Lenovo has a number of courses of ThinkPad laptops, every aimed toward various kinds of folks. The X1 Carbon is an instance of a ThinkPad aimed toward jet-setters who admire skinny and lightweight laptops, whereas the T490 is for individuals who see ThinkPads as stable, reliable, and — let’s face it — barely extra pedestrian laptops.
We pitted the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 towards the ThinkPad T490 to see whether or not the upper worth of the previous is justified over the stable reliability of the latter.
Design
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 seems to be and feels similar to the slim Gen 7 mannequin, sustaining its mixture of magnesium alloy and carbon fiber making up the chassis. When you purchase the model with the 4K show, then you definitely’ll love the woven carbon fiber sample adorning the lid. Apart from the thinner design, the X1 Carbon seems to be lots just like the T490, each of which spotlight the same old iconic black chassis with crimson accents as adorns nearly all of ThinkPads. Each additionally benefit from the soft-touch really feel that makes carrying and utilizing the everyday ThinkPad so comfy. The T490, nonetheless, is constructed of plastic with glass fiber backing.
When it comes to their keyboards, you may think each laptops to take pleasure in an identical ThinkPad high quality. That’s not the case, although, because the X1 Carbon Gen 9 has a barely shallower keyboard due to its thinner chassis. It nonetheless feels nice, however if you would like the standard ThinkPad keyboard, then the T490 is the higher selection. Each provide backlit and non-backlit variations.
Each laptops sport the everyday crimson TrackPoint nubbin in the midst of the show with an additional set of buttons above the touchpad. Each touchpads assist Microsoft’s Precision touchpad drivers for glorious Home windows multitouch gesture assist, however the X1 Carbon Gen 9 does have a wider pad with extra room in your fingers. Each laptops additionally assist Home windows Good day password-less login through quick and correct fingerprint scanners, with a ThinkShutter privateness panel that slides over the webcam for some additional privateness.
Show choices are the place the 2 laptops severely diverge. The X1 Carbon presents a number of show choices, from full HD (1920 x 1080) panels with low-power or anti-glare contact assist, as much as a 4K (3840 x 2160) show with 500 nits of brightness, and Dolby Imaginative and prescient high-dynamic vary (HDR) assist.
We are able to attest to how glorious the latter show is, with nice colours, brightness, and among the finest Netflix HDR assist you’ll discover on a laptop computer. The T490 is extra restricted, with HD or full HD shows however few different choices and no UHD mannequin — it’s not crucial consideration for a 14-inch display screen the place the additional pixels gained’t be missed as a lot, nevertheless it’s noteworthy for individuals who need full 4K.
Lastly, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon has higher connectivity, with two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 assist, an Ethernet/docking station connector (that sadly requires an non-obligatory adapter), two USB-A 3.2 ports, and HDMI 2.0. The T490 solely has two USB 3.1 ports, a USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 port, and a USB-C 3.1 Gen 2 port with Thunderbolt 3, plus an HDMI 1.4 port.
Each laptops may be upgraded to Intel’s Wi-Fi 6 card with Bluetooth 5.0, not less than on these variations with Intel’s Tenth-generation CPUs (extra on this beneath). You can even configure non-obligatory WWAN SIM slots.
Efficiency
The X1 Carbon Gen 9 line has solely Eleventh-gen Intel Comet Lake processors, starting from the four-core i7-1135G7 to the four-core i7-1185G7. These Eleventh-gen processors are among the quickest round, in line with our checks, and a very good selection for a efficiency improve in the event you haven’t purchased a brand new laptop computer in a number of years (there’s additionally a mannequin with built-in Linux compatibility in the event you desire that working system).
The T490, then again, presents primarily Eighth-gen Intel processors, beginning with the four-core i7-8665U. Probably the most superior T490 model does include a Tenth-gen i7-10510U chip, nevertheless it’s presently out of inventory, and that requires the utmost improve for the T490. It is a compromise that the T490 makes to stay the extra inexpensive laptop computer, however it’s a notable lower in energy.
On the GPU entrance, the T490 presents built-in Intel UHD graphics, whereas the X1 Carbon Gen 9 makes use of the extra superior Intel Iris Xe graphics for an improved expertise.
Each fashions additionally provide choices for as much as 1TB PCIe solid-state drive storage. However in terms of RAM, the T490 is proscribed to 16GBs, whereas the X1 Carbon Gen 9 has choices as much as 32GB of RAM.
Portability
The X1 Carbon is a a lot lighter, smaller, and thinner laptop computer than the T490. It’s simpler to toss right into a backpack and carry round. The X1 Carbon is considerably smaller than the T490 regardless of each laptops utilizing 14-inch shows.
The T490 is wider (12.95 inches versus 12.71 inches) and deeper (8.94 inches versus 8.54 inches) than the X1 Carbon, thanks primarily to thicker show bezels, and it’s thicker at 0.70 inches versus 0.58 inches. Lastly, the X1 Carbon weighs 2.49 kilos, virtually a full pound lighter than the T490 that is available in at a beginning weight of three.23 kilos (as much as 3.56 kilos with the PrivacyGuard show). That makes the X1 Carbon a extra fashionable and engaging design.
The T490 comes with a 50Whr battery rated as much as 16.11 hours, whereas the X1 Carbon comes with a 57Wh battery rated as much as 16.7 hours. Nonetheless, the processor and shows selections you make may also have a big effect on battery life, so take these specs under consideration alongside different selections.
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the extra fashionable ThinkPad iteration
The ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is little doubt the extra expensive laptop computer. The bottom mannequin begins at $2,321 (right down to $1,392.60 with Lenovo’s computerized coupon), and relying on what upgrades you need, that worth can climb as excessive as $3,889 (right down to $2,333.40 with the coupon). If you’ll find these sorts of offers, then you definitely actually don’t have any excuse to not make the leap and purchase the brand new ThinkPad X1.
The ThinkPad T490’s present pricing places it inside a really comparable worth vary regardless of the slower efficiency. The bottom mannequin begins at $2,409 ($799.99 with offers) and might attain as much as $2,859. You’ll find completely different options and upgrades to this mannequin, such because the Tenth-gen CPU, however you’ll need to analysis what the value will probably be for that.
There’s no denying that the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 9 is the superior product attributable to an upgraded processor and 4K choices. That stated, in the event you’re on a decent funds, then the T490 presents respectable specs at an inexpensive worth. In case your funds permits some wiggle room for upgrades, then the X1 Carbon is what we advocate. General, it’s a superior machine, and present offers imply that there’s solely a slight worth distinction between the 2 choices, and with that in thoughts, we extremely advocate the Gen 9 Carbon mannequin.
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