Lenovo is launching a premium laptop with Qualcomm Snapdragon processor on the inside at MWC. In theory, the device sounds interesting, although Windows and ARM have not often been a top combination in practice.
At Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Lenovo will launch the ThinkPad X13s Gen 1: a brand new device in the Chinese laptop maker’s premium ThinkPad X family. The computer stands out because it is built around the Qualcomm Snapdragon platform. Lenovo says it worked with both Qualcomm and Microsoft for four years to develop the laptop.
Qualcomm Snapdragon
Beating hard is the latest version of the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx. That chip the company developed specifically for use in laptops. The Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 should offer up to 85 percent better CPU performance and up to 65 percent better GPU performance compared to the previous generation, according to Lenovo. The chip stands out especially because it is based on the ARM architecture rather than x86 like Intel and AMD’s processors.
Microsoft has been trying to extend its Windows ecosystem to ARM for a while now, with moderate success. For example, Microsoft’s own Surface Pro X runs on an ARM chip, but that device is little more than a niche product. Moreover, the broader Windows ecosystem’s support for the architecture remains limited. Apple, for its part, embraces ARM with a passion. Apple computers based on the in-house developed M1 chips perform excellently across the board and can count on optimized software. To this end, Apple actively cooperates with software partners.
Ambition
Lenovo is making a valiant effort with the ThinkPad X13s. The thin and light laptop is said to last up to 28 hours on a single battery charge. The laptop further supports millimeterwave-5G, though that’s a worthless feature with us for now. You won’t encounter a 5G network using those frequencies anywhere yet.
The laptop weighs 1.06 kg and is developed largely from durable materials. The device runs the ARM version of Windows 11 Pro. Lenovo says it has collaborated with top-tier ISVs “to optimize applications for Windows on ARM. Emulation of x86 apps is also said to have been improved, allowing you to run legacy applications. It is unclear how smoothly those will run in practice. Since the Windows ecosystem has limited native embrace of ARM for now, much will depend on that.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X13s will be available starting in May for a suggested retail price of $1,399. We are curious to see if the ARM chip in the device will feel like a refreshing added value, or a complicated limitation compared to other Windows laptops. At MWC, Lenovo further announced a slew of traditional business laptops.