Thanks for the mention, Andrew! We’re super excited about the X9 14, especially the price point! You can actually get it for as low as $1,089 today if you downgrade the SSD to 256 GB. The haptic touchpad is on 100% of the 14s, which is why you don’t have the option to configure it.
@@andrewmarcdavid I was trying to spec out a X9 15 inch and had the option for a "clickpad" or a "forcepad" - could you help me understand which is which? I'm guessing I should go with the forcepad if I want the haptic option. Would you say that the forcepad is definitely superior to the clickpad?
@@andrewmarcdavid Oh I see, do you feel it's risky to go with the forcepad on the 15" then since it's not made by Sensel. One more question, I'm building out a 15" and see that I can get a Ultra 5 228V with 32GB ram for $340 less than the Ultra 7 258V. I'm really interested in the 32GB for my usage profile, so was happy to see the 228V on offer but am wondering if the 258V is worth what seems to be a costly upgrade.
In my opinion, Lenovo introduced this laptop lineup as a testing ground. All new features will be available first on this lineups, and then they may make it to the other ones. All executives who want a reliable machine would still go to the X1 Carbons.
For me it's not a real ThinkPad as I rely on my Trackpoint. But I understand why they do this. And as long as they keep I separate to draw new customers I'm fine with it. Thank you for your overview Andrew!
@@andrewmarcdavid i dont mind removing the trackpoint because haptic pad is better and bigger, but can you do a comparison when you have it with the lenovo slim 7i aura edition, thhe x9 seems double the price for not much difference? thanks
@@SqueamishKeemish Great question. The ThinkBook team is part of a different organization within Lenovo. ThinkPad comes from the ex-IBM group in Japan. Also, this is geared towards the Commercial (business) segment
@@SenselInc aren't thinkbooks made for businesses as well? I always assumed that Ideapad - Consumer class Thinkpad - Business class (descended from the original IBM team) Thinkbooks - Business class (separate lenovo team)
@@-Retired- Yes, you're right - ThinkBooks are also commercial. But they aren't quite at the same level as ThinkPads. Lenovo wanted a Macbook Air competitor, so it needed to come from the ThinkPad team.
If the Thinkpad team is experimenting with designs like this, is it too much to ask for one model with the original IBM design language? 7 row keyboard Chonky magnisium body and cage Ergonomic buttons, keyboard and palmrest Hot swappable storage and batteries Modular charging ports Indicator lights Camera, mic, network, other hardware killswitch Thinklight And can this be done with decent specs at a reasonable price, instead of making it limited edition and upcharging? I mean they have the design, just make a W520 with modern hardware please!
They should do the original 7 row and exclude the touch pad. Go fully track point. That would allow them to cut down the size even further. It would be cool to see them combine old and new by putting the rollable display, then it would be an even smaller form factor to carry.
@@zachanderson5354 not a fan of the Rollable display, the outer screen scratches too easily. Also wouldn't you loose the palmrest with your idea? I personally don't mind a Trackpad as long as it can be disabled, but need the ergonomics to be good. X61 had a great compact design. It's a shame really, such good designs not being used.
At the end of the day it is just another computer for potential buyers to consider. They have many choices to consider. The information in your reviews allows them to make a more intellegent choice. Great preview.
I concur as well - this model actually gets closer to my sweetspot than so many other models, so I'm happy I'm not an ardent trackpoint fan given how many are out there bashing this computer. Thanks for covering this laptop and giving it a chance!
long time thinkpad owner....I have a gen 6 x1 carbon and dont really use the trackpoint, the touchpad has always worked really well- better than other windows laptops and the thinkpad keyboard is the best imo
Due to the nature of the work that I do, the track point is a must have feature for me. Luckly, old laptops like the t480 are enough for my needs, and I have a few of them around.
Does it have a 1100 nit display (on the 15inch spec sheet you showed it says 1100 nits)? Same as the one on the new yoga 9i 2in1? Is it anti glare or just super reflective
I really don't understand how companies like Lenovo manage to fail again and again combining the right parts. This time it's the glossy panel. It's like everybody tries to imitate Apple but is always 2 years behind.
As the proud owner of an X1 Carbon Gen 9, the X9 Aura is not a real ThinkPad, they are leveraging the name far too wide, if they want to broaden the market share call it something else and leave the X1 Carbon ThinkPad brand alone, great video, you are my go to RUclipsr for all laptops info, keep up the good job!!
I don't use the trackpoint and many probably don't either, but it's so iconic that I want it to stay, I really hope they don't remove it, just like the black color. The new X1 carbon is amazing and the perfect successor for the Nano, but my nano is still perfectly functional so I am not upgrading for now
Really looking forward to your review Andrew! I need a new business laptop and I’m very interested in the X9 14 inch. I was going to go with the X1 Carbon but the Gen 13 is so overpriced it’s untrue, and the lack of touchscreen on the X1C is now an annoyance for me since I’ve got used to them in the windows space. The X9 however seems to tick all the boxes at a reasonable price. I’m especially interested in how quiet the X9 is. There are reports online of both fan noise and the Geiger counter sound from the latest Lenovo lunar lake aura edition laptops, so would be very interested in your take on that too!
I was afraid that the X9 could be a display of the future for ThinkPads, but now I don't think so. I believe this model to be sort of a bridge between IdeaPads and ThinkPads. You get a more consumer looking and feeling laptop (a little bit heavier, metal chassis, no trackpoint, horrific arrow keys) with excellent build quality and no cheaping out on "secondary" internals like wifi card, ssd, etc.
The thinkpad x1 carbon aura edition has gen 5 storage. Why does this one have gen 4? Or did I get it wrong? I’m not bothered with the trackpoint being gone. Its cool with new innovation, as long as the keyboard is still good, but most Lenovo’s are. I do like minimalist design, like the yoga 9i slim, but the x9 has a cool mechanical/android look with the engine hub and camera bump. If you place the engine hub on a flat surface wont the fans be covered? I know the air intake come from the sides, but it looks like the long black bar has a sort of grill with air holes? Also, if they put the internals in the hub, does this free up space under the keyboard? Better sound system? Bigger battery?
in terms of build quality how do you rank Lenovo business' laptop lineup? As far as I'm concerned I put X1 Carbon at the top, then T14S and then perhaps P14S. How do you put HP 1040 G11? It's my my actual laptop ( Meteor Lake, OLED display 2880 x1880 refresh up to 120 HZ, 32 GB RAM AND 1Tb SSD) and it doesn't seem so bad. If I want to upgrade from this machine which will be your advice) thanks in advance
I think that the new Thinkpads in 2025 should keep the Trackpoint (that's the red nipple), if only to keep their users happy. The Trackpoint doesn't really hurt those who don't use it. What is promising is that the technologies like brighter OLEDs are coming about. The Haptic Touchpads seem to be very promising, particularly with the Trackpads.
I think they should have named this something else and not a ThinkPad as I think the TrackPoint has always been synonymous with the ThinkPad line. Having said that, I agree with you Andrew in that let's see what the X9 Aura Edition has to offer before we all jump to conclusions! Change is difficult for people to adjust to and I get that. Thank you for the video Andrew!! 👍😁
Im excited for this, its a new thinkpad line so it doesn't need to have a trackpoint because it is a design from scratch. Not so sure about that bottom 'engine' bar, as long as its not loud or hot.
No more mouse buttons, half size arrow buttons but aren't sitting below the rest, so few ports. I just don't see why I personally would ever even consider it.
I'm the target audience for this and I've already ordered one. My must haves were OLED with touch, 120hz, haptic touchpad, high quality webcam, ultra thin and portable 14". I also love the quality of their thinkpad keyboards so I'm excited for this one. I've always liked the track points, but they're completely unnecessary when you have a touch screen. The GaN charger is a plus since I would have upgraded to an Anker or aohi anyways.
While I'm not averse to Lenovo going in a new direction?....I NEED my TRACKPOINT!!! Sure...the new stuff looks great?....but Lenovo is an iconic design...that black and red...and the TRACK POINT!....so if they're going to go this route for ALL their devices?.... I'mma have to switch to Dell.
This appears more to millennials. I have a T14s from 2024 and it is a great business laptop, shame the low power screen is too damn slow that drive me nuts. From all I have seen, I would just buy a Asus G14 even for business use.
the touchpads are so much better, then they should just have the trackpoint as something you can add or not, included in most by default, then users can chose not to have one, is pat of the keyboard, not much deal to offer more than one keyboard, they already do multiple languages.
being a user of ThinkPad X series for over 17 years I can say: there is NO WAY I will buy that notebook. Aluminum and no TrackPoint!!! NO THANKS... will stay using my X1 Carbon until will not work more, maybe 17 years more...
Why does the X9 even exist??? The only thing they did good here is split up the 2 USB-C ports on either side. And Why WHy WHY are these manufactures continuously putting the power button where the DELETE key should ALWAYS be??? Every reviewer complains about this... I guess they don't listen to their consumers.
Watching this on my X220 with classic 7-row keyboard. lol. I'd rather use a T25 than this abomination. If what I need is a laptop with boring keyboard, giant trackpad and thin and light af, I'd be getting a Macbook Air, thank you.
That bar below is a NO for me, and still the bump and lip for camera is ugly, ugly design they decided to present, also lenovo needs to have new AMD AI MAX 395 on regular offer and stop Shintel bad performance multicore lake
...A lot of users DO use it though. And I'd say a majority of users who specifically sought out ThinkPads used it. Might as well go Framework at this point.
I used it when I had it. For me it was more precise than track pad. Of course that was before touch screen. Touch screen I do like having the option available to me, but Track point is why I consider ThinkPad when I update serve.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
Thanks for the mention, Andrew! We’re super excited about the X9 14, especially the price point! You can actually get it for as low as $1,089 today if you downgrade the SSD to 256 GB.
The haptic touchpad is on 100% of the 14s, which is why you don’t have the option to configure it.
Great news! Thanks for the clarification and keep up the great work!
@@andrewmarcdavid I was trying to spec out a X9 15 inch and had the option for a "clickpad" or a "forcepad" - could you help me understand which is which? I'm guessing I should go with the forcepad if I want the haptic option. Would you say that the forcepad is definitely superior to the clickpad?
@ yes haptic is better. But keep in mind that the 15” is not made by Sensel. For Sensel you have to go with 14”
@@andrewmarcdavid Oh I see, do you feel it's risky to go with the forcepad on the 15" then since it's not made by Sensel.
One more question, I'm building out a 15" and see that I can get a Ultra 5 228V with 32GB ram for $340 less than the Ultra 7 258V. I'm really interested in the 32GB for my usage profile, so was happy to see the 228V on offer but am wondering if the 258V is worth what seems to be a costly upgrade.
@ forcepad on 15” is good and you will be perfectly fine with 228v
In my opinion, Lenovo introduced this laptop lineup as a testing ground. All new features will be available first on this lineups, and then they may make it to the other ones. All executives who want a reliable machine would still go to the X1 Carbons.
Yep that's why it's way cheaper than the main line x1's, you're getting a discount as a new adopter
For me it's not a real ThinkPad as I rely on my Trackpoint. But I understand why they do this. And as long as they keep I separate to draw new customers I'm fine with it. Thank you for your overview Andrew!
Fair enough!
@@andrewmarcdavid i dont mind removing the trackpoint because haptic pad is better and bigger, but can you do a comparison when you have it with the lenovo slim 7i aura edition, thhe x9 seems double the price for not much difference? thanks
@@thomasricke1150 That’s a very thoughtful and well balanced perspective!
Lenovo already has their ThinkBook lineup, why couldn’t they do this design for that instead?
@@SqueamishKeemish Great question. The ThinkBook team is part of a different organization within Lenovo. ThinkPad comes from the ex-IBM group in Japan. Also, this is geared towards the Commercial (business) segment
@@SenselInc aren't thinkbooks made for businesses as well? I always assumed that
Ideapad - Consumer class
Thinkpad - Business class (descended from the original IBM team)
Thinkbooks - Business class (separate lenovo team)
@@-Retired- Yes, you're right - ThinkBooks are also commercial.
But they aren't quite at the same level as ThinkPads. Lenovo wanted a Macbook Air competitor, so it needed to come from the ThinkPad team.
Thinkbooks are more experimental devices compared to Thinkpads
@@SenselInc so is this better than the new slim 7i aura ? thanks
If the Thinkpad team is experimenting with designs like this, is it too much to ask for one model with the original IBM design language?
7 row keyboard
Chonky magnisium body and cage
Ergonomic buttons, keyboard and palmrest
Hot swappable storage and batteries
Modular charging ports
Indicator lights
Camera, mic, network, other hardware killswitch
Thinklight
And can this be done with decent specs at a reasonable price, instead of making it limited edition and upcharging? I mean they have the design, just make a W520 with modern hardware please!
Exactly. If you're experimenting why not try that as well. I wouldn't mind X9 if a laptop you described was developed in recent specs
They should do the original 7 row and exclude the touch pad. Go fully track point. That would allow them to cut down the size even further. It would be cool to see them combine old and new by putting the rollable display, then it would be an even smaller form factor to carry.
@@zachanderson5354 not a fan of the Rollable display, the outer screen scratches too easily. Also wouldn't you loose the palmrest with your idea? I personally don't mind a Trackpad as long as it can be disabled, but need the ergonomics to be good. X61 had a great compact design. It's a shame really, such good designs not being used.
At the end of the day it is just another computer for potential buyers to consider. They have many choices to consider. The information in your reviews allows them to make a more intellegent choice. Great preview.
I agree William!
I concur as well - this model actually gets closer to my sweetspot than so many other models, so I'm happy I'm not an ardent trackpoint fan given how many are out there bashing this computer. Thanks for covering this laptop and giving it a chance!
I won't miss the track point. As long as the keyboard is still comfortable and the durability is still great, I am a happy user.
long time thinkpad owner....I have a gen 6 x1 carbon and dont really use the trackpoint, the touchpad has always worked really well- better than other windows laptops and the thinkpad keyboard is the best imo
Honestly they should keep the track ball. It's very useful and I considered buying thinkpad because of the track point.
Do manufacturers have some kind of shady deal with Intel? I often notice that laptops with AMD chips tend to come with dumb down hardware combo
Due to the nature of the work that I do, the track point is a must have feature for me. Luckly, old laptops like the t480 are enough for my needs, and I have a few of them around.
Does it have a 1100 nit display (on the 15inch spec sheet you showed it says 1100 nits)? Same as the one on the new yoga 9i 2in1? Is it anti glare or just super reflective
Trying to get clarification. My guess it’s peak brightness 1100 nits for hdr
Please review battery autonomy of the 14 inch slim aura edition and yoga slim models as a whole either.
I really don't understand how companies like Lenovo manage to fail again and again combining the right parts. This time it's the glossy panel. It's like everybody tries to imitate Apple but is always 2 years behind.
Thanks for the video, in UK it starts at 1750 pounds 15 inch
As the proud owner of an X1 Carbon Gen 9, the X9 Aura is not a real ThinkPad, they are leveraging the name far too wide, if they want to broaden the market share call it something else and leave the X1 Carbon ThinkPad brand alone, great video, you are my go to RUclipsr for all laptops info, keep up the good job!!
I don't use the trackpoint and many probably don't either, but it's so iconic that I want it to stay, I really hope they don't remove it, just like the black color. The new X1 carbon is amazing and the perfect successor for the Nano, but my nano is still perfectly functional so I am not upgrading for now
It’s a classic!
Really looking forward to your review Andrew! I need a new business laptop and I’m very interested in the X9 14 inch. I was going to go with the X1 Carbon but the Gen 13 is so overpriced it’s untrue, and the lack of touchscreen on the X1C is now an annoyance for me since I’ve got used to them in the windows space.
The X9 however seems to tick all the boxes at a reasonable price.
I’m especially interested in how quiet the X9 is. There are reports online of both fan noise and the Geiger counter sound from the latest Lenovo lunar lake aura edition laptops, so would be very interested in your take on that too!
I was afraid that the X9 could be a display of the future for ThinkPads, but now I don't think so. I believe this model to be sort of a bridge between IdeaPads and ThinkPads. You get a more consumer looking and feeling laptop (a little bit heavier, metal chassis, no trackpoint, horrific arrow keys) with excellent build quality and no cheaping out on "secondary" internals like wifi card, ssd, etc.
I don't think they will change the other thinkpads including the X1 Carbon
The thinkpad x1 carbon aura edition has gen 5 storage. Why does this one have gen 4? Or did I get it wrong? I’m not bothered with the trackpoint being gone. Its cool with new innovation, as long as the keyboard is still good, but most Lenovo’s are. I do like minimalist design, like the yoga 9i slim, but the x9 has a cool mechanical/android look with the engine hub and camera bump. If you place the engine hub on a flat surface wont the fans be covered? I know the air intake come from the sides, but it looks like the long black bar has a sort of grill with air holes? Also, if they put the internals in the hub, does this free up space under the keyboard? Better sound system? Bigger battery?
I love Your videos, thank you for what you do.
You are so welcome
in terms of build quality how do you rank Lenovo business' laptop lineup? As far as I'm concerned I put X1 Carbon at the top, then T14S and then perhaps P14S. How do you put HP 1040 G11? It's my my actual laptop ( Meteor Lake, OLED display 2880 x1880 refresh up to 120 HZ, 32 GB RAM AND 1Tb SSD) and it doesn't seem so bad. If I want to upgrade from this machine which will be your advice) thanks in advance
Brother waiting for yoga 9i 2 in 1 aura edition review by you ❤
I think that the new Thinkpads in 2025 should keep the Trackpoint (that's the red nipple), if only to keep their users happy. The Trackpoint doesn't really hurt those who don't use it.
What is promising is that the technologies like brighter OLEDs are coming about. The Haptic Touchpads seem to be very promising, particularly with the Trackpads.
I think they should have named this something else and not a ThinkPad as I think the TrackPoint has always been synonymous with the ThinkPad line. Having said that, I agree with you Andrew in that let's see what the X9 Aura Edition has to offer before we all jump to conclusions! Change is difficult for people to adjust to and I get that. Thank you for the video Andrew!! 👍😁
It seems RUclips nuked my original comment, but I'll say it again; this should have been a ThinkBook, not a ThinkPad.
@@cameronbosch1213 I think that is a way they could have gone
Or a Yoga.
@thesun___ That too. Just not a ThinkPad.
Why is the battery still so small (55Whr)???
Could anyone tell me the name of music
Still in the X1 Carbon Team, nevertheless a nice device.
Respectfully, if you call a dog as a cat, will it turn into a cat?
lol
watched cartoon called catdog when i was a kid, best of both worlds
Give me this in a thinkpad black with a strix halo processor, and I would instantly place an order.
what about 5G modem sd x80 mmWave
If this is the new ThinkPad then what’s the ThinkBook going to be like? They’ll be indistinguishable? 😏
It came from the team in Yokohama - it's a Thinkpad.
Im excited for this, its a new thinkpad line so it doesn't need to have a trackpoint because it is a design from scratch. Not so sure about that bottom 'engine' bar, as long as its not loud or hot.
Might be a good laptop that i hope nobody will buy. Get a MacBook or Dell if you want something similar. This hardware needs get shat on
how comes, i cant ever buy crapple stuff though and i thought dell is nothing special. i like lenovo and maybe asus but im not expert with laptops
For everyone getting heated over Lenovo removing the TrackPoint on the X9, there's this cool thing you could try called "not buying it."
No more mouse buttons, half size arrow buttons but aren't sitting below the rest, so few ports. I just don't see why I personally would ever even consider it.
Don't care about the track point.... Kinda drooling over this one Andrew.
HyperSpace Trackpad Pro is interesting
Should have made it a ThinkBook
I'm the target audience for this and I've already ordered one. My must haves were OLED with touch, 120hz, haptic touchpad, high quality webcam, ultra thin and portable 14". I also love the quality of their thinkpad keyboards so I'm excited for this one.
I've always liked the track points, but they're completely unnecessary when you have a touch screen. The GaN charger is a plus since I would have upgraded to an Anker or aohi anyways.
this shouldn't be named thinkpad. thinkpad means trackpoint with physical buttons and 1.5mm keyboard buttons travel.
While I'm not averse to Lenovo going in a new direction?....I NEED my TRACKPOINT!!! Sure...the new stuff looks great?....but Lenovo is an iconic design...that black and red...and the TRACK POINT!....so if they're going to go this route for ALL their devices?....
I'mma have to switch to Dell.
This appears more to millennials. I have a T14s from 2024 and it is a great business laptop, shame the low power screen is too damn slow that drive me nuts. From all I have seen, I would just buy a Asus G14 even for business use.
Lenovo said they were going after the other 2/3 of the market
@@andrewmarcdavid sad but I understand business is business.
the touchpads are so much better, then they should just have the trackpoint as something you can add or not, included in most by default, then users can chose not to have one, is pat of the keyboard, not much deal to offer more than one keyboard, they already do multiple languages.
Of course, no WWAN, no buy. But I don't think I could unsee that bar either way. 😐
being a user of ThinkPad X series for over 17 years I can say: there is NO WAY I will buy that notebook. Aluminum and no TrackPoint!!! NO THANKS... will stay using my X1 Carbon until will not work more, maybe 17 years more...
no longer a thinkpad
They are not removing the trackpoint on the other thinkpads. They are trying something different. Whether it will stick who knows.
looks like surface 7 to me.
I honestly want it, I like the thinkpad design but don't use the track point on the T14 I have which is perfect
I hear you!
I want my Trackpoint,
No trackpoint=No thinkpad
Why does the X9 even exist??? The only thing they did good here is split up the 2 USB-C ports on either side. And Why WHy WHY are these manufactures continuously putting the power button where the DELETE key should ALWAYS be??? Every reviewer complains about this... I guess they don't listen to their consumers.
No Trackpoint, no thinkpad!
You can’t “SEE” better sound on this Model. You HAVE to hear it, instead.
@ivanmarshall9806 oh is that what they call it
I think the intel cpus this year take a back seat to AMD. Id like to see a Thinkpad that competes with the HP ZBook Ultra 14 G1a.
Watching this on my X220 with classic 7-row keyboard. lol. I'd rather use a T25 than this abomination. If what I need is a laptop with boring keyboard, giant trackpad and thin and light af, I'd be getting a Macbook Air, thank you.
That bar below is a NO for me, and still the bump and lip for camera is ugly, ugly design they decided to present, also lenovo needs to have new AMD AI MAX 395 on regular offer and stop Shintel bad performance multicore lake
People need to stop with the cope majority of thinkpad users don't use the track point
...A lot of users DO use it though. And I'd say a majority of users who specifically sought out ThinkPads used it.
Might as well go Framework at this point.
I used it when I had it. For me it was more precise than track pad. Of course that was before touch screen. Touch screen I do like having the option available to me, but Track point is why I consider ThinkPad when I update serve.
@@cameronbosch1213 Aye it is nice to have and Framework you can upgrade.
Speak for yourself m8. There are tonnes of Thinkpad users who use trackpoints.
I think it looks more modern, and the x9 looks fantastic. Slim, haptic trackpad and good display. I have never seen a well balanced windows laptop.
It's certainly a more polished design.
Another stupid OLED display with PWM Flickering and bad brightness... this trend is so stupid.
Did the screw up the arrow keys?