🚀 Lenovo ThinkPad X9 Review: A ThinkPad That Doesn't Feel Like One?

When Lenovo introduces a brand-new line in their legendary ThinkPad lineup, it’s a big deal—because it doesn’t happen often. Enter the ThinkPad X9, a fresh face in Lenovo’s business-oriented family. But this one’s a bit of an outlier. It’s sleek, portable, and thoughtfully designed—but it might not feel like the ThinkPads you’re used to.

Let’s dive into what makes the X9 stand out—and why it might not be your average ThinkPad.

✨ First Impressions: A Refreshingly Subtle Evolution

At first glance, the ThinkPad X9 looks like something entirely different. Think premium, portable, and minimalistic—more in line with Lenovo’s Yoga series than a traditional business-class ThinkPad.

It’s clear that Lenovo has focused on refinement over raw power. This laptop is built for users who value portability, comfort, and quality-of-life features for light workloads like office tasks, video conferencing, and everyday productivity.

✅ The Little Things Done Right

What really makes the X9 shine is how well it handles the small stuff. While most manufacturers overlook these subtle areas, Lenovo nails many of them:

🖥️ Excellent Display

The X9 features a great display with a highly effective anti-reflective coating, making it perfect for working in bright environments like offices or coffee shops. Crisp visuals without annoying glare? Yes, please.

🖱️ Haptic Trackpad

One of the standout features is its haptic trackpad. It doesn’t physically click, but it feels like it does—providing responsive, smooth feedback with each tap, similar to Apple’s MacBooks.

🔊 Impressive Speakers

Surprisingly, the audio experience is above expectations. The speakers are clear and full, offering better-than-average sound for calls, meetings, or even casual streaming.

📸 Mind-Blowing Webcam

Perhaps the most unexpected win is the webcam quality. It's seriously impressive—one of the best we've seen in a business laptop, delivering clear and vibrant visuals even in challenging lighting.

⚠️ A Few Shortcomings

No laptop is perfect, and the ThinkPad X9 does have its trade-offs:

💸 It’s a Bit Pricey

For the specs it offers, the X9 can feel a little expensive. You’re paying a premium, mostly for design and refinement rather than performance.

🔇 Fan Noise in Quiet Rooms

While it runs quietly in most conditions, you might notice fan noise in very silent environments, like libraries or quiet offices.

🤔 Not Your Traditional ThinkPad

Here’s where things get divisive. This doesn’t feel like a ThinkPad.

If you're a long-time ThinkPad fan, some classic elements are missing:

  • ❌ No red TrackPoint (the iconic red nub).

  • ❌ Modified keyboard layout, not the standard ThinkPad design.

  • ❌ Fewer ports, which may limit expandability.

  • ❌ Less rugged build—it’s good, but not as solid as older models.

In short, it has more in common with a Yoga than a T-series or X1 Carbon. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it might catch some fans off guard.

🧠 Performance: Good Enough, But Not a Powerhouse

Since ThinkPads are often used by programmers and developers, performance is a key consideration.

The X9 runs on Intel’s Lunar Lake CPUs, which are designed for efficiency rather than raw speed. These chips perform well for light, everyday tasks but don’t expect workstation-level power.

In Geekbench tests—which simulate real-world activities like file unzipping, image editing, and encryption—Lunar Lake CPUs tend to score lower than Intel’s high-performance counterparts.

So, if you're coding, compiling, or multitasking heavily, this might not be the best fit.

🎯 Final Thoughts

The ThinkPad X9 is a compelling blend of portability, design, and thoughtful features. It’s clearly made for those who want a lightweight laptop that gets the basics absolutely right, and who don’t mind missing out on some traditional ThinkPad elements.

It’s not the machine for heavy-duty work or hardcore ThinkPad loyalists—but for modern professionals who want a refined, portable experience with excellent usability, it might be just right.

Would you buy the X9 or stick to the classic ThinkPad experience? Let us know in the comments!

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