The new ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 10) gets an OLED display, better biometrics

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon has entered its tenth generation with an unveiling at CES 2022. The flagship business laptop — and one of the best Lenovo laptops available — continues its trend of delivering a ton of security features and excellent performance, all in a svelte, durable chassis. Ports remain plentiful for easy connectivity, with dual Thunderbolt 4, dual USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1), HDMI 2.0b, and 3.5mm audio.

This Windows 11 laptop has been bumped up to include new 12th Gen Intel Core U- and P-series CPUs with vPro support, as well as up to 32GB of LPDDR5 RAM and up to 2TB of speedy M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD storage. To keep everything cool, Lenovo added a new keyboard air intake that doesn’t negate the usual spill resistance. Wireless includes Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2, with optional 5G and 4G LTE connectivity via eSIM or Nano SIM.

Here are the exact specs as listed by Lenovo for the ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 10).

The X1 Carbon’s 14-inch display options have typically been plentiful, but Lenovo has added an extra 2.8K OLED option to further satisfy those who want the deepest color possible. The OLED display has an anti-reflective finish, 100% DCI-P3 color, 400 nits brightness, and Eyesafe certification for low blue light. A lower-res 2.2K option is accompanied by three FHD+ options with touch, non-touch, and Privacy Guard features.

There are also a couple of 3840×2400 (WQUXGA) display options, one with touch and one without. The non-touch version offers 100% DCI-P3 color, Dolby Vision, HDR 400, 500 nits brightness, and Eyesafe certification. The touch version is largely the same, except it has add on film touch (AOFT) technology for advanced touch support.

Another new feature for the X1 Carbon (Gen 10) is a communication bar along the top of the lid. It makes for easier opening and closing, but its main purpose is to house the front-facing camera options and quad-array microphone with 360-degree coverage. An FHD resolution and 1.4µm sensor is now standard for the main camera, though it does look like it can drop back down to HD to save money. An IR camera hybrid is an option if you’d like facial recognition, and a webcam shutter helps prevent unwanted spying. Dolby Atmos improves audio quality from the laptop’s speakers.

Lenovo’s “Computer Vision” technology — an optional add-on — combines Human Presence Detection (HPD) with a neural processing unit to better analyze who and what is passing in front of the camera, even when the PC is asleep. If it’s not you, your PC isn’t going to attempt to unlock. Computer Vision can also sense when you look away from the display, reducing screen brightness or even turning off the display completely to save energy and add privacy. Lenovo claims it should also work for users wearing a face mask.

As is expected from a new ThinkPad, the X1 Carbon (Gen 10) delivers enhanced security through ThinkShield Firmware Resiliency 2.0, better IR biometrics with AI support, fingerprint reader, display Privacy Guard, and vPro support. The ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 10) is expected March 2022 and should start at about $1,639.