Refurbished THINKPAD X1, Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB HDD - Black

It's hardly the last word in style, but this diminutive ThinkPad has Intel's latest 7th generation Core i5 which gives it decent performance and battery life in a very portable package.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 review

Most modern laptops are built around either 14- or 15in screens, with a few outliers at 17in. Then there are the ultra-ultraportable with 11in displays, but Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 sits just between these and the 14 in Ultrabook with its 15 in widescreen display.

The Lenovo X1 is a classic IBM ThinkPad form of business notebook computer, just scaled down to diminutive dimensions to create a carry-anywhere professional laptop.

It follows the trend started by the X220 in 2011, then sporting the latest Sandy Bridge generation of Intel Core i5 dual-core processor. Now in 2019 we have the X1, based on the same layout but bristling with a new Broadwell (7th generation) Intel chip.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 review: Design and build

This is a lightweight laptop weighing just over 1.4 kg, and 21 mm thick, making it a good travel companion. It’s a traditional design in a matt charcoal finish across its plastic chassis, with square edges and corners rather any attempt at curves and streamlining.

The laptop is eligible for a free upgrade to Windows 10 Pro, should you want it.

Opening the lid reveals the much-lauded Lenovo keyboard comprising chunky shaped keys with deep travel. For many long-term Lenovo users, this remains an important feature that helps differentiate the line from so many me-too competitors.

Another trademark feature is the rubbery red TrackPoint mouse steerer in the center of the keyboard, and accompanying three-button array just below the space bar to enable you to type, steer and click while keeping your fingers on the keyboard at all times. These buttons are true mechanical clickers, while the more familiar trackpad below these is one of the new buttonless designs, hinged at the back and able to receive left and right clicks from the respective front corners. The multi-touch trackpad component is less precise than we prefer.

There’s also a tray to accept a Micro-SIM card, enabling cellular data access over 4G LTE. And for professional applications that require a smart card for authorized access, there’s a slot on the left side.