Where we meet pushed innovation, very often these days there is the signature of Lenovo. The IT multinational has produced several in the past form factor much appreciated. Some, like the 2-in-1 convertible computer, half tablet and half notebook, has gradually become a standard, conquering more and more slices of the public; others, such as the beautiful and futuristic YogaBook C930 in aluminum and magnesium – where instead of the keyboard there is an e-ink display – has not had the same success but remains without a doubt among the most daring solutions that have launched a sign and inspired many designers. Lenovo wants to amaze again with the ThinkPad X1 Fold: in the era in which folding smartphones take their first timid steps, it renews the ambition of wanting to anticipate everyone by trying to dictate the lines of a new standard. In short, this is the first contact with what could be the computers of the near future.
In the palm of your hand you find an object the size of a book (15.8 x 13.6 x 2.7 cm) and with a leather cover. All in just one kilo of weight. Opening it you discover that it is a concentrate of technology, inside and out. Yes, because the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold wants to be a full-fledged ThinkPad, a professional-end computer. And of these it has practically everything: 50 watt battery (8-10 hours of autonomy), Wifi 6 connectivity, Intel i5 processor with 8 GB of RAM, SSD disk with 256GB or 512GB capacity, 5 mpx webcam, two ports latest generation usb and of course Winbows 10 pro. The 5G module is optional (but almost indispensable) while there is no shortage of the Mini Fold bluetooth keypad (eight hours of autonomy, recharges when inserted into the X1 Fold) and the Lenovo Mod Penper stylus.
The goal of the ThinkPad X1 Fold is to please those who need a more than agile tool to work (and then maybe even get distracted), in every circumstance and every place, whether in the office, on the train, on the plane, outdoors. A machine that when the screen is open (the 13.3-inch OLED display is excellent) manages to have its say also with regard to entertainment: if we have a table or a support surface available (the X1 Fold is supported by a folding flap that is part of the rigid leather upholstery) we can take advantage of the tablet mode to see everything we want. The same goes for working on the move, because by opening this “book” the keyboard placed on its half turns off the screen below and we find ourselves using a mini computer on our lap.
“At Lenovo, we constantly research the experience of using the technology and then test different form factors and use cases,” explains a Republic Tom Butler, Lenovo’s executive director, worldwide commercial portfolio and PCSD product management. “During a test on the form factor, we noticed that many users were enthusiastic about the idea of having a device characterized by extreme portability, with a large display and usable in different ways that kept the familiarity of using the PC. We spent more than four years developing the X1 Fold, facing and overcoming numerous challenges from a mechanical design and usability standpoint. “
The technological solutions of Lenovo engineers had to combine innovation with practicality. Of course the price, far above three thousand euros, makes it an object for professionals and for some early adopter without spending problems. Or for “pioneers”, as Lenovo puts it. For now the price – full – is that of innovation, as they say in these cases. The cost of a research and development that has led, among other things, to a hinge that allows the unfolding of the screen, designed for 30 thousand opening cycles, or to a carbon fiber and magnesium alloy shell that gives the device lightness and strength at the same time.
“The main feature is of course the foldable display, but the factor that determines the success of the X1 Fold is the hinge mechanism,” explains Tom Butler, “designed to minimize thickness while offering superior durability and to ensure that the is perfectly flat when opened. However, the most important feature is inside the system. Proper design of the multiple layers that protect the foldable display is essential. Carbon fiber is used to protect the back of the device, while the hinges protect the sides of the screen. In the other layers we find the frame, metal plates and a silicon coating to protect the display, and the internal components that contain the six antennas necessary for the 5G and Wi-Fi connection. ThinkPad X1 Fold is not for everyone. It is for those pioneers who will help define a new category of devices, putting themselves at the helm of a change epoch-making in technology. I have no doubt that foldable technology is the future, and with the availability of more devices, prices will start to drop and become more affordable. We have great confidence in the future of folding technology. “
So, waiting for more and more advanced ones to be added to Lenovo’s solution and prices to level down, you have the feeling of being in front of some sort of milestone. Objectively with few defects and with a look and feel remarkable. “It is important to make a premise,” explains Butler: “There is no one format that suits everyone. Our portfolio of ThinkPad devices is proof of this, we have many solutions for different needs and use cases. What technology foldable it allows us to do is to think outside the box and to consider form factor that meet the needs of different users. With the X1 Fold we are able to reduce the size of a 13-inch screen in half. It is a revolutionary concept for the mobile computing experience “, he concludes.” In the near future, with the continuous evolution of foldable technology, it will be essential to listen to user feedback and understand their needs and requirements, to develop and design devices able to support the new hybrid working models “.
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