I have been dreading moving up from my 5-year old PC, given the hassle associated with getting used to a new device. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 has certainly made the switch rewarding.

First up, is the speedy boot-up time. In sleep mode, the machine rouses in seconds, returning you to exactly where you left off. It’s so smooth and quick, that I’m quick to hit the sleep button, whenever I leave the computer - saving energy and keeping it away from prying eyes … or just my adventurous kids.

Even in complete shutdown mode, it boots up in a blink. When attending to urgent matters in the middle of the night, I no longer have to sit around half asleep waiting for the PC to boot-up. Lenova says that the boot is “on average 20 seconds faster than a typical Windows 7 computer” and I have to agree. And more so, sleep model consumes so little battery, I rarely have to shut down anymore.

I normally get about 2.5 hours running on the battery. If you can find somewhere to plug in, Lenovo’s RapidCharge will give you an 80% recharge within 30 minutes. The kit also comes with a second battery, for those long road trips. Watch movies and get work done on those long haul trips.

The Lenovo X1 is completely silent. Having been used to a noisy computer, the silence was truly refreshing and a unexpected bonus. Just as good was the fact that there is no heat coming out the bottom. Helps keep our laps cool, (great for us men!)

The 13 inch machine is just 17 mm thick. Combined with its weight at only 1.72kgs, it makes the machine a great travel companion. My previous machine was a 3kg heavy weight. The X1 running on Intel® Core™ i5-2520M certainly punches above its weight.

More cool stuff. The spill resistant keyboard comes with backlighting for working in the dark. The keys feel good, very good response to my type of typing. The screen uses Gorilla Glass for extra durability, rigidity and scratch resistance. The premium HD display makes it great for watching movies. Not to mention that the laptop passes “eight military specifications”, making the X1 a cut above the rest.

Since I am picky about the machines I use (since I spend 10 hours a day at the screen) I will just mention one drawback, it is the positioning of certain keys on the keyboard. The left side Control and Function keys have been swapped to make it similar to the Apple keyboard. Good for Mac users who want to switch over, but takes a bit of getting used to for us PC veterans. Also, I have no clue why the “End” key has got lost in the top row, far away from where I am used to finding it. I wish Lenova would change the configuration, or at least offer an option to use a PC like keyboard. How about it Lenova? But anyway, after two months, I’m pretty used to it.

I have already been recommending the X1 to my fellow digital road warriors who are staying with Windows. It has certainly made me for effective. Want to have a look at it? Drop by Malaysiakini to check out this sleek machine!

Disclosure: The review above was based on the author’s experience with the unit over two months. The unit was provided to Malaysiakini at no cost.

Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Specifications:

Intel® Core™ i5-2520M Processor (2.5GHz, 3MB L3, 1333MHz FSB)
13.3” Premium HD Super-Bright Display (1366x768, 350nit)
Lightweight 1.72kg, 17mm slim
4GB DDR3 SDRAM
320GB SATA HDD (7200rpm)
3 USB ports (1xUSB 3.0, 1xeSATA combo, 1xUSB 2.0)
4-in-1 SD Card Reader
Intel Integrated Graphics
Backlit, 6-row precision keyboard
Intel® Centrino Advanced-N 6205
Integrated HD 720p camera and HD microphones
HDMI and mini DisplayPort video outputs
UltraNav® control system featuring TrackPoint® and Multitouch touchpad
Genuine Windows® 7 Professional 64-bit
Lenovo Enhanced Experience 2.0 for Windows 7
4 Cell 42Wh battery
Price: RM 5,999