Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga :: I love this hardware

by Volker Weber

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Believe it or not, but having a pen makes a huge difference when using a touch enabled Windows 10 device. Especially if that pen is well supported by software. I can take notes in OneNote and draw on web sites with Edge. And of course I can rest my hand on the screen without accidentally drawing with my hand.

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Even better, if this pen is stored within the machine. And recharged while it is stored. This Thinkpad pen strikes the right balance. It is thin enough to fit inside the Thinkpad base, and at the same time it is substantial enough so that one can easily write and draw with it.

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While I have been using Mac notebooks for more than ten years now, I feel right at home with a ThinkPad keyboard. However, I have given up on the TrackPoint. I'd rather have an even larger trackpad while removing the buttons you need for the TrackPoint. But the keyboard? Man, I love it. When you fold the machine over into a tablet configuration, the base around the keys gets pushed upwards so that it all becomes one surface.

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And then, there is an excellent fingerprint reader for Windows Hello. No funny iris scan, 3D camera, just a very fast fingerprint reader. This can be awkward, when you have the machine in one of the non-laptop configurations, where the reader ends up in a strange place. What I find myself doing is unlock Windows when opening it and then moving on to fold it for a tablet experience.

This machine is almost perfect. I'd probably like a smaller screen, 12" instead of 14", no TrackPoint (and buttons), a smaller bezel. But even so, this ThinkPad X1 Yoga wins the editor-refuses-to-give-it-back award, hands down. Well, sort of. I promised to give it back. And I will not keep it as long as I am allowed to. This will become harder to give back the longer I keep it.

Comments

Which version of OneNote/Office do you use on the Yoga: Mobile or 2016?

Peter Meuser, 2016-03-31

If you prefer a 12" model: there is a Thinkpad Yoga 260 available, too.

Does your review unit have the IPS, or the OLED display?

Markus Michalski, 2016-03-31

Peter, I always use the mobile versions wherever I can.

Markus, yes, the 260 is also very nice. But it's not lighter than the X1. I believe I have the 256px wide IPS version. Lovely screen.

Volker Weber, 2016-03-31

Ich arbeite schon seit vielen Jahren mit Lenovos "Pen" Notebooks und ich liebe es. Und mit Windows 10 ist es nochmal besser geworden.

Ich skizziere sehr gern. Das geht sehr gut. (Bamboo Paper) Und ich mache immer mehr mit OneNote. Weil ich auch da sehr schnell was skizzieren kann und ich es dann auch im Web bzw. auf dem Handy habe.

Und ich hätte gern einen größeren Monitor. Hatte jetzt das Surface Book in der Hand und war sofort begeistert: Sowohl von der Auflösung, um mit dem Stift zu arbeiten, der Bildschirmgröße und natürlich der Möglichkeit, es als Tablett zu benutzen. Ist für das Zeichnen/Malen schon von Vorteil.

Joachim Haydecker, 2016-03-31

Hattest Du eigentlich schon mal das MacBook 12" ausprobiert? Ja ich weiß, es hat kein Touchdisplay ;-)

Martin Cygan, 2016-03-31

Nein, ich habe ein schönes Retina MacBook Pro. Da muss ich mich nicht in Versuchung führen lassen.

Volker Weber, 2016-03-31

The full version of OneNote has far more features, and beter Windows Ink integration. You should try it.

I am waiting on the OLED version. I was able to compare the two side by side and the OLED is significantly better. I just wish they would put them up for sale already. Rumors of delays on some chips are keeping the X1 Yoga delayed in shipping across teh board.

I want the machine specifically because it is 14" like the X1 Carbon. If you like the 12, maybe the X1 tablet is better? You have had both. would be interesting to see you do a head to head comparison/contrast.

John Head, 2016-03-31

The X1 Tablet does not cut it for me. Zero chance.

And I am not shooting for features. Less is more. I also use Word and Excel Mobile.

Volker Weber, 2016-03-31

John, did you ever try to share a OneNote 2016 page with your mail account in Outlook Mobile? Reminder to Microsoft: There is no communication between Office Mobile and Office 2016...

Peter Meuser, 2016-04-01

Peter- not sure what you are doing. Do you mean the universal version of outlook? or are you on a mobile device. i dont use the universal versions - the full 2016 versions are superior for me in very way.

John Head, 2016-04-02

In over 15 years of using ThinkPads at work I have grown very fond of the TrackPoint ("the nipple", as I call it). I can see how multi-touch gestures are a unique feature of touch pads which the nipple will conceptually never be able to offer. But so far I do not miss the enough to switch away from the nipple...

Ragnar Schierholz, 2016-04-03

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