10 Coolest New Lenovo Laptops And Tablets At CES 2021

Lenovo is unveiling four new models for its SMB-focused ThinkBook lineup, along with new ThinkPad X1 laptops and two new tablets.

Lenovo’s Laptop And Tablet Lineup For 2021

As the boom in demand for laptops continues, Lenovo is going big at CES 2021 with new laptop models in both clamshell and 2-in-1 convertible form factors. On Tuesday, Lenovo unveiled four new models coming to its SMB-focused ThinkBook lineup, including a second-gen model of the dual-display ThinkBook Plus. The four new ThinkBooks join a number of other Lenovo laptops that have debuted in connection with the all-digital CES 2021 conference--among them an updated ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the brand-new ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga and additional new laptops in Lenovo’s ThinkPad and IdeaPad lineups. The device maker has also debuted two new tablets in its 2-in-1 tablet portfolio, including a new business-focused tablet in the ThinkPad X1 series, the ThinkPad X12 Detachable. Key themes of the new Lenovo laptops and tablets include capabilities for enhanced collaboration, portability and performance, as well as new and improved displays.

What follows are details on the 10 coolest new Lenovo laptops and tablets at CES 2021.

Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i

Lenovo is using CES 2021 to launch a follow-up to its unique ThinkBook model from last year’s show, the ThinkBook Plus. Like on the original model, the standout feature is the inclusion of an E Ink display on the top cover. For the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i, the E ink display has been expanded to 12 inches (from 10.8 inches previously) and now has an improved refresh rate-- while the resolution of both the E ink display and the 13.3-inch main display have been increased to 2,560 x 1,600 (from 1,920 x 1,080 previously). Meanwhile, along with using the E ink display with a digital pen and for getting notifications, the top display now features options “to run productivity apps without having to open the lid,” Lenovo says.

Other improvements include a more portable form factor -- at 2.86 pounds (versus 3.08 pounds originally) and a thickness of 0.54 of an inch (compared to 0.68 of an inch previously). The notebook’s display also now features a 16:10 aspect ratio with reduced blue light technology and includes slimmer bezels for a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio (compared to 78 percent originally). Additional key features include a new garaged pen that automatically launches certain apps; up to 15 hours of battery life; 11th-gen Intel Core processors (up to Core i7); and wireless charging with the use of an optional ThinkBook Charging Mat (leveraging Power by Contact technology from Energysquare).

The Lenovo ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i will have a starting price of $1,549 and will be available during the first quarter.

Lenovo ThinkBook 13x i

Lenovo is emphasizing the thin and lightweight design with the ThinkBook 13x i, which measures just a half inch thick and weighs 2.65 pounds. Like the ThinkBook Plus Gen 2 i, the ThinkBook 13x i includes a 13.3-inch display with resolution of 2,560 x 1,600, a 16:10 aspect ratio, a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio and up to 400 nits of brightness. The notebook also offers up to 15 hours of battery life and 11th-gen Intel Core processors up to the Core i7. The ThinkBook 13x i includes an aluminum exterior with two color options -- Storm Gray or Cloud Gray.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 13x i will have a starting price of $1,199 and will be available during the first quarter.

Lenovo ThinkBook 14p

Lenovo is also introducing new ThinkBook models at CES that are powered by AMD processors, including the ThinkBook 14p. The notebook includes AMD Ryzen 5000 Series mobile processors, up to the latest generation of AMD’s Ryzen 9 5000 H Series chips. The ThinkBook 14p also comes with integrated AMD Radeon graphics, and is configurable with up to 32 GB of RAM for even further enhanced performance. The 14-inch display on the ThinkBook 14p features a 16:10 aspect ratio--providing about 6 percent greater usable screen space than a 16:9 display--while sporting optional OLED display technology with 2.8K resolution. Other key features include a “smart power button” (with an integrated fingerprint reader); an optional FHD webcam with ThinkShutter cover; a larger touchpad with a backlit keyboard that includes dedicated conference call keys; AI-powered noise cancellation; and a portable form factor at 3.08 pounds.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 14p will have a starting price of $849 and will be available during the first quarter.

Lenovo ThinkBook 16p

For the ThinkBook 16p, Lenovo is including not just a larger display--at 16 inches--but several other differences from the ThinkBook 14p as well. Those include discrete Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics and preconfigured color calibration technology (with the pre-installed X-Rite Color Assistant) for enhanced color accuracy. The display also offers a 16:10 aspect ratio, resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 and up to 400 nits of brightness, along with reduced bezels for a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio (though the notebook is not available with an OLED display). Other key capabilities for the ThinkBook 16p include the optional FHD webcam, smart power button, larger touchpad and AI-based noise cancelling technology—as well as AMD Ryzen 9 5000 H Series processors and up to 32 GB of RAM.

The Lenovo ThinkBook 16p will have a starting price of $1,299 and will be available during the first quarter.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga

As the newest addition to Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 line, the ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga stands out as the company’s thinnest ThinkPad device to date, at 0.45 of an inch thick. The convertible laptop—which gets its name from the titanium material that covers the exterior of the device--is also lightweight at 2.54 pounds. The ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga comes with a 13.5-inch display with 2,256 x 1,504 resolution, 450 nits of brightness, a 3:2 aspect ratio and support for Dolby Vision HDR. Other key features include optional 5G or LTE connectivity, support for WiFi 6 and 11th-gen Intel Core processors (up to Core i7 vPro). And to assist with collaboration, the ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga includes four far-field microphones, a Dolby Atmos Speaker System and an HD camera.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga will have a starting price of $1,899, and will be available to order in January.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 9)

For the ninth-gen edition of the popular ThinkPad X1 Carbon, the notebook has been “completely redesigned,” Lenovo says. Updates on the X1 Carbon Gen 9 include a new 16:10 aspect ratio and reduced blue light on the 14-inch display, which will offer a choice between UHD or FHD resolution (up to 500 nits of brightness). Other new features and capabilities include an integrated fingerprint reader on the power button; optional 5G or LTE connectivity; a wider touchpad; and support for Dolby Voice, which optimizes the performance of the notebook’s microphones and speakers. Dolby Voice features include dynamic levelling, which automatically adapts to voices that are quieter or far away and provides noise suppression to limit background noises and echo. The new X1 Carbon will also include a larger battery than the previous model, at 57 Whr, to enable battery life of up to 16 hours.

On performance, the notebook will be powered by 11th-gen Intel Core processors (up to Core i7 vPro) and be configurable with up to 32 GB of RAM. And on security, an embedded human presence detection sensor will lock the X1 Carbon when the user walks away--and then automatically log the user back in with the help of Windows Hello facial recognition--while the notebook will also offer an optional integrated privacy display to protect against viewing by onlookers.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon, Gen 9, will have a starting price of $1,429 and will be available in February.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga (Gen 6)

The sixth-gen ThinkPad X1 Yoga convertible has also gotten a full redesign for 2021, Lenovo says, with many of the same new features as on the updated ThinkPad X1 Carbon. Those include the larger 57 Whr battery (for battery life of up to 15 hours); support for Dolby Voice and human presence detection; the power button / fingerprint reader combination; the wider touchpad; and a 16:10 aspect ratio for its 14-inch display, with reduced blue light and an optional integrated privacy screen.

On connectivity and performance, the new ThinkPad X1 Yoga will also offer optional support for 5G or LTE as well as 11th-gen Intel Core processors (up to Core i7 vPro) and up to 32 GB of RAM. Other updates on the sixth-gen X1 Yoga will include an increased screen-to-body ratio and a new “Storm Gray” color.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga, Gen 6, will have a starting price of $1,569 and will be available in February.

Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable

After two years without a new 2-in-1 tablet in the ThinkPad X1 series, Lenovo is reviving the concept with the debut of the new ThinkPad X12 Detachable. The tablet will feature a 12.3-inch FHD+ display with a 3:2 aspect ratio, 400 nits of brightness and Gorilla Glass 5 for durability. Overall on durability, the tablet is designed to “withstand extreme heat and cold, dust, drops, spills, direct impact, and more,” Lenovo says. The ThinkPad X12 Detachable connects to a backlit folio keyboard and also supports use with an optional Lenovo Precision Pen or Lenovo Digital Pen. Meanwhile, the 2-in-1 tablet will provide strong performance via 11th-gen Intel Core processors (up to Core i7 vPro) and up to 10 hours of battery life. Other key features include a 5-megapixel webcam and “always on responsiveness,” which allows you to resume working within less than a second of waking the device,” Lenovo says.

The Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable will have a starting price of $1,149 and will be available in January.

Lenovo Tab P11

Lenovo is further expanding its 2-in-1 tablet lineup at CES with the launch of the Lenovo Tab P11. The 11-inch Android tablet can connect to a detachable keyboard and also supports the Lenovo Precision Pen 2 stylus (both sold separately from the tablet). The Tab P11 display features 2,000 x 1,200 resolution, an 85 percent screen-to-body ratio, 400 nits of brightness and technology for reduced blue light. On performance, the tablet includes Qualcomm’s eight-core Snapdragon 662 processor and 6 GB of RAM, and offers up to 15 hours of battery life on a charge. Additionally, the Tab P11 features Dolby Atmos speakers, an aluminum alloy body and a built-in kickstand.

The Lenovo Tab P11 has a starting price of $229.99 and is available now.

Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro

Lenovo is also using CES to introduce new models in its IdeaPad lineup, including the IdeaPad 5 Pro. The notebook sports a 16-inch display with a 16:10 aspect ratio for a wider amount of usable screen space, as well as reduced blue light technology up to 350 nits of brightness and slim bezels (for a 90 percent screen-to-body ratio). The IdeaPad 5 Pro also features an all-metal body in “Cloud Grey” or “Storm Grey” color options. On performance, the laptop will be powered by AMD Ryzen H-Series processors and will be available with Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics and up to 32 GB of RAM. Other key capabilities include an IR camera that enables Windows Hello facial authentication log-in and includes time-of-flight sensors to automatically pause a video when the user walks away. Meanwhile, the IdeaPad 5 Pro will feature the new Alexa Show Mode capability, which adds voice control via the Amazon Alexa assistant and “turns your PC into an Echo Show-like display,” Lenovo says.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 Pro will have a starting price of $1,149.99 and is expected to be available in May. Alexa Show Mode is expected to become available in the second quarter.