The port supply is all on the right side of the device and provides a USB type C with Thunderbolt 4, a classic USB 3.2 Gen2 type C also used for charging, a jack from 3,5mm for headphones and nano SIM slot; Unfortunately, a USB type A port is missing. The power button is placed at the top, while on the left side we find only the volume keys and on the front a Windows Hello compatible webcam. The lower part houses the pins for the keyboard that connects magnetically, finally on the back we find a 5MP camera.
The active pen included by Lenovo in the package supports 4096 pressure levels, provides two configurable buttons and can be placed inside a small elastic fabric strap, placed on the right side of the keyboard. The Lenovo Precision Pen also senses tilt, offers a configurable third button and can be attached to the ThinkPad X12 Detachable magnetically.
Despite being a convertible, the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable offers the same keyboard that we find on the other devices in the ThinkPad range. Offers three levels of backlight and integrates a fingerprint reader, which allows you to log in to Windows without having to enter the PIN or password. Like all self-respecting ThinkPad devices, here too we find the classic trackPoint and the three physical buttons at the top of the touchpad. The Trackpoint works very well, you just have to get used to it; in case you do not want to try your hand at the enterprise, know that the touchpad is of excellent quality and is sufficiently large, despite the little space available.
The audio sector has due speaker da 1 watt, placed on the front in small cuts in the bezels of the screen. Don't expect a high level sound performance, the quality is enough to hear your interlocutors clearly in the case of video calls or online meetings, nothing more. If you want to listen to music while you work or watch streaming content, we recommend that you take advantage of the 3,5mm jack and connect headphones, so as to have a better listening experience.
Experience of use
To put the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable to the test, we've been using it as our primary device for the past few weeks, taking it with us on the go as well. We took the opportunity of a short vacation to take advantage of the integrated 4G modem, in which we inserted a data SIM to be online even in the absence of a Wi-Fi network. We used the device mainly for write texts, manage Excel files, edit some images on the fly using Photoshop and surf on the web.
Let's start by saying that small dimensions and weight make it possible very easy to carry it in your backpack, but working on the move is not always easy: the weight is all in the upper part e the stand is uncomfortable to hold on the legs, so if you do not have a support (such as the table that is found on trains), you may have some more difficulties than those encountered with a normal notebook. But if you don't need the keyboard, you can use the device as a tablet without any difficulty.
Beyond that, the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable it has no particular critical points. The 4G modem works well and allowed us to work even in the absence of Wi-Fi and the maximum brightness of 400 nit allows you to see the screen quite well even outdoors.
Typing on the keyboard of the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable is a real pleasure, as is using that of the other ThinkPads. Given the nature of the device it is less solid and flexes slightly in the center when pressed, but not to the point of causing problems; if you magnetically hook it to the lower edge of the screen, the overall structure is solid and offers a high-level user experience. Key travel and feedback are great, overall the ThinkPad X12 Detachable keyboard allows you to type quickly without the fear of skipping or typing a letter twice by mistake. We found the shortcut for Windows "Capture and Annotate" very convenient, while we had to make some attempts to get used to the position of Ctrl and Fn, reversed from the keyboard we usually type on.
During the test weeks we took advantage of pen, using the ThinkPad X12 Detachable as a notepad during some meetings. Once inserted one AAAA battery the pen is activated and starts working immediately: during use we did not notice any particular uncertainties or problems, neither with OneNote (the app on which we took notes) nor by editing some screenshots with Windows Ink on the fly. The housing of the basic version of the stylus leaves us some doubts, as the pen could slide out easily once the elastic is released, but it is a wear caused by months of use and that we could not evaluate in this venue. If you don't want to take any risks, we recommend purchasing the Lenovo Precision Pen, which attaches magnetically to the device.
Verdict
Creating a convertible laptop means going to create a hybrid between a laptop and a tablet taking the best of both worlds: a task not always easy, but one that Lenovo has done very well with the new ThinkPad X12 Detachable. It is a complete and functional device, with very few uncertainties and a single defect, dictated more by the type of product than by the device itself: the stand is not very comfortable to hold on the legs and, if you do not have a plan support, you work worse than with a classic notebook. Beyond this though, the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable offers a great user experience, managing to manage the various tasks of an office job without any difficulty.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable subject of this review, with Core i5-1130G7, 16GB of RAM and 4G module is expected to be available at a list price of about 2100 euros, but it can already be purchased on some online shops a just over 1700 euro. It's about a premium figure but still interesting, as it is lower than what you can buy a Microsoft Surface Pro 7 with similar hardware features, keyboard and pen included.
In conclusion, if you are looking for a new high-end convertible to work and you often find yourself writing long texts, the ThinkPad X12 Detachable could be the device for you, as it offers excellent performance and one of the best keyboards on the market for the category. If, on the other hand, you have a smaller budget but still need such a product, we recommend that you take a look at the Microsoft Surface Go 2 (also available with LTE modem) or, if you don't necessarily need to use Windows and want to spend even less. , at Lenovo Duet with ChromeOS.
Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable | Review
