ZDNET Key Takeaways
- The Lenovo ThinkBook 14x generation 4 It starts at $1,580, with upgrades bringing the price closer to $2,000.
- It’s surprisingly versatile for its 13-inch size and comes with a powerful processor and impressive battery.
- It’s not cheap, however, and that ultraportability means it only has USB-C ports.
Despite its small size, the ThinkBook 13x generation 4 It is a power. Lenovo first showed off this ultraportable at CES 2024, and initial impressions focused on the return of Magic Bay, a family of combinable peripherals that connect to the laptop via magnetic pogo-pins (think MagSafe, but for laptops ).
But while the Magic Bay products may draw the most attention, this laptop has a lot more to offer under the hood. In fact, this laptop is surprisingly versatile.
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The ThinkBook 13x Gen 4 comes with the Intel Core Ultra 5 125H (2.4Ghz) processor, but can be supercharged with the Intel Core Ultra 9, an option I was surprised to see for this laptop, which pushes it into line. with other high-performance business machines (bringing the price to over $400 in the process).
The review unit I tested was snappy enough with the Ultra 5 and had no problem multitasking with a handful of productivity apps and multiple browser tabs on two screens. Additionally, this laptop is compact enough for easy transportation to and from the office, which makes me wonder why I chose to have a 16-inch as my primary controller.
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But then I started working on the 13.5-inch screen and remembered. Don’t get me wrong, the ThinkBook 13x Gen 4’s display looks good. Really good, actually, with 500 nits brightness and a variable 120Hz refresh rate. But its size, even at maximum resolution, results in a screen that can feel a little cramped if you’re used to having more space. . Ultimately, it’s a trade-off that comes down to personal preference.
However, the performance and versatility of this laptop tip the balance towards the positive. In Myself comparative evaluation From this laptop, I got solid SSD read and write speeds on PCMark 10and slightly better performance than the Intel Core Ultra 5 in cinema bench than I expected.
The ThinkBook 13x’s memory is also some of the fastest you can get in an ultraportable of this size, as the 8400 MHz dual-channel RAM is soldered in with the intention of future-proofing the laptop. But if you go for the Intel Core Ultra 5, the maximum amount of RAM you can get is 16 GB. To bump it up to 32GB, you’ll have to opt for the Core Ultra 9 chip. I would have liked to see the 32GB option available with the less expensive processor.
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Continuing in that vein, this is a forward-looking laptop that doesn’t try to be backwards compatible, and that’s evident in its port selection. You get three USB-C ports on this machine, all of which support Thunderbolt 4. With three Thunderbolts, you don’t really need an HDMI or USB-A, but it does come with a 3.5mm headphone jack and the power button It is also a fingerprint reader.
Despite its small size, the keyboard feels spacious and crisp. Its unique design extends the keyboard to the edge of the device with virtually no bezels, resulting in satisfyingly thick keys the same size (or even larger) than you’d see on a 16-inch keyboard. The lack of a numeric keypad on the right side further exacerbates this fact.
The chassis of this laptop comes in a metallic “Luna Grey” color combination and a limited edition white color called “Seashell” that I wish I could have seen up close and personal, as the default gray has a completely corporate look.
That said, the ThinkBook 13x feels extremely solid (dreadnought, I might even say) with virtually no flex or give in the chassis. Its durability is measured according to 12 military-grade certification methods, earning it the MIL-STD 810H standard. If you prefer this style of laptop, you will love the laptop, which despite its size, is very sturdy.
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Okay, let’s talk about Magic Bay. If you like laptop accessories or have a drawer full of webcams, definitely check this out. The modular versatility of the Magic Bay ecosystem gives this laptop (and other Lenovo machines that support it) the ability to use many functions, depending on the accessories you like.
For example, him Magic Bay Light could act as a ring light if you take calls in suboptimal lighting or the Magic Bay LTE Hotspot It can protect your Internet connection if Wi-Fi is spotty. There are also more obvious add-ons, such as external storage, fans (for you, not the laptop), or even a second screen, although these are in various phases of development and availability.
Is he Magic Bay StudioHowever, that is the most immediately useful plugin. It’s a 4K webcam with built-in speakers and elevates this laptop into pro-creator territory. How far Lenovo will take the Magic Bay products remains to be seen, but it’s something I think could work well if executed smartly.
Magic Bay pogos are located at the top of the laptop screen.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
If you’re wondering how all of these add-ons relate to battery life, luckily, the Thinkbook 13x isn’t lacking in that department. It comes with a 74 Wh battery, which is a fairly large capacity for a 13-inch screen.
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In my testing, I got over 10 hours on the PCMark 10 battery test, and a little less than that running my own test with a YouTube live stream at 50% brightness and 50% volume over Wi-Fi. Fi. This is definitely a laptop that can handle a day of heavy work with ease and extend into the second day with light or intermittent use.
The last thing that surprised me about this laptop was the sound quality. The Harman-Kardon speakers have impressive bass and volume, especially for such a small machine, further increasing their versatility.
ZDNET Buying Tips
If you’re looking for a 13-inch laptop that’s powerful and versatile, take a serious look at the Lenovo ThinkBook 13x Generation 4. It’s not cheap, but it has powerful processor options and great battery life, and the Magic Bay adds a whole new level of versatility.
If you want a 13-inch laptop with similar specs but a little cheaper, MSI Prestige 13 AI Evo It’s a solid alternative that starts at $899. If you like ThinkBooks but are looking for a larger screen, check out the Lenovo ThinkBook 14 2-in-1.