As a part of Microsoft’s massive push into AI, Lenovo is releasing two new Home windows 11 laptops that includes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip. First up is the ThinkPad T14s Gen 6, which is actually Lenovo’s hottest enterprise pocket book with an Arm-based chip with a beefy NPU as a substitute of an x86 processor from Intel or AMD. However the extra fascinating of the 2 is the Yoga Slim 7x, which options an all-new chassis that’s designed to take higher benefit of the X Elite’s mix of efficiency and energy effectivity. And whereas Lenovo gained’t say it outright, the latter is mainly the corporate’s try at making a MacBook Air rival for Home windows.
Earlier than we get too deep into the specifics, it’s vital to notice that I attempted out a pre-production model of the Slim 7x that didn’t have any of Microsoft’s new Copilot+ options, so that is strictly an early take a look at the laptop computer’s {hardware}. However from what I noticed, there’s quite a bit to love.
The laptop computer’s spotlight options are its 14-inch 3K 90Hz OLED show and its smooth aluminum chassis. The display screen includes a colour gamut that covers one hundred pc of DCI-P3 whereas delivering as much as 500 nits of brightness. Above the show, there’s Lenovo’s signature communication tab, which permits the Slim 7x to help an FHD webcam plus IR sensors for Home windows Good day together with quad mics, however with no need to have tremendous thick bezels.
At simply 2.84 kilos, the Slim 7x is simply a tenth of a pound heavier than a 13-inch MacBook Air and half a pound lighter than a 15-inch MBA. Although at round 0.51 inches thick, it’s not fairly as smooth as both of Apple’s rivals. And regardless of the Snapdragon X Elite chip’s emphasis on energy effectivity, in contrast to a MacBook Air, the Slim 7x nonetheless has devoted followers for cooling.
Elsewhere, the system options three USB-C 4 ports, Wi-Fi 7 and a surprisingly punchy quad speaker setup. I used to be additionally fairly shocked with the Slim 7x’s keyboard, which sports activities 1.5mm of key journey, which is quite a bit longer than you usually get on a system this skinny. Lastly, powering every part is a 70Wh battery, which is considerably bigger than the 58Wh cell on the ThinkPad T14s.
Sadly, with out understanding extra concerning the Snapdragon X Elite’s efficiency in Home windows 11 (to not point out stuff like app compatibility) or how impactful Microsoft’s Copilot+ options will probably be, it is a considerably incomplete peek on the Yoga Slim 7x’s capabilities. Besides, for all of the individuals who need to see slimmer notebooks that provide good efficiency and battery life, it’s encouraging to see what corporations like Lenovo are doing with a brand new technology of Arm-based processors for Home windows.
The Yoga Slim 7x is predicted to go on sale someday in June beginning at $1,199 and will probably be obtainable solely from Greatest Purchase.