Review: Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 looks good but feels warm

Enlarge / Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7 2-in-1. (credit: Scharon Harding)

Specs at a glance: Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 7
	Worst	Best	As reviewed
Screen	14-inch 1920*1200 IPS touchscreen @ 60 Hz	14-inch 3840*2400 IPS OLED touchscreen @ 60 HZ	14-inch 1920*1200 IPS touchscreen @ 60 Hz
OS	Windows 11 Home	Windows 11 Pro	Windows 11 Pro
CPU	Intel Core i5-1240P	Intel Core i7-1280P	Intel Core i7-1260P
RAM	8GB LPDDR5-5200	32GB LPDDR5-5200	16GB LPDDR5-5200
Storage	256GB SSD	1TB SSD	512GB SSD
GPU	Intel Iris Xe
Networking	Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.2
Ports	2x USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 2x USB-A (3.2 Gen 1), 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x 3.5 mm jack
Size	12.38*8.75*0.61 inches (314.4*222.3*15.53 mm)
Weight	Starts at 3 lbs (1.38 kg)
Battery	57 WHr
Warranty	1 year
Price (MSRP)	$1,589.40	$2,279.50	$1870.03
Other	Stylus, optional 4G LTE	Stylus, optional 4G LTE	Stylus

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga, now in its seventh iteration ($1,870.03 MSRP as tested, as of writing), continues its modern take on the business-focused ThinkPad. It has the durability expected of a business machine, as well as smooth navigation underscored by a thoughtfully programmed keyboard fit for frequent typists, and, of course, that famous red nub.

However, the laptop doesn't necessarily outperform high-end consumer laptops, even some with slightly cheaper price tags. And similar to other ThinkPads we've tested, heat in its Best performance mode is so much of an issue that even light workloads will run the machine so warm that you won't want to touch it in certain areas.

Table of Contents

• ThinkPad styling
• Keyboard, touchpad, and stylus
• Performance
• Benchmarks
• Cooling
• Battery life
• Display
• Webcam, mics, and speakers
• Elevated design, higher temps
• The good
• The bad
• The ugly

ThinkPad styling

Part ThinkPad, part Yoga. (credit: Scharon Harding)

Naming tells you this machine is part Lenovo ThinkPad, part Lenovo Yoga, but the styling and tough build lean more toward the former. Yes, there's the same 360-degree hinge found on Lenovo Yoga 2-in-1s, as well as a modern, thin-and-light build in a dark gray that's more fun than the more traditional ThinkPad black. But the density and tough feel of the aluminum chassis combined with the deep keyboard, advanced trackpad, and famous red rubber nub all scream ThinkPad.

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