Lenovo’s ThinkPad line of laptops and computers are specifically designed for business users, but about anyone can use them. The company purposefully markets these machines for business due to their rugged build and utilitarian design. The ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 is born into a well-respected family and has a leg up.
Business users and consumers alike should enjoy the flexibility and mobility of the ThinkPad Yoga line of laptops. If you’re not in the market for a ThinkPad, Lenovo also makes the Yoga line in its regular lineup. Read on for the full review of the ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1.
Specifications
The ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 sent to us has the following features and specifications:
- CPU: 10th Generation Intel Core i5-10310U Processor with vPro (1.70 GHz, up to 4.40 GHz with Turbo Boost, 4 Cores, 8 Threads, 6 MB Cache)
- GPU: Intel UHD
- RAM: 16GB DDR4 2667 MHz
- SSD: 256GB PCIe SSD
- Display: 13.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-reflective, anti-smudge, touchscreen, low power, 400 nits
- Audio: Bottom mounted speakers
- Wireless: Intel Wi-Fi 6 AX201 802.11AX (2 x 2) & Bluetooth 5.0
- Battery: 3 Cell Li-Polymer 50Wh
- Keyboard: Backlit
- I/O
- 2 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 (1 always on)
- USB-C with Thunderbolt 3 (PowerDelivery, DisplayPort, Data Transfer)
- USB-C (PowerDelivery, DisplayPort, Data Transfer)
- HDMI 1.4
- Headphone/Mic jack
- MicroSD card reader
- Kensington lock slot
- Dimensions
- Height: 0.63″ – 15.95mm
- Width: 12.2″ – 310.4mm
- Depth: 8.6″ – 2.19mm
- Weight: Starting at 2.76 lbs (1.25 kg)
What’s In The Box
- Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1
- Power supply and cable
- Garaged ThinkPad Pen Pro
- Documentation and Quick Start Guide
Design
The ThinkPad design hasn’t changed a lot over the past few years other than the materials used for construction. That’s not a bad thing; ThinkPad’s are generally built like tanks and can take a good amount of abuse. The ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 is no different in this respect.
The entire body is black, and the hinges are a steel grey color. The bottom is fairly nondescript and has some vents for cooling along with the down-firing speakers. The top is also nondescript but does showcase the ThinkPad logo with a glowing red dot over the “i” in Think.
Along the right side of the ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1, you’ll find the power button, MicroSD card slot, USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, HDMI 1.4 port, and Kensington lock. Along the left side, you’ll find the headphone/mic jack, USB 3.2 Gen 1 port, and USB-C with Thunderbolt 3.
Opening the ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 up reveals the display, webcam, webcam privacy shade, keyboard, and trackpad. The keyboard is still the same ThinkPad keyboard, which I’ve come to love. It is, hands down, one of the best keyboards on the market.
The trackpad is also solid; Lenovo has done a lot over the years to improve this. The TrackPoint nub is still here as well. It’s something I’ve never liked, but I know many people who enjoy using TrackPoint, and I can’t really say it’s a negative because I don’t have to use it.
Since this is part of the Yoga line, you can use it in laptop mode, tent mode, tablet mode, and presentation mode. There’s plenty of versatility going on here per usual for any Yoga device.
Overall, this is a familiar yet time-tested design that doesn’t disappoint. If you’re a long-time ThinkPad user you’ll be right at home.
Display
This ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 comes with a 13.3″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS, anti-reflective, anti-smudge, touchscreen, low power, 400 nit display. You can configure them in a variety of ways; this version is middle of the road.
The bezels on the right and left are pretty thin, but the bezels on top and bottom are thicker, probably thicker than they should be. It’s not a deal killer, but it would be nice to see less bezel. Lenovo’s privacy shade is also built-in. It’s really nothing more than a plastic slider that covers your webcam, but it’s nice to have it built-in.
One of the best parts of this particular display is its 400 nit brightness. I really prefer the brightest display I can get and would have gone with the 500 nit version if I was ordering. Still, 400 nits is respectable and goes a long way when you’re outdoors and in brighter lighting conditions.
The colors are very accurate and clean. Blacks and whites are also well balanced, and the text is crisp and clear. Our version is touch-enabled, and responsiveness was excellent.
Overall, this is a great display, and I think the middle of the road choice is the right pick for most users.
Software/Ecosystem
Our ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 came loaded with Windows 10 Pro. There’s not much to say here, Windows works well, and the UI is familiar and easy to navigate. I was pleased to see no bloatware on this laptop. The only thing I noticed was Lenovo’s Vantage software, which is designed to help users more easily keep their laptops updated.
Overall, Windows 10 Pro good. Lenovo Vantage, I am indifferent to. Happy to see no bloatware.
Performance
The ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 is a business laptop meant to handle multitasking and business applications. Our unit was outfitted with the 10th Generation Intel Core i5-10310U Processor with vPro, Intel UHD Graphics, and 16GB of RAM.
This is more than enough for running multiple word processing sessions, business apps, web browsing, email, and much more. You could probably get away with running apps like Affinity Photo or PhotoShop, not very efficient but you could.
Overall, our review unit was a middle of the road powered unit and it performed admirably.
Speakers/Sound
The speakers on the ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 are located on the bottom of this laptop and aren’t all that good. In laptop mode, when the unit is on your lap, they’re not great. The sound improves when you use other modes like tent and presentation mode.
The sound is good enough for video conferencing, podcasts, and some YouTube videos but if you want to watch movies and other media, headphones or speakers are best. Overall, the speakers are basic and good for basic tasks; these are not multi-media speakers.
ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 Photo Gallery
Camera
The webcam on the ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 is also basic. Most laptops are still using 720p webcams, and they work fine but aren’t the best. We’d love to see 1080p webcams become the new normal, but we’re not waiting up for that anytime soon.
Battery Life
There are two battery options on the ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1, and ours came with the larger 50Wh version. With this version, Lenovo says you should get up to 18.2 hours of battery life, depending on your use. The smaller battery is supposed to give you up to 12 hours.
Consuming media will drain the battery faster, but we experienced a full day with normal tasks with plenty of charges left. Battery life is very subjective and will vary by each user’s use.
Price/Value
Pricing for the ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 starts at US$891 and goes up from there. Our unit was priced out at US$1,887 on CDW’s website. Lenovo’s ThinkPad’s bring a lot of value to business users and are among the best business laptops out there. We’d recommend upgrading the RAM, processor, and storage to get the best value out of this laptop.
Wrap Up
I have no problem recommending the ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen1 as a purchase for just about anyone. The ThinkPad line is excellent, especially for business users, and this Yoga offers both flexibility and mobility for users on the run.
In some of our articles and especially in our reviews, you will find Amazon or other affiliate links. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Any other purchases you make through these links often result in a small amount being earned for the site and/or our writers. Techaeris often covers brand press releases. Doing this does not constitute an endorsement of any product or service by Techaeris. We provide the press release information for our audience to be informed and make their own decision on a purchase or not. Only our reviews are an endorsement or lack thereof. For more information, you can read our full disclaimer.
Last Updated on February 3, 2021.
Comments are closed.