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There are so many laptops in the market today that it can sometimes be a bit hard to decide which is the best for you, especially since a lot of them are starting to look like each other in terms of specs.
Apple has tried to stand out from the pack with its own macOS platform, and in recent years, it even made the transition by ditching Intel and going with its own custom Apple Silicon ARM chipsets that have taken things to the next level.
If the concept of an ARM-powered laptop sounds like something you might be interested in but you don’t want to buy into the Apple ecosystem, then you might want to take a look at the Lenovo ThinkPad X13s laptop, which we think could be the ultimate mobile laptop, and here’s why.
Powered by Qualcomm
While Lenovo isn’t using its own custom ARM chipset, what they have done is that they have worked together with Qualcomm which will be using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Computer Platform.
This is an ARM-based chipset made by Qualcomm which many of you are probably familiar with when it comes to mobile chipsets. Given Qualcomm’s reputation in the mobile space for making some of the most powerful mobile chipsets out there used in the majority of flagship phones, suffice to say that users will be able to look forward to similar performance on the ThinkPad X13s.
The chipset is clocked at 3GHz and users will also be able to choose from either Windows 11 Home ARM or Windows 11 Pro ARM. Lenovo is also making sure that users will have a ton of apps to choose from by working with developers to create a large portfolio of independent software vendor-certified apps that will be able to run natively on the laptop and the Snapdragon chipset.
Stay connected with 5G
Now, most laptops rely on WiFi to get online. This can be achieved by either connecting to a WiFi network like those in your office, in a cafe or restaurant or by hotspotting. Given that WiFi can be commonly found in many places, technically you shouldn’t have an issue finding a way to go online.
But what if there is no internet connection, or what if the public WiFi you’re using is slow as it is being used by 10 or 20 people in the same area? This is where the ThinkPad X13s shines because thanks to the use of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chipset, the laptop actually comes with a SIM card slot where you can buy a data plan and connect to mmWave 5G networks!
This means that whether you’re on the bus, in the back of your Uber ride, or somewhere where a WiFi network isn’t available (but you can still get a cellular signal), you will be able to keep yourself online and send emails, go on video calls, download files, surf the web, edit documents in the cloud, and more.
So if you’re moving from one location to the other, like going from the office onto the train or bus, with 5G connectivity, you will pretty much stay connected constantly and won’t have to worry about finding your next internet location or being forced to use your phone to hotspot, especially since some carriers may charge you for that feature.
Note that 5G connectivity will require you to get your own data plan, but at the very least the option is there.
Insane battery life
One of the benefits of using ARM-based chipsets is that generally speaking, they are more power efficient compared to traditional CPUs. With the ThinkPad X13s, you don’t have to worry that much about battery life.
This is because Lenovo has equipped the laptop with a 49.5Whr battery that will allow it to run up to 28 hours of nonstop video playback. This is actually incredible and insane, especially if you’re on the go a lot and don’t have access to a power outlet to charge up the laptop’s battery.
Apple’s M-series of MacBooks have actually gotten rave reviews with regards to battery life, but honestly, the Lenovo ThinkPad X13s looks like it has taken the cake and has outperformed Apple by quite a considerable margin, and at a lower price too (more on that later).
Design and specs
The design of the ThinkPad X13s is nothing to shout about. It features a black chassis that Lenovo says is made out of 90% recycled magnesium and post-consumer content plastic. While we say that there’s nothing to shout about, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It looks simple, subtle, and should have no problem blending in with the crowd, which is a good thing since you don’t want to draw too much attention to your laptop when you’re out in public.
The laptop itself features a 13.3-inch WUXGA display and there are three options for users to choose from – a regular display, a touchscreen display, and a low-power display that puts out low blue light.
The laptop will also be able to support up to 32GB of LPDDR4x 4266MHz RAM and up to 1TB of PCIe SSD Gen 4 storage. Lenovo has also equipped it with a bunch of security features like TPM 2.0, Microsoft’s Pluton security architecture, Microsoft’s Secured-Core PC, and a Kensington lock slot.
There will also be a Dolby Audio speaker system, a built-in webcam, and a microphone with Qualcomm’s Voice and Audio Suite that uses AI to help suppress noise.
Pricing and availability
If you’re sold on the Lenovo ThinkPad X13s and think it could be your next laptop, there are multiple configurations for users to choose from. The good news is that Lenovo is actually running some pretty hefty discounts across the range where you can get as much as 45% off the laptop.
This means that instead of paying $1,809 for the most basic model, you’ll only have to pay $994.95, saving you 45% off the asking price, making it quite a steal for all that you’re getting. For more details or to make your purchase, head on over to Lenovo’s website.
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