Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga 2017 (Core i7, OLED) Convertible Review

[Redaktion]

Premium convertible. Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Yoga is clearly in a league of its own  - at least as far as the price is concerned. The convertible features high-end components and a very good OLED panel. How the top-of-the-line version of the X1 Yoga with Intel Core i7 CPU compares to its competitors is the subject of our comprehensive review.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Lenovo-ThinkPad-X1-Yoga-2017-Core-i7-OLED-Convertible-Review.226116.0.html

[gt40]

Lenove must be joking. A 3000 euro machine with a PWM issues.

[aydio]

Hi, there's a spelling mistake: "[...] which feature 1.23-inch to 13-inch displays and therefore [...]"

Thanks for the review  :)

[dthrp]

I own this model with 960 Pro SSD instead of the stock PM961. On my average workload, the battery lasts 3 hours, and I'm not even pushing the laptop. Usually, my usage translates to 70-75% of NBC's WiFi v1.3 test, so I found this result a bit disappointing.

[Bernie Pechlaner]

Hi, there's a spelling mistake: "[...] which feature 1.23-inch to 13-inch displays and therefore [...]"

Thanks for the review  :)

Corrected - Thanks for pointing it out!
Bernie

[LenovoFan]

Throttling, PWM, a very dark screen with mirror-like qualities, short battery life, the machine can get very hot, .... and NBC gives it 88%... OMG!

[hackpadthink]

What's your measurement method here?  i1Profiler software (40 % white)? What's the point of measuring a 1st and 2nd gen OLED panel with an "arbitrarily chosen" percentage (40%) of white screen then and giving these results? Are both measuring methods of X1 Yoga 1st OLED and X1 Yoga 2nd OLED at least the same? Please provide a brightness graph (luminance vs. white percentage) of X1 Yoga 1st vs. 2nd. I bet 1st and 2nd gen are nearly identical as there is only one panel out from Samsung and the difference you see is only within the scope of manufacturing deviation or worse software settings.

[soulearth]

Lenove must be joking. A 3000 euro machine with a PWM issues.

Hello,
from my researches, I found out someone talking about this and telling that there seems to be PWM on all OLED screens on computer or mobile phones for a reason of helping solving an OLED weakness. Sorry that I don't remember which one right now without search it back. Not sure about TVs. This information is probably right but I cannot tell for 100% sure. Too few reviews about other models with OLED tells about PWM, informations are few even on forums.
We will see if next year model gets a new oled screen without PWM.

I have the 1st gen X1 Yoga with OLED and the PWM seems to have no impact on me. No headache at all and for getting faster tired eyes, really hard to tell as for now I felt nothing particular but maybe there is some light impact.

I am very surprised of the differences between last year model and this year one (Adobe RGB 15% loss, how can it be ? would need to test several oled screens of the 2 generations to check and compare).
I have seen screen from 260 to 360cd/m² in reviews for last year model. Here is even poorer at 240. Mine is 300cd/m², why almost only mine seems to have the exact amount of Lenovo claim ?
It is possible to calibrate the screen with some free programs and right calibrator("DisplayCAL" with "Argyll CMS" programs and for example Colormunki i1 display pro...beware to have version 3 for OLED). My calibration has worked very well and surprising, my screen delta for colours was very good even before calibration at 1,5. I could tell with my own eyes but calibrator did confirm it.
Of course calibration improves everything, better to calibrate at 100% brightness. At 0 or 25% brightness, there seems to be a problem in the checking accuracy with "marroon, burgundy" colour. It has a 13 delta. It's leading toward black, that's the reason of such high result. Red is also at 7 with 0% brightness but acceptable at 25%. All other colours perfect at 0,5 global delta.
Almost perfect spot on everything after calibration, just light unacuracies.

[sdfd]

@soulearth, how do you know that your screen has 300cd/m2?

[alexgray]

next gen display with aggressive PWM
Innovation Never Stands Still

[Nunyo]

In the temperature study, the discussion is inconsistent with the results given in the graphics. The discussion says that "The surface temperatures exceed 30 °C even at idle". However, the charts show a max idle temp of 24.6 C.

If the charts are to be believed (including the "temperature" rating of 91% at the end of the article), the laptop runs fairly cool. But if the discussion is to be believed (including the "cons" at the end of the article) the laptop runs warm. Do you know which is right?

[Lenutvo]

Way too expensive.  This machine isn't built like 3000 Euro machine.  The magnesium "rib-cage" has been reduced to effectively a partial top plate over the number of years Lenovo had their hands on the ThinkPad line.  Talk about your typical Chinese quality.  They are way out of their minds to think a folding hinge on this thing is worth the price of a middle-spec, 15 inch Macbook Pro.

[dthrp]

So I've been using the X1Y2-OLED and the 2017 14" LG-Gram-FHD for a while, and decided to return the Yoga for a few reasons.

Build quality to begin with is very disappointing. I've used business laptops from over six different brands, and frankly the X1Y2 feels as cheaply constructed as another consumer ultrabook, especially next to the Gram.

I can drop the LG Gram from waist height onto a cement floor. Of course not intentionally, but after watching reviews boasting its durability, I performed the test myself several times and to little surprise, found no visible damage. With the Yoga however, I feel equally wary of its build as I did with my 2016 Spectre x360. I've handled laptops long enough and my instinct tells me this wasn't designed to survive a hard knock against a wall, much less a hard drop.

Second reason is battery life. With the 25 watt TDP, OLED WQHD display and multiple PCIe links, I already anticipated this going in. But now that it's in front me, next to the Gram that lasts 8 hours (on average load), 3 hours feels immensely inadequate, especially since I use the battery between 15~85%. And 3 hours at best it is, with all the most extreme battery saving tricks I could think of. Usually I don't complain over empty manufacturer promises, but this trivia was hard to ignore.

It's pretty obvious, but the Gram is also 400 grams lighter than the X1Y2, which really does feel unreal (and ironic), as it was easier to use while standing than the 2 in 1.

Btw, hope the NBC reviews the LG Grams.

[forza11]

I have been using the X1 yoga 2016 version since it was released last year. I am very annoyed with the front of the laptop, the edge is rather sharp and it isnt very comfortable if you use the laptop without an external keyboard, mouse. My hands are too big to fully rest on the base of the keyboard area so the sharp edge always pressured in my hands. I tried an X260 as well and these edges are much more round.

Does anybody know if this the edges are more round on the X1 2017 version? Or the Carbon 2017? (looking for a new laptop..)

[CJP]

It seems to me that the answer is to buy the unit with an IPS screen rather than OLED.  Depending on your need, IPS should be perfectly adequate for business use and it drops the price £300.