Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Vs X1 Carbon – Which One Should You Get?

Last updated on September 29th, 2020 at 02:00 pm

In this article, we compare the X1 Yoga and X1 Carbon. These two laptops are the top of the line in the ThinkPad family. Both offer the best in the family, however, they are quite different.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga vs X1 Carbon.

Overview

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga – Pros & Cons

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon – Pros & Cons

Differences Between X1 Yoga And X1 Carbon

Configurations

The Lenovo offers several display, CPU, storage and RAM options for the X1 Yoga. The base model is the most affordable. It comes with an 8th Gen Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, Full HD display and a 256GB SSD.

If you can stretch your budget, you can max out the configurations of the X1 Yoga. You can get it up to a 10th Gen Intel Core i7, 4K display, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD.

The Lenovo X1 Carbon also offers similar hardware configurations. The base model which is the most affordable has an 8th Gen Intel Core i5, 8GB RAM, Full HD and 256GB SSD. The highest configuration has a 10th Gen Intel Core i7, 4K display, 16GB RAM and 1TB SSD.

Design & Build Quality

Lenovo changed the chassis of the Lenovo X1 Yoga. Previous models used to have the same build material as the X1 Carbon.

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As of right now, the X1 Yoga has an aluminium and magnesium build. No plastic or carbon fibre on the body. The body is CNC aluminium and the bottom is magnesium. The strongest build quality out of all the ThinkPads.

There is no flexing or warping on the display and keyboard. This makes the X1 Yoga a solid device. The convertible laptop also comes in two colours – black and silver. The hinges are strong and allow you to easily rotate the display.

However, due to the metallic build and display size. It is not quite easy to use in tablet mode. Moreover, the Lenovo X1 Yoga passes the MIL-STD test for durability and resistance to mechanical shock. The X1 Yoga weighs 3 lbs (1.36 kg) and it’s 0.6 inches thick.

Aside from the build quality, the design remains unchanged. It still maintains the ThinkPad look. It also has the usual ports – two thunderbolt 3 ports, headphone/mic combo, 2 USB 3.1 ports and Ethernet dock. There is no SD card reader though.

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The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, on the other hand, still maintains the build quality and design. Magnesium alloy and carbon fibre were used for the body. The X1 Carbon is a durable laptop that passes the MIL-STD certifications.

However, it is not as durable as the X1 Yoga. Still, it has solid build quality for a lightweight laptop. The display hinges are firm and there is little flex on the keyboard area and display. It’s able to withstand certain mechanical shocks.

The X1 Carbon beats the X1 Yoga in weight but not thickness. The aluminium body of the X1 Yoga makes it heavier. It is 2.4 lbs (1.08 kg) makes it easy to carry it around or pick up with one hand. For the thickness, they are about the same – 0.6 inches thick.

The design is the same as X1 Yoga. The logo is unchanged and found at the same position. Also, both have the same number of ports.

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Overall, the X1 Yoga has better build quality than the X1 Carbon. Everything else is the same. Both have the same design and ports. You could say the X1 Yoga is the 2-in-1 version of the X1 Carbon.

Upgradeability

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga and X1 Carbon are opened the same way. Removing the five screws will give you access to the internal components. Both also have the same motherboard design and position of the components if not similar are the same.

That means, once in there is not much you can do. The RAM and WLAN are soldered. The WWAN Card is not upgradeable. The only upgradeable component is the SSD. That means if you get an 8GB X1 Yoga or Carbon. You will be stuck with 8GB RAM.

For the cooling system, both make use of a single fan and a large heat pipe. It can sufficiently cool both laptops. However, higher configurations subjected under demanding loads will cause it to run at high temperatures and thermal throttle. Because of its slim form-factor.

Undervolting it is one way to reduce high temperatures and stop it from thermal throttling.

Display

The X1 Yoga has a bright, vivid and sharp display. There are FHD (1920 x 1080), WQHD (2560 x 1600) and 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) touchscreen display options. The colour gamut and accuracy are above average. The viewing angles are also great.

The touchscreen also supports up to 10 fingers. The X1 Yoga comes with a digitizer pen which is a huge plus. Because for most 2-in-1 laptops, it is solid separately.

Unfortunately, since it is a touchscreen display that makes it glossy. And glossy displays have high amounts of glare and reflections.

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The Lenovo X1 Carbon also has the same display options – FHD, WQHD, 4K UHD. But unlike the X1 Yoga, there is a mix of matte and glossy. The FHD and WQHD are anti-glare so that means a reduced amount of glare and reflections.

The 4K UHD, however, is glossy so you can expect glare and reflections. The benefit is that glossy 4K displays look richer and brighter than their matte counterparts or any other resolutions.

Both laptops offer great displays. Above-average colour accuracy, brightness, sharpness and great viewing angles.

On a side note, if you are concerned about battery life going with an FHD display will be the best option. Since the higher the display resolution the more the battery drain.

Keyboard & Touchpad

Lenovo ThinkPads are known for their awesome chiclet keyboards and trackpads. And the X1 Yoga and X1 Carbon do not disappoint. Although both laptops are slimmer than ever. They still provide a good amount of key travel.

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Their keyboards also have the right amount of key resistance that provides great tactile feedback. The keys are well-spaced and full size. All this translates to both keyboards having a natural feel when typing. The keyboard is also backlit.

In previous models, the Lenovo X1 Yoga was able to retract its keyboard keys when you use it in tablet or tent mode. This prevents the keys from being pressed. The current model, however, doesn’t have this feature. The keys don’t retract when in tablet mode.

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Both trackpads have Windows Precision and can execute Windows 10 gestures well. There is also the Trackpoint which Lenovo always maintains.

Overall, both laptops have great keyboard and trackpads. They offer a pleasant typing experience and are easy on the fingers.

Performance

First of all, these are not gaming laptops. A lot of games will either not run or it will run but the low FPS will make it impossible to play. Casual games might stand a chance though. In short, if you want a gaming laptop. Then these two are not up to the task.

For everything else, they are decent. Not exactly the best performers. But, for everyday tasks, they will perform well. Both laptops will be able to handle demanding tasks up to a certain point.

Another thing. The performance depends entirely on the configuration. Both offer the same configuration options. The better the configuration the more powerful the laptop and the more expensive it is.

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The question about which one is faster depends on which configuration you choose. An X1 Yoga with an Intel Core i7 and 8GB RAM is going to be faster than an X1 Carbon with an Intel Core i5 and 8GB RAM. Also, if they have the same hardware configuration, the performance is going to be equal.

Also, both make use of super-fast PCIe SSDs. That means you will get a fast transfer and boot up speeds. Combine that with the capable processors you have a responsive system.

Overall, both laptops are solid performers for everyday use and will be able to handle certain demanding loads without any problems.

Battery Life

The X1 Yoga and X1 Carbon have the same battery capacity – 51 WHr. The Full HD models can last 10 hours on average. The WQHD models will last 8-9 hours whiles the 4K UHD models last 6-7 hours. It boils down to the display of the laptop.

Battery life is pretty much equal on both laptops.

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The higher the resolution the more the battery drain. That’s why the Full HD models can outlast the higher resolution displays. So the tradeoff is between battery life and a higher quality display. The Full HD is still a great display though.

To sum it all up, the battery life depends on the display resolution. So if you want the best battery life go with the Full HD (1920 x 1080).

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Vs X1 Carbon: Which One Should You Get?

There are no major differences between the Lenovo X1 Yoga and the X1 Carbon. Aside from the build quality and the X1 Yoga being a convertible laptop. They are practically the same. It all boils down to what you are going to use the laptop for or your preference.

If you never find yourself using a 2-in-1 laptop. Then there is no reason to go for the Lenovo X1 Yoga. But, if you draw or use a 2-in-1 device often. Then the Lenovo X1 Yoga is the best option.

Both are great laptops and offer similar value. However, they were designed for different purposes even though there are overlaps in usage.