- World’s largest PC vendor joins Apple and Dell in extensively reusing cobalt in new devices
- New Lenovo ThinkPad X9 14 and X9 15 are powered by Intel’s latest Core Ultra 7 CPU (Series 2)
- Despite their flagship status, both still only use PCIe 4.0
Lenovo has announced its latest premium business laptops, the ThinkPad X9 14 and X9 15 Aura Editions, at CES 2025.
These high-performance laptops are powered by Intel Core Ultra 7 (Series 2) processors with Intel Arc Xe2 graphics, up to 32GB of LPDDR5x RAM clocked at 8533 MT/s and support for up to 2TB of PCIe Gen4 SSD storage.
Given their flagship status, we’d have liked Lenovo to have moved beyond PCIe 4.0 for these, but sadly that’s not the case.
Customer-replaceable batteries
The laptops include dual Thunderbolt 4 ports conveniently housed in a redesigned “engine hub” for easy docking and servicing access, and HDMI 2.1.
Wireless connectivity comes in the form of Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. There’s a large glass haptic touchpad and a redesigned keyboard. The laptop’s communication bar integrates an 8MP MIPI camera with IR support and dual noise-canceling microphones for high-quality video conferencing.
The main differences between the ThinkPad X9 14 and X9 15 Aura Editions lie in their display size, battery capacity, and weight. The X9 14 features a 14-inch OLED screen available in two configurations: a WUXGA non-touch panel with 400 nits brightness or a 2.8K touch display with 500 nits, HDR600 support, and a 120Hz variable refresh rate. It weighs 2.66 lbs (1.21 kg) and includes a 55Wh battery.
The X9 15 steps up to a 15.3-inch OLED screen, also available in touch and non-touch options, supporting 500 nits brightness, HDR600 True Black certification, and a variable 120Hz refresh rate. With a 80Wh battery, it is better suited for longer work sessions and heavier workloads. The larger laptop weighs 3.19 lbs (1.45 kg).
In a welcome touch, both models feature a customer-replaceable battery using 100% recycled cobalt cells, which not only reduces reliance on virgin materials but also extends the lifespan of the devices by making maintenance much easier.
Cobalt batteries are known for their high energy density, providing longer runtimes and efficient power delivery within a compact size, so they are ideal for use in premium ultrabooks. Apple and Dell have already embraced recycled cobalt in their devices, so it’s good to see Lenovo following suit.
Both models will be available starting February 2025, with the ThinkPad X9 14 Aura Edition priced from $1,399, while the X9 15 Aura Edition starting at $1,549.
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waynewilliams@onmail.com (Wayne Williams)
