Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold 16 Gen 1 Day 120: Being First, Being the Best

[@iamdmc]

So it's very heavy, extremely expensive, woefully underpowered, and annoying Cool... Cool...

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It's crazy to think how far we've come when we look at a device under two kilograms as being very heavy (laptopretrospective.com/laptops/2021-battle-of-the-kilogram/). It certainly is not a device for everyone, the design being as unique as it is and the initial cost before it goes on sale makes it very niche indeed. I also think if you value high performance this form factor wouldn't be immediately attractive as your main device. I look forward to what comes next.

[@iamdmc]

@@LaptopRetrospective Yes but ultrabooks have been around for more than a decade, including sub 1kg ultrabooks No excuse for a half baked product like this in 2023. It looks like a thick retro device

[@LaptopRetrospective]

This I don't think will compete or steal market share from dedicated ultrabook buyers but time will tell.

[@christmasisawesome9348]

​@@LaptopRetrospectiveCompletely agree. Though as the technology progressed and becomes more accessible, the line could become more blurred.

[@warrenmcclure7819]

Have you thought about buying one of these? despite the price these things are so freaking cool

[@LaptopRetrospective]

The temptation for a G2 device is real.

[@memoryfoam2285]

As a massive thinkpad enthusiast and daily driver of a Z Flip 5 I thought this would appeal to me more, but for some reason the idea of a foldable laptop just feels wrong to me.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It isn't a common form factor and has some drawbacks that people might not want in the slot of the device that will be the primary workhorse. It won't be for everyone.

[@tonyonyoutube]

Knowing that the foldable display is from Sharp but not LG, I have doubts on the durability as Sharp is clearly new to the game.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Interesting, where did you pull down the information? Appreciate if you can share.

[@dandanovich6729]

The only question is whether the screen will break in bend areas over time like in those samsung folds.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Fair question.

[@baschii7603]

And if lenovo will replacd it in case warranty is outdated

[@ivaylovelikov]

Thank you for all your professionally made ThinkPad videos. You deserve 1 00 000 subscribers straight away. I hope more people subscribe to your channel as quickly as possible. Is X1 Fold 16 suitable for prolonged use connected to a docking station?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Thanks for the ki and words. I don't have any reason to believe there would be any issue using it with a docking station given its TB4 ports invite such a setup to expand the ports and function of the machine.

[@klyesam4006]

have you tried Linux

[@LaptopRetrospective]

No, I didn't. Given that it wasn't released at that time I didn't anticipate any level of support for the hardware. Some things may have still worked.

[@Steven-e7c]

Thanks for this video. Could you please make another video showing how well it works with a few programs? Maybe show how good it is with Photoshop?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Sadly I had to return this pre production model so I cannot make any more videos. If I still had one or a production one, I'd be all over it.

[@dpongtippun]

Can you use it with any regular application like adobe reader or ms office and try switch between portrait and landscape. Does it have problem switching? Also if you can compare it with Yogabook 9i especially switching orientation. Most other foldable laptops are having big problem with those.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I didn't have any problems at all switch orientation, even when in a game running which you can see in an earlier video. I can't unfortunately compare it to a device I do not have (YogaBook 9i).

[@baschii7603]

How is the battery?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

Battery life was fine. I discuss it quickly in another video. Tests are listed in the PSREF as well.

[@Key-Premise]

The laptop is great and all, but there's one thing on my mind for a while now. Is there a table for the presented laptops & tech for every video or is that a floor at: 2:25 and you're making that one pose like the one I did at a sleepover 20 years ago where we were making fun of girls and their sleep parties and I swore I would never speak of that in any way, shape or form? :v/

[@LaptopRetrospective]

That is my film space, which is made up of a piece of left over acacia wood.

[@len5392]

Wow glad to see another video from you on this! I've been craving more "hands on" videos of this device. Happy to see you were able to use it for quite some time. On the Lenovo Pen - does it take a battery (if so which size?) or can you charge it? Also on the keyboard: Can the device close with the keyboard between the screen(s) like the original fold?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It's compatible with several pens, they take a AAAA which is standard. The keyboard is not stored between the folded sections of the device. It magnetically attaches to the stand and bottom of the machine.

[@len5392]

@@LaptopRetrospective Got it thank you for your quick response. Going back to the pen - you mentioned its compatible with several pens. I'm curious to know if it's possible to use another pen that is rechargeable and magnetic (so it can stay on the side of the device like the stock pen)? (I bit disappointed to hear the pen takes a battery in this day and age).

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@len5392 Great question. I'd probably just source a rechargeable AAAA battery. You get the benefits of a replaceable battery and rechargeable.

[@len5392]

@@LaptopRetrospective Good point! (didn’t think about that). Yea you might be right - that may be a better course of action. Lastly - I am curious if you plan on buying one for yourself now that its out? :)

[@LaptopRetrospective]

@len5392 I'm going to watch out for sale prices like I always do. If the price is right and at the right time...

[@eskamobob8662]

Any plans to test the HP specter Fold? Id love to see a comparison between the two tbh.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

If HP wants to send me one, I'd probably test it. I don't have the pre-production Fold anymore so it would be a comparison based on these observations rather than on camera.

[@harjan5364]

what song is the intro from?

[@exxzxxe]

Another good video. What do you think of the ability of Windows 11 to represent the capabilities of this machine?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

The one thing I did appreciate was there wasn't a complex software center or extra layer needed to run the device. Having seen the YogaBook 9i for example in person now, that has a software center that needs updating to gain functionality.

[@exxzxxe]

Thanks

[@exxzxxe]

Another question: how close to "a paper experience" is using the pen on this device?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

It won't be like paper, but the pen has a rolling resistance to it that feels better than some other screens I've tried where it glides nearly frictionless.

[@exxzxxe]

I use the 'dry-ink' white-boards quite a lot. Maybe like that.

[@Philipp31415]

Thanks a lot for the review. Did you try to use it like book to read? Does it behave as expected if - say - one were to read a book using kindle?

[@LaptopRetrospective]

I found the book experience fine with normal PDFs. I usually had a note taker on the other side. I suspect if you used a dedicated reader app it would have also been nice but I don't have experience with the Kindle ecosystem.

[@Philipp31415]

@@LaptopRetrospective thanks a lot, I guess I will buy the thing, also based on your excellent review.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

If you get one, do let us know what you think. I haven't seen a production/release version so I'm curious to hear more about them.

[@Philipp31415]

@@LaptopRetrospective I will do that

[@mynt4033]

Can you swap the FN and CTRL just like the laptops? Does the BT keyboard have a driver to just do that? Otherwise it's dead weight.

[@LaptopRetrospective]

On older machines you did the swap in the BIOS but now I think it's on Lenovo Vantage.