Lenovo and Intel have collaborated to engineer their best laptops enhanced with artificial intelligence powered by Intel Core Ultra processors capable of processing 45 trillion operations per second (TOPS). These high-end laptops are known as the Lenovo Aura Edition. We got an exclusive hands-on experience with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13.
The ThinkPads are one of the longest-standing laptop product lines since 1992. The X series is the range designated for ultraportable mobile use, and many of its design elements remain to this day, like the black boxy frame and the red TrackPoint. The latest X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition is amazingly lightweight at only 986 grams and feels astonishingly sturdy. It comes with full-sized Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, 3.5mm headphone and HDMI ports. The charging adapter is also pretty compact, limited by the thick power cables and the 3-pin wall plug.
The battery capacity is slightly smaller with only 57W, but thanks to the new Intel Core Ultra processor, the power consumption is greatly managed to achieve excellent balance. The 14-inch 2880×1800 display is vivid and sharp, though I find the red tone is too excessive.
The protruding camera system allows the user to easily flip open the laptop with a single hand. The red TrackPoint now has an added feature: by double-tapping it, you can pull out an on-screen quick menu which you can rearrange based on your preference.
Another underrated feature is the Cool and Quiet On Lap feature which cools down the laptop when it detects that you are using it on your lap. The stereo speakers are functional and sufficiently loud but lack the lower frequency rumbles that some other laptops can produce.
The keyboard layout has remained consistent over the decades, and the mechanical key actions are just right for responsive quick typing.
The X1 Carbon supports both facial and fingerprint authentication, so logging in to Windows is doubly fast. I love that the fingerprint sensor is disguised to look like another key, achieving a clean design while allowing the user to unlock it quickly.
What sets the Aura Edition apart from the non-Aura Edition? Aura Edition computers come with the following smart features: Smart Modes, Smart Share, and Smart Care. By pressing F8, the Smart Modes widget will appear to let you choose one of the five modes – Shield, Attention, Collaboration, Wellness, and Power.
Shield mode enables the camera to detect onlookers looking over your shoulder and blurs your screen to protect information. You can set how long the alert will display. As part of the Shield mode, you can also auto-prompt for VPN if the system detects you are on a public Wi-Fi network.
Attention mode disables notifications and blocks distracting websites to improve focus on your tasks. You can add the domains that you want to block or choose from the default list under the configuration.
Collaboration mode improves the virtual meeting experience by calibrating your camera and enables effects like background blur.
Wellness mode uses the camera to analyse your posture and adjust display settings to reduce eyestrain. It can be a little unsettling because the camera light will turn on when this mode is enabled, so you might not know if another software is also using the camera.
Smart Share is a feature that allows fast and convenient sharing of files between the Lenovo laptop and your Android or iPhone installed with the Intel Unison app. File sending is quite fast, taking me just under 2 minutes to send a 500MB file. The software also syncs contacts, messages, and photo galleries, so you will never miss a notification when you are using the laptop. Quickly run Smart Share by pressing F11 on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Aura Edition or tap the phone against the side of the laptop display. I’m quite intrigued at the motion detection although it does not work all the time.
For Smart Care, you can access service support directly from the laptop through live chat and receive assistance remotely, or create tickets, download user guides, and search topics with step-by-step videos. This is so much faster than going to the Lenovo website and searching for topics related to your laptop model.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition is a joy to use. I appreciate how featherlight the laptop is, so I can bring it with me everywhere without feeling the ache. The long battery life also allows me to use it without worrying about charging. The Smart Shield mode helps to watch over my back for any prying eyes when working in public areas.
If you are looking for an ultra-lightweight, powerful, and smart productivity laptop, the new Gen 13 ThinkPad X1 will stretch your performance boundaries without straining your muscles.
For more information or to purchase of Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 13 Aura Edition click here.
