15 ms·

New Leaks of the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Nano

117 points by arketyp 6y ago

pedrocr 6y ago
Hopefully by 2K they mean 2.5K (2560x1600) and not actual 2K with a 1920x1200 screen.
- pqb 6y ago
  Yes, they seem to have 2560x1600, probably the same display as Yoga [0]. [0]: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Leak-confirms-Lenovo-Yoga-Carbon-with-Intel-Core-i7-Tiger-Lake-processor-a-QHD-16-10-display-and-up-to-16-hours-of-battery-life.477541.0.html https://www.notebookcheck.net/Leak-confirms-Lenovo-Yoga-Carb...
- cercatrova 6y ago
  2K usually means 1440p
  - pedrocr 6y ago
    Apparently some manufacturers have adopted that confusing naming. 2K is 1080p though in any reasonable naming scheme: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2K_resolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2K_resolution
    - ksec 6y ago
      >Apparently some manufacturers have adopted that confusing naming. Gamers decided to call 1920 x 1080 as 1080P and 1440 as 2K. It makes absolutely no sense. But this mis-information got so widespread it sort of became a norm.
      - pedrocr 6y ago
        3K would make more sense even...
- hyperpl 6y ago
  Clarity on resolution/DPI is important for me as I continue to use bitmap fonts in Linux which don't scale well with HiDPI. I think the resolution+DPI on the Microsoft Surface Laptop is perfect but I would prefer to go with Lenovo.
- fomine3 6y ago
  Calling 2560px as 2K is absolutely wrong and really confusing. I hope they think what is half of 4K.
codecamper 6y ago
no 32GB option? pass.
- bouncycastle 6y ago
  Even 32 is starting to feel cramped nowadays, especially with all those Electron apps, VMs, containers and Intelij incarnations. My next laptop will have 64!
- devn0ll 6y ago
  Sure, but think about it: This means other systems will get 16:10 !! (I cannot type fast enough to sooth my enthousiasm for this!) Some T series, 15 inch, with 16:10 #swoon
  - 4ad 6y ago
    > This means other systems will get 16:10 I hope so. And I sure hope Lenovo will not put some crappy TN screen in them, as it is known to do. Or make you chose between quality and resolution.
  - ginko 6y ago
    I'd be enthusiastic if they released a laptop with a proper 4:3 screen.
- artistsvoid 6y ago
  two thoughts a) where does it say this? it says the machine will have 16 GB of ram, nothing about possible bonus upgrades one might be able to get (though maybe you followed some links in the article) b) even if 16 GB is max: whoever it is that "needs" more than 16 GB probably won't go for an ultra light weight (< 1 kg = < 2.2 pounds) 13 inch machine for their use case. Seems like "mobility" is priority number one, not having some multi-tasking maverick
  - alex_duf 6y ago
    I don't know, I find it a bit upsetting that the X1 I bought 8 years ago had already 8G. Doubling every 8 years seems a bit slow. I would like a bit more headroom to future proof it.
pella 6y ago
Thunderbolt 3 or 4 ? "The ThinkPad X1 Nano just has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, " vs. "2 brand new Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports." https://www.slashgear.com/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-nano-leaked-to-be-its-lightest-yet-14629071/ https://www.slashgear.com/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-nano-leaked-to-...
- bestouff 6y ago
  I guess it's USB-4 ports, which are Thunderbolt 3.
- neogodless 6y ago
  That seems like an error on the part of the author there, since the image they used specifies Thunderbolt 4 as well.
- wmf 6y ago
  Tiger Lake has Thunderbolt 4. It's the same speed as Thunderbolt 3 so most people won't notice the difference anyway.
read_if_gay_ 6y ago
Why not use AMD CPUs?
- ses1984 6y ago
  I'm guessing not enough time to stuff an amd rig into ultra portable form factor.
  - read_if_gay_ 6y ago
    Their previous lineup did also include ultraportable AMD devices like the X390 though. Or is there something inherently harder about AMD designs?
    - ses1984 6y ago
      I doubt it, but the nano is over 20% lighter, it's in a different class, a class that amd hasn't competed in until now. I'm guessing amd will be in these kinds of ultra portables soon. Their cpus are flying off shelves, they're probably focused on the more lucrative server market for now.
- Mashimo 6y ago
  I read that the X1 was developed with Intel, and thus they can't use AMD CPUs in that lineup. I don't know if it's true or not. It was a random reddit comment.
  - eumenides1 6y ago
    Time. I saw the HP Envy on Linus' Tech-tips review and the battery life on AMD CPUs is ridiculous. 14 hours on battery. For most people, you might be able to bring your laptop to work WITHOUT a power brick. I'm personally not a fan of HP laptops, but i'm looking forward to AMD CPUs on thinkpad and Dell XPS laptops. There is no way there isn't going to be a X1 type laptop with an AMD CPU. Lenovo can't leave that kind of battery performance on the table without losing market share to Dell and HP.
pmontra 6y ago
I'm glad to see a resurgence of 16:10 screens. I'm waiting to see bezels shrink to the point I'll have a nearly 15" 16:10 screen in a 14" laptop body, not to have a number pad.
- jxdxbx 6y ago
  I am so glad that there's been a 16:9 backlash. It makes no sense on smaller screens the you have to work from. It's ok for phones, since you need to hold them in your hand in portrait so some narrowness makes sense, and for smaller tablets that are designed just for watching video. But I love that iPads are still (mostly) 4:3, and 16:10 is an ok balance for laptops and desktop monitors (though I'd probably prefer 4:3 there as well).
- flohofwoe 6y ago
  As a programmer I would really like to have more choices of 3:2 or even 4:3 aspect ratio laptops (because of the added vertical space, which is really much more valuable when working mostly with text on fairly small displays). For 3:2 I'm only aware of the MS Surface and Huaewei MateBook laptops, and Thinkpads were probably the last 4:3 laptops(?).
  - nobleach 6y ago
    The MateBook really is a nice looking laptop. The folks I've known that have purchased them have all run into reliability issues within a year (non-booting machines, spacebar stops working, other weird things) I looked into them before I bought my Thinkpad X1C. I still like that screen though.
    - deleted 6y ago
      [deleted]
  - floatboth 6y ago
    The Google Pixelbook is 3:2 also, it's pretty great except for the big-ass bezels.
- 6y ago
pqb 6y ago
> 13.0 | 16:10 | 2K | 450nits | 100% sRGB | Optional Touch > Ultra-narrow bezel | 85% STB It is very nice move from the Dell [0], and also now Lenovo to bring 16:10 display in laptops. It was always for me strange decision, when laptop manufactures decided to use 16:9 displays for all, even for pricey, high-end models. I am highly enthusiastic to see 16:10 displays back after ten years, when numerous notebooks had 15.4" display. [0]: For example Dell Precision 5550 - https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/precision-5550-mobile-workstation/spd/precision-15-5550-laptop?AID=8984087&cjevent=a74879349abf11ea81ac05fc0a180510&gacd=9694607-23736398-5750457-266319267-127795103&dgc=af&VEN1=12578053-8984087-ArsDellPrecisionLatitude&dclid=CKSU_JD8wukCFcaLsgodiE8Dxw#features_section https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebo...
- Jaruzel 6y ago
  The old Dell Latitude D models had 16:10 displays (albeit at 1280x800 pixels) so for Dell they are bringing it back. 16:9 is just too shallow to do any meaningful work on.
  - jbverschoor 6y ago
    It was never meant for work..
    - lmilcin 6y ago
      Yeah... exactly. If I remember there were two drivers. One was entertainment (movies look good on 16:9 although I prefer to have the black bar for subtitles) and another was keyboard. Wider screen meant more space for keyboard with full sized keys which meant smaller laptops possible at the same diagonal. Also worth mentioning that shallower screen at the same diagonal has less area.
    - pqb 6y ago
      Oh c'mon, many laptops in last decade had 1366x768 display and many people still downscale theirs 1920x1080 into 1600x900 or 1440x810, because they have problems to comfortable see and read text from screen :) Dell D-series are at least twelve years old [0] (example model with 16:10 display [1]). [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_Latitude#Latitude_D8x0_series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_Latitude#Latitude_D8x0_se... [1]: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Dell-Latitude-D830-Notebook.4305.0.html https://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Dell-Latitude-D830-Note... Edit: I would love to have same resolution (1680x 1050) available from linked D830 (2007) in mine HP Probook 4340s (2012), which I used at university and Unity3D course. It had scrumpy 1366x768.
rbecker 6y ago
Do these come with or without BIOS backdoors? https://www.techworm.net/2015/08/lenovo-pcs-and-laptops-seem-to-have-a-bios-level-backdoor.html https://www.techworm.net/2015/08/lenovo-pcs-and-laptops-seem...
cercatrova 6y ago
When can we get 3:2 aspect ratio laptops with zero (>95% screen to body ratio) bezels? So far the Surfaces have one part of this, and the XPSes have the second part.
- dguaraglia 6y ago
  My daily driver is a Huawei Matebook Pro, with exactly those specs... But a horribly placed camera and I think nowadays you can't even buy them in the US anymore.
  - cercatrova 6y ago
    Yes the Matebook does have 3:2 and no bezels, but it's Huawei, it's only 13 inches, and the processors are the 15 watt versions rather than the 45 watt ones. I'm thinking more of an LG Gram 17 inch or at least 15 inch with these specs.
    - dguaraglia 6y ago
      I agree about the screen size. I'm really looking forward to next year's XPS 15, once they deal with the usual 'first model' issues. That said, I haven't found a situation where the processor has been a problem, but that's probably a matter of workload. For software development, it has never been an issue. If you are re-encoding video for a living or doing CAD, maybe it could be an issue.
atlgator 6y ago
Woohoo! Praise for non-16:9 laptops.
- hyperpl 6y ago
  Bring back 4:3!
jhatax 6y ago
When Apple first eliminated all but two (or four) USB-C ports, there was a ton of vitriol towards Apple on HN. In the years since Apple’s move, both Dell and IBM have adopted Apple’s playbook and are in the process of eliminating ports, and there are no comments on how everyone will need dongles to connect peripherals or get their work done. - What has changed in our use of laptops over the last 12-months that dongles are no longer a pain point? - Did Apple make the right and, dare I say it, bold call by removing a whole host of ports in lieu of standardizing on USB-C?
- likeclockwork 6y ago
  They offer machines with more ports, making it the buyer's choice.
- Roritharr 6y ago
  Dongles are still hell, I regularly still use USB-A and HDMI on my notebook. My Toshiba Portegé X-30-D is coveted in our company as it has: 1x Full-Size USB3 1x Full-Size HDMI 2x Thunderbolt USB-C (Displayport Support on both) Micro-SD Slot Headphone Jack 32GB of Socketed DDR4 Ram 1TB NVMe SSD Matté Full-HD Touchscreen Windows Hello Face&Fingerprint Recognition and weighs only 1,05 kg The only bottleneck is the i7-7500U Dual-Core CPU that I got because I couldn't wait another generation and now I just don't know what to upgrade to. I hope once USB4 becomes available there will be a Ryzen 4800U successor powered notebook available that just MATCHES the rest of the specs of my current one.
- RandomBacon 6y ago
  It's still a pain-point, it's just that everyone's moved on. It's the new normal.
- humanistbot 6y ago
  As one of those people who loves all the ports, I'll admit that the adapter situation has gotten a bit better. People/offices have adapted to the situation, where it has become standard to have a set of adapters attached to any display cable. And if not, usually someone has an adapter somewhere. I still find it frustrating that the costs of Apple's decision (followed by others) has effectively been subsidized by everyone else though. Then in the lockdown, it has been months since I've found myself in that frustrating situation where I travel to someone else's office or a conference, they only have an HDMI input, I forgot my adapter, and nobody can seem to find someone who has the right adapter. I'm likely in the market for a laptop over the next 6-12 months, and 6 months ago I would have said for sure that my next laptop would have to have HDMI or bust, but now those pain points are definitely not top of mind.
kentiko 6y ago
> <999kg Yeah I hope so.
tengbretson 6y ago
I can't even imagine what a laptop lighter than my X1 carbon would feel like. Thats so light.
- dehrmann 6y ago
  Remember the 11" Macbook Air? It's pretty light, and it'd be lighter without the aluminum.
thinkmassive 6y ago
"the new model is even smaller and lighter, with a weight of less than 1 kg. To achieve this, Lenovo uses a slightly smaller 48 Wh battery and also slashes most ports that are present on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon" Sounds like the X1 Nano is marginally better than a Macbook (the super small one, not Air or Pro). I'm on my second X1 Carbon gen-5 (third X1C overall), and it already has nearly the fewest ports I prefer in a laptop. While I could do without the headphone jack (controversial I know) and Ethernet port (proprietary? I lost the OEM adapter long ago), I think two each of USB-C and USB-A is minimal enough. USB-C for power USB-A for yubikey nano One of each for expansion It's too bad there aren't more high-res (2k+) laptops in the slim form factor that Intel used to call "ultrabooks". I was really hoping the Purism Librem 14 would have that as an option. edit: ...and I'm unwilling to give up anymore battery life as long as it's used for video conferencing
- Aperocky 6y ago
  battery life and weight >> Any other feature on a laptop. I'm waiting for that ARM mac.
  - BanazirGalbasi 6y ago
    I disagree, many people use laptops as replacement desktop these days so having expansion ports is important. My new job gave me an X1 Carbon with only two USB type A ports and this is my workstation now. If I want to use any accessories like a mouse or external keyboard (set the laptop on a stand so it's level with an external monitor), I immediately run into an issue with having enough expansion room. If you're doing nothing but sitting in meetings and taking notes, the battery life will follow due to the light use. But for many people, a laptop is as much of a computer as they'll ever use, so having the ability to expand is crucial.
    - easde 6y ago
      USB-C hubs nicely solve the problem of plugging USB devices, a monitor and a charger into a laptop. Like the docking stations in old laptops, but far cheaper. If you have multiple 4K screens or very high speed I/O devices you may need Thunderbolt, but for most people USB-C is fine.
pkamb 6y ago
ThinkPad's announcement of 16:9 displays in 2009: --- > I stated in my last post that the industry is going to go through yet another display ratio change over the next year or so. > For years we've had 4:3 “square” displays. These have all but disappeared from the market as the current standard is 16:10 “wide.” > The industry is about to move yet again to true 16:9 wide. This means that the ratio of your PC display will match that of your HDTV. This change won't happen overnight, but will phase in gradually. In fact, it's already started. Many of the newest consumer notebooks, especially in the 15″ class now sport the more rectangular 16:9 display. > Again, we can thank the LCD manufacturers for this change. By cutting everything in the same aspect ratio, they have less waste per large sheet of glass. Since these manufacturers make more selling TV displays than laptop displays, the PC vendors have almost zero say in this change. We simply have to adapt. As much as I would like it to be so, 4:3 is not coming back. > For readers of this blog, yes, I had our team run the math. In order to provide a high end IPS display option, we'd need well over 15,000 confirmed orders to make it even worth considering. This is due to minimum order quantities, creating models, stocking replacement parts for years to come, etc. If someone enterprising wants to create a database of (legitimate) credit card numbers of confirmed, non-cancellable orders, I'm sure that it would get some attention around here. (For you legal types, this does not constitute an offer to sell.) > https://web.archive.org/web/20111030050311/http://www.lenovoblogs.com:80/insidethebox/2009/04/display-ratio-change-again/ https://web.archive.org/web/20111030050311/http://www.lenovo...
- floatboth 6y ago
  Huh, LCD manufacturers (at least in 2009) made TV and laptop displays together? Interesting..
grzes 6y ago
i think 1366x768 resolution on 15.6 inch screen is perfect in terms of UI elements size. like its a sweet spot between to small and too large with enought horizontal area. physical width of such 15.6 inch screen is 34.53 cm so it gives you 0,025285037 cm per pixel. so my "perfect" laptop would have 15.6 inch screen and 16:10 aspect ratio. i would double the resolution in order to avoid fractional scaling and use 200% scaling so final resolution would be 2732x1708 - anyone can recommend something close to that on the market?
- akvadrako 6y ago
  Just get 4K with 300% scaling. 3840/3 = 1280, it's about the same.
nogridbag 6y ago
Are the USB ports on both sides? One of the nice things about the 15" MBP is being able to charge it from either side. Also, having >= 3 ports allows me to keep a yubikey installed semi-permanently and still charge from either side. Nice to see more laptop manufacturers adopting less wide screens.
woodandsteel 6y ago
I would much rather someone made a laptop with a keyboard with sculptured keys and reasonably full key travel. I would be glad to lose a pound of lightness for that.

117 points by arketyp 6y ago

pedrocr 6y ago

Hopefully by 2K they mean 2.5K (2560x1600) and not actual 2K with a 1920x1200 screen.

pqb 6y ago
Yes, they seem to have 2560x1600, probably the same display as Yoga [0]. [0]: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Leak-confirms-Lenovo-Yoga-Carbon-with-Intel-Core-i7-Tiger-Lake-processor-a-QHD-16-10-display-and-up-to-16-hours-of-battery-life.477541.0.html https://www.notebookcheck.net/Leak-confirms-Lenovo-Yoga-Carb...
cercatrova 6y ago
2K usually means 1440p
- pedrocr 6y ago
  Apparently some manufacturers have adopted that confusing naming. 2K is 1080p though in any reasonable naming scheme: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2K_resolution https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2K_resolution
  - ksec 6y ago
    >Apparently some manufacturers have adopted that confusing naming. Gamers decided to call 1920 x 1080 as 1080P and 1440 as 2K. It makes absolutely no sense. But this mis-information got so widespread it sort of became a norm.
    - pedrocr 6y ago
      3K would make more sense even...
hyperpl 6y ago
Clarity on resolution/DPI is important for me as I continue to use bitmap fonts in Linux which don't scale well with HiDPI. I think the resolution+DPI on the Microsoft Surface Laptop is perfect but I would prefer to go with Lenovo.
fomine3 6y ago
Calling 2560px as 2K is absolutely wrong and really confusing. I hope they think what is half of 4K.

codecamper 6y ago

no 32GB option? pass.

bouncycastle 6y ago
Even 32 is starting to feel cramped nowadays, especially with all those Electron apps, VMs, containers and Intelij incarnations. My next laptop will have 64!
devn0ll 6y ago
Sure, but think about it: This means other systems will get 16:10 !! (I cannot type fast enough to sooth my enthousiasm for this!) Some T series, 15 inch, with 16:10 #swoon
- 4ad 6y ago
  > This means other systems will get 16:10 I hope so. And I sure hope Lenovo will not put some crappy TN screen in them, as it is known to do. Or make you chose between quality and resolution.
- ginko 6y ago
  I'd be enthusiastic if they released a laptop with a proper 4:3 screen.
artistsvoid 6y ago
two thoughts a) where does it say this? it says the machine will have 16 GB of ram, nothing about possible bonus upgrades one might be able to get (though maybe you followed some links in the article) b) even if 16 GB is max: whoever it is that "needs" more than 16 GB probably won't go for an ultra light weight (< 1 kg = < 2.2 pounds) 13 inch machine for their use case. Seems like "mobility" is priority number one, not having some multi-tasking maverick
- alex_duf 6y ago
  I don't know, I find it a bit upsetting that the X1 I bought 8 years ago had already 8G. Doubling every 8 years seems a bit slow. I would like a bit more headroom to future proof it.

pella 6y ago

Thunderbolt 3 or 4 ? "The ThinkPad X1 Nano just has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, " vs. "2 brand new Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports." https://www.slashgear.com/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-nano-leaked-to-be-its-lightest-yet-14629071/ https://www.slashgear.com/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-nano-leaked-to-...

bestouff 6y ago
I guess it's USB-4 ports, which are Thunderbolt 3.
neogodless 6y ago
That seems like an error on the part of the author there, since the image they used specifies Thunderbolt 4 as well.
wmf 6y ago
Tiger Lake has Thunderbolt 4. It's the same speed as Thunderbolt 3 so most people won't notice the difference anyway.

read_if_gay_ 6y ago

Why not use AMD CPUs?

ses1984 6y ago
I'm guessing not enough time to stuff an amd rig into ultra portable form factor.
- read_if_gay_ 6y ago
  Their previous lineup did also include ultraportable AMD devices like the X390 though. Or is there something inherently harder about AMD designs?
  - ses1984 6y ago
    I doubt it, but the nano is over 20% lighter, it's in a different class, a class that amd hasn't competed in until now. I'm guessing amd will be in these kinds of ultra portables soon. Their cpus are flying off shelves, they're probably focused on the more lucrative server market for now.
Mashimo 6y ago
I read that the X1 was developed with Intel, and thus they can't use AMD CPUs in that lineup. I don't know if it's true or not. It was a random reddit comment.
- eumenides1 6y ago
  Time. I saw the HP Envy on Linus' Tech-tips review and the battery life on AMD CPUs is ridiculous. 14 hours on battery. For most people, you might be able to bring your laptop to work WITHOUT a power brick. I'm personally not a fan of HP laptops, but i'm looking forward to AMD CPUs on thinkpad and Dell XPS laptops. There is no way there isn't going to be a X1 type laptop with an AMD CPU. Lenovo can't leave that kind of battery performance on the table without losing market share to Dell and HP.

pmontra 6y ago

I'm glad to see a resurgence of 16:10 screens. I'm waiting to see bezels shrink to the point I'll have a nearly 15" 16:10 screen in a 14" laptop body, not to have a number pad.

jxdxbx 6y ago
I am so glad that there's been a 16:9 backlash. It makes no sense on smaller screens the you have to work from. It's ok for phones, since you need to hold them in your hand in portrait so some narrowness makes sense, and for smaller tablets that are designed just for watching video. But I love that iPads are still (mostly) 4:3, and 16:10 is an ok balance for laptops and desktop monitors (though I'd probably prefer 4:3 there as well).
flohofwoe 6y ago
As a programmer I would really like to have more choices of 3:2 or even 4:3 aspect ratio laptops (because of the added vertical space, which is really much more valuable when working mostly with text on fairly small displays). For 3:2 I'm only aware of the MS Surface and Huaewei MateBook laptops, and Thinkpads were probably the last 4:3 laptops(?).
- nobleach 6y ago
  The MateBook really is a nice looking laptop. The folks I've known that have purchased them have all run into reliability issues within a year (non-booting machines, spacebar stops working, other weird things) I looked into them before I bought my Thinkpad X1C. I still like that screen though.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]
- floatboth 6y ago
  The Google Pixelbook is 3:2 also, it's pretty great except for the big-ass bezels.
6y ago

pqb 6y ago

> 13.0 | 16:10 | 2K | 450nits | 100% sRGB | Optional Touch > Ultra-narrow bezel | 85% STB It is very nice move from the Dell [0], and also now Lenovo to bring 16:10 display in laptops. It was always for me strange decision, when laptop manufactures decided to use 16:9 displays for all, even for pricey, high-end models. I am highly enthusiastic to see 16:10 displays back after ten years, when numerous notebooks had 15.4" display. [0]: For example Dell Precision 5550 - https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebooks/precision-5550-mobile-workstation/spd/precision-15-5550-laptop?AID=8984087&cjevent=a74879349abf11ea81ac05fc0a180510&gacd=9694607-23736398-5750457-266319267-127795103&dgc=af&VEN1=12578053-8984087-ArsDellPrecisionLatitude&dclid=CKSU_JD8wukCFcaLsgodiE8Dxw#features_section https://www.dell.com/en-us/work/shop/dell-laptops-and-notebo...

Jaruzel 6y ago
The old Dell Latitude D models had 16:10 displays (albeit at 1280x800 pixels) so for Dell they are bringing it back. 16:9 is just too shallow to do any meaningful work on.
- jbverschoor 6y ago
  It was never meant for work..
  - lmilcin 6y ago
    Yeah... exactly. If I remember there were two drivers. One was entertainment (movies look good on 16:9 although I prefer to have the black bar for subtitles) and another was keyboard. Wider screen meant more space for keyboard with full sized keys which meant smaller laptops possible at the same diagonal. Also worth mentioning that shallower screen at the same diagonal has less area.
  - pqb 6y ago
    Oh c'mon, many laptops in last decade had 1366x768 display and many people still downscale theirs 1920x1080 into 1600x900 or 1440x810, because they have problems to comfortable see and read text from screen :) Dell D-series are at least twelve years old [0] (example model with 16:10 display [1]). [0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_Latitude#Latitude_D8x0_series https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell_Latitude#Latitude_D8x0_se... [1]: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Dell-Latitude-D830-Notebook.4305.0.html https://www.notebookcheck.net/Review-Dell-Latitude-D830-Note... Edit: I would love to have same resolution (1680x 1050) available from linked D830 (2007) in mine HP Probook 4340s (2012), which I used at university and Unity3D course. It had scrumpy 1366x768.

rbecker 6y ago

Do these come with or without BIOS backdoors? https://www.techworm.net/2015/08/lenovo-pcs-and-laptops-seem-to-have-a-bios-level-backdoor.html https://www.techworm.net/2015/08/lenovo-pcs-and-laptops-seem...

cercatrova 6y ago

When can we get 3:2 aspect ratio laptops with zero (>95% screen to body ratio) bezels? So far the Surfaces have one part of this, and the XPSes have the second part.

dguaraglia 6y ago
My daily driver is a Huawei Matebook Pro, with exactly those specs... But a horribly placed camera and I think nowadays you can't even buy them in the US anymore.
- cercatrova 6y ago
  Yes the Matebook does have 3:2 and no bezels, but it's Huawei, it's only 13 inches, and the processors are the 15 watt versions rather than the 45 watt ones. I'm thinking more of an LG Gram 17 inch or at least 15 inch with these specs.
  - dguaraglia 6y ago
    I agree about the screen size. I'm really looking forward to next year's XPS 15, once they deal with the usual 'first model' issues. That said, I haven't found a situation where the processor has been a problem, but that's probably a matter of workload. For software development, it has never been an issue. If you are re-encoding video for a living or doing CAD, maybe it could be an issue.

atlgator 6y ago

Woohoo! Praise for non-16:9 laptops.

hyperpl 6y ago
Bring back 4:3!

jhatax 6y ago

When Apple first eliminated all but two (or four) USB-C ports, there was a ton of vitriol towards Apple on HN. In the years since Apple’s move, both Dell and IBM have adopted Apple’s playbook and are in the process of eliminating ports, and there are no comments on how everyone will need dongles to connect peripherals or get their work done. - What has changed in our use of laptops over the last 12-months that dongles are no longer a pain point? - Did Apple make the right and, dare I say it, bold call by removing a whole host of ports in lieu of standardizing on USB-C?

likeclockwork 6y ago
They offer machines with more ports, making it the buyer's choice.
Roritharr 6y ago
Dongles are still hell, I regularly still use USB-A and HDMI on my notebook. My Toshiba Portegé X-30-D is coveted in our company as it has: 1x Full-Size USB3 1x Full-Size HDMI 2x Thunderbolt USB-C (Displayport Support on both) Micro-SD Slot Headphone Jack 32GB of Socketed DDR4 Ram 1TB NVMe SSD Matté Full-HD Touchscreen Windows Hello Face&Fingerprint Recognition and weighs only 1,05 kg The only bottleneck is the i7-7500U Dual-Core CPU that I got because I couldn't wait another generation and now I just don't know what to upgrade to. I hope once USB4 becomes available there will be a Ryzen 4800U successor powered notebook available that just MATCHES the rest of the specs of my current one.
RandomBacon 6y ago
It's still a pain-point, it's just that everyone's moved on. It's the new normal.
humanistbot 6y ago
As one of those people who loves all the ports, I'll admit that the adapter situation has gotten a bit better. People/offices have adapted to the situation, where it has become standard to have a set of adapters attached to any display cable. And if not, usually someone has an adapter somewhere. I still find it frustrating that the costs of Apple's decision (followed by others) has effectively been subsidized by everyone else though. Then in the lockdown, it has been months since I've found myself in that frustrating situation where I travel to someone else's office or a conference, they only have an HDMI input, I forgot my adapter, and nobody can seem to find someone who has the right adapter. I'm likely in the market for a laptop over the next 6-12 months, and 6 months ago I would have said for sure that my next laptop would have to have HDMI or bust, but now those pain points are definitely not top of mind.

kentiko 6y ago

> <999kg Yeah I hope so.

tengbretson 6y ago

I can't even imagine what a laptop lighter than my X1 carbon would feel like. Thats so light.

dehrmann 6y ago
Remember the 11" Macbook Air? It's pretty light, and it'd be lighter without the aluminum.

thinkmassive 6y ago

"the new model is even smaller and lighter, with a weight of less than 1 kg. To achieve this, Lenovo uses a slightly smaller 48 Wh battery and also slashes most ports that are present on the ThinkPad X1 Carbon" Sounds like the X1 Nano is marginally better than a Macbook (the super small one, not Air or Pro). I'm on my second X1 Carbon gen-5 (third X1C overall), and it already has nearly the fewest ports I prefer in a laptop. While I could do without the headphone jack (controversial I know) and Ethernet port (proprietary? I lost the OEM adapter long ago), I think two each of USB-C and USB-A is minimal enough. USB-C for power USB-A for yubikey nano One of each for expansion It's too bad there aren't more high-res (2k+) laptops in the slim form factor that Intel used to call "ultrabooks". I was really hoping the Purism Librem 14 would have that as an option. edit: ...and I'm unwilling to give up anymore battery life as long as it's used for video conferencing

Aperocky 6y ago
battery life and weight >> Any other feature on a laptop. I'm waiting for that ARM mac.
- BanazirGalbasi 6y ago
  I disagree, many people use laptops as replacement desktop these days so having expansion ports is important. My new job gave me an X1 Carbon with only two USB type A ports and this is my workstation now. If I want to use any accessories like a mouse or external keyboard (set the laptop on a stand so it's level with an external monitor), I immediately run into an issue with having enough expansion room. If you're doing nothing but sitting in meetings and taking notes, the battery life will follow due to the light use. But for many people, a laptop is as much of a computer as they'll ever use, so having the ability to expand is crucial.
  - easde 6y ago
    USB-C hubs nicely solve the problem of plugging USB devices, a monitor and a charger into a laptop. Like the docking stations in old laptops, but far cheaper. If you have multiple 4K screens or very high speed I/O devices you may need Thunderbolt, but for most people USB-C is fine.

pkamb 6y ago

ThinkPad's announcement of 16:9 displays in 2009: --- > I stated in my last post that the industry is going to go through yet another display ratio change over the next year or so. > For years we've had 4:3 “square” displays. These have all but disappeared from the market as the current standard is 16:10 “wide.” > The industry is about to move yet again to true 16:9 wide. This means that the ratio of your PC display will match that of your HDTV. This change won't happen overnight, but will phase in gradually. In fact, it's already started. Many of the newest consumer notebooks, especially in the 15″ class now sport the more rectangular 16:9 display. > Again, we can thank the LCD manufacturers for this change. By cutting everything in the same aspect ratio, they have less waste per large sheet of glass. Since these manufacturers make more selling TV displays than laptop displays, the PC vendors have almost zero say in this change. We simply have to adapt. As much as I would like it to be so, 4:3 is not coming back. > For readers of this blog, yes, I had our team run the math. In order to provide a high end IPS display option, we'd need well over 15,000 confirmed orders to make it even worth considering. This is due to minimum order quantities, creating models, stocking replacement parts for years to come, etc. If someone enterprising wants to create a database of (legitimate) credit card numbers of confirmed, non-cancellable orders, I'm sure that it would get some attention around here. (For you legal types, this does not constitute an offer to sell.) > https://web.archive.org/web/20111030050311/http://www.lenovoblogs.com:80/insidethebox/2009/04/display-ratio-change-again/ https://web.archive.org/web/20111030050311/http://www.lenovo...

floatboth 6y ago
Huh, LCD manufacturers (at least in 2009) made TV and laptop displays together? Interesting..

grzes 6y ago

i think 1366x768 resolution on 15.6 inch screen is perfect in terms of UI elements size. like its a sweet spot between to small and too large with enought horizontal area. physical width of such 15.6 inch screen is 34.53 cm so it gives you 0,025285037 cm per pixel. so my "perfect" laptop would have 15.6 inch screen and 16:10 aspect ratio. i would double the resolution in order to avoid fractional scaling and use 200% scaling so final resolution would be 2732x1708 - anyone can recommend something close to that on the market?

akvadrako 6y ago
Just get 4K with 300% scaling. 3840/3 = 1280, it's about the same.

nogridbag 6y ago

Are the USB ports on both sides? One of the nice things about the 15" MBP is being able to charge it from either side. Also, having >= 3 ports allows me to keep a yubikey installed semi-permanently and still charge from either side. Nice to see more laptop manufacturers adopting less wide screens.

woodandsteel 6y ago

I would much rather someone made a laptop with a keyboard with sculptured keys and reasonably full key travel. I would be glad to lose a pound of lightness for that.