=82, last 2 years)
10417 Points +38%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
9701 Points +29%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
9566 Points +27%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
9087 Points +20%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
9048 Points +20%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
8729 Points +16%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (7548 - 9029, n=3)
8483 Points +12%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
7548 Points
Productivity
Average of class Multimedia
  (5462 - 11186, n=82, last 2 years)
8685 Points +34%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
7544 Points +16%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
7494 Points +15%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
7243 Points +12%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
7193 Points +11%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
6832 Points +5%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (6460 - 7419, n=3)
6789 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
6671 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
6489 Points
Digital Content Creation
Average of class Multimedia
  (3861 - 13548, n=82, last 2 years)
8566 Points +66%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
6670 Points +29%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
6110 Points +18%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
5520 Points +7%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (5171 - 5859, n=3)
5517 Points +7%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
5171 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
5033 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4908 Points -5%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
4178 Points -19%
PCMark 8
Home Score Accelerated v2
Average of class Multimedia
  (4484 - 5525, n=9, last 2 years)
5075 Points +49%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
4900 Points +43%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
4069 Points +19%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
3986 Points +17%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (3417 - 4379, n=3)
3971 Points +16%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
3799 Points +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
3611 Points +6%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
3546 Points +4%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
3533 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
3417 Points
Work Score Accelerated v2
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
5359 Points +26%
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
Quadro T1000 (Laptop), i7-9850H, WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G
5332 Points +26%
Average of class Multimedia
  (3115 - 6078, n=9, last 2 years)
5278 Points +24%
Average Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (4241 - 5417, n=3)
5019 Points +18%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
4812 Points +13%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
4762 Points +12%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4483 Points +6%
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
4450 Points +5%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
4381 Points +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
4241 Points
PCMark 8 Home Score Accelerated v2
3417 points
PCMark 8 Creative Score Accelerated v2
4836 points
PCMark 8 Work Score Accelerated v2
4241 points
PCMark 10 Score
4535 points
Help
Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
CDM 5/6 Read Seq Q32T1: 3472 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write Seq Q32T1: 2970 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K Q32T1: 594 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K Q32T1: 493.6 MB/s
CDM 5 Read Seq: 1320 MB/s
CDM 5 Write Seq: 1414 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Read 4K: 47.31 MB/s
CDM 5/6 Write 4K: 148.1 MB/s

Graphics Card - A GeForce GTX 1650 or a GTX 1650 Max-Q?

GPU-Z GeForce GTX 1650
GPU-Z GeForce GTX 1650

Since OEMs do not always divulge that they have equipped laptops with NVIDIA GeForce Max-Q GPUs, we were not sure at first whether Lenovo had opted for the GeForce GTX 1650 or the slower GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q in the X1 Extreme Gen 2. According to our contacts at NVIDIA, the driver information should reveal which model a laptop has. In this case, the driver reports the GeForce GTX 1650. This is also an upgrade compared to the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti found in its predecessor, but our review unit does not get the most from its GPU, either.

If we compare the results with other GeForce GTX 1650-powered devices in our database, then the GPU in the X1 Extreme is about 15% slower, putting it at the level of the GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, instead. The advantage over the older GeForce GTX 1050 Ti in its predecessor is, therefore, rather small. The GPU performs stably even under prolonged load though, as attested by the 3DMark Time Spy stress test, which our review unit passed without any problems at 99.2%. However, the device throttles GPU performance when running on battery power, too. The device scored 7,045 points in Fire Strike Graphics on battery power, for example, compared to the 7,741 points it scored when connected to the mains. All in all, the results are practically identical to the Quadro T1000-powered ThinkPad P1 2019.

Detailed driver information
Detailed driver information
Official specs from Lenovo as of December 2019
Official specs from Lenovo as of December 2019
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance GPU
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
19882 Points +83%
Average of class Multimedia
  (3408 - 60250, n=87, last 2 years)
18296 Points +68%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, Intel Core i9-9880H
14725 Points +35%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (10885 - 13575, n=30)
12797 Points +18%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
12388 Points +14%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
12259 Points +13%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10710U
11542 Points +6%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
10885 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
10407 Points -4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-8750H
8619 Points -21%
3DMark
1920x1080 Fire Strike Graphics
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
15552 Points +101%
Average of class Multimedia
  (1835 - 46022, n=87, last 2 years)
13540 Points +75%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, Intel Core i9-9880H
10399 Points +34%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (7741 - 9810, n=32)
9195 Points +19%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
8618 Points +11%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
8532 Points +10%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10710U
7774 Points 0%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
7741 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
7558 Points -2%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-8750H
7199 Points -7%
2560x1440 Time Spy Graphics
Average of class Multimedia
  (622 - 17620, n=87, last 2 years)
5121 Points +76%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (2900 - 3700, n=31)
3430 Points +18%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
AMD Radeon Pro 5500M, Intel Core i9-9880H
3364 Points +16%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i9-9980HK
3353 Points +15%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-9750H
3238 Points +11%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Intel Core i7-10710U
3028 Points +4%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Intel Core i7-9750H
2909 Points
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
NVIDIA Quadro T1000 (Laptop), Intel Core i7-9850H
2834 Points -3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, Intel Core i7-8750H
2196 Points -25%
3DMark 11 Performance
10546 points
3DMark Fire Strike Score
6909 points
3DMark Fire Strike Extreme Score
3425 points
3DMark Time Spy Score
3080 points
Help

Gaming Performance

Our observations on graphics performance also apply to gaming performance. In terms of performance, the X1 Extreme Gen 2 is more at the level of the GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q than the regular GeForce GTX 1650. Nevertheless, the 15.6-inch laptop is suitable for playing most current games, even if you usually must contend without running them at the highest graphics settings. GPU performance remains stable when gaming too.

The Witcher 3
1920x1080 High Graphics & Postprocessing (Nvidia HairWorks Off)
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
107 fps +93%
Average of class Multimedia
  (11.2 - 290, n=89, last 2 years)
90.1 fps +63%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Intel Core i9-9880H, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M
68 (61min - 76max) fps +23%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
65.1 fps +18%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
64.8 fps +17%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (45 - 70.4, n=29)
61.7 fps +11%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
55.4 fps
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Core i7-10710U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
54.8 fps -1%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q
46 fps -17%
1920x1080 Ultra Graphics & Postprocessing (HBAO+)
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile
57 fps +91%
Average of class Multimedia
  (8 - 143.2, n=94, last 2 years)
50 fps +67%
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Intel Core i9-9880H, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M
38.8 (34min - 43max) fps +30%
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
36.5 fps +22%
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
Intel Core i9-9980HK, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
36 fps +20%
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
  (29.9 - 40.3, n=31)
35.6 fps +19%
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
Intel Core i7-10710U, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q
30.8 fps +3%
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
29.9 (27min, 28P1 - 32max) fps
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
Intel Core i7-8750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q
24.9 fps -17%
051015202530Tooltip
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ: Ø29.9 (27-32)
low med. high ultra4K
The Witcher 3 (2015) 160.2 102.6 55.4 29.9 19.6
Dota 2 Reborn (2015) 121 109 94 89 43.6
Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016) 154.9 102.8 57.8 47.3 20.2
X-Plane 11.11 (2018) 90 68 59.2
GRID 2019 (2019) 98.2 67.3 51.7 34.3 13.5

Emissions - The X1 Extreme now has quieter fans

Fan Noise

Like the ThinkPad P1 2019, the fans in the X1 Extreme Gen 2 sound quieter under load than those in its predecessor. Overall, the X1 Extreme Gen 2 is a relatively quiet laptop, with its fans usually remaining off even during short load peaks. The X1 Extreme Gen 2 generally runs silently in everyday life too, and we cannot hear any coil whine being emitted from our test device. In short, the X1 Extreme Gen 2 is one of the quietest devices in our comparison field.

Noise Level

Idle
28.5 / 28.5 / 28.5 dB(A)
Load
36.3 / 36.3 dB(A)
  red to green bar
 
 
30 dB
silent
40 dB(A)
audible
50 dB(A)
loud
 
min: dark, med: mid, max: light   Audix TM1, Arta (15 cm distance)   environment noise: 28.5 dB(A)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i7-9750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, i9-9980HK, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Radeon Pro 5500M, i9-9880H, Apple SSD AP1024 7171
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, i7-9750H, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-9750H, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H)
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, i7-10710U, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, i7-8750H, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR
Noise
-12%
-13%
-13%
-11%
-6%
-3%
off / environment *
28.5
28.2
1%
29.8
-5%
30.4
-7%
28.7
-1%
29.3
-3%
28.8
-1%
Idle Minimum *
28.5
28.2
1%
29.9
-5%
30.6
-7%
28.7
-1%
30.1
-6%
28.8
-1%
Idle Average *
28.5
28.2
1%
29.9
-5%
30.6
-7%
28.8
-1%
30.2
-6%
28.8
-1%
Idle Maximum *
28.5
30.4
-7%
29.9
-5%
30.6
-7%
28.8
-1%
30.2
-6%
31.3
-10%
Load Average *
36.3
43.8
-21%
43
-18%
44
-21%
45
-24%
31.5
13%
36.4
-0%
Witcher 3 ultra *
36.3
47.2
-30%
45.4
-25%
43.9
-21%
44.7
-23%
37
-2%
36.4
-0%
Load Maximum *
36.3
47.2
-30%
46.1
-27%
44.2
-22%
44.7
-23%
47
-29%
39.2
-8%

* ... smaller is better

Temperature

Temperatures also remain, in comparison to its predecessor, relatively stable. There are no problems with less demanding tasks, for instance. The chassis only becomes noticeably warm under load, during which you should not rest the device on your thighs. We found our fingers also getting warm when typing, but there are no restrictions here.

System information at the beginning of a FurMark and Prime95 stress test
System information at the beginning of a FurMark and Prime95 stress test
System information at the end of a FurMark and Prime95 stress test
System information at the end of a FurMark and Prime95 stress test

Our review unit did not perform well in our stress test, though. Again, the CPU drops to 30 W after a short time, with it only able to maintain an all-core clock speed of between 1.9 and 2.0 GHz. The GPU, on the other hand, constantly sat at around 1,090 MHz. We encountered no restrictions after the stress test, either.

Max. Load
 43.9 °C
111 F
46.8 °C
116 F
42.9 °C
109 F
 
 40.5 °C
105 F
44.6 °C
112 F
39.2 °C
103 F
 
 30.1 °C
86 F
31.9 °C
89 F
30.7 °C
87 F
 
Maximum: 46.8 °C = 116 F
Average: 39 °C = 102 F
46.4 °C
116 F
52.4 °C
126 F
45 °C
113 F
34.1 °C
93 F
45.2 °C
113 F
42.1 °C
108 F
31.9 °C
89 F
34.4 °C
94 F
32.6 °C
91 F
Maximum: 52.4 °C = 126 F
Average: 40.5 °C = 105 F
Power Supply (max.)  41.7 °C = 107 F | Room Temperature 20.4 °C = 69 F | Voltcraft IR-900
(-) The average temperature for the upper side under maximal load is 39 °C / 102 F, compared to the average of 31.2 °C / 88 F for the devices in the class Multimedia.
(-) The maximum temperature on the upper side is 46.8 °C / 116 F, compared to the average of 36.9 °C / 98 F, ranging from 21.1 to 71 °C for the class Multimedia.
(-) The bottom heats up to a maximum of 52.4 °C / 126 F, compared to the average of 39.1 °C / 102 F
(+) In idle usage, the average temperature for the upper side is 24 °C / 75 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(±) Playing The Witcher 3, the average temperature for the upper side is 37.3 °C / 99 F, compared to the device average of 31.2 °C / 88 F.
(+) The palmrests and touchpad are cooler than skin temperature with a maximum of 31.9 °C / 89.4 F and are therefore cool to the touch.
(-) The average temperature of the palmrest area of similar devices was 28.8 °C / 83.8 F (-3.1 °C / -5.6 F).
Heat map of the top of the device during a stress test
Heat map of the top of the device during a stress test
Heat map of the bottom of the device during a stress test
Heat map of the bottom of the device during a stress test

Speakers

dB(A) 0102030405060708090Deep BassMiddle BassHigh BassLower RangeMidsHigher MidsLower HighsMid HighsUpper HighsSuper Highs2028.928.52526.627.4312932.84027.529.75032.333.66323.828.38023.630.510024.436.112523.23916022.245.82002252.325021.255.531519.958.34001961.450019.359.263017.865.680017.267.7100017.763.5125016.562.7160015.861.1200015.563.9250015.359.3315015.158.8400015.155.2500015.247.4630015.148.1800015.246.5100001544.81250015.141.91600014.832.6SPL28.573.1N1.129.8median 16.5median 55.5Delta1.98.243.54338.839.440.338.137.337.736.538.136.638.536.334.835.335.634.443.134.249.432.846.432.359.531.568.63169.930.268.329.97529.879.229.575.429.173.929.279.528.775.428.477.428.477.928.377.928.370.92876.12874.62875.727.975.327.778.141.188.54.279.6median 29.2median 75.317.43634.529.530.93130.229.830.629.434.728.345.226.557.325.562.523.667.722.167.323.569.62271.32170.620.974.219.872.818.970.418.573.318.273.417.771.617.371.417.369.71769.41769.41767.417.166.91768.317.166.417.163.11761.917.360.13082.31.360.7median 17.7median 69.422.4hearing rangehide median Pink NoiseLenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGEDell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
Frequency diagram (checkboxes can be checked and unchecked to compare devices)
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE audio analysis

(±) | speaker loudness is average but good (73.1 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(±) | reduced bass - on average 8.6% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (11.9% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(±) | higher mids - on average 7.7% higher than median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(±) | reduced highs - on average 6.1% lower than median
(±) | linearity of highs is average (7.5% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (24.2% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 83% of all tested devices in this class were better, 6% similar, 11% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 69% of all tested devices were better, 7% similar, 25% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650 audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (88.4 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(-) | nearly no bass - on average 24.9% lower than median
(±) | linearity of bass is average (14.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.8% away from median
(±) | linearity of mids is average (7.8% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 1.9% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (5.3% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(±) | linearity of overall sound is average (17.8% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 45% of all tested devices in this class were better, 9% similar, 47% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 30% of all tested devices were better, 8% similar, 62% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M audio analysis

(+) | speakers can play relatively loud (82.3 dB)
Bass 100 - 315 Hz
(+) | good bass - only 2.3% away from median
(+) | bass is linear (5% delta to prev. frequency)
Mids 400 - 2000 Hz
(+) | balanced mids - only 2.7% away from median
(+) | mids are linear (3.4% delta to prev. frequency)
Highs 2 - 16 kHz
(+) | balanced highs - only 2.1% away from median
(+) | highs are linear (2.6% delta to prev. frequency)
Overall 100 - 16.000 Hz
(+) | overall sound is linear (6.9% difference to median)
Compared to same class
» 3% of all tested devices in this class were better, 1% similar, 96% worse
» The best had a delta of 5%, average was 18%, worst was 45%
Compared to all devices tested
» 1% of all tested devices were better, 0% similar, 99% worse
» The best had a delta of 4%, average was 25%, worst was 134%

Power Management - The 4K panel affects battery life

Power Consumption

Power Consumption
Off / Standbydarklight 0.08 / 0.69 Watt
Idledarkmidlight 8.5 / 14.7 / 19.4 Watt
Load midlight 89.6 / 129.8 Watt
 color bar
Key: min: dark, med: mid, max: light        Metrahit Energy
Currently we use the Metrahit Energy, a professional single phase power quality and energy measurement digital multimeter, for our measurements. Find out more about it here. All of our test methods can be found here.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB512HAJQ, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
i7-9850H, Quadro T1000 (Laptop), WDC PC SN720 SDAQNTW-512G, IPS LED, 1920x1080, 15.60
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, Toshiba XG6 KXG60ZNV1T02, OLED, 3840x2160, 15.60
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
i9-9880H, Radeon Pro 5500M, Apple SSD AP1024 7171, IPS, 3072x1920, 16.00
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, WDC PC SN720 SDAPNTW-512G, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Intel Optane Memory H10 with Solid State Storage 32GB + 512GB HBRPEKNX0202A(L/H), IPS, 1920x1080, 15.60
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
i7-10710U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, Samsung SSD PM981 MZVLB1T0HALR, IPS, 3840x2160, 15.60
Average NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile
 
Average of class Multimedia
 
Power Consumption
-14%
6%
16%
-14%
8%
18%
7%
23%
16%
Idle Minimum *
8.5
13.7
-61%
6.2
27%
3.7
56%
7.6
11%
5.2
39%
6.1
28%
7.6
11%
4.96 ?(2 - 13, n=23)
42%
7.28 ?(2.2 - 34.6, n=93, last 2 years)
14%
Idle Average *
14.7
17.5
-19%
9.6
35%
12.1
18%
13.6
7%
10.7
27%
13.2
10%
14.8
-1%
8.61 ?(5.3 - 15.7, n=23)
41%
11.8 ?(4.6 - 43, n=93, last 2 years)
20%
Idle Maximum *
19.4
20.9
-8%
21.2
-9%
17
12%
18.2
6%
24.3
-25%
19.2
1%
17.6
9%
14.8 ?(8.9 - 30.6, n=23)
24%
14.6 ?(5.6 - 44.9, n=93, last 2 years)
25%
Load Average *
89.6
77.2
14%
104.3
-16%
91.5
-2%
102
-14%
84.4
6%
75
16%
86
4%
81.7 ?(57 - 128, n=23)
9%
77.3 ?(14.3 - 147, n=92, last 2 years)
14%
Witcher 3 ultra *
96.1
91.7
5%
103
-7%
144
-50%
83.9
13%
74
23%
85
12%
Load Maximum *
129.8
123.7
5%
135.3
-4%
102.3
21%
183
-41%
142.8
-10%
89.7
31%
118.9
8%
131.9 ?(80 - 192.2, n=23)
-2%
119.3 ?(44 - 247, n=92, last 2 years)
8%

* ... smaller is better

Battery Life

Battery life is the Achilles' heel of the X1 Extreme Gen 2, at least if you opt for the matte 4K panel. It is worth noting that the optional OLED panel will use even more power than the 4K IPS one does. As you could already guess from our review unit's high power consumption, its battery life is much worse than those of its competitors. This even includes its 4K-equipped predecessor.

In our normal Wi-Fi test, which we conduct by setting the display to 150 cd/m², our review unit cannot even manage 5 hours before it needs recharging. Worse still, this value dropped to just over 4 hours when we re-ran it at maximum brightness. If battery life is important to you, then you should opt for a 1080p display. We tested the ThinkPad P1 2019 with a 1080p panel, for example, and this achieved almost twice as long runtimes as our X1 Extreme Gen 2 review unit does.

Battery Runtime
WiFi Websurfing (Edge 44.18362.449.0)
4h 45min
WiFi Websurfing max. Brightness
4h 05min
Big Buck Bunny H.264 1080p
4h 44min
Load (maximum brightness)
1h 12min
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 80 Wh
Dell XPS 15 7590 9980HK GTX 1650
i9-9980HK, GeForce GTX 1650 Mobile, 97 Wh
Apple MacBook Pro 16 2019 i9 5500M
i9-9880H, Radeon Pro 5500M, 99.8 Wh
Acer ConceptD 7 CN715-71-743N
i7-9750H, GeForce RTX 2060 Mobile, 84 Wh
Lenovo Yoga C940-15IRH
i7-9750H, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, 69 Wh
MSI Prestige 15 A10SC
i7-10710U, GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q, 82 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme-20MF000XGE
i7-8750H, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Max-Q, 80 Wh
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 2019-20QT000RGE
i7-9850H, Quadro T1000 (Laptop), 80 Wh
Average of class Multimedia
 
Battery Runtime
120%
79%
51%
44%
67%
44%
65%
90%
H.264
284
580
104%
388
37%
371
31%
560
97%
680 ?(319 - 1481, n=49, last 2 years)
139%
WiFi v1.3
285
467
64%
718
152%
518
82%
583
105%
456
60%
384
35%
532
87%
560 ?(262 - 1204, n=92, last 2 years)
96%
Load
72
199
176%
58
-19%
96
33%
59
-18%
125
74%
119
65%
79
10%
96.9 ?(39 - 215, n=73, last 2 years)
35%
Reader / Idle
910
822
1092
1147
691
933 ?(506 - 1571, n=25, last 2 years)
Witcher 3 ultra
54
63
81.8 ?(57 - 104, n=5, last 2 years)

Pros

+ premium and robust aluminium/GRP build
+ excellent input devices
+ a good variety of ports
+ matte 4K panel with decent image quality post-calibration
+ quiet fans
+ easy to maintain and upgrade
+ up to 64 GB of RAM
+ two PCIe x4 M.2 slots
+ three-year warranty
+ Wi-Fi 6

Cons

- worse CPU performance than its predecessor
- GPU cannot be used to its full potential
- short battery life
- keyboard reliability issues
- no WWAN

Verdict - Lenovo has made the X1 Extreme worse

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 laptop review. Test device courtesy of mynotebook.de.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 laptop review. Test device courtesy of mynotebook.de.

Firstly, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 2 sounds like it should be an excellent multimedia laptop. Combining the chassis of its predecessor with more display options and faster components should be a recipe for success. However, in practice the changes have not always proved to be positive ones.

Starting with the good things, the matte 4K panel offers decent image quality, albeit post additional calibration. The X1 Extreme Gen 2 has some of the best input devices on the market too, although there are some reliability problems from which our review unit also suffers. The X1 Extreme Gen 2 also runs more quietly under load.

From now on, however, we only have bad news. We have the feeling that Lenovo has simply installed new components while maintaining the same cooling solution. The newer processor suffers here because of the faster graphics card, although the latter also falls short of expectations. The result is that the X1 Extreme Gen 2 has a slower CPU than its predecessor and only a minimally faster GPU. Another problem is the device's massive power consumption, owing to its matte 4K panel, which yields sub-5-hour runtimes.

The second generation of the ThinkPad X1 Extreme has gotten worse in some places. CPU performance is below its predecessor, for example, and its GPU cannot reach its potential. While the matte 4K panel is a good option when it comes to image quality, it needs additional calibration and has a significant impact on battery life.

The performance of our review unit is certainly not bad in itself. You should have no problems in everyday usage, for instance. The competition simply offers more, though. We would also recommend considering the optional 500-nit 1080p display over the 4K IPS one here, which offers very good image quality while consuming significantly less power.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 20QV000WGE - 02/13/2020 v7
Andreas Osthoff

Chassis
91 / 98 → 93%
Keyboard
90%
Pointing Device
91%
Connectivity
73 / 80 → 92%
Weight
67 / 20-72 → 89%
Battery
60 / 95 → 64%
Display
88%
Games Performance
81 / 90 → 90%
Application Performance
87 / 90 → 97%
Temperature
86%
Noise
95 / 95 → 100%
Audio
60%
Camera
45 / 85 → 53%
Average
78%
87%
Multimedia - Weighted Average

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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > Reviews > Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme 2019 Laptop Review: The second generation of Lenovo's premier multimedia laptop has gotten worse
Andreas Osthoff, 2020-02-18 (Update: 2020-03- 6)