Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11: Release date, price, and everything else

Each year, Lenovo delivers a new iteration of the iconic ThinkPad X1 Carbon laptop, and for 2023, things are no different. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is a fairly modest upgrade from its predecessor, but it does make a few changes that make it that much better of an option. Of course, it has the newest Intel Core processors available, but it also comes with some software improvements for the webcam and an even more sustainable design.

If you want to know everything there is to know about the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve rounded up the specs, pricing, release date, and more on this page. Let’s take a look at everything we know.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11: Pricing and availability

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 was announced in December 2022 and it’s now available to buy on Lenovo’s website. You can also find it at retailers that specialize in selling to businesses, such as CDW. You likely won’t be able to find it at traditional consumer retailers like Amazon. Because of the large number of configuration options available, business laptops don’t tend to make it to these retailers, or they do but only in a few configuration options.

The official starting price for the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is $1,729, but pricing for ThinkPads tends to fluctuate a lot on Lenovo’s website. When it first became available, Lenovo was asking a lot more, but discounts have brought the price closer to the real MSRP. Of course, pricing also varies depending on the configuration you choose, and that MSRP is just for the base model, with an Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. You can spend a lot more if you want a better configuration.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 builds on its predecessor with newer and more powerful 13th-gen Intel processors. It keeps the iconic ThinkPad design and features you know and love, too.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon: Specs

What’s new in the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11?

As we said at the start, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is a fairly modest refresh without a ton of changes, but it does bring a few welcome ones. It’s already building on one of the best laptops on the market, so this makes sense.

New Intel processors and more RAM

The first and most obvious upgrade here is the spec bump, which we get every generation. Of course, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 will come with 13th-generation Intel Core processors. Lenovo hasn’t yet revealed the exact processors that will be available, but we’d imagine it will use P-series models, just like last year. These processors have a 28W TDP and the 13th-generation configurations go up to a Core i7-1370P, which has 14 cores, 20 threads, and boost speeds up to 5.2GHz. The previous max configuration was a Core i7-1280P, which had a similar core count but only went up to 4.8GHz.

Another notable change is that Lenovo is increasing the maximum amount of RAM you can get with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, now up to a whopping 64GB. Previous models were maxed out at 32GB, so this is good news if you need performance for more demanding tasks, such as video editing or working on large databases and projects with large files. The storage is similar, with up to a 2TB PCIe 4.0 SSD available.

An upgraded webcam (with software)

One of the changes Lenovo is highlighting with the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 has to do with the webcam, specifically the features enabled by the Lenovo View app. The updated version of this app comes with an improved AI algorithm for the webcam video enhancer, which should help you look even better during online meetings and calls. Lenovo says you can see these improvements in any lighting condition, including darker rooms.

What’s more, the Lenovo View app also includes features like background removal, autofocus, face tracking, and even a virtual presenter feature, so your video can always stand out. Privacy Guard and Privacy Alert features can help you prevent unauthorized people from spying on what you’re doing, and the laptop can also give you warnings about posture correction and remind you to rest your eyes occasionally.

More sustainable materials

Finally, another noteworthy change has to do with Lenovo’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Lenovo has made the ThinkPad X1 Carbon even more sustainable, and it’s now using 90% recycled magnesium in the palm rest of this laptop. What’s more, the bottom cover uses 55% recycled aluminum, resulting in lower emissions across the board.

The packaging is more sustainable, too. Lenovo is using 100% bamboo and sugarcane fiber for the retail packaging, and brown box packaging is plastic free and uses 90% recycled or FSC-certified materials.

Where can I buy the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11?

The easiest place to find the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 is Lenovo’s own website, which is where its laptops usually launch first. We’ve also been able to find it at CDW, though it’s still considered a pre-order and you’ll be waiting a few weeks to get your unit. You may also get in touch with other business-to-business resellers that may carry the laptop to see if it’s already available from them. Availability should keep expanding in the coming months

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11

The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 11 builds on its predecessor with newer and more powerful 13th-gen Intel processors. It keeps the iconic ThinkPad design and features you know and love, too.

If you’re looking for something a little cheaper or different, you might want to take a look at our list of the best Lenovo ThinkPads you can buy today. There are also great business laptops from other brands if you want to take a closer look at those.