What you need to know
- Lenovo announced the ThinkPad X1 Extreme (Gen 5) at MWC 2022.
- The refreshed Gen 5 models have 12th Gen Intel Core H-series CPUs, latest NVIDIA laptop GPUs.
- New display, storage, and memory options are also available.
- The ThinkPad X1 Extreme (Gen 5) is expected to launch in June 2022 starting at $2,049.
Lenovo's most powerful X1 laptop, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme, has been refreshed for a fifth generation at MWC 2022. The X1 Extreme has always delivered a careful balance of power and looks, keeping the X1 lineup's signature aesthetic while still managing to pack in discrete graphics and Intel's H-series processors (CPU). It's one of the best Lenovo laptops you can buy, and it just got a little bit better.
The X1 Extreme (Gen 5) holds onto the same dimensions as the previous generation. It still comes in the usual Deep Black ThinkPad color, and you can opt for a woven carbon fiber for the lid. Inside is where most of the changes take place. Intel's 12th Gen Core CPUs are now on the table, with up to a Core i9 H-series vPro chip with 14 cores.
Here's a look at the specifications available in the ThinkPad X1 Extreme (Gen 5).
| Category | ThinkPad X1 Extreme (Gen 5) |
|---|---|
| OS | Up to Windows 11 Pro Ubuntu Linux |
| Processor | Up to 12th Gen Intel Core i9 vPro (H-series) |
| RAM | Up to 64GB DDR5-4800MHz Dual SODIMM slots |
| Graphics | Laptop GPUs NVIDIA RTX 3050 Ti NVIDIA RTX 3060 NVIDIA RTX 3070 Ti NVIDIA RTX 3080 Ti |
| Storage | Up to 8TB total Dual M.2 PCIe 4.0 slots |
| Display | 16 inches 16:10 aspect ratio 1920x1200 (FHD+) IPS, anti-glare, non-touch, 500 nits, 100% sRGB, 165Hz, low blue light 2560x1600 (QHD+) IPS, anti-glare, non-touch, 400 nits, 100% sRGB 3840x2400 (UHD+) IPS, anti-glare, non-touch, 600 nits, 100% AdobeRGB, HDR400, Dolby Vision, low blue light 3840x2400 (UHD+) IPS, touch, anti-reflective, 600 nits, 100% AdobeRGB, HDR400, Dolby Vision, low blue light |
| Ports | Two Thunderbolt 4 Two USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1) SD card reader HDMI 2.1 3.5mm audio combo |
| Audio | Top-firing Dolby Atmos Dual far-field mics |
| Wireless | Intel Wi-Fi 6E 5G sub-6 (CAT20) 4G LTE (CAT4) Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Camera | FHD + IR hybrid FHD Webcam shutter |
| Keyboard | 1.5mm travel Backlit |
| Security | Fingerprint reader IR camera dTPM 2.0 Webcam shutter Kensington lock slot Intel Hardware Shield |
| Battery | 90Wh |
| Dimensions | 14.13 x 9.99 x 0.78 inches (359.5mm x 253.8mm x 17.9mm) |
| Weight | From 4.14 pounds (1.88kg) |
| Color | Deep Black |
| Availability | June 2022 |
| Price | From $2,049 |
Accompanying the new CPUs are discrete NVIDIA Laptop GPUs. New to the Gen 5 model are RTX 3070 Ti and RTX 3080 Ti options, taking the place of the previous non-Ti versions. Memory has been bumped up to DDR5-4800MHz; you can get up to 64GB available across two SODIMM slots. As for storage, both M.2 slots are now PCIe 4.0 with support for up to 8TB total from the factory.
The X1 Extreme (Gen 4) made the jump to displays with 16:10 aspect ratio, and that's not changing here. There is, however, one new non-touch display option for the Gen 5 model. It has a 1920x1200 (FHD+ or WUXGA) resolution, 500 nits brightness, 100% sRGB color, 165Hz refresh rate, and low blue light. You can also get the X1 Extreme (Gen 5) with a non-touch QHD+ or touch and non-touch UHD+ displays.
Dolby Vision and HDR400 are included with the two highest-res options, and Dolby Atmos boosts sound quality from the top-firing speakers. New to the X1 Extreme (Gen 5) is Dolby Voice, which adds AI noise cancellation to help with live collaboration. Wi-Fi 6E and wireless 5G connectivity are still available.
The new ThinkPad X1 Extreme (Gen 5) is expected to launch in June 2022 and should have a starting price of about $2,049.
