Next-generation ThinkPad X1: More carbon fiber for one, aluminum for the other
We've long been fans of Lenovo's X1 line. The X1 Carbon (a conventional laptop) and the X1 Yoga (a laptop with a 360 degree hinge) have consistently sported solid build quality and classic ThinkPad good looks while being packed with features, albeit at a price. This year's refreshed models continue this tradition but with a particular focus on the materials they're made from.
Lenovo (and before that, IBM) has long boasted of the use of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic in many of its ThinkPads; the composite material is strong and rigid, but lightweight. However, to look at most ThinkPads, they appear to be plain plastic. A pleasant-to-touch plastic with a pleasing matte finish—but plastic all the same. In response to this image problem, the new 7th-gen X1 Carbon sports a woven carbon fiber finish; instead of being a uniform black, the system's lid has a visible weave pattern to it that highlights its composite nature.
