The X280 is arguably the most comprehensive redesign of the current ThinkPad generation, which is what excites us about this machine. It's a conceptually different laptop than the
ThinkPad X270
, which may well shock some of its fans. Overall, the X280 is a better laptop than its predecessor.
The most important aspect of this new design is the chassis, which is significantly better than its predecessor. The material change from fiberglass to magnesium and carbon fiber has paid off in terms of thickness and weight. The X280 weighs about the same as the X1 Carbon. This weight reduction has the anachronism of
X270
, a 12-inch laptop that's thicker and heavier than its 14-inch siblings. Not only is the chassis thinner and lighter, but it's also easier to maintain because Lenovo has removed the annoying and easily breakable clips from the bottom of the chassis Lenovo has most of the other issues we're having with the
X270
.The fan runs less, the device runs cooler, the power consumption has improved and the display is brighter.The X280 has maintained the ThinkPad tradition of excellent I/O, with the smallest ThinkPad finally supporting Thunderbolt 3. Even better, and unlike its predecessors, the X280 benefits from the maximum performance potential of its GPU thanks to its dual-channel RAM.
Where there's good, there's bad, with the bad sometimes outweighing the good. Interestingly, the X280's weak points are those for which we lauded the praises
X270
.Without the upgradeable, swappable PowerBridge battery, the X280 isn't as flexible as its predecessor, while the decision to forego an RJ45 Ethernet port on a business device is hard to understand.A downsizing from an SD to a microSD card slot to save space is understandable, but its positioning and accessibility are not. Memory is also a sacrifice for space savings, with Lenovo opting for memory soldered to the motherboard instead of the expandable RAM offered by the competition Another downside is related to how the X280 manages CPU performance. When a CPU lowers its clock speed due to high temperatures, that clock speed usually reverts to its previous state once the temperatures drop. The X280 doesn't If so, the clock remains low even when the temperatures drop. This can possibly be remedied with a BIOS update but it hasn't been said if Lenovo intends to address this. Also, the CPU will be throttled on battery power, but Lenovo may have done so on purpose. We expect more than the poor color space average given that the X280 is such an expensive notebook acts. This is a point where we take the
X270
and also the wider pool of business-class laptops. Finally, given the wide bezels of the 12-inch display, Lenovo probably could have outfitted the X280 with a 13.3-inch display.
Despite all the points of criticism, we recommend the X280 because overall it is simply a successful subnotebook. The X280 is much cheaper than the
X1 Carbon 2018
, making the campus version an attractive choice for students. The competition also has some interesting models, like the Dell Latitude 7290 and the HP EliteBook 830 G5, which we have yet to review. These competitors beat the X280 in some areas , such as the inclusion of an Ethernet port and expandable memory. As with the ThinkPads, the X280 has unmatched I/O and is the lightest of the three notebooks. While we recommend the Lenovo ThinkPad X280, potential buyers must make their choice based on their meet their own needs and preferences.
