Lenovo ThinkPad X13s is Qualcomm's answer to the MacBook Pro
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During Qualcomm's MWC keynote, Lenovo took the stage to announce the first PC equipped with the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 SoC. The ThinkPad X13s is a Windows-on-Arm (WoA) laptop promising up to 28 hours of battery life, something which Lenovo coined as "multi-day battery life", with features like cellular connectivity including 5G mmWave support.
TL;DR
- Lenovo's ThinkPad X13s is equipped with Snapdragon 8cxGen3 SoC, with a 5G modem.
- Weighing only 1.06Kg (2.35 pounds), the device runs Windows 11.
The corporate device was developed in collaboration with both Qualcomm and Microsoft and is positioned as a sort of reply to Apple's MacBook line powered by the M1 SoC. Thin and light (13,4 mm/0.53in thick, 1.06Kg/2.35 pounds), the ThinkPad X13s is a fanless PC running up to Windows 11 Pro.
The highlight feature, at least according to Lenovo, is the "multi-day battery life", with up to 28 hours of run time (according to the company, running a local video playback test). And positioned under Qualcomm's ACPC push (always connected PC), the ThinkPad X13s leverages the Snapdragon modem to offer 4G/5G connectivity, both in sub-6 and mmWave networks.
Despite using an ARM SoC, the ThinkPad X13s is also capable of running x86-64 (or AMD64) Windows applications, solving one of the main issues of current WoA PCs.
Hybrid work
Not only the new notebook can work away from the office, it is also ready for the inescapable video conferences. The ThinkPad X13s is equipped with a 5 megapixels webcam, compatible with auto framing. This last feature is similar to Apple's Center Stage. For privacy-conscious users, the webcam can be covered using the e-shutter function. The camera system is also compatible with Windows Hello, using an IR camera for biometry.
On the audio department, the ThinkPad X13s brings a triple-array microphone for noise impression in video calls, the system is compatible with Qualcomm's own Voice and Audio Communication Suite and is Dolby Audio certified.
| Lenovo ThinkPad X13s | |
|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Adreno GPU |
| RAM | Up to 32 GB LPPDR4x |
| Storage | Up to 1TB PCie SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Display | 13.3-inch 16:10 1920 x 1200 pixels (WUXGA/FullHD) Optional touch |
| Battery | 49.5 Whr Up to 28 hours battery life |
| Connectivity | Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 - Wi-Fi 6E | Bluetooth 5.2 Qualcomm Snapdragon X55 - 4G LTE | 5G mmWave and sub-6 |
| Camera | 5 megapixels Optional IR sensor (Windows Hello compatible) |
| Security features | Fingerprint reader Windows Hello facial recognition Camera shutter Kensington lock Microsoft Pluton secure processor |
| Ports | 2x USB-C SIM card slot 3.5mm audio jack |
| Dimensions | 298.7 x 206.4 x 13.4mm 11.76 x 8.13 x 0.53in |
| Weight | 1.06kg | 2.35 lbs |
| Pricing and release | USA: to be disclosed Europe: €1399 (May/2022) |
ThinkPad X13s release date and pricing
According to Lenovo, the ThinkPad X13s will hit store shelves in Europe in May 2022, with prices starting at €1399. The US release is set for "later in 2022", with details and pricing to be shared later.
Do you think the Windows ecosystem is ready to face Apple Silicon head-to-head? Or are you still skeptical about the hype around ARM PCs? What about games? Share your opinions in the comments below.
