Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google.
ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Lenovo announced a handful of new additions to its core line of ThinkPad laptops today at IFA in Berlin.
- The new devices announced are the ThinkPad P1 Gen 8, ThinkPad P16v Gen 3, and ThinkPad X9 in a new Glacier White colorway.
- The ThinkPad X9 made waves earlier this year, breaking with the lineup’s aesthetics for a slick form factor and new “engine hub” design concept.
When the ThinkPad X9 Aura Edition debuted at CES in early 2025, it immediately caught my attention for its stark departure from the ThinkPad design ethos. No TrackPoint, no black, utilitarian design, and no left/right trackpad buttons. Was this even a ThinkPad?
Well, yes, but it’s something entirely new, as well. The X9 is a highly functional laptop in its own right, with an ultraportable form, decent battery life, and sleek aesthetic with its ribbed bottom plate and engine hub. In fact, it was our pick for best Windows laptop of 2025 for its combination of performance relative to value, and bold design.
Also: The 4 coolest gadgets I’ve seen at IFA 2025 (including ones you can actually buy)
So what’s new with the X9? It’s white. The matte “Glacial White” colorway adds a sleek, future-forward aesthetic to a laptop that was already unafraid of breaking from the mold. It comes in a 14- and 15-inch form factor and includes the same hardware as the original configuration: an Intel Core Ultra 7 258V processor.
Notably, however, the white X9 has bumped up local storage to a 1TB SSD in both the 14- and 15-inch configuration, my biggest criticism of the original silver model when I reviewed it, which came in a 256GB or 512GB version.
Additionally, the whole “Aura Edition” feature set generated some buzz last year at IFA for its physical tap-to-share feature, but Lenovo has since decided to transition away from that feature toward its own file-sharing app called Lenovo Connect.
Core ThinkPad upgrades
Alongside the ThinkPad X9, Lenovo also showed off a few mobile workstations, with two laptops in particular as the most impactful models. The eighth-generation ThinkPad P1 runs a Series 2 Intel Core Ultra processor and, most notably, an Nvidia RTX PRO 2000 Blackwell graphics card.
If you’re not familiar, the PRO 2000 Blackwell card is part of a new series of Nvidia GPUs that specialize in professional workloads. Think 3D rendering, generative AI, content creation, and CAD (computer-aided design) drawings. It is said to significantly outperform older RTX 2000 Ada graphics cards.
Also: Is this the most promising Chromebook yet? This Acer has specs that almost rival my MacBook
The previous generation ThinkPad P1 runs on such a GPU, so I expect the performance between the older model and this upcoming laptop to be significant.
In terms of design, the P1 is a quintessential ThinkPad (unlike its aforementioned glacial cousin) with the large track pad, red TrackPoint in the middle of the keyboard, durable build, and robust port selection. It will be available later this month, starting at $2,819.
Lenovo also announced the third-generation ThinkPad P16v at IFA, sharing many similarities with the ThinkPad P1, but in a more substantial 16-inch form. It also has a Blackwell GPU, but boasts a 16-inch 4K OLED touchscreen and the potential to have up to 96GB of RAM. Lenovo cites it as a powerful device for engineers, designers, or animators who want a device with raw power but are value-oriented.
Also: Seriously, Acer’s new 16-inch featherweight laptop makes the MacBook Air seem heavy
In that sense, the P16v’s starting price of $2,249 situates it as an extremely powerful laptop for the price, but a more utilitarian frame. It’s also an inch thick and weighs 4.6 pounds — bulkier than even Lenovo’s new Legion Pro 7 gaming laptop. I went hands-on with the device earlier this month and it’s definitely one of the chunkiest laptops I’ve handled in a while.
Finally, we do worry about battery life. Lenovo’s two laptops have a 90Whr battery, which is great, but the Blackwell GPUs may demand a ton of energy. Both the new ThinkPad P1 and P16v will be released later this month.
