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ICYMI: Catch up on a busy week of Engadget reviews
It has been a busy few weeks when it comes to product announcements, and that means we at Engadget have been reviewing a number of new devices. This week alone we shared our thoughts on laptops from Lenovo, Microsoft, Apple and ASUS, breaking down what each does well and what we think needs some work. We also took a look at the new iPad Pro -- which might as well be a laptop, given its price and the way Apple is positioning it -- and, for a change of pace, BMW's "hybrid supercar," the i8 Roadster.
ThinkPad X1 Extreme review: Big on power and price
Full disclosure: I have something of a complicated relationship with ThinkPads. Once upon a time, I was what you might call a "fanboy." Over the course of my life, I've had five of them. In fact, I've never actually purchased any other brand of laptop. But about four years ago I bought an X1 Carbon, and the experience left a bad taste in my mouth. I had to send it back to Lenovo for repairs four times in the first two years. That included having both the motherboard and keyboard replaced. Now, the screen is literally falling off. So I'm coming into this review pretty skeptical of Lenovo's quality control. Obviously, I can't predict how it will hold up over time, but I will say this: The X1 Extreme makes one hell of a first impression. That impression is important, though. This is Lenovo trying to move into a new niche and trying to fill a glaring gap in the ThinkPad lineup. If you wanted desktop replacement-level power in a sleek, ultra-portable package, you'd have to look elsewhere. This is a market served primarily by the larger MacBook Pro and Dell XPS models. But if you haven't been swayed by Apple or Dell's offerings, Lenovo just might have the answer.
Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 Extreme will tempt you away from a MacBook Pro
With the ThinkPad X1 Extreme, Lenovo is trying to bridge the gap between its innovate X lineup and its larger and more powerful models. Consider it a glimpse of the ThinkPad's future. The X1 Extreme is the beefiest entry yet in the X series, thanks to dedicated NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti Max-Q graphics, as well as its support for Intel's latest eighth-generation CPUs. And yes, that includes the top-of-the-line Core i9 processor. It's probably a cliché to say this now, but it's the ideal ThinkPad for taking on Apple's recent MacBook Pros.
