Lenovo’s newest ThinkPads feature Snapdragon processors and 165Hz screens

Photo by Monica Chin / The Verge

There are some exciting things in the new ThinkPads that have been dumped into the world. We're getting a brand-new ThinkPad X13s powered by Snapdragon chips, a fifth-generation ThinkPad X1 Extreme with a WQ 165Hz screen option, and new additions to the P-series and T-series as well.

The screen shape is the news that I am most excited about. I was told a few months ago that most of the portfolio would be moving to the 16:10 aspect ratio this year. They seem to be keeping their word. The new models are taller and roomier than their predecessors.

The all-new ThinkPad X13s is the first laptop to feature the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 compute platform. The company claimed that it had 60 percent greater performance per watt over competing x86 platforms and a multi-day battery life. We have seen mixed results from the battery life and performance of the 8cx Gen 2, so this will be an interesting system to test. These chips are usually found in devices with thinness and light weight, rather than high-powered machines like the ThinkPad.

The X13's big calling card is portable. It's not as light as the lightest ones we've ever seen, but it's still light for a laptop. It was easy to carry around the demo area with one hand. There is no fan, but the chips are designed to be efficient in the absence of heavy-duty cooling.

The top and bottom covers are 90 percent recycled magnesium. It felt as sturdy and well-built as any portable ThinkPad, even though this didn't have a material impact on build quality.

The ThinkPad X1 Extreme is a big news. This powerful multimedia machine has been upgraded to Intel's 12th Gen Core i9 H-series processors. It also has a 4K option for the first time. The X1 Extreme had a cramped screen, so this is a big improvement over the last one.

The T-series and P-series have been equipped with 16:10 screens and FHD cameras. The T-series is also available with the new Ryzen Pro 6000 chips. Both lines have 14-inch and 16-inch models.

There is a bit of a hodge-podge about pricing and availability. The P-series models and Intel T-series models will be here in April with prices ranging from $1,399 to $1,419. The X13s and the T14s will follow in May. The X1 Extreme Gen 5 and the rest of the T-series models will be available in June.

Monica Chin is a photographer.